Chasing The Crown

Chapter #5: ❝The Tiger's Den❞

The sun had already dipped beneath the horizon by the time Andrea finally made her way home. The streets were quiet, the air cool against her skin as she walked the familiar path to their house. It wasn't as grand as the Hong family's mansion, but the Santiagos lived comfortably in a well-off neighborhood, thanks to her parents' steady careers and Hunter's promising future in medicine.

As she approached the front gate, Andrea couldn't help but smile. There was one thing about their house that always made it stand out: the tigers.

The moment she stepped through the door, she was greeted by the sight of yet another tiger figurine added to their collection. This one had been placed on a small shelf by the entryway—its glass eyes gleamed in the dim light, watching over the household like a silent guardian.

"Welcome home!" Hunter's voice called from the living room, where he was sprawled across the couch, a tiger-patterned blanket draped over him.

"Hey, Kuya," Andrea greeted with a chuckle, kicking off her shoes and walking into the living room. As usual, the room was filled with tiger plushies, tiger paintings, and even a tiger-patterned rug beneath the coffee table. "Nagbili ka na naman ba ng bago?" she asked, eyeing the new figurine.

"Of course!" Hunter grinned, sitting up with enthusiasm. "Hindi ko napigilan. Ang ganda ng pagkaka-detalye. Kita mo ba 'yung stripes niya?"

Andrea rolled her eyes affectionately. "Seryoso ka talaga, Kuya. Ilang tigers na kaya ang nasa bahay na 'to?"

Hunter pretended to think for a moment, then held up his fingers and began counting. "Hmm... mga trenta? Siguro?"

"More like sixty," Andrea teased, shaking her head. "Buti na lang, sanay na ako sa mga 'yan."

Truthfully, she didn't mind the tigers that filled their house. It had become a part of their family's charm—something that made their home feel uniquely theirs. Their parents, too, shared Hunter's love for the majestic creatures, though none were as obsessed as her brother, who, on more than one occasion, had even jokingly referred to himself as a tiger reincarnated.

"By the way," Hunter said, shifting on the couch to face her. "Kamusta 'yung day mo sa UST? I heard there's some big event coming up, tama ba?"

Andrea sighed, slumping onto the armchair across from him. "Yeah, there's an event. Sobrang daming kailangang ayusin. Si Rhiannon, Isabel, at ako halos hindi na humihinto sa kakatrabaho."

Hunter raised an eyebrow. "SSG life, huh? Akala ko ba last year ka na sa pagiging secretary? Dapat nag-focus ka na lang sa Fine Arts mo."

Andrea shrugged. "I know, pero alam mo naman ako. Gusto kong makatulong. And besides, it's fun... most of the time."

Hunter laughed, shaking his head. "Ikaw talaga, sobrang sipag. Hindi ko nga alam paano mo naba-balance lahat."

"Just lucky, I guess," Andrea replied with a small smile, though deep down, she knew it was more than just luck. It took a lot of effort to juggle her responsibilities with the SSG and her Fine Arts studies, but she had grown used to the busy routine.

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Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of their mother's voice coming from the kitchen. "Andrea, Hunter! Dinner's ready!"

"Salamat, Ma!" Andrea called back before turning to Hunter. "Tara, kain na tayo."

The two siblings made their way to the dining room, where their parents were already seated. The table was filled with home-cooked dishes—fried fish, sautéed vegetables, and rice, all smelling delicious.

"How was your day, anak?" Mrs. Santiago asked as Andrea took her seat.

"Busy po, as usual," Andrea replied, reaching for a serving of fish. "Pero okay naman. Rhiannon's been working us hard for the event."

Mr. Santiago chuckled, taking a sip of his drink. "That girl's just like her kuya, hindi nagpapahinga kapag may trabaho."

Andrea nodded in agreement, her thoughts drifting to Joshua. There was no denying that Rhiannon's work ethic was very similar to her older brother's. Joshua had always been so serious about his responsibilities when he was in the SSG. Even now, despite not holding a position anymore, he still visited the office and helped out whenever he could.

"Joshua was at the SSG office earlier," Andrea found herself saying, glancing at her parents. "He's still helping out kahit hindi na siya presidente."

Hunter snorted, giving her a knowing look. "Ah, Joshua Hong. SSG royalty pa rin kahit graduate na. Pero, bakit parang iba 'yung tono mo? Something you wanna share?"

Andrea shot him a glare. "Kuya, please. We're just friends. Pareho lang kaming tumutulong sa SSG."

Hunter smirked but didn't press further. "If you say so."

"Joshua seems like a good young man," their mother chimed in, her tone light. "It's nice that he's still looking out for his sister and the SSG. He reminds me a lot of you, Hunter, with how protective he is of his family."

"Except I'm cooler," Hunter joked, flashing a grin.

The table erupted in laughter, and for a while, the conversation shifted to lighter topics—stories from Hunter's med school experiences, their parents' latest hobbies, and Andrea's upcoming Fine Arts projects. It felt good to be surrounded by family, to be reminded that no matter how hectic things got at UST, home was always a place of comfort.

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After dinner, Andrea helped her mother clean up the dishes while Hunter retreated to his room, no doubt to continue his studies—or his tiger obsession.

As she dried the last plate, Mrs. Santiago glanced at her daughter with a curious smile. "Andrea, mahal, are you okay? You seem a little... distracted."

Andrea paused for a moment, then sighed softly. "I'm fine, Ma. It's just... sobrang dami lang talagang kailangan gawin sa SSG. Pero kaya ko 'to."

Her mother placed a hand on her shoulder, her touch gentle. "I know you're strong, anak. But don't forget to take care of yourself, okay? Huwag masyadong magpaka-busy."

"I'll try," Andrea promised with a smile.

Later that night, as she lay in bed surrounded by the familiar sight of tiger plushies and figurines, Andrea found her thoughts drifting once more to the SSG, to the upcoming event, and—unavoidably—to Joshua. She admired his dedication, his calm under pressure, and the way he always seemed to know what to do. But there was something else there, something she wasn't ready to admit even to herself.

With a deep breath, Andrea turned onto her side, staring at the tiger figurine on her bedside table. "Tigers don't back down from a challenge," she whispered to herself, echoing one of Hunter's favorite sayings.

And she wouldn't either.

Tomorrow was another day, and there was still so much work to do.

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