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, unblinking.
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 nodded slightly and couldn't hold back a blink. I was confused by his behavior. My text message was perfectly fine, even if they didn't understand it, but here he was, furious at me.
"What country are you from? I don't think these words are from Earth," he lectured, shoving his phone screen in my face to show my message. "Are you an alien? An alien?"
I shook my head and looked down. His reaction to my text was so over-the-top. You'd think I sent him a cursed chain message that he failed to forward to ten people.
There's no curse of fate in that.
"Well, you do kinda look like Kokey," he said before slipping his phone back into his pocket.
He gave me a sharp look before walking away and entering Grace's room. I glanced at Ci-N and Felix, who were quietly laughing at me. I knew they were enjoying watching my horoscope brother scold me.
I rolled my eyes at them before walking over to David and leaning against the same wall he was on.
"He's really 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 completely won him over. If this boy didn't have someone else he liked, I'd think he had a crush on me.
Thank goodness, really.
"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.
"You look like Kokey?" Felix said, bursting into laughter.
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 was like they were picking on me again, and I had no clue why.
"Do you even know what Kokey looks like?" David asked.
I shook my head. "In my mind, she's beautiful—A celebrity, they say."
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 stared back at me.
I studied the image, and it slowly sank in… it was an alien.
"Who's that?" I asked.
"That's Kokey," he replied.
What? I look like that?
"Seriously? That's Kokey?" I asked, irritation creeping in.
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 stormed to the door of Grace's room, arms crossed, waiting for that jerk 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?"
"Brace for a boxing match!" I replied, fuming.
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 look, though he only looked confused.
I immediately noticed Ella glancing at the King of the Ulupong. Good thing she quickly looked away the moment she felt my death 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 demonic, devilish King of the Ulupongs laughed heartily. He was clearly entertained. I shot him a quick glare before turning back to my sister.
"Don't you watch TV? Even kids who didn't grow up with that show still know who Kokey is," Ella said, shaking his head.
"I don't watch dramas!" I retorted angrily.
I'm all about afternoon anime.
"Isn't it nice? You look like someone famous. You should be proud," Aries teased further.
My nostrils flared wide. I was so angry I could've breathed fire.
I'll admit, I was proud at first—until I found out what Kokey looked like: an alien in a red hood.
"You're so mean!" I shouted, almost in tears.
They kept laughing at me, even though I was fuming. They were having a blast watching me stew.
"At least your looks are out of this world," Keifer added, making me even angrier.
"My foot!" I snapped, aiming a kick at him, but he dodged.
I wasn't amused by their teasing. They were ganging up on me. I was about to lose it when my brother's phone rang.
He answered it, glanced at me briefly, then spoke. "Yeah, we're heading home soon. She's with me," she said, then hung up after a quick goodbye. "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 to let me through.
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's calling," I said, making Grace wince.
Denzel laughed and shook his head. "Jay, please don't teach Grazel words like that."
"It'll be a while before she learns," I replied, then walked over to Grazel and smiled. "Ninang's going home. 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 sneak her out.
I turned back to Grace and Denzel, said my final goodbye, and left. When I stepped out, only that jerk 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 trailed behind me. I felt uneasy inside the elevator. It was just the two of us, and I couldn't help but remember past elevator-related incidents.
What if—
Suddenly, someone tapped me. "Don't touch me!" I yelled and instinctively kicked upward.
The people about to enter the elevator—nurses, doctors, and patients—all shreiked and backed away. I immediately lowered my foot and searched for Keifer, who had squeezed himself into the corner to dodge my kick.
"We're here. Let's get out," he replied, pointing outside the elevator.
We?
I forced an awkward smile at the people waiting for us to exit. Softly, I muttered an apology as I walked past them. Once we were clear, I sped up my pace, practically running out of the hospital.
Behind me, I could hear the quiet laughter of that shameless jerk. I turned to face him, ready to smack him, but he easily blocked my hand.
"You think this is funny, huh? It's your fault, but I'm the one who got embarrassed!" I shouted at him.
"I just tapped you. You were too tense." He answered mockingly.
I glared at him. "Why did you even tap me?! You could've just called me!"
"I did call your name, but you were too preoccupied."
"Because—!"
"What?"
I paused, racking my brain. I ran out of comebacks.
Think!
"Because I have a lot on my mind!" I shot back, then turned away from him.
I marched straight to the parking lot. Every now and then, I'd turn to face the annoying King because of his petty teasing. I was this close to smacking him out of frustration.
Even when we reached the parking lot, he wouldn't stop. 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, grabbed me, 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 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.
Sounds like a serious lovers' quarrel. I couldn't help but eavesdrop on their drama. This was the first time I'd seen them fight. Maybe I should grab some popcorn first.
Should I 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 angrily.
"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." He replied calmly, but with emphasis.
I nodded in agreement. He had a point.
"Can you blame me? All our classmates notice how attentive you are to Freya. And now people are bringing up that you two were exes."
"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.
"Fine, you're not together anymore! But why do you still act that way with her? Why do you worry about her so much? Why do you care for her like she's your girlfriend?" Ella said, her voice tinged with pleading.
Aries let out a heavy sigh. "Freya. Is. Nothing. But. A. Friend," He replied slowly.
I didn't hear either of them speak after that. The King of the Ulupong and I peeked out almost simultaneously. The two were gone, so we stepped out from our hiding spot.
I immediately turned to my companion. "They were never together?"
"I-I don't know," he said, stepping back slightly as I got closer. "As far as I know, they were a couple."
But my horoscope-loving brother had just denied it.
Maybe he was just denying it to calm his not-so-jealous girlfriend. But then again, it's not his style to pile new lies on top of his own mess.
If he's telling the truth, then what did Rakki see between them back then?
A prank?
"Whatever you're thinking, don't act impulsively," Keifer said, When I looked at him, his brows were furrowed, as if accusing me of something.
"I'm not planning to do anything!" I huffed, rolling my eyes.
I just walked off and started looking for my dramatic sister's car. I must've circled the parking lot a few times before I finally spotted her vehicle. The two of them were waiting, and it was obvious they were still in the middle of their lovers' quarrel. I quickly said goodbye to the jerk Ulupong before running toward them.
We hopped in the car to leave.
During the drive, it felt like a contest of "no one makes a sound, the loser gets cursed" because the two were eerily silent. Their silence made me restless, and my stomach started churning.
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! Traitor! 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—!" He suddenly smacked me on the back of the head. "Ouch!"
"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 took a deep breath to calm himself. He started the car and drove off. When I looked at him, he was staring at the road with a serious expression.
Does he really have 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 to be clueless.
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.
"Doesn't sound good. You don't usually worry like that."
Not even with me.
I pouted at the thought. I know she's been making up for things with me, but sometimes, when I see how differently she treats me compared to others, I can't help but compare.
"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. And he's proud to say that right to my face.
But this seemed like the right time to finally clear up once and for all about what really happened between them. Were they actually together, or was it just gossip like she claimed?
"Did you court her?" I asked, intrigued.
He shook his head. "Just a crush."
"Just a crush?" I repeated.
"Just a crush," he replied casually..
"Really just a crush?"
"Really just a crush."
"Did she crush you back?"
"Nope."
My nostrils flared. "So you never got together?"
He shook his head again. "Never."
"Not even once?"
He paused to think before speaking again. "Well… almost. But I stopped because I saw her broken side."
What?! Almost?!
"Almost how?" I asked eagerly.
Call me a gossip, but this was my chance to get answers. I needed clarity about what was going on with them because I'm caught in the middle. I'M CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE!
"Well… One time we…" She cleared her throat. "We… Almost…" She struggled to say it. "You… know… when people get drunk and things turn… Something like… 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, just like my sister—who waits for the stars to align—said.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star…
"You already know what I mean. The point is, we never got together." 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 request."
I looked at him, puzzled. "Percy's request?"
The car stopped and he gave me a small smile. "Before he disappeared, he entrusted his family and Freya to us. Sadly, I couldn't fulfill the first one, so I tried with the second."
I couldn't help but feel sad at his words. He couldn't get close to Felix's family back then, so how could he follow through on their friend's request—the one with the tornado tail?
"I'm not Percy, but thank you for what you did. It seems like you're the only one who kept his promise."
His eyes were sad while one hand was still on the steering wheel.
"I wish I had. But seeing Freya ruin herself makes me feel that I failed." He shook his head. "Dying to be with a man that she'll never have." He laughed bitterly. "She almost got pregnant."
My eyes widened. She almost got pregnant by Yuri? What were they doing? Weren'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 something like that." I said almost in a whisper.
Aries looked at me. "What do you expect? Yuri is no saint." He opened the car door and 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 entered the house almost side by side. I hadn't even gotten far from the door when I heard Kuya Angelo's thunderous voice.
"Where the hell have you been?!" I froze and looked at him. "And what language is that text in?! An Alien's?!"
I knew what was coming next. I had to save myself.
Ninja moves: RUN!