CHAPTER ONE

YEAR 2018

Katleya quietly studied under a mahogany tree in the garden of Montenegro University. It was her favorite spot because it was one of the most beautiful places on campus. The garden was adorned with various colorful flowers: roses of every shade, daisies that swayed in unison whenever the wind blew, and sunflowers lining the garden like a vibrant wall. It was a breathtaking sight to behold.

She carefully reviewed every detail of the topic for their class later that day. However, her concentration broke when Red, one of the sons of the university owner, arrived. She offered him a wide smile, but he didn’t acknowledge her.

Redrigo McArthur X. Montenegro, or simply Red, was a reserved young man. Despite his aloofness, his striking good looks had the power to steal the hearts of women with just a glance—and Katleya was no exception. She had liked him for a long time, but he showed no interest in her, even though she was one of the most beautiful students in their university. She had grown accustomed to it. Red had conditioned her to accept that she held no significance in his eyes.

Red sat on a bench directly across from Katleya. Her attention drifted away from her book, now fully focused on him as he quietly read. She couldn’t help but smile, her curiosity piqued when she noticed the book he was reading—a dictionary.

Her smile vanished, and she quickly looked down when Red glanced her way, feeling a sudden wave of embarrassment.

“Psst. Fix how you’re sitting. I can see your shorts,” Red said in a gentlemanly tone.

Katleya immediately adjusted her posture. “Sorry.”

“You should be thankful I’m not like other guys. You’re pretty. Be more careful next time,” Red said. He stood to leave even though he had just arrived, seemingly uncomfortable in her presence.

As he turned, his dictionary fell to the ground. Katleya’s eyes widened in shock as she covered her mouth. She couldn’t believe what she saw. Inside the dictionary was a white book that looked very familiar—a published erotic novel by TitaAmor07, part of the Big Bird Series.

Red quickly picked up the book, his face flushing with embarrassment. Katleya couldn’t suppress her laughter at his reaction.

“Psst! Don’t judge me. And don’t tell anyone about this, okay?” Red said, clearly flustered.

Katleya didn’t know how to respond. She had initially thought he was studying words, but she was wrong. He was reading an erotic novel.

Red moved closer to her. “Psst! Enough. You’re making me embarrassed. I’m just curious about it, okay? It’s popular, so I bought it. But I didn’t know it had so many bed scenes. If I had known, I wouldn’t have bought it.”

“You don’t need to explain. It’s normal,” Katleya said, still chuckling.

“No, it’s not. But since I’ve already started it, I might as well finish it,” Red said, clearly lying. The truth was, it was one of his favorite books. Beyond its genre, it offered lessons on the strength of friendship.

“What book in the series are you on?” Katleya asked.

“Six. Miguel Montevista,” Red replied, his voice tinged with embarrassment.

Katleya laughed again. “You’re just finishing it, huh?”

“Are you judging me?” Red asked, pouting slightly.

“Promise, I’m not.”

“Then why are you laughing like that?”

“Because you’re in denial.”

Red wiped his sweaty face with his hand. “I’ll go ahead.”

He was about to leave but turned to look at Katleya again, clearly uneasy. “Psst. Don’t spread this, okay? Promise, I only read that kind of stuff, but I’m still a virgin. I’m not like my twin, Blue. You know him, right? Because of his video scandal?”

“Okay. Promise,” Katleya replied with a smile.

“Thank you. Bye.”

As Red walked away, Katleya found herself jumping in place, overcome with giddiness. It was the first time the man she liked had acknowledged her. She pinched her cheeks to ensure she wasn’t dreaming and screamed in delight when she felt the pain.

“Yes! I’m fated with Redrigo McArthur X. Montenegro!” she shouted.

“Amen,” came a man’s voice.

“God? Is that you?” Katleya asked, looking around.

“Yes. I am God. God of org*sm. Roar,” said the man, still hidden from Katleya’s view.

“Hey! Who are you? Pervert!” Katleya shouted.

A man suddenly jumped down from a tree and landed in front of her.

“Wah! I surprised you, didn’t I?” he said.

“What the heck! You scared me,” Katleya complained, clutching her chest.

“With my good looks? You’re scared? My twin and I have the same face. He’s just the nice one, and I’m, you know, good in bed. Ah. Ah. Ah!” Blue, Red’s twin, proudly declared.

Pierce Blue X. Montenegro was famously known at the university. With his handsome face and his family’s reputation, he was a well-known figure. Unlike his twin, he had a mole by his left eye and a cruder way of speaking. While Red was serious, Blue was playful. He could also sing, though he refused to showcase it publicly. He even found it repulsive to sing in front of others, preferring to avoid any compliments about his voice, even though it was impressive enough to boast about.

By the time Blue was in tenth grade, he already had experience with intimacy. As he grew older, he found himself enjoying such activities even more. It brought him a unique sense of joy.

“Yuck! You and your twin really are different,” Katleya said, rolling her eyes at him.

“Why? Should we have the same personality? Being nice is boring. Besides, my twin isn’t totally nice. He always smacks me on the head. I almost died once while eating polvoron, can you believe it? And did you see what he did to our dictionary? He used it to cover up his perversions. That’s worse. Minus points for him in heaven.”

“You’re badmouthing your twin. That’s worse,” Katleya countered, unwilling to let anyone insult the man she liked.

“Badmouthing? I’m just stating what he did, which both you and I saw. And earlier, he even brought up my scandal. That’s worse! Don’t be like him. But tell me, have you seen my scandal?” Blue asked.