After a long week of their first week as senior high school students, the weekend finally arrives. Saturdays and Sundays are typically days off for students, and that hasn’t changed—except, perhaps, for those in college.

So, how do students usually spend their weekends?

A productive student might use the time to get ahead, reviewing lessons they’ll encounter in senior high. They can read books, search for information on Google, or watch educational videos on YouTube. This is much more convenient now, thanks to internet access.

But let’s be real, though. A student like that is too ideal, far from how most students behave. Typically, students spend their weekends lounging at home, binge-watching TV, or endlessly scrolling through their phones.

However, not everyone spends their weekend the same way. While some might stay home—unlikely to be reviewing anything—others have plans, like Adrian.

By six a.m. on Saturday, Adrian was already awake. He started his day with a stretch and then proceeded to his usual routine: preparing breakfast, bathing, and watching the morning news on TV.

At first glance, everything seemed normal. Yet, something felt off—unusual for someone like him. It might be because he watches the morning news, but that wasn’t the real oddity. What made him unusual today was that he’d woken up so early. On weekends, Adrian was usually a slob who slept until noon and spent the day doing little more than watching TV or playing video games.

So why was today different? Why did he wake up early today?

As it turned out, he had plans. And by the time the clock approached eight, Adrian was dressed and ready to head out.

[On the Way]

While riding the jeepney, Adrian sent a quick message to the group chat he, Jose, and their recently made friends had created.

[We’re beside the Tapsilogan] Jose replied almost immediately.

Seeing the message, Adrian sent a thumbs-up emoji before putting his phone away.

After a few more stops, he finally reached his destination—the Tapsilogan. Right next to it was an Angel’s Burger, where Jose and the others were waiting.

“Oh, look, Cabanas finally showed up.” one of them called out.

“Perfect timing, Adrian! Come over here and pick one,” Jose said, his grin brimming with excitement.

“Huh? Pick what?” Adrian asked, confused.

“A burger, of course. Ooh, I’d recommend this one,” Jose said, pointing enthusiastically at a chicken burger.

“I’m not buying, though.”

“If it’s about money, don’t worry, he’s the one paying.”

“What? Really?”

“Yeah, just like he said, I’m paying,” Castillo confirmed firmly.

Ramon Castillo had been on the losing side of yesterday’s casual match. He was the one who couldn’t hold up his end of the deal they’d made, leaving his teammate to cover for him.

“Why go through the trouble?” Adrian asked.

“Remember, I said I’d repay you guys,” Castillo replied.

“Already? You're too hasty.”

“What can I say? I don’t like being in debt.”

“That’s nice of you, but don’t overdo it. If you want, you can skip my share,” Adrian offered. After all, it had only been a day.

“What? Come on, don’t be like that! Can’t you see he’s genuinely trying to repay you?” Jose chimed in, trying to convince Adrian.

“I appreciate your concern, but you weren’t even on the losing team. So why are you interfering in this matter?” Castillo asked.

“That's, well…” Jose hesitated, “wouldn’t it feel bad for the others if Adrian declined your offer while they’re already halfway through their burgers?”

As Jose pointed out, the other three were already eating. Now that he had mentioned it, they couldn’t help but feel awkward continuing.

“How thoughtful of you,” Castillo remarked.

Hearing that comment, Jose smirked with pride at the compliment, but his moment didn’t last long when Adrian’s next words quickly deflated him.

“Don’t let Jose fool you. The only reason he’s so concerned is that he has ulterior motives.”

It was as if Jose had been caught red-handed. With a sheepish half-smile, he slowly turned to Adrian.

“What do you mean?” Castillo asked, intrigued.

“Knowing Jose as long as I have, he probably just wants to take a bite of the burger I choose,” Adrian said plainly.

“You got me, haha,” Jose admitted, laughing it off without denial.

“But, as Jose said, I can’t just reject your good intentions.”

“That’s a relief,” Castillo said with a smile.

So after ordering and receiving his burger, Adrian cut it in half and handed one piece to Jose.

“Here, take it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Stop pretending. I already know you were expecting this.”

“No, I wasn’t.”

Even though he said that he took the half anyway.

“Hey, it’s great that you’re already repaying us,” Adrian said, his tone turning serious. “But do you still have enough money for later?”

“Oh, don’t worry. I set some aside for that.”

“Is that so? Looks like you’ve thought this through,” Adrian said, nodding approvingly.

The burger didn’t cost much, but even so, it was enough to repay them in full—and probably exceed more than expected. Buying a burger for each of the four already surpassed the amount he needed to compensate them. This concerned some others, but Castillo quickly reassured them that he was doing it for his satisfaction. They found it unfair, but considering Castillo’s wishes, it was best to let him handle it his way.

“Since Cabanas is already here, let’s proceed.”

The Angel’s Burger they were at was merely a meeting spot; their true destination was just around the corner. The reason for their outing was something they had all agreed on the night before.

Last night, in the group chat, one of them suggested they play League of Legends. However, that wasn’t feasible since most of them didn’t have personal computers. After some discussion, they decided to head to a computer shop instead. But not everyone can join, only seven of them agreed to go.

After walking, they arrived at their destination: a computer shop called Gaming Keeper, or Gamke for short. Its exterior resembled a convenience store, with a large window stretching across the front and a double glass door in the middle. The windows were tinted black, making it difficult to see inside. Then on each panel, images of popular games like League of Legends, Valorant, Dota 2, and more were displayed.

Upon entering, they were met with a blast of cold air from the air conditioning. The front desk was brightly lit, while the rest of the shop was dim, with only cool, luminescent blue lights above.

The layout was organized. The front desk sat in the middle, with two long vertical tables on either side, each lined with computer stations. At the back, there were two long horizontal tables. Additionally, there was a separate room for those who wanted to eat or order a light snack to take back to their computers.

“Excuse me, we’d like to create an account.”

To access a computer, users had to create an account at the front desk by providing a username, and a password, and paying a 100-peso fee. Alternatively, they could opt for a one-time-use account, which became invalid after a single session.

Creating a personal account offered significant advantages. With computer rentals being time-based, an account allowed users to pause or save the allocated time for future sessions. It was also more cost-effective than opting for a one-time account.

When creating an account, the user received a one-hour freebie. However, this time couldn’t be paused and would expire once the hour ended. Understanding this, the group decided to make the most of the freebie before paying for additional time.

After completing the account creation process, they only needed to find a place to sit. Despite arriving early, the area was already bustling with activity. Thus, finding a spot for all seven of them proved challenging.

Although there were a few empty seats, none could accommodate the entire group. The only option was to split up. So they decided to separate into smaller groups: Adrian and Jose took seats on the left side, Castillo and two others settled on the right, while the remaining two found spots at the back.

[So, what will we be playing?]

Despite being separated, communication wasn’t an issue. Using an app called Discord, they could talk and coordinate while playing, even if they were far apart.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

[Just like we discussed, we’ll be playing League.]

[But there are seven of us.]

[We can do custom matches—3 vs 4.]

[Oh, don’t worry about us. You guys go ahead and play a normal five-man game. The two of us will play PUBG instead.]

Without further hesitation, Adrian, Jose, Castillo, and two others jumped into a League of Legends match. As for the remaining two, they would play PUBG.

[Woah, you’ve already reached Master rank!? And Jose in Diamond!]

[Oh, that’s all in the past. We rarely push ranks nowadays.]

Reaching those ranks was no small feat. To get that far, three things were essential: luck, skill, and sanity. Climbing the ranks, especially in solo queue, was tough since it all depended on the teammates and opponents you faced.

It’s also worth noting that they started calling Jose by his first name because referring to him by his last name every time feels odd and too long. However, this is not the same with Adrian, they’re fine with calling him Cabanas.

[Wait, guys, we, the two of us, should leave the voice chat first.]

[Right, you two do that.]

[Just message us if you need anything.]

Leaving the call was the best option, as staying in could cause interference during the game. A little consideration was needed. Plus, the two of them were close enough that using the voice chat seemed unnecessary.

So once the two left the call, the remaining five began their game.

[Let’s play a normal match first to warm up.]

[No need. Let’s head straight to ranked.]

As the match began, they entered the picking phase. First, they had to ban a champion, and the opposing team would do the same. After that, the champion selection began, with each player choosing a champion based on their assigned role. Since they were in a high-rank queue, the picking phase followed a different format than in lower ranks.

The picking phase followed a Ban-Pick format. Each team could ban five champions—one per player—to limit the opponent’s options. After the bans, the teams took turns picking champions. One player from the first team picks first, then the opposing team selects two champions. Next, coming back to the first team—picking two more. The process continues in that order, returning to the opponent picking two again.

Once the picks were complete, the match began. Both teams spawned at their respective bases, and besides it was a shop where they could buy some necessary items for their characters. After 15 seconds, the spawn barrier would be removed, and they could head to their assigned lanes based on their roles. The map consists of three lanes: Top, Middle, and Bottom. And between the two lanes, like Top-Middle or Middle-Bottom, is a jungle. Now, in the lanes and jungle, each player's role comes into play. Adrian, for instance, had been assigned the jungle role, so his lane was in the jungle.

As assigned to the role of the jungle, Adrian had access to the jungle, where mobs resided. Being in the jungle had the advantage of farming the mobs to gain more gold, experience, and buffs. However, the role wasn't just about farming. Their objectives included securing the Herald, Baron, and Dragons, as these objectives were crucial for the team’s success. Additionally, jungle players could assist other lanes through ambushes and flanks.

It was a challenging role, but a vital one nonetheless.

[Tsk, their support is annoying.]

Aside from being a jungle, other roles also hold their importance. One such role is ADC, which Jose has taken. ADC, or Attack Damage Carrier, is a position in the bottom lane focused on dealing high, sustained damage from a distance. They are ranged champions, you could say, and they’re always paired with another role called Support, which assists them in the bottom lane.

Then there's the middle lane, handled by Castillo. Champions commonly used in this lane are mages specializing in crowd control and burst damage.

Lastly, the fifth role is the top lane. Top lane players are usually duelists or tanks who often play independently, focusing on controlling their lane. They also perform split-pushing to pressure the enemy team to respond. Most importantly, they’re key figures in team fights, tanking damage from enemies and providing crucial crowd control.

These are the roles and lanes in the game. Each role is crucial and complements the others, covering their weaknesses. For instance, while the ADC excels in dealing high damage, they lack defense and are easy to kill. With the help of a Support or a tank, they have a reliable shield against enemy attacks.

[Hiya, we somehow managed to win that.]

Time passes, and their fourth match ends with a victory. Overall, they’ve won three times and lost only once.

[Yeah, we won this time, barely.]

[Well, this is better than losing miserably.]

In their third match, they faced a tough match. This wasn’t because they were bad at the game, but because they were matched against an exceptionally skilled opponent.

[Gotta say, Cabanas, you’re pretty strong.]

Throughout the four matches they played, Adrian had been carrying the whole team since the beginning.

[Hey, what about me?]

Jose asked, his tone was light and joking, but there was a hint of envy in his voice.

[Yeah, you're pretty good yourself, too.]

He wasn’t on Adrian’s level, but Jose had also proven his skills.

[Hey, let's play ranked again later. But first, let's take a break.]

[Great idea. I could use a break, too.]

As agreed, they took a break. Some spend their time browsing Facebook or YouTube, while others play different games to kill time.

“Hmm, I wonder what those two are up to?”

Curious, Adrian sent a message to the other two, who had separated from the group to play independently.

[So, what are you guys doing?]

After sending the message in the group chat, the people he was playing with replied as expected. However, the two he hoped to hear from didn’t answer his question.

Even after waiting for a while and mentioning their names, they still didn’t respond.

“Maybe they’re busy playing? I guess I’ll go check on them.”

Having decided, he stood up from his seat. Tapping Jose on the shoulder and made sure to inform him.

“Hey, I’ll go check on them for a bit.”

“Okay.”

Informing Jose was necessary to ensure no one took his spot. With that, Adrian left the area without any worries.

Looking at the front desk in the middle, Adrian and Jose’s spots are on the right side, farther back, while the two he was heading for are on the left side, closer to the front desk.

“Hmm? They’re not here.”

When Adrian arrived at the spot, the two people he wanted to check on were gone. And the seats they had been using were now occupied by someone else.

“Did they move somewhere else?”

Thinking of this, Adrian began searching the area. He looked around but couldn’t find them. He checked every corner, reached Castillo’s spot, and even checked the room with the food area. At this point, he had likely searched the entire building. Yet, there was still no sign of them.

After circling back for a second time, he returned to the same spot one last time to confirm if they weren’t truly there.

“...they’re truly not here.”

“Um… hey, buddy.” While contemplating where those two had gone, someone nearby suddenly spoke to him. “Are you looking for the previous people who were sitting there?”

“Yeah. Do you happen to know where they went?”

“They went outside.”

“Outside? Got it.”

“Hold on. If you’re thinking of following them, I’d advise against it,” the person said before Adrian could leave.

“Why is that?”

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but you're looking for just two people, right? And they were seated at this spot?”

“That’s right.”

“I’ll be blunt. Your friends probably got into a fight.”

“What?!”

“From what I saw earlier, those two got themselves into a fight with the people sitting across from them. What’s worse, they messed with a group. After a heated argument over a game, they were dragged outside. After that, I don’t know what happened.”

“A group? How many of them?”

“About seven or eight guys, maybe. And because of that, I wouldn’t recommend you follow them alone. Unless you bring some backup.”

“Got it. Thanks for telling me.”

After receiving this important information, Adrian hurriedly went back to his spot.

“Oh, Cabanas finally returned.”

But upon arriving, the others were already standing by his spot.

“You guys are here? Perfect, that saves me time.” Seeing everyone gathered, he wasted no time and shared what he had learned.

“That happened? So that explains the message they sent.”

“What message?”

“Take a look at the group chat.”

As they said, there was a message from the two.

[Due to unexpected circumstances, we’re outside. Let’s meet at Jollibee, we’ll explain the situation.]

“Do you guys think they got beat up?”

“Probably.”

“Making us go there sounds like a trap.”

“But even so, we still need to help them.”

“Well, you’re right.”

Deciding to go without a plan was reckless. Nevertheless, they proceeded, determined to help their friends. They steeled themselves for a possible fight, but their expectations were shattered when they saw the two chilling inside Jollibee, sipping on coke floats. The anticipated fight was nowhere to be found, and the pair appeared completely unscathed.

“So? What happened?”

“Right, we got into a fight with someone.”

“How? And with whom?”

“You say fight, like a fistfight?”

“Yeah, but no. It almost turned into one, but…”

Their story was short.

After leaving the voice chat, they played PUBG as planned. However, after a couple of runs they played, they grew tired of playing the same game and decided they wanted to try something new. Then that’s when someone invited them to play Crossfire.

At first, it was just a casual game, but it soon became a friendly custom 5v5 match.

“5v5? Where’d you get those people?”

“Well, they have eight people, plus us, so we had enough for a 5v5.”

“So it’s confirmed they’re eight of them, huh?”

“Yeah.”

But as the games went on, the once-friendly matchups turned into a high-stakes competition.

A tense 2v2 in Crossfire.

“At first, we played one or two rounds for fun. But… we kept winning.”

“For real?”

“Yeah, seriously. And because of that, they got pissed about losing. The next thing we knew, they dragged us outside and threatened to beat us up. And, just like you guessed, we managed to escape by running as fast as we could.”

“Ha, that’s pathetic.”

“Dude, there were eight of them.”

“We’re just glad you guys are safe.”

“Yeah, lucky for us, they didn’t pursue us any further,” he said, his tone filled with relief. But that didn’t last long. It was as if he remembered something that made his face twist. “Actually… I just realized—it’s strange how they knew we’re from Bonifacio High.”

“They said that?”

“Yeah, they suddenly asked, ‘You guys from Bonifacio High, right?’ It was such an unexpected question.”

How could a random group know they were from Bonifacio High? Unless they were wearing their uniforms or had acquaintances in that group. But neither was the case for the two. Yet, somehow, they were identified as students from Bonifacio High.

“What’s the reason for this to happen?” Adrian muttered.

They had almost gotten into a fight. And the fact that those people knew them was strange. Adrian tried to make sense of the situation in his mind, but without any leads, he couldn’t figure it out. However, one thing was certain: someone was watching them with ill intent. He could feel it, but couldn’t pinpoint where it was coming from. It was very close.

So now this event was worth remembering, serving as a warning not just for the two of them but for the whole group in case they ran into those people again.