After Our Universe Collided

UNIVERSE 20

Challenge accepted.
勝負を受けて立つ
Shobu o uketetatsu.

Manila, Philippines; July 10, 2028

Ran has already arrived in the Philippines. Luckily, Eliana's sister, Jay, was waiting for him with her boyfriend, Billy. "You're so tall in person, Kuya Ran," Jay commented with stupefaction. "How could my sister handle you, you're so tall! She needs to wear heels as always to reach you."

"Yes, she is," Ran laughed. Ran knows very well because Eliana wears lots of heels just to make her taller.

"By the way, we have to go. You've just needed three days at our place since you had a game here," Jay said.

"Noted, Bebe," Ran said. "He's your boyfriend, right? I support you both!"

"You make me blush Kuya Ran," Jay said and looked at Billy. "Let's go."

Billy has a personal car so they don't have to commute anymore. Neither Eliana nor her father knew that Ran was going to their house but Eliana's mother was already waiting to meet Ran.

"I know that my sister will be surprised to see you!"

"I feel the same way!" Ran said.

San Pablo City, Laguna; July 10, 2027; 4 am.

Jay knocked on the gate so Jay's mother opened it.

"Welcome home, Ran!" Eliana's mother greeted happily.

"Nasaan po si Eliana?" Ran asked where Eliana is. Eliana's mother was surprised that he spoke Filipino.

"Nakakapagsalita ka ng Tagalog?" Inay Ellen asked surprisingly.

"Opo, tinuruan po ako ni Eliana," Ran answered that he was taught by Eliana. "Thank you very much for welcoming me."

Eliana's mother took some of Ran's luggage. Ran didn't want to, but her mother forced her to, so he shyly handed over his things.

"Maraming salamat po," Ran said giving thanks to Eliana's mother.

Ran gasped and walked inside. He observed the surroundings and home. It's not like it used to be, as Eliana showed in their house before.

Ran smiled. "She's tough."

After Ran entered Eliana's house, he looked around. He saw Eliana's picture frames when she was a graduate from pre-school to college. Also their family pictures and pictures of their cats.

"Sino 'yan?" Eliana's father asked who the visitor was. He goes out of the room and seems to be loomed by Ran's extreme height. "O, ikaw pala, Hapon," Eliana's father said when he noticed Ran calling him Hapon which means Japanese people.

"Magandang umaga po, Tito," Ran said and put the hand of an elder to his forehead to show respect. Even though Ran was afraid of Eliana's father, he strengthened himself. In the end, Ran knows that Eliana's father will also be his father when he and Eliana get married.

"Anong mayroon?" Eliana asked what was happening and came out from the kitchen. Her hair is still messy and she's still in her pajamas. Eliana was ordered by her mother so early that she hasn't been able to fix it yet. When Eliana realized their visitor, her eyes widened. "What are you doing here, Ran Takahashi?"

"To court you, again," Ran said and laughed as he chafed the back of his neck. "At kumasa sa challenge ni Tito," he said confidently that he would accept Eliana's father's challenge.

"Kung makakaya mo," Eliana said with a grin. She knows that his father will give her a hard challenge to Ran. "Where are you going to sleep?"

"In your room," Jay said and winked at Ran. "You will sleep in my room while Kuya Ran is here. Do you understand?"