Disclaimer: The author's imagination and passion are the only sources of inspiration for this novel, which is a work of dedication. Parallels between these pages and the past or present may be apparent to some readers, but they are completely coincidental. You are free to interpret this art anyway you see fit, and it is meant for your enjoyment.
The humidity of the afternoon hung heavy over the UP Diliman campus, but Kryztal barely felt it. Her mind was a whirlwind of dates and blueprints—specifically, the date of tomorrow, April 16th. It was Alexander's birthday. Through her clandestine "research" into his faculty records (and a few slips of the tongue from his assistant, Jonathan), she had discovered that the man who owned everything rarely celebrated anything.
As the lecture hall emptied, she felt Alexander's gaze linger on her for a split second longer than usual, a silent acknowledgment of the morning's fire before he turned back to his laptop. Kryztal hurried out, meeting Ria by the kiosks near the College of Architecture.
"Shopping? Akala ko ba mag-aaral tayo for the long quiz?" (I thought we were studying for the long quiz?) Ria asked, though she was already adjusting her bag, ready for an adventure.
"It's Alexander's birthday tomorrow, Ria," Kryztal whispered, pulling her friend toward the jeepney terminal. "I want to get him something. Something... special."
Ria's eyes lit up with a mischievous glint. "Special, huh? O sige, tara na sa mall." (Alright, let's go to the mall.)
SM North Edsa - 4:30 PM
The mall was a sensory overload of neon lights and pop music. They started in the high-end department stores, looking at silk ties and leather-bound journals, but Kryztal felt like none of it was enough. How do you buy a gift for a man who designed his own mansion?
"Bes, look," Ria said, pulling her toward a specialty pharmacy and lifestyle nook. She pointed toward a colorful display near the counter. "Since you're already his 'favorite student,' maybe you should bring the dessert."
Kryztal's eyes followed Ria's finger. It was a display of flavored condoms. Chocolate. Strawberry. Mint.
Kryztal felt a rush of heat to her cheeks, but the memory of Alexander's low, guttural growl in her ear this morning gave her a sudden surge of boldness. "Chocolate," she murmured, picking up a box. "And strawberry. He likes... he likes it when I'm sweet."
Ria let out a loud, scandalous cackle that made a nearby saleslady blink. She leaned in, her voice a sharp, teasing whisper. "Huy, bago natin bilhin 'yan, siguraduhin natin ang sukat. (Hey, before we buy that, let's make sure of the measurement.) Ilang inches ba siya, bes? Para mapili mo ang size ng condoms, oh." (How many inches is he, sis? So you can pick the right condom size.)
Kryztal turned a shade of red that matched the strawberry packaging. She looked around to make sure no one was listening, her voice dropping to a tiny, shaky breath. "6-7 inches ata siya..." (I think he's 6-7 inches...) She paused, her mind flashing to the way he felt—the sheer, overwhelming fullness that stretched her to her limits. "Ang laki eh, lalo na kapag nasa loob ko." (He's so big, especially when he's inside me.)
Ria's jaw practically hit the floor. She fanned herself with her hand, her eyes wide. "Swerte mo talaga, bes! Architect na, daks pa! (You're so lucky, sis! An architect and well-endowed!) That's a structural masterpiece right there!"
"Ria! Huwag ka ngang maingay!" (Ria, don't be so loud!) Kryztal hissed, quickly shoving the boxes into their shopping basket.
"Okay, okay! Pero bes, (But sis,)" Ria said, finally catching her breath and regaining some composure, "bilhin mo din siya ng maayos na regalo. Baka isipin niya na masyadong naughty ka. (Buy him a proper gift too. He might think you're too naughty.) Get him something that says 'I respect you as my professor' before you show him the 'I want to eat you' part."
They spent the next hour scouring the luxury wing. Kryztal finally found it in a boutique stationery shop: a vintage, heavy brass drafting compass from Germany, tucked inside a velvet-lined mahogany box. It was a tool from a different era—precise, timeless, and indestructible. Just like him.
"This is it," Kryztal whispered, tracing the cold metal.
"Perfect," Ria agreed. "It's classy. It's professional. It's the 'front-row student' gift. The chocolate strawberry stuff... that's the 'after-hours' gift."
As they stood in line at the cashier, Kryztal felt a strange sense of vertigo. She was a student buying flavored condoms and antique tools for a man who could end her career with a single red pen mark. But she didn't feel like a victim. She felt like the one holding the blueprint.
"Do you think he'll like it?" Kryztal asked, clutching the shopping bag.
"Bes, if that man looked at you any harder today in class, he would have set your desk on fire," Ria said, linking arms with her. "He's going to love whatever you give him, especially if you're the one delivering it."
The Dormitory - 9:00 PM
Kryztal sat on her bed, the vintage compass and the flavored condoms hidden in a decorative gift bag. She had spent the evening wrapping them in dark, matte black paper—Alexander's favorite color.
She took out her phone and saw a message from him sent an hour ago.
Alexander: You were distracted at the mall. My driver saw you with your friend. I hope you weren't looking at other 'structures,' Kryztal.
Kryztal smiled, her heart doing a little flip. Even when he wasn't there, he was watching. He was her shadow.
Kryztal: I was looking for something for you. Happy early birthday, Professor.
The reply was almost instant.
Alexander: I don't celebrate birthdays. They are just reminders of time passing. But since it's you... I might make an exception. My office. Tomorrow, after your last class. Don't be late. And Kryztal?
Kryztal: Yes?
Alexander: Wear the silver compass I gave you. And nothing else under your clothes. I want to unwrap my gift slowly.
Kryztal's breath hitched. She looked at the gift bag on her bed, specifically at the boxes of chocolate and strawberries hidden at the bottom. She thought about the "6-7 inches" she had described to Ria and the way Alexander would react when he realized his innocent student had a naughty streak.
She lay back on her pillow, her hand ghosting over her own stomach, imagining his touch. Tomorrow wasn't just a birthday. It was a celebration of the empire they were building in secret. She was no longer just a freshman; she was the architect's muse, and she was ready to give him a night that would make him forget he ever hated birthdays.
"Happy birthday, Alexander," she whispered to the dark.
Across the city, in his cold, silent mansion, Alexander Santillan stared at his phone, a rare, genuine smile tugging at his lips. He didn't care about the brass compass or the passage of time. He only cared about the girl with the silver eyes who was slowly, brick by brick, tearing down the walls he had spent a lifetime building.