--: Author's POV: --
The morning at the Fernandez mansion was shifting gears. The heavy, watchful silence of breakfast began to dissolve as the household moved into "tourist mode."
Angelo was the first to depart. With a crisp adjustment of his blazer and a final, lingering look at the group that served as a silent warning, he headed for the Fernandez Corporation.
Shortly after, Keigan and Keiran gathered their study materials. Knowing they couldn't afford to fall behind their classmates, they headed off to their friend's house for a long day of catching up on missed lessons.
Just as the SUVs were being pulled around the circular driveway, a familiar face appeared at the gates.
Percy arrived just in time, looking bright- blue eyed and armed with a high-end camera slung over his shoulder. Since he wasn't staying at the mansion, his arrival acted like a shot of adrenaline for the group.
"Am I late? Tell me I didn't miss the departure!" Percy called out, grinning as he joined the group in the foyer. "I've got three extra memory cards and a portable fan. My handsome face is ready for the Manila heat!"
Aries snorted on the word "handsome face"
The rest of the girls-Mica, Rakki, Freya, Grace, and Ella-along with the rest of Section E, had already sent word that they were heading to the first location independently to save time.
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
Percy's arrival was the perfect distraction. His energy managed to break the last of the tension left behind by my brother.
"You're just in time," I said, offering him a small smile. "We were just about to head to the cars."
Outside, two black SUVs were idling, their air conditioning already working hard against the rising tropical sun. The group began to divide.
The first SUV was a whirlwind. Thyme, Ren, MJ, and Kavin piled in, followed closely by Gorya and Kaning. The doors shut with a heavy thud, and I could hear MJ's laughter through the glass before they pulled away.
That left the second SUV for the rest of us. Aries claimed the front passenger seat as usual, but this time Percy scrambled in right behind him, leaning over the center console to talk about camera settings.
"Aries, you have to help me spot the best angles," Percy said, poking Aries in the shoulder.
"Percy, if you don't let me sleep for at least twenty minutes, I'm throwing your camera out the window," Aries groaned, though he was smiling.
I climbed into the back seat, and Keifer settled in beside me. The door closed, sealing us in the cool, pressurized silence of the cabin.
--: Author's POV: --
As the SUV cleared the heavy gates of the Fernandez estate, the suburban quiet was quickly swallowed by the rhythmic hum of Manila's traffic. In the front, Percy was still buzzing with energy, showing Aries his new wide-angle lens, while Aries leaned his head back, half-listening with a lazy smirk.
But in the back seat, the world was smaller. The tinted windows blocked out the glare of the sun, casting the interior in a soft, cool shadow.
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
I leaned my head against the headrest, watching the colorful chaos of the city outside—the bright jeepneys and the towering billboards. Even though the car was spacious, I could feel the heat radiating from Keifer next to me.
He didn't say anything, but slowly, I felt his hand slide across the leather seat. It wasn't a sudden grab; it was slow, his fingers eventually finding mine and interlocking them. I didn't pull away. I just squeezed back, my heart doing a little flutter that had nothing to do with the bumpy road. We stayed like that for the whole drive, a secret hidden in plain sight while Percy and Aries chatted just in front of us.
"Look! There it is!" Percy exclaimed, pointing out the window.
Rising from the edge of the blue horizon was the massive complex of the SM Mall of Asia (MOA). It looked like a modern fortress of glass, with the iconic giant Globe standing guard at the front.
--: Author's POV: --
The SUV came to a smooth stop at the main entrance of the Mall of Asia. As the doors opened, the group was greeted by a blast of Manila's tropical heat, followed immediately by the refreshing, icy chill of the mall's interior.
Waiting for them in the massive, sun-drenched atrium was the rest of the crew. Mica, Rakki, Freya, Grace, and Ella were already there, surrounded by the boys of Section E. The energy was loud, chaotic, and exactly what the group needed after the quiet morning at the mansion.
Before anyone could wander off toward the food court, Ci-N stepped onto a marble bench, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention.
"Listen up, people!" Ci-N shouted with a mischievous grin. "We aren't just here to walk around. We're doing a challenge. I call it the 'MOA Gift Exchange.'"
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
I looked at Ci-N, curious. He had that spark in her eyes that usually meant things were about to get interesting.
"Here's the deal," Ci-N continued, pointing at the couples in the group. "Every girl has exactly one hour to find a gift for her boyfriend. And every boyfriend has to find one for his girl. It has to be meaningful, and you can't ask for help from your girlfriend or boyfriend. Understood?"
A cheer went up from the couples, but then Eren stepped forward, looking genuinely offended. "Wait! What about the Singles Squad? Do we just stand here and look pathetic for an hour?"
He gestured to the line of boys: Ren, MJ, Eman, Josh, Rory, Felix, Percy, David, Drew, Blaster, and himself.
I looked over at Percy, who was standing right in the middle of the "Singles Squad," laughing along with the rest of them. I felt a sudden wave of relief wash over me.
Thankfully, Percy has finally accepted that Freya doesn't like him. It had been hard to watch—I couldn't stand seeing my own stepbrother hurt every time he saw Freya with Edrix. Seeing him now, genuinely excited about a challenge instead of moping in the corner, felt like a weight being lifted off my shoulders. He was back to his usual, energetic self.
--: Author's POV: --
"Yeah," Blaster joked, nudging Eren. "Eren, you can just buy for your 'girlfriendsss,' right? Since you have a different one for every day of the week, don't you?"
"Hey! Don't do that to me in front of everyone!" Eren laughed, his face turning a bright shade of red as the group erupted in whistles and teasing. "Those are just... close acquaintances!"
Gorya laughed and shook her head. "Don't worry, guys. Let us not leave the singles out. To all the guys without a date: the girls will buy things for you too. But in return, you have to buy gifts for us—all the girls. No one leaves this mall empty-handed. Understood?"
"Deal!" the boys shouted in unison. Kit and Mayo, standing together, simply exchanged a quiet nod; they were already planning their strategy for what they would buy for each other.