Chapter 22
Days had passed since the chaos, but the internet? It refused to let it go.
The “dare” tweet from Gale, Jamie’s unhinged replies, and Celine’s interference had snowballed into a full-fledged social media phenomenon.
Twitter (or rather, X) was flooded with edits, inside jokes, and fan theories about the three of them. The trio had become unexpected icons—not just for Lumina fans, but for the general public.
Fan tweets flooded the timeline:
- “These three are the definition of ‘a crackhead, an attractive menace, and their nonchalant friend who keeps getting dragged into chaos.’”
- “Celine could breathe and half of the population would fall in love.”
- “Jamie is the human embodiment of ‘YOLO,’ while Gale looks like she’d rather be anywhere else LMAO.”
- “Mahal ko na itong tatlong ‘to. I need more interactions!!”
And just like that, they had a new title:
🔹 Jamie - The Crackhead One
🔹 Celine - The Attractive One
🔹 Gale - The Nonchalant One
Memes of them flooded the internet:
- Gale staring blankly at the camera with dead eyes → captioned: "When your friends are crackheads but you still love them."
- Jamie laughing maniacally in the background → captioned: "Every friend group needs an unhinged member."
- Celine smirking at the camera while sipping a drink → captioned: "Menace energy. Stay safe, people."
Even casual fans who didn’t know the full story had started shipping the three of them as an “Iconic Trio.” Some even joked that they should debut as a unit group if Celine ever decided to be an idol.
Inside Lumina’s practice room, the atmosphere was tense.
Kevin, Lumina’s manager, stood in front of them with a sigh.
“Gale,” he started, voice firm. “I accept your apology. But,” his eyes swept over the three of them—Jamie, Celine, and Gale—“you need to be careful. The no-dating contract exists for a reason. We don’t need more distractions.”
Gale nodded, shoulders slightly hunched. “I know. It won’t happen again.”
Celine, sitting beside Gale, patted her back. “It’s not like she did it on purpose. Blame Jamie—”
“Hoy!” Jamie gasped, offended.
Kevin rubbed his temples. “I don’t even know why you’re involved in this.”
Jamie grinned. “The universe just wants me to be part of the fun.”
Kevin shot her a glare. “Well, the universe should give me a break.”
Mavis, Sasha, and Arianne stood silently in the background, watching the chaos unfold.
Arianne, arms crossed, side-eyed Celine.Of course, she’s in the middle of this.
Mavis, unimpressed, shook her head.Typical Jamie energy.
Kevin exhaled sharply. “Anyway. Since this is already trending, we might as well use it to our advantage.”
Everyone blinked.
Celine raised an eyebrow. “...Meaning?”
Kevin folded his arms. “You three are invited to a late-night talk show next week.”
A beat of silence.
Then—
“WHAT?!” Jamie practically jumped out of her seat.
Gale looked horrified. “Why am I still suffering from a mistake I made while drunk?”
Celine, ever the confident one, just smirked. “Cool. I was getting bored anyway.”
Kevin sighed again. “Just… behave. No more scandals.”
Jamie grinned. “Okay yan bossing.”
That night, the official Twitter account of the late-night show posted:
🚨 CONFIRMED GUESTS: The internet’s newest favorite chaotic trio—Jamie, Celine, and Gale—will be joining us next week for an exclusive interview! 🎤👀
🔥 What really happened that night?
🔥 Is the “Iconic Trio” here to stay?
🔥 Who’s really to blame for the chaos?
Fans immediately lost their minds.
- “OMG THEY’RE REALLY GOING ON TV?!? I NEED TO WATCH THIS.”
- “Gale looks so done with life, I love her.”
- “Celine, Jamie, and Gale together on a talk show? It’s gonna be UNHINGED.”
- “PRAYING THAT CELINE DOESN’T FLIRT MID-INTERVIEW.”
After the meeting with Lumina’s manager, the air felt lighter, but the warning was still there—be careful.
Maeve stretched her arms and grinned. “Alright, enough serious talk. Let’s eat outside.”
Mavis, who had been quiet most of the meeting, immediately nodded. “Tara, gutom na rin ako.”
Sasha smirked. “For once, I agree with you.”
Mavis turned to Celine. “Ikaw?”
Celine tilted her head, thinking. “Hmm, pupunta ako kung pupunta si Gale at Jamie.”
Jamie, who was halfway through stuffing things into her bag, looked up lazily and nodded. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll just fix my stuff first.”
Celine grinned. “Sige, susunod na lang kami.”
Before leaving, Maeve turned to Arianne, raising an eyebrow. “How about you?”
Arianne blinked twice, caught off guard. “A-Ahh, yes. Sure. Sunod din ako, kunin ko lang wallet ko.”
Maeve smiled knowingly before nodding. “Okay, kita-kits.”
With that, Maeve, Mavis, and Sasha left the room, leaving only Celine, Arianne, Jamie, Gale, and Skylar inside.
Arianne walked to her bag, grabbed her wallet, and headed for the door. But just as she was about to step outside, Celine’s hand gently caught her wrist.
“Mahal, ayaw mo bang mag-date na lang tayo?” Celine asked, voice teasing but her gaze was warm.
Arianne froze for a second, her fingers tightening around her wallet. She turned to look at Celine, surprised.
But before she could answer, her eyes flickered to the three in the room—Jamie, Gale, and Skylar.
Celine, of course, noticed it immediately.
“Don’t worry,” she said casually, squeezing Arianne’s hand. “Alam na nila.”
Arianne’s eyes widened slightly, her gaze darting to the three again.
Celine smirked, turning to Jamie, Gale, and Skylar. “Psst!”
The three looked up.
Celine raised an eyebrow. “Talikod.”
Gale, who was sitting in the chair, turned around dramatically, now facing the wall.
Jamie sighed, pulled her hoodie over her head, and bowed down as if suddenly uninterested in their conversation.
Skylar, without a word, grabbed a pillow and buried her face into it.
Satisfied, Celine turned back to Arianne with an innocent smile. “Ano, mahal?”
Arianne sighed, a small smile tugging at her lips. “You idiot.”
She wanted to say yes. She wanted to just pull Celine out for a real date—no worries, no secrets. But reality was still there, looming over them.
If they went out alone, people would notice. The internet was still recovering from the last chaos; another suspicious move could only fuel more rumors.
Arianne exhaled and shook her head gently. “We’re in a public place. Ayoko nang dumagdag sa mga hinala ng fans.”
Celine sighed dramatically. “Psh, okay.” Her lower lip jutted out in a pout.
Arianne chuckled softly, her gaze softening. She reached forward, lightly brushing Celine’s bangs back before nodding. “I’ll go out first. Sumunod na lang kayo after a few minutes.”
Celine suddenly pulled her into a hug, wrapping her arms around Arianne’s waist. “Okay…” she murmured, voice almost childlike.
Arianne rolled her eyes, but her smile betrayed her.
Just as she was about to pull away, Celine leaned in closer, whispering near her ear.
“Okay… kiss me first.”
Arianne’s eyes widened. “Ano?”
Celine tilted her head playfully, looking up at her with mischief in her eyes. “Kiss me muna, para motivated akong sundan ka.”
Jamie snorted.
Skylar shook her head against the pillow.
Gale, still facing the wall, groaned. “Bro, matagal pa ba? Gutom na ako.”
Arianne rolled her eyes but laughed. Instead of kissing Celine, she reached up and pinched both of her cheeks.
“Ow— ow! Mahal, nooo!” Celine whined, trying to wiggle free.
“Cute cute,” Arianne murmured, finally letting go with an exasperated smile.
Celine pouted even more, rubbing her cheeks.
Arianne took a deep breath, looked at her fondly one last time, then turned toward the door. “See you outside.”
Celine watched her leave before exhaling deeply.
She turned back to the room and grinned at the three remaining people.
Skylar removed the pillow from her face and muttered, “You’re so whipped.”
Jamie smirked. “Honestly, it’s disgusting.”
Gale, still facing the wall, raised a hand and gave a thumbs-up. “Congrats, bro. You’re in love.”
Celine only laughed. “Tsk. As if kayo hindi.”
She grabbed her things, glanced at Jamie and Gale, and smirked. “Tara. Wag natin gutumin ‘tong dalawang to.”
Jamie stretched. “Finally.”
Gale turned her chair back around and stood up. “Let’s go before I starve to death.”
Skylar, still looking amused, shook her head and followed.
And with that, the four of them stepped out—joining the rest of the group, as if they weren’t hiding a thousand secrets behind their laughter.
As they stepped out of the building, the cool evening breeze greeted them, cutting through the warmth of the day. The group walked in a relaxed pace, moving as one yet subtly divided into smaller pairs.
Jamie, who never really cared about keeping things lowkey, casually reached for Skylar’s hand, intertwining their fingers with ease.
Skylar, ever the tsundere, barely glanced at her and simply rolled her eyes.
Jamie chuckled, shaking her head in amusement. “Tsk, ang sungit mo pa rin kahit legal na tayo.”
Skylar smirked, squeezing Jamie’s hand once before continuing to walk as if nothing happened.
Meanwhile, a few steps behind them, Celine and Gale were walking side by side.
Arianne was ahead of them—just a meter or so away, her posture graceful yet distant as she led the way.
Celine watched Arianne’s back with an unguarded smile, admiration evident in her eyes.
“Ang ganda, no?” she murmured, more to herself than to Gale.
Gale, who was casually scrolling on her phone, barely registered Celine’s words. “Hmm?”
Celine didn’t even glance at her. She was too focused on Arianne—the way her long hair swayed slightly with each step, the way her posture held an effortless elegance.
“Ang ganda, no?” Celine repeated, this time with a hint of dreamy fondness.
Gale finally looked up from her phone, following Celine’s gaze—only to find her staring intently at Arianne like she hung the stars in the sky.
Gale’s face instantly twisted in disgust.
“Ew,” she muttered.
Celine, completely ignoring Gale’s reaction, continued, “Buti na lang girlfriend ko ‘yan.”
Gale made a face. “Okay, that’s it. I’m out.”
Without another word, she sped up her pace, walking ahead to escape Celine’s lovesick energy.
Celine laughed, watching Gale flee like she just witnessed a crime.
Gale, without looking back, simply raised her hand and gave them a dismissive wave.
Jamie and Skylar laughed, while Celine simply smirked to herself, shaking her head.
Arianne, who had been walking ahead the whole time, finally glanced over her shoulder, her gaze immediately landing on Celine.
Their eyes met.
For a split second, time slowed.
Celine tilted her head, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips.
Arianne, pretending to be unfazed, quickly looked away—but not before Celine caught the faintest hint of a smile tugging at her lips.
Celine exhaled through her nose, smirking to herself.
She can pretend all she wants.
But Celine knew the truth.
Arianne loved being hers—even if she wasn’t always the best at showing it.
The restaurant had a warm ambiance, the kind that made conversations linger longer, with soft lighting and the gentle hum of background music setting the mood. Mavis, Maeve, and Sasha were already seated at a spacious round table, their drinks half-finished as they waited for the rest to arrive.
As soon as Celine and the others walked in, Mavis spotted her immediately and gestured toward the empty seat beside her.
“Celine, dito ka sa tabi ko!” Mavis said, smiling.
Celine froze for half a second. It wasn’t like she didn’t like Mavis—Mavis was cool, and they got along well—but right now, she had only one priority.
And that was to sit beside Arianne.
Celine awkwardly cleared her throat, flashing a polite smile. “A-hmm…” she hummed, delaying her response.
But before she could even come up with an excuse, she instinctively turned to Jamie and sent her the universal ‘HELP ME’ look.
Jamie, a master of chaos but also a true friend, immediately understood.
With a dramatic sigh, she plopped down beside Mavis before Celine could even move.
“Ahhh, I’m tireeed! Mavis, dito nalang ako ha? Favorite spot ko ‘to eh!” Jamie announced, stretching her arms lazily as if the chair had already claimed her soul.
Mavis blinked, confused. “Huh? Favorite spot mo?”
Jamie nodded aggressively, a wide, almost suspiciously eager smile on her face. “Oo! Nakita mo ‘tong upuan na ‘to? May sentimental value na kami.”
Mavis raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it, and turned to look at Celine again.
Celine, who had successfully dodged sitting beside Mavis,pretended to be interested in the restaurant’s ceiling.
Arianne had already settled into her seat, unbothered as always.
Just as Maeve was about to take the last available seat beside Arianne, Celine stepped forward quickly—just a fraction of a second faster— and sat down beside Arianne as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Maeve paused mid-step, looking at the now-occupied seat.
Celine? Acting like nothing happened.
She even casually picked up the menu and started flipping through the pages, humming like she had absolutely not just stolen the seat before Maeve could take it.
Maeve exhaled through her nose, shaking her head slightly.
Celine glanced up with an innocent look. “Hmm? May problema?”
Maeve narrowed her eyes but just chuckled, turning to Sasha instead. “Ikaw nalang umupo sa tabi ni Gale.”
Sasha nodded and took the empty chair beside Gale, while Maeve settled down on Arianne’s other side.
Celine exhaled in victory, sneaking a quick glance at Arianne. She was still focused on the menu, seemingly unaffected.
But when Celine’s thigh slightly brushed against Arianne’s under the table, she felt Arianne stiffen for just a second before shifting subtly.
Celine bit back a smirk.
Across the table, Gale, Jamie, and Celine subtly exchanged looks.
Gale, who had witnessed the entire ordeal, tilted her head at Celine in silent judgment.
Jamie, on the other hand, just grinned, as if saying, "Well played."
Celine simply winked.
Game, set, and match.
the restaurant staff began placing plates of food on the table. Steam curled up from hot bowls of soup, grilled meat sizzled on platters, and an assortment of side dishes added vibrant colors to the feast laid out before them.
Everyone began reaching for their own favorites, chatting lightly as they filled their plates.
As Celine picked up her chopsticks, ready to grab a piece of dumpling, she suddenly noticed Maeve’s hand moving in her peripheral vision.
She glanced up—and immediately regretted it.
Because Maeve, with the most natural, casual ease, had just placed a piece of food onto Arianne’s plate.
A simple gesture. Harmless.
But to Celine?
It felt like a personal attack.
She instantly sat up straighter, her grip on her chopsticks tightening ever so slightly. Arianne didn’t seem to think much of it, simply nodding at Maeve in silent acknowledgment before picking up the food with her chopsticks.
Celine, however, was internally screaming.
What the hell? Bakit siya naghahain kay Arianne?
Psh. Ako lang dapat gumagawa niyan kay mahal.
Her first instinct? To intervene.
To casually, nonchalantly, effortlessly take control of Arianne’s plate and be the one feeding her instead.
But—
Public place.
Celine’s eyes flickered around the restaurant. There were other people, some fans maybe, and of course, their group members.
She had no choice but to suppress the possessiveness bubbling inside her chest.
She exhaled deeply, calming herself down.
Okay, chill. Hindi mo siya pwedeng agawin sa public.
Just as she was about to distract herself by taking a bite of her food, Mavis suddenly placed a small bowl in front of her.
"Celine, here... favorite soup mo."
Celine blinked at the steaming bowl of Szechuan soup.
She quickly turned her attention to Mavis, who smiled warmly at her, clearly just being considerate.
Celine politely returned the smile, despite her brain still being stuck on what just happened seconds ago.
"Ah, thank you, Mavis," she said, keeping her tone even.
Mavis nodded and returned to eating, completely unaware of the silent war happening in Celine’s mind.
Celine picked up her spoon and stirred the soup absentmindedly.
Her thoughts, however, were far from food.
She cast another side glance at Arianne.
Arianne, as expected, was eating calmly, completely unbothered.
But Maeve? Maeve was still there, occasionally refilling Arianne’s plate like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Celine took a deep breath.
She needed a plan.
She wasn't about to let this slide.
Everyone settled into their meals, but Celine was still internally reeling. She stole quick glances at Maeve every now and then, watching how effortlessly she interacted with Arianne.
It wasn't that deep, she told herself. Maeve was just being nice.
And yet—
Psh. Ba't ba ang effortless niya maghain kay Arianne? Ba’t parang ang natural? Dapat ako lang gumagawa niyan!
She took a deep breath and refocused on her food.
Just then, Maeve pulled out her phone and opened Instagram.
"Guys, I'm going live for a bit," she announced casually, before tapping the IG Live button.
The moment she went live, the notifications flooded in.
━ @lumina_updates: "OMG SHE'S LIVE??"
━ @maeveofficialfanpage: "MAEVE SUPREMACY LET'S GOOO"
━ @random_fan_acc: "QUEEN, HELLOOO"
━ @shipper_corner: "Is anyone else here hoping she'll drop some tea??"
Maeve chuckled, reading some of the comments. "Wow, ang bilis niyo naman? Like, I literally just pressed the button—kaloka kayo," she said with a laugh.
She adjusted her phone on the table, angling it so that only her face was visible while everyone else at the table remained out of frame.
"Okay, sige, I'll answer some of your questions while waiting for my food to digest," she said, scrolling through the comments.
━ @luminafanbase: "How was your day?"
Maeve smiled. "It was good! Medyo hectic, but it turned out fun, actually. We just had a meeting with our manager kanina. Tapos ngayon, dinner time with friends!"
Celine, who was sitting right beside her, almost choked on her drink.
Friends?
She turned to look at Maeve, who was casually scrolling through the questions.
Mavis, Sasha, and Arianne were also listening in, though Arianne remained focused on her plate.
Maeve laughed at another question.
━ @stanlumina: “Kasama niyo po ba si Jamie?"
Maeve smirked. "Yes guys, she’s here"
From across the table, Jamie snorted.
"Hi fans!" Jamie called out, but Maeve just grinned at the camera.
Mavis, Sasha, and Arianne were also listening in, though Arianne remained focused on her plate.
━ @fan_account: "WHERE’S ARIANNE??"
━ @stanlumina: "IPAKITA MO PO SI ARIANNE!"
Maeve laughed softly, glancing toward Arianne. "Relax lang guys."
She tilted her phone slightly, making it seem like she was about to show Arianne, but at the last second, she turned it back to herself and winked.
"Secret," she teased, making the fans spam laughing emojis in the comments.
Celine, who had been quietly sipping her soup, froze.
Her grip on her chopsticks tightened.
━ @shipper_zone: "ANY MESSAGE FOR MAEVEIANNE FANS??"
Celine nearly dropped her chopsticks.
She immediately looked toward Arianne, who only blinked in mild surprise.
Maeve, on the other hand, laughed at the question.
"Ano ba ‘to, guys? Dito talaga sa live?!" Maeve said, acting shy before flashing a charming smile. "Uhmm… just enjoy what you enjoy, and always be kind!"
Celine scoffed under her breath.
Anong ‘always be kind’?
Ang sayang-saya mo, ah.
She tried to keep her face neutral, but she could feel the annoyance boiling in her chest.
━ @curiouscat: "MAGKASAMA PO BA SI MAVIS AND CELINE?"
This time, Mavis, who had been quietly sipping her drink, suddenly looked up.
Maeve smirked.
"hmmm," she teased, side-eyeing Mavis.
Mavis rolled her eyes. "Huwag kang manggulo, Maeve."
Celine, on the other hand, felt like she was trapped.
Oh my god, why do they keep bringing me up??
She forced a polite smile. "Ah, well... we’re at the same table?" she said, trying to keep her tone light.
Maeve chuckled.
━ @fan_account: "WHO'S MORE CLINGY, MAVIS OR CELINE??"
The second Maeve read that question, everyone at the table turned to look at Celine.
Celine could already feel herself sinking deeper into her seat.
Maeve grinned and leaned slightly toward her.
"Ano, Celine? Ikaw ba?"
Celine forced a laugh, pretending to focus on her food.
"Ano bang definition ng ‘clingy’ dito?" she asked, playing dumb.
Maeve only laughed harder. "Impossible yan maeve"
Maeve grinned and pointed her chopsticks at Mavis.
"Hands down, si Mavis! Clingy ‘yan, trust me," she declared.
Mavis, who had just taken a sip of her drink, almost choked.
"H-hoy?! Anong ako?" Mavis coughed, glaring at Maeve.
Maeve laughed. "Oh, come on! We all know it. Lagi mong tinatawag si Celine na ‘Celine, kain tayo! Celine, dito ka! Celine, gusto mo ng ganito?’ Aminin mo na!"
Celine raised an eyebrow.
Mavis glanced at her, looking slightly guilty.
"Di naman ganun kadalas…" Mavis muttered, avoiding eye contact.
Jamie, who had been listening, suddenly smirked.
"Hmmm," Jamie hummed, dramatically stroking her chin.
Mavis kicked Jamie under the table.
But as she turned to glance at Arianne, she noticed something—
Arianne was hiding a small smile.
And somehow, that annoyed her even more.
As the plates were cleared from the table, Maeve leaned back in her seat and pulled out her phone. She scrolled through their group chat with their manager, reading aloud their remaining schedule for the day.
"Alright, ladies. Here’s what we still have lined up today." Maeve tapped on the screen, then listed them out:
- Dance rehearsal – 2 hours
- TikTok challenge for MaevIanne
- Vocal practice
A collective sigh passed through Lumina.
Jamie, who had been sipping her drink, let out a small laugh. "Solid yung dalawang oras na sayaw bago mag-TikTok challenge? Parang baliktad ata dapat ‘yon."
Mavis, ever the motivator, clapped her hands once.
“Laban lang!” she said in an overly enthusiastic voice, making some of them chuckle.
Everyone laughed, but Celine wasn’t paying attention anymore.
Her focus had shifted entirely to Arianne, who had let out the softest sigh.
It wasn’t loud or dramatic. It wasn’t the type of sigh that screamed exhaustion or frustration.
But Celine knew Arianne too well.
It was the kind of sigh that revealed her quiet tiredness—the kind she tried to hide from everyone else.
Celine, without thinking, slid her hand onto Arianne’s lap under the table.
It was a simple touch, gentle and reassuring. A silent way of saying, “I got you.”
Arianne, caught off guard, straightened in her seat. Her breath hitched slightly, and her fingers instinctively curled into fists on her lap.
She didn’t pull away immediately—not at first.
She glanced at Celine out of the corner of her eye, her lips parting slightly, as if debating whether or not to acknowledge the touch.
But before she could decide, Sasha suddenly moved.
Sasha, who had been reaching for her wallet that had slipped from her lap, bent down.
Arianne’s heartbeat sped up.
If Sasha looked even slightly to the side, she would see it.
Celine’s hand. On her lap.
Arianne quickly removed Celine’s hand, gripping her wrist just enough to push it away.
Celine felt the rejection immediately.
Her mouth parted in surprise.
But instead of reacting, she clutched her stomach and dramatically groaned.
“Ugh,” she mumbled, pressing her palm over her stomach. “Sobra ata akong nabusog.”
Arianne blinked.
Then narrowed her eyes.
Celine giggled, but when she looked at Arianne again, she winked.
As everyone finished fixing their things, the table that had been lively moments ago was now filled with the sounds of zippers closing, chairs being pushed back, and murmurs of schedules ahead.
Lumina was the first to stand up, each member gathering their belongings as they prepared to leave for their next commitment.
Maeve adjusted the strap of her bag and looked at Gale, Skylar, Celine, and Jamie. “Alright, una na kami” she sighed.
Mavis, ever the upbeat one, pumped her fists lightly. “Laban, guys. Dance pa lang yan, may TikTok pa after.”
Lumina started heading toward the exit, but before stepping out, Arianne glanced back—just for a second.
Celine, who had been watching her the whole time, gave a smile and thumbs up.
Celine, satisfied, turned to Gale. “So, saan tayo pupunta?”
Gale stretched her arms. “Home. Sleep. Unless Jamie has some wild idea again.”
Jamie smirked. “Depende. Kung gusto nyo ng kalokohan, I got you.”
Celine laughed. “Pass. For now.”
And with that, they all headed their separate ways—Lumina off to practice, while the "Iconic Trio" found themselves with a rare moment to breathe.