[Jay's POV]
The first day of the new semester didn't feel like a return to the grind; it felt like a victory lap.
Breakfast at the Watson Estate was a high-energy affair. I was dressed in a sharp, lavender blazer and tailored trousers—professional, yet feminine—sitting at the long mahogany table. Keifer was beside me, looking like the definition of power in a charcoal suit, his hand resting casually on the back of my chair as he scrolled through morning market reports.
"Eat your eggs, Jay," Keifer murmured without looking up. "You have a three-hour lab block, and I'm not letting you run on caffeine alone."
"Yes, CEO," I teased, taking a bite.
Across the table, Bridget was picking at a piece of dry toast, looking like she hadn't slept a wink. The sight of us—fully settled, domestic, and radiant—was clearly draining her "jealousy battery" to zero. But the real shock came when I checked the Squad Group Chat.
My phone buzzed with a picture that made me nearly choke on my tea. It was a selfie of Freya and Erdix. Freya was beaming, her head resting on Erdix's shoulder, and Erdix... well, Erdix looked like he had finally solved the world's most complex equation and found the answer was love.
FREYA: New Semester, New System Status: COUPLED. 💖⚙️
ERDIX: The variables finally aligned. Integration successful.
"Oh my god," I gasped, shoving the phone toward Keifer. "Keif, look! Freya and Erdix! They're finally official!"
Keifer glanced at the screen, a rare, genuine smile breaking through his professional mask. "About time. Erdix has been running simulations on how to ask her out since the midterms. I guess he finally found the courage to hit 'Execute'."
"What's so exciting?" Keiran asked, leaning over to see. "Is there another wedding?"
"Not yet, buddy," Keigan laughed, grabbing a piece of bacon. "But the Engineering department just got a lot more crowded. First Kuya and Ate, now the Drone Queen and the Math Whiz. The lab is going to be a giant rom-com."
I looked over at Bridget. Her face had gone from pale to a dusty grey. She was struggling to process the fact that not only was my relationship thriving, but our entire social circle was forming unbreakable bonds. She was being left behind in every possible metric.
"How... nice," Bridget managed to say, her voice sounding like she'd swallowed vinegar. "More 'university romance.' I suppose the campus is just one big playground now."
I didn't even let her words sting. I just felt a surge of happiness for my friends. "It's not a playground, Bridget. It's a support system. Something you wouldn't understand."
The Arrival
Keifer drove us to the university in his signature silver supercar. As we pulled into the reserved faculty-level parking spot (perks of being the youngest CEO), I saw them near the fountain.
The Squad was already gathered. Mica, Calix, David, and the rest were hooting and cheering. In the center stood Freya and Erdix, looking shy but incredibly happy.
As Keifer and I stepped out of the car, the crowd turned.
"THE POWER COUPLE HAS ARRIVED!" Calix shouted.
Freya ran over to me, giving me a massive hug. "Jay! Can you believe it? Erdix finally stopped talking about algorithms and started talking about us!"
I hugged her back, feeling the "Glow" from both of us radiating. "I'm so happy for you, Freya. The department is officially a 'Couples Zone' now."
Keifer walked up, shaking Erdix's hand with a firm, brotherly nod. "Good job, Erdix. Just remember: if you break her heart, she has enough drones to find you anywhere on Earth."
I'm well aware of the risks, Keifer," Erdix joked, pulling Freya closer. "The reward is worth the potential for aerial bombardment."
We all walked into the Engineering building together—a phalanx of geniuses, lovers, and friends. I felt a profound sense of peace. My periods were over, my heart was full, my friends were happy, and the "Watson-Jay Constant" was no longer a theory. It was a law of nature.