Chapter 6: The Morning After.
The sunlight streaming through the sheer curtains of the Watson guest room felt too bright for 6:30 AM. I groaned, pulling the duvet over my head, only for it to be yanked away a second later.
"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty. We have a storm to face," Keifer's voice teased.
I squinted at him. He was already dressed in his school uniform, looking unfairly handsome for someone who had barely slept. The memory of last night—the carbonara disaster, the kiss, and the heavy silence in Keigen's room—came rushing back.
"Is Keigen okay?" I asked, sitting up and rubbing my eyes.
Keifer's expression softened. "He's still sleeping, but his vitals are stable. Keiren is watching him. Come on, I made breakfast. And by 'made,' I mean I watched the chef make it so I wouldn't burn the house down."
We ate in a comfortable, albeit rushed, silence. The reality of the day was setting in. Today was the day Kuya Angelo would find out. Today was the day "Jayfer" became public knowledge to the rest of the school beyond Section E.
As we pulled into the school parking lot, I saw Aries leaning against his car. He looked at us—at our joined hands—and gave a slow, solemn nod. It was the look a priest gives a man walking to the electric chair.
"He knows," Aries said as we approached. "I called him last night after you got to the mansion. He didn't scream. He didn't even hang up."
I swallowed hard. "That's worse. Silence from Kuya Angelo is never good."
"He'll be at the school gate at 4:00 PM," Aries added, looking at Keifer. "I'd start praying now, keifer."
The school day was a whirlwind of whispers. News travels fast in high school, but in our school, it traveled at the speed of light. By second period, the "official" status of the King of Ulupongs and the Princess of the Fernandez clan was the only thing anyone talked about.
In the hallways, girls glared at me with envy, and guys gave Keifer ignored every single one. But inside the sanctuary of Section E, it was pure, unadulterated chaos.
"Long live the Queen!" Ci-N shouted as I entered the room, bowing so low his forehead hit the floor.
"Get up, you idiot!" I laughed, shoving him with my foot.
"I can't! I'm blinded by the radiance of true love!" he wailed. "Also, where are my chocolates? You promised!"
I tossed a bag of premium milk chocolates at him, which he caught in mid-air like a hungry seal.
"So," Felix said, leaning back in his chair with a smirk. "How was the 'stayover' at the Watson mansion? Did Keifer try anything? Do I need to get the shotgun?"
Keifer, who had been leaning against my desk, flicked a pen at Felix's head. "Watch it, Felix. She's a lady."
"A lady who uses profanity like a sailor," Ci-N muffled through a mouthful of chocolate.
The morning went by in a blur of laughter and teasing, but as 4:00 PM approached, the air in the room grew heavy. Even the rowdy boys of Section E started to quiet down, sensing the tension radiating from Keifer and me.
Then death appeared.
The silence that followed was agonizing. Kuya Angelo stared at Keifer for what felt like an eternity, his gaze piercing enough to make any other guy run for the hills.
But Keifer didn't move. He didn't even blink.
Then, the tension shifted in a way I didn't expect. Keifer's shoulders dropped just a fraction—not out of fear, but out of a strange kind of... respect?
"I'm sorry for the late notice, Boss," Keifer said, his voice steady but noticeably more formal.
My head whipped toward Keifer. Boss?i know they know eachother but Since when did the King of Ulupongs call my brother "Boss"?
Kuya Angelo let out a long, heavy sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. The "God of War" persona seemed to melt into something weary. "I told you to keep her safe, keifer. I didn't tell you to keep her overnight without a formal heads-up to the household."
"It won't happen again," Keifer promised.
I looked between them, my jaw practically hitting the pavement.
"Wait... you two know each other? Like, really know know each other?" I asked.
Kuya Angelo ignored my question, stepping closer to Keifer until they were inches apart. He lowered his voice, but in the quiet of the school gate, every word carried the weight of a death sentence
.
"I'm agreeing to this," Kuya said, his eyes narrowing into slits. "But let's be crystal clear, Keifer. Jay-Jay is my life. If she even sheds a single tear because of you—if you hurt her, neglect her, or let your family's chaos break her—I'll get your coffin customized myself. And believe me, I won't be picking a cheap wood."
Felix, who was watching from the sidelines, actually crossed himself.
Keifer didn't flinch at the threat of his own funeral. Instead, he looked Kuya in the eye with a sincerity that made my heart ache. "You won't need to pick a color, Boss. Because I'll never give her a reason to cry."
Kuya stared at him for three more seconds before finally nodding once. "Fine. 11:00 pm curfew. And if you're one minute late, I'm sending Aries to fetch her with a shotgun."
"Understood boss" Keifer said, finally letting out a breath.
Kuya turned to me, his expression softening slightly into that protective brotherly look I knew so well. "Get in the car, Jay-Jay. We're having Lechon for dinner. You need the protein after all this 'stress.' "
I turned to Keifer, still reeling from the revelation that my boyfriend and my brother were apparently on a first-name, "Boss"-level basis. "We are talking about this tomorrow, keifer!" I hissed, though I couldn't hide my smile.
He smirked, leaning down to whisper in my ear. "I look forward to the interrogation, wifey."
As the SUV pulled away, I looked back to see Keifer standing there, watching us leave. The King of Ulupongs and the Boss of the Fernandez house—apparently, my life was even more complicated than I thought.
But as I felt the warmth of the "official" ringless commitment on my heart, I knew I wouldn't have it any other way.
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Author's note.
Again sorry for the delay.😔
My exams are tomorrow so my mummy did not give me phone and I was at my friends house studing.
But don't worry I'll post the next chapter in 30 to 20 mins.
Bye bye 🌷🫶🏻🌸