In the heart of Lagonoy, Camarines Sur, nestled by the rice fields and mountains, was a school that never quite lost its warmth no matter the season: Lagonoy High School. In Star Section Horizon, there was a boy who could make the entire class chuckle just by walking in.
His name was Redd. First year student. Short hair always slightly messy. Socks rarely matching. Jokes? Infinite. No matter how bad the weather or how stressful the schoolwork, Redd brought light into the classroom like the bell chime that meant recess. Even the teachers laughed at his antics—Mr. Ebo, their strict English teacher, once chuckled so hard he had to wipe his glasses.
Redd wasn't just class clown material. He was kind, always the first to share food, to help a classmate carry books, or lend a pencil without expecting it back. Everyone adored him. Especially Levi. One time, Redd cracked a joke so good Levi tilted back in his chair, laughing, accidentally shoving Isaac straight into Ella. Calista squealed behind them. It became the stuff of class legend.
But for all his laughter, Redd hadn't experienced that thing he often teased Isaac and Levi about—falling in love.
That changed on a quiet Tuesday.
He had just bought a bottle of calamansi juice and was strolling past the basketball court when he paused, mid-sip. There, under the shade of the acacia tree by the court, stood a girl.
Not just any girl. To Redd, she looked like a painting brought to life.
She had her hair tied in a high ponytail, sweat glistening slightly on her forehead, her volleyball uniform clinging to her shoulders like sunlight. She was arguing—animatedly—with a tall basketball boy who looked annoyed but amused. Redd froze.
Something about her voice. Her eyes. Her confidence. Redd didn't even hear what they were saying. All he thought was: I've never seen anyone like her before.
And then, his heart sank.
They're probably dating.
He turned away before he could hear more. The calamansi juice suddenly tasted bitter.
The next few weeks passed in a haze. He still joked, still made everyone laugh, but there were moments—quiet ones—when he'd stare outside the window and wonder what her name was.
He found out eventually. Through whispers and conversations at lunch.
Her name was Aika.
Section Emerald. First year. Volleyball varsity.
And still, he said nothing. What could he say? He was the joker of the class, the noise in the back row. She was graceful and athletic and probably didn't even know he existed.
Until the day fate pushed them together.
Literally.
He was carrying a stack of recycled papers to the art room when he bumped into someone coming out the library door.
Papers flew. His face smacked into a binder. Her binder.
"Oh no! I'm so sorry!" she said.
Redd looked up.
It was her.
Aika.
"No! It was my fault. I wasn't looking," he said quickly, scrambling to pick up papers.
She crouched down too, helping him.
Then she looked at him, really looked at him.
"Wait... aren't you the funny guy from Star Section? Redd, right?"
He blinked. "You... know my name?"
She smiled. "Of course! Your jokes make the whole wing laugh. Even our teacher said you're better than some comedians on TV."
He flushed. "I—I try."
She handed him the last of his papers. Their fingers touched briefly.
"I'm Aika."
"I know," he blurted. Then turned red. "I mean... I think I heard. Volleyball, right?"
She nodded. "And you're... uninjured, right? That looked like a heavy binder."
He laughed. "My head's mostly air. It cushioned the blow."
She giggled. And just like that, something clicked.
They started seeing each other more. Sometimes in the canteen, sharing table space. Other times walking to the tricycle stop together. She liked the way he made jokes without being mean. He liked the way she listened, eyes twinkling like stars. They shared stories—her rants about hard practices, his chaotic group projects.
One afternoon, under the mango tree by the school fence, he finally asked.
"Hey... can I ask you something weird?"
She tilted her head. "Sure."
"That day... when I saw you arguing with that basketball guy... was he your boyfriend?"
She burst out laughing.
"No! Gosh, no. That's my kuya. He was making fun of my height again. Says I need to eat more okra so I'll grow taller."
Redd laughed too, relief flooding his chest.
"So... no boyfriend then?"
She raised an eyebrow. "No. Not yet."
He smiled. "That's good to know."
She leaned closer. "Why? Planning to apply?"
He turned red again. "I might. If the job's still open next month."
She smiled, and bumped her shoulder against his.
"We'll see."
The next few weeks were a dream. They walked together more often. She laughed at all his jokes. He watched her games from the bleachers, cheering louder than anyone. He gave her silly good-luck charms: a four-leaf clover drawn on a sticky note, a lucky candy, a tiny plastic trophy that said "Best Girl."
She kept them all in her pencil case.
One day, Redd surprised her with a tiny notebook.
"What's this?" she asked.
"A joke-a-day journal," he said. "For when I'm not around to annoy you."
She opened it. Each page had a bad pun or drawing, scribbled in his handwriting.
She hugged the notebook. Then, without a word, hugged him too.
"You're ridiculous," she whispered.
"I know," he said, grinning. "But you laughed."
By the next month, there were whispers in the hallway.
"Redd and Aika?"
"Did you see them after class?"
"Did you hear she gave him a handmade bracelet?"
The rumors didn't bother them. In fact, they leaned into it.
They didn't put a label on anything right away. But one day, during a school-wide cleanup, they were paired to sweep the hallway.
Aika paused, brushing hair from her eyes. "You know... my brother saw you last week. Said you're the one who made me smile like an idiot."
Redd looked smug. "Did you smile like an idiot?"
She nodded. "Still do."
He stepped closer.
"I think I'm smiling like one too."
She nudged him with her broom.
Later that day, he handed her a folded paper.
She opened it. Inside was a hand-drawn cartoon of them—stick figures, one holding a volleyball, the other with a joke bubble above his head. Below it said:
"I don't know what this is yet... but I know I want it to grow."
She looked at him, eyes warm.
"Let's make it grow, Redd."
And just like that, the boy who made everyone laugh found the girl who made him speechless.
Love, after all, didn't always start with grand gestures.
Sometimes, it started with a laugh.
Or a bump.
Or a broom.
And in the halls of Lagonoy High School, under a sky that seemed bluer than usual, something quietly beautiful began to bloom.