Reimagined (KaiRain One Shots)

Reimagined 4: #PBBGen11SeventhEviction

Author's Notes:

Someone messaged me asking if I could write about one of Rain's eviction nights. Fortunately, I already had something written up from the seventh nomination night.

Also, I've been reading your comments! Grabe, thank you so much for all the compliments and support. For some reason, hindi ako makapagreply kapag sa phone ako nag-uupdate. Will reply to everyone once I get my laptop fixed (hopefully by tomorrow). I would seriously love to interact with my readers! You guys are the reason why I'm here.

Anyway, here's some fluff for you to maximize the PBB relapse!

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Rain is nominated.

Kai's world tilted, her heartbeat a muted thud in her ears as the masked figure stepped forward. He moved with the deliberate precision of someone who knew the weight of his actions. First, he paused before Jarren, marker poised as if ready to brand him. The tension crackled, only to dissolve as the figure moved on, leaving Jarren wide-eyed and breathless.

Next was Fyang. For a split second, she squared her shoulders, preparing to wear the mark of a nominee for the third time. But again, the marker hovered, lingered, and withdrew. Fyang exhaled, but her relief was short-lived.

The figure stopped in front of Rain.

Kai's pulse quickened as the masked figure raised his hand. The marker's tip touched Rain's cheek, and in a slow, deliberate stroke, he carved the letter "N." Kai's stomach dropped. The sharp black ink stood out stark against Rain's brown skin, like a brand, like a curse. Then came the envelope, placed gently into Rain's waiting hand.

Rain is nominated.

It still didn't feel real, not even as Kai's eyes locked onto the dark slash of ink on her bestfriend's face. But the weight in her chest? That was real. A suffocating, all-consuming heaviness that pressed down on her, squeezing every ounce of air from her lungs. The world blurred at the edges, and a numbness crept over her, dulling the roaring panic that threatened to consume her.

Rain lifted her head, eyes steady, jaw set. And Kai, frozen in place, could only watch as the inevitability of it all settled over them like a storm cloud.

Rain is nominated.

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After searching the house for Rain, Kai finally found her by the poolside, feet dipping in and out of the water in a slow, rhythmic motion. Rain's gaze was distant, her mind clearly elsewhere, but Kai could guess exactly what she was thinking.

Without hesitation, Kai walked over and plopped down beside her, the familiar sound of the water splashing filling the silence. Rain startled slightly, her head snapping toward Kai, eyes wide before softening when she saw who it was.

"Kai, what's up?"

Kai shrugged, her eyes fixed on the ripples in the water. "I'm here for you," she said simply. "You're not leaving. You know that, right?"

Rain let out a soft, almost bitter laugh, though the corners of her lips quirked up in an attempt at humor. "Of course. Kahit palayasin pa ako ni Kuya."

Kai smiled, appreciating how Rain always managed to lighten the mood. It was one of the things she liked most about her. But after a beat, Rain's smile faltered, and beneath it, the weight of her unspoken fears surfaced, casting a shadow over her once-bright expression.

"I don't wanna leave," Rain admitted. She sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping. "I'm scared. I think... I think I know why I got nominated. It's my fault talaga. Ang kulit ko kasi."