JAY-JAY'S POV
I didn't get an answer from Yuri. The way things ended left me disappointed and upset. By the time I got home, I was still annoyed. Even though Big Brother hit me hard enough to make me cry from the pain, my frustration didn't fade.
What hurt even more was that everything I had learned about Freya kept replaying in my mind. It turns out Yuri is the man she's obsessed with—the man she almost got pregnant by.
And Aries knows about it.
"Jay-Jay! Wake up and have breakfast!" Aries shouted from outside my room.
I was already awake and had washed up. When I opened the door, my brother frowned at me.
"Look at the size of your eyebags," he commented.
"Don't pay attention to that. I have something to ask you."
"What is it?"
"About Freya." I started, and he waited. "Is Yuri the man she's crazy about?"
He froze for a moment and stared at me. "Did he say something?"
I shook my head. "I just suspected it."
He sighed. "Eat first. Kuya is taking us out today."
What?
I was about to press him for an answer, but he had already walked away. I didn't have much choice but to follow him. If I was late, I'd only get scolded for rushing at the last minute.
Kuya Angelo is our ride now. It wouldn't look good if I complained about leaving early.
That would be like complaining to a wall.
When we arrived at the table, Tita Gema, Tito Julz, and Kuya Angelo were deep in conversation. But as soon as they saw me, they suddenly fell silent and pretended to be busy. Even though they didn't say it outright, I knew I was the topic of their discussion.
"Eat up. Aries might scold you," Aunt Echo said with a smile.
I nodded and started eating breakfast. They resumed their conversation, but their topic had clearly changed. Even as I finished eating and said goodbye, they were careful with their words.
It was making me itch with curiosity. What were they saying about me? Maybe they were planning to leave me an inheritance I didn't even know about yet.
No need—I already have an island.
I hurried to shower and get ready. I didn't want to inconvenience Kuya Angelo, but I also didn't want to make him mad by taking too long.
If Aries is annoying when I'm running late, Kuya is downright terrifying. So I finished faster than usual.
When I stepped out of my room, I noticed my fortune-telling brother putting on his shoes.
Ha! Beat you this time!
I even waited by his door just to show off how fast I was today. I didn't have to wait long.
"What?" he asked when he opened the door.
I grinned widely at him. I could only savor this moment because it was so rare for me to be the one waiting for him instead of the other way around.
"You're slow. Speed up," I said, laughing out loud.
He just shook his head. "Looks like you didn't have enough breakfast," he said before walking away.
I followed him, my smile still stretching from ear to ear. I needed to record this moment so I could remind him later that, for once, I was the one who finished first, and he was the slow one.
"Are you ready?" Kuya Angelo asked while adjusting his necktie.
He gave me a strange look because of my expression but chose to ignore it and turned away. We walked out one after another and got into the car—Aries sat next to the driver while I took the back seat, still grinning.
"We still need to pick up Ella," my brother said.
At that, my smile quickly faded. Why do we have to pick her up?
"Won't we be late if we do that?" I asked.
Aries turned slightly toward me. "No, we'll be fine," he replied.
You're not the driver. How can you be so sure?
I sighed and looked out the window. It wasn't that I held a grudge against that girl at first—it was just that she had done so many things that affected me. That included eating food when my brother and I were in the hospital.
She practically inhaled her meal.
Not to mention, her motives were unclear to me. She was mysterious—her thoughts, unsettling. Most girls were easy to figure out, but she was different.
I especially didn't like how she got close to our group, particularly to Yuri and Keifer. And what if she had something going on with Yuri? That would be unfair to my brother. No matter how good he was at predicting things, heartbreak was a whole different battle. If not Yuri, then maybe Keifer.
Skin blending into skin...
I felt my mood shift the moment Ella's house came into view. When the car door opened, I had to move aside so she could get in.
My brother and I exchanged glances through the rearview mirror before I quickly looked away. I remained silent for the rest of the ride while they chatted as if I weren't even there.
When we arrived at school and stepped out of the car, I stopped in my tracks upon spotting Yuri. He straightened the moment he saw me.
I didn't want to ignore him out of anger—I just wanted him to be honest with me. Slowly, I walked toward him, forcing a small smile.
"Good morning," he greeted. "Can we talk… about yesterday?"
I nodded. "As long as you tell me the truth."
He lowered his gaze for a moment before offering a faint smile and starting to walk. We took slow steps, deliberately prolonging the conversation before reaching the classroom.
"I'm sorry for not telling you everything," he began, "but what I said on the rooftop was true."
"I know that," I replied. "But what else is going on with you that I don't know?"
Why were you with Freya?
He sighed. "A lot, Jay. A lot," he muttered, avoiding my gaze. "And I needed an escape… something Freya is helping me with."
The question that had been tormenting me all morning was suddenly answered. I didn't even want to ask what they had done besides dyeing their hair. My chest tightened as my mind wandered. What if I find out everything that happened in his room?
My stomach flipped.
"W-why?" My voice trembled.
Why Freya?
I was frustrated that I couldn't ask the questions I truly wanted to. I used to feel comfortable talking to him, but now, fear was creeping in.
"I just… I needed a break from all the shit going on in my life, or it would have been the end of me," he admitted, still avoiding my eyes.
I understood that much. With all his problems, he needed a breather. Who wouldn't? Even I needed time to escape from everything once in a while.
But why Freya?
Why not me?
I bowed my head. "I understand. But don't be shy to approach us. We're your friends too."
He remained silent for a moment, so I looked up at him. He seemed lost in thought as we walked, so I nudged him slightly with my elbow. He blinked, as if snapping back to reality.
"I-I will… Of course. You guys are my friends," he answered with a nod.
But then, he went back to staring ahead, lost in deep thought. His expression made me nervous, and though I wanted to ask him more, I chose to remain silent. Even when we reached the classroom and took our seats, I said nothing.
I was pulled from my thoughts when Ci waved a hand in front of me. "Stupid," he muttered before taking a sip of his shake.
My eyes quickly darted to his drink.
"Pengeee!" I whined, reaching for it, but he swiftly pulled it away.
"Just buy your own."
"Just a little," I pleaded.
But that brat immediately shook his head and walked away. So annoying! I was about to get up to chase and tease Ci when, suddenly, someone placed a full glass of shake in front of me.
Looking up, I saw David, sipping his own drink.
"I knew you'd want one too," he said, taking a seat.
I smiled and accepted the drink. "Thanks."
"I guess you were too lost in thought to hear us earlier."
I frowned, confused. "Huh? What do you mean?"
David raised an eyebrow. "Ci and I saw you before you entered the room. He asked if you wanted a shake, but you just kept walking."
I thought hard for a moment before realizing that I did, in fact, pass by them earlier. I must have been so preoccupied that I didn't even notice.
Scratching my head, I admitted, "I was just deep in thought."
"About what?"
I quickly shook my head. "It's nothing important."
"If it's not important, why think so much about it?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ugh, David and his instincts. It's so annoying sometimes. Lying to him is nearly impossible—he always knows when something's up.
"N-no, it's not like that. It's just… something," I mumbled.
"You can tell me. Maybe I can help," he said with a reassuring smile.
He had a point. He was easier to talk to than most. Maybe opening up to him wouldn't be such a bad idea.
I leaned in slightly, and he did the same.
"It's about Yuri… I feel like he's distancing himself from us," I whispered. "It's like he finds it hard to approach us."
David took a sip of his shake before adjusting his seat to get closer.
"Now that you mention it… I don't remember Yuri ever reaching out to us first. I'm not sure about Keifer, but you know him—if someone's in trouble, he always steps in to help," David said, deep in thought.
I considered it too. They had all been together the longest, so David was the most likely to notice these things. As for me, Yuri often dealt with problems on his own, which might explain why he never confided in them.
"Maybe he just doesn't want to bother you," I suggested.
"Maybe. Or… maybe he doesn't really consider us his friends," David said casually before leaning back in his seat.
His words stunned me. He was the most level-headed among us, so if he was saying this, it meant he had been observing it for a long time.
But what if it was true? The thought was hard to accept. Could Yuri really not see us as his friends? After everything we've been through together—joy, struggles, and pain—what was the point of all the time we spent with him?
Impossible.
Maybe David just doesn't notice, but I know that Yuri also treats our classmates as friends. After spending so much time with them, won't he eventually learn to appreciate them?
I tried to push his words out of my mind. I sipped my shake so quickly that I suddenly got a headache. It seems my poor brain is literally frozen.
It's still a little icy.
Fortunately, I finished drinking before Sir arrived. He attended for a while before announcing the good news.
"It's only a half-day today… By lunchtime, you can go home—as long as you don't forget to study the lessons for your afternoon class. Self-study first."
The class erupted into loud cheers, but they quickly quieted down when Sir shot them a sharp look. He still seemed upset that we hadn't shown up the other day.
Sir Alvin was pranked.
The wait made time feel unbearably slow, so when our last morning class finally ended, it was like a fiesta in the room, with everyone screaming in excitement.
I stood up and began arranging my things. I was about to look at Yuri when, suddenly, the King of Serpents appeared beside me.
"Lunch?" he offered.
I shook my head. "I'm going straight home."
"All-you-can-eat buffet."
I quickly slung my bag over my shoulder. "Come on. I'm ready."
He shook his head, laughing. I glanced at Yuri just as he was passing by and instinctively reached out, grabbing his arm. He looked surprised at first but stopped walking.
"W-where are you going? Come with us—we're going out to eat," I said, glancing briefly at Keifer.
Yuri smiled at me. "I can't. I have a visitor from Japan."
I let go of his arm and nodded. "S-alright. Text me if you change your mind or want to catch up."
He smiled and nodded before turning away.
I started overthinking again. I wanted him to come with us, so he wouldn't distance himself from the group.
Or maybe… to keep an eye on him?
I turned to Keifer and noticed him staring at me, clearly trying to read my thoughts. So, I used the most effective defense.
I squinted at him.
He immediately backed off, covering my eyes with his palm.
"Stop that!" he said while blocking my gaze.
I tried to push his hand away, tilting my head, but he wouldn't budge.
"What?! Take it off!"
I heard him chuckle softly. Annoyed, I reached out to hit him, but he dodged, so I resorted to pinching his arm instead.
"Ow! S-stop!" he yelped before finally letting go.
His skin was visibly red. I felt a little guilty—but my envy overpowered it.
He's so pale.
I froze when I realized we were the only ones left in the room. The Vipers must have slipped away unnoticed.
They're so fast when it comes to going home or eating.
"Come on… They've already left," I said and walked ahead.
As soon as we stepped out, Denzel approached us, looking visibly stressed as he spoke to someone on the phone. His expression was almost desperate.
"Grace! It's dangerous!" he nearly cried out.
Grace was clearly stressing him out.
"I can't! I have work!" he added, straightening up. "Just listen first, okay? Hello? Grace?"
He looked at his phone and nearly cursed out loud. It seemed like she had hung up on him.
"Still?" Keifer asked, catching his attention.
Denzel looked at us in surprise. "W-what? You're still here?"
"No, we were never here. We're just figments of your imagination," I teased, and he scratched his head.
"Why are you so stressed?" I asked.
"Because of Grace… Didn't I promise her that you'd accompany her this week?"
Oh, right.
"I forgot about that."
"I didn't worry about it anymore. It's because of the attempt on you yesterday. I was planning to go next week, but now I'll be the one to come," he explained.
That makes sense. After all, it's hard to just go out now, especially when someone has already tried to harm me. If Aries and Ella had nothing to do with each other, how could Grace be pregnant?
I wouldn't be able to handle it if something happened to her because of me.
"What did you say? Did you agree?" I asked.
He shook his head. "I don't want to. So, I'm going to leave the house."
"Come on! It's dangerous!"
"There's another problem," he said, and I waited for him to continue. "I have a job. It would be a waste if I didn't go in—the tip is big for me."
I couldn't help but admire Denzel. He was becoming more responsible. It wasn't like before when he pushed Grace away and refused to take responsibility for the pregnancy. Now, he was working hard for his his baby's mother.
I smiled. I wanted to help him, even in a small way.
"We'll go with Grace," I said, but he immediately shook his head.
"No, that's not necessary. Besides, it's dangerous for you."
"I'm with them. If you still disagree, then don't go to work and just accept my money," Keifer said, reaching for his wallet.
I was about to accept it when Denzel quickly calmed down.
"Oh no! Don't!"
"Okay then, Jay-jay and I will take care of her," said the King of Snakes, suddenly walking toward me. My elbow instinctively rose and hit his stomach.
He let out a groan and doubled over, clutching his stomach.
"Don't worry. No one would dare attack a pregnant woman," I assured him with a smile.
He nodded. "Thank you, Jay. I'm sorry. It would be a waste to refuse the job—I might not get another chance like this."
I smiled at him. "What are friends for?"
Friends.
My smile faded as I recalled what David had said about Yuri. I preferred to believe that he just didn't want to get too involved, but deep down, I knew we were important to him too.
"Just text me when you're with her. Thank you so much!" Denzel said as he walked away, waving.
I looked at the King of Snakes. He immediately grinned at me, his eyes squinting playfully. I wanted to punch him just for being so effortlessly cute.
After giving him a hard stare, I pulled out my phone and texted Grace to find out which mall she was at. Thankfully, she replied right away.
Next, I texted Kuya and Aries to let them know where I was going. It took me a while to figure out how to word it so they would allow me to go.
To: Kuya Angelo and Horoscope
Message: I'm in a hurry. I'm not going anywhere dangerous. Safe now, I have a safeguard. (I just went to the mall. I'm with a pregnant woman. I'm safe—I have someone with me, and a guard.)
They replied almost immediately.
📩
From: Horoscope
Message: I don't understand your words. Fix them.
📩
From: Kuya Angelo
Message: I understand nothing.
I smiled. That works. At least I let them know. If they complain later, I'll just say, You didn't tell me I couldn't go.
I put my phone back in my bag and glanced at the King, who was clearly getting impatient. We headed straight to the parking lot where his car was parked. Since his beloved sports car had crashed yesterday, he was using a different one today.
Still luxurious. Still intimidating to ride. The kind of car where you hold your breath, afraid to bring in even a speck of dust, as if that alone might damage it.
Where do I even get payment for this ride? An island?
Once inside, I sat up straight and kept my gaze fixed ahead. He chuckled at my stiff posture. When he noticed I was struggling with the seatbelt, he leaned over and fastened it for me.
It was just a quick trip to the mall, as Grace had texted. Fortunately, she decided to meet at a restaurant, which was great because I really liked her.
"Is it you?" Grace asked, opening her eyes when we sat in front of her.
"Does it matter?"
"No!"
We answered at the same time, and she raised her eyebrows at us. Even though her skin was smooth, her expression was still noticeable. But even without makeup, she was still beautiful.
She is beautiful. She's just so beautiful... in my eyes.
We sat inside the restaurant for a long time. Grace even searched for the names of the stores she wanted to visit. The other people waiting for a table kept looking at us, clearly impatient.
We left immediately. Grace and I walked together while Keifer followed behind us, motionless.
I couldn't help but look at Grace's stomach because she was holding it firmly, and her hair remained still, as if she were holding something inside her body.
It didn't look good.