The Engineer (Batchelor Series #2)

22

Drakon Da Vinci
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The sun filtered through the wide glass windows of the living room, casting a soft glow across the polished wooden floors. Drakon sat stiffly on the couch, his phone resting in his hand, but his mind far from any message or notification.

His thumb hovered over the screen, mindlessly scrolling as his thoughts circled back to that night at the gym. The kiss. His heart thudded just thinking about it. Every time he replayed the moment, his chest tightened with a mix of shame and confusion.

Ano bang iniisip ko? Drakon groaned inwardly, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks.

The sound of footsteps pulled him from his spiraling thoughts, and he quickly shoved his phone into his pocket, straightening his posture. His mom, Josephina, entered the room, her warm smile softening her features. She wore her usual house clothes—comfortable and simple—yet the motherly warmth in her eyes was unmistakable.

“Pay-pay,” she called softly, using his house nickname. Drakon’s ears perked up at the sound of it. She hadn’t called him that in months after Renz knows it, since he started insisting he was too old for such names.

“Ma,” Drakon acknowledged quietly, his voice gruffer than he intended.

Josephina sat beside him, a sigh escaping her lips as she settled into the couch. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. “Alam kong busy ka sa school, anak. Hindi na kita masyado nakikita these days,” she said softly, her tone laced with concern.

Drakon tensed, guilt gnawing at him. He hadn’t noticed how distant he had become—not just from her, but from everyone at home. His responsibilities as student council president, keeping up with his grades, and the countless other things on his plate had consumed him. Not to mention, there was Renz. The gym. The kiss.

Josephina’s hand shifted to his cheek, tilting his face gently toward hers. “Pasensya na, Pay-pay, ha? We’ve been so busy din dito sa bahay, at parang hindi na kita naaalagaan,” she said, her eyes softening with regret. “But I’m here now. Gusto kong bumawi.”

Drakon swallowed the lump in his throat. Her voice was kind, yet it stirred something in him—an old, familiar comfort. He hadn’t realized how much he missed that until now. “It’s okay, Ma,” he said quietly, his fingers fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

“Okay lang ba talaga?” she asked, her brow creasing slightly as she studied his face.

He hesitated, the weight of everything pressing down on him—the stress from school, the kiss with Renz, and now, this unfamiliar distance he felt from his own family. “Masyadong marami lang iniisip,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

Josephina sighed, brushing his bangs away from his forehead the way she used to when he was little. “I’m proud of you, anak. President’s list ka na naman, and I know how hard you work. Just remember, kahit gaano ka ka-busy, nandito lang kami para sa’yo.” She smiled softly, the warmth of her words sinking deep into Drakon’s chest.

He nodded, grateful but still unsure how to respond. He knew she meant well, and it did help—at least a little. But the heaviness in his chest didn’t fully disappear. Especially with the thought of Renz looming over him like a dark cloud.

The sound of his phone buzzing pulled him out of the moment. He fished it out of his pocket, his stomach tightening when he saw the name flashing across the screen.

Renz.

Of course, Drakon thought, his heart skipping a beat. He had been avoiding Renz for days now. Ever since the kiss, he couldn’t bring himself to face him. His pulse quickened as he debated whether or not to pick up.

Josephina noticed the look on his face and gave him a knowing glance. “Mukhang kailangan mong sagutin ‘yan, anak.”

Drakon shook his head quickly, setting the phone aside without a second thought. “Hindi, Ma. Hindi naman importante,” he muttered, though the ringing in his ears told him otherwise.

Josephina gave him a curious look but didn’t press further. She stood, patting his knee gently before heading toward the kitchen. “Well, Pay-pay, if you need me, you know where to find me.”

As soon as she was out of sight, Drakon let out a heavy breath, his gaze dropping to his phone. Renz hadn’t left a message, but Drakon could feel the unspoken tension hanging in the air between them even from a distance.

His mind wandered back to that moment in the gym, to the way Renz’s lips felt against his. He had acted impulsively, letting the heat of the moment cloud his judgment. And now, all he could think about was how to face Renz without falling apart.

The memory of the kiss lingered in his mind—how everything had shifted the moment their lips met, the electricity coursing between them. But now, all Drakon felt was embarrassment, a deep shame that gnawed at him.

Why did I do that? He pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes, trying to block out the overwhelming feeling of confusion and regret.

He knew he couldn’t avoid Renz forever. But the thought of facing him, of pretending like nothing had happened—it felt impossible.

Drakon's phone buzzed again, but this time it was a message.

Renz: “Yo, Pres. We need to talk. Gym again? You owe me for that locked-door stunt, btw 😉”

Drakon stared at the message, his heart hammering in his chest. He knew Renz well enough to recognize that teasing tone. But behind it, there was something more—something Drakon wasn’t ready to confront. Yet, he had no choice.

Renz wasn’t going to let this go.

He set his phone down again, running a hand through his hair as he leaned back on the couch. I need to figure this out. But how could he, when every thought of Renz made his stomach twist in knots?

One thing was clear, things were never going back to the way they were. And as much as Drakon wished he could undo that kiss, he couldn’t deny that a part of him didn’t want to.

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