It was Aya's day off. No work. No errands. Just a perfect time to unwind.
The world outside was calm, so she added a bit of music to her quiet day—Jake Reyes' playlist, of course.
She wasn't an influencer, not even close to famous. But if there was one thing that stayed consistent in her Instagram stories...
It was Jake.
His songs.
His voice.
His lyrics.
And lately, her feelings—though barely anyone even viewed her IG stories. Haha.
It almost turned into her own confession space. A silent outlet where she could express the things she couldn't say aloud.
And deep down, even if she didn't want to admit it, there was this quiet hope—
That maybe one day, the person she admired would notice.
Every time she posted a song, there was always a caption. Sometimes a Filipino quote. Sometimes a lowkey lyric.
And always, always tagged: @jake.reyes
---
—Narrator—
Seattle, 3 PM.
It was raining. The house was quiet. Jake sat on the couch in his hoodie, phone in hand.
He couldn't sleep. So, like usual, he checked Instagram.
Fan tags came in. Edits, songs, messages of thanks. He was used to them.
But one post… stood out.
No filter. No edit. Just a simple IG story.
A short clip of his song: "You Were Mine Before Goodbye."
With a Filipino caption:
(In English line)
"Sometimes, the song may sound quiet, but the meaning cuts deep. I just hope people don't waste what others only dream of having."
He paused.
He read it slowly. He wasn't fluent in speaking Filipino words, but he understood enough.
"Quiet but painful... damn."
He checked the username.
@aya.deguzman
Familiar. He'd seen it tagged before. Nothing flashy. Nothing attention-seeking. Just... consistent.
Silent. Genuine.
Something about it felt real.
"This girl again,"
he murmured as he saw the tag notification.
She'd tagged him multiple times, but this was the first time he actually viewed her story.
"She tags me like… it's not for clout. More like… a diary entry. Like she doesn't even expect a reply."
He turned off his phone. But he couldn't stop thinking.
"Was that post... really meant for me?"
"Did she even think I'd see it?"
"So many people tag me... but this one feels different."
He shook his head. Let out a soft laugh.
---
—Narrator—
Meanwhile, in the Philippines (16 hours ahead of Seattle)
6 AM. Aya had just woken up. She got out of bed, washed her face, grabbed a cup of coffee, and did her usual morning scroll.
She opened IG to check last night's story.
She slid to the "Seen by" section—and nearly screamed.
"Seen by: jake.reyes"
No one else. Just him.
Her eyes widened. Her hands gripped the edge of the bed.
Silence.
Except for her heart, which was suddenly pounding like a drumline.
---
—Aya's Thoughts—
"Just him? It's really just him? This isn't a joke... not a glitch..."
"Oh my God. Why do I feel like screaming?!"
---
—Chat Conversation: Aya & Lyca—
Aya:
"Sis HELP!"
Lyca:
"HEy! what happened?! 😳 It's too early for chika! Hahaha"
Aya:
"Jake!! He saw my story, ssssiiss! The one I tagged him in—his song You Were Mine Before Goodbye."
Lyca:
"AHHHHHHHHHH!!! Gurrrl!! I'm freaking out for you 😭😭😭 Is this for real?!"
Aya:
"It's his official, verified account. I checked like ten times hahaha!"
Lyca:
"OMGGGGGGGGG! Girl, you're different! First, he replied to your comment, now this? You might just be the next girlfriend of Papa Jake! HAHAHA!"
Aya:
"Girlfriend already?! Hahaha that's a joke, okay?! It was just supposed to be a secret diary moment. A small confession. But now... I don't know what to do 😭😂
I kinda want to hide from embarrassment—but also wanna dance on the roof!"
---
—Jake's POV—
Jake was back in his room. Quiet. Still staring at his phone.
"Aya Deguzman."
He sighed.
"Why do I feel something from a stranger's story?"
"It's just a post. Just a tag… right?"
His eyes landed on an old polaroid photo stuck to the wall. Hershey.
It had been months since he last looked at it. But now... silence filled the room again.
"You really hurt me, Hersh. So much. And still, I don't even know what I did to deserve being left without a word..."
Hershey—his Ex gf An American who walked away from their relationship with no closure.
Just disappeared.
---
The whole day, Aya couldn't focus.
It was just a story… a short clip from the night before.
But that one seen from Jake?
It changed everything.
She couldn't eat properly. Her chest felt like it was constantly bursting with kilig.
She tried to keep her mouth shut, but she had to let it out.
So, she messaged Rose—their fan group's "mommy admin."
---
—Messenger Chat: Aya & Admin Rose—
Aya:
"Hi Mommy Rose, sorry to bother you… can I share something?"
Rose:
"Of course, Aya! What is it?" 😊
Aya:
"Uhm… last night I posted an IG story, just a clip of Jake's song…
I added a Tagalog quote…
Then… he was the only one who saw it.
Like legit. Seen by jake.reyes. Just him. 😳"
Rose:
"OMG. Wait, just him?! I'm getting butterflies for you, sweetie 😭😭😭
That's huge! I've tagged him multiple times and still never get seen!
He knows me, but even then, he can be picky with fan stories.
He must've been curious. You know Jake—quiet, but observant."
Aya:
"I'm literally crying, Mommy! I didn't expect this at all.
It's the first time he's ever seen one of my stories, and I wasn't even trying to get his attention.
It felt more like a confession.
Now I don't know if I should laugh or cry 😭"
Rose:
"That's totally normal, Aya.
That moment? Rare. And maybe it meant something to him too, even just a little.
You deserve this. Just stay true to yourself.
It's a big achievement for a solid fan like you. I'm so happy for you, nak! 💕"
---
—Narrator—
But in one corner of the fandom group chat, someone else had read the exchange—
Janine.
A longtime fan of Jake. She stayed quiet... but inside, jealousy was starting to brew.
She was a co-admin. Jake knew her too—
But only as a loyal fan and group organizer in the JakeFanatics community.
---
Janine knew how special Jake was to her.
She'd been posting, tagging, and commenting for ages.
Jake usually saw her stories the most.
So when she learned that Aya—just a new member of three months—had been noticed?
Her smile twisted slightly.
She didn't say much.
But you could tell... something was brewing.
---
—Janine's POV—
"Game on."
---
—Private Chat: Janine & Aya—
Janine:
"Hey, Aya! Heard something interesting lately. Jake noticed you too?"
Aya:
"Yeah sis, I couldn't believe it either. I've always tagged him in my IG stories but this is the first time he saw one."
Janine:
"I'm happy for you! Especially if he starts noticing you more—like me haha.
Not a lot of fans get that. It's rare."
Aya:
"Oh wow, thanks sis! I really didn't expect it. It was just a normal post. Nothing fancy. Haha."
Janine:
"Cute. You seem so... natural, huh?
But don't get too comfy. You've got competition 😌"
Aya:
"Haha good to know! I'm ready—just kidding. 😂"
Janine:
"Let's just say... it's fun to be noticed.
Especially by someone like Jake, right?"
---
—Narrator—
Aya was quiet after their chat.
She didn't know what to feel.
She wasn't used to "competition"—especially when she hadn't meant to compete at all.
But inside Janine… it was clear:
If Aya had a chance—
She wasn't going down without a fight.
Meanwhile, Jake remained unaware of the brewing tension.
But as both Aya and Janine kept posting stories...
He noticed. Both of them.
Silently.
Observing.
He didn't know what he was feeling yet—
But he could tell…
Stories were starting to unfold on his screen.
And some of them?
Might be closer than he expected.
---
To be continued…
Author's Note:
Aya thought it was just a simple IG story—something that would make her day.
But behind one "seen"…
Jealousy was stirred, tension was born… and someone was slowly falling.
Jake's still quiet. So is everyone else.
But not for long…
Because at the upcoming fan ga
thering, paths will cross again—
And for the first time ever, they'll meet a special guest:
The woman behind Jake's mystery…
His very own mother.
What happens when the mother of the guy you've been dreaming about suddenly enters the picture?
Next Chapter: A Familiar Face in the Crowd