JAY-JAY'S POV
"Are you still mad at me?" the King of Snakes asked as he handed me an ice pack from the clinic.
Without a word, I accepted it and placed it on my knee. He actually asked me. Is he feeling guilty?
"Aren't you going to ask me?" David extended his hand toward him.
Keifer sighed and handed him another ice pack.
David chuckled as he caught it. I shook my head. At least he understands the King of Serpents' behavior. If I were him, I would have retaliated against this cowardice and wouldn't stop until his skull was cracked.
"Do you want to eat anything?" he asked me again.
I just shook my head and focused on my knee. It had turned purple. Looks like my fall wasn't a minor one. Even my nose feels like it's starting to swell.
"I'm going to buy food," said the young man. "If I bring something for myself, Jay-jay will end up eating it out of jealousy."
Keifer sighed. "Fine. Come with me, I'll buy some."
Before leaving with Ci-N, the King glanced at me for a moment.
"Shameless," Keifer muttered. "He's convinced you'll eat too."
Once they were out of sight, I turned to David, who was busy pressing an ice pack against his face.
"David," I called, and he turned to me. "S-sorry. I should have listened to you."
He smiled slightly. "I told you, your position was wrong."
"I just really wanted to get back to my room, rest, and take care of my knee." I sighed. "I lost my temper because that idiot got jealous."
"Even if he wasn't jealous, it was still wrong," he pointed out. "That's how boyfriends carry their girlfriends when they're being affectionate."
I WAS WRONG
"What am I supposed to do? Seduce him?"
David shook his head, smiling. "Who's supposed to give in first?"
"We're not even together," I muttered under my breath.
"But your feelings are obvious. Even if you're not officially a couple, you both know you belong to each other."
"I don't belong to him," I denied.
"Yet you're transparent about your feelings for him," he said.
I lowered my gaze.
"You get jealous, you get nervous when he's close to you, you act annoyed when he teases you but still smile, and most of all, you waited for him when he was in London."
W-what? Did I really do that?
"I-I don't remember anything like that," I defended myself, but he just chuckled.
"You're the only one who doesn't see it. The rest of us do. You're late to realize it."
I widened my eyes at him. "What?"
"You're so late. You act like you're still mad at him, but deep down, you can't even bear to stay away from him."
"O-of course. Who wouldn't be confused by all this?"
He laughed again. "I wonder how long you'll keep holding out against him."
[Among all the 16 boys in Section E, wait let me take out Keifer first 🙃 — the 15 boys; now it sounds fine—DAVID is the most sensible one, who is screaming his words so loud to Jay that Forgive Keifer and have a future with him— Love you David for this ❤️🫰🏻] Comment from @callmepeace.
I winced. It's not that I'm tolerating him—I just haven't... He's so sure that he's changed, especially after what happened earlier. I'm not looking for a perfect man, but if I end up with the wrong person, I'd rather get hit in the head with a rock. Besides, the pain he caused me is still fresh in my mind. So, I can't say I should forgive him just yet.
I looked at the door as the King of Snakes entered, followed by Ci-N. They brought a lot of food, but I knew most of it was for the little boy.
"Here," said Keifer, lowering the bottle of juice, burger, hot dog, siopao, fries, and siomai in front of me.
It's just a little, but that's okay. It's just a snack. Fortunately, our teacher left early after Sir Alvin. I think the snakes are fed up with the mess.
"T-thank you," I said and began eating slowly.
Why do I feel ashamed?
I heard David's soft laugh, so I shot him an evil look. He simply turned around and continued working on the ice bag and his face.
I continued eating while the King of Snakes sat in front of me. I paused when Yuri approached and stretched the bench.
"Let me see your knees," he said before positioning himself in front of me.
He sat on the bench he brought and placed my leg on his thigh. I immediately looked up at Keifer when he folded his arms and shot Yuri a glare.
Yuri touched my knee. I could move it, unlike before, but now the bruises were becoming more visible.
"Can you walk?" he asked.
I nodded. "Yes, but maybe not on the stairs."
"Just jump down from here," Ci suggested.
We all looked at him.
Wow. Thanks for the suggestion.
"She needs to be able to walk, not die early," Felix added as he approached us.
"I'll carry her," the King declared. ❤️
"No need. I'll just crawl," I replied, annoyed.
Yuri chuckled, but I shot him a glare, making him stop.
We were forced to end our conversation when the next teacher entered. Everyone quickly returned to their seats, but I helped Yuri first.
"Can you buy me lunch tonight?" I asked.
He smiled and nodded. "Sure."
The class started, but my mind was on lunch. I even took out a piece of paper to list the things I planned to buy from Yuri.
Besides lunch, I had another plan for him. I didn't know much about drying methods, but I hoped I could figure it out.
Before I knew it, class was over, and lunchtime arrived. The "snakes" scattered like dogs escaping a corral.
Yuri approached me, and I immediately handed him the paper and money for the things I wanted to buy. He tried to return the money, but I slapped his hand.
"Ouch," he whispered. "You really are a barracuda."
"You're crazy," I replied, and he laughed loudly.
Somehow, it was nice to hear him laugh. Sometimes, it was annoying, but the concern I felt for him outweighed it. I always prayed that nothing bad would happen to him.
He left, and then the King arrived.
"Do you want anything?" he asked.
"I already bought it from Yuri."
He was about to say something, but Eren suddenly pushed him aside.
"Sorry, I'm in a hurry," Eren said while talking on the phone. "Wait, Sarah Babe, I'm on my way."
Keifer scratched his head before saying goodbye. I just nodded and didn't say anything else. I was nervous about what I was going to do, but I really hoped it would work.
It didn't take long for Yuri to return with the things I had asked for. He pulled up a bench and sat at my table to join me for lunch. He arranged the groceries, except for a few chocolate bars.
While he was busy, I searched my bag for something to use. I found some colorful paper, wrapped the chocolate like a candy, and tied both ends.
"Who is that for?" Yuri asked.
"Secret," I replied with a sweet smile.
I suddenly remembered the clothes he had left in our laundry yesterday. Now, they were dry and ready to wear.
I picked them up and handed them to him. "You forgot these yesterday."
His eyes widened. "Oh, right!" he said and stood up.
He went to his bag, and when he came back, he brought the clothes I had lent him last night as a change.
We exchanged glances.
"Thank you. It's really good that I came to you," he said and returned our meals.
I paused for a moment and looked at him. "Yuri, what really happened?"
He smiled at me and reached for the plastic spoon and fork. "Let's eat."
Good at avoiding.
I let it go and started eating. While we were busy, the Serpents returned one by one with their food. I was about to finish when Keifer came over and dropped a slice of cake in front of me.
"Dessert," he said before walking back to his seat.
I looked at the shop's name on the cake wrapper. It was from an expensive bakery, one you could only buy from outside of school.
Yuri and I exchanged glances before deciding to split it. The cake was delicious, its softness a testament to the care put into making it. Too bad there was only one slice.
I cut it in half.
Yuri cleaned up after we finished eating. I just sat there, staring at the chocolate I had wrapped, wondering how to give it to him. Maybe I could just throw it at him and say, "For you, idiot." But he might get mad.
I was lost in thought when the teacher arrived.
Time passed quickly. I was only vaguely aware of the teachers coming and going until it was finally time to go home. I wanted to clap, but then I remembered—I couldn't go down the stairs because of my injury.
"Go home!" the Serpents cheered.
"Finally. Time to leave."
"Let's grab a snack! Your treat."
I was busy packing my things when the King approached me. I looked up at him for a moment.
"Ready?" he asked. I simply nodded.
We were among the last ones left in the room. I stood up before Keifer positioned himself in front of me. He bent down slightly so I could ride on his back. It took several attempts, thanks to my aching knee, but I finally managed to get seated properly. 🩷
"Are you okay up there?" he asked before he started walking.
"O-okay."
He walked and I noticed he could carry me effortlessly. I remained silent while he stayed focused on what he was doing. We were almost at the ground floor when I decided to hand him the wrapped chocolate.
"F—For you," I murmured.
He accepted it with one hand, examining it briefly before looking back at me.
"Thanks, but what's this for?"
"Just... you can see it later," I replied.
He nodded and slipped it into his pocket.
He continued walking. When we reached the ground floor, my brother greeted us with raised eyebrows. He really wasn't good at hiding his thoughts.
"What now?" he asked, annoyed.
I slowly climbed down and approached Aries. He immediately noticed my difficulty walking, the grimace on my face giving it away.
"What happened?"
"I was tripped earlier and fell directly," I answered.
"Who tripped you?" he asked, emphasizing each word.
I chose to lie, knowing the conversation could escalate and cause trouble in Section D. Besides, I'd deal with them myself when the time was right.
"I—I stumbled, I mean."
He glanced at Keifer, as if trying to verify my words, but Keifer seemed to understand what I was doing and looked away, pretending not to know.
"Just make sure," Aries said, his tone carrying a hint of threat. "Can you walk now?"
I nodded, and he started walking.
I glanced at the King one last time before following my brother. Ella, who was walking beside Aries, raised an eyebrow at me.
"What happened to you?"
"Stumbled," I replied curtly.
She smirked, as if I were a complete fool.
"You would have lost your teeth."
When we arrived at the parking lot, we were stunned to see that Kuya's car was still not there. Aries immediately took out his phone and called someone, but he quickly hung up.
"It's off," he said, then tried calling someone else, but no one seemed to answer.
"What? We haven't picked anything up yet?" I asked.
"Kuya and Mom's phones are both off. Maybe we should wait," he said, and so we did.
Hours passed, but Kuya still hadn't shown up. Almost all the students and parked cars had already left.
I glanced at Keifer, who was leaning against his car, also waiting. He didn't leave until our ride arrived, but it seemed like he couldn't stand waiting any longer. He walked up to us.
"I'll drive you home," he suggested.
"Maybe Kuya is just busy," I said. "We can take a taxi if—"
I looked at Aries, but he clearly had no intention of agreeing.
"Unsafe," Aries and Keifer said almost at the same time.
I knew what they were concerned about—the threat to my life. But staying here wasn't safe either.
Aries sighed and looked at Keifer's car. "I'm sitting in the front."
I smiled. Luckily, the King's car was a four-seater, so we all fit. We approached his car, and just as Aries had said, he took the seat next to the driver after Ella gave us a ride. I didn't want to sit next to him.
We were silent during the ride, but Keifer's glances at me through the rearview mirror didn't go unnoticed. He even winked at me.
"Eyes on the road," Aries warned.
Ella was the first to be dropped off. She thanked Keifer and kissed my brother on the cheek before getting out.
Annoying!
We reached home shortly after. No one else bothered to say thanks, so I did it on our behalf.
"Where's my KISS?" Keifer teased.
"Want me to hit you with your own steering wheel?" I threatened. He just laughed loudly.
I got out before I could curse at him. Otherwise, I might not have been able to leave his car at all. He drove off as soon as he was sure we were inside the house.
"Where's Kuya?" Aries asked the maid we encountered.
"He's with your mother. Miss Jay-Jay's mom said they had to go somewhere," she replied.
"Why? Did something happen?" I asked, worried.
She shook her head. "They didn't say, but they left in a hurry."
Aries and I exchanged glances.
"Mom…"
"Do you think something's wrong with Mama?" I asked anxiously.
He just shrugged in response. I couldn't help but worry. Aunt Gema and Kuya wouldn't be in such a rush unless something serious was going on.
I walked to my room. While I was getting changed, I heard my phone ring. I finished what I was doing before answering the call.
I winced slightly when I saw the name Gagong Baliw.
But I still picked up.
"Oh, why?" I asked.
["I love you,"] he said, and I almost dropped my phone. ❤️
"D-Do you need something?" I replied, annoyed.
["I'll accept your apology—just say you love me too."]
"What the—" I paused as I remembered the chocolate I had wrapped and given him earlier, along with a short apology letter. "Are you crazy? I apologized for my mistake, and now you're asking me to say 'I love you' too?"
I heard him laugh as if he was enjoying himself.
["You just said the magic word. Apology accepted,"] he said, and I could practically hear his wide smile.
I frowned. I accidentally said what he asked—how annoying! Even though it's not spring inside, I feel like I've been healed.
I was careless.
["Where are you? Let's share the chocolate you gave me."]
Even though he couldn't see me, I felt tormented. "It's yours. That's why I gave it to you, and now you want to share it with me?"
["What's mine is yours. So, let's share. Are you in your room? I'll come to you."] He insisted.
"Hey! Hey! What are you planning? Just stay quiet over there!" I stood up, but the pain in my knee made me sit back down on the bed.
["Just come to me. I'm right outside your house."]
What the heck?!
So that's why he had the nerve to say he was coming to see me—he was just outside the whole time! I thought he had already left when my brother dropped us off.
["Are you coming out, or should I go in?"]
He can't come into my room! My big brother would catch him, and that would be a disaster. My head is spinning. Maybe it's not just my knee that hurts.
So, even though I was reluctant, I got up and started walking, grumbling the whole time.
"I'm coming, I'm coming! So annoying!"
I stopped when I reached the stairs. My knee pain had already set me back a grade, and if climbing up was bad, going down was even worse. I could only think of one solution: sliding down.
I sat on a step and slid down. One of the maids saw me and burst out laughing. Are you enjoying the show?
By the time I reached the bottom, I nearly cried from the pain in my butt. Is this what hazing feels like?
I got up and ran outside, but Keifer was nowhere in sight. I checked my phone—he was still on the call.
"H-Hello? Where are you?"
["Look to your left."] He instructed, and I obeyed.
Hudlong's car was in the distance. I almost cried while walking toward it. As soon as I reached it, I got in immediately.
"Here it is! The parade is just up ahead!"
"I didn't park in front of your house—your brother might catch me."
I snorted. That was just like Percy—never parking too close to the house. Maybe that's why last night, he and Kuya weren't worried about getting caught.
He held up the cheap chocolate bar I had given him, waving it in front of me with a wide grin.
"Let's split it," he said, opening one of the wrappers.
"Don't worry. I gave it to you because it's just for you."
"I told you—what's mine is yours. Even my inheritance." 🩷
I frowned. Accepting the island he gave me was one thing, but inheritance? That was a different story. That was too much.
"What are we? Married? We're not even married yet," I said, a hint of annoyance in my voice.
"Then let's make it official," he said, handing me a piece of chocolate.
[Omg he's making it official with a chocolate but not with a Ring] 😂 comment from @callmepeace
I took it just to shut him up. I knew he wouldn't stop otherwise.
"You think this makes us official? I haven't completely forgiven you yet," I replied before biting into the chocolate.
I noticed his grin as he took a bite of his own.
"You look way too happy about this," I remarked.
He smirked at me. "I drooled on it before I gave it to you."
I froze. "You animal!" I exclaimed, and he burst into laughter.
"Profanity!"
Before I could react, I covered my mouth with my hand, still grinning.
I had made a mistake coming here.
"A deal is a deal," he whispered, moving his face closer to mine.
I turned away, trying to put some distance between us.
"You're outsmarting me again!"
Before I knew it, he had pulled me into an hug. He hugged me without me noticing it. I struggled to break free, but he was too quick.
And in that moment, I realized—I was in love with him.
Son of a...
"Stop resisting," he said, and I felt his breath in my ear.
"Go away!" I said, annoyed, as I pushed myself away from him. But I was stunned and screamed when he hit my knee.
"Hey! Nothing like that!"
I was about to cry. It was hard for me to act because of my position, and to make matters worse, I couldn't stand the King of Snakes. I felt like I was in prison.
I stopped moving out of fear that he would touch my knee again. Annoyed, I looked at him, but he just smiled at me.
"I told you to stop. If you don't, I will make you," he said, and I felt his hand on my knee.
"You are a seven-foot-tall white sheep," I retorted, and he laughed loudly. "Don't touch my knee."
"Which one? This one?" he asked and squeezed my knee.
I almost cursed out loud from the pain. Instead, I shoved the chocolate I was holding into my mouth to keep myself from speaking.
You are a king! Just wait until that heals.
"Answer me," he ordered.
"You're too fast! That's it!" I replied, feigning happiness.
"Squeeze more, and I'll squeeze yours!"
"What do you want me to do?"
"Yours."
"Which one?"
"What are you?"
"What's wrong with me?"
"That one."
"Which one?"
"That!" I poked his face. "Your face!"
He chuckled. "You don't want to squeeze my what?"
I glared at him. "What are you talking about?"
"That's what I mean. Squeeze it."
"Which one is that?"
"Will you squeeze it if I tell you to?"
I hit him, but he caught my hand.
"What is that?"
"Here," he said and snorted downward.
"What? What are you teaching?"
"Here." He laughed out loud. "This is my muscle."
I also laughed out loud. I really wanted to scold him for his stupidity, but honestly, just because of that joke, I couldn't help but laugh.
"You're crazy," I said, finishing the chocolate in my hand.
He did the same with his food. Every now and then, I chuckled whenever our eyes met. But I was taken aback when I noticed his sudden silence.
He raised a hand to wipe the melted chocolate from the corner of my lips. I let out a soft laugh to ease the tension I was feeling.
"Jay, please be my official girlfriend," he said, his voice laced with pleading.
I looked away. It wasn't that I didn't like him, but there were too many thoughts running through my mind. I still had doubts. I was still scared. I couldn't say that the pain he had caused had completely healed.
He gently lifted my chin, forcing me to face him.
"I love you, and I know you feel the same."
I felt his lips brush lightly against mine—just a superficial kiss.
"Please, Jay."
I shook my head. "I-I don't know."
"Just say yes."
I stared at his face, which I probably shouldn't have done. My heart seemed to falter at the sight of him. My weakness was taking over. Stay strong, I told myself.
My thoughts were interrupted when my phone rang. The name "Horoscope" flashed on the screen. It seemed they knew I wasn't home.
"I have to go," I said, pulling away from him.
Just as I opened the door, Keifer grabbed my hand, as if begging me to stay.
I couldn't help but panic. So, just to get away, I gave him the safest answer I could think of.
"I-I'll think about it."