Jay-jay's POV
11:48 PM. My eyes were wide open. I couldn't sleep because of the picture that lunatic sent me. What made it worse? He stopped replying to my texts.
"Damn it!" I growled at my phone.
If he wasn't Keifer, then who was he? There was only one thing I was sure of—he was close to the King of those Ulupong.
And what was that bastard wearing? Why did it look like he was at a party? His birthday party? Wow! How embarrassing! He had the nerve to celebrate while we were going crazy over here.
"Damn you! You're having fun over there while we're crying here!"
I stood up in frustration and grabbed my phone again. I searched for Ci-N's number—he was the only one I knew who had access to that damn person.
But before I could press call, I suddenly remembered—I had no load. I could only send texts.
Jay-jay Poorita girl.
I flared my nostrils at my phone, as if trying to see my own brain. If this thing could react, it would probably cringe at me.
I should probably ask Percy for load. But then he'd tease me again and call me all sorts of stupid names.
I was really broke. I hadn't been able to save up again. Damn that person who borrowed money from me—never even paid me back! I couldn't save that money anymore. Such a waste! I could have bought myself a pair of shoes.
I let out a deep sigh, my shoulders slumping as I noticed there were only ten minutes left until 12 AM. That meant it would be February 29—the birthday of the King of the Ulupong.
So frustrating! So, so frustrating!
I had only one hope left to call this GagongBaliw —I stood up and slowly opened my bedroom door.
I was seriously hesitating about what I was about to do. I took slow, careful steps toward Aries' room. Please don't be in a bad mood.
Oh, God.
I knocked softly at first, but there was no response.
I tried again, but still nothing. I reached for the doorknob and slowly turned it.
My ears practically clapped in happiness when the door opened—I realized my Horoscope-obsessed brother forgot to lock it.
Tiptoe, tiptoe, tiptoe.
There! I had turned into a ballerina with all this sneaking around. I peeked at the bedside table, and there it was—the thing I was looking for.
The Horoscope's mystical cellphone. This would determine my fate—or rather, this was what I'd use to call that GagongBaliw.
I grabbed it and tried to unlock it. Oh, crap! Your grandpa has an iPhone!
But I needed his fingerprint to unlock it. Wow, fancy! His phone was so high-tech!
I moved closer to him and searched for his hand. I lowered the blanket slightly until it reached his waist. Topless again. But what was even worse? He was using one hand as a pillow and the other… was holding… something. THAT thing.
Inhale, exhale! Breathe!
I needed his fingerprint. That was all—just to unlock the phone, then I'd be out of here. Why did he have to be holding THAT, of all things?! There were so many other places to put his hand!
"I can do this," I whispered to myself.
I slowly pulled his arm away from that thing. I managed to do it carefully. His thumb was the first one I tried. I placed his phone against the sensor.
Nothing.
I tried his index finger—still nothing.
Middle finger? Ring finger? Nope. Nothing.
I was about to scream in frustration. His pinky was my last hope. I was about to grab it when his hand suddenly moved—going back to that… that… ugh!
I tried pulling his arm away again, but it just returned there. Seriously?!
Frustrated, I started punching the air silently. And in my sheer stupidity, I dropped the phone. It went flying.
And my ultimate stupidity? The phone landed right on his…
Forgive me, future children of Aries!I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!
"Fvck!" he screamed, suddenly sitting up.
Out of fear and panic, I squeezed myself against the side of his bed. I could hear him groaning in pain.
"The hell! Aaarrgghhh!" he yelled.
I wanted to apologize, but he might kill me out of rage. He's going to skin me alive!
"How on earth...? Argh!"
I felt like crying because of what I'd done. I swear, I might have just made sure he'll never have kids.
For a few minutes, I only heard his pained groans and curses. When he had quieted down a little, I peeked at his bed—only to freeze in shock.
He was gone.
I quickly stood up and pulled the blanket off the bed.
Oh no. He disappeared! And so did his phone!
"Where the hell did he go?" I asked.
"Is this..." My eyes widened. "...what you're looking for?"
Slowly, I turned toward the voice behind me. I pressed my lips together, my head bowed down.
"What the fvck are you doing here?! In the middle of the night!"
He really emphasized those last words.
I fidgeted with my fingers. I couldn't bring myself to tell him the truth. I just wanted to borrow his phone to call that GagongBaliw.
"...and seriously?! Why did you hit my... my... my... my THING?!"
"How do you even know it was me?! You're accusing me just like that!" I huffed, pretending to be annoyed. "...and it wasn't on purpose!"
He let out a loud, frustrated sigh.
"So you're admitting it then?!"
It really wasn't intentional!
"I dropped it, and then it fell on your... thing. I'm really sorry."
I said, still looking down.
"What do you need this for?" he asked while holding up his phone in front of me.
"I just needed to make a call. I don't have any balance."
He let out a deep sigh. He tapped something on his phone for a moment before handing it to me.
I looked at him in confusion before finally taking the phone. I pressed the circular button on the phone, and it opened. No password!
"I removed the password. Just give it back after you're done using it," he said as he walked toward the bed. "...and PLEASE! Wake me up properly next time."
He lay down on the bed and pulled the blanket over himself. I grinned and looked at what I was holding.
Nice! Now I can finally call that GagongBaliw!
"Thanks!" I said happily and quickly left his room.
His room was barely a step away from mine. I immediately searched for my phone, which was scattered on my bed. The number of that shameless person was my target.
I practically glared at Aries' phone while typing the bastard's number. My hands were even trembling as I brought it close to my ear.
It's ringing! I'm so excited!
I nearly jumped when the call was answered, and just as expected—no one was speaking.
"Hey... GagongBaliw." I said, irritated. "...It's me! Jay-jay."
Still, no one spoke, but I had a strong feeling he was smirking from the other end.
"Who are you really?! Your games are getting too much, and I don't get them. It's frustrating! Do you even know that?" My eyes widened as I spoke. "...Just tell me who you are! You're so freaking stressful!"
You're ruining my beauty!
I heard a faint throat clearing from him. It was soft, but I knew it came from his mouth.
"Can you please say something? My mouth's drying up here from talking and you're still speechless."
I'm on the verge of going insane because of him. I really want to pull him out from wherever he is. If not for... haizt!
I glanced at the wall clock. 12:09 AM—it was officially that idiot's birthday.
I sighed deeply. I still didn't know who this GagongBaliw was, but one thing was for sure—he was connected to that damn Snake King.
"Hey! Whoever you are—I know you're close to Keifer. Maybe you could... um... please tell him..." I roughly scratched the back of my neck. "...Nyappi Brrritttday."
Wait—what did I just say?!
I quickly covered my mouth. Damn it! I stuttered! I couldn't even say a simple "Happy Birthday" properly.
I heard a faint chuckle. This jerk was laughing at me! As if—ugh! That wasn't intentional, okay?!
"Fine. Laugh all you want. Enjoy yourself." I said irritably.
His laughter slowly faded. Silence filled the other line again.
I lowered my head. There was so much more I wanted to say to the King.
"…Maybe you can also tell him that…" I took a deep breath.
"…tell him to come back already. His fellow snakes are struggling…" I was struggling. "…Section E needs him…" I needed him. "…a lot of people are counting on him…" I was counting on him. "…his friends want to be with him again…" I wanted to be with him too.
For some reason, a single tear fell from my left eye. My breathing grew heavier. I just wanted to send a simple message, yet my chest felt unbearably tight.
"Also, tell him… whatever it is he's doing, Please hurry it up."Because I didn't think I could take it much longer if he stayed away."...It's also my birthday wish. For him to be true to what he feels..."That he would be true to me."...and I wish that he'd forgive me too..."Because I feels like I am about to give up."…for everything I've done to him."
I discreetly wiped my tear. I swallowed hard to clear the lump in my throat.
"I just really hope he comes back soon… but if he can't, that's okay. We'll accept it."Even if it hurts… even if it hurts so much."…Please tell him all of that, okay? I'll be counting on you."
I checked the time, even though I knew our conversation hadn't lasted that long yet.
"…Alright, I'll hang up now. My brother might get mad—I've used all his load"
Just like I expected, no words came from his side. I was about to take the phone away from my ear when I heard something. It wasn't clear, and I couldn't tell if it was a bad signal.
Someone was crying.
I was about to speak when the call ended on its own. I tried calling the number again, but the phone was already turned off. I couldn't understand what just happened.
Was that GagongBaliw crying? But why? Did I say something he didn't like? Did I do something?
My gaze lifted towards the door when I noticed it slowly opening. Aries was standing there, looking at me with full curiosity.
"Did something happen?" he asked as he sat beside me.
I quickly wiped the tears from my cheek. I swallowed and gave a small cough.
"N-no... I just felt like being dramatic." I said as an excuse.
I felt his arm wrap around me. He gently pulled me so my head rested on his shoulder.
"Is this about him?" he whispered.
It was like someone flipped a switch inside me. My tears fell instantly, and I cried like there was no tomorrow. My arms clung to him on their own.
Why is this happening to me? Why am I like this?
"I'm struggling e-even though he's not doing anything."Why does it feel like he's not doing anything?"...I'm hurting even though h-he's not here."Why isn't he here?"...w-why do I have to feel this way?"
"Ssshhhh… That's normal. You fell in love with Keifer, after all," he replied, making me annoyed.
I hit his chest, making him laugh. But then, I felt his expression turn serious. His embrace around me tightened.
"I warned you before. Loving that guy is difficult."
"How would you know? Have you fallen for him too?" I asked irritably while wiping my tears.
He suddenly pulled away from the hug and glared at me. He even raised a fist as if to punch me, but I quickly blocked it.
"Do you seriously not know the story of Freya and Ella?"
Of course, I knew. Me, of all people!
"But they never loved Keifer." Not like I do.
"Because they were afraid of him," he answered, making me frown. "…That idiot has a strange way of liking a girl."
I thought about it. Someone had told me that before. Keifer's way of loving was different—he would claim someone and never let them go.
"Wait… how do you know all this?"
He looked at me and messed up my hair.
"Even back in grade school, he was already like that with girls. Good thing he loses interest quickly."
I scowled. That guy, seriously. He treats women like they aren't even human, like he always has to be ahead of everyone else.
I looked at Aries, who was staring blankly into space. I wasn't sure if this was the right time to ask him.
"A-Aries... Can I ask why you hate Keifer so much?"
I saw his jaw clench. He swallowed hard and quickly looked away from me.
"S-sorry. It's okay if—."
"He never listened to me." He spoke without looking at me. "…He blamed me for what happened to Percy without even knowing the truth."
I lowered my gaze.
"That's one of the most frustrating things about Keifer. He never listens to explanations."
"He's narrow-minded." Aries added.
"Short-tempered too."
"Moody as hell."
"Spoiled."
"Huge asshole."
"And a womanizer."
Suddenly, Aries burst into laughter. I laughed too. We unexpectedly bonded over badmouthing the King of the Vipers.
For some reason, in the middle of my laughter, I started crying again. I was crying because of him. Again.
Aries stopped laughing and quickly pulled me into a hug. I buried my face into his chest.
"Jay," he called my name.
"I-it's his birthday today, but he didn't even reach out to me. Not even a single call or message." I sounded like I was whining. "…It's so unfair! He's so unfair! So damn unfair!"
Damn you, Keifer.
I felt my brother's hand rubbing my back.
"Stop, Jay. Stop crying over him. You have to accept the truth."
"W-what truth?"
I tried to look up at him, but he stopped me. He kissed the top of my head.
"There's a chance that Keifer…" He took a deep breath. "…that Keifer might never come back."
I shook my head. "N-no. How can you say that? You're just saying that—."
"Kuya Angelo is leaving tomorrow," he cut me off. "…He received an invitation from Watson Enterprise. It says they're introducing the company's new major shareholder. With all the responsibilities he'll have there, do you really think he'll ever come back?"
I cried harder.
I cried even harder. He was right! Maybe he really wouldn't come back to us—to me. He has a life there now that doesn't include me. That doesn't include us.
I shouldn't hope anymore... but why do I still believe he will?
"He'll come back. I know he will. He said he would." I insisted.
He had to come back.
He must come back here.
He must come back to me.
Because if he doesn't, what about me? What will I do if I lose him completely and for forever?
I didn't understand why Aries had to tell me this. I thought we were okay now, so why did he say that? Did he still want to hurt me? Was he getting revenge on me?
No, that's not it.
"Take back what you said! He's coming back!" I screamed at him and tried to punch him.
"Jay! Stop it!"
"Take it back! He's coming back!…" He's coming back. "…because I won't be able to handle it if he doesn't."
We stayed like that for a long time. I didn't even know how long I had been crying. At some point, I found myself lying down, using Horoscope's lap as a pillow. He ran his fingers through my hair.
That simple action comforted me.
"Let me tell you something funny," he said, but I didn't look at him or reply. "…Did you know I don't actually know my real age?"
I glanced at him in confusion.
Idiot? You don't even know your own age?
"So that thing I told you before—that I didn't tell you my real age so you wouldn't suspect we were siblings—that wasn't true." He smiled, even though he didn't know if I was looking. "…Before I was given up for adoption, all I knew was your age. You were three years old then. Yeah, I'm older than you, but I don't know by how much."
I turned back to staring at nothing.
That was actually pretty dumb.
So dumb! Let's laugh… Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha.
"To make things worse, I didn't have a birth certificate. So even Kuya Angelo thought I was only three when they took me in."
"How did you find out your real age?" I whispered.
"Because of your mom—our mom, I mean. But I only found out when I was in grade school. Percy even laughed at me back then, saying I was stupid for not knowing my own age."
That part made me smile. Percy and I really thought alike. But I guess it wasn't really his fault. I used to think he was just dumb.
He would have known if an adult had told him. But it seemed like age was the one thing Mom forgot to teach him.
"Are you happy?" I asked absentmindedly. "...Are you happy that you didn't grow up under Mom's care?"
He sighed. "I don't know. My life is complicated."
I adjusted my position and looked at him. He turned to me when he felt my gaze. He smiled as he continued combing my hair.
"Go to sleep now. Kuya will watch over you."
And those words brought a smile to my face. Despite everything that happened, there was still something good I could hold onto.
"Aries..." I called him. "...Your nostrils are huge. I can see your brain—OUCH!" He smacked me on the forehead.