Chapter One Hundred Seventeen: The Loudest Argument Ever
The morning started like any other.
Jay was in the kitchen, making coffee. Keifer walked in, kissed her cheek, and made a fatal mistake.
He drank the last of the orange juice.
Without asking.
Without offering to buy more.
Without even a glance at her.
Jay's eye twitched.
"Keifer."
"Yeah?"
"Did you just drink the last of the orange juice?"
He looked at the empty carton. "Oh. Yeah. Sorry."
"That's it? Sorry?"
"What else do you want me to say?"
"I want you to say you'll buy more! I want you to say you'll be considerate! I want you to—"
"Jay, it's just orange juice."
"IT'S NOT JUST ORANGE JUICE! IT'S THE PRINCIPLE!"
---
The kitchen went quiet.
Everyone turned.
Akshi whispered to Chethan. "Uh oh."
Chethan whispered back. "Run."
Percy grabbed Honey. "DRAMA! FINALLY!"
Honey sighed. "Percy, don't—"
"I'M WATCHING!"
---
Jay's voice rose. "You always do this! You take the last of everything and never replace it! The coffee! The milk! The orange juice! I'm tired of it!"
Keifer held up his hands. "Okay. You're right. I'm sorry. I'll buy more."
"NOW you say that! After I had to ASK!"
"What do you want me to do?"
"I want you to THINK! For once in your life, THINK about someone other than yourself!"
---
That did it.
Keifer's jaw tightened.
"Think about someone other than myself? I spend every day thinking about you. About Keiran. About this family. I work to provide for all of you. I—"
"You work? I work too! I also take care of Keiran, I also manage the house, I also—"
They were both yelling now.
The kitchen cleared out fast.
Akshi dragged Chethan to the living room.
Percy pulled Honey to a safe distance.
C.N. took notes from behind the couch.
Rakii filmed from the doorway.
Felix and Bridget exchanged worried glances.
David and Freya hid in the corner.
Mica and Calix watched with wide eyes.
Aries and Ella sat frozen.
Keiran, sensing the tension, clutched Rex tighter. "Mamma and Pappa are fighting."
Rex nodded solemnly.
Ganesha looked worried.
---
Jay was in full swing now.
"You never listen! You never—"
Keifer moved.
Fast.
He crossed to her.
Picked her up.
She yelped. "KEIF! PUT ME DOWN!"
"No."
"I'M STILL MAD!"
"I know."
"PUT ME DOWN!"
"We're going to talk about this. Privately."
"I DON'T WANT TO TALK!"
"Too bad."
---
He carried her out of the kitchen.
Up the stairs.
Toward their room.
Jay kicked her legs. "KEIFER MARK WATSON!"
"That's my name."
"DON'T 'THAT'S MY NAME' ME!"
He kicked the door open.
Carried her inside.
The door slammed shut.
---
Silence.
Then—
Loud moans.
Very loud.
Very obvious moans.
Coming from behind the door.
---
The living room froze.
Percy's jaw dropped. "ARE THEY—"
Honey covered his mouth. "Percy, don't—"
"THEY'RE FIGHTING! AND THEN—"
"We don't know what they're doing!"
"WE CAN HEAR WHAT THEY'RE DOING!"
---
The moans continued.
Loud.
Unmistakable.
Akshi buried her face in Chethan's shoulder. "I can't. I literally can't."
Chethan was bright red. "Same."
Mica giggled. "GOOD FOR THEM!"
Calix covered her mouth. "Mica!"
"What? They're married!"
---
C.N. made a note, face red. "Subject: Post-argument activity. Volume: Maximum. Discretion: None."
Rakii lowered her camera. "I'm not filming this."
"Good."
"Disappointing, but good."
"Very."
---
Felix stared at the ceiling. "I'm going to pretend I don't hear this."
Bridget nodded. "Same."
David whispered to Freya, "Is that what happens when we fight?"
Freya whispered back. "Sometimes."
"Oh."
"Don't get ideas."
"Too late."
---
Mithun looked at Shreya.
Shreya looked at Mithun.
"We're never fighting," she said.
"Agreed."
"Ever."
"Ever."
---
Percy was losing his mind. "HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO LAST?"
Honey covered his ears. "Percy, stop listening!"
"I CAN'T! IT'S EVERYWHERE!"
"Then go outside!"
"BUT THEN I'LL MISS THE END!"
"There is no END! It's just—"
The moans got louder.
Percy screamed.
---
Then—
The front door opened.
Kuya Michel Angelo walked in.
Tall. Imposing. Calm.
Behind him, Ion followed, elegant and quiet.
Kuya stopped.
Listened.
Raised an eyebrow.
"What," he said slowly, "is that noise?"
---
The living room went silent.
Percy pointed upstairs. "KEIF AND JAY! THEY WERE FIGHTING! AND NOW—"
Honey covered his mouth. "Percy, SHUT UP!"
"BUT KUYA ASKED!"
Kuya looked at the ceiling.
The moans continued.
Ion smiled slightly. "Sounds like they made up."
Kuya's expression didn't change. "Apparently."
---
Akshi waved frantically. "Kuya! Maybe you should come back later!"
Chethan nodded. "Much later!"
Kuya looked at them. Then at the ceiling. Then back at them.
"I came to check on everyone. But clearly, everyone is... fine."
Ion giggled. "More than fine."
Kuya sighed. "Ion."
"What? They're happy!"
---
The moans reached a crescendo.
Then stopped.
Silence.
Percy whispered, "Is it over?"
No one answered.
---
Twenty minutes later, the door opened.
Keifer emerged.
Looking exhausted.
But glowing.
Hair disheveled. Shirt untucked. Slight smile.
He walked down the stairs.
Saw Kuya.
Froze.
"Kuya."
"Keifer."
Silence.
Keifer cleared his throat. "We didn't know you were coming."
"Clearly."
"I—we—"
Kuya held up a hand. "No explanation needed."
"Okay."
"But next time, warn the household before you... reconcile."
Keifer's face went red. "Right. Sorry."
---
Jay appeared behind him.
Same state.
Glowing. Disheveled. Slightly embarrassed.
She saw Kuya.
Froze.
"Kuya."
"Jay."
"I—we—"
Kuya raised an eyebrow. "I heard."
Jay's face went crimson. "OH GOD."
Ion laughed. "Don't worry, dear. It happens."
"IT HAPPENS LOUDLY IN THIS HOUSE!"
---
Percy couldn't contain himself. "SO. ABOUT THE ORANGE JUICE."
Jay blinked. "What?"
"The fight! It started over orange juice! And then—" He made a gesture.
Honey grabbed his arm. "Percy, STOP."
"BUT THE DRAMA!"
"The drama is over. Let them have dignity."
"What dignity? WE ALL HEARD!"
---
C.N. made a final note. "Argument resolution method: Loud. Very loud. Household awareness: 100%."
Rakii lowered her camera. "I deleted everything."
"Everything?"
"After the first thirty seconds. For their privacy."
"Respect."
"Survival."
---
Kuya looked around at the chaos.
At Percy's red face.
At Akshi's giggles.
At Chethan's embarrassment.
At Mithun's calm amusement.
At Shreya's hiding.
At Felix and Bridget's averted eyes.
At David and Freya's snickering.
At Mica's thumbs up.
At Calix's resignation.
At Aries and Ella's amusement.
At Keiran, who was too young to understand but clapping anyway.
At Rex and Ganesha, who seemed confused but supportive.
He sighed.
"Ion. Let's go. I need coffee. And silence."
Ion smiled. "Of course."
They walked out.
The door closed behind them.
---
Jay buried her face in Keifer's chest. "I want to die."
Keifer held her. "Same."
"Everyone heard."
"Everyone."
"Kuya heard."
"Kuya definitely heard."
"I can never look at him again."
"You'll have to. He's family."
"I'll move to another country."
"Jay."
"A DESERTED ISLAND."
---
Shreya patted her arm. "Welcome to the club."
Jay looked up. "What club?"
"The 'everyone heard us' club. Mithun and I have been members since the pillow incident."
Mithun nodded. "It's a big club."
Akshi raised her hand. "Chethan and I are members too!"
Chethan sighed. "We are."
Percy pointed at himself. "HONEY AND I ARE THE FOUNDERS!"
Honey nodded. "We set the bar high."
Jay stared at them. "This is a CLUB?"
"An exclusive one!"
---
She laughed despite herself.
Then everyone laughed.
The tension broke.
The embarrassment faded.
All that remained was love.
And chaos.
And the memory of the loudest argument ever.
---
That night, they gathered for dinner.
No one mentioned the orange juice.
No one mentioned the moans.
But everyone smiled.
Especially Jay and Keifer.
---
Percy raised his glass. "TO ORANGE JUICE!"
Honey sighed. "Percy."
"WHAT? IT STARTED EVERYTHING!"
"TO ORANGE JUICE!" everyone echoed.
Jay leaned against Keifer.
"I love you," she whispered.
"I love you too."
"Even when you drink the last of the orange juice?"
"Especially then?"
"No. Not especially then."
He laughed. "Fair."
She kissed his cheek.
The chaos continued.
But for one moment—
Everything was perfect.
---
End of Chapter One Hundred Seventeen