Chapter 43 – Sundays Are Dangerous
Sunday mornings at Fernandez Mansion were supposed to be peaceful.
Supposed to.
But unfortunately—
JJ and Percy were left alone together.
Which immediately destroyed all chances of peace surviving.
---
The Beginning Of Chaos
"BABY SISTAH WAKE UP."
JJ threw a pillow toward the door without opening her eyes.
"DIE."
Percy dodged dramatically before entering her room holding a frying pan like a warrior.
"Angelo kuya isn't home."
"I know."
"Tita Gemma also gone."
"I KNOW."
"Aries is on a date with Ella."
JJ finally opened one eye slowly.
"…and?"
Percy grinned like a criminal.
"That means we control the mansion."
Silence.
JJ sat up slowly.
Dangerous slowly.
"…kitchen?"
Percy gasped emotionally.
"KITCHEN."
Ten minutes later—
the mansion staff watched in horror as JJ and Percy entered the kitchen like two unsupervised raccoons.
---
Culinary Terrorism
"This doesn't look right," JJ muttered while staring into a bowl.
Percy confidently dumped more cheese into it anyway.
"Trust the process."
"There IS no process."
"That's negativity."
Smoke appeared twenty seconds later.
JJ coughed dramatically.
"WHY IS IT BLACK."
Percy pointed a spoon accusingly.
"You distracted me."
"You poured an entire bottle of hot sauce."
"Because passion."
JJ stared at him.
"…I'm related to you unfortunately."
Meanwhile—
music blasted through the kitchen.
Percy danced while cooking.
JJ sat on the counter eating ingredients directly before they even became food.
Classic JJ behavior.
At some point—
they started throwing flour at each other.
Then whipped cream.
Then Percy somehow slipped dramatically and crashed into a cabinet.
JJ laughed so hard she nearly fell off the counter.
"You look like a dying penguin."
"I'm injured."
"You deserve it."
Percy pointed at her dramatically.
"When Keifer returns I'm exposing your bullying."
JJ gasped.
"BETRAYAL."
---
The Quiet Shift
Hours later—
the mansion finally became quieter.
Destroyed kitchen aside.
Percy sat in the living room gaming loudly while JJ laid upside down on the couch scrolling through her phone.
Sunlight filtered softly through the large windows.
For once—
everything felt normal.
Safe.
Peaceful.
JJ smiled faintly reading Keifer's messages.
> Wifey.
London food is terrible.
Save me.
JJ laughed softly typing back.
> Skill issue Watson.
But then—
suddenly—
the room tilted.
Her fingers froze over the screen immediately.
Not again.
A sharp wave of dizziness crashed through her harder than before.
JJ shut her eyes tightly.
Breathe.
Just breathe.
But this time—
pain shot through her head too.
Sharp.
Burning.
Her breathing became uneven instantly.
No.
No no no—
Then suddenly—
warm liquid touched her lips.
JJ froze.
Blood.
Her nose started bleeding.
Her heartbeat immediately sped up in panic.
Not now.
Percy can't see this.
She quickly stood up too fast trying to hide it—
and immediately stumbled slightly into the table.
"Baby sistah?"
Percy looked up from the couch instantly.
JJ turned away fast wiping her nose quickly.
Too late.
Percy already saw the blood.
And panicked immediately.
"JJ?!"
He rushed toward her instantly.
"What happened?!"
JJ's brain moved quickly now.
Too quickly.
Lie.
She needed a lie.
Fast.
"My phone—"
Percy blinked.
"What?"
JJ grabbed her phone immediately holding it up dramatically.
"It fell on my face while scrolling."
Silence.
Percy stared at her.
Then at the blood.
Then back at her.
"…your phone attacked you?"
JJ nodded confidently.
"Yes."
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."
"It's a heavy phone."
Percy narrowed his eyes suspiciously now.
JJ forced herself to stay normal.
Smile.
Act annoyed.
Don't shake.
Don't panic.
Inside however—
fear crawled through her chest violently.
Because this hadn't happened before.
Not like this.
Percy gently grabbed her chin suddenly checking her nose carefully.
JJ nearly flinched.
"Relax," Percy muttered softly.
And that softness almost broke her.
Because Percy genuinely looked terrified right now.
"Are you dizzy?"
JJ's heart skipped immediately.
"…no."
Lie.
Again.
Percy kept staring at her suspiciously.
JJ rolled her eyes dramatically forcing chaos back into her voice.
"Percy Mariano are you saying I got beaten up by an iPhone?"
"…honestly maybe."
JJ laughed loudly immediately.
And finally—
Percy relaxed slightly.
Not fully.
But enough.
He sighed dramatically.
"You're actually hopeless."
"You love me."
"Unfortunately."
JJ smiled softly.
But the second Percy looked away—
her smile disappeared instantly.
Because hidden behind her sleeve—
her fingers still trembled slightly.
And deep down—
JJ knew something had changed today.
Something worse.
---
That Night
Later—
JJ stood alone inside the bathroom staring at herself in the mirror quietly.
Pale.
Tired.
Eyes slightly unfocused.
The sink still carried faint traces of blood she cleaned earlier.
JJ gripped the counter tightly.
Fear sat heavy inside her chest now.
The dizziness.
The headaches.
Now nosebleeds too.
Her condition was progressing.
Faster than before.
And nobody knew.
Not Percy.
Not Aries.
Not Angelo.
Not Keifer.
Especially not Keifer.
JJ slowly opened her medicine bottle with shaking hands.
Then looked toward her phone again.
Another unread message from Keifer.
> Miss you, wifey.
JJ smiled weakly through tears forming silently.
Then whispered softly to the empty bathroom:
"…I miss you too."
But for the first time—
those words hurt.