The Architecture (Batchelor Series #1)

7

Manuel sat across from Baltazar at the coffee shop, still laughing at his own joke, but Baltazar just stared at him with that unimpressed look. He'd seen it a million times before, but today it felt different—mas malamig ang tingin ni Baltazar. Paka-patola talaga ng isang to.

“What are you talking about?” Baltazar’s voice was flat, eyes fixed on him as he absentmindedly shoveled food into his mouth.

“Sa cellphone ko. May mga nag-react sa story ko sa Instagram. Tingin ka, pili ka ng babae,” Manuel grinned, clearly thinking he was doing something grand. “May favor naman akong sinusunod, diba?”

“I don’t like your joke.”

Manuel blinked. “I’m not joking, pre, tingnan mo na.” He shoved his phone towards Baltazar, showing off the one thousand views and five hundred heart reactions. “O, pili na.”

But Baltazar didn’t even look amused. Instead, in one swift move, he grabbed the phone out of Manuel’s hand.

“Hoy! What the hell are you doing?” Manuel's voice shot up in alarm, eyes widening as Baltazar started tapping away on his phone.

"I'm taking matters into my own hands," Baltazar said, his tone cold but steady. He wasn’t joking either.

Manuel watched in horror as Baltazar started unfollowing every single girl on his Instagram—one by one. “No, no, no! Those are my followers! My fans! Hala ka, gago!” Manuel practically lunged over the table, pero si Baltazar, being taller and quicker, just held the phone out of reach.

“You need to focus on your studies, not on some Instagram popularity contest,” Baltazar said, his eyes unyielding, completely in control of the situation.

“Ang mga babae ko, pre!” Manuel's face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and frustration. He could feel the heat rising in his cheeks as he tried to snatch the phone back, but Baltazar wasn’t budging.

"Watch me," Baltazar said calmly, scrolling down Manuel’s following list until it hit zero. He handed the phone back with a smug look, while Manuel stared at it in disbelief.

“Perfect zero, pre,” Baltazar announced, as if he’d just done Manuel the biggest favor. “Your girls or acads. Pick one.”

Manuel groaned, checking his now-empty following list. “If my followers drop dahil dito, sasakalin kita.”

“Up to you, pero ikaw rin ang tatamaan if you fail your exams,” Baltazar replied nonchalantly, glancing out the window like he had better things to do.

Manuel huffed, but deep down he knew Baltazar was right. "Fine, fine. Hatid mo na lang ako sa amin. Gabi na rin," he mumbled.

“Get in. I’ll drive you,” Baltazar said, nodding toward his car parked outside.

As they walked toward the car, Manuel tried to hold onto his frustration, but he couldn’t. Baltazar had this way of getting under his skin but also making him feel taken care of. “Love you, pre. Di na ako galit,” he said as he climbed into the passenger seat, slumping down.

The ride was quiet, the low hum of the engine filling the space between them. Baltazar didn’t say much, focused on the road. He only glanced over once when they reached Manuel’s street, giving him a firm reminder, “Just remember, your priorities. Focus on what matters.”

Manuel muttered a half-hearted "Yeah, yeah," before getting out of the car and slamming the door harder than he intended. "Wala man lang thank you?" Baltazar teased as Manuel stalked off, but there was a smirk in his voice.

That night, after dropping Manuel off, Baltazar swung by a small café where his cousins Levi and Renz were waiting. As he walked in, Baltazar immediately spotted them at a table near the window—Levi, with his sharp features and model-like presence, always looking like he just walked off a runway, and Renz, the laid-back, messy-haired guy who somehow always looked effortlessly cool.

"Hoy, Andrius!" Levi greeted him, using Baltazar's second name as he always did. "Ano na naman 'tong trip mo?"

Baltazar sat down, signaling for a coffee. “Treat ko na nga kayo. Baka naman pwedeng bumati muna kayo ng ‘miss you,’ walang warm welcome?” he teased, grinning at his cousins.

The three spent the next hour catching up, talking about everything from school to random adventures. Baltazar eventually brought up Manuel, recounting the Instagram saga with a laugh. Levi and Renz listened, offering their own insights—Levi with his usual analytical take, and Renz with his practical, no-nonsense advice.

"Ano major mo nga ulit na kukunin?" Renz asked as they finished their drinks.

"Civil Engineering," Baltazar replied, not missing a beat.

Renz chuckled, leaning back. "Good luck, bro. Walang babae sa course na 'yan. I'm telling you now."

Baltazar laughed. "I’m not looking for a girl anyway."

Levi raised an eyebrow. “Eh lalaki?”

Baltazar smirked, a playful glint in his eyes. “Onti.”

The three of them laughed, the kind of easy camaraderie that made Baltazar feel at home. He didn’t have to explain anything to Levi or Renz—they just got him, and they didn’t care about the labels or the questions.

"Love you mga pre," Baltazar said, fist-bumping both of them before they all stood up to leave.

Renz clapped him on the back. “Tol, there’s no rush. Live your life. Be free. Sabi nga nila, the best things happen outside your comfort zone.”

Levi added, “Tama si Renz, but take your time. You’re still in high school. Baka puppy love lang yan. And trust me, if you get involved with someone straight... ikaw rin ang masasaktan."

"Noted," Baltazar said, laughing as they all stepped out of the café and into the night.