Guys please read author's thoughts and answers my question.
Keifer's POV
She had been driving for an hour straight, and she didn't look even the slightest bit tired. We were genuinely having the time of our lives. We had the music blasted at full volume and a pile of snacks between us. Since she couldn't take her hands off the wheel (thankfully!), I fed her while she drove. We sang along to the lyrics so loudly that our throats probably should have been sore.
At one point, she actually let go of the steering wheel to start dancing with her hands. I just laughed, quickly guiding her hands back to where they belonged before we ended up in a ditch. She pouted, trying her hardest to look annoyed with me, but she couldn't keep a straight face for long.
I swear, I should probably never let her drive me anywhere again—I feel like I'm flirting with death! Just kidding. Honestly, I love being like this. I'm only this version of myself when I'm with her. With Jayjay, I'm not the Keifer everyone else sees. She is different from the rest of the world to me. My Queen changed me. I love her so much that sometimes I really do feel like a lovesick puppy.
"Jay, let's skip the heavy exercise. Let's just do some light jogging together," I suggested. She nodded, keeping her eyes on the road.
"Okay, not a big deal," she agreed.
When Percy and Aries were talking about her speeding, I thought they were exaggerating. I figured she just went a little fast. But man, she proved me wrong. She doesn't just speed; she flies. And even now, she was still pushing the limit.
"There's the park," she said, pointing to the right.
"Oh, this is nice. It's full of nature," I remarked. The park was beautiful—lush green grass, soft bushes at every corner, vibrant flowers, and benches scattered around. There was a paved path winding through it, perfect for running or jogging. Well, whatever it was, we were probably just going to walk. I had mentioned jogging, but I realized we'd get sweaty and our clean clothes would be ruined before uni.
She pulled the car to a stop. I scrambled out before she could even unbuckle, hurrying around to her side. She followed me with her eyes through the glass. Her windows weren't tinted black like mine, so I could see her every expression. I opened her door, placing my hand above the frame to make sure she didn't bump her head.
I offered my other hand, and she took it as she stepped out. Even after she was standing, she kept her hand in mine. She reached into her pocket with her free hand to lock the car. For just a second, she let go of me to check her other pocket, and I swear it felt like someone had snatched my heart right out of my chest. It felt so empty. I immediately reached out and grabbed her hand again. She chuckled softly.
"I only let go for a second and you've already grabbed it again," she teased, still giggling.
"That one second felt like an eternity," I said, my voice dropping an octave. "When your hand left mine, I felt empty."
She blushed lightly, looking away. "Okay, Mr. Flirty Watson, let's just go inside."
"I only flirt with you," I countered.
We walked into the park together. I noticed it immediately—every guy's eyes were on her. We were walking with her on my right, but as the crowd got thicker, my protective instincts kicked in. I know my fiancée is gorgeous, cute, adorable, and extremely beautiful, but I'm the only one allowed to look at her that way. No one else is invited to the show.
I let go of her right hand for a moment. She looked at me, confused, but then I gently nudged her toward the side away from the path. I moved to her left, positioning myself like a shield between her and the other people, and took her left hand in mine. She looked puzzled by the sudden swap, but she didn't say anything, just squeezed my hand back.
As we walked, we passed the group of guys, but I felt their eyes lingering on her. I glanced back over my shoulder and saw them turning to stare at my Jay. I gave them a sharp death glare, my eyes promising trouble if they didn't look away. They scrambled to turn their heads, looking genuinely terrified. I turned back to her and softened my expression instantly, offering her a smile.
"So, no plans of letting go of my hand?" she teased, glancing down at our intertwined fingers.
"No, never," I said firmly. She smiled, but then her expression turned thoughtful.
"Keifer... if the whole world was against me, blaming me for no reason, what would you do?" she asked, her eyes searching mine for the truth.
"Well, I wouldn't join them, and I'd never be against you for as long as I live," I answered without hesitation. "And if the whole world is against you, then I'll just have to deal with the world—or I'll take you somewhere far away where we can find peace together."
She smiled widely this time, a spark of mischief in her eyes. "Oh, really?" she teased.
"Stop teasing me," I grumbled, but she just laughed.
Our peaceful walk was interrupted by a couple walking ahead of us. They turned around, and the girl stopped in her tracks, looking annoyed.
"Excuse me, can you not make so much noise?" she snapped.
How dare she talk to Jayjay like that? Jayjay opened her mouth to defend herself, but I beat her to it.
"Mind your own stupid business," I said coldly. "This is a public park. We can laugh as loud as we want. So just shut up, turn around, and keep walking before I call someone to make you shut up."
The girl's eyes went wide, and she immediately turned around and scurried away.
"Whoa... I didn't know I loved a bad boy," Jayjay whispered.
"Only for you—wait," I stopped, a smirk spreading across my face. "Did you just say you love a bad boy?"
She shook her head frantically, her face turning pink. "Don't lie!" I challenged. She tried to run away, but since she was still holding my hand, I just gently pulled her back toward me. "No running, darling."
"Pervert!" she huffed, hitting my chest.
"Only for you," I whispered back.
We continued our walk. Occasionally, the girl from before would look back, and Jayjay—being her usual self—would stick her tongue out or roll her eyes.
"Okay, let's turn back before your eyeballs actually fall out from all that rolling," I joked, pressing my index finger against her lips before she could object. "No objections. Just walk with me."
She sighed but followed my lead, and we walked slowly until she eventually got tired. We found a bench and sat down. She leaned back, staring up at the vast morning sky. I looked at her, suddenly remembering how she and her brothers fought so hard just to stay in the same city. To me, siblings were usually just annoying.
"I didn't know siblings actually fought to stay together," I laughed.
She shifted her gaze toward me. "Well, if you were in my place, you would do the same," she said, before looking back at the sky. "You've stayed with your siblings your whole life."
"Well, and I hate that," I muttered. But Jayjay didn't look away from the clouds.
"But if you stayed away from them like we had to, you'd understand," she said softly. "When I was six, Mama and Papa sent Percy abroad and sent me to live with Kuya Angelo. Aries was the only one who stayed. Even though Kuya treated me like his own blood and took care of me, I missed my brothers every single day. When I came back at thirteen to break the engagement, I failed, but I stayed to be with my family again. But our house wasn't the same. Percy wasn't there."
She took a breath, her voice carrying a hint of old sadness. "Then when I was fifteen, Percy came home, but Aries and I had to leave for studies. He went to London with you guys, and I went to the US. That was the first time I saw Percy and Aries cry like that. I cried too, but they were devastated. And now, after six years, we're finally together... and they were going to send them away again for that stupid business. If it wasn't for Kuya Angelo settling everything, we'd be apart again."
She didn't shift her gaze once while telling her story. Listening to her, I realized that maybe I had taken my own family for granted. Being the eldest, I never had to worry about being sent away or losing that connection. If I had spent my childhood separated from everyone I loved, I'd probably be fighting just as hard as she is.
I looked at her, sitting there so small but so strong, and I felt that "lovesick puppy" feeling hit me all over again.
"Sorry... I didn't know it was that hard for you guys," I said softly. She finally shifted her gaze from the sky to look at me fully, her eyes softening.
"Well... are you really not going to let go of my hand? It's getting a bit sweaty. Aren't you uncomfortable?" she asked, tilting her head.
"For your first question: no, I'm never letting go. And as for the second: as long as it's you, I could never be uncomfortable," I said. She gave me a small, beautiful smile. Then, she glanced down at her watch.
"Oh, holy moly! Uni starts in thirty minutes! Hurry up!" She jumped to her feet, ready to sprint to the car, but then she realized I hadn't moved an inch. "Hurry up!"
I just shook my head, leaning back on the bench. "Keif, please," she whined.
"I'm so tired of walking," I said dramatically. She groaned and started tugging on my arm with all her might.
"Come on, na!" she insisted.
"Jayjay, please... let's just be a little late today," I said lazily, giving her my best puppy-dog eyes.
"No! That will break my record!" she cried. Right—I forgot. She's the girl who arrives exactly one minute before every lecture. She's never been late in her life.
"Please, Jay..." I pleaded, watching her resolve start to melt. I almost had her, but then—
"If I were her, I'd agree with the guy. He's so cute," a girl nearby whispered to her friend, loud enough for us to hear.
"No way, the guy should listen to her," a guy replied, crossing his arms.
"Are you kidding? She's no match for a guy like him," the girl snapped back.
"Please! He's the one who's no match for her," the guy argued.
We both turned to look at them. I definitely didn't want any drama, and it seemed Jayjay didn't either. She didn't even bother snapping back at them; she just turned her focus back to me.
"Keif, come on, bro."
My eyes nearly popped out of my head. I stood up so fast I almost got dizzy. She just called me... bro? Jayjay, are you trying to murder my soul?
"What did you just call me? Bro?" I asked, still in complete shock.
She winced, reaching up to scratch the back of her head sheepishly. "Sorry! I usually call my brothers 'bro' when they're being annoying. It's a habit."
"Do not call me 'bro' ever again," I said, pointing a finger at her.
"Okay, okay, fine! Now that you're finally standing, let's go!" Before I could say another word, she grabbed my hand and practically dragged me toward the car.
I managed to open the door for her, and she hopped in, ready to "fly" the car back to campus. I barely had my seatbelt clicked before she hit the gas. We roared through the streets and pulled into the university parking lot with minutes to spare.
She turned off the engine and looked at me with a proud smirk. "See? Told you we'd make it."
We both got out of the car, and I insisted on walking her all the way to her classroom. She rejected the idea at first, but I won in the end. I grabbed her hand again, and we started walking through the crowded hallways. She was chatting away, and I was happy just to listen. I could feel everyone's eyes boring into us—specifically into our intertwined hands—but we both ignored the whispers. She was busy telling me everything that had happened during the time we were apart.
When we reached her classroom door, I gave her a small wave. Her friends immediately spotted us, and I saw them start whispering and giggling. Jayjay waved back at me before heading to her seat to join them. I knew the second she sat down, the interrogation from Freya and the others would begin.
I turned and headed toward my own lecture hall. As soon as I walked in, I noticed David staring at me. He had that specific look on his face—the one that said he had news I wasn't going to like. Please don't let this be about Freya and Jayjay starting another war, I prayed silently.
I took my seat among our group. "You want to tell me something?" I asked, looking directly at David.
"....Yeah..." he started, hesitating. "Actually, Freya is giving Jayjay a makeover today. Apparently, it's some kind of plan she and her friends cooked up. She wouldn't tell me the full details, but that part slipped out."
I just nodded, letting out a breath of relief. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. A makeover? That was harmless enough. Or at least, that's what I told myself.
Jayjay'sPOV.
We reached the classroom door and finally let go of each other's hands. I didn't expect it to feel so... off. It was like I was missing something important. Before leaving for his own lecture, Keifer waved and offered me a small smile. I waved back, feeling that familiar warmth in my chest.
I walked toward my seat, where my gang was already waiting. They were all grinning like Cheshire cats after watching the little scene between Keifer and me. I took my spot between Rakki and Ella. Freya was on Ella's left, Mica on Rakki's left, and Grace on the far end next to Freya. We had pushed two tables together just so the six of us could sit in one big, chaotic row. Hehe.
"Oho! Coming to class together, are we?" Mica teased.
"While holding hands," Rakki added, wiggling her eyebrows.
"Intertwined," Grace emphasized.
"Then the waving..." Freya joined in.
"And the smiling!" Ella finished.
"Guys!" I squeaked, feeling my cheeks start to burn. "Stop!" I said again, but that only made them laugh harder.
"Okay, okay... we'll stop on one condition," Ella said, leaning in.
"What condition?" I asked suspiciously.
"Tell us everything that happened between you two," Freya demanded.
"The sudden change," Rakki noted.
I debated it for a second. I never keep secrets from my girls, but I also knew that some things are meant for just the couple. Then again, keeping things bottled up literally makes my stomach hurt. I'm not a gossip girl, but I am an over-sharer when it comes to my best friends! I decided to give them the highlight reel—the action, the drama, but leaving out the most private "lovesick" details.
"Did Rakki tell you what happened after you all left with your boyfriends?" I asked. They all nodded eagerly. "So, basically, once Rakki left to see Yuri..."
I told them about the kidnapping, the shooting, the fight, and the hospital drama. I kept the descriptions brief, focusing on the facts.
"You didn't give us any of the juicy details!" Grace complained.
"Well, do you give us every detail about you and Denzel?" I countered. She went quiet, an awkward but happy smile spreading across her face.
"Jayjay is right," Mica jumped in. "If we don't share every little detail, we shouldn't expect her to either." Grace nodded in agreement.
"Besides," I said, shifting the spotlight, "do you know that as soon as Rakki heard her boyfriend was back, she ran at the speed of light? Bro, she was gone!"
The teasing shifted instantly to Rakki, who turned a deep shade of red. We all burst out laughing so hard the sound echoed throughout the entire room.
"Can you guys lower your voices?" a guy from a nearby table grumbled.
"Why? Is your voice too low to be heard?" Freya snapped back.
"I'm trying to work," the guy replied.
"Well, it's not working time right now, so just shut up and turn back around," Ella said dismissively.
"Just leave them, they're always like this," the guy's friend muttered. We went back to our conversation, but then I heard the first guy mutter under his breath:
"Pick-me girls."
We all snapped our heads toward him in unison.
"Who's a 'pick-me'?" Rakki asked, her voice dangerously calm.
"You guys," the friend said, backing his buddy up.
"Your mom's a pick-me," Mica shot back without missing a beat.
"And trust me, we don't need to act like 'pick-mes' in front of guys like you," Grace added.
"We already have our men," I said firmly.
A girl sitting in front of us let out a bitter, fake laugh. "Maybe you all just want options too," she sneered.
I looked at her, then back at the guys. "Oh, really? We don't need 'options' because ours are already the best. And second of all, even if we did want options, we wouldn't choose any of these chimpanzees in our class."
The rest of the class erupted in laughter at that, and the guys looked like they wanted to disappear into their desks.
"Chimpanzees," I muttered one last time toward the guys before we all turned back to each other, huddled in our secret circle.
"Girl, girl, girl... I nearly slipped and told David the real plan!" Freya whispered, her eyes wide. "I had to cover it up by saying I'm just giving Jayjay a makeover."
"It's a good thing you didn't," Rakki said, looking relieved. "If the boys found out what we were actually doing, they'd never let us go through with it."
I looked around the circle, feeling completely lost. "What plan? What makeover? What is going on?"
"Well," Mica explained, leaning in closer, "we made a plan to take revenge on that girl, Claire. But when Freya's big mouth almost gave it away to David, she used the 'makeover' story as a shield so the boys wouldn't get suspicious."
"Wait, so what's the actual plan?" I asked, my heart starting to race a little.
"We decided that after uni, we'll tell the boys we're just going to the mall. But we're not," Ella said, her voice dropping to a serious tone. "Instead, we're going to give Claire a taste of her own medicine for making the 'Heart of the Group' cry."
A lump formed in my throat. "Thanks, guys," I whispered. "I'm so glad you're my friends."
We all leaned in for a quick, tight group hug. When we pulled back, five pairs of pleading eyes were locked onto me. I knew exactly what was coming.
"No. I am not getting a makeover," I said firmly, crossing my arms. "I hate the feeling of makeup on my skin. You know this!"
"Please, Jay!" Grace begged.
"Jayjay, plz na!" Mica added.
"Just this once!" Rakki chimed in.
"We will never ask you again! Except for your wedding day, obviously," Freya promised.
"Jayjay, just for today, bro... please?" Ella finished.
I let out a long, defeated sigh and finally nodded. The whole group erupted into quiet cheers and clapped their hands. They had won. Just then, the door opened and our teacher walked in, signaling the start of the lecture.
I tried to focus on the board, but my mind was spinning. A fake makeover, a secret revenge mission, and a lie to Keifer... what have I gotten myself into?
The End 🌸.