𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐔𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄:
In every lifetime, still you
(Modern & Human AU)

CORAZON CECELIA SALVADOR is a nurse. She was a fresh graduate six years ago, passing the Philippine Nursing Licensure Exam after six grueling months of preparation while simultaneously filing job applications. Among the many applications she sent, the Philippine General Hospital accepted her, and of course, they did.

She was ecstatic, as any young professional would be. PGH had long held a reputation as the leading hospital in the country. Earning a position there was both an honor and a tremendous opportunity. As a University of the Philippines, Manila, graduate, Corazon was required to serve a mandatory two-year return service contract. At just eighteen years old, she stood proudly among the best of her batch.

But no institution is without its flaws. Despite PGH's glowing reputation, it faced the same problems as any government-funded hospital. The limitations were stark. Resources were stretched thin, facilities were outdated, and the influx of patients was overwhelming. A chronically understaffed roster meant nurses often endured grueling 24-hour shifts. Low wages, poor doctor-to-nurse-to-patient ratios, and little institutional support led to low morale, no matter the passion one carried.

Barely a year in, Corazon made a decision. She would activate her long-term plan and take her nursing career abroad. Her Inang and Tatang had discussed the possibility with her as early as her third year of college. They believed the only way for her to truly practice her calling was to go overseas. She had clung to the hope that the Philippine healthcare system would improve by the time she graduated, but the burnout came fast and came hard.

How could she uphold her oath to heal and serve when the very system she worked under prevented her from doing so? She weighed her options, examined the trajectory of her future in the Philippines, and the conclusion was painfully clear—it was not the path she wanted.

After being evaluated by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools and passing their rigorous exam, she tackled the NCLEX-RN and the IELTS. The entire process took three years—an impressive timeframe by industry standards. Corazon credited her success to her supportive parents and the privilege of financial stability. She also secured her Professional Nursing License for the State Boards, adding another feather to her cap.

With her PGH contract fulfilled and her clearance processed, Corazon received a job offer through a recruitment agency her college professor had recommended. The offer was from a hospital in San Francisco, California. After a successful interview and an exhaustive review of her credentials, her EB-3 Visa was approved.

Her older brother, Joselito, who had migrated years earlier with his wife, Marianne, was thrilled. They welcomed her with open arms. Relocating was overwhelming, exciting, terrifying, and bittersweet. But knowing her brother and sister-in-law were nearby eased the transition.

Corazon threw herself into her work with fervor. She was determined to prove that she belonged. She had the academic background, the work ethic, and the training. She had earned her place. Let anyone dare to say otherwise.

Homesickness was a constant shadow, but it paled in comparison to the purpose she now felt. Her parents were aging, and her younger sisters were still chasing their dreams. She wanted to help them all, and she did so willingly. For Corazon and Joselito, their help was not out of obligation—it was love, pure and simple.

They had watched their parents break their backs in the farming fields and wet markets to give them a fighting chance. Providing in return felt natural. The twins, Antonio and Theodoro, stayed behind to care for the household. Meanwhile, Corazon helped Miriam and Carmelita finish college. Elenita, now a licensed physical therapist, and Miriam, a certified pharmacist, were gaining work experience in hopes of one day joining their siblings abroad. Carmelita was preparing for the Philippine Nursing Licensure Exam, eager to follow Corazon's path. A month ago, the twins joined them in the U.S. and enrolled in law school.

When all their sisters are eligible for work visas, the next goal is to bring their parents to the United States. That dream was to be together again through comfort and struggle. The sacrifices, sleepless nights, and homesickness would all be worth it.

After enduring three consecutive 12-hour shifts on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, Corazon savored her four-day weekends. It was a dream schedule by any nurse's standard. Back when her sisters were still in college, she often picked up extra shifts to help out financially. But with their graduations, she now allowed herself the gift of rest.

Inang and Tatang often reminded her to save for herself. Corazon took their advice to heart. She bought a modest apartment fifteen minutes away from the hospital and her brother's home. Though Joselito and Marianne insisted she stay with them, Corazon felt it was time to create space for herself. They were starting a family of their own. She needed a space of her own, too. Still, they were close. They shared meals often, and she adored babysitting their daughter, Pamela.

And she's twenty-five now! It's time to start living for herself and build a life for which she has worked hard to have.

Today was her day off, and the list of chores awaited her: laundry, groceries, bills, and pre-planned meals. She preferred to pack her own lunch, and never bought food at work—she's way too frugal. She reserved weekends for general cleaning, pilates, babysitting, and maybe finally buying that book she had been eyeing for weeks.

Corazon tossed her empty cup into a nearby bin, finding her feet moving on their own, guiding her toward a familiar destination—her favorite bookstore. As soon as she stepped inside, the comforting, musty scent of old books enveloped her like an old friend, cradling her in its familiar embrace. The small, quaint shop is everything that she loved: wooden bookshelves lined with worn spines, air thick with polished pine. She navigated the aisles instinctively, gravitating toward the classics section without a second thought.

She picked up Persuasion by Jane Austen, a title she'd read countless times and already owns in several editions, both new and old, some marked with annotations while others remain pristine. Yet there's something about this particular copy—its cover and the familiarity of the words that always draws her in.

Corazon was so lost in the moment that she didn't notice the presence of another person until he spoke.

"Jane Austen fan, I presume?" His voice is smooth with an undertone of curiosity that catches her off guard. She blinked, startled, before realizing she's been staring at him like an idiot. Their eyes meet—sharp, narrow, and bright green. For a brief moment, her mind goes blank, and she can't help but notice how effortlessly beautiful he is. His golden tan skin, unruly golden blonde hair that makes her want to run her fingers through his hair, and his features are impossibly sculpted, with high cheekbones. A strong jawline that looks like it's been chiseled by the gods themselves.

His beauty is intimidating, so striking that it feels unfair, like he was crafted to be irresistible. His simple black dress shirt hugs his lean, toned frame, tucked neatly into grey trousers. A grey coat is draped over his arm.

Corazon blushes, words caught in her throat. Mustering only a simple, "Yes," before immediately turning away, flustered by how this stranger has thrown her off balance. She wasn't easily rattled.

"Have you read all of her work?" His voice deepens, rich and smooth with a southern twang, sending a flutter through her stomach. The way he speaks makes every word feel like a soft caress, and she finds herself unable to stop talking, almost compelled to continue the conversation.

And he felt the same.

"I haven't," She begins, unable to contain herself, her words spill out. "I've been searching for a copy of the Beautifull Cassandra for ages. It's the only one of her works I haven't read. I've scoured every bookstore, but no luck. Austen's my favorite, and it's frustrating not being able to say I've read everything she wrote."

When she finished, she realized how she had rambled for more than intended. Embarrassed, she glances away, pretending to focus on the books in front of her, though she'd seen them all a hundred times before.

He hums thoughtfully, caught in his thoughts, and asks, "What's your favorite of hers?"

His voice had a soothing, velvety quality that made her want to listen to him speak forever, but she managed to answer almost bashfully.

"It's hard to pick, but Pride and Prejudice is my first love. It's the book that started it all for me. But Persuasion...that one's different. It's about the aftermath of love-rejection, heartbreak, and loss, but this thread of hope runs through it. Anne and Wentworth are so complicated, their love so tender, so painful. It's not youthful, but full of longing and missed chances, and yet, there's something beautifully redemptive about it."

As Corazon speaks, she grows animated, a copy of Persuasion now in her hands. But when she glances up at him, she catches his gaze again, his attention so focused and intense that it makes her heart race. She hesitates, suddenly aware of her vulnerability under his gaze.

"You've just convinced me what to read next," he says, amused, grinning as he picks up the Persuasion copy from her hands, adding it to the two other books in his possession: The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin and Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell.

A handsome man with impeccable taste in books. It's a dangerous combination, and she can feel herself losing control of the conversation, her heart beating faster as she tries to keep composure.

It had been a long time since she had dated. Too many men had tried to change her or dismiss her values. But with his easy confidence and love for literature, this stranger made her reconsider.

A sudden ring of her phone burst their bubble. Joselito was calling. She had completely forgotten that she was supposed to be at his house fifteen minutes ago for the barbecue, and her brother was probably worried about where she was.

"I'm sorry, I have to go," She tells him. She quickly turns around and makes her way towards the exit, eager to escape before further making a fool of herself.

"Wait!" He calls out, and a slight panic in his voice makes her turn around. He's closing the distance between them, his long strides bringing him only a few steps away, "I didn't catch your name.

"I—why do you want to know?" She asks, raising an eyebrow. Her tone is skeptical as she studies him.

"I want to continue our conversation over coffee—or tea, if that's more to your liking," he replies honestly with a casual shrug. His earlier panic was fading. She couldn't help but admire his straightforwardness.

"Corazon, but call me Cora," she says, her voice softening as she offers him a small smile. Corazon is sure that Joselito wouldn't mind if she skipped the barbeque—he definitely would—but, oh well.

"Jasper," He offered his hand, which she took. It was big, calloused, warm, yet welcoming.

"So, do you want to treat me to coffee or tea just to hear me ramble about books?"

"More or less," He grins, the mischievous glint in his eyes is endearing, "So, is that a yes?"

"Sure," Corazon replies, unable to resist, "Coffee it is."

"And I'd choose you in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I'd find you and I'd choose you." — Kiersten White

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

━━ Hi! Sinta reached 100K reads a few days ago, and this is a little gift for all of you for my immense gratitude for your love and support for this fic. I truly appreciate everything. This fic is truly a piece of me as I embraced my culture, my upbringing, and traditions that I grew up in. So thank you for welcoming it with open arms. This is just a short bonus chapter for now, since I've been busy the whole 2 months of my summer break. I could barely focus on my phone with so many things happening, since this is the only summer break I could enjoy since last summer, I had to attend mandatory NSTP summer classes, LOL. So I made the most out of my summer 2025. Unfortunately, I also had writer's block😅. I wrote Sinta so quickly that the burnout eventually caught up with me, and I also experienced burnout during my 2nd year as a uni student. I allowed myself to rest and enjoy this summer before I get burned out again when I start my 3rd year, which is tomorrow, I start my classes tomorrow, LOL.

Here's my schedule since I also shared my last schedule with you when I was writing Sinta, LOL. So yeah...I'll be adjusting to this kind of schedule again. It's shitty.

I'll try to get another bonus chapter out soon, but I ask for your patience since I've been experiencing a bit of toxicity here on WP. Today, I officially announced on my MB that I'll be on a hiatus from WP until further notice to focus on myself, my adult & academic responsibilities, because I just can't deal with the drama going on here. It's just too much for me, and I have real-life stuff going on, so I'd rather be stressed there than here. I'll be logging out of WP to refrain from opening my account, but if you want to message me, feel free to message me on the socials I listed on my description!

That's all! I hope you all enjoyed this short bonus chapter! I'll be back soon! Xoxo.💋