The market woke up before the sun did.
By 4:30 in the morning, the narrow streets were already alive—vendors arranging their goods, tricycles rumbling past, voices overlapping in a chaotic rhythm only the locals understood. The smell of fresh vegetables mixed with fish and damp pavement filled the air.
And right in the middle of all that noise—
"Fresh tomatoes! Sweet pa sa love life niyo, kuya!"
Laughter erupted from nearby stalls.
"Eh paano kung walang love life?" a customer shouted back.
The girl behind the stall didn't even hesitate.
"Edi ako na lang! Libre pa ng discount!"
More laughter.
Someone clapped.
Someone actually bought.
Her name was Lia.
Seventeen.
Market girl.
Breadwinner in training.
And the unofficial comedian of the entire street.
"Lia! Ayusin mo nga 'yang paninda mo!" her mother called from behind, carrying a basket of eggplants.
"Ma, ayos 'to! Hindi lang kayo sanay sa artistic arrangement!" Lia replied, dramatically fixing the tomatoes in what looked more like a pile than a display.
Her mother clicked her tongue. "Artistic ka diyan, wala kang benta mamaya."
"Meron 'yan," Lia grinned. "Ako na bahala."
Confidence level: 100. Organization skills: 0.
A middle-aged woman approached.
"Magkano 'to, hija?" she asked, pointing at the tomatoes.
"For you? 80 pesos po."
"Ang mahal naman!"
Lia leaned closer, lowering her voice like she was sharing a secret.
"Okay, 70 na lang. Pero wag niyo sasabihin sa mama ko."
The woman laughed. "Loko ka talaga."
"Mana lang po," Lia said proudly.
From behind—
"Hoy! Naririnig kita!"
The entire stall burst into laughter again.
That was Lia.
Makulit. Madaldal. Palaban.
But also—
Responsible.
Because behind the jokes, behind the smiles—
She knew why she was here.
Her father had been sick for years.
Her mother worked nonstop.
And Lia?
She chose to stop school for now.
"Temporary lang," she would always say.
Babalik din ako… balang araw.
"Lia, ikaw muna dito ha," her mother said. "Bibili lang ako sa kabilang stall."
"Copy, boss!" Lia saluted dramatically.
As soon as her mother left, Lia stretched her arms and exhaled.
Same routine… same buhay…
But she didn't hate it.
Not really.
Because this place—
This noisy, messy, unpredictable market—
Was her home.
"Uy Lia!" her friend Nica called from the next stall. "May bagong chismis!"
Lia perked up instantly.
"Ano 'yan?"
"May darating daw na mayaman dito mamaya."
Lia raised an eyebrow.
"Eh ano naman?"
"Malay mo, maging love story mo."
Lia snorted.
"Ako? Sa mayaman? Nica, gising ka pa ba?"
"Totoo nga! Nakita ko kagabi, may malaking kotse sa kanto."
Lia waved her off.
"Eh di bumili siya ng gulay. End of story."
But deep inside—
Mayaman… dito?
She shook her head.
Focus. Hindi ka bida sa teleserye.
Time passed.
Customers came and went.
The sun slowly rose, casting golden light over the market.
Sweat formed on Lia's forehead as she continued selling, joking, bargaining—
Living.
Until—
Everything changed.
A black car pulled up near the market entrance.
Not just any car.
A car that didn't belong.
Too clean.
Too quiet.
Too expensive.
The kind of car people don't park in places like this.
Heads turned.
Whispers spread like wildfire.
"Uy, tingnan mo 'yan…"
"Grabe, ang yaman…"
"Sino kaya 'yan?"
Lia noticed.
Of course she did.
Everyone did.
She squinted slightly.
Wow… parang nasa ibang mundo…
For a second—
She just stared.
Then quickly looked away.
Hindi ka bibili dito, for sure.
The car door opened.
And a guy stepped out.
White polo.
Dark pants.
Clean shoes—too clean for this place.
And a face—
That made people stare a little longer than usual.
Lia blinked.
Okay… pogi…
Then immediately shook her head.
Hindi mahalaga 'yan. Hindi ka niya type. Hindi ka niya world.
The guy looked around.
Taking everything in.
The stalls.
The noise.
The people.
Then—
His eyes landed on her.
Lia felt it.
That moment.
That weird, unexplainable feeling when someone looks at you—
Like they were looking for you.
Wait… bakit dito siya nakatingin…
She looked behind her.
Left.
Right.
Wala namang ibang tao…
Then—
He started walking.
Straight.
Toward her.
Her heart started beating faster.
Hindi… hindi siguro…
But he didn't stop.
Didn't hesitate.
Didn't change direction.
Until he was right in front of her.
"Hi."
Lia froze.
Her brain short-circuited.
"Uh… hi?"
Ayos Lia, very professional.
The guy glanced at the vegetables.
Then back at her.
"You're Lia, right?"
Her eyes widened.
Paano niya alam pangalan ko?!
"Bumibili ka ba or stalker ka?" she blurted out.
A few nearby vendors laughed.
The guy paused—
Then smiled.
Soft.
Calm.
Dangerous.
"I'm Adrian," he said.
Lia crossed her arms.
"Okay, Adrian. Anong kailangan mo? May promo kami—buy 1, tawad agad."
He chuckled slightly.
"I'm not here to buy."
"Ah, edi maling lugar ka," she replied casually. "Doon ka sa mall."
More laughter from the background.
But Adrian didn't leave.
He just stood there.
Looking at her.
"I've been looking for you," he said.
Silence.
Lia blinked.
"Ha?"
Excuse me… ano daw…
"Why?" she asked, now slightly cautious.
Adrian's gaze softened.
"Because I think you're interesting."
Lia stared at him.
One second.
Two seconds.
Then—
She laughed.
Malakas.
Diretso.
Walang preno.
"Kuya," she said between laughs, "wala kaming ganyan dito. Gulay lang binebenta namin."
The people around them chuckled.
But Adrian didn't laugh.
He stayed serious.
And that—
That made Lia stop.
Wait… hindi siya nagbibiro…
For the first time—
She felt nervous.
"Bumalik ka na lang kung bibili ka," she said, turning away quickly.
Bakit parang totoo siya…
There was a pause.
Then—
"I will."
Lia didn't turn.
Didn't respond.
But she heard it.
Clear.
Certain.
"I'll come back."
Footsteps.
Slowly fading.
Only when he was gone—
Did she breathe properly again.
"Uy Lia…" Nica whispered, appearing beside her. "Mayaman 'yun ah."
"Eh ano ngayon?" she replied quickly.
But her voice wasn't as confident anymore.
Her eyes drifted—
Just slightly—
Toward the direction he left.
Bakit parang… hindi pa tapos 'to…
Lia shook her head and grabbed a tomato.
"Fresh tomatoes! Mas fresh pa sa feelings mo!"
The market laughed again.
Noise returned.
Life continued.
But something had changed.
Because for the first time—
Someone from a completely different world—
Walked into hers.