Pisay

Rom, a working-class student, is belatedly admitted to PSHS during the 1982-1983 freshman year and quickly becomes involved with Wena. Their romance collides with the school's policy against student relationships, as Mrs. Casas warns about potential grade consequences. The budding connection sets up the social tensions that will shape the year.

Rom's mounting frustration culminates in a forceful kiss with Wena. Wena breaks off the relationship, telling him that her destiny seems pre-ordained and returning their memorabilia. The moment crystallizes the clash between desire and school rules.

In Sophomore year, Mateo struggles with geometry while enduring bullying in the dormitory. The assassination of Ninoy Aquino shocks the student body and dampens morale, with many students exempted from the final exam. A concerned geometry teacher helps Mateo confront his loss of passion, leading to a difficult outcome on the final exam.

Mateo finds a measure of peace after the teacher explains the Bell curve and acknowledges his best efforts under trying circumstances. In a final act of revenge, he sabotages a bully's lab experiment, illustrating the emotional turmoil and sense of justice fueling his actions.

Liway, outspoken and politically aware, begins a romance with Andy while excelling in humanities and facing chemistry challenges. She denounces plans to split classes by ability and clashes with Ms. Casas over school matters, including budget and amenities. When her family faces political persecution, Liway flees to the Netherlands, and Andy receives a postcard from her.

In Senior-year drama, Mr. G and Ms. Fanny guide plays about the political crisis, joined by Euri who embraces theatre. Euri asks why he never pursued acting, and Mr. G explains the fear and martial law era that impacted his own career. Inspired, Euri defies PSHS's science-first stance and applies to Theatre Arts.

Minggoy remains a constant presence, a keen observer of astronomy who links Rom, Mateo, Liway, and Euri across the years. He eagerly awaits Halley's Comet as the class of 1986 approaches graduation. His enduring curiosity provides hopeful throughlines amid political and personal upheavals.

During Senior year, Minggoy collapses and is diagnosed with a serious illness, preventing him from attending the graduation ceremony. The news casts a pall over the seniors and his friends, underscoring the fragility of life alongside a turbulent national backdrop. The group must continue their journey without their constant companion.

The People Power Revolution erupts, and Daki recruits classmates to join the movement while Ms. Casas confesses fears of disappearances under Martial Law. She is granted leave to finish her dissertation, giving her space to reflect on the era's risks. The campus becomes a microcosm of the national upheaval.

On the eve of graduation, Wena reveals she will move to the United States with her family. Rom playfully asks her to be his partner at the graduation ball, a bittersweet note amid shifting futures. The moment highlights the personal distances growing between the students.

Mateo returns to PSHS for a visit and is warmly greeted by his geometry teacher, who acknowledges his growth and persistence. The reunion contrasts with earlier hardships and hints at a new path beyond the school walls. It serves as a symbolic bridge between past regrets and future possibilities.

On the eve of graduation, Minggoy's grandmother shares that she was born in the same year Halley's Comet last appeared (1910), linking generations under the night sky. The students gaze at the Moon through a telescope Minggoy built, a moment of shared wonder despite hardships. The scene blends science and memory as a quiet beacon of hope.

Graduation day unfolds as teachers call the students one by one, celebrating growth and resilience. Minggoy's chair stays vacant, a solemn tribute to the illness that prevented his presence. The ceremony closes the PSHS class of 1986 with a poignant nod to those who could not be there.