Jay-jay's POV
If earlier my eyes were restless, looking everywhere, now I was just staring at a spot on the wall in front of me, not blinking.
Bad. Don't blink.
"I'm asking you," Aries said, calm but firm.
I glanced at him discreetly and was met with his sharp glare. I almost turned to stone.
"Is this a text from a sane person? Are you even human?" he asked irritably.
I gave a small nod and couldn't resist blinking anymore. I was confused by his reaction. My text message was fine, even though they didn't understand it, but here he was, furious with me.
"What country are you from? I don't think these words are from Earth," he scolded, shoving his phone screen in my face where my message was displayed. "Are you an alien? An alien?"
I shook my head and lowered my gaze. His reaction to my text was so exaggerated. You'd think I had sent him a cursed chain message that he failed to pass on to ten people.
There was no such curse.
"Well, it makes sense—you do look like Kokey," he said before stuffing his phone back into his pocket.
He shot me another sharp look before walking off into Grace's room. I turned to Ci-N and Felix, who were secretly laughing at me. I knew they were enjoying watching my Horoscope-obsessed brother scold me.
I rolled my eyes at them before moving over to David and leaning against the same wall he was leaning on.
"Super mad?" he asked.
I shook my head. "Just a little. He didn't forward the chain message to ten people, so now he's scared of the curse."
He let out a small chuckle. "Does he really believe in that?"
I pursed my lips before nodding. "That's how it is. He reads fortunes, after all."
His soft laughter turned into a full-on laugh. He even shook his head as if my joke had really hit him. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he had a crush on me.
Good thing I know better.
"Kokey…" Ci muttered teasingly, laughing.
I turned to him and felt my irritation spike when I saw their amused faces. Even Eren, Felix, and Rory had joined in.
"What's your problem?" I asked, annoyed.
"So you really do look like Kokey?" Felix teased, laughing.
I pretended to flick my hair. "Yes, I look like Kokey. I look like a celebrity. Jealous?"
Their laughter grew louder. Even David and the other Ulupong members nearby joined in. I couldn't help but get annoyed. It felt like I was being pranked again without knowing why.
"Do you even know what Kokey looks like?" David asked.
I shook my head. "In my mind, she's beautiful—she's a celebrity, after all."
Their laughter exploded. They were practically rolling on the floor.
David took out his phone and tapped on it, chuckling before showing me the screen. A bald, noseless, browless creature with strange eyes appeared in front of me.
I stared at it for a moment before it sank in—he was an alien.
"Who's that?" I asked.
"That's Kokey," he replied.
What? I look like that?!
"Seriously? That's Kokey?" I asked, now irritated.
I didn't know if they were just messing with me, but if this was true, I refused to accept it.
No offense, Kokey.
"Learn to use Google, Jay," David added before putting his phone away.
My brows furrowed in frustration. I couldn't believe I had been deceived by my Horoscope-obsessed brother for so long. He reads fortunes, yet he tricked me—how does he expect to sell his predictions now?
That damn guy!
I marched straight to the door of Grace's room, folding my arms as I waited for that fool to come out.
"Jay?" Keifer called.
"Whaaat?" I snapped.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm waiting for my fortune-telling brother."
He chuckled. "Should I expect a war?"
"Expect a boxing match!" I grumbled.
It wasn't long before the door opened. Aries and Ella were about to step out but stopped when they saw us. I shot my brother an annoyed glare, though he only looked confused.
I immediately noticed Ella glancing at the King of the Ulupong. Thankfully, she looked away the moment she felt my glare.
"Let's go home," Aries said.
"We need to talk first!" I snapped at him.
"About what now?"
"You told me I looked like Kokey!" I shouted. "Kokey is an alien!"
They all suddenly burst out laughing. Even that arrogant, devilish King of the Ulupong laughed out loud. He was clearly entertained. I rolled my eyes at him before turning back to my brother.
"Don't you watch TV? Even kids who didn't grow up with that show still know who Kokey is," Ella said, shaking her head.
"I don't watch dramas!" I retorted angrily.
I only watch afternoon anime.
"Isn't it nice? You look like someone famous. You should be proud," Aries teased.
My nostrils flared in anger. I was ready to breathe fire.
I'll admit it—I was proud for a moment until I saw what Kokey actually looked like: an alien in a red hoodie.
"You're so mean!" I yelled, almost in tears.
They kept laughing at me, even though I was fuming. They were having fun watching me freak out.
"At least your looks are out of this world," Keifer added, making me even angrier. "I'll call you Miss Universe."
"Miss Universe, my foot!" I snapped, attempting to kick him, but he had already stepped away.
I wasn't enjoying their prank on me. They all ganged up on me.
I was about to throw a tantrum when my brother's phone rang.
He answered it, glanced at me briefly, then spoke.
"Yeah, we're on our way home. She's with me," he said before hanging up. "Kuya's calling us home."
Should I prepare a hospital room for myself?
"I-I'll just say goodbye to Grace," I said. They stepped aside so I could enter.
Grace and Denzel were sitting together, talking, while Baby Grazel Jay was in her hospital crib. I approached them to say my goodbyes.
"We're heading out. Death is calling," I said, making Grace wince.
Denzel laughed and shook his head. "Jay, please don't teach Grazel things like that."
"It'll be a while before she learns, anyway." I leaned in and smiled at Grazel. "Ninang is going home now. I'll visit you again."
She was sleeping so soundly, wrapped in a blanket like a little doll. I wanted to put her in my bag and take her home. She would totally fit—I had plenty of space in my bag. No one would notice. Next time, I'll smuggle her out.
I turned back to Grace and Denzel, said my final goodbye, and left. Outside, only Keifer was waiting for me.
"They're waiting for you in the parking lot," he said.
I nodded and started walking. I said goodbye to the Ulupong members as well. David was still chuckling and shaking his head, so I rolled my eyes at him before leaving.
The King followed behind me. I felt uneasy in the elevator, remembering past incidents involving him in enclosed spaces.
What if—
Suddenly, I felt a tap.
"Don't touch me!" I screamed, instantly kicking upward.
A nurse, a doctor, and a patient about to enter the elevator all shrieked and stepped back.
I quickly lowered my leg and looked for Keifer, who had pressed himself into the elevator corner to avoid my kick.
"W-why are you tapping me?" I asked, trying to stay calm.
"We're here. Time to step out," he said, pointing outside.
We?
I awkwardly smiled at the stunned people waiting for us to exit. I whispered a soft apology as I walked past them. Once we were clear, I sped up my pace, practically running out of the hospital.
I could hear the soft laughter of that shameless idiot behind me. I turned to face him, ready to hit him, but he immediately blocked my hand.
"You're having so much fun, huh? This is your fault, but I'm the one who got embarrassed!" I shouted at him.
"I just tapped you. You're too tense," he teased.
I glared at him. "Why are you even tapping me?! You could've just called my name!"
"I did call your name, but you were too preoccupied."
"Because—!"
"What?"
I paused, trying to think of a comeback, but my mind went blank. Think!
"Because I have a lot on my mind!" I said, turning my back on him and walking straight toward the parking lot. I kept glancing at the annoying King behind me because of his nonstop teasing.
I was getting closer and closer to punching him out of frustration.
Even when we reached the parking lot, he still wouldn't leave me alone. I was about to take off my bag and smack him with it. I pointed a finger at him one last time, but before I could storm off, he suddenly turned serious and pulled me to the side of a black Hiace.
I was about to yell at him, but he quickly covered my mouth and gestured for me to stay silent. I glared at him in warning, but then I froze when I heard Ella's voice.
"Isn't it true? That's why you can't answer!" she said angrily.
"I've already answered your question about me and Freya! I have nothing more to say or explain!" my brother Aries snapped back, clearly annoyed.
It sounded like a serious lovers' quarrel. I couldn't help but eavesdrop—this was the first time I'd seen them fight. Should I grab some popcorn?
Maybe I should record this?
"Why won't you tell me what you two talked about earlier?" Ella demanded.
"Ella! Understand the word respect! What we talked about is a personal matter for Freya! It would be disrespectful for me to share it with anyone after she trusted me!" Aries replied, his voice calm but firm.
I had to admit—I agreed with my brother. If it wasn't meant to be shared, no one should force it out.
"I'm not just anyone to you! Why can't you trust me?!" Ella's voice softened with desperation.
"This isn't about my trust in you—it's about respecting Freya's privacy. If anything, I should be the one asking you that question."
I nodded in agreement. He had a point.
"Can you blame me? Everyone in our class notices how much you take care of Freya. And people keep bringing up the rumor that you two used to date!"
"We're just going in circles! How many times do I have to say it? We were never together! Whatever rumors spread about us—they're not true!"
I glanced at Keifer, confused. He looked just as baffled as I was. I really thought they had dated—Rakki once said he caught them alone in a room. And Freya herself once claimed she was passed around by their group of friends.
"So they weren't together?" I whispered, still puzzled.
"I—I don't know," Keifer replied, taking a step away from me as I moved closer. "As far as I know, they were a couple."
But my horoscope-loving brother had just denied it. Maybe he was just lying to calm his not-so-official girlfriend. But then again, Aries isn't the type to cover one lie with another. If he was telling the truth… then what was that thing Rakki saw? A prank?
"Whatever you're thinking, don't act impulsively," Keifer warned, raising a suspicious eyebrow at me.
"I'm not planning anything!" I huffed, rolling my eyes.
I walked ahead, looking for my overly dramatic brother's car. I must've circled the parking lot several times before I finally found it.
Ella and Aries were both waiting, still clearly not over their argument. I quickly said goodbye to that annoying Ulupong King before running over to the car. We drove off in complete silence. It was so quiet, it felt like we were in some kind of "stay silent or get smacked" competition. The tension was so thick, it was making my stomach churn. I felt like I needed to fart.
Was there a prize for winning this silence contest?
We dropped Ella off at her house, and still, not a word passed between them. Even after she went inside, Aries remained quiet. I wasn't going to ask anything… until Aries suddenly grabbed his phone and made a call.
"Are you home yet? Get some rest and don't do anything reckless," he said softly into the phone.
He has a mistress!! I covered my mouth in shock, my eyes wide as I stared at him. I waited for him to finish his call, and the moment he hung up, I leaned in close to him.
"You cheater!" I accused him, making him jump back.
"What the fvck?!" he snapped, glaring at me.
I scrambled over the seat to sit beside him, squeezing into the space between the front seats.
"You already have Ella, and now you're calling someone else?! Cheater! Scoundrel! Two-timer!" I jabbed my finger at his face.
"What?! Where is this even coming from?!" he asked, looking genuinely confused.
"You're a disgrace to our family—!" I didn't get to finish because he smacked me on the head.
"Ow! That hurt!" I whined, clutching the back of my head.
"I have no idea what you're talking about!" he said in frustration.
I sniffled dramatically, giving him my best betrayed look. "Don't you have a girlfriend? Then who was that on the phone?!" I demanded.
He sighed heavily, clearly trying to keep his cool. He started the car and focused on the road. He definitely has a mistress.
"Is it your mistress? Are you a two-timer?" I accused him again.
"No. That was Freya. I was just making sure she was okay," he answered calmly.
"W-why? Did something happen?" I asked, pretending not to know.
I deserved an award for my acting. Maybe a gold one. And when I accept it, I'll cry for dramatic effect. I want a Grammy Award—oh wait, that's for people good at grammar.
"Something like that," he said vaguely.
"It must be serious—you're never this worried," I muttered, pouting.
You're never this worried about me. I knew Aries was trying to make it up to me lately, but I couldn't help comparing the way he treated me to how he treated Freya.
"Yeah… kind of," he admitted.
"She must be really important to you," I whispered.
He let out a soft laugh. "I used to have a crush on her."
I nearly choked on my own spit. He sounded so proud, too! But this was my chance to clear things up once and for all.
"Did you court her?" I asked curiously.
He shook his head. "It was just a crush."
"Just a crush?" I repeated.
"Just a crush," he confirmed.
"Really just a crush?"
"Really just a crush."
"Did she like you back?"
"Nope."
My nostrils flared in disbelief. "So you never got together?"
He shook his head again. "Never."
"Not even once?"
He paused, thinking. "Well… almost. But I stopped because I saw her broken side."
What?! Almost?!
"Almost how?" I asked eagerly.
I know I was being nosy, but this was my chance to get answers! I was stuck in the middle of all this drama!
"Well… one time we…" He cleared his throat awkwardly. "We… almost… you know… when people get drunk and things turn… and then we ended up in a room… and we started taking off our clothes—"
"Aries, you perv!" I cut him off, horrified.
He shot me a dark look. Good thing he was driving, or I'd probably have been burned alive by his glare. I had a feeling this was what Rakki had seen. But it seemed like no one else knew that nothing actually happened between them.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star…
"You already know what I mean. My point is that we didn't become." He said and I nodded.
"Then you became best friends?"
"Not right away. But I manage to be. That's the only way I can fulfill Percy's order."
I looked at him in surprise. "Percy's order?"
The car stopped and he smiled at me shyly. "Before he disappeared, he ordered his family and Freya to us. Sadly I can't fulfill the first one so I tried the second one."
I couldn't help but feel sad at what he said. He can't get close to Felix's family so how can he follow the order of their friend with the whirlwind tail.
"I'm not Percy, but thank you for what you did. It seems like you're the only one who fulfilled his order."
His eyes were sad while one hand was still on the steering wheel.
"I wish I could. But seeing Freya ruining herself makes me feel that I failed." She shook her head. "Dying to be with a man that she will never have." She laughed angrily. "She almost got pregnant."
My eyes widened. Yuri almost got her pregnant? What are they doing? Aren't they thinking? And what's going on with Yuri?
Why do I feel like I don't know you anymore? Or do I really not know you?
"I didn't know Yuri could do such things." I said almost in a whisper.
Aries looked at me. "What did you expect? Yuri is no saint." He said and opened the car door to get out.
I followed him and that's when I noticed that we were already home. I was so busy talking that I didn't notice my surroundings. We almost went inside one after the other. I hadn't even got far from the door when I heard Brother Angelo's thunderous voice.
"Where the hell have you been?!" I stopped and looked at him. "And what language is that text in?! Alien?!"
I knew what was going to happen next. I had to save myself. Ninja moves: RUN!