Chasing The Crown

Prologue: ❝Morning Mischief❞

The soft glow of the sunrise filtered through the grand windows of the Hong family's mansion, casting a warm hue over the marble floors. It was an early Monday morning, and the household was already a flurry of activity. The maids moved gracefully through the halls, attending to their duties with practiced ease. In the spacious kitchen, the aroma of freshly baked cookies began to fill the air.

Mrs. Hong stood by the counter, her elegant hands deftly kneading dough alongside the maids. "I think a touch more cinnamon will make these perfect," she suggested with a gentle smile. The maids nodded, appreciating her involvement despite her status.

At the dining table, Mr. Hong sipped his coffee while engrossed in the morning newspaper. The quiet rustling of pages was occasionally interrupted by the soft clinking of porcelain as he set his cup down.

Upstairs, in one of the many lavish bedrooms, Joshua stirred in his sleep. The eldest of the Hong siblings, he valued his rare moments of rest. However, today would not be one of those days.

Laughter and muffled shouts echoed from the direction of the kitchen. Rhiannon and Kaitlyn were at it again. Being only a year apart, the two sisters had a bond that oscillated between affectionate and contentious.

In the kitchen, Kaitlyn mischievously held a handful of flour behind her back. With a sly grin, she inched closer to Rhiannon, who was meticulously decorating a tray of cookies.

"Ang ganda ng cookies mo, Rhiannon," Kaitlyn remarked innocently.

"Salamat," Rhiannon replied without looking up. "Gusto kong perfect ito para sa student council meeting mamaya."

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Seizing the moment, Kaitlyn blew the flour into Rhiannon's face. A cloud of white enveloped her, and she gasped in surprise.

"Ate! Ano ba?!" Rhiannon exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock.

Kaitlyn burst into laughter. "Ang cute mo kasi kapag nagagalit!"

Rhiannon wiped her face with a towel, her expression shifting from surprise to playful annoyance. "Humanda ka sa akin!"

She grabbed a nearby bowl of frosting and smeared a dollop onto Kaitlyn's nose."Uy! Ang lamig niyan!" Kaitlyn protested, still laughing.

Their playful scuffle escalated as they chased each other around the kitchen island, laughing and dodging around the maids who tried unsuccessfully to intervene.

"Mga anak, tama na yan," Mrs. Hong said, trying to sound stern but unable to hide her amusement.

Mr. Hong peeked over his newspaper, shaking his head with a chuckle. "Those girls..."

The commotion finally reached Joshua's ears. He sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes. "What are they up to this time?" he muttered to himself.

He got out of bed and threw on a casual shirt before heading downstairs. As he approached the kitchen, the sounds of laughter and shrieks grew louder.

Upon entering, he found Kaitlyn and Rhiannon covered in flour and frosting, their pristine kitchen turned into a makeshift battleground.

"Seriously, guys?" Joshua raised an eyebrow. "It's not even 8 AM."

"Good morning, Kuya!" Kaitlyn greeted, waving at him with a frosting-covered hand.

Rhiannon pointed at her sister. "Siya nagsimula!"

"Did not!" Kaitlyn retorted. "Ikaw kaya ang nagbuhos ng syrup sa buhok ko kahapon."

Joshua sighed but couldn't help smiling. "Alright, alright. Why don't you both clean up before Dad decides to give a lecture on responsibility?"