Ang Mutya ng Section E – Book 3: The Unwritten Destinies
Chapter 12: The Handsome Face Crisis
(Jay's POV)
Peace in our house never lasted long.
Especially when Percy was involved.
That afternoon, the living room was unusually quiet. Aries was lying on the couch scrolling through his phone, I was doing my assignment on the table, and Percy was… standing in front of the mirror.
Again.
For the tenth time in the last hour.
He tilted his head left.
Then right.
Then leaned closer to the mirror.
"Hm."
Aries didn't even look up.
"Oh no."
I sighed.
"What now?"
Percy ran his fingers through his hair dramatically.
"I think my face got more handsome."
I slowly lifted my head.
"…What?"
Aries sat up immediately.
"Did he just say that?"
Percy turned around confidently.
"Be honest."
He pointed at his face.
"Is this the face of a normal man?"
Aries blinked.
"Yes."
Percy shook his head.
"No."
I already knew this conversation was going to be painful.
"This," Percy continued proudly, "is the face of a legend."
Aries stared at him for three seconds.
Then he looked at me.
"Jay."
"Yes?"
"I think the blue-eyed monkey has lost his mind."
Percy gasped.
"EXCUSE ME."
I walked toward him slowly and examined his face dramatically like a scientist.
"Hm."
Percy smiled proudly.
"See? Even Jay is impressed."
I leaned closer to his face.
Then I sighed.
"Aries."
"Yes?"
"The monkey looks normal today."
Aries fell off the couch laughing.
Percy pointed at me in betrayal.
"You two are jealous."
Aries stood up and grabbed Percy's shoulders.
"Brother."
"Yes?"
"Listen carefully."
He looked deep into Percy's eyes.
"You are not handsome."
Percy froze.
"You are…"
Aries paused dramatically.
"…a confident monkey."
I clapped immediately.
"Beautifully said."
Percy looked personally attacked.
"You people don't understand beauty."
He went back to the mirror again.
Aries walked behind him and examined his reflection.
"Hm."
Percy smirked.
"Now you're seeing it."
Aries nodded seriously.
"Yes."
He leaned closer.
"I see it now."
Percy smiled proudly.
"You finally admit it?"
Aries whispered:
"You look like a confused potato with blue eyes."
I collapsed onto the couch laughing.
Percy turned around slowly.
"You are both terrible human beings."
I wiped tears from my eyes.
"Percy… why are you staring at the mirror like you're the main character in a movie?"
"Because I am."
Aries grabbed a pillow and threw it at him.
"YOU ARE THE SIDE CHARACTER."
Percy caught the pillow and pointed at his face again.
"Look at these features."
I sighed.
"Okay let's analyze."
Aries grabbed a notebook dramatically.
"Scientific research part two."
Percy rolled his eyes.
"Go ahead."
I pointed at his hair.
"Hair: messy bird nest."
Aries wrote it down seriously.
"Accurate."
Percy gasped.
"HEY."
I pointed at his nose.
"Nose: slightly dramatic."
Aries nodded.
"Very dramatic."
Percy crossed his arms.
"You're just jealous because I'm the handsome one in this family."
Aries looked at me slowly.
"Jay."
"Yes?"
"We must humble him."
I nodded.
"Agreed."
Aries grabbed Percy's shoulders again.
"Brother."
"Yes?"
"Do you remember Jules?"
Percy frowned.
"Yes?"
"The baby who called you monke."
Percy froze.
I added sweetly.
"And she's the most honest person in this house."
Aries clapped slowly.
"So scientifically speaking…"
Percy already knew where this was going.
"No."
"Yes."
"You are…"
Both of us shouted together.
"A BLUE-EYED MONKEY."
Percy threw the pillow at both of us.
"I HATE THIS FAMILY."
Aries jumped onto the couch laughing.
"This is the best day."
Percy went back to the mirror angrily.
"You'll see."
"See what?" I asked.
"One day the world will recognize my beauty."
Aries nodded seriously.
"Yes."
"As a zoo attraction."
I nearly died laughing again.
At that exact moment Dad walked into the room.
"What is happening here?"
Percy pointed at us dramatically.
"Dad."
"Yes?"
"These two are bullying me because I'm handsome."
Dad looked at him.
Then looked at me.
Then at Aries.
He thought for a moment.
Then said calmly:
"Percy."
"Yes?"
"You're handsome."
Percy smiled proudly.
"Thank you!"
Dad continued.
"But not enough to stare at yourself for two hours."
Aries screamed with laughter again.
Percy walked away dramatically.
"I need a new family."
I leaned back on the couch still laughing.
Aries wiped tears from his eyes.
"You know what the worst part is?"
"What?"
"He's going to look at the mirror again in five minutes."
And exactly five minutes later…
Percy walked past us and glanced at the mirror again.
Aries pointed.
"I TOLD YOU."
I laughed so hard my stomach hurt.
Our house was ridiculous.
Loud.
Chaotic.
And completely insane.
But somehow…
It always managed to make me smile.