Chasing The Crown

Chapter #8: ❝The Hong Effect❞

Andrea groaned as sunlight streamed into her room, slipping through the cracks in her blinds. She glanced at the clock and realized she had overslept. Scrambling out of bed, she quickly got ready, pulling her hair into a messy ponytail as she mentally rehearsed her schedule for the day.

After rushing through breakfast, she made her way to campus. As she approached the SSG Office, her steps slowed when she noticed a small crowd gathered near the entrance. Her eyes immediately found Rhiannon, who was balancing precariously on top of a ladder, a lightbulb in one hand and a screwdriver in the other.

"Oh no, she's at it again," Andrea muttered, her heart racing.

"Rhiannon! Baba ka nga d'yan," Andrea called, stepping forward.

Beside her, Isabel shot her a look of equal worry. "Walang magbabago talaga. Hindi siya natatakot kahit anong taas pa niyan."

Andrea bit her lip, watching Rhiannon as she stretched a little further. "Isabel, kung mahulog siya..."

Isabel crossed her arms, shaking her head. "Ay nako, pag nagkataon, UST ang kawawa. Kapag nagalit si Mr. Hong, bankrupt siguro buong school."

Andrea nodded, sharing Isabel's mix of amusement and apprehension. The Hongs were known not just for their wealth but for their fierce protectiveness, especially when it came to their youngest child, Rhiannon. Andrea imagined the fallout if anything happened to her best friend.

"Rhiannon!" Andrea called again, louder this time, stepping closer. "Halika na, please. Kami na lang ni Isabel ang magpapalit ng light bulb."

Rhiannon glanced down at her friends, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Huwag kayong OA," she said, waving them off. "Konti na lang, promise."

Suddenly, the ladder wobbled, making Andrea's heart jump into her throat. Both she and Isabel squealed, reaching out instinctively as if they could catch Rhiannon from where they stood. But Rhiannon just laughed, steadying herself with one hand on the wall.

"Chill! Sanay na ako," Rhiannon assured them with a grin.

Andrea exhaled a shaky breath. "Sanay ka? Eh paano kung mahulog ka?"

"Rhiannon, please," Isabel added, clasping her hands in mock prayer. "Kung mahal mo pa kami, bumaba ka na."

Rhiannon rolled her eyes playfully but finally relented, carefully descending the ladder. Andrea and Isabel both visibly relaxed once she was back on solid ground.

"There," Rhiannon said with a smirk. "See? Easy."

Andrea shook her head, crossing her arms. "Hindi talaga kami mapapanatag kapag ikaw ang nasa taas ng hagdan. Next time, sabihin mo na lang sa amin, okay?"

Rhiannon laughed, patting Andrea's shoulder. "Ay nako, kung hindi niyo ako kasama, boring ang buhay niyo."

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Just then, Joshua walked in, pausing as he took in the scene. He raised an eyebrow, looking between the ladder, Rhiannon, and the exasperated expressions on Andrea and Isabel's faces.

"Ano na naman ginawa mo, bunso?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at Rhiannon.

"Kuya! Huwag kang OA, okay?" Rhiannon said, grinning innocently. "Light bulb lang naman 'yan."

Joshua crossed his arms, looking unimpressed. "Alam mo, may ibang tao sa SSG na pwedeng gumawa niyan."

Andrea noticed Joshua's sharp gaze and suddenly felt a little self-conscious, though she tried to focus on Rhiannon's safety.

"Well, uh... at least tapos na," Andrea offered, hoping to lighten the mood.

Joshua turned to Andrea, his expression softening a bit. "Salamat for looking out for her."

She felt a warm flush rise to her cheeks, and she quickly brushed it off with a smile. "No problem. Basta para sa kapakanan ni Rhiannon, lagi kaming nandito ni Isabel."

Isabel nudged Andrea with a smirk, clearly noticing her flustered reaction. "Tama ka d'yan, Andrea."

"Okay, so..." Joshua glanced at the boxes behind them, filled with SSG materials and event posters. "Since nandito na ako, do you need any help setting things up?"

Andrea blinked, a little surprised. "Oh, sure, actually. May mga banner na kailangan i-rearrange."

"Great. Lead the way." Joshua gave a small smile, waiting for Andrea to show him what needed doing.

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They moved to the side of the booth, and as Andrea explained the banner placement, she found herself more focused on Joshua than on the task. His calm demeanor, even as he handled the work, was... distracting, to say the least.

"So, Andrea," he said casually, glancing at her as he adjusted one of the banners, "kamusta naman ang pagiging SSG Secretary?"

"Oh! Um, okay naman," she replied, a little flustered by his direct question. "Maraming ginagawa, pero enjoy naman. Lalo na kasi si Rhiannon ang President."

He chuckled softly, clearly amused. "Talagang may 'lalo na' pa kasi kapatid ko ang kasama mo."

Andrea laughed, nodding. "Oo naman! I mean, Rhiannon keeps things interesting, to say the least."

A comfortable silence fell between them as they continued working. Andrea couldn't help but sneak a few glances at him, noting how he seemed to focus on even the smallest details.

"You're good at this," she commented, trying to keep her tone casual.

Joshua looked over, raising an eyebrow. "At banners?"

She laughed, shaking her head. "At... paying attention to details. Kaya siguro magaling kang leader."

"Salamat." He paused, considering her words. "I guess it's part of being the eldest. I have to make sure everything's in place, di ba?"

"Ah, eldest child syndrome," Andrea teased, crossing her arms.

"Exactly." Joshua smiled, looking at her with a hint of curiosity. "Ikaw ba? Panganay ka rin ba?"

"Hindi," Andrea replied, grinning. "Actually, bunso ako. Kaya siguro minsan ako 'yung parang alaga na lang sa SSG."

Joshua chuckled, shaking his head. "Not at all. Nakikita ko naman 'yung trabaho mo. You're more responsible than you think."

Andrea felt a warmth spread in her chest at his words, but she quickly shook it off, reminding herself to stay focused. After all, Joshua was just being nice. He was known for his kindness, especially with his sister's friends.

As they finished setting up the banners, Andrea noticed Rhiannon and Isabel chatting nearby, both casting knowing looks in her direction.

"Ano, done na kayo?" Rhiannon called out, grinning.

Andrea nodded, avoiding her friend's gaze, knowing Rhiannon would tease her the moment they were alone. Joshua, meanwhile, gave a satisfied nod at their handiwork.

"Well, looks good," he said, stepping back to admire the setup.

"Salamat sa tulong," Andrea replied, offering him a small smile. "You didn't have to, pero I appreciate it."

Joshua shrugged, his expression soft. "Anytime. Basta ikaw... and the SSG, of course."

Andrea's cheeks warmed, but before she could respond, Rhiannon appeared by her side, grinning mischievously. "Andrea, baka masobrahan naman ng blush. Huwag masyadong obvious."

Andrea shot Rhiannon a look, though her face grew even warmer. "Tama na, Rhiannon."

Joshua laughed, clearly amused, before giving them a small wave. "Alright, I'll see you all around. Ingat kayo."

As he walked away, Andrea tried to ignore the teasing look on Rhiannon's face, but she couldn't help the small smile that lingered on her lips.

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