And what do you expect to happen when old friends...
Brothers-in-arms...
And fellow trainees finally reunite after being apart?
Absolute chaos.
The good kind.
Loud voices rang across the island as the boys rushed toward one another.
There were bear hugs.
Back slaps.
Playful shoves.
Laughter that echoed into the distance.
Some nearly tackled each other to the ground, while others jumped onto their friends' backs as though they hadn't seen each other in years.
It was a scene overflowing with the unfiltered energy of youth.
Like spring itself had decided to take human form.
Look at me getting all poetic.
Watching from a short distance, Foca, Luca, Tuesday, Cat, and the mentors couldn't help but smile.
"Ah..." Sir Siegfried sighed wistfully. "To be young again."
"What do you mean, Sir Siegfried?" Dora teased with a grin. "You're looking mighty young to me."
"Flattery will get you nowhere, my dear." Sir Siegfried replied with dignified composure.
Though...
If one looked closely enough...
The tiniest smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
He wasn't exactly opposed to being called young.
"Yeah, gurl." Noir chimed in with a dramatic tongue pop. "Besides, being young isn't even all the rage these dayzzzz."
"Oh?" Dora raised an eyebrow.
"It's the era of the zaddies." Noir declared confidently. "Out with the emotionally constipated pretty boys. In with the silver foxes. Experience is the new sexy."
"Guuuurrrlll..." Dora dragged out, shooting Noir a side-eye before punctuating it with a tongue pop of her own.
"...You right."
The two exchanged solemn nods, as though they had just solved one of humanity's greatest philosophical debates.
Tuesday let out a chuckle before gesturing toward the trainees.
"But I gotta say..." she said softly, "...seeing boys just... be boys..."
Her smile grew warmer.
"...That's a sight for sore eyes."
"Mmm-hmm." Dora hummed in agreement. "Now that is something beautiful."
Even Cat found herself smiling.
"So much passion..." she murmured. "So much life."
"And that's exactly why LEAVEN exists." Foca said quietly, his warm gaze never leaving the trainees.
"To give dreams a place where they can grow."
No one spoke after that.
They simply stood there.
Watching.
Smiling.
Treasuring the carefree laughter drifting across the island like music carried by the sea breeze.
For just a little while...
There was no competition.
Just a group of young dreamers...
Enjoying the simple happiness of seeing one another again.
And somehow...
That was more beautiful than any performance.
****
"Zen! How have you been?!" Jordan called out with a bright smile as he made his way over.
Ever since that very first night, when Jordan joined the debut lineup while Zen officially entered the competition, their brief encounter had blossomed into a friendship that neither of them had expected.
They exchanged numbers.
Followed each other on social media.
Started chatting almost every day.
Even though Jordan had left the island while Zen stayed behind, the distance never weakened their bond.
As Jordan reached him, Zen leaned close and spoke softly into his ear, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm doing well... It's really, really good to see you again."
Jordan froze.
His eyes widened in disbelief before they softened with overwhelming joy.
"...You spoke to me."
Zen simply smiled.
The next thing he knew, Jordan had pulled him into the tightest hug imaginable.
"I'm so happy you spoke to me!" Jordan laughed, his voice trembling ever so slightly. "I'm so proud of you, Zen."
He pulled back just enough to look him in the eyes.
"I can tell you've been working so hard, pushing yourself little by little... stepping outside your comfort zone every single day."
Zen felt his own eyes begin to sting.
"...Thanks."
Just one word.
But Jordan knew how much courage that single word carried.
And so, the young man on the autism spectrum...
And the young man living with selective mutism...
Continued inspiring one another to become braver, stronger, and a little more confident every day.
****
Meanwhile...
The Kweens had reunited with Jeremiah.
Who, by all accounts, was an honorary Kween himself.
"BIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTCCCCCCHHHHHHH!" Kitty screeched as she launched themself into Jeremiah's arms.
"It's good to see you too, bitch!" Jeremiah laughed, matching their energy perfectly.
The reunion quickly dissolved into a chorus of squeals and dramatic hugs.
"But when you gonna spill the hot tea, hennie?" Pink asked, already narrowing his eyes suspiciously.
"Yeah, chika!" Javi chimed in. "We leave you alone for five minutes and suddenly you're out here snatching yourself a whole man?"
"And who would've thought it'd be Toma?" Aqua sighed dramatically, placing a hand over his heart. "Bitch, I've had the fattest crush on that man ever since Mika!"
Everyone turned toward Aqua.
"What?"
"He cooks."
A finger went up.
"He's organized."
A second finger.
"And don't even get me started on that Croatian accent."
He fanned herself dramatically.
"It's delicious."
"Bitch..." Pink deadpanned.
"...You develop a crush on anybody with an accent."
"Calm your tits."
Jeremiah waved them off with exaggerated confidence.
"Toma?" he scoffed. "Psh. I'm just having fun with him."
The four Kweens collectively stared at him.
Long.
Hard.
With the kind of synchronized judgment that could humble entire civilizations.
Finally, Kitty sighed.
"As much as I hate saying this..."
They gently poked Jeremiah's forehead.
"...Bitch."
"You better be careful."
"The way that man looks at you?"
Kitty's expression softened.
"He's falling."
"And he's falling hard."
"Chika..." Javi added, folding his arms.
"...The way you look at him isn't exactly screaming 'casual' either."
"It's giving..." He snapped his fingers dramatically.
"Falling at terminal velocity without a parachute."
"Stooooop..." Jeremiah groaned, trying to laugh it off.
"They're just reading too much into it..."
...Right?
His smile slowly faltered.
His mind wandered.
The little moments.
The lingering glances.
The quiet smiles.
The thoughtful gifts.
The way Toma always seemed to gravitate toward him without even realizing it.
And...
The way Jeremiah himself had started looking for Toma in every room.
"..."
"..."
"...Oh."
The realization hit him like a freight train.
Pink watched the epiphany unfold in real time and slowly shook his head.
"Mmm-hmm..."
"Ooooh, child..."
"There it is."
"The loading screen finally finished."
Then Jeremiah suddenly snapped.
"No! Absolutely not!" he declared, pointing dramatically at the four of them. "I'm free as a butterfly."
He punctuated every word with a jab of his finger.
"I. DO. NOT. SETTLE."
"Mm-hmm." Kitty nodded with the most supportive smile imaginable.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, bitch."
They gave Jeremiah's back an exaggerated, comforting pat.
Pink sighed sympathetically.
"Don't worry, hennie. You're only in Stage One."
"Denial."
"You'll eventually make it to acceptance."
He even patted Jeremiah's shoulder like he had just received a life-altering diagnosis.
"If y'all don't stop..." Jeremiah warned, narrowing his eyes.
"...Ooooooh, I swear I'm finna cut a bitch."
At that exact moment...
His eyes betrayed him.
Completely.
Entirely.
Without his permission.
They drifted toward Toma.
Toma was laughing with the other trainees.
His eyes sparkled beneath the morning sun.
His smile...
God.
That stupidly warm, ridiculously genuine smile.
As though sensing someone's gaze, Toma turned.
Their eyes met.
A grin spread across Toma's face.
He lifted a hand and gave Jeremiah a small, gentle wave.
Game.
Over.
Jeremiah instinctively started raising his own hand to wave back...
...before violently catching himself halfway.
He lowered it so fast you'd think he'd touched a hot stove.
Inside his head, absolute chaos erupted.
DA FUCK?!
I'M NOT THE ONE WHO DOES THE CHASING!
PEOPLE CHASE ME!
Watching Jeremiah have what could only be described as an existential crisis, Javi quietly removed his imaginary hat.
"Shhh..."
"A moment of silence for our chika."
Aqua solemnly pressed his palms together.
"หวังว่าคุณจะมีความรู้แจ้ง."
He bowed his head.
"I hope you achieve enlightenment."
"Ugh!" Jeremiah groaned dramatically.
"I need my latte."
Kitty blinked innocently.
"What kind of milk?"
She began counting on their fingers.
"Regular dairy?"
"Oat milk?"
"Soy milk?"
She tilted her head.
"...Or that strong Toma milk?"
Silence.
Pink.
Javi.
And Aqua.
All gasped in perfect synchronization.
"KITTY!"
The three of them looked utterly scandalized.
"What?" Kitty replied, inspecting their perfectly manicured nails.
"Y'all were thinking it."
"I know!" Aqua cried.
"But you actually said it!"
Javi immediately seized the opportunity.
🎶 Toma's milkshake brings this chika to the yard... 🎶
He sang with complete confidence, adding a little shoulder shimmy for emphasis.
Jeremiah looked ready to file a restraining order against all four of them.
Pink, however, gently placed a hand on Jeremiah's shoulder with the wisdom of every seasoned auntie at every family reunion.
"Hennie..."
"There are some things in life you just gotta accept."
He nodded slowly.
"Because if you don't..."
"Mmmmmm, child..."
"You gon' regret it when that fine Croatian man goes away."
Jeremiah opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
"..."
"...Shut up."
The four Kweens looked at one another.
Then, all at once, they burst into knowing laughter.
"Oh, he's gone."
"Our chika is gone."
"He don't know it yet..."
"The bitch is down horrendous."
****
At another part of the group Yen is having a serious conversation with Monarch and Eli.
"Dude, how am I supposed to stay in shape when food is practically overflowing during the holidays? It'd be a crime not to eat." Yen lamented.
"I didn't get to go home to the Philippines during the holidays, but I was able to spend it with Eli's family," Monarch said. "Honestly, I really miss Filipino celebrations. It's been a while since I had a mountain of lumpia."
"Yeah, Mom and Dad basically outdid themselves this year." Eli grinned.
"Huh? Wait... you're Filipino?" Yen asked in surprise, pointing at Eli. "No offense, man, but you look hella white."
Monarch snapped his fingers.
"Oh yeah, you don't know yet."
Eli laughed.
"You're not wrong. I'm white as fuck. I'm adopted. It's a whole story. But my parents are born-and-raised Filipinos, so I grew up in a Filipino household."
Then, with way too much confidence, he proudly added,
"So I know how to say 'Putang ina!' (Son of a bitch!/Motherfucker!) and 'Bobo!' (Idiot!/Stupid!)."
Yen's eyes lit up.
"Ay puta! Uy, Pilipins! Pilipins!(Holy shit! Oy, Philippines! Philippines!)"
He dramatically reenacted the viral meme, pointing at Eli like he'd just discovered a long-lost kababayan.
Monarch immediately burst out laughing.
"Oh! I also recently learned 'Inutil' (Useless idiot), 'Indio' (A historical slur originally used by Spanish colonizers for natives, now sometimes used as an insult depending on context), 'Mangmang' (Ignorant/Fool), and... 'Echoserang froglet.'"
Yen stared at him.
"...Dude..."
"I don't know whether I should be impressed... or deeply concerned about where you're learning Filipino."
"I'm learning from my cousins."
"...That explains everything."
Monarch was already wheezing.
"And get this. During the Christmas party everyone got absolutely smashed, then out of nowhere a family argument broke out."
"It basically turned into a primetime teleserye."
"They were yelling..."
Monarch straightened dramatically before reenacting it with Oscar-worthy emotion.
"Pinanganak kang bobo!(You were born stupid!)
Lalaki kang bobo!(You'll grow up stupid!)
Mamamatay kang bobo!(You'll die stupid!)"
"They delivered that line perfectly."
"I swear," Eli laughed, "it was cinema."
"I didn't get why everyone suddenly started laughing though."
"So afterward I looked up where that line came from."
"...Then I watched the original scene."
Eli wiped an imaginary tear.
"I laughed my ass off."
He pulled out his phone.
"I got a video of my relatives reenacting it."
"Wanna see?"
Yen looked at him like he'd just offered the Holy Grail.
"Dude..."
"Did you seriously have to ask?"
"Hell yeah!"
The three huddled around Eli's phone as the recording played.
They held their laughter in for exactly twelve seconds.
By the time Eli's uncle dramatically pointed at another relative while screaming,
"Pinanganak kang bobo! Lalaki kang bobo! Mamamatay kang bobo!"
all three of them completely lost it.
Monarch nearly doubled over.
Yen slapped his own knee.
Eli laughed so hard he almost dropped his phone.
Nearby trainees glanced over, wondering what on earth was so funny.
None of the three could explain it.
Some things simply transcend language.
Sometimes...
Filipino family drama is the universal language.