(Jay's POV)
The sunlight was hitting the balcony just right, turning our faces in the look that clearly shouted "we look expensive." I was currently tangled in Keifer's arms, half-asleep and enjoying the absolute silence of the house. No Angelo yelling about baby monitors, no Ion being dramatic, and tita and Lola teasing me about romance life.
It was bliss. Until my phone decided to commit digital suicide.
Buzz. Ding. Whoosh.
Chirp. Buzz-buzz-buzz.
My nightstand sounded like a nest of angry mechanical hornets. Beside me, Keifer stirred, his chest vibrating against my back as he let out a low, sleepy groan. He reached over me, his muscular arm a heavy, warm weight, and fumbled for his phone.
"Jay… darling… I think the world is ending," he mumbled, his voice raspy and far too attractive for 8:00 AM.
He squinted at his screen, then his eyes widened. "Actually, it's worse. It's Section E."
I groaned into the pillow. "Tell them I died. Tell them I've been kidnapped by a handsome billionaire. Oh wait, that's you. Just tell them I'm busy."
"I can't," Keifer chuckled, propping himself up on one elbow. "The chat is exploding. Apparently, the London crew is back in the Philippines for vacation. David, Mica, Calix, Edrix, Freya—the whole gang. They're all at a resort in Batangas and they're demanding our presence."
I finally sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "Wait, they're back? I thought they were stuck in London dorm life while we were living it up in our house."
"They were. And apparently, they're traumatised by cafeteria food and want to see us," Keifer said.
He finally looked at me, and his smug, playful grin widened.
That's when I realized my situation.The "Intense Romance" from the night before had ended in a lot of cuddling, which meant I was currently sitting there in nothing but my lace bra and underwear. Keifer, meanwhile, was just in his boxers, looking like a literal Greek god who had accidentally stumbled into a rom-com.
I felt the heat rush to my face instantly. I grabbed the duvet and pulled it up to my chin. "Stop looking! My eyes are up here, Keifer!"
Keifer didn't look away. Instead, he leaned in, his nose brushing mine, his breath smelling faintly of the mints he keeps by the bed. "Why would I look at your eyes when the view down there is so much more... Keifer-approved?"
"You are a menace!" I squeaked, swatting his shoulder."I'm a gentleman," he corrected, his voice dropping to that 'sexy-teasing' register he knew I hated to love.
"And as a gentleman, I feel it's my duty to inform you that your bra is very… emerald. It matches our theme. Very coordinated of you, Jay-jay."
"Get out! Go make pancakes!" I yelled, hiding my face in the blanket.
"Oh, we're doing more than pancakes today," he whispered, nipping playfully at my earlobe. "We have a Section E reunion to survive. But first..."
He stood up, flexing his back muscles intentionally—the absolute show-off—and held out a hand.
"The 'Keifer-ist' rules state that since we're already half-naked and running late, we save time by sharing a shower. Efficiency, Jay. It's a London habit."
I rolled my eyes, but I didn't let go of his hand. "You just want to see if I'll slip so you can 'rescue' me."
"I would never," he lied through a dazzling smile. "Now come on, before Ci-n sends another fifty stickers of a dancing banana to the group chat. "
The shower was less "steamy romance" and more "Keifer being a nuisance."
"Jay, you're using too much of my expensive body wash," he complained, despite the fact that he was the one currently trying to draw a heart on my back with soap suds.
"It's my body wash! I bought it!" I yelled over the spray.
"Everything in this house is 'ours', Jay. Except for the pancakes. Those are mine. I am the Pancake King," he declared, holding the loofah like a sceptre.
By the time we got out, my hair was a bird's nest and Keifer looked like he'd just finished a photoshoot for a shampoo commercial. Life really wasn't fair.
We dressed quickly—casual but cool, because Section E was nothing if not judgmental about fashion—and headed downstairs.
Keifer actually kept his promise about the pancakes, flipping them with a flourish that nearly sent one onto the ceiling.
"Eat up, Jay. You'll need the energy. Dealing with Ci-n and Felix at the same time is like wrangling two caffeinated monkeys," Keifer said, sliding a plate toward me.
The Arrival: Section E Madness
We drove to the resort, my phone still buzzing every thirty seconds.
Group Chat: Section E (The Elites & The Idiots)
Rory : IF JAY AND KEIFER DON'T SHOW UP IN 10 MINUTES I AM EATING ALL THE LECHON.
David: Calix already tried to eat the decorations. Send help.
Edrix: Freya is currently trying to teach the resort staff how to speak British English. It's embarrassing.
Freya: It's called 'culture', Edrix! Look it up!
Ci-n : Mom! Dad! What is taking u so much time!!
(Huh! This kid)
When we finally pulled up to the private villa, the noise hit us before we even opened the car doors.
"JAY! KEIFER!"
"Mom and dad are here!!" Ci-n jumped and waved from distance.
I was nearly tackled by Mica and Freya the moment I stepped out. "You guys look too glowing! It's disgusting! London treated you too well!"
Mica screamed, hugging me tight."And you!" Freya pointed a finger at Keifer. "Why do you look like you just stepped off a yacht? We spent our vacation studying in tiny dorms eating instant noodles, and you two look like you own the island!"
Keifer adjusted his sunglasses with peak arrogance. "It's called 'The Keifer Glow'. It's a lifestyle choice."David walked over, shaking Keifer's hand while simultaneously trying to steal a fry from a plate Calix was holding.
"Ignore them. They're just salty because the London rain made their hair frizzy. Good to see you, man."
"Where's the food?" I asked immediately not wasting a single second.
"In the cabana," Calix shouted, his mouth half-full. "But Drew tried to 'improve' the dipping sauce, so enter at your own risk."
The afternoon was a whirlwind of absolute insanity. We spent hours catching up, hearing about their struggles in London—apparently, David once got lost in the Underground for three hours because he followed a dog he thought looked 'distinguished'—and sharing stories from the estate.
We laughed until our stomachs hurt. Seeing the Section E gang back together felt like the final piece of the puzzle. Even without the rest of the family there, the noise and the chaos made the "empty house" feel full again.
As the sun began to set over the Batangas coast, Keifer found me standing by the water, watching David and Calix try (and fail) to do a synchronized dive into the pool.
He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder. "Peaceful, isn't it?"
I looked at the pool where Mica was currently throwing a flip-flop at Edrix. "If your definition of peaceful involves a flying slipper, then yes. It's perfect."
Keifer squeezed me tighter. "They might be idiots, but they're our idiots."
"True," I whispered, leaning back into his chest. "But tomorrow, we are going back to our quiet house and I am locking the doors."
"Agreed," Keifer laughed, kissing my temple. "But for now... I think Mica just dared David to jump off the balcony. We should probably go record that for the archives."
And so, we ran back into the chaos, emerald memories replaced by the neon lights of a Section E party, knowing that no matter where we went—London or home—we'd always have this crazy, beautiful family to come back to.
The stars were out, and the beach bonfire was roaring. All of Section E was gathered in a circle, and the vibe was chaotic—exactly how I missed it.
David was already half-asleep on a beanbag, Mica was arguing with Freya about London fashion, and Calix and Edrix were trying to see who could eat a whole grilled corn cob the fastest. Other boys where preparing for the night with snacks and drinks. Ci-n was beside them poking his finger in his nose. Eww..
I was tucked into Keifer's side. He had one arm draped firmly around my waist, pulling me close like he was marking his territory. He held a bottle in his other hand, looking all cool and relaxed while the rest of the boys were passing around drinks and shouting jokes.
The energy was high, and honestly? I felt left out. I looked at the bottles, then at their laughing faces, and a sudden surge of "I want to be part of the chaos" hit me.
"OYEEE!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.
The effect was instant.Calix choked on his corn. David fell off his beanbag. Mica screamed. Even Keifer, my supposedly fearless fiancé, jumped so hard he nearly dropped his bottle.
He looked at me with genuine terror in his eyes for a split second before his "cool guy" mask slid back on.
"What happened?!" they all shouted in unison, clutching their chests.
"I want some too!" I said, pointing at the alcohol.
"NO!" they all yelled back, again in perfect unison.
I turned to Keifer, giving him my best "betrayed wife" look. "Keifer? Even you? I didn't expect this coming from my beloved fiancé. After all we've been through... the all ups and downs of our life ... the shared pancakes... you deny me a sip?"
"Jay, love, it's for your own safety," Keifer pleaded, his voice shaking with suppressed laughter.
Suddenly, Ci-n snapped his fingers, his face pale. "No way! Do you guys remember the last time she drank during our school camp? She didn't just get drunk. She became Barakuda."
The whole group shuddered at the mention of the legendary "Darkside" Jay.
We can't take that risk again," Ci-n added, shaking his head. "The world isn't ready for Barakuda 2.0 and my instant sacrife that was at the nook last time ." [1]
I didn't give up. I turned back to Keifer, doing the full puppy-eye routine. My lip quivered. I made my eyes look all glassy. Keifer's biggest weakness has always been me looking pathetic.
"Please, Keifer? Just a little? I'll be good. I promise." Keifer groaned, his protective wall crumbling. He looked at me, then at the sky, then back at me. "Fine. But just a little."
"KEIFER, NO!" Section E screamed, but it was too late. The "Keifer-ist" rules had been overruled by the "Jay-is-cute" rules.
THE MORNING AFTER
I woke up with a headache that felt like a thousand tiny Calix-sized hammers were hitting my skull.
My mouth tasted like I'd swallowed a wool sweater. I blinked, trying to figure out where I was. We were in the hotel suite, but something was... off. I looked at the door and gasped. There weren't just one or two locks. There were five heavy-duty deadbolts on the door, and someone had drawn weird chalk symbols around the frame.
"What in the witchcraft...?" I muttered. Beside me, Keifer stirred. The moment he opened his eyes and saw me looking at the door, he burst out laughing. Not just a chuckle—a full-blown, wheezing laugh.
"What is so funny?!" I demanded, holding my head. "Why are there five locks? Did a ghost try to break in?"
"No, Jay," Keifer said, sitting up and wiping a tear from his eye. "A ghost didn't try to break in. We were trying to keep the demon inside."
"What?"
"You stepped into the soul of Barakuda again, Jay. And this time... it was worse. You started demanding a 'virgin for eternal life' again. It was a whole ritual."
I felt my soul leave my body. "I did that again?"
Keifer pulled out his phone, smirking. "You looked so cute, honestly. My little wifey Barakuda. But the chants you added this time? Terrifying. I had to put five locks on just to make sure you didn't go roaming the hallways looking for sacrifices."
"Show me," I whispered, fearing for my dignity.
(Author's POV)
The video starts with a shaky camera, courtesy of Ci-n, who is clearly hiding behind a sofa. In the center of the room, Jay is standing on a coffee table. She isn't the sweet Jay everyone knows; her hair is wild, her eyes are wide, and she's clutching a glass bottle like a sacred relic.
"FOR THE ETERNAL STRENGTH OF SECTION E!" Jay screams in the video, before downing the rest of the bottle in one legendary gulp.
"Jay, honey, maybe get down?" Keifer's voice is heard off-camera, sounding like a man who has lost control of his life.
CRASH!
Jay smashes the empty bottle onto the floor with the strength of a Viking. She starts doing a bizarre tribal dance right in the middle of the glass shards.
"GIVE ME THE VIRGIN!" she roars, pointing a finger at the group of boys huddled in the corner.
Keifer rushes in, trying to swoop her up so she doesn't cut her feet. "Jay, stop! There's glass everywhere!"
Jay dodges him with a surprisingly athletic roll. She starts chasing Keifer around the suite, her arms outstretched. "I KNOW YOU'RE THE ONE, KEIFER! YOU'RE THE SACRIFICE! I KNOW YOUR SECRETS! I KNOW YOU'RE A VIRGIN PERSONALLY!"
The background is filled with the deafening roars of Section E."OHHHH! SHE CALLED YOU OUT, KEIFER!"
Edrix yells."THE TRUTH COMES OUT!" David screams while filming from the balcony.
Keifer is seen running for his life, laughing and blushing a deep red at the same time. "JAY! WE TALKED ABOUT THIS! STOP TELLING THEM MY PRIVATE BUSINESS!"
"BLOOD FOR THE BARAKUDA!" Jay yells, leaping over a chair to catch him.
The video ends with Jay tripping over a pillow and Keifer finally pinning her down in a bear hug while she tries to bite his shoulder playfully.
(Jay's POV)
The silence in the room after the video ended was deafening.
I sat there, frozen. I had told the entire Section E—the most gossipy group of people in the Philippines—that Keifer was a virgin.
I had smashed property. I had performed a sacrifice ritual.I looked at Keifer. He was still smirking, looking entirely too proud of his "Wifey Barakuda."
I didn't say a word. I just lunged forward and buried my face deep into his chest, wrapping my arms around him so tightly I could hear his heartbeat.
"I am never drinking again," I muffled into his shirt, my face burning so hot I thought I might actually catch fire. "Kill me. Just kill me now."
Keifer chuckled, his chest vibrating against my cheek as he wrapped his arms around me. "Don't worry, Jay. The locks worked. And besides... the 'virgin' comment? The boys are never going to let me hear the end of it, but at least they know I'm a gentleman."
"I hate you," I whimpered.
"I love you too, my little monster," he whispered, kissing the top of my head.
[1] If you guys don't remember then they are mentioning the time when all the students of school went to campsite for trop and they where playing truth dare where Jay drank the Alcohol bottle and started acting like a role she played in her old school "Barakuda" and she began running behind them all holding a knife demanding for a virgin body which left them all funny and traumatised!