Taekook AU • Exes to Lovers • Friends Reunion • Misunderstanding • Slow Burn • No Third Party
The quiet one in every room. Javier is intelligent, disciplined, and independent. He's the type to arrive early, keep promises, and always think before speaking. To most people, he appears intimidating because of his calm expression and reserved personality. He isn't good with words. Instead of saying how he feels, he bottles everything up, believing silence is better than conflict. Three years ago, that silence cost him the person he loved the most. Since then, he and Elijah have remained in the same circle of friends... Pretending they're nothing more than old acquaintances.
The Loudest Friend The comedian of the group. Marco never misses a chance to tease anyone, especially Javier and LJ. He's loud, dramatic, and somehow always hungry. He has one life goal: To get the two exes back together. "Tatlong taon na kayong nagpapanggap. Nakakapagod kayong panoorin."
The Brutally Honest Friend Stylish, confident, and straightforward. Bianca says exactly what's on her mind, whether people like it or not. She has zero patience for unnecessary drama and firmly believes Javier and LJ's breakup could've been avoided with one proper conversation. "Pareho lang kayong tanga."
The Sunshine Friend Gentle, caring, and emotionally mature. Raf dislikes conflict and is usually the one calming everyone down. He quietly hopes his two closest friends will find the courage to talk again—not necessarily to get back together, but to finally have the conversation they avoided years ago.
The Dad Friend Responsible, dependable, and protective. Gabriel is the unofficial leader of the group. He's the one everyone calls during emergencies, reminds everyone about reunions, and somehow always ends up paying the reservation fee. He treats everyone like family. Especially Javier and LJ. Even if they make his life unnecessarily stressful.
The Other Parent of the Group Gabriel's longtime boyfriend. Calm, patient, and impossible to fluster. While Gabe solves problems head-on, Adrian prefers observing quietly before giving advice. Whenever the group starts arguing, he only needs one sentence to restore peace. He has watched Javier and LJ spend three years pretending they don't care. He knows better.
Adulting had a funny way of pulling people apart.
Not intentionally.
Just...
Quietly.
Work deadlines.
Overtime.
Business trips.
Weekend meetings.
Before anyone realized it...
The group that used to meet every Friday night hadn't seen each other in almost two months.
The group chat, once filled with memes and voice notes, had become nothing but...
"Seen by everyone."
The Usual Chaos 🫶 (7)
Marco: Guys...
Marco: Buhay pa ba kayo?
Bianca: Unfortunately.
Raf: 😂
Nathan: I just finished a 14-hour shift.
Gabriel: Same.
Adrian: We need a break.
A minute passed.
Then...
A new message appeared.
Elijah: Cebu?
Silence.
Exactly four seconds later—
Marco: OO NGA!!!
Bianca: Finally, may matinong suggestion ka rin.
Nathan: I'm already packing.
Gabriel: Relax. Wala pa ngang tickets.
Adrian: I'll file my leave tomorrow.
Another notification.
Javier: I'm free next weekend.
The chat froze.
Not because of Cebu.
Because...
That was Javier's first message in almost three weeks.
Marco looked at his phone.
Then at Elijah, who had gone suspiciously quiet.
Then back at the screen.
A slow grin spread across his face.
Marco: Perfect.
Marco: Seven people.
Three days.
One beach house.
Let's heal whatever unresolved issues this friend group has.
Three dots appeared under Javier's name.
Then disappeared.
Appeared again.
Disappeared.
Finally...
Javier: I'm going for the vacation.
Nothing else.
Elijah read the message twice.
His thumb hovered over the keyboard.
He thought about replying.
Didn't.
Instead, he simply reacted with a 👍.
That was enough.
Or at least...
That's what he told himself.
One week later.
Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
6:15 A.M.
The departure area buzzed with travelers dragging suitcases across polished floors.
Marco was already complaining.
"It's six in the morning. Why do flights even exist before sunrise?"
Bianca rolled her eyes.
"You said that while booking the cheapest ticket."
"Details."
Nathan arrived next, carrying enough snacks to survive a natural disaster.
Raf followed, coffee in both hands.
Gabriel and Adrian walked in together, looking far more awake than everyone else.
"Morning," Gabriel greeted.
"Morning," everyone echoed.
Then...
Silence.
Because there was only one person left.
Release Date 2026.06.26 / Last Updated 2026.06.26