Jay's Pov
I didn't waste a single second.
The call ended and I was MOVING.
Crop top? Check.
Baggy blue jeans? Check.
Long jacket to survive the stupid London weather? Check.
Phone? Wallet? Passport? All in my pocket.
I ran downstairs so fast I nearly tripped three times.
Jare was in the living room. Percy was doing something dramatic with a mirror. Mama and Papa were having coffee.
They all looked up when I stormed in.
"I'm going to the Philippines."
Silence.
Then chaos.
"WHAT?!" Mama Reycee stood up. "Jay-Jay, you can't just—"
"I CAN and I AM."
"Baby, slow down—"
"NO. I've been slow for WEEKS. I've been dead for WEEKS. And I just found out the truth and I'm NOT waiting another second."
Jare's eyes widened. "You know?"
"I know everything. Mia called."
Percy dropped his mirror. "MIA CALLED?! WHAT DID SHE SAY?!"
"She said Keifer's been dying without me. She said the plan was a LIE to protect me. She said he still loves me." I grabbed my jacket tighter. "And I'm going to him."
Papa stood up slowly. "Jay-Jay, it's the middle of the night—"
"I don't care."
"There are no flights—"
"Private jet. Mariano Enterprises owns one. I saw it in the files."
Mama Reycee looked at Papa. They had one of those parent conversations with their eyes.
Then Papa sighed. "We're coming with you."
I blinked. "What?"
"If you're going, we're going. You're not flying across the world alone."
Jare was already grabbing his coat. "I'm in."
Percy struck a pose. "And I NEED to see the reunion. For content."
"PERCY."
"What? This is HISTORIC."
Fourteen Hours Later
Manila, Philippines
My Heart: About to Explode
The private jet was fast. Too fast. Not fast enough.
I spent the whole flight staring out the window, gripping the purple dinosaur I'd stuffed in my bag.
I'm coming, Keifer.
Wait for me.
We landed. I was out the door before the stairs fully lowered.
"Jay-Jay, wait!" Mama Reycee yelled.
"CAN'T WAIT!"
I'd already booked a taxi online. It was waiting. The driver looked confused but ready.
My family piled in. Mama Reycee, Papa, Jare, Percy. All squished.
"Where to, miss?" the driver asked.
"Watson mansion. I have the address."
He nodded and drove.
Mama Reycee grabbed my hand. "Baby, are you sure about this?"
"More sure than I've ever been about anything."
"And if he doesn't—"
"He will."
"How do you know?"
I looked at her. "Because I still have the dinosaur. And he still has my note. That's not nothing."
She smiled. Small but real. "That's my girl."
The taxi stopped.
Watson mansion.
I was out before the engine fully stopped.
My family scrambled behind me. "Jay-Jay, wait!"
I RAN to the door. Jabbed the doorbell.
Once. Twice. Three times.
The door opened.
Tita Serina.
"Jay?!" Her eyes went wide. "What are you—"
"Where is he?"
"He's—he's upstairs—"
I pushed past her. Into the mansion.
Keigan was on the couch. His mouth dropped open.
Keiren was playing with dinosaurs. He screamed "ATE JAY!" and ran toward me.
"Not now, baby dinosaur!" I kept moving.
Victor appeared from the kitchen. "Jay?!"
I ignored him.
Up the stairs. Two at a time.
And then I saw him.
Keifer was coming down the stairs.
Slowly. Head down. Wearing the jacket.
MY jacket. The one I'd returned. The one he'd probably stolen back.
He didn't see me yet.
Didn't notice the chaos below.
Didn't know I was there.
I stopped at the top of the stairs.
He kept walking down.
Closer. Closer.
And then—
I RAN.
Threw myself at him.
Arms around his neck. Legs around his waist. Full bone-crushing hug.
He stumbled. Caught himself. Froze.
For one terrifying second, he didn't move.
Then his arms wrapped around me. Tight. Desperate.
"Jay," he whispered.
Not a question. Not a surprise.
Like he knew. Like he'd always known.
"Jay. Jay. Jay."
He buried his face in my neck. Held me like I'd disappear.
I pulled back just enough to look at him.
His eyes were still closed.
"Open your eyes," I whispered.
"Afraid you'll disappear."
"I'm not disappearing. I'm HERE."
He opened them.
And I saw everything.
Love. Hope. Fear. Relief.
Tears.
Keifer was crying.
"I'm sorry," he choked. "I'm so sorry. I had to—I couldn't—they were going to—"
"Shut up."
He blinked.
I grabbed my long jacket. The one I'd been wearing.
And I hit him with it.
SMACK.
"THAT'S for lying to me!"
SMACK.
"THAT'S for making me think you didn't love me!"
SMACK.
"THAT'S for being a self-sacrificing IDIOT!"
He just stood there. Taking it. Smiling.
Actually SMILING.
"You're hitting me with a jacket."
"You DESERVE it!"
"I know."
"And you're SMILING?!"
"Because you're HERE. Because you came back."
I dropped the jacket. Grabbed his face.
"I will ALWAYS come back, you Gagong Baliw. Didn't you know that by now?"
His ears went pink.
That beautiful, stupid pink.
"I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too. Now kiss me before I hit you again."
He kissed me.
Right there. On the stairs. In front of everyone.
Meanwhile, in the Hallway
The entire Mariano and Watson families had gathered.
Mama Reycee was crying. "They're so beautiful."
Papa had his arm around her. "They're so dramatic."
Percy was filming. "THIS IS CONTENT. PURE GOLD."
Jare was smiling. Mia appeared beside him. Grabbed his hand.
"They made it," she whispered.
"Finally."
Keiren was jumping up and down. "ATE JAY AND KUYA KEIFER ARE KISSING! AGAIN! THIS IS THE BEST DAY!"
Keigan pretended to be cool but was definitely smiling.
Victor and Tita Serina were holding each other, watching their son finally happy.
And then—
"He didn't even open his eyes," Mama Reycee said suddenly.
Everyone paused.
"What?"
"When she first hugged him. He didn't open his eyes. Not until she told him to."
Tita Serina nodded slowly. "He knew it was her. Before he even saw her."
"Because he knows her," Mia added. "He knows her so well he didn't need to look."
Percy was BAWLING. "THAT'S THE MOST ROMANTIC THING I'VE EVER WITNESSED."
Keigan snorted. "You cry at everything."
"THIS DESERVES TEARS!"
On the stairs, Keifer finally pulled back.
"Your family is watching."
"I know."
"Your mom is crying."
"I know."
"Percy is filming."
"I know."
"And you don't care?"
I grinned. "Not even a little."
He laughed. Actually laughed.
"I missed you," he said.
"I missed you too. Even when I hated you."
"You hated me?"
"For like five minutes. Then I just missed you."
"That's fair."
"Don't agree with me."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm supposed to be mad longer."
"You can be mad. I'll wait."
"Ugh. Stop being perfect."
"I'm not perfect. I'm just yours."
My heart did a backflip.
"That's so cheesy."
"Your cheese."
"MY cheese."
We walked down the stairs together. Hand in hand.
The families erupted.
Keiren attached himself to my leg. "ATE JAY! ATE JAY! ARE YOU STAYING FOREVER?!"
"For a while, baby dinosaur."
"YAY!"
Mama Reycee hugged me. Then Keifer. "Welcome to the family, son."
Keifer's ears went BRIGHT red. "I—we're not—I mean—"
"You love her. She loves you. You're family." Mama Reycee nodded firmly. "Accept it."
"Yes, ma'am."
Percy shoved his phone in our faces. "SAY SOMETHING ROMANTIC FOR THE VIDEO."
"Percy, NO."
"Percy, YES."
Keifer looked at me. "I love you."
I looked at him. "I love you too, idiot."
Percy screamed. "PERFECT! GOLD! AWARD-WINNING!"
Later, in the Living Room
We were all gathered. Talking. Laughing. Crying.
Jare and Mia were cuddled on one couch. Finally public about their relationship.
Keiren was showing me his new dinosaur collection. Keigan was pretending not to care but definitely listening.
The parents were drinking wine and telling stories.
And Keifer?
Keifer hadn't let go of my hand since we came downstairs.
"You know," I said quietly, "you can let go. I'm not going anywhere."
"I know." He squeezed tighter. "I don't want to."
"Keifer."
"Jay."
"That's cheesy."
"Your cheese."
I leaned my head on his shoulder. "I really missed you."
"I really missed you too."
"How drunk did you get?"
"Very."
"How many times did you read my note?"
"A hundred. A thousand. I lost count."
"And the jacket?"
He looked down. He was still wearing it. "I may have... taken it back from your room at the gala."
"You STOLE it?!"
"Borrowed. Permanently."
I laughed. Actually laughed.
"You're insane."
"Your insane."
Keiren ran over. "ATE JAY! KUYA KEIFER! PHOTO! EVERYONE PHOTO!"
Somehow, we all gathered.
Marianos. Watsons. All of us.
Percy shoved his way to the front. "I'M THE FAVORITE, SO I'M IN THE MIDDLE!"
"You're not the favorite," everyone said.
"I AM IN MY HEART!"
Keifer pulled me close. Arm around my waist.
"Ready?" the photographer asked.
I looked at Keifer.
He looked at me.
"Ready," we said together.
"Say CHAOS!"
"CHAOS!"
Click.
Perfect.
That Night, in the Group Chat
SAME BRAIN CELLS (PLUS EVERYONE)
CI-N: THEY'RE BACK TOGETHER! MY SHIP HAS RETURNED!
FELIX: I've been crying for THREE HOURS. THREE. HOURS.
YURI: Keifer just texted me "she's here" and I've never seen so many exclamation points.
ARIES: My sister is happy again. Thank you, everyone.
ELLA: Aries is smiling. This is weird.
SARAH: THE REUNION. THE JACKET HITTING. THE STAIRS KISS. ICONIC.
DAVE: I ate so much celebration food.
BEN: I have 47 photos from Percy's live stream. THE LIGHTING.
BELLA: Of course.
EMAN: Cookies for everyone tomorrow!
CALIX: Mica is crying happy tears.
RORY: Hacking group chat is also celebrating.
EDRIX: Freya is spiraling again. Good.
DREW: I won so much money on this reunion.
EREN: My girlfriends are all asking for details.
JOSH: 👊
BASTER: 🎵🎵🎵 (reunion music)
DAVID: I just woke up. Did something happen?
CI-N: EVERYTHING happened. Go back to sleep.
DAVID: Okay. leaves chat
PERCY: I'M THE REASON THEY'RE TOGETHER BTW.
EVERYONE: NO.
PERCY: I LITERALLY AM.
KEIFER: ❤️
ME: ❤️
KEIFER: ❤️❤️❤️
ME: Stop.
KEIFER: Never.
KEIREN: KUYA KEIFER IS USING HEARTS! SO ROMANTIC!
KEIGAN: This is disgusting.
KEIREN: YOU LOVE IT!
KEIGAN: ...Maybe.
I put my phone down.
Looked at Keifer, who was looking at me.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey."
"Thanks for coming back."
"Thanks for waiting."
"Was there ever a choice?"
"Nope."
He kissed my forehead. Soft.
"Never do that again," I whispered.
"Never."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
I closed my eyes.
And for the first time in weeks, I felt whole.