JAY-JAY POV
*****the next day******
I got up, got ready, and headed downstairs.
The maids were already in the kitchen, moving around like a well‑trained army as breakfast sizzled on the stove.
And right in the middle of all of it?
Percy.
Devouring food by himself like he hadn't eaten in weeks.
I went to sit on the chair.
"Good morning, Ma'am Jay," one of the maids greeted me with a warm smile.
"Morning," I replied, trying to sound awake even though my brain was still loading.
Percy didn't even look up from his plate — he was too busy inhaling food like it was a competition and he was determined to win first place.
I looked at Percy.
I mean, I admit I'm a foodie — but he was acting like he planned to eat the entire breakfast by himself.
Before he could inhale anything else, I reached over and pulled the french toast and eggs out of his reach.
"Baby Sistah, why did you take them?" he asked, offended like I'd just stolen his firstborn child.
"Why do you think?" I said, already taking a bite of the french toast. "I also want something to eat."
Percy blinked at me, betrayed. "You could've asked."
"You could've left some for other humans," I shot back.
He gasped dramatically, clutching his chest like I'd stabbed him. "Wow. The disrespect in this house."
I rolled my eyes and kept eating.
Then Raffy came downstairs, hair messy, eyes half‑closed.
"Morning, Ate Jay," he mumbled, still half asleep.
"Morning," I said, scooting a little so he could sit next to me.
He plopped down beside me and immediately reached for food.
"Raffy, I want you to meet the Fernandez's today, so you're coming with me," I told him.
"Whatever you want," he said, already grabbing pancakes, Nutella, and bread straight off Percy's plate.
Percy froze mid‑bite. "Why are you two stealing from me?"
I shrugged. "Because you eat like a vacuum."
Raffy nodded seriously. "Yeah, Kuya. Share."
Percy gasped like we'd committed a crime. "Unbelievable. I feed this family and this is the thanks I get."
I rolled my eyes. "Percy, you feed yourself. We're just trying to survive."
Raffy ignored us both, already reaching for more food. "The Fernandez's are Kuya Angelo, Kuya Aries, and Tita Gemma, right?"
I nodded. "They're all nice. And… one more thing — Aries will be your step‑brother."
Raffy paused mid‑bite.
"How many brothers will I have?" he asked, trying to sound casual. "I have Kuya Percy, Kuya Aries, and Kuya—"
He stopped.
Just like that.
The name caught in his throat, and for a split second, the sadness slipped through before he covered it up with a forced smile.
"Yeah… so many brothers," he said quietly.
Percy and I exchanged a look — the kind that said everything without a single word.
We both knew exactly whose name Raffy almost said.
And exactly why he couldn't say it.
"Ate Jay… please, can't we try to find Kuya Jare?" Raffy asked, voice small, hopeful, hurting.
Jare.
My brother.
Our brother.
We were triplets — me, Jas, and Jare.
Three hearts born together.
Three lives tied together.
But fate decided to play a cruel game and tear us apart.
Jas is gone… taken by that accident.
And Jare…
Jare was the one Aunt Eden hid after the accident.
I still remember the way everything fell apart — the screaming, the sirens, the blood, the panic. '
And then the silence.
The kind that swallows you whole.
Grandpa and Grandma tried everything to get him back from her, but she didn't listen.
She never listened.
Not when it mattered.
Not when it came to us.
Then after that, she tried to take me too —
but Grandpa gave me to Mama Jenna, hoping I would be safe here.
Safe.
A word that never really belonged to me.
"Raffy, you know there's a whole search team looking for him," Percy said gently.
"But Kuya… I miss Kuya Jare," Raffy whispered.
I looked at him, really looked at him.
He was only ten when our parents died.
Just a kid trying to understand why his whole world collapsed.
And he was twelve when Grandpa decided to send me to the Philippines —
twelve when he lost me too, even if it wasn't forever.
I reached over and ruffled Raffy's hair, trying to ease the worry on his face.
"I'm sure Jare will come to us after he turns eighteen," I told him softly. "Until then, you just focus on staying safe, okay?"
Raffy nodded, small and obedient in a way that made my chest ache.
He shouldn't have had to grow up this fast.
He shouldn't have had to miss this many people.
I turned to Percy. "Percy, make sure the security is tight."
He didn't argue, didn't tease, didn't roll his eyes like he usually would.
He just nodded once — serious, protective, already planning ten steps ahead.
Because he knew.
We both knew.
Aunt Eden wasn't done with us.
And Jare wasn't the only one she'd tried to take.
That thought stayed with me long after breakfast, sitting heavy in my chest as we walked to Kuya Angelo's house.
The morning sun felt too bright for the kind of memories it dragged up.
Raffy fidgeted beside me, adjusting his shirt for the tenth time. "So what do I say? Just… go inside and be like, 'Hello everyone, I'm Jay's younger brother'?"
I couldn't help it — I laughed. "Sure. That would be a nice intro."
He groaned. "Ate, I'm serious."
"I know," I said, still smiling. "But honestly? They're going to love you no matter what you say."
Raffy looked down at his hands, cheeks a little pink. "I just… don't want to embarrass you."
My heart softened. "Raffy, you could walk in there and say 'ribbit' like a frog and they'd still think you're adorable."
He snorted. "I'm not doing that."
I laughed, shaking my head as we finally reached Kuya Angelo's house.
I stepped inside first, and Tita was already in the living room, bright smile ready.
"Hello, Jay! Angelo told me you were at Percy's house last night," she said, pulling me into a hug.
I nodded. "Yes, Tita."
Her gaze shifted to Raffy, who hovered politely behind me.
"And who is this young man you have here?" she asked, brows knitting in confusion.
Raffy straightened up. "Hello, Tita. I'm Raffy… Ate Jay's younger brother."
Tita blinked, clearly trying to place him.
Before she could ask anything else, Kuya Angelo walked in — and from the look on his face, he'd heard enough.
"Oh! You're Tito Jaspfer and Tita Reycee's son, right?" he said.
Raffy nodded shyly.
Tita's face lit up. "Of course you are! You look just like Reycee." She pulled him into a warm hug.
Raffy stiffened for a moment — then slowly relaxed into it.
"Jay," Aries said as he walked toward me, his voice calm but warm in that way he probably didn't even realize he had. Then he turned to Raffy. "You're Raffy, right?"
Raffy nodded, a little stiff, a little shy.
And then Aries did something I absolutely did not expect.
He hugged him.
Just—arms open, full embrace, no hesitation.
I blinked.
Since when does this horoscope hug people with a smile?
Aries, the human embodiment of a closed door, suddenly acting like sunshine?
Raffy looked surprised too, but he slowly hugged back, and Aries gave him a gentle pat on the back like he'd known him for years.
I stared at them, still processing.
Because if someone had told me yesterday that Aries would hug anyone, let alone my little brother, I would've laughed in their face.
But here we are.
Aries turned to me, eyes narrowing just a little. "Don't look so shocked, monkey."
I froze.
He just called me a monkey.
"Aries," I said sweetly — too sweetly.
"What?" he asked, already suspicious.
"Can you please tell me my horoscope today?" I asked, tilting my head like an innocent angel.
I knew exactly what I was doing.
And so did he.
He glared at me — the kind of glare
Tita opened her mouth, probably to scold one of us, but she didn't get the chance.
Because Aries lunged.
And I was already gone.
I sprinted through the living room, dodging chairs and Kuya Angelo's shocked face as Aries chased me like a madman.
"You little troublemaker, come here!" he shouted.
"No!" I yelled back, bolting straight toward the backyard.
The moment I reached the pool area, I spun around dramatically.
"Jay," Aries warned, breath slightly uneven.
"Aries," I mimicked in the exact same tone.
His eyes twitched.
I grinned.
Aries charged toward me, determination written all over his face — but right before he could grab me, I sidestepped.
Perfect timing.
He slipped.
And fell straight into the pool.
The splash was massive.
I burst out laughing, doubling over, clutching my stomach. "Oh my god—Aries!"
He resurfaced with his hair plastered to his forehead, looking like a drowned, angry cat.
Before he could yell at me, Tita came rushing out, eyes wide. "What was that?!"
She froze when she saw Aries in the pool.
"Aries! Why are you swimming with your clothes on?" she demanded.
I tried — I really tried — but I started laughing again.
Aries glared at me like he was planning my funeral.
Then Raffy came running over with his phone held up like a trophy.
"Ate, I have this recorded," he said proudly, showing me the screen.
"Raffy," Aries warned from the pool, voice low and dangerous.
"Ohhh, perfect," I said, practically snatching the phone as I walked toward Raffy. "Send me the video."
He nodded, already tapping the screen.
I didn't even notice Aries climbing out of the pool — dripping, annoyed, and absolutely done with my existence — because I was too busy laughing at the video. He got everything. From the moment Aries sprinted after me to the exact second he slipped and fell into the pool.
I burst out laughing again. "Oh my god, look at your face—"
Suddenly, two wet hands grabbed my ears.
"OW—Aries!" I yelped as he twisted them. "Aahhh! Please, Aries, let me go!"
He twisted harder.
"That's for making me fall," he said through clenched teeth.
"Tita!" I yelled, trying to wiggle away. "Tita, help!"
Tita appeared in the doorway, took one look at us, and immediately covered her mouth to hide her laugh.
"Aries, let her go," she said, voice shaking from trying not to laugh.
Aries released my ears with a final flick, and I stumbled forward, rubbing them dramatically.
"Look! They're red because of you," I said, pointing at him like I was presenting evidence in court.
Aries crossed his arms, still dripping water everywhere. "Good. Maybe next time you won't make me fall into a pool."
I gasped. "So you admit it was your fault."
His eye twitched. "Jay, I swear—"
Tita stepped between us, waving her hands. "Enough, you two. Aries, stop bullying her. Jay, stop provoking him."
I opened my mouth to defend myself, but Tita shot me a look that said don't even try it.
Behind her, Raffy was trying so hard not to laugh that his shoulders were shaking.
Aries glared at him. "Don't you dare send that video."
Raffy hid his phone behind his back. "Too late."
Aries groaned.
I grinned.
Tita walked away, still laughing under her breath, and Raffy wandered off to show Percy the video again.
Which left me and Aries.
Just us.
Aries sighed — that long, annoyed, I'm‑pretending‑I‑don't‑care sigh — and stepped closer.
"Let me see," he said.
I blinked. "Huh?"
"Your ears," he said, already reaching out. "You're rubbing them like you're dying."
I opened my mouth to tease him, but his fingers brushed my ear and the words got stuck in my throat.
He tilted my head gently, checking both sides with a frown that was way too serious for someone who just threw me around like a rag doll.
"They're not that red," he murmured. "You're fine."
"You twisted them like you were trying to remove them," I said.
He clicked his tongue. "If I wanted to remove them, you'd know."
I swatted his hand away. "You're so annoying."
He shrugged, stepping back like the moment never happened. "You started it."
But there was a tiny smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
And for a second — just a second — I forgot he was the same guy who chased me around the house like a lunatic.