*Who's My Eternal*
* Years Later — Kael's Estate, 2 PM*
*The Ages*
Cherry: 22
Elian: 23
Cindy: 22
Noa: 25
*What Changed*
Kael's house wasn't a house anymore. It was an estate. Two stories. White walls. Big windows. Circular driveway. Landscaped garden where the old acacia tree used to be.
Money changed it. New York changed them.
Elian was still there. 5 AM to 5 PM. Not a servant. He told himself that. _House manager. Maintenance lead._ But the title didn't matter when you were hauling groceries in your uniform.
He did it for Lola. For meds. For the roof over their heads. Pride didn't pay hospital bills.
Cherry was at the bay. Every day. Sunrise to sunset. Manager now, not just a hand. She ran the schedules, the workers, the buyers.
For her family. For her bedridden father. For the little brother she put through school.
Her hands were rougher. Her eyes were harder. But she still stole mangoes. Some things you don't outgrow.
*The Return*
Two black SUVs rolled up the driveway. Dusty from the province road.
Elian was fixing the gate motor. Grease on his hands. Kael uniform — white polo, black pants. Name tag: _E. Eldridge.
He heard the cars. Wiped his hands. Looked up and smiled. Big. Real.
They were back.
Noa stepped out first. Taller. Broader. Suit jacket over his shoulder. New York looked good on him. But his eyes were the same. Warm.
Cindy came out second. Sunglasses. Silk blouse. Heels that had never touched farm dirt. She looked like she belonged in a magazine. Not Manila. _Manhattan._
"Bro!" Elian walked over. Arms open. "You're back! Welcome home!"
Noa didn't hesitate. Pulled him into a hug. Tight. Real. "Elian. Look at you. Still here, huh?"
"Someone's gotta keep the place running," Elian laughed. Pulled back. Then turned to Cindy.
His smile was soft. years of missed calls. Of _I'm busy_. But she was here. In front of him.
He stepped forward. Arms starting to lift.
Cindy took a step back.
Not big. Small. But enough.
Then she turned to Mr. Kael, who was walking out of the house.
"Dad," Cindy said. Voice polite. Distant. Adjusting her sunglasses. "What's _he_ doing in our house?"
The air died.
Elian's arms dropped.
Mr. Kael frowned. "Elian? He works here, Cindy. He's been running maintenance for two years. For us. For the house."
Elian didn't notice her expression. Or maybe he pretended not to. He just stood there. Smile frozen. Hurt cracking through it.
"Right," he said. Quiet. "I— I forgot. You haven't been home."
He tried again. For old times. For the girl he used to kiss under a mango tree.
Went to hug her.
"Get the bags, servant boy," Cindy cut in. Didn't look at him. Brushed past him. "And be careful with the Celine. It's imported."
She linked arms with Mr. Kael. Walked inside. Like he was furniture.
Elian stood there. Grease on his hands. Name tag on his chest. _E. Eldridge._
Like he'd been slapped.
Noa saw it. All of it.
He dropped his luggage. Put a hand on Elian's shoulder. Squeezed.
"Hey," Noa said. Low. "Don't. Don't take her words to heart. She's tired. Jet lag. Twenty hours on a plane. She's not—"
"I know," Elian said. Too fast. Fake smile back on. "I know. It's fine. I'm fine."
He wasn't.
Noa knew it. But he didn't push. Just nodded. "I'll see you later, yeah? We'll catch up."
He picked up his bags. Headed inside.
Elian exhaled. Looked down at his hands.
_Servant boy._
3 years. Video calls that never came. _I'll visit every holiday_ that never happened.
And this was his welcome.
The other workers came out. Mang Tibo, new guy. "Sir Elian, need help with the bags?"
Elian shook his head. Bent down. Grabbed the remaining Louis Vuitton trunks.
"Got it," he said.
And carried them inside.
Like he was paid to.
Because he was.
*Bay — 6 PM*
Cherry was closing up when she saw him.
Sitting on the dock. Not working. Not moving. Just staring at the water.
She knew that look.
"Hey," she said. Sat next to him. "They're back?"
"Yeah," Elian said.
"How was it?"
He didn't answer.
Cherry looked at his face. Saw it.
"What did she do?"
Elian laughed. Empty. "Called me servant boy. Told me to get her bags."
Cherry went still.
Then stood. "Where is she?"
"Cherry, don't—"
"No," Cherry said. Voice ice. "She doesn't get to—"
"Please," Elian said. Looked up at her. "Don't. It's not worth it. She's… she's not from here anymore."
Cherry stared at him. At the grease still under his nails. At the _E. Eldridge name tag he forgot to take off.
Then she sat back down.
And didn't say anything.
Just knocked her shoulder against his.
Got it — day two of their return.
*The Bay — Next Day, 10 AM*
They showed up together.
Noa and Cindy. Sunglasses, linen, looking like they walked out of an airport ad.
Cherry was checking the catch logs. Clipboard in hand, hair tied up, boots muddy. She didn't see them at first.
"Pink!"
She looked up.
Noa was already moving. Grin huge. Real. He crossed the dock in three steps, grabbed her by the waist, and spun her.
Cherry yelped. Clipboard flew. "Noa! Put me down, you oaf!"
"Missed you," he said. Set her down but didn't let go. Hands on her shoulders. Eyes scanning her face. "3 years and you're still yelling at me. Good."
Cherry was laughing. For real. For the first time in months. "You're heavier. New York food's good to you."
"You're stronger," Noa shot back. Squeezed her arm. "Bay manager looks good on you."
Across the dock, Elian stood frozen.
He'd been fixing a boat engine. Hands oily again. Saw the cars. Saw them.
He looked at Cindy.
She was already walking. Away from him. Away from Noa and Cherry. Down the dock, heels clicking on wood, looking at the water like it offended her.
Elian wiped his hands on a rag. Followed.
"Cindy," he said. "Hey. You're here."
She didn't stop. "Observant."
"You didn't tell me you were coming to the bay."
"Didn't know I needed permission." She stopped. Looked out at the boats. "It's… smaller than I remember."
"Yeah, well," Elian said. Tried to smile. "It's still home."
"Yours," Cindy said. Not mean. Just… fact.
Elian's smile dropped. "Can we talk? Just for a minute? You've been back a whole day and we haven't—"
"I'm tired, Elian." She finally looked at him. Over her sunglasses. "Long flight. Jet lag. Catching up with Dad. I don't have energy to rehash—"
"Rehash what?" Elian stepped closer. "Us? Because for 3 years it's been _I'm busy_ and now you're here and you still—"
"I have a meeting with the Manila buyers at three," Cindy cut in. Checked her watch. A thin gold thing. "So if we're going to do this, make it fast."
Behind them, Noa was making Cherry laugh. He'd stolen her cap. Was wearing it backwards. She was trying to jump and get it back, cussing him out.
Normal. Easy.
Like no time had passed.
Elian looked at that. Then back at Cindy.
At the wall between them.
"Nothing," Elian said. Voice flat. "Never mind."
He turned. Walked back to the engine.
Cindy watched him go. For one second.
Then turned back to the water.
And said nothing.
Noa saw it. The whole thing.
He put Cherry's cap back on her head. Pulled the brim down over her eyes.
"Hey," he said. Soft.
Cherry pushed the cap up. "What?"
"You good?"
She followed his eyes. To Elian. Hunched over an engine. Shoulders tight.
To Cindy. Alone on the dock. Staring at nothing.
Cherry's jaw clenched. "No."
"Me neither," Noa said.