The beach was littered with the remnants of the "Great Jollibee Drone Strike." Keifer was staring at a piece of Chickenjoy and a mound of rice with the clinical intensity of a surgeon. He was looking for his silver fork.
"Keifer, stop it," Jay-jay laughed, slapping his hand away from his travel bag. "You're in the middle of a beach, wearing a shirt that costs more than my college tuition, eating fast food. The fork is an insult to the vibe."
Keifer looked at her, truly puzzled. "I am not eating rice with my bare hands, Jay. I have a reputation. And also... germs."
"It's called Kamayan, Mr. CEO. It makes the food taste 100% better. It's a scientific fact in the Philippines," she joked, sitting cross-legged on the sand. "Wash your hands with the mineral water and watch the master."
Jay-jay expertly gathered a small ball of rice with her fingertips, tucked a piece of chicken against it using her thumb, and popped it into her mouth with a graceful flick.
"Your turn," she challenged.
Keifer took a deep breath, rolled up his sleeves, and reached for the rice. It was a disaster. He tried to pick it up like he was holding a delicate fountain pen. The rice grains slipped through his fingers like sand.
"No, no! Don't be shy! You have to press it," Jay-jay giggled, moving behind him. She reached around and grabbed his hand, her warm skin pressing against his. "Like this. Form a little mountain. Use your thumb as a pusher. "
Keifer froze, not because of the rice, but because Jay-jay was pressed against his back, her breath tickling his ear. He followed her lead, successfully launching a glob of rice into his mouth.
"See?" she beamed. "How is it?"
Keifer chewed, his eyes widening. "It... it actually does taste different. Or maybe I'm just enjoying the fact that I'm breaking every rule my grandmother ever taught me."
In his excitement to master the "Thumb-Push" technique, Keifer reached for the extra gravy container. He didn't see the patch of loose sand under his elbow.
Squelch.
He slipped, and his hand went straight into the gravy, which then splattered upward, coating his face and—more tragically—his perfectly styled, expensive hair
Jay-jay fell over sideways, howling with laughter. "The King! The King has been defeated by the gravy!"
Keifer wiped a glob of brown sauce from his forehead, looking at his sticky palms. He looked at Jay-jay, who was literally rolling in the sand laughing at him. A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes.
"Oh, you think this is funny, Mariano?"
"It's hilarious! You look like a—"
Before she could finish, Keifer lunged. He didn't use his hands; he just leaned in and rubbed his gravy-covered cheek against her clean one.
"AHHH! Keifer! No! My skin care!" Jay-jay shrieked, trying to crawl away. But Keifer was faster. He scooped her up, gravy, sand, and all.
"We're a mess," Keifer declared, carrying her toward the moonlit waves.
SPLASH.
They hit the water together, the cool salt spray washing away the grease and the stress of the past week. They surfaced, gasping and laughing. Jay-jay's hair was a tangled nest of saltwater and leftover Jollibee scent.
"Hold still," Keifer whispered, his voice turning gentle.
He stood up in the waist-deep water, pulling her close. He took a handful of the clear seawater and began to carefully wash the sand and gravy from her hair. His fingers massaged her scalp, slow and rhythmic, his eyes focused entirely on her.
It was the most expensive "shampoo" session in history—performed by a billionaire in the middle of the ocean.
"You're actually pretty good at this," Jay-jay whispered, her heart fluttering. The playfulness had shifted into that familiar, electric heat.
"I'm a fast learner," Keifer murmured. He leaned in, his wet hair dripping onto her face. He didn't smell like expensive cologne anymore; he smelled like the sea and home.
He kissed her, his hands still tangled in her hair, the waves gently pushing them closer together.
"Jay-jay?"
"Hmm?"
"Next time... let's just order a pizza. It's less 'shampoo-heavy.'"
Jay-jay laughed, splashing him. "Deal. But only if we eat it with our hands."
Author note
OMG! We finally hit 32K views! 🎉 Thank you to all the Section E loyalists for sticking with Keifer and Jay-jay. To celebrate, let's get a little messy! and so sorry for being irregular guys