Jay's POV
The reception was already loud — Section E was on their third round of shouting competitions, Drake was trying to convince the DJ to let him "take over," and Brooke had cried at least four times.
So when the host announced:
"Alright, newlyweds! It's time for the shoe game!"
Everyone screamed.
Keifer groaned quietly beside me. I smirked.
"You scared?" I teased.
"Of you? Always," he muttered, earning a laugh from the crowd.
We sat back-to-back in the center of the venue. I held one of my heels in one hand and one of Keifer's black shoes in the other.
He held the same.
The crowd leaned in like they were about to witness a boxing match.
First question: "Who proposed first?"
Before the host even finished the sentence, Keifer lifted his shoe.
I lifted his shoe too.
The crowd cheered.
Drake yelled, "HE DIDN'T EVEN LET HER FINISH THE QUESTION!"
Keifer nudged my back lightly. "I'm proud of that one," he whispered.
"Who said 'I love you' first?"
I raised my heel.
Keifer raised my heel too.
Gasps. Laughter. A few "AWWWs."
Felix shouted, "WE KNEW IT!"
Keifer muttered, "You ambushed me with it."
"You needed to hear it," I shot back.
He didn't argue.
"Who's the better cook?"
I raised his shoe.
He raised my heel.
The crowd exploded.
"LIAR!" I yelled over my shoulder.
"You burn rice," he said calmly.
"That was ONE TIME."
"Jay, it was three."
Section E was dying.
"Who's more stubborn?"
We both raised my heel.
Everyone screamed.
Mia clapped loudly. Brooke yelled, "ACCURATE."
Keifer just nodded like he'd been waiting for that one.
"Who's the boss in the relationship?"
I didn't hesitate.
I raised my heel.
Keifer… also raised my heel.
The crowd LOST IT.
Drake fell out of his chair. Alys was laughing so hard she couldn't breathe. Andrew just nodded like, yes, this is correct.
Keifer leaned back slightly and whispered, "I know my place."
I tried not to laugh too loudly.
"Who fell in love first?"
Silence.
Then—
I raised his shoe.
He raised my heel.
The crowd went soft for the first time all night.
We both froze.
Then slowly turned our heads toward each other, backs still touching.
"You think I fell first?" I whispered.
"You think I did?" he whispered back.
We both laughed quietly.
The host said, "I think the answer is: you fell at the same time."
And honestly?
Maybe we did.
"Who's more likely to start an argument?"
We both raised my heel.
No hesitation.
The crowd screamed again.
Keifer whispered, "You're passionate."
"That's a nice way of saying I'm difficult."
"You're passionate," he repeated.
My heart melted a little.
"Who's more protective?"
We both raised his shoe.
The room went quiet for a moment — the good kind of quiet.
Because everyone knew.
Everyone had seen it.
Keifer didn't look proud. He just looked… certain.
Like protecting me wasn't a choice — it was instinct.
Final question: "Who loves the other more?"
The room held its breath.
Then—
I raised both shoes.
Keifer raised both shoes.
The crowd exploded into cheers, whistles, screams, applause.
Keifer reached back blindly until his hand found mine.
I squeezed it.
He squeezed back.
When the game ended, he pulled me into a hug, forehead resting against mine.
"You know," he murmured, "I think we both won."
I smiled.
"We always do."