The alley behind Taft Avenue was silent except for the chants. Vine stood blindfolded, heart pounding, surrounded by shadows. "Delta Sigma, Delta Sigma," they echoed. His barkada thought he was at dance practice. Ruby thought he was home. But Vine was here - chasing respect, chasing belonging.
"Tol, handa ka na ba?" Kuya Joms whispered.
"Handa," Vine lied.
Push-ups on gravel. Shots of gin. Slaps that echoed like gunfire. Vine endured it all. When the blindfold came off, he was reborn - or so they said.
By day, Vine was still the LAN Lord - laughing with Rannie, strategizing with Dhen, vibing with Renz.
By night, he was a frat boy - drinking till dawn, learning chants, guarding secrets.
"Tol, DOTA tayo bukas?" Rannie asked.
"May duty ako," Vine replied.
The double life was exhausting. Vine started missing matches, skipping dance practice, and ghosting Ruby.
One Friday, the frat clashed with another group near Pedro Gil. Bottles flew, fists landed, chaos erupted. Vine, usually calm, found himself swinging wildly.
"Tol, takbo!" Kuya Joms shouted.
But Vine didn't run. He fought.
Later, bruised and bleeding, he stared at his reflection in a cracked mirror.
"Is this who I am now?" he whispered.
Ruby noticed the change.
"You're different, Vine. Parang laging may tinatago."
"Wala," he lied again.
"Meron. And it's not just me you're losing. It's yourself."
Her words cut deeper than any punch. Vine wanted to tell her everything - the frat, the fights, the fear. But he stayed silent.
"Tol, bakit di ka na naglalaro?" Dhen asked.
"Busy lang," Vine replied.
"Di ka na rin sumasayaw," Renz added.
"Di ka na rin umiinom," Rannie joked.
They laughed, but the tension was real. The LAN Lords felt the disconnect. Vine was drifting.
One night, Vine scanned the frat house Wi-Fi.
SSID: DeltaSigmaHQ
MAC: 00:1a:2b:3c:4d:5e
Signal: -42 dBm
Channel: 6
Security: WPA2-PSK
He saved the scan.
After another missed dance rehearsal, Ruby confronted Vine on the school rooftop.
"Alam mo, Vine... hindi ko na kilala 'yung taong minahal ko."
"Ruby, I'm just trying to survive."
"Survive saan? Sa frat? Sa sarili mong guilt?"
Vine broke down.
"Hindi ko alam kung sino ako kapag wala kayo. Pero hindi ko rin alam kung sino ako kapag kasama kayo."
Ruby held his hand, then let go.
"Hanapin mo muna sarili mo. Baka doon mo rin ako mahanap."
Vine walked home alone. His phone buzzed - barkada group chat, frat reminders, Ruby's silence.
He stared at the screen.
He didn't reply. He just walked - torn between loyalty and survival.