-Shea’s POV-

Shea was dragging her feet through the bustling Manila market, still half-asleep from an early shift. She’d been craving her lola’s favorite ube halaya but hadn’t had time to make it herself and she’d been venting about it nonstop to her ‘best friend’ solenn for weeks now.

As she passed her usual stall, the vendor waved her over with a bright smile. “Sheaa! Your best friend, solenn, was here before sunrise.” The lady said she practically memorized her lola’s recipe after shea showed it to her ages ago, and the lady wanted to surprise her. holding up a perfectly smooth purple container wrapped in colorful banana leaves.

Shea lifted the lid to find not just ube halaya, but tiny latik sprinkles shaped like little stars, the very detail she’d gushed about when she was a kid, helping her lolas prepare for fiestas together. Just then, her phone buzzed: a message from solenn that read, “I know our school works been crazy hard on you. Saved you a spot at our usual bench by the bay, the sunset’s gonna be good, and I may have also grabbed those puto bumbong you love. Don’t be late okay?”

Shea’s heart did a little flip as she tucked the container into her bag, Solenn had always been the one who remembered everything that mattered to her, and lately she’d been wondering if this warm feeling in her chest was just friendship... or something more.