Jay-jay's POV
What's this now?
This damn Messenger is so noisy. It's probably the Snakes causing chaos in the group chat again. I don't want to open it — I might just get irritated by what they're saying.
But I couldn't stand the constant notifications. I was about to uninstall Messenger when I stopped, noticing a message from Freya.
I pouted. This is the first time she's ever messaged me.
It made me feel like whatever she had to say wouldn't be good.
I opened her message and read it.
Freya:Who the hell is this guy?
She really won't settle down until she finds out who gave her that letter. I'm starting to think she's getting interested.
Ayeih! She likes him. She's just pretending she doesn't.
I smiled at the idea that crossed my mind. I really needed to convince Edrix. All our efforts would go to waste if he never shows up or introduces himself.
Another message came in from Freya.
Freya:Make sure that this is not Percy.
My smile vanished, replaced by a grimace. How was I supposed to explain this to my stepbrother? He'd definitely be furious with me. What would he say?
That I was the one pushing Freya away from him. I should probably come up with a full explanation for Percy before I tell this girl anything about Edrix.
Ugh, seriously!
But if my brother gets mad at me, I hope it's also a wake-up call for him that the girl he loves really doesn't want him anymore. It's crystal clear, so why can't he get it? Is he that obsessed with this coloring book? I'll just buy him a canvas and let him paint on that instead.
I curled up on my bed like a fetus in the womb. Sometimes I wonder...
Damn this overactive brain of mine
Why can't I stop myself from meddling in other people's business sometimes? I feel involved in their issues even when I'm not. I feel like I need to do something to help them. I feel like I have superpowers—kidding!
I heard a soft knock on my bedroom door before it opened. I quickly sat up because my position was embarrassing. My brother's serious face greeted me.
"What?" I asked innocently.
"There's just something I want to know," he said, and I nodded.
"Lechon is delicious, but liempo is also great too," I replied. His forehead quickly creased. "Spaghetti is good, but nothing beats pancit malabon."
"What?"
"Leche flan is tasty, but sans rival or crema de fruta is even better."
He took a deep breath and bowed his head for a moment. When he looked up, he gave me a forced smile.
"Your brain must be full of oil and fat. All you think about is food," he said seriously.
I pouted. How should I know? It's not like he had anything else to ask me at this hour. He wouldn't be asking about school lessons - he knows perfectly well I'm not the studious type.
"What's this about?"
"Freya and the love letter."
I quickly averted my gaze. I knew that if I told him the truth, he'd tell that coloring book girl and ruin the plan Rory and I had.
"W-what about it?" I asked, pretending not to know.
"Who wrote those letters?"
"What letters?"
One of his eyebrows briefly shot up. "Don't start with me," he said, his tone carrying a hint of threat.
"What letters are you talking about?" I insisted. "Letter A, B, C, D or E? Which one?"
He raised his hand as if to slap me, and I quickly raised my arm to block him just in case.
"I'm talking about the letter you gave to Freya," he said with a sigh. "I saw her reading it, and I don't like how she reacted."
"How did she react?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"Just answer me," I insisted.
He stared at me for a few seconds before speaking. "I could see glimpses of happiness, but she managed to keep a stoic expression."
I smiled at what I heard but quickly hid it when I remembered I was facing my brother, who seems to hold the fate of the universe in his hands
"Now tell me who that letter came from," he ordered.
"I don't know," I answered flatly. "I was just the messenger."
"What?"
I nodded. "Just delivering them, that's all."
"And who gave it to you then?"
I pretended to scratch my head. "I don't remember. I didn't know them either."
He let out a loud sigh before turning away and walking off. I could hear him muttering curses under his breath, but I didn't know what exactly he was mad about.
Once I was sure he was gone, I quickly shut my bedroom door and grabbed my phone.
I messaged Rory and told him what I had learned about Freya's reaction.
I can smell a glimmer of hope.
My stomach growled loudly. Or maybe I'm just smelling food. I set my phone down on the study table before heading out.
I was taking big strides toward the kitchen when I suddenly stopped just before reaching the living room. Tita Gema and Kuya Angelo were talking.
"Should we tell Jay-jay? She might just get disappointed."
"Well, she was already disappointed when Tita introduced her new fiancé. What's the difference if she finds out the wedding's canceled?"
I covered my mouth in shock. What happened? Why was the wedding canceled?
Could my suspicions about that annoying Andy be true? Did he really have another woman and Mama found out?
I didn't feel any sadness about what I just heard, but I did feel a little regret. I thought he was okay for Mom. But I guess my mother made another mistake.
Okay. Thank you, next!
They say try and try until you succeed. But if it were up to me, I wouldn't want her looking for another husband. She hasn't even made up for the time she owes me or Aries, and yet that's her priority. She should focus on us first.
I shrugged and went down the stairs. I passed by the living room, pretending not to have heard their conversation about me and Mama.
I headed straight to the kitchen to see if there was anything to snack on. I spotted some buko salad and mango pie. I quickly grabbed a bowl to put them in. I was about to serve myself when someone hugged me from behind and covered my mouth.
At first, I was too shocked to move, but when they started dragging me toward the dirty kitchen, I panicked. I elbowed them several times and heard their groans of pain.
Damn it! Another kidnapping?
Before I knew it, they had pulled me all the way to the laundry area. They finally let go, and I was about to punch them when I realized who it was.
"Y-Yuri?"
He was wearing a baseball cap and a black shirt, but that didn't hide the fresh blood on his clothes.
Panic quickly consumed me, but I forced myself to check on his condition.
"Y-you have blood on you. You need to go to the hospital."
If I was scared seeing fresh blood on his clothes, I was even more terrified by his response.
"This isn't mine."
I pointed at his shirt, my hands were trembling. "Whose is it?"
His breathing was heavy and exhaustion was evident. He shook his head before removing his baseball cap.
"Someone attacked me. I managed to escape, and the next thing I knew, I was here," he said, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his hand.
I noticed the scratches on his knuckles. I also couldn't miss the mark on his neck, as if someone had tried to strangle him. Confused by what I was seeing and hearing, I looked back at his shirt, and a sudden wave of nausea hit me. I couldn't stop myself from gagging up.
He quickly approached me to support me, gently rubbing my back.
"What's wrong?" he asked, helping me get to the sink so I could wash up.
"T-the blood on your shirt," I answered, and he immediately took it off.
He placed the shirt in the sink and swiftly turned on the faucet, letting the water wash the blood away. I stepped back to give him space.
His fair skin glistened, but it was covered in scars. I also couldn't miss the bruises—clearly from a fight—along with minor scratches and wounds.
"Do you know who attacked you?"
He shook his head. "No. It all happened too fast."
"We should report this to the police."
He shook his head again. "It's pointless. They won't find them."
"I don't understand. What's really going on?"
He let out a heavy sigh before facing me. Exhaustion and pain were written all over his face.
"T-there are some people…" He was clearly struggling to say it.
"Yuri,"
He closed his eyes briefly then forced a smile. I didn't like the way he smiled at me. Whatever he was dealing with was big—way bigger than what I'd imagined when he first told me his story.
"It's better if you know as little as possible. I don't want to put your life at risk."
"But—"
"Please…" he whispered, and then he slowly collapsed from where he stood.
I tried to catch him, but that only caused both of us to fall. I quickly got up and turned to his face.
"Y-Yuri…" I tapped his cheeks, but there was no response.
Panic surged through me. I thought of running inside to call Kuya Angelo, but I quickly changed my mind. Yuri couldn't be seen by Kuya in this condition, especially since he didn't come through the front of the house and his clothes were still stained with blood.
But he needed help. The only ones I could think of who could help me were the Ulupongs. I reached for my phone in my pocket, only to get frustrated when I remembered I'd left it on the table before leaving my room.
I pulled at my hair in frustration. Yuri was unconscious and shirtless. What would people in the house think if they saw him like this? Everyone here had a knack for jumping to conclusions.
My eyes landed on a closed door. If I remembered correctly, that was supposed to be the driver's room for Tita's household. But since they didn't have a driver, the room had been completely vacated. I rushed over and opened the door. Thankfully, it wasn't locked.
Inside, a few old items were piled up. A plastic-wrapped mattress sat in the corner, though it was covered in dust.
That'll do!
I grabbed the first shirt I found from the clothesline and used them to wipe down the mattress. My heart sank when I realized I'd grabbed Aries' uniform.
He better not find out what I'm doing, or he'll curse me with a lifetime of misfortune.
Sorry, man.
I rushed back to Yuri and tried shaking him awake, but he was completely out. I had no choice but to try carrying him the best I could. I tried pulling him by the legs, then attempted to carry him, but no matter what I did, he was way too heavy. Finally, I positioned myself behind him, hooked my arms under his shoulders, and hauled him backward with all my strength until I could get him into the room.
I felt guilty when I saw the fresh scratches on him from my dragging. He was already beaten up, and now he had more scratches because of me.
I left his cuts and scrapes alone for now and went outside to grab a blanket from the clothesline. I was about to bring it back when I recognized the blanket.
I'd be cursed for sure.
I quickly wrapped the blanket around Yuri before running out again. I was about to go back inside the house when I remembered his shirt in the sink. I rushed back, staring at the water mixing with the blood from his shirt.
No one in this house could see this. I squeezed my eyes shut, grabbed the shirt, and kneaded it like dough. I sprinkled some detergent on it and scrubbed hard. Why did he have to wear grey today of all colors?
Then it hit me — my own clothes had stained too. I frantically searched for something to change into from the clothesline and grabbed the first thing I found. I didn't care whose it was anymore. I tossed my stained shirt into the sink and repeated my chaotic washing.
Once the blood was gone, I threw the clothes into the washing machine. I knew Tita's machine was automatic, but the damn thing had too many buttons! Symbols and numbers everywhere—nothing like the simple dial on Lola's washer. I just pressed every button until the machine roared to life.
Finally, I rushed back inside the house. Half-walking, half-running, I made my way to my room. I grabbed some clothes for Yuri and picked up my phone.
"Jay-jay!" Aries called out just as I left my room. "Have you seen—Is that my shirt?"
I tried to cover the shirt I was wearing. "N-no. You're imagining things."
"That's mine. Why are you wearing it?"
I shook my head. As he started to approach me, I pushed him. He stumbled back against the wall, clearly shocked by what I did. Honestly, I was shocked by my own actions too, but he wouldn't let it go, and Yuri needed me now.
"What the fvck?!"
"It's mine! It's mine now!" I shouted in his face and hurried off.
Please forgive me! Don't curse me!
I grabbed some alcohol and cotton balls from the first aid kit and picked up the food I'd left on the kitchen counter. I needed to eat too.
On my way back to the laundry area, the house helpers kept giving me strange looks. I waited until the coast was clear before slipping back into the room where Yuri was.
I set everything down beside him, my mind racing about what to do first—tend to his wounds or eat something. But I ended up doing neither.
Instead, I grabbed my phone and opened the Group Chat.
Me:Guys! Nids q whelps!
Eren:What the hell? What did you say?
Ci-N:Waaah!!😭😭 Jay-jay's message is scary!
Edrix:Is this a code?
David: 🤔🤔🤔
Rory:Jay! What's going on? Did you press something by accident?
Denzel:Grace here! Even with two of us reading this, we still don't get it.
I wanted to curse out loud. These idiots can't even read properly. And now Grace joined in. She just gave birth, and suddenly she's illiterate too.
My nostrils were flaring as I typed, but someone answered their questions for me.
Keifer:Guys, Jay needs help.
At last! The king of the Ulupongs spoke up, and the chat was flooded with "wow" reactions. They should be amazed — their king could actually read.
David:About what?
I didn't waste time explaining. I took a picture of Yuri and sent it to them.
Keifer:Where the fvck are you?
The king of the Ulupongs was the fastest to reply. The rest of his fellow Ulupongs followed with a flurry of messages.
Ci-N:Why are you together?
Felix:Did you punch him? Why is he out cold?
Eren:What did you do?
Josh:He's shirtless.
The messages from these idiots kept piling up, and instead of helping me with my actual problem, they were more concerned about Yuri's missing clothes.
Calix:Whoa! What's happening?
Blaster:Did something go down?
Kit:Jay? Explain! NOW!
Mayo:We didn't raise you like this! Have you no shame in front of your Mother Kit!
Rory:lol! The flirt up there.
Mayo:Damn you, Rory!
Rory:Are you the only one above me?
Calix:Guilty!
Edrix:Guilty!
Felix:Guilty!
Ci-N:Hi, I'm Ci-Nix, sibling of Felix, Calix, and Edrix. 😂😂😂
I wanted to throw my phone at their nonsense. And then they wonder why I barely open the group chat. It always ends up like this. I was about to reply when suddenly the name "GagongBaliw" popped up.
The idiot was calling.
I answered the call.
["Where are you?"] His frantic voice greeted me.
I could hear the sound of a car door closing in the background.
"At home. Why?"
["What the hell is that photo? Why is Yuri shirtless and why are you together?"]
"He passed out. Can you come over? Kuya can't see him like this."
And then it hit me—he couldn't be seen by Kuya here either.
["I'm on my way—"]
"Don't come after all," I quickly cut him off. "I'll just wait for Yuri to wake up. I don't think anything serious happened to him. He doesn't seem too badly hurt."
["I'm coming to see you, not him."]
This unconscious person in front of me might be his bestfriend. Wow! Thanks for the concern for your buddy.
"Am I the one who passed out?" I asked sarcastically.
["Is he the woman I love?"]
And he still managed to insert that.
"Don't come! Kuya will see you."
["The hell I care!"]
"Fu—." I almost cursed. "You jerk! You're going to get me in trouble!"
["Whatever. I'm on my way now. Make sure to give me a good explanation."]
He hung up without waiting for my response.
I grimaced. If Kuya sees him, he'll know Yuri's here in this condition. I'm so screwed!
I could already hear Kuya's voice in my head and imagine his face glaring at me.
I decided to dress Yuri before he catches cold looking like that. Since his position made it difficult, I climbed onto the bed and straddled him, positioning my knees on either side of him so I could properly get the shirt on him. I was moving carefully as I dressed him when the door suddenly burst open.
My brother's scowling face appeared in the doorway. We stared at each other before his eyes widened in shock. I blinked, realizing I was still in the middle of dressing the unconscious, shirtless Yuri.
"What the hell is happening here?" he demanded.
I didn't know whether to finish what I was doing or explain myself to this horoscope first.
"Y-you're getting the wrong idea," I stammered.
He took a deep breath. "Explain. Now," he said in a dangerously calm voice.
I was just about to step off the bed when another person appeared behind my brother.
"What happened?" Percy asked, also scowling at the scene in front of him.
Great, just what I needed.
Aries turned to glare at Percy. Before they could start arguing, the ever-scowling King of the Snakes arrived.
"Jay," Aries said, his voice heavy. "Explain. Now."