Chapter: The Old Man and the Ear Twist
(AUTHOR'S POV)
The Watson mansion was too quiet.
After days of chaos with Aries and Percy, Jay and Keifer decided to visit Angelo's house.
Big mistake.
Huge mistake.
Because Angelo's house was never quiet.
And today—
Today was family dinner.
Which meant everyone.
Aries.
Percy.
Tita Gemma.
Tito Rachel.
And of course—
Kuya Angelo.
The head of the chaos.
Jay and Keifer walked through the front door.
Hand in hand.
Smiling.
Innocent.
Unaware.
The living room was already full.
Aries on the couch.
Percy beside him.
Tita Gemma in the kitchen.
Tito Rachel reading the newspaper.
And Angelo at the dining table.
Reviewing documents.
As always.
The moment they walked in—
Aries jumped up.
"THE LUMP HAS ARRIVED!"
Percy joined.
"AND THE BLANKET HERO!"
Jay groaned.
"Not this again."
Aries grinned.
"THIS FOREVER!"
Percy nodded.
"LUMP GATE 2024!"
"NEVER FORGET!"
Angelo looked up from his documents.
Frowned.
"What are they talking about?"
Jay waved her hand.
"Nothing."
"Absolutely nothing."
Aries opened his mouth.
Keifer shot him a look.
Dangerous.
Aries closed his mouth.
Percy patted his shoulder.
"Live to fight another day."
Aries nodded.
"Smart."
---
Dinner Preparations
Tita Gemma's voice from the kitchen.
"ANGELO! COME HELP!"
Angelo didn't move.
"I'm busy."
"BUSY DOING WHAT?!"
"Important things."
"LIKE WHAT?!"
"Thinking."
Tita Gemma appeared in the doorway.
Hands on hips.
"You call that thinking?!"
"I call it avoiding work."
Angelo looked up.
Calm.
Deadpan.
"Same thing."
Tita Gemma grabbed a spoon.
Walked toward him.
Angelo stood quickly.
"I'll help."
Tita Gemma nodded.
"Good choice."
Jay whispered to Keifer.
"She's the real boss."
Keifer nodded.
"Clearly."
---
Dinner – The Table
Everyone gathered.
Food everywhere.
Laughter.
Chaos.
Normal.
Angelo at the head.
Tita Gemma and Tito Rachel on one side.
Aries and Percy on the other.
Jay and Keifer at the end.
Perfect.
For about five minutes.
Then—
Keifer looked at Angelo.
Casual.
Too casual.
"So, old man."
Angelo froze.
Fork halfway to his mouth.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
He turned to Keifer.
"What did you call me?"
Keifer shrugged.
"Old man."
"You're old."
"Not married."
"Getting older."
"Should probably fix that."
The table went silent.
Dead silent.
Even Tita Gemma stopped chewing.
Aries' eyes widened.
Percy grabbed his chest.
Tito Rachel lowered his newspaper.
Jay looked at Keifer.
"What are you doing?!"
Keifer smiled.
Innocent.
"Just facts."
"Kuya Angelo is old."
"Not getting younger."
"Should find someone."
"Before it's too late."
Angelo's eye twitched.
"Too late?"
Keifer nodded.
"You know."
"Ancient."
"Past your prime."
"Nobody wants—"
Angelo stood.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
Walked around the table.
Toward Keifer.
Keifer's smile faded.
"Kuya—"
Angelo reached him.
Grabbed his ear.
Twisted.
Hard.
Keifer yelped.
"OW!"
"KUYA!"
Angelo's voice.
Calm.
Deadly calm.
"Old man?"
Keifer winced.
"I— I didn't—"
"Ancient?"
"Past my prime?"
"Nobody wants?"
Keifer tried to pull away.
Angelo twisted harder.
Keifer yelped again.
Jay covered her mouth.
Trying not to laugh.
Failing.
Aries was already crying with laughter.
Percy fell off his chair.
Tita Gemma clapped.
Tito Rachel actually smiled.
Angelo continued.
"Say it again."
"Go ahead."
"Call me old again."
Keifer's ear was red.
Turning purple.
"I'm sorry!"
"SORRY!"
Angelo raised an eyebrow.
"Sorry for what?"
"For calling you—"
He stopped.
Angelo twisted.
"OW! OKAY!"
"For calling you OLD!"
"I'M SORRY!"
"You're YOUNG!"
"VERY YOUNG!"
"HANDSOME!"
"DESIRABLE!"
Angelo nodded.
Satisfied.
Let go.
Keifer grabbed his ear.
Rubbed it.
Winced.
Jay finally laughed.
Full laugh.
Couldn't stop.
Aries was on the floor.
Crying.
Dying.
"OLD MAN!"
"HE CALLED HIM OLD MAN!"
Percy wheezed.
"PAST HIS PRIME!"
"NOBODY WANTS!"
Tita Gemma wiped tears.
"That was beautiful."
Tito Rachel nodded.
"Best dinner ever."
Angelo walked back to his seat.
Sat.
Calm.
Picked up his fork.
Continued eating.
Like nothing happened.
Keifer stared at him.
Rubbing his ear.
"That— that really hurt."
Angelo didn't look up.
"Good."
"Maybe next time—"
"You'll think before speaking."
Keifer muttered.
"Old man."
Angelo's head snapped up.
Keifer held up his hands.
"KIDDING!"
"JOKING!"
"VERY SORRY!"
Angelo stared.
Long stare.
Then—
Small smile.
"Lucky for you—"
"I'm in a good mood."
Keifer sighed relief.
Jay patted his arm.
"Brave, hubby."
"Stupid, but brave."
He looked at her.
"Not helping."
She kissed his cheek.
"Love you anyway."
He smiled.
Small.
Relieved.
"Love you too."
---
After Dinner – Living Room
Everyone moved to the living room.
Aries still recovering.
Percy still laughing.
Tita Gemma brought dessert.
Tito Rachel actually sat with everyone.
Angelo in his usual chair.
Keifer sat as far away as possible.
Still rubbing his ear.
Jay beside him.
Amused.
Aries couldn't resist.
"So, Keifer."
Keifer glared.
"What?"
"How's your ear?"
"Fine."
"Looks red."
"It's fine."
"Very red."
"ARIES."
Aries grinned.
"Just asking."
Percy joined.
"Kuya Angelo has strong hands."
Keifer nodded.
"I noticed."
Angelo spoke.
Calm.
"I have stronger grip."
Keifer paled.
"I believe you."
Jay laughed.
Patted his leg.
"Don't worry, hubby."
"I'll protect you."
He looked at her.
"You laughed."
"I did."
"You didn't help."
"You deserved it."
He stared.
She smiled.
Innocent.
He sighed.
"This family."
She kissed his cheek.
"Best family."
He softened.
"Unfortunately."
---
The Conversation Continues
Tita Gemma sat beside Angelo.
Smiling.
"Angelo, dear."
He looked at her.
"Yes?"
"Keifer has a point."
Angelo's eye twitched.
"What point?"
"About you getting married."
"You're not getting younger."
Angelo opened his mouth.
Tito Rachel joined.
"She's right."
"You should find someone."
Angelo glared.
"Not you too."
Tito Rachel shrugged.
"Just facts."
Aries raised his hand.
"I know someone!"
Percy nodded.
"Me too!"
"Multiple someones!"
Angelo's eye twitched again.
"I don't need—"
Tita Gemma interrupted.
"YES YOU DO."
"YOU'RE LONELY."
Angelo stared.
"I'm not lonely."
"You live alone."
"I like it."
"You eat alone."
"I prefer it."
"You sleep alone."
Angelo paused.
"...That's different."
Tita Gemma crossed her arms.
"How?"
Angelo opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
Nothing.
Jay whispered to Keifer.
"He's losing."
Keifer nodded.
"Badly."
Aries jumped in.
"Kuya, imagine—"
"Someone to come home to."
Percy added.
"Someone to cook for you."
Tita Gemma added.
"Someone to love you."
Tito Rachel finished.
"Someone to twist your ear when you're wrong."
Angelo glared at all of them.
"This is an intervention."
Aries nodded.
"YES!"
Percy agreed.
"LOVE INTERVENTION!"
Angelo stood.
"I'm leaving."
Tita Gemma pointed.
"SIT."
He sat.
Jay's eyes widened.
"She's magic."
Keifer nodded.
"Terrifying magic."
---
Jay's Turn
Jay leaned forward.
"Kuya."
Angelo looked at her.
Wary.
"What?"
"Can I ask something?"
"You just did."
"No, I mean—"
"Seriously."
Angelo sighed.
"Fine."
"What?"
Jay smiled.
Sweet.
Too sweet.
"Do you have a crush on anyone?"
The room went silent.
Angelo stared at her.
Long stare.
"What?"
"A crush."
"Like someone?"
"Romantically?"
Angelo's face changed.
Slightly.
Barely noticeable.
But Jay saw it.
Her eyes widened.
"YOU DO!"
Angelo's jaw tightened.
"I do not."
"YOU TOTALLY DO!"
"JAY."
"WHO IS IT?!"
"NO ONE."
"TELL ME!"
"NEVER."
Jay turned to Tita Gemma.
"TITA! KUYA ANGELO HAS A CRUSH!"
Tita Gemma gasped.
"REALLY?!"
Angelo stood.
"This conversation is over."
Tita Gemma pointed.
"SIT."
He sat.
Glared at Jay.
She grinned.
No regrets.
---
The Interrogation
Everyone gathered closer.
Angelo surrounded.
Trapped.
Aries leaned in.
"Who is it, Kuya?"
Percy nodded.
"We need names."
Tita Gemma clasped her hands.
"Is she pretty?"
"Is he handsome?"
Tito Rachel raised an eyebrow.
"Anyone we know?"
Jay added.
"Is it someone from work?"
Aries gasped.
"IS IT THE COFFEE SHOP LADY?!"
Percy shook his head.
"NO, THE BOOKSTORE GIRL!"
Tita Gemma considered.
"Maybe the gardener?"
Tito Rachel nodded.
"She's nice."
Angelo's eye twitched violently.
"THERE IS NO ONE."
Everyone ignored him.
Jay continued.
"Does she have dark hair?"
"Light hair?"
"Curly?"
"Straight?"
Aries joined.
"Is she tall?"
"Short?"
Percy added.
"Shy?"
"Outgoing?"
Tita Gemma clapped.
"Describe her!"
Angelo stood again.
"I'M LEAVING."
Tita Gemma pointed.
"SIT."
He sat.
Glared at everyone.
"You're all impossible."
Jay smiled.
"Learned from the best."
He glared harder.
No power.
---
Keifer's Final Blow
Keifer saw his chance.
Revenge for the ear twist.
He leaned forward.
Smiled.
Sweet.
Innocent.
Too innocent.
"Kuya."
Angelo looked at him.
Wary.
Very wary.
"Yes?"
"I have a question."
"No."
"You haven't heard it."
"Don't need to."
Keifer continued anyway.
"Since you're old—"
Angelo's hand moved.
Ready to strike.
Keifer held up his hands.
"WAIT!"
"JUST LISTEN!"
Angelo paused.
Hand ready.
"Speak."
"Quickly."
Keifer spoke fast.
"Since you're old—"
"And single—"
"And have a crush—"
"Should we set you up?"
"On a date?"
"With someone?"
"Before you're too old to—"
Angelo's hand moved.
Grabbed Keifer's ear.
The same ear.
Twisted.
Harder than before.
Keifer screamed.
"AGAIN?!"
Angelo nodded.
"Again."
"Same ear."
"Same result."
Keifer yelped.
"IT WAS A JOKE!"
"NOT FUNNY."
"I'M SORRY!"
"TOO LATE."
"KUYA!"
"ANGELO!"
"PLEASE!"
Jay laughed.
Couldn't stop.
Tears streaming.
Aries on the floor.
Percy wheezing.
Tita Gemma clapping.
Tito Rachel smiling.
Angelo finally let go.
Keifer grabbed his ear.
Rubbed it.
Winced.
"That's— that's both ears now."
Angelo nodded.
"Symmetry."
"Important."
Keifer stared.
"You're evil."
Angelo smiled.
Small.
Satisfied.
"Learned from the best."
---
Peace – For Now
Everyone settled.
Laughing.
Breathing.
Recovering.
Jay leaned against Keifer.
Rubbed his ear gently.
"Poor hubby."
He looked at her.
"You laughed."
"Hard."
"I know."
"You didn't help."
"Again."
"You deserved it."
"Again."
She kissed his cheek.
"Love you."
He softened.
"Love you too."
"But you're mean."
She grinned.
"Your mean."
He sighed.
Pulled her closer.
"My mean."
Aries pointed.
"THEY'RE BEING CUTE AGAIN!"
Percy gagged.
"DISGUSTING!"
Tita Gemma smiled.
"Beautiful."
Tito Rachel nodded.
"Love."
Angelo watched.
Shaking his head.
But smiling.
Because this—
This chaos.
This family.
This love.
Was absolutely insane.
And absolutely perfect.
---
To Be Continued...
(The chaos never ends.)