"You made me rush over for this?"

"Sí (Yes), we have a project to work on, remember?"

"But I was out with a friend, for crying out loud!" Aquilina almost whined.

"Exactly. A great time to be learning some Spanish for the assignment, don't you think? Instead of wasting time elsewhere."

Javier smiled derisively as he raised a glass of juice to his lips, annoying her further.

Aqui had followed Philip to his parent's Restaurant, after dropping by at home to change her clothes and pick her phone and other stuff.

His parents, Kim Yong Doo(Father) and Kim Joo Eun (Mother) were very welcoming despite having other customers to attend to, and treated her as a daughter.

The daughter they never had, as Joo Eun put it. According to them, Philip had never introduced them to any friend of his.

Aqui had been having a good time, deciding to help out with the serving of food, after enjoying her own meal. For the place was packed — which testified to how good the food there was.

She found herself enjoying it all, till she received a phone call — from Javier to be exact. After he had asked her where she was and what she was doing, he demanded that she return to her home.

"It's an emergency," he had said.

Aqui, afraid something was wrong, rushed home to find Javier waiting for her on the couch with a pile of books on the table. To teach her a language she already understood and spoke — unbeknownst to him, of course.

So, she had to endure an hour and half of pretending to be clueless.

"So good night is 'Buenos Nachos'?"

"Buenas Noches!" He looked exasperated. This was the third time she had made that 'mistake'.

"How do you manage to get all those grades with such a low IQ?"

"I promise I'll try harder."

"Let's take a break." And he stood up, stretching.

"Good idea," she took a sip from her glass of water and earned a glare from him.

But his glare had lost its touch of iciness, and he had rather been amused by the whole situation.

"I'm starving," he said after a moment.

"I'm satisfied," she replied which was true.

"And you didn't think to bring me something? I waited for so long."

"You're kidding, right? I didn't even know you were here."

"But after I called, didn't you think to get me anything?" That made her feel guilty.

"Okay, fine. I'm sorry," she sighed. "What would you like to eat?"

"Mmm..." he tapped his chin and then looked at her, a mischievous glint in his eye. "A Pizza — homemade."

So, he thinks I can't make one? Challenge accepted.

34 minutes, 45 seconds later—as Javier had been counting—the pizza was ready.

He had been impressed and made her aware of it.

"And it tastes good too," he admitted.

"Thanks," she said shyly, taking a slice for herself.

She had made an easy recipe she had learnt. Self-raising flour with plain Greek Yogurt.

She added a bit of honey and salt, and having some shredded cheese and Pizza sauce on hand already made things easier for her. Sprinkling some olives on top, she was done.

"I thought you were satisfied, this Pizza is supposed to be mine," Javier said looking dead serious.

She gaped for a second before dropping her slice, "Fine."

She moved from the dining table to their hall and sat down mindlessly flipping through the pages of a book.

She didn't turn when she heard footsteps behind her or felt someone sit beside her on the couch.

A slice of pizza was brought to her lips before she finally looked up.

Javier was watching her, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He was offering a truce — silently.

They stared at each other for a moment before she sighed and took a bite of it. He then fully smiled and made her eat the rest of it.

Afterwards, he stood and offered his hand,

"Ven conmigo." (Come with me.)

She pretended not to understand but took his hand based on his gesture. He led her back to the table and together they ate their fill of it.

"Did Jason say when he would be coming back?" Aqui asked after a moment of eating together. 

"No, your cousin is as secretive as you are."

"Oh?" She cocked an eyebrow, intrigued. "What makes you think I'm secretive?"

He began in a high pitched voice,

"I'm Aquilina, and am here to study."

"Hey!" She threw a playful punch at him as he chuckled. That was how she had introduced herself on the first day in class.

"You only hang out with a few people. Never attend any events. You overdid the top students in one week of your arrival—but let's just assume that's because you're a scholarship kid," he listed them counting off on his fingers.

"You always leave before anyone has the chance to notice. No one really knows you're cousins with Jason. Oh, and on top of that, apart from Aquilina, your documents always only say S. J. in addition."

He paused then and looked at her narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Why would you need to hide your full name. Need I continue?" He asked sardonically.

To say Aqui was shocked was an understatement. But she hid her emotions well, and played the game of diversion.

"You researched me? Prince Javier Miguel García, have I always been that important to you?"

She turned the question back to him. But his next answer pierced her. Pain was etched on his features.

"When a little boy's mother leaves him all alone, and a girl who looks just like she did waltzes into the room one day stirring up memories... what else can you expect?"

"Oh."

For all her grades were worth, she had never given a thought that all along she had been around King Domingo II's son.

The boy whose mother had left him when he was but a child.

Oh, indeed.

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Hola, mis amigos! Thanks for making it this far. I'm grateful. GOD bless you.

Kindly drop your thoughts,

Did you make the connection before Aquilina did?

And this Chapter is dedicated to my amazing Sister PamKayy The love is deep.

Love,
Phela 💕