Jay-jay's POV
Can't they just argue some other day? They really chose now to bicker. They seem to have forgotten that Yuri needs help more than anything right now.
"How did you get in?" Aries asked the two irritably.
"From the gate," Percy replied.
"Through the gate," the so-called King replied.
What brilliant answers.
If it were me, I would've slapped them already. I turned my attention back to my brother as he asked again.
"No one saw you come in?"
"Your housekeeper did. In fact, they even showed me the way here," my stepbrother explained.
My Horoscope of a brother let out a exasperated sigh. "If Kuya finds out about this—"
"He's not here," the two answered in unison.
Where could he be?
"I saw him leave just before I got here," Percy added.
"I saw him in his car driving away," the idiotic King said.
Aries sighed again and glanced at me and Yuri briefly before facing the two once more.
"If Yuri's who you're here for, take him and go," he ordered.
I grimaced. Just like that? He made it sound like Yuri wasn't even a person—like they were taking out the trash.
"I'm here to see Jay-jay," the crazy King quickly said.
"Same here," Percy added, raising one hand.
I pointed at myself. "Why with me? Yuri's the one who needs help."
"Damn it, Felix said something happened to you and Yuri." He glanced behind us. "Looks like a different kind of 'something' happened," he added with a mischievous grin.
It was clear what he was implying. I was about to snap back at him, but someone beat me to it.
"NOTHING HAPPENED TO THEM!" the idiotic, demonic King quickly countered.
We were all stunned by his outburst. Percy even clutched his chest like he was having a heart attack. Aries raised an eyebrow, and I was left gaping.
"Chill... No one's attacking you," Percy tried to calm him down. "Relax bro? Relax."
"Nothing really happened. I was just dressing Yuri when you guys arrived," I explained, hoping to shut down whatever my stepbrother was thinking.
"See? I was right. I trust my Jay-jay, so I knew she wouldn't do anything like that," the foolish, idiotic, moronic, demonic King of the Ulupongs said proudly.
Whose Jay-jay?
"My sister is not yours. And if you trust her so much, why are you even here?" Aries challenged.
"I want to know what happened here," he defended.
"So what really happened?" Percy asked, finally steering the conversation back to the real issue.
They all looked at me, clearly waiting for my answer. I scratched my head, feeling the weight of their expectations.
"He came here covered in blood. Said someone attacked him. Then, well—he passed out." I explained.
"Attacked?" Aries repeated, confused.
I nodded.
"Why did he come here? What if he was followed?" Percy asked, worried.
"Yuri's not careless. This house is probably the last place they'd think he'd run to," Keifer defended.
"He also said he didn't even realize he had ended up here," I added.
The King seemed to consider my words. He was probably thinking about what happened to Yuri and why he was attacked. And honestly, I'd been thinking the same thing since earlier.
"What kind of trouble did he get into this time?" Percy asked irritably.
He took a step toward the sink and quickly noticed the faint bloodstains left from our clothes. He rubbed a finger over them, inspecting.
"What's this? Blood?" he confirmed.
"I told you, he arrived covered in blood. But he didn't have any wounds,"
The King of Snakes looked at me. "You handled that?"
I knew he meant the blood. I shook my head.
"I threw up. That's my vomit—Percy stepped on it."
Suddenly, Percy started hopping around and squealing, like a girl who'd just seen a frog.
What an idiot.
"That's disgusting, sis!" Percy said to me, clearly annoyed.
"Is it my fault you don't watch where you step?" I shot back sarcastically.
"You didn't give me a warning! It'd be fine if you were puking gold like me!"
Gold?
"Your face! Since when do people puke gold?"
"I'm not just any person." He flicked his hair. "With how handsome I am,I might as well be Aphrodite's child."
I grimaced. Aries shook his head, and Keifer let out a deep sigh. As if we didn't already have enough problems, now we had to deal with his nonsense, too.
I swear, he's the human embodiment of a typhoon. Worse than the monsoon winds.
We decided it was best to ignore him. The King of Snakes turned to me and started moving closer, but Aries quickly switched places with me.
"She's obviously fine now. You don't need to worry about Jay-jay anymore. You can take Yuri home," my brother said and stepped aside to clear the way toward the unconscious Yuri.
"And where exactly should I take him?" Keifer asked irritably.
I raised an eyebrow. "To his house."
"He doesn't go home anymore."
I straightened up at that.
"What do you mean he doesn't go home?"
"I waited for him once to talk, but he never showed up. I asked his lady butler, and that's what she told me," He explained.
I glanced at Yuri briefly before turning back to the King.
"Since when?"
He gave me a meaningful look and shrugged. "No clue."
I looked at Yuri again with growing concern. The fear of not knowing what was happening to him crept in again. What has he really been up to?
I had a strong feeling his absence from home was recent. Just the other day, I visited his room—where I ran into Freya.
"You don't have to worry about him," Aries said to me, his gaze looking on the same sight as mine. "He's smart. He won't be careless, especially when something's stake."
"Do you know what's going on with him?" I asked, and he nodded slightly.
"Kuya told me some things, but not everything he knows."
"What's going to happen to him?"
"Who knows," he said, almost in a whisper.
Our conversation was cut short by the sound of Aries' phone ringing. He showed me the screen—Kuya was calling.
I quickly shut my mouth as Aries answered the call.
"Kuya..." He glanced at me. "Yeah, she's right here." He listened quietly. "I understand."
When the call ended, he turned to the two guys. I followed him, sensing something important was about to be said.
"You need to get Yuri out of here before Kuya arrives," Aries said, worry evident in his voice.
"I don't want to," the King refused.
"Why not?" Percy asked.
"Why?" I echoed.
"Those who attacked Yuri... they're not ordinary people. They're members of the Yakuza, and they're after his head," Aries explained. "We're all going to be in big trouble if Kuya finds out Yuri came here."
I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. I'd heard of the Yakuza before, but I didn't know much about them—just that they never let their enemies live.
Are the Yakuza after Yuri now? But why? I'm so confused. I know Yuri is Japanese, but I didn't know he'd get tangled up with people like that.
"If I leave now, will I avoid getting caught in Boss's anger?" Percy asked innocently.
I immediately grabbed his shirt just as he was about to take a step away. You can't abandon us.
"You can't leave us. Help us carry Yuri," I said, practically pleading, my eyes wide.
"Sis, my shirt. I know I'm handsome, but I never dreamed of being a porn star," he replied, trying to pull his shirt back so it wouldn't come off.
I let go of him but stayed close, ready to grab him again if he tried to bolt.
We all turned to the King of the Ulupongs. He needed to help too because, first, Yuri's his best friend. Second, we couldn't handle it alone. Third, he was already here—might as well make his trip worthwhile.
"I'm not helping him," Keifer quickly said, sensing what we were getting at.
"Keifer, come on," I said, a little annoyed.
"Look, Angelo can help him. Let's just tell the truth that he's here with us."
"Have you forgotten how Kuya thinks?" Aries asked him. "And Yuri wouldn't ask him for help either," he added, pointing at Yuri.
He let out a heavy sigh before looking at me. I stared back, and we held each other's gaze for a few seconds — until I decided to pull out the forbidden technique.
I winked at him.
I saw him quickly look away, his cheeks slightly flushing. He even turned around and rubbed his face before facing us again.
"Okay… I'll help. But how?"
"Take him to your place first. Take care of him, feed him, bathe him, dress him, sing him a lullaby, put him to bed. If you're feeling wild, make him your wife," Percy suggested regarding Yuri.
What a ridiculous suggestion.
I quickly elbowed him in the stomach. He groaned softly and shot me a glare.
"Fine," Keifer said, and I almost objected.
Was he really going to make Yuri his wife?
"I'll take him home and ask my butler to take care of him," Keifer added, calming me down.
I thought he was actually going to follow Percy's suggestion. What's wrong with me? Why was I even considering such ideas? This was the island's fault—ever since we got back, my mind had been polluted.
"That's good. Now, lift him," Aries ordered, making Percy frown.
"He's heavy," Percy complained.
"You haven't even tried lifted him yet," I retorted.
"Just by looking at him — he must weigh 50 kilos."
"There are two of you," I said, pushing him toward the door.
Keifer followed, and together, they hauled Yuri up, each supporting him from either side with an arm around his shoulders.
"He's completely out cold," Percy commented, flicking Yuri's nose.
I smacked Percy's hand to stop him, but he just laughed. Aries led the way, followed by Keifer, Yuri, and Percy, while I stayed at the back in case they needed help.
The household staff kept glancing at us, probably wondering where we had been and why the red-haired guy with us was unconscious.
We were about to exit the gate when Aries suddenly rushed back inside, pale and clearly anxious.
"Kuya — he's just around the block."
What? Already?
We all panicked, and Percy immediately let go of Yuri, pushing him toward Keifer. The two nearly stumbled over if I hadn't stepped in to support them.
"What do we do?" Percy asked frantically, as if he'd just committed a major crime.
Aries looked just as lost until his eyes landed on the house's door.
"Inside. Get back inside,"
We were all confused but followed him anyway. Percy helped lift Yuri again, and we hurriedly re-entered the house. We paused, waiting for Aries' next instructions.
"Where?" I asked.
"U-up…Upstairs," he stammered, pointing to the staircase.
We did as told, and I could already hear my brother's car horn outside. One of the household staff was about to open the gate for him, but I quickly ran up to her and grabbed her arm.
"Please, Ate! Don't say anything to Kuya,"
She looked confused but nodded.
"Just do what she said," Aries added, making her nod even faster.
I ran up the stairs to catch up with Keifer and the others — and was surprised when they went straight into my room, even though Aries had already opened his.
"H-hey, that's my room!" I called out, but Keifer, followed by Yuri and Percy, had already gone inside.
"I know," the King replied, making me furrow my brows.
How did he know which room was mine?
Aries and I entered my room right after them. I closed the door behind me and casually locked it.
Thankfully, I'd already replaced my door lock a while ago. Aries has such a temper—he'd pick fights and end up breaking door locks.
All three of them were sprawled on my bed. The other two looked exhausted from carrying Yuri's weight while rushing up the stairs. I felt a bit sorry for them.
"Now what?" Keifer asked irritably, but his eyes quickly landed on my open wardrobe.
I immediately rushed over, shoved my clothes back inside, and closed it properly. I noticed the smirk playing on his lips as his eyes drifted toward the floor near my feet.
Following his gaze, I flushed with embarrassment when I spotted one of my bras lying on the floor.
Damn it, Avon.
I snatched it up and stuffed it into the closet, then scanned the floor in case any other underwear had gone astray.
"We wait for him to go into his room. Then you all leave," Aries answered.
"And how long will that take?" Percy asked, grabbing one of my Snorlax plushies to use as a pillow.
That one's from you, huh.
"Who knows," Aries replied lifelessly.
"What the fvck," Keifer muttered under his breath. "What if he doesn't go to his room and decides to stand guard instead?"
"Let's just hope he doesn't," Aries said.
I sighed and turned my attention to Yuri, who was still unconscious. I moved closer to him, and Keifer shifted aside, letting me adjust Yuri's position. I straightened his clothes, which had gotten slightly wrinkled.
I froze when I noticed Percy staring at me intently. His eyes were deadly serious, with a faint smile creeping in.
"Are you quick to forgive?" he suddenly asked.
"M-maybe… yes," I replied, confused.
"Me too? Could I forgive?" he said, glancing briefly at Yuri before lying back down.
I frowned but chose not to press further. I knew Percy was angry at Yuri, but I wasn't entirely sure why. It felt like it wasn't just about what Yuri did to Freya—there was something more.
"I'll step out for a bit. Keep your phone handy so you can read my messages," Aries told me, and I nodded.
He left the room, quickly shutting the door behind him. Silence settled over us again. I continued tending to Yuri until I decided to wipe his face.
I grabbed a towel and went to the bathroom to wet it. When I came back, I immediately started cleaning his face, carefully wiping away the dried blood near his neck.
"Be gentle, or you might polish him to a shine," the King of Snakes remarked sarcastically.
"Or maybe a genie will pop out. You'd get three wishes," Percy added with a mischievous grin.
I immediately smacked him with the towel, making him jump up unexpectedly. The King laughed softly at what he witnessed, so he became my next target.
"What?" he asked in surprise.
"You're both messing with me!"
He smiled slightly, and I couldn't stop myself from staring at him. The jerk really had no flaws in his looks. I wanted to punch him, but it would be a shame if his face got scratched.
Maybe I'll just scratch his body instead.
I coughed lightly to clear my mind and went back to what I was doing, but I froze when I noticed Yuri stirring. I also heard his faint groan.
I went closer and gently shook him. "Yuri...?"
He shifted, eyelids fluttering open before squeezing shut again. After a few blinks, his gaze finally focused.
"J-Jay?" He tried to sit up, wincing. "W-where am I?"
I helped him and adjusted the pillows so he could lean on them.
"In my room," I answered.
His eyes darted around, brows furrowing when he spotted the two idiots with us. Keifer raised an eyebrow, while Percy greeted him with a fake smile.
"What happened? H-how did I end up here?"
"I think that question is meant for you," Keifer said, grabbing our attention.
Fair point.
Yuri massaged his forehead, clearly trying to piece together what happened and how he ended up here.
"Jay? Can I have a glass of water?" he asked me.
I quickly stood up and left the room, half-walking, half-running until I reached the stairs. I slowed down when I saw Kuya talking to Aries in the living room. Aries gave me a questioning look, signaling 'what's up?' when he spotted me.
I gestured for water with my hand. He nodded, and I headed straight to the kitchen without Kuya Angelo noticing.
I grabbed a pitcher and three glasses. I quickly returned to my room, still unnoticed by those in the living room. When I got back, the three of them were quiet.
I poured water into a glass for Yuri, and he took it.
"Don't you have any food? I'm starving," Percy asked while rolling around on the bed.
Looks like I'm going back to the kitchen again.
"You should've said so earlier," I said, annoyed and left the room again.
I returned to the kitchen to find something for my idiot stepbrother to eat. I spotted a cake and some carbonara. I grabbed those along with a plate and fork, carrying everything back to the room.
The three were quiet again when I arrived. My shameless stepbrother immediately dug in, while the other two stayed silent.
"Do you want something to eat, Yuri?" I asked.
"Maybe some soup."
I blinked. Wow! Now I'd have to cook soup. I didn't want to refuse—it'd be embarrassing.
"O-okay." Then I turned the King of Snakes. "How about you? What do you want to eat?"
"You—"
I cut him off right away. "I'm not food!"
"Pizza."
I pouted and quickly left the room again, heading back to the kitchen. Since I didn't know how to cook, I went to the household staff to ask for help.
"Manang, can you make a homemade pizza and some soup?" I pleaded.
She scratched her head. "But it's almost dinner time."
"I just want some snacks first."
She had no choice but to comply with my request. It took a while, though, because she was also preparing dinner.
While waiting, Kuya suddenly entered the kitchen, followed by Aries. We both froze.
"What's that, Manang?" Kuya asked.
"Pizza, sir. Miss Jay-jay asked for it — she said it's for her snack."
He raised an eyebrow at me. "We accept that you're a glutton, but we won't accept it if you hit 70 kilos."
Oh, Wow!
"I'm not even 60 kilos yet."
"When was the last time you weighed yourself?"
I shook my head. "Not yet."
"That's why you don't know you already look like you're 60 kilos," he said, making my jaw drop.
I grabbed my tummy. It's not even 30 kilos. It just looks heavy, but it's actually light. I can even fold it. I could probably hold coins in there while walking.
Special talent.
"Fine, get fat from your greed then," Kuya said before walking away.
Thankfully, he left. Just then, the oven dinged. The pizza I'd asked for was done, along with the soup. I carefully carried them to my room.
Even before entering, I could hear the three of them talking inside. So when I opened the door, I expected them to still be chatting — but they went silent, and it was like crickets could've started chirping.
Why did it feel like there was something they didn't want me to hear?