JayJay POV
I'm starving.
I thought I'd be able to eat as soon as I got home. After picking up my things from Kuya Angelo's unit, we headed straight to the house. I hugged my two Snorlaxes while Aries carried my bag. We all stood there, dumbfounded by the chaos in the house.
"Hello, Jay!" Ci-N greeted, waving.
I subtly waved back.
"Hey, help me out here!" Eman shouted as he walked toward the kitchen.
Felix, Denzel, and Kit followed him, while Rory, Edrix, and Calix were fixing the sofa in the living room. The others were obviously just messing around, like that brat over there.
Is there a renovation happening at home?
"What is this? What's going on?" Aries asked in confusion.
I glanced over my shoulder as Kuya Angelo passed by. We looked at him, wondering if he'd be angry about the chaos the Ulupong were making, but he didn't seem to mind.
"It looks like you all won't fit in here. I'll move the cars out—you can use the garage instead," Kuya suggested, but David immediately refused.
"We're fine here," he said.
"It would actually be better if you all ate in the garage," Mama said as she suddenly appeared, carrying a foldable table.
Eren quickly helped her.
Wow, gentleman.
"Alright, I'll move the cars out," Kuya said as he headed outside.
David and the Ulupong were about to protest again, but before they could, my cousin had already disappeared from sight. Then, Tito Julz appeared, holding a bunch of car keys—probably to help Kuya park the cars outside the gate.
"Let's put everything back. We're eating outside."
"Alright, let's do it."
The Ulupong returned all the things they had moved. They put the sofa and coffee table back in place—even the small plant on top of it.
What exactly is going on?
"David," I called, and he stopped to face me. "What's happening here?"
"We were supposed to eat at a restaurant or fast food place, but your Kuya Angelo didn't agree. He said we should just eat here at the house, so now we're setting up a place for everyone," he explained.
I looked at Aries, who was already frowning. It was obvious he didn't like the idea of the Ulupong eating here again. But just like last time when all of Section E visited me with food, he couldn't do anything but silently complain.
I'll just give him some food later.
I turned back to David and excused myself. "I'll just be in my room—I need to put my stuff away."
David smiled at me and went back to what he was doing. I walked to my room, with Aries following behind. When we got there, he put my bag down and immediately turned to leave.
I pouted. He was definitely annoyed. We weren't even done talking about his plan to move into Kuya's unit, and now this happened.
I couldn't even tell if we were okay now or if I was okay with him.
I won't deny that I still feel heavy inside and sometimes have trouble looking at him. The guilt is still there. I'm not even sure if coming back home right away was the right decision, but he insisted that I should.
After unpacking, I changed clothes. I also checked my phone, but there was nothing important, so I just slipped it into my shorts pocket before leaving my room.
I went to Aries' room and knocked. When I heard him answer, I went inside. He was sitting at his study table, reading something on his laptop. He glanced at me briefly before returning his attention to his work.
"Do you need anything?" he asked.
"You're not going through with your plan, are you?" I asked.
"Which one?"
"Moving into Kuya's unit," I clarified.
He shook his head. "No, I won't. You might cry."
I pouted. I know I'm a crybaby, but I wouldn't cry just because I convinced him not to move into Kuya Angelo's unit.
Well, maybe just a little.
"I just wanted to say that there might be times when I'll avoid you," I added.
He stopped what he was doing and turned to face me. "We already talked about this, right? I don't blame you for what happened, so why would you avoid me? If this is about..." He hesitated. "Ares, just forget about that."
"I understand, but I still feel it," I said, looking down. "I still blame myself, and I still feel guilty. It's not something that will just go away."
He sighed. "Okay, I understand. If you think you need space, I'll give it to you. But you're not allowed to go too far."
I smiled slightly and nodded. "I know. I'll try to get rid of this feeling."
He stared at me for a moment before picking up his phone.
"Maybe to ease your guilt, you should know that Ares has been trying to contact me for a long time now," he said, showing me his call history.
I took his phone. The calls were filtered so only one number appeared—the same number I answered a few days ago while we were in his car.
Memories of the kidnapping that day came rushing back.
Why did I even answer it? Jay-Jay, you idiot.
Since last year, his father had been trying to call him. He took his phone back and tapped on the screen before showing it to me again—this time, his inbox.
From the same number, the messages were all the same. 'Is this Aries? This is your father. Can we talk?' I read one of them. The texts kept repeating, asking to meet or have a conversation, but Aries never replied.
I understand why he didn't answer.
"Why didn't you just block his number?" I asked as he placed his phone back on the table.
"He would know it's my number then. I want him to think he sent it to the wrong person or got the wrong number."
I lowered my head. "But I answered the call."
"Which I don't think is the cause of our problem. You didn't even speak, right?"
I nodded. He was right. I was the only one affected by answering the call, but that probably wasn't the reason his father went to see him at school.
He stood up and walked toward me. "Don't be too hard on yourself. Yes, you made a lot of mistakes, but it's my job to guide you as your brother. And we both know I've only recently started fulfilling that role properly," he said with a smile, throwing an arm around my shoulders. "For now, go outside. I need to review."
I laughed at his last sentence. He kept his arm around me as we walked to the door. Then, pretending to push me out of his room, he flashed an annoying grin before shutting the door.
I felt a little embarrassed because we're in the same year, yet he's so diligent about studying—now even talking about reviewing.
Why doesn't he just guess the answers instead?
I went downstairs to see what was going on. Felix was coming from the kitchen, carrying plates and utensils. I immediately followed him outside.
I was amazed to see everything already set up. There were tables and benches arranged neatly.
"Hey, help Eman inside."
"Don't forget the pitcher of water!"
"I think we're short on benches."
"Do they have another table?"
The way they were bustling around, it was as if they were preparing for a birthday party. Calix and Rory went inside after greeting me.
I looked at Kuya Angelo as he closed the gate, though he left the small door, the pedestrian gate, open.
"Better if the gate is closed, we don't know what could happen," Kuya told David, who immediately helped him.
They were really being cautious.
"Jay-Jay! Sit here beside me!" Ci called out, pointing at the seat next to her.
I walked over and sat beside her. He flashed me a wide grin.
"What made you guys decide to do this?" I asked.
"Not us. It was really Keifer, but I guess your cousin didn't agree, so we ended up having it here instead," he explained before stuffing her hidden cornic into her mouth.
So, he was hiding snacks.
I tried to grab some, but he quickly tucked them away. So stingy. I was about to insist on taking some, but he moved away from me.
Unbelievable.
We turned toward the gate when we heard a loud thud. We thought something had crashed into it, but it was just Percy bumping into it. Behind him, Keifer and Yuri were laughing.
"Where were you even looking?" Yuri asked.
"It's the gate's fault. It was in the way," my stepbrother grumbled.
Oh, really now?
I glanced at what they were carrying as they entered. It looked like they had bought food. My heart nearly jumped in excitement.
The Ulupong group we were with immediately cheered. Some even clapped. I couldn't help but join in, screaming with joy. Finally, we were going to eat.
"Nice! Nice!"
"Yes! Time to eat!"
"Hey, Eman's still cooking!"
I had been starving for a while. It was practically a miracle that I was still standing despite my hunger. On a normal day, I'd probably be crawling by now. I'd only had water since I left the hospital. I had tried asking Kuya to buy me food before we went home, but he insisted I eat at the house instead. Turns out what Sir taught us was true—humans can survive on water alone for a while. Good thing I actually paid attention in class.
They moved toward the table to set down the food. I almost jumped up and clapped. My mouth watered even before they unwrapped anything. I felt like I could eat the plastic if I had to. My stomach growled loudly, practically raging inside me.
Yuri, who was holding the lechon, looked at me and smirked. I scowled at him. Had he never heard a stomach growl before?
That's my built-in alarm, dude.
Keifer then set down five roasted chickens, still warm. It didn't seem like enough—I hoped Eman was cooking a lot inside. I knew Mom and Aunt Gema were there too because I could hear them chatting.
Next was Percy, carrying two big plastic bags with five 1.5-liter soft drinks each. He was clearly struggling, yet he still found the energy to flex and wink at me—despite dripping with sweat and having veins popping out of his arms.
I wanted to dive in and start eating, but I held myself back. We had to wait and eat together—it would be rude otherwise. The Ulupong gang quickly helped organize everything, and Ci joined in, though she seemed to have a different target.
Here comes the little troublemaker.
He pinched off two pieces of the lechon's crispy skin and popped them into his mouth before anyone could stop him. He was so fast that even Blaster, who was beside him, couldn't react in time. He was about to grab more, but the others who saw her raised their hands, ready to smack him.
Damn it. He got to the lechon before me.
Mayo quickly shooed her away before she could eat too much before we even started. I wanted to steal a piece too, but I didn't want to get scolded. Maybe later. For now, I just stood back and swallowed my saliva.
"Hey, help us in here!" Eman called from inside the house.
The Ulupong gang rushed in to assist. Yuri and David followed, seeing that there was still a lot to do.
I was about to go too, but I hesitated—Ci might steal more if I left. I had to stay on guard. That troublemaker was lurking around again.
"Hey, shorty! Stay quiet over there!" Percy warned.
"Uncircumcised," someone instantly shot back.
And, of course, they started chasing each other to throw punches. I just hoped they wouldn't go inside and cause chaos. Kuya would definitely get mad. Their fights never seemed to end.
"How are you feeling?" the King asked as he sat beside me.
I was feeling great. There was food.
"I'm feeling a bit better. Thanks for this," I said with a smile.
"Anything for my girl," he replied, taking my hand and kissing it.
Oh wow, so sweet! Wait, did I wash my hands?
Suddenly, someone slammed a pitcher down in front of us. We both turned to see who it was, but I quickly looked away when I saw my cousin's sharp glare. He placed another pitcher with ice on the table, still staring us down.
"Behave, you two," he said before walking away.
We exchanged glances and quietly chuckled. Kuya was basically a human CCTV. He always caught whatever I was up to. Even at school, he had his little informants keeping him updated. But maybe when I became an adult, he'd stop being like this.
I glanced around when I realized I could no longer hear Ci and Percy. I looked toward the street and saw that their chase had extended all the way out there.
Now, only the King and I were left in the garage, since everyone else was inside helping.
Oh, this was my chance!
I had been thinking about this for a while. I told myself that if I got the opportunity, I would tell him properly.
"Keifer," I called out while he was pinching off another piece of lechon skin.
"Behave. I have something to tell you."
He turned to me, holding up the crispy lechon skin with a smile. "Look, this looks tasty."
I was suddenly craving it too. I had been starving for so long. I was about to take a bite, but he pulled it away.
Seriously?
"Weren't you about to say something?" he asked.
"Give me that first," I demanded, reaching for it, but he moved it out of my reach.
I pouted, but maybe I should say what I needed to first.
"Well... it's about something I've been wanting to say for a while now."
He nodded, biting into the lechon skin. I swallowed hard. I wanted one too.
"What is it?" he asked. I stared at the piece in his hand, almost forgetting what I was going to say. I grimaced. I just really wanted to eat.
I looked him in the eye.
"Let's do it."
"What?"
"Let's do it—let's eat already! I'm starving!"
I wanted to smack myself. Hard. Just to shake my brain out of this stupidity. It wasn't like I was desperate for a relationship, but still...
He laughed before handing me the piece of lechon skin. I immediately took it and ate it. The crunch echoed inside my mouth. I couldn't wait any longer—I needed to eat.
They would understand if I ate half of the lechon, right? I mean, we were all starving gluttons here anyway.
Good thing the other Ulupong arrived with food. Some brought a new table and benches as well. It looked like we wouldn't all fit because of how many we were and the amount of food we had.
"It's here! It's here! Time to eat!" Eman announced as he set down the food tray he was holding.
I clapped my hands while watching them put down the trays of food. There was spaghetti, baked mac, carbonara, pancit, fried chicken, lasagna, and more. I didn't even know what to eat first. They also opened the food Keifer and the others brought earlier.
Everyone started finding their own seats. Mama went to get some rice, and Aunt Gema brought chicharong bulaklak. We all turned to look at Kuya Angelo, who was pulling Aries outside.
"I need to study," my brother protested.
"You need a break," Kuya countered.
He forced Aries to sit beside me. I smiled when I saw that Aries had no choice. It seemed like the Ulupong didn't have a problem welcoming my brother to eat with us.
We were ready to start.
"Wait, where's Ci-N?" David asked when he couldn't spot his granddaughter.
I pointed outside the gate. Just in time, Ci-N entered, followed by Mica, Ella, and Freya. Percy had a huge smile on his face as he stared at his ex while trailing behind them. I grimaced.
Rory and I exchanged glances, both unsure of what to say.
"Baby," Calix called out to his girlfriend before going to meet her.
Meanwhile, Ella went straight to Aries and kissed him on the cheek. Ugh.
I looked away, afraid they might see my reaction and get mad. Then, I noticed Keifer placing a plate in front of me. He also got the utensils and poured water into my glass.
"I told you we should've just done the group study online," I heard Aries say to Ella.
"Mica is visiting her boyfriend here, so I tagged along to see you."
Another lovers' quarrel incoming?
Aries was about to stand up, but Yuri stopped him, catching the attention of the other Ulupong.
"Why don't you invite Ella to eat with us?" Yuri asked.
What?
I looked at Yuri, who seemed innocent in his suggestion. Then, I turned to Keifer, who looked just as confused as I was.
"I mean, Mica will eat here with us, so why not have Ella join us too?"
The Ulupong looked at us, as if waiting for our permission. It would be embarrassing to say no, especially with all this food. There was more than enough for everyone.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Ella replied.
"No, it's fine. There's plenty of food. Let Freya sit down too," I said, sounding a bit reluctant.
It's not like I'm selfish with food. I just don't usually include Ella and Freya when all the Ulupong are here. It's still a bit awkward, but maybe this is for the best—so they won't always feel out of place or think I don't want them around the Ulupong. It's not like I own them to keep them away.
Jay? Is that you?
Why do I sound so nice? This doesn't seem like me. Is this what happens when you don't eat and survive on water the whole day? Terrifying. Scary.
"Jay is right. Sit and eat with us," Keifer said, and I glanced at him sideways.
He actually wants this?
I turned back to Ella. She looked at my brother, and they stared at each other before she nodded. There was an empty seat beside Aries, so she sat there and placed her things beside them.
Alright, enjoy and dig in.
Then, I looked at Freya, who was currently rolling her eyes at my stepbrother. Doesn't she get tired of doing that?
"Sit down already. Jay-Jay said you can eat here," Percy told her.
Freya looked at me, waiting for me to say something.
I forced a smile and gestured toward the empty seats. "Go ahead and sit."
She raised an eyebrow before flipping her hair. Her stepbrother tried to pull out a bench for her, but she ignored it. Instead, she pointed at the seat beside Edrix.
"Is someone sitting here?" she asked.
Edrix was about to say yes, but Rory beat him to it.
"No one is. Sit here," Rory said, adjusting the seat.
Edrix was clearly annoyed. That was his seat earlier, but Rory gave it up just so his friend could sit beside her. Freya moved closer and took the seat. Suddenly, the Ulupong started coughing as if something was stuck in their throats.
Obvious troublemakers.
I glanced at Percy, who was now staring at Edrix and Freya, then at the Ulupong, who were clearly teasing them. I bit my lower lip. I hadn't even told Percy yet about what I did and our plan to set up Freya with Edrix.
"Can we start eating now?" I asked to change the topic.
They were ready to dig in when Ci suddenly yelled. "WAIT!" We all stopped, but that didn't stop Percy from pinching the lechon's skin. "I invited Rakki. Let's wait for her," the little rascal said.
"SHe can catch up. SHe won't run out of food," Felix replied in annoyance.
"Let's wait for her!" Ci pleaded like a child.
I sighed. "Alright, five minutes."
"Fifteen minutes."
"That's too long," Eman said as he was already sneaking a bite of Shanghai.
"Ten minutes. Let's wait for my Rakki!" Ci stomped his foot.
Her Rakki?
We all agreed, even though, in reality, we were already secretly taking food when Ci wasn't looking or when she was peeking outside the gate. Thankfully, we didn't have to wait too long because Rakki arrived—but he wasn't alone.
Ma'am Cindy and Sir Alvin came with him.
"Whose birthday is it?" Rakki asked, looking at the fruit salad he was holding. "Ci told me to bring this."
I chuckled. "No birthday, just a feast. Sit down."
Ci quickly took the fruit salad and made him sit. He laughed when he saw the Ulupong already eating. We were about to start when we noticed Sir and Ma'am standing by the gate.
It would be rude not to invite them.
"Sir! Ma'am Ganda! Come eat with us!" Eren called out.
They immediately declined. "We just want to speak to Angelo."
Keifer and I exchanged looks before glancing at Yuri, but he was already too busy scooping rice for himself. Ah, his Ulupong nature is showing.
"Eat first while waiting for him," I said, about to get them seats, but the Ulupong beat me to it.
"I'll go call Kuya," Aries said, but someone else already did it, making us all gape.
"Grumpy Kuya! Sir Alvin and Ma'am Cindy are looking for you!" someone shouted from inside the house.
Grumpy Kuya? Is this person suicidal?
I heard Keifer's quiet laughter. Where did this person get the guts? Even Sir Alvin laughed. If my cousin got pissed, I don't know what would happen to them.
Luckily, Kuya didn't take it seriously. He just went outside to talk to the couple. While watching them, I didn't even notice that my friends had already started eating. I had been left behind.
"Hey, don't finish all the lechon skin." I almost fell forward fighting for it.
No one gets left behind—except during meals.
I felt like crying. It was like I hadn't eaten in ten years. Even my stomach was excited about the food. I was amazed at myself for lasting this long. I really am a strong being. I was a few bites in when Kuya and the others approached.
"Eat. You should be eating with your students," Kuya said as he got plates for the couple.
"Are you teasing us?" Ma'am Cindy asked irritably.
"So you can taste real food," Kuya answered seriously, making Ma'am nearly lunge at him if not for Sir stopping her.
Wow, this fake angel is something else.
Kuya laughed mischievously, but it disappeared when he saw me eating. We stared at each other before he raised an eyebrow.
"You just got out of the hospital. Why is your plate full of lechon?" he asked, making the Ulupong burst into laughter. "Stop that already."
"I'm regaining my strength."
"Strength for what? Strength to flirt?" he snapped.
The Ulupong laughed again, and Aries even joined in. But he wouldn't escape Kuya's scrutiny. His gaze shifted to my brother, making Aries stop laughing immediately.
You thought it was just me?
"You too. You said you were reviewing, but all I saw on your laptop was 'I love you.'"
Ella, sitting beside Aries, bowed her head, and my brother averted his gaze. No wonder he was in such a hurry to send me away.
Well played, brother. Well played.
The Ulupong laughed again, but it all stopped when Kuya asked:
"Who called me grumpy?"