Kiefer's POV
I never begged people.
Not Angelo.
Not Percy.
Not anyone.
But apparently life enjoyed destroying my ego because here I was standing outside Angelo's room at 6 in the morning while he stared at me half asleep.
"What do you want?" he muttered.
"I need help."
Silence.
Then suddenly he became fully awake.
"…Who are you and where is Kiefer?"
"I'm serious."
Angelo sat up slowly. "Oh my god."
I already regretted coming here.
He jumped off the bed dramatically. "YOU need romantic help?"
"Lower your voice."
"No this is historical."
I rubbed my forehead tiredly. "Can you help or not?"
Angelo stared at me for a second before smirking slowly.
"This is about Jay Jay isn't it?"
I stayed quiet.
That was enough answer.
His expression changed immediately.
"Wait."
He pointed at me in shock.
"You're proposing?"
I looked away slightly.
"…Maybe."
"BRO WHAT?!"
He screamed so loudly someone knocked on the wall from the next hotel room.
"KEEP IT DOWN!" someone shouted.
Angelo ignored them completely.
"KIEFER VALENTINO IS DOWN BAD."
"I'm leaving."
"No wait come back!"
Unfortunately after that there was no escape.
Because within ONE HOUR the entire family somehow found out.
Hotel Lounge
"This is so cute," Lia cried dramatically while hugging a pillow.
"It's not cute," I muttered.
"Yes it is," Jas replied immediately. "You literally came to ask Angelo for advice."
"Worst decision of my life."
Angelo looked proud. "I'm emotionally intelligent."
"You cried because your burger fell yesterday."
"That was painful."
Percy calmly sipped coffee while reading something on his tablet.
"I already approved the ring."
I blinked slowly. "You what?"
"We checked quality."
"It's an engagement ring not a business project."
"Everything is a business project."
Aries nodded. "That actually sounds like Percy."
Meanwhile Dane looked directly at me from across the table.
"If you hurt her—"
"I know," I interrupted tiredly. "You'll kill me."
"No," he replied calmly.
Everyone became quiet.
Then he continued,
"I'll make it slow."
Angelo wiped fake tears dramatically. "Protective brother energy."
Dad actually laughed softly while Mom smiled emotionally.
"You really love her?" Mom asked gently.
For a second the room became quieter.
I looked down at the small ring box in my hand.
Then nodded once.
"Yeah."
Lia screamed into a cushion immediately.
"THE ICE KING HAS FEELINGS."
I threw a spoon at her.
The Planning Chaos
The original plan was simple.
Private rooftop dinner.
Just me and Jay.
Peaceful.
Normal.
Unfortunately my family existed.
"No no no," Lia argued dramatically while holding fairy lights. "We need romance."
"We already have lights."
"MORE LIGHTS."
"She's right," Jas agreed.
"How?"
"Trust the process."
There was no process.
Only chaos.
Angelo somehow hired musicians.
Percy arranged rooftop security because apparently he thought someone might attack during the proposal.
Aries supervised decorations while pretending he didn't care.
Mom and Tita Sarina picked flowers.
Even Dad helped set up tables.
Meanwhile I stood there wondering how my private proposal turned into a royal event.
"This is too much," I muttered.
Lia gasped dramatically. "There's no such thing as too much romance."
"There absolutely is."
Angelo wrapped an arm around my shoulder proudly.
"Relax bro. Jay Jay deserves the best."
That made me quiet.
Because honestly?
She did.
After everything she went through…
After risking her life for me inside that burning building…
She deserved something beautiful.
Jay's POV
Something was definitely wrong.
Everyone was acting suspicious all day.
Lia kept smiling at me weirdly.
Jas refused to let me enter the rooftop.
Percy was suddenly being NICE which was honestly terrifying.
And Kiefer disappeared the entire afternoon.
Very suspicious.
I narrowed my eyes at Dane during lunch.
"What's happening?"
"Nothing."
"You blinked."
"So?"
"You only blink like that when lying."
He immediately looked away.
AHA.
Caught.
Before I could investigate further Mom entered my room later carrying a dress bag.
"Wear this tonight."
I frowned. "Why?"
"Family dinner."
"That requires a designer dress?"
Mom smiled innocently. "Maybe."
Even more suspicious.
Then Lia burst into the room already dressed beautifully in silver.
"Oh my god hurry up!"
"Lia what is happening?"
"Nothing."
She literally said while hiding flower petals behind her back.
I stared at her.
She stared back.
Then slowly shoved the petals under the bed.
"…You saw nothing."
Evening — Rooftop
The elevator doors opened slowly.
And I froze.
The rooftop looked magical.
Golden fairy lights glowed everywhere.
White flowers decorated the entire space.
Candles flickered softly near the tables while music played quietly in the background.
The city lights below looked beautiful.
For a second I genuinely forgot how to breathe.
"What…"
Then I noticed everyone standing nearby smiling suspiciously.
Lia looked seconds away from exploding.
Jas was already recording on her phone.
Angelo stood proudly like he personally built the rooftop.
And then—
I saw him.
Kiefer.
Standing near the center in a black suit.
Looking directly at me.
My heartbeat instantly became louder.
Oh no.
No no no.
There was absolutely no way—
He slowly walked toward me.
And for the first time since I met him…
Kiefer actually looked nervous.
That shocked me more than the decorations.
"You planned this?" I whispered.
"Unfortunately."
I laughed softly.
He stopped in front of me quietly.
For a second neither of us spoke.
The wind moved gently around us while everyone stayed silent behind us.
Then Kiefer sighed softly.
"I had a speech prepared."
Lia whispered dramatically, "OH MY GOD."
"But Angelo kept interrupting."
"Because your original speech sounded like a business presentation," Angelo defended himself.
"It was organized."
"It was terrifying."
Even I laughed.
Kiefer shook his head before looking back at me.
Then his expression softened completely.
"You know…"
"You're the most chaotic person I've ever met."
"Excuse me?"
"You argue too much."
"You're impossible."
"You make terrible decisions."
"Okay rude."
"But…"
His voice became quieter.
"You also became the best thing in my life."
Silence.
My heart completely melted.
Kiefer looked straight into my eyes.
"When you ran back into that building for me…"
His jaw tightened slightly.
"I realized I never want to experience that fear again."
The rooftop became completely silent.
Even Lia stopped talking.
"I thought I lost you."
My chest hurt hearing that.
Kiefer slowly took out a small velvet ring box.
And suddenly everyone behind us gasped together.
"Oh my god it's happening," Jas whispered loudly.
Angelo looked emotional already.
Dane crossed his arms but stayed quiet.
Then slowly—
Kiefer got down on one knee.
My brain stopped functioning instantly.
"Oh…"
He looked up at me carefully.
"I don't know how to do romance properly."
"That's true," Aries muttered.
"But I know one thing."
"No matter how dangerous things get…"
"No matter how chaotic our lives become…"
"I want you beside me through all of it."
My eyes started burning with tears already.
Kiefer smiled slightly.
"You became my home, Jay Jay."
That broke me completely.
Then softly—
"Will you marry me?"
Complete silence.
I just stared at him.
At the ring.
At the boy who terrified entire rooms without blinking yet looked nervous asking me one question.
Behind us Lia was literally crying into Angelo's shoulder.
"This is cinema."
Angelo sniffed dramatically too. "Our boy grew up."
"Answer before he faints," Percy muttered.
That made me laugh through tears.
Kiefer looked offended. "I'm not fainting."
"You look pale," Aries replied.
I laughed harder.
Then finally—
"Yes."
Silence.
Then absolute chaos exploded.
"YESSSSS!"
Lia screamed so loudly the musicians flinched.
Jas jumped up and down crying.
Mom hugged Tita Sarina emotionally.
Dad actually smiled proudly.
Angelo tackled Kiefer in excitement before Dane pulled him away.
"LET THEM BREATHE."
Kiefer stood up quickly still looking shocked.
"Really?"
I laughed through tears. "No I just enjoy emotionally damaging people."
For the first time that night—
He smiled fully.
And wow.
That smile alone was unfairly beautiful.
Then he pulled me into his arms carefully while everyone screamed again.
"THEY'RE HUGGING!"
"Lia calm down!"
"I CAN'T."
Suddenly fireworks exploded across the sky above us.
I looked up in surprise.
"Kiefer…"
He looked slightly guilty.
"…Angelo added those."
"YOU'RE WELCOME!" Angelo yelled proudly.
I laughed while resting my forehead against Kiefer's chest.
The lights.
The fireworks.
The laughter.
The people we loved surrounding us.
For once after all the danger and chaos—
Everything felt peaceful.
And somehow…
Perfect.