Chapter 5: The Aftermath from chaos.
The rest of the day was a blur of teasing and stolen glances. During lunch, Keifer kept his hand on mine under the table, sensing my nerves.
"Aries is telling Kuya today," I whispered.
"I've got you, Jay," he promised. "If he's mad, let him be mad at me."
After the final bell, I called Aries to check the "danger level" at home.
Keifer said he'll drop off at kuyas house.
"Wait I'll ask aries one time" i said.
On phone.
"Hello aries"
"Yeah jay?"
"Keifer said he'll drop me off today".
"Jay, just go to Keifer's house," Aries said over the phone.
"Wait, are you being serious or just sarcastic?"
"No. Kuya and Tita went to the province for the night. I'm staying at Ella's for a project. Just stay with Keifer."
I hung up and looked at Keifer. "Kuya's away. Aries said I should stay with you."
A slow, mischievous smirk spread across Keifer's face. "Is that so?"
I narrowed my eyes "don't get any ideas, keifer."
He just laughed.
"We'll see" he said.
I felt a shiver run down my spine at his smirk. That "we'll see" was dangerous—Watson-level dangerous.
He reached out and ruffled my hair before leading me toward his black car, the engine purring like a predator as we pulled out of the school gates.
The drive was different this time. Before, going to Keifer's house felt like entering a lion's den, but now, with my hand firmly encased in his, it felt like I was going home.
The sunset painted the sky in streaks of pink and gold, reflecting off the glass of the massive Watson mansion as we pulled up the driveway.
"We're here, wifey," he said, killing the engine.
"Stop calling me that!" I huffed, though my heart was doing a happy little dance.
We stepped inside, and the silence of the house hit me.
It was so different from the constant shouting at the Fernandez house.
Keifer led me up the grand staircase, but instead of going to the lounge, he took me toward the kitchen.
"Are you hungry?" he asked, removing his jacket and tossing it onto a chair. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his forearms, and I had to look away before my face turned into a literal volcano.
"A little," I admitted.
"Let's make something together," he suggested. "Since the staff is off for the evening, it's just us."
We ended up trying to make carbonara. It was a disaster.
Keifer kept distracting me by leaning over my shoulder to "check the sauce," and at one point, I ended up with flour on my nose.
"You have something right here," he whispered, stepping closer.
"Where?" I asked, reaching up.
He didn't answer with words. Instead, he used his thumb to wipe the flour away, his touch lingering on my skin.
The air between us felt thick, charged with something I couldn't quite name. He leaned in, his forehead resting against mine.
"I'm really glad you're here, Jay," he murmured. "I know things are messy with our families and the school, but tonight... it's just jay jay and Keifer."
I nodded, unable to find my voice. We ate our slightly overcooked pasta on the kitchen island, laughing at how bad we were at cooking.
For a moment, I forgot about the impending doom of Kuya Angelo finding out. I forgot about the "King of Ulupongs" and "Section E."
The kitchen of the Watson mansion was usually a place of cold marble and silent servants, but tonight, it smelled like burnt garlic and felt warmer than a summer day in Manila.
Keifer was currently trying to wash the dishes, which was a sight I never thought I'd see. The "King of Ulupongs" scrubbing a carbonara pot? If Felix saw this, he'd probably faint.
"You're staring, Jay-Jay," Keifer said, not even looking up from the sink. That smirk was back, the one that made me want to either punch him or kiss him—usually both.
"I am not! I'm just... observing the structural integrity of the sink," I shot back, leaning against the counter.
"Liars go to hell, wifey," he teased, flicking a bit of soapy water at me.
"Hey! Gago!" I yelped, wiping a bubble off my cheek.
The moment the word left my lips, Keifer dropped the sponge.
The playful glint in his eyes turned into something darker, more focused. He moved fast—faster than I could retreat. Before I could even blink, he had me pinned between his arms against the kitchen counter.
"Profanity," he whispered, his voice dropping an octave.
"Keifer, wait—"
He didn't wait. He leaned in and captured my lips in a kiss that tasted like the cookies and cream from earlier and the lingering heat of the stove.
It wasn't like the quick peck at school; this one was slow, possessive, and sent a literal electric shock straight to my toes.
My hands, which were supposed to be pushing him away, somehow found their way to his neck, pulling him closer.
When he finally pulled back, his forehead rested against mine, both of us breathing heavily. "You know the rule, Jay. Every time you swear, I get a kiss. I'm starting to think you're doing it on purpose."
"In your dreams, keifer," I breathed, my face feeling like it was on fire. I tried to push past him to hide my embarrassment.
"I'm going to the living room!"
"Coward!" he yelled after me, laughing.
I wandered into the grand hallway, the adrenaline still humming in my veins.
The Watson mansion was beautiful, but it felt lonely.
As I passed the heavy mahogany doors of the study, I heard a faint thud.
I stopped. My mind went back to what Keifer said at the park about Keigen.
Some mornings he's like a different person.
I reached into my pocket and felt the cold metal of the emergency key Keifer had given me.
I shouldn't. It was an invasion of privacy. But the silence of this house was starting to feel heavy, like a secret waiting to burst.
I walked toward Keigen's wing of the house. The air felt colder here.
I stood outside his door, hesitating. "Keigen?" I called out softly. "It's Jay-Jay."
No answer.
Just the sound of something shifting behind the wood. I remembered the look on Keifer's face when he talked about his brother—the genuine pain.
If Keifer was my "husband," then his family was mine to worry about too, right?
I slid the key into the lock. It turned with a click that sounded like a gunshot in the quiet hallway.
The room was dim, lit only by a single desk lamp. Keigen was sitting on the floor, surrounded by torn sketches and broken pencils.
He looked up, and for a second, I didn't recognize him. The playful, mischievous boy I met first was gone. His eyes were wide, shadowed by dark circles.
"Jay-Jay?" he whispered, his voice cracking. "Is Keifer home?"
"He's downstairs, Keigen. Are you okay?"
He let out a shaky laugh that broke my heart.
"The voices are just... loud today. They tell me I'm not Keigen. They tell me I'm someone else. Someone mean."
I sat down on the floor next to him, ignoring the mess. "You're Keigen. You're the guy who annoys the hell out of keiren and makes Keifer lose his mind. That's who you are."
He leaned his head on my shoulder, and for a long time, we just sat there. I realized then that being "official" with Keifer meant more than just dates and kisses. It meant carrying the weight of the Watson name—the secrets, the mental health struggles, and the loneliness that came with being "royalty."
Eventually, Keifer found us. He stood in the doorway, his expression shifting from alarm to a soft, profound gratitude when he saw me sitting with his brother. He didn't say a word; he just walked over and sat on the other side of Keigen, putting an arm around both of us.
"Is he okay?" Keifer mouthed over Keigen's head.
I nodded. "He just needed a friend."
After Keigen fell asleep, Keifer led me to the balcony overlooking the gardens.
The moon was a silver sliver in the sky.
"Thank you, Jay," he said, his voice thick with emotion.
"Most people run away when they see that side of our family. They think we're cursed or just... 'crazy rich' problems."
"I'm not 'most people,' keifer. I'm a mariano. We deal with crazy every day at breakfast," I joked, trying to lighten the mood.
He turned to me, taking both of my hands in his. "I mean it. I know I'm a lot to handle.
Between my brothers and the school and your Kuya probably wanting my head on a platter... are you sure about this? About us?"
I looked at him—the boy who acted like a king but carried the world on his shoulders.
"I already told you, didn't I? I want to be official. That means the good, the bad, and the 'Gago' moments."
"Profanity," he whispered automatically, but this time, he didn't move to kiss me. He just pulled me into a hug, tucking my head under his chin.
"I love you, Jay-Jay. Until the scientist find the end of the universe
"I love you too keifer" I whispered back. '"But if Kuya Angelo kills you tomorrow, don't expect me to visit your grave every day. Maybe just on weekends."
"Silly girl," he chuckled, kissing the top of my head.
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Author's note
It's a big chapter, i wrote it yesterday but i forgot to post it😅
Sorry guys. 😔
I'll post 2 chapters on sunday.
Bye bye🫶🏻🤌🏻🌷🌸