The Fernandez household had officially lost its mind.
Tita Gema was still clutching her chest in the corner, muttering prayers in rapid Tagalog while fanning herself with a wooden spoon. Angelo had given up on calling the police and was now staring blankly at the wall, questioning every life choice that led him to this moment. Aries had somehow made it to the door, turned around, walked back in, and then walked out again—repeating this cycle like a broken robot.
Percy, meanwhile, had positioned himself on a chair like he was hosting a talk show.
"Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone still recovering from that beautiful disaster—welcome to The Morning After Jayfer. I'm your host, Percy, the only handsome person in this room."
Jasfer threw a slipper at him.
Percy caught it mid-air and placed it on the floor like it was a gift. "Thank you, Father. Your aim is as bad as your fashion sense."
"I WAS AIMING FOR YOUR FACE!"
"And yet the slipper is here, and my face remains flawless. Curious."
Jay groaned from her spot on the bed, still buried under her blanket like a human burrito. "Can everyone please leave? I need to process the fact that my entire family just watched me get kissed on the forehead."
Keifer, still sitting on the edge of her bed like he owned it, shrugged. "It was just your forehead."
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!"
Keigan tugged on Keifer's sleeve. "Kuya, is Ate Jay your girlfriend now?"
Keiren bounced excitedly. "Are you gonna marry her? Can we be the ring bearers? I wanna throw flowers!"
Keifer opened his mouth—
"DON'T ANSWER THAT!" Jay's muffled voice came from under the blanket.
Percy leaned toward the kids dramatically. "Children, what we just witnessed was years of pining, denial, and unresolved tension finally exploding in the most dramatic way possible. This is what we call character development."
Aries finally stopped his walking cycle and poked his head back in. "Are they still in bed?"
"Yes," everyone answered in unison.
Aries closed his eyes. "I'm moving to Antarctica."
Serina, calm and elegant as always, stepped forward with a warm smile. She sat beside Jay on the bed and gently patted the blanket mound.
"Jay, anak, you can't stay under there forever."
"Watch me."
Serina laughed softly. "You know, when I imagined this moment—you and Keifer finally finding your way back to each other—I didn't expect an audience either."
Jay peeked out one eye. "Really?"
"Really. I imagined something more romantic. Maybe a sunset. Soft music. Definitely not your lolo's slipper flying across the room."
Jasfer raised his hand proudly. "That was me!"
Jay's grandma smacked him with her cane. "Stop bragging about bad aim!"
Tita Gema finally stopped praying and marched toward the bed with the energy of a woman on a mission.
"Okay, okay, okay. Enough drama. Everyone out. NOW. Let these two breathe."
She started shooing people like chickens.
"Percy, out! Aries, stop walking in circles and LEAVE! Angelo, stop staring at the wall, it's not going to answer you! Jasfer, if you don't move, I'm hiding your golf clubs! Serina, you can stay—actually no, you're part of the problem. OUT!"
Within minutes, the room was empty except for Jay, Keifer, and the lingering chaos of the morning.
Jay slowly sat up, her hair a disaster, her face still flushed.
Keifer looked at her—really looked at her—and smiled softly.
"Hi."
She glared half-heartedly. "Don't 'hi' me. You ruined my life in front of everyone."
"I kissed your forehead. Hardly a scandal."
"You did it while we were in BED together."
Keifer's smirk widened. "Our bed."
"IT'S NOT—" Jay stopped, realized what she was about to say, and groaned. "You're impossible."
"And yet you love me."
Jay opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.
Nothing came out.
Keifer's eyes softened. "You do, don't you? Still."
Jay looked away.
The silence stretched—not awkward, but heavy. Full of everything they hadn't said for months.
Finally, Jay whispered:
"I never stopped."
Keifer's breath caught.
She continued, voice trembling slightly. "Even when I was with Yuri. Even when I thought you hated me. Even when I told myself it was better this way—I never stopped loving you, Keifer. And that's the problem."
Keifer reached for her hand.
"It's not a problem."
Jay finally looked at him, eyes shining.
"It is. Because loving you is terrifying. Because every time I get close to you, something tries to tear us apart. Because your father wants me dead, and my family is tangled in this mess, and—"
Keifer cupped her face gently.
"Jay."
She stopped.
"I'm not afraid."
A tear slipped down her cheek.
He wiped it with his thumb.
"I'm not afraid of my father. I'm not afraid of the danger. I'm not afraid of anything—except losing you again."
Jay's lip trembled.
Keifer leaned closer, forehead resting against hers.
"So stop fighting me. Stop fighting this. Just… let yourself be happy. With me."
Jay closed her eyes.
And for the first time in so long…
She let herself believe it.
"Okay."
Keifer pulled back slightly, eyes searching hers. "Okay?"
Jay nodded, a small smile breaking through. "Okay."
Keifer grinned—the real grin, the one she hadn't seen in forever, the one that made her heart flip.
Then he leaned in—
"BREAKFAST IS READY!"
Tita Gema's voice shattered the moment like a hammer through glass.
Jay burst out laughing.
Keifer dropped his head onto her shoulder, groaning. "I'm going to lose my mind."
Jay patted his hair mock-soothingly. "Welcome to my world."
Downstairs, the dining table was chaos.
Percy had somehow claimed the head of the table and was posing for imaginary cameras. Aries sat as far away from everyone as possible, sipping coffee like it was his only lifeline. Angelo was on his phone, probably researching real estate in Antarctica. Jasfer was trying to steal food from Serina's plate. Serina was elegantly eating while ignoring him. Tita Gema was yelling at everyone to "EAT PROPERLY, YOU ANIMALS." Jay's grandma was threatening Percy with her cane every time he flipped his hair.
Keigan and Keiren were the only ones eating peacefully, occasionally whispering and giggling while looking at Jay and Keifer.
Jay sat down, still slightly red from earlier. Keifer sat beside her—close. Too close. Exactly where he belonged.
Percy noticed immediately. "Ooooh, look who finally joined us. The stars of this morning's show!"
Jay glared. "Percy, I will end you."
"You can try, but you'll miss this face too much."
Keifer reached across the table and stole a piece of toast from Percy's plate.
Percy gasped dramatically. "THAT WAS MINE!"
Keifer bit into it calmly. "Was."
"I have been attacked! Violated! Robbed of my breakfast!"
Aries muttered, "Finally, something interesting."
Jasfer leaned toward Serina. "Our children are so cute."
Serina nodded proudly. "Jayfer forever."
At the exact same time, they both whispered:
"They're going to give us beautiful grandchildren."
Jay choked on her juice.
Keifer patted her back, smirking.
Tita Gema slammed a pot on the table. "EAT. NO MORE TALKING ABOUT GRANDCHILDREN UNTIL THEY'RE ACTUALLY MARRIED."
Jay's grandma nodded approvingly. "Finally, someone with sense."
Percy raised his hand. "Can we talk about how I'm the most eligible bachelor here and no one appreciates me?"
"NO," everyone answered.
Angelo finally looked up from his phone. "So. What's the plan? Keizer's men are still out there. Serina's presence here isn't a secret anymore. And now the whole city knows Jay and Keifer are—" he gestured vaguely "—whatever this is."
Keifer's jaw tightened. "We need to move faster. J&S Enterprises needs to go public. Let Keizer know we're not hiding anymore."
Serina nodded. "Agreed. The company is strong enough now. We have allies, resources, and leverage. It's time."
Jay straightened. "Then we announce the partnership with Angelo's company. Let the business world see that J&S isn't a shadow anymore—it's a power."
Angelo smiled slightly. "You two really are terrifying when you work together."
Percy grinned. "That's why they're perfect. Power couple energy."
Aries finally spoke up. "And what about protection? The boys, Serina, everyone here?"
Jasfer waved a hand. "Already handled. Fernandez security is top-tier. Plus, I hired extra guards. And by 'hired,' I mean I threatened them until they agreed."
Serina raised an eyebrow. "Threatened?"
"Very politely. I said 'please' and everything."
Keigan tugged on Jay's sleeve. "Ate Jay, are you and Kuya gonna be together forever?"
Jay's heart melted.
She looked at Keifer.
He looked at her.
And for the first time in a long time—
The answer was easy.
"Yeah," Jay said softly. "I think we are."
Keigan beamed. Keiren cheered.
And across the table, Serina and Jasfer exchanged a look—proud, emotional, and so full of hope it almost hurt.
The road ahead was still dangerous. Keizer was still out there. The fight wasn't over.
But right now, in this messy, chaotic, ridiculous house—
They were together.
And that was enough.