"Why do you keep looking at me?" Y/N finally asked, her eyes still focused on the book in her hands.
Hermione's voice was gentle as she replied, "I like looking at you."
"Yeah?" Y/N asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Hermione nodded, he...
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They had traversed several days, enduring multiple plane rides, boat trips, and car journeys, moving from one province to another, island to island, and road to road. Their journey had taken them to Boracay, Baguio, and Cebu so far.
As the bus rumbled down the mountainous roads of Baguio, the cool air was slowly warming up. The bus came to a halt at a toll gate, where a large curved sign reading "Manila" welcomed them. After clearing the toll booth, the bus continued on its path toward Manila, their first destination in Metro Manila.
"Metro Manila seems a bit ordinary, doesn't it?" Sophie remarked as she peered out of the window, earning a snicker from Aurora.
"I heard we're heading to BGC first, but what's that?" Y/N inquired.
"It's a city, mostly for the wealthy, I suppose. Sounds posh," Aurora replied with a casual shrug. "At first, I thought you said BBC," she added.
"The British Broadcasting Corporation?"
"Big Black Co— oh."
"What?" The group chorused, turning their attention to Y/N.
"Nothing," Y/N muttered with a faint blush before her breath caught, a lump forming in her throat. A slight gust of wind seemed to caress her, despite the windows being closed, causing goosebumps to rise on her arms and the back of her head. Her stomach churned, and her pupils dilated.
"Are you okay? You're sweating," Aurora inquired with concern, and Y/N shook her head.
"I'm fine," Y/N snapped sharply.
"Okay, jeez," Aurora replied, turning to engage in conversation with the other girls. Y/N's eyes darted around nervously.
"Alright, everyone, welcome to Manila!" The conductor's announcement interrupted the moment.
✴✴✴✴✴
Y/N stepped onto the ground, a sense of unease washing over her. It felt like an electric shock had just passed through her, sending shivers down her spine. She gritted her teeth nervously, her jaw clenched.
"Oi, Y/N, you okay?" Dan approached her, and Y/N nodded, trying to shake off the strange feeling. "You look a tad bit nervous," he added, but Y/N walked away abruptly.
"What the..." Y/N muttered to herself. The unsettling feeling seemed to grow larger, and it was as if the world was closing in on her. Distorted shapes and shadows appeared in her peripheral vision.
"Ah!" Y/N exclaimed when someone placed a hand on her shoulder, making her jump and back away. She turned to see a confused Hermione.
"Are you okay?" Hermione asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. Y/N's breath caught in her throat, but the sight of Hermione helped calm her down slightly.
"Yeah," Y/N murmured. "Just... a bit jumpy from the road," she replied, her voice shaky. Hermione continued to look concerned.
"You've been acting like this for the past week, are you sure?" Hermione persisted, and Y/N's jaw clenched as she nodded.
