Jay-jay's POV
"What the hell were you doing?!" Kei—kwanan asked angrily.
I pouted while mopping the floor. "Cooking."
"Cooking what? Fire? We're having fire for dinner?" he asked sarcastically, making me pout even more.
After he calmed me down from crying, now he was scolding me. I felt like crying again. How was I supposed to know the fire would climb up the pan?
"The ice on the fish was taking too long to melt," I reasoned.
"You should have waited before turning on the stove."
I scratched my head and continued wiping the floor. Because of the water I threw earlier, the floor was soaked and there were splashes of oil. I volunteered to clean up, knowing Kei—kwanan was already having a hard time walking around.
After cleaning, I put away the mop and went back to the kitchen. He was busy skewering the fish on barbecue sticks.
"What are you doing?"
"I haven't checked if the stove is still safe to use, so we'll cook this on direct fire."
I looked at the stove I had just finished cleaning. I felt regret wash over me—this was an expensive brand. Mycaella Nicole—built strong, for the wealthy, for the runaway.
"Let's go outside," said the King of Snakes as he slowly stood up.
I quickly approached him to help. Every step he took was slow, so it took us a few minutes to get outside.
"Where are we going?" I asked, a little annoyed.
"I'm looking for a—"
"For heaven's sake, kwanan," I interrupted him. "Your accent's hot, but just speak Tagalog already. My brain's already drained."
He laughed softly. "Is my accent hot, or am I hot?"
And there it is.
I gave him a light push, catching him off guard. His eyes widened as he clung to me tightly.
"One more wisecrack and you'll faceplant in the sand," I threatened.
"What?" he asked, laughing.
"Tagalog!"
"I'm still adjusting. I stayed in London for more than a month. Of course my brain adapts. If all I hear is English, I'll speak English, too. It becomes my natural reflex when someone talks to me," he explained pausing his walk.
"Wow, so fancy." I muttered.
"Haven't you noticed other Filipinos who stay in places without Tagalog speakers? They unintentionally forget to speak Tagalog because their brains adapt to the environment," he added.
So smart. Thanks for making me feel dumb.
"Whatever, you win," I mumbled, but it seemed like he still heard me.
"I'm explaining so you'll understand. That's why you don't learn anything in class."
Oh wow! A reality check, huh?
He let go of me and limped toward a large tree branch lying on the sand. He sat on it, stretching out his injured leg—the one with the wound that looked tempting to splash with seawater and rub with sand.
"Gather some branches. We'll make a bonfire so we can cook the fish there."
I rolled my eyes at him before searching for branches. I even grabbed some dry coconut fronds. I brought them all to him, then went back to the house to get everything else we needed. I handed him the lighter first and left the fish on a tray beside him. I returned to the house again to grab plates and drinks.
When I came back, he'd already started a fire, and the fish were roasting nearby. I set down what I was carrying and sat on the sand next to him.
"Sit here," Kei invited, patting the spot beside him.
Honestly, where I was sitting was hot. There's probably no harm in sitting beside him. I stood up and moved closer, settling next to him before arranging the plates.
I'm starving.
"How much longer? I'm hungry," I said, eyeing the fish.
"What's new?" my seatmate muttered, pretending to adjust the firewood in the fire.
"I'll push you into that fire," I threatened, but he just laughed at me.
I hugged my knees and rested my chin on them. The sky was getting darker and darker, and my stomach was starting to rumble.
Watching the sunset by the beach was beautiful. But watching the fish cook was even better.
"This island is really nice. What province is this in?"
"I'll show you on the map later. And maybe help me name this island," he said, picking up a barbecue stick nearby.
He checked the fish before placing them back near the fire. It doesn't look cooked yet.
"This island doesn't have a name?" I asked, and he nodded.
I was intrigued. I knew the Philippines had many islands, but I had no idea you could actually claim an entire one.
"What made you decide to buy it?"
He looked at me like he was saying, "Isn't it obvious?" I just nodded awkwardly. So we could talk. I smirked in annoyance before playing with the sand at my feet.
Talk, my foot. Jerk.
Thankfully, some of the fish cooked quickly. I helped him transfer them to the plates, and we started eating.
"Greedy," he teased, but I ignored him.
I didn't want to say anything unpleasant, so I just kept eating. I was starting to get annoyed again, remembering why this idiot had brought me to this place.
If I wasn't mistaken, he'd brought me here on a Friday. It was Saturday now, and tomorrow was Sunday. We had to get back before Monday—or at least by Monday morning.
After eating, I cleaned up our things. I kept going back and forth, bringing everything we'd used back inside.
Once I was done, I returned to Kei—Kwanan to help him walk.
"Let's go. Let's go inside." I invited, holding his arm to help him stand, but he stopped me.
"Can we stay here for a while?" he asked while holding my hand.
I wanted to refuse, but he looked so pitiful—like he was about to cry.
Soft-hearted fool.
I removed his hand from mine and sat beside him. I saw the way his face lit up, clearly delighted that I'd agreed.
The warmth of the fire mixed perfectly with the cool sea breeze, so the wind wasn't an issue for us.
"Why are you so quiet?" he asked me.
"I don't have anything to say."
"You can ask me anything."
I rolled my eyes. I knew what he wanted— He wanted me to ask questions so the topic would eventually shift to what he did, and he could explain himself.
I didn't know why he was so eager to explain what he'd done. Maybe he was hoping we'd make up after he'd told his side.
Dream on.
"What do you want me to ask?" I asked irritably.
Fine, I'll humor him. If he wanted to talk, then we would. So it can be over and done with. Even if I go home with a heart full of wounds.
I heard him sigh. "Let's talk about it. Please."
I nodded and forced a smile. "Fine. Let's talk. So we can get it over with."
I exhaled heavily. Nothing had even been said yet, but I already felt my chest tighten. I bit my lip several times just to control my emotions.
Don't cry.
"The plan to use you and get even with Aries is true." He started, and that was all it took for my tears to fall.
I had already heard it before, but it still hurt just as much to hear it again. He hadn't even said much, but my eyes were already flooding like a broken dam.
"I was so mad at him. So when I saw how affected he was by what we were doing to you, I asked Rory and Edrix to gather information about you. That's when I found Aries's adoption papers and both of your birth certificates." He explained.
So that's why he found out so quickly. He even knew before I did. He even got hold of private documents. Impressive.
"Our classmates and friends knew everything. They were also angry at your brother for what he was doing to our section."
I shut my eyes as the pain resurfaced. I had trusted them as my friends, yet all of this was happening behind my back.
Being betrayed by a lover was painful, but the pain of being betrayed by friends was even worse.
"They knew the plan from the start but not the end because we all stopped halfway." He said, and I glared at him bitterly.
He reached out to touch my face, but I slapped his hand away. He kept trying until my slaps turned into full-on hits. He didn't even try to dodge. He just took them all.
"You Jerk! Why did you have to drag me into this when I had nothing to do with it?!" I lashed out, hitting his chest. "You were furious at Aries because he stole Ella from you? She never even loved you!" I hit him again. "If she didn't want to be taken, she wouldn't have let herself be taken! It's that simple, but you didn't think of it because you're too proud! So you planned revenge!"
I hit him again, but with less force this time.
"I-I know." He answered, his voice breaking.
"And me? I had nothing to do with your messed up lives! And you dragged me into it!" I was about to hit him again, but I ended up breaking into sobs.
Louder than before. The pain was twice as much now that I was finally facing the truth.
"What did I ever do to you?" I asked, without realizing I was already leaning against his chest. "You trapped me in your mess! From your plan! And Yuri's plan! You're all selfish!"
"I am selfish." He admitted, holding me tightly. "But believe me when I say that I love you. And they know—the whole Section E knows."
I tried to push him away, but I was too weak for it to make a difference. I felt his deep breaths, the slight trembling of his chest.
"I stopped on my own before I even realized it. And so did they. Because they knew I was already falling in love with you. They never complained because they cared about you. You made them care about you." He added.
His words only made me cry even more. I was scared to believe him. What if this was just another part of his scheme?
But I couldn't help clinging to what he was saying—especially since those idiots were involved.
Damn those idiots.
"But I needed to push you away. My enemies were growing in number—more than just the thugs we used to fight on the streets." He kissed the top of my head. "Saving you was a must. From that monster, from my relatives… and from myself."
I paused, thinking about his last words. I slowly pulled away and saw the tears on his face. I didn't even realize he was crying too.
"W-what?"
"Remember how I got mad?" He asked, and I nodded. "I didn't want to end up like my father. I was scared. So, I told myself I had to change and save you from me. That was one of the reasons I left."
I kept sniffing, still not understanding why he wanted to change that part of himself. For what? Why did it matter if he got angry?
It was normal for people to get angry.
"W-why do you want to change yourself?"
"For me, for you." He took both of my hands. "For us."
For me? For us?
I shouldn't believe him so easily. But it felt true. What if it really was true?
"Leaving was my way of protecting you. But I never wasted a single moment while we were apart. I did everything I had to do. I learned a lot and became a wiser person to protect you. I'm strong enough now to be with you."
He explained, holding my face in both hands.
"Even Angelo—I can face him." He added with a soft laugh.
"Why didn't you just tell me the truth?"
"I know you. As long as you can help, you will help. And if you knew the truth, they would find out too. They would surely find a way."
I removed his hands.
"How were you so sure that pushing me away would stop your enemies from coming after me?"
I was just short of listing down everyone who had kidnapped me. Next time, I'll make a list of their names.
"Angelo knows about my plan. So if I'm not around, he'll be the one to protect you" He said, and I was slightly confused.
Kuya Angelo.
"...and besides, our friends were there. I never cut my connection with them."
Ah, I knew it.
That pack of traitors had been talking to him all along. They better prepare themselves when we get back.
"W-why did you call them? Why not me? We barely spoke! And when we did, you pretended to be someone else! You crazy idiot!"
He smiled.
"You knew already. Would you have talked to me if you knew it was me?" I froze, thinking about his words. "And besides, why would I call you when I can visit you?"
I frowned.
"What?"
"I couldn't bear it. There were times when I wanted so badly to see you, so I crossed the distance between London and the Philippines. I even bought a private jet so I could travel secretly."
Oh wow, just pocket change?
I hit him.
"So you were coming back all this time, and you never showed yourself to me?!"
"If I showed myself to you, I might never leave again."
I didn't know what to say. All this time, he had been doing all this while we were apart. Meanwhile, I was over here wondering if he had already found another girl.
Why was I the one feeling guilty?
"D-did you do everything you had to do?" I asked, avoiding his gaze.
He reached for my hand and held it tightly. I tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let go. Instead, he pulled me closer and embraced me. I tried to push him away, but he only tightened his hold.
I had no strength left.
"Mostly, but not all. I still have problems with my relatives who are after the inheritance. And of course, that monster who killed my mom."
I remembered how Kei—kwanan was treated by his father. Like he wasn't his child at all, yet he was still after his inheritance.
Why was he like that?
"What about your siblings?"
"They are also one of the reasons why I chose to hurt you. I can't protect you all. So I made a sacrifice."
His explanation made something stir in my chest.
I understood why he did it. His siblings needed him more. He had too many enemies, and he had to prioritize his family. If I were in his position, I would have done the same.
"For now, Keiren is under the custody of a friend. While Keigan is under my monitoring. He seems..."
He didn't finish his sentence about Keigan.
"What about Keigan?"
"I'm afraid to admit it, but I think you and Keigan are experiencing the same symptoms."
And suddenly, my problem with seeing blood came rushing back. Among all the people who knew about my situation, he was the only one I had confided in. He was also the only one looking for clear answers without forcing me.
Only him.
"I-I remember things. Like fragments of my past, but they're terrifying." I said as the images and dreams came flooding back.
I shut my eyes and clung tightly to him. I knew he could feel my fear.
"Sshh... Don't force yourself to remember."
"N-no. They come back on their own. It's scary."
I felt his hand gently stroking my hair.
"It's okay. I'm here. You have nothing to be afraid of. We'll face it together."
It only became clear to me now. After he explained, I felt lighter. It's too soon to say I've forgiven him completely, but I want to make the most of this moment. After all the chaos, this is the first time I've felt peace.
Peace, man, peace.
We didn't let go of each other, as if our lives depended on the embrace. That's how we stayed—occasionally loosening our hold—until the fire completely died out.
He had his arm around me as I helped him walk. When we reached the living room, I left him briefly to wash the plates. I also locked the doors, even though I knew no one else would come in here.
I helped him walk upstairs to the bedroom again. I planned to take him to the room next door, but he insisted on going to the one I'd been staying in.
He said he'd clean up first, so I let him. After he came out of the bathroom, I went in to wash up and change into sleepwear. I thought he'd be ready to move to another room, but when I stepped out, that sneaky jerk was already lying on the bed.
"You can't stay here. I only let you last time because I was already asleep." I said calmly.
"I'm too tired, Jay. Please, I promise tomorrow I'll move to the next room."
I paused for a moment. Tomorrow? We're staying here until tomorrow?!
I'm seriously doomed. The longer I'm away, the longer my brother will stretch out the suffering he has in store for me. He'll skin me alive and bathe me in onions and garlic.
I lay down on the bed with a scowl, already imagining what my funeral would look like.
"Do you forgive me now?" Kei—kwanan asked, and I turned to look at him.
"I-I can't say."
"I don't expect you to forgive me that easily. I'll work hard for your forgiveness." He said, reaching for my hand.
I turned to my side to face him. It's been a while since I last looked at him up close. He smiled at me, but I couldn't bring myself to return it.
He leaned in like he was about to kiss me, but I pulled away and put my palm in front of his face. He brushed my hand aside and tried to get closer again. I immediately smacked him.
"Just one."
"Idiot!" I snapped, hitting him repeatedly.
He just blocked my hits and laughed. "Stop. Don't move too much, someone might get mad."
I paused and stopped. "Who?"
"The reindeer."
The moment he said it, my gaze automatically lowered. That's when I noticed he was only wearing a t-shirt and boxers—the same boxers I gave him at the Christmas party.
What a lunatic!!
I immediately turned away from him. "Don't come near me!"
He chuckled softly. At least he behaved and stayed quiet after that.
Hours passed, and I still couldn't sleep. I kept telling myself to, but it just wasn't happening. His deep, steady breathing only kept me more awake.
Go to sleep already!
All sorts of things started running through my head. Even dirty thoughts I hadn't considered before. I hadn't been like this the past few days, which only made me more anxious for reasons I couldn't understand.
"Jay-jay," Kei—kwanan whispered.
"What?" I answered softly.
"Ready na," He said, making me frown.
I turned to him, and his wide-open eyes met mine. "What's ready?"
"The reindeer's ready to charge."
It took me a moment to understand what he meant. Then I saw his mischievous grin.
You jerk!
I shot up from the bed and let loose a string of curses, but all he did was laugh. I kept hitting him and —bam! I accidentally kicked the reindeer.