Chapter: Zero Privacy Policy – Jay's POV
If there is one thing I have learned in this house, it is this:
There is no such thing as privacy.
Especially not when Aries and Ci N are alive.
So after dinner, after Kuya Angelo's serious "lights out means lights out" speech, I decided to show Keifer where I've been staying these past few days.
Aries' room.
Aka: the official chaos headquarters.
"Come," I told Keifer, grabbing his hand dramatically.
He raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidnapping me?"
"Yes."
"For what purpose?"
"Entertainment."
He smirked. "Dangerous answer."
I pulled him upstairs anyway.
The moment we reached the door, we heard arguing.
Again.
"YOU MOVED MY PILLOW."
"I DID NOT!"
"IT WAS HERE."
"YOU'RE DELUSIONAL."
I didn't even knock.
I just opened the door.
Aries was standing on one side of the room holding a pillow like it was sacred property.
Ci N was on the other side looking offended beyond belief.
Both of them froze when they saw us.
"Oh great," Aries muttered. "The romantic leads have arrived."
Ci N gasped dramatically. "Why are you holding hands?"
I immediately let go like I was caught stealing.
"We are not—"
Keifer calmly intertwined our fingers again.
"Yes, we are."
Traitor.
Aries made a fake vomiting sound.
"Disgusting."
Ci N nodded. "Very unhygienic."
"Why are you two even fighting?" I asked, ignoring them.
"He stole my pillow," Aries accused.
"It is not your pillow," Ci N shot back. "It's a communal pillow."
"There is no such thing as a communal pillow!"
Keifer leaned toward me slightly and whispered, "This is what I agreed to stay for?"
"Yes," I whispered back. "You're welcome."
Aries pointed at the bed. "Jay, tell him that was my pillow."
I crossed my arms. "Why does it matter? You both drool."
Ci N gasped. "I DO NOT."
"You talk in your sleep," Aries added.
"That is intellectual discussion."
"With who?" I asked.
"Myself."
Keifer burst out laughing.
And somehow, that small laugh turned into all of us laughing again.
I sat on the bed, still giggling.
Keifer sat beside me.
Aries and Ci N were still arguing about pillow ownership like it was a court case.
"You switched it," Aries insisted.
"You hallucinated it," Ci N replied.
"You breathe too loud."
"You blink aggressively!"
I fell sideways laughing.
And without even thinking, I shifted closer to Keifer.
He instinctively wrapped an arm around my waist to steady me.
I didn't protest.
Actually…
I leaned into him more.
It was comfortable.
Warm.
Familiar.
Aries suddenly stopped mid-argument.
His eyes narrowed.
"Excuse me."
Ci N followed his gaze.
And then both of them froze.
I didn't realize what they were staring at.
Until—
I looked down.
And realized I was sitting on Keifer's lap.
Not next to him.
On him.
My legs were slightly turned toward him, and his arm was securely around my waist.
And I was laughing.
Comfortably.
Like this was normal.
Silence.
Oh no.
Aries slowly crossed his arms.
"What," he said very calmly, "is happening here?"
I immediately tried to stand up.
Keifer did not let me.
"Relax," he said smoothly.
CI N'S JAW DROPPED.
"RELAX?!" he shrieked. "YOU ARE SITTING!"
"I can see that," Aries replied dryly.
I turned bright red.
"I wasn't sitting sitting—"
"You are literally sitting sitting," Ci N said dramatically.
Keifer leaned back slightly, looking way too relaxed.
"She fell."
"I DID NOT FALL."
"You did," he said calmly.
Aries pointed accusingly. "Fell and stayed?"
"I was laughing!" I defended myself.
Ci N gasped. "Oh my God, she's comfortable."
I tried to get up again.
Keifer tightened his arm slightly.
"Don't," he murmured near my ear.
My heart betrayed me by racing immediately.
Aries covered his eyes dramatically.
"This is a family house!"
Ci N nodded seriously. "There are minors here."
"You are the same age as us!" I yelled.
"That's irrelevant!"
Keifer chuckled softly behind me.
Which made it worse.
Aries walked closer.
Very slowly.
Like he was inspecting a crime scene.
"Jay."
"Yes?"
"Are you aware that you are currently glued to him?"
"I am not glued!"
"You look glued."
Ci N leaned in from the other side. "She looks happy."
I froze.
Because he wasn't wrong.
I was happy.
Keifer rested his chin lightly on my shoulder.
"She is," he said softly.
I could feel my ears burning.
Aries gagged loudly.
"If you two start slow music, I'm jumping out the window."
Ci N nodded. "Same."
Keifer smirked slightly. "Jealous?"
"Of what?" Aries snapped.
"This?" Ci N added, pointing at us like we were an exhibit.
I finally managed to stand up, stepping away dramatically.
"ENOUGH."
Both of them immediately grinned.
"Embarrassed," Aries sang.
"I am not embarrassed."
"You're red."
"It's hot."
"There's air conditioning," Ci N replied.
Traitors. Both of them.
Keifer stood up calmly and pulled me slightly back beside him.
"Why are you attacking her?" he asked casually.
Aries blinked. "Because she's committing public romance."
Ci N nodded. "Without warning."
I buried my face in my hands.
"I regret bringing you here," I muttered to Keifer.
He leaned closer. "I don't."
Of course he doesn't.
Aries suddenly clapped his hands.
"Okay, new topic. Why are you two so clingy today?"
"We are not clingy!" I protested.
"You ran to him downstairs," Ci N pointed out.
"That was normal."
"You jumped."
"I walked fast."
"You launched," Aries corrected.
Keifer laughed again.
Which was not helpful.
Ci N suddenly squinted at Keifer.
"Do you always let her sit on you like that?"
"CI N!"
Keifer shrugged casually. "Only when she laughs that hard."
I think my soul left my body.
Aries dramatically fell backward onto the bed.
"I cannot survive this night."
Ci N joined him. "We need emotional compensation."
"For what?!" I demanded.
"For witnessing this," Aries replied.
Keifer crossed his arms calmly. "You two were fighting over a pillow."
"That was serious," Ci N said firmly.
Aries nodded. "Respect the pillow war."
I looked at Keifer.
"See what I deal with?"
He smiled softly.
"Yeah."
And then—
He did the most dangerous thing possible.
He pulled me gently back toward him.
Not onto his lap this time.
Just close enough that our shoulders touched.
Comfortable.
Natural.
Aries slowly sat up again.
"Oh no."
Ci N's eyes widened. "Round two?"
I glared at them both.
"Can you not?"
"Not what?" Aries asked innocently.
"Breathe dramatically," Ci N added.
Keifer leaned down slightly and whispered near my ear, "You're adorable when you're flustered."
That was it.
I turned and hit his arm lightly.
"Stop encouraging them!"
He laughed quietly.
Aries pointed. "She hit him. Violence."
Ci N nodded. "Toxic relationship."
I threw a pillow at both of them.
It hit Aries first.
Ci N gasped. "War again!"
And just like that—
The pillow war restarted.
Aries tackled Ci N.
Ci N screamed.
I tried to move out of the way but tripped slightly.
Keifer caught me immediately.
"Careful."
"See?" Aries shouted mid-fight. "He's dramatic."
"I am not dramatic!" Keifer defended.
"You caught her like a movie scene!"
"I have reflexes!"
Ci N rolled onto the floor laughing.
"This house is insane."
I leaned back against Keifer again, still giggling.
"I told you," I whispered to him.
He looked down at me.
"I like it."
"You like chaos?"
"I like you in chaos."
That shut me up instantly.
Aries looked at us again.
And immediately pointed.
"STOP STANDING SO CLOSE."
Ci N covered his eyes again. "I need protective glasses."
I couldn't stop laughing anymore.
Maybe it was the stress from the past week finally releasing.
Maybe it was just them being ridiculous.
But for the first time in days—
I wasn't thinking about contracts.
Or Yuri.
Or company pressure.
I was just…
Laughing.
With idiots.
And the boy I love.
Aries suddenly stood up and stretched dramatically.
"I give up. Sleep time."
Ci N nodded. "Yes. Before this becomes a romantic documentary."
I pointed at them. "One more word—"
"Cheese," Aries said immediately.
Ci N gasped. "Emotional cheese!"
I lunged for the pillow again.
They both ran.
Keifer caught me before I could chase them.
"Let them live," he said softly.
I turned to him.
"You're enjoying this too much."
"Very much."
I crossed my arms.
"You're impossible."
He leaned closer slightly.
"But you still sat on my lap."
My jaw dropped.
"That was accidental!"
"Sure."
I narrowed my eyes.
"You're never hearing the end of this, are you?"
"Never."
I groaned.
But I was smiling.
Because even if they tease us.
Even if there's zero privacy.
Even if this house is one argument away from explosion at all times—
It feels alive.
It feels warm.
It feels like I'm not alone.
And if sitting on his lap during chaos is the price I pay for this happiness?
…Okay fine.
Maybe I don't regret it.
Just don't tell Aries and Ci N that.
They'll never shut up.