The Watson mansion was finally quiet. Keifer was fast asleep, his arm draped protectively across Jay-jay's waist. After the chaos of moving back to Manila, he finally felt like he could breathe again.
Suddenly, Jay-jay's eyes snapped open
It wasn't a nightmare or a security alarm. It was an intense, undeniable, and slightly aggressive craving for something sour. Not just sour—it had to be crunchy, salt-crusted, and pungent.
She sat up, her stomach doing a little somersault. "Keifer..." she whispered, poking his shoulder. "Keifer, wake up."
Keifer was alert in a second, his years of training kicking in. He sat up, scanning the dark room. "What? Is it a hitman? Did someone break the perimeter?"
"No," Jay-jay said, her voice small but firm. "I need green mangoes. And bagoong (shrimp paste). The spicy kind."
Keifer blinked, his messy hair falling over his forehead as he squinted at the clock. 3:14 AM.
"Jay... it's three in the morning," he groaned softly, rubbing his face. "Can it wait until the grocery stores open? I'll buy the whole fruit section."
"No," Jay-jay's lower lip trembled. The pregnancy hormones were hitting hard. "The baby wants it now. If I don't eat a green mango in the next twenty minutes, I think I might actually cry."
Keifer knew better than to argue with a crying Jay-jay. He grabbed his phone and did the only thing a desperate "Cold King" would do. He called the only people crazy enough to be awake.
At the Section E House, the phone rang loudly, echoing through the living room where Felix, David, and Josh were in the middle of a late-night gaming marathon.
"Who's calling at this hour?" Felix growled, picking up. "Hello?"
"Felix. Get the boys," Keifer's voice came through, sounding strained. "We have a Code Green."
"Code Green? Is it an assassin in a ghillie suit?" David asked, instantly dropping his controller and reaching for his laptop.
"No," Keifer sighed. "Green mangoes. Jay-jay is craving them. I'm heading out now. Meet me at the 24-hour market near the pier. And find the spicy bagoong—the one with the red peppers."
There was a pause. Then, Ci-N's voice screamed in the background, "A MISSION! THE ROYAL HEIR WANTS SNACKS! SECTION E, ASSEMBLE!"
Ten minutes later, Keifer's black SUV pulled into the deserted market parking lot, followed closely by the Section E van. The boys piled out, looking like they were about to conduct a high-stakes raid, except they were wearing hoodies and mismatched socks.
"Spread out!" Felix barked. "Josh, check the fruit stalls. David, find a vendor who hasn't gone home yet. Ci-N... stop looking at the fish!"
"But the fish are looking at me!" Ci-N complained, though he quickly scrambled toward the fruit section
Keifer was pacing, checking his watch every thirty seconds. He had faced down his grandfather's entire board of directors without breaking a sweat, but the thought of going home empty-handed to a hungry Jay-jay was terrifying.
"BOSS! I FOUND THEM!" Josh shouted from a dark corner of the market.
A small, elderly vendor was just unloading a crate. Keifer practically sprinted over. There they were: firm, neon-green, teeth-achingly sour mangoes.
"I'll take the whole crate," Keifer said, handing the vendor a wad of bills.
Wait! We still need the bagoong!" Ci-N reminded them, holding up a jar he'd found. "Is this spicy enough? It has three chili drawings on it!"
At 4:25 AM, Keifer's car screeched into the mansion's driveway. He sprinted inside, followed by the Section E boys, who refused to miss the "delivery."
They found Jay-jay sitting at the dining table, wrapped in a blanket, looking miserable.
"I have them, Jay," Keifer said breathlessly, placing the plate of sliced mangoes and a bowl of steaming, spicy bagoong in front of her.
Jay-jay's eyes lit up. She took a slice, dipped it deep into the paste, and took a huge bite. The crunch was so loud it echoed in the kitchen.
"Oh thank god," she moaned, closing her eyes. "This is the best thing I've ever tasted."
Keifer sat down next to her, looking exhausted but relieved. The Section E boys hovered around the table, watching her eat like they were watching a movie.
"Is it really that good, Mutya?" Ci-N asked, reaching for a piece. He took a bite and immediately turned purple. "ACK! IT'S SO SOUR! My tongue is shrinking! How can the baby like this?!"
"Don't touch the baby's food, Ci-N," Felix muttered, though he looked proud of their successful mission
Jay-jay finished the entire plate, finally looking satisfied. "Thank you, guys. You're all life-savers."
"Anything for the Mutya," Josh grinned.
"Good," Jay-jay said, wiping her mouth. "Because I think for dessert... I want chocolate cake. The one from that bakery in the next city."
The room went silent. Keifer looked at the clock. 4:50 AM. He looked at the boys.
Without a word, the Section E boys turned around and sprinted for the exit.
"GOODNIGHT, BOSS! SEE YOU AT THE BAPTISM!" Felix yelled as they piled back into their van and sped off toward their own house before Keifer could order a second mission.
Keifer sighed, resting his head on his hand. This was going to be a very long nine months.