The Fernandez house had survived many things.
Tita Gema's cooking experiments. Percy's impromptu photoshoots. Jasfer's midnight karaoke sessions. Jay's grandma threatening people with her cane. Aries walking in circles muttering about his life choices.
But nothing—nothing—had prepared it for Section E.
The doorbell rang like a warning siren.
Jay, still glowing from Keifer's kiss earlier, raised an eyebrow. "Are we expecting someone?"
Keifer, arm still around her waist like he'd never let go, shrugged. "Not that I know of."
Percy flipped his hair. "Probably fans coming to worship me. It happens."
"It really doesn't," Aries muttered.
Tita Gema shuffled toward the door, muttering about "uninvited guests" and "not enough food" and "if they're hungry they can eat rice with salt like I did in the province."
She opened the door.
And the chaos flooded in.
"JAY!"
"KEIFER!"
"WHERE ARE THEY?"
"IS THAT PERCY?!"
"OH MY GOD PERCY IS ALIVE?!"
"IS THAT SERINA?!"
"MRS. WATSON FROM THE INTERVIEW?!"
"KEIGAN! KEIREN! WE MISSED YOU!"
The living room filled in seconds.
Calix walked in first, Mica holding his hand, both looking around like they'd entered a different dimension. Mica's eyes immediately found Jay, and she grinned.
"Girl. You're on every news channel. EVERY. ONE."
Eman followed, carrying a container that smelled incredible. "I brought food. I assumed there wouldn't be enough. I was correct."
Felix entered slowly, eyes scanning the room like he was searching for something—someone—specific.
Rory and Edrix came in together, both already eyeing the security system like hackers assessing a challenge.
Ci-n bounced in like a human hurricane, dragging Rakki behind him. "JAY! JAY! JAY! WE SAW YOU ON TV! YOU SAID KEIFER IS YOUR FUTURE HUSBAND! THAT WAS SO COOL! CAN I CALL YOU SISTER NOW? I'M CALLING YOU SISTER. SISTER JAY. SISTER—"
Rakki clamped a hand over his mouth. "Breathe, Ci-n. Breathe."
Mayo entered gracefully, Kit beside him, both looking like they'd stepped out of a fashion magazine. Mayo surveyed the room. "Interesting decor. Very… lived-in."
Kit nodded. "It has character."
"That's one word for it."
Drew was already pulling out money. "I'll bet anyone 500 pesos that something chaotic happens in the next ten minutes."
David, half-asleep on his feet, mumbled, "That's a safe bet. I'm in."
Eren scanned the room, clearly counting potential romantic interests. "Not a lot of girls here. Disappointing."
Josh said nothing. He never did.
Baster pulled out his phone, already recording. "This is content. This is MUSIC VIDEO material. The energy, the drama, the—"
Denzel walked in last, calm and steady, phone in hand. "Grace says hi. Grazel Jay says she wants to see her Tita Jay soon."
Jay's heart melted. "Tell her I'll visit this week. With gifts."
Denzel smiled. "She'll hold you to that."
The room was officially full.
And then—
Felix froze.
His eyes locked on someone across the room.
Percy.
Percy, who had been mid-pose, slowly lowered his arms.
The brothers stared at each other.
Felix's voice cracked. "Percy…?"
Percy's usual bravado flickered. "Hey, little brother."
The room went silent.
Felix crossed the distance in seconds, grabbing Percy by the shoulders, shaking him.
"You're ALIVE? You're—I went to your FUNERAL. I CRIED. I—" His voice broke. "You're alive?"
Percy, for once, didn't have a joke.
"I'm sorry, Felix. I couldn't tell anyone. Not even you."
Felix's eyes filled with tears. "I thought you were DEAD. I thought—"
Percy pulled him into a hug—real, tight, emotional.
"I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere."
Felix hugged back like he'd never let go.
The room collectively melted.
Mica whispered to Jay, "Are they…?"
Jay nodded softly. "Stepbrothers. Felix didn't know Percy was alive."
Rakki grabbed Mica's arm. "I'm not crying. You're crying."
Ci-n sniffled loudly. "I'm definitely crying. THIS IS SO SAD AND BEAUTIFUL."
Mayo handed him a tissue. "Here. You're ruining your face."
Kit patted Ci-n's back. "It's okay. Emotions are human."
Ci-n sobbed. "I'M NOT HUMAN TODAY. I'M A WATER FOUNTAIN."
Eren checked his phone. "Should I record this for posterity?"
Drew snatched his phone. "Read the room, Eren."
Josh silently handed Felix a tissue.
Felix took it without letting go of Percy.
Finally, Percy pulled back, wiping his own eyes quickly. "Okay, okay, enough crying. I have a reputation. Handsome men don't cry—they glisten."
Felix laughed—wet, broken, happy. "You're still annoying."
"Annoyingly handsome? Yes."
"And humble."
"Never."
Serina stepped forward, elegant as always. "Felix, it's good to see you again. You've grown so much."
Felix blinked. "Mrs.—wait, you're really—"
"Alive. Yes." She smiled gently. "It's a long story. But I'm here now. And I'm not leaving again."
Jasfer appeared beside her, throwing an arm around Serina's shoulders. "And I'm Jasfer! Jay's dad! Handsome, charming, available for dad jokes 24/7."
Percy groaned. "Please don't."
Jasfer ignored him. "I've heard so much about all of you. Felix—Percy's mentioned you. Well, he mentioned 'my annoying little brother who's way shorter than me.'"
Felix glared at Percy. "You said that?"
Percy shrugged. "It's true."
"It's NOT true."
"It's a little true."
"It's NOT."
Ci-n bounced between them. "THIS IS SO COOL. Percy is ALIVE. And he's FUNNY. And DRAMATIC. I LIKE HIM."
Percy preened. "Finally, someone with taste."
Rakki pulled Ci-n back. "Don't encourage him."
"Too late! Encouragement has been administered!"
Jay's grandma appeared out of nowhere, cane swinging. "WHO ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE?!"
Tita Gema rushed over. "Ma, they're Jay and Keifer's friends from Section E!"
"Section what?"
"E, Ma. Like the letter."
"Why is it a section? Is it a classroom? A cult?"
"A classroom, Ma."
"Oh." She squinted at them. "They look like trouble."
Calix stepped forward politely. "We prefer 'chaotic good,' ma'am."
Jay's grandma cackled. "I like this one. He has spine."
Mica squeezed Calix's arm proudly.
Angelo appeared in the doorway, looking exhausted. "Did I just see fifteen people walk in here?"
"Sixteen," Drew corrected, counting. "Seventeen if you count the food Eman brought."
Angelo closed his eyes. "I'm calling security."
"You ARE security," Aries reminded him.
"Then I'm calling MYSELF and telling ME to run."
Eman headed toward the kitchen. "I'm putting this food somewhere before it gets cold. Also, your kitchen is huge. I'm jealous."
Tita Gema followed him. "YOU COOK? GOOD. HELP ME. I HAVE ENOUGH FOOD FOR AN ARMY BUT APPARENTLY I NEEDED MORE."
Eman smiled calmly. "I'm happy to help, Tita."
"She already likes him," Jasfer whispered to Serina. "He's in."
"He passed the Tita Gema test. Impressive."
Meanwhile, Rory and Edrix had found the security panel.
Rory: "This system is actually impressive. Very Fernandez."
Edrix: "I could hack it in twenty minutes."
Rory: "Fifteen."
Edrix: "Ten."
Rory: "Five."
Jay appeared behind them. "Try it and I'll ban you from ever eating Eman's cooking again."
Both hackers paled.
Rory: "The system is perfect. Untouchable. A masterpiece."
Edrix: "I wouldn't dream of hacking it. Ever."
Jay smirked. "Good boys."
Keifer watched her from across the room, pride radiating from every inch of him.
Percy noticed. "Oh my god, you're staring at her like a lovesick puppy."
"I'm not—"
"You ARE. It's adorable. I'm documenting this."
Percy pulled out his phone.
Keifer grabbed it. "No."
"YES."
"NO."
Aries watched the chaos with the exhaustion of someone who'd given up. "This is my life now. This is what I chose."
Ella appeared beside him, sliding an arm around his waist. "Babe, you look like you need a vacation."
Aries sighed. "I need a new reality."
Ella grinned—sharp, mischievous, dangerous. "Too bad. You're stuck with this one. And with me."
Aries looked at her. "You enjoy my suffering."
"Immensely."
"At least you're honest."
"That's why you love me."
He kissed her forehead. "Unfortunately."
Jay raised an eyebrow at Ella. "You're enjoying the chaos."
Ella's smile widened. "It's entertaining. Your family is a sitcom waiting to happen."
"It's already a sitcom. We're just living in it."
Freya entered the room like she owned it—chin high, designer bag swinging, eyes scanning for the most important person in the room: herself.
"Well. This is… cozy."
Edrix looked up from the security panel. His eyes caught hers.
Freya noticed him noticing her.
She flipped her hair. "Who's that?"
Jay's eyes narrowed. Don't you dare.
Edrix, oblivious to the danger, smiled slightly. "I'm Edrix. You're Freya, right?"
Freya's lips curved. "Someone knows my name."
"I pay attention."
Jay stepped between them subtly. "Freya. Good to see you."
Freya's eyes flicked to Jay—assessing, calculating. "Jay. You're all over the news. Very… dramatic."
"Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment."
"It wasn't."
"I know."
The air crackled.
Keifer appeared beside Jay, arm sliding around her waist protectively. "Freya."
Freya's eyes lit up. "Keifer! I saw the interview. You're famous now. Very famous. Very—"
Keifer cut her off flatly. "Don't."
Freya blinked. "Don't what?"
"Don't flirt. Don't try. Don't even think about it."
Freya's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.
Percy howled with laughter. "OH MY GOD, HE SHUT HER DOWN SO FAST."
Ci-n: "KEIFER HAS NO CHILL!"
Rakki: "That was beautiful."
Mica: "I'm framing this moment."
Freya's face flushed—embarrassment, anger, disbelief. "I wasn't—I didn't—"
Edrix stepped forward casually. "Hey, Freya, want to see the security system? Rory and I were analyzing it. It's actually fascinating."
Freya blinked at him. "You want to show me… security systems?"
Edrix shrugged. "You seem like someone who appreciates interesting things."
Freya paused. Then, slowly, she smiled—real, not fake. "I do appreciate interesting things."
She let Edrix lead her toward the panel.
Jay stared after them. "Did that just happen?"
Rakki nodded slowly. "Edrix just… saved us all."
Mica: "He's a hero."
Ci-n: "A LEGEND."
Mayo: "A man with a mission."
Kit: "I ship it."
Jay looked at Keifer. "Did you just weaponize Edrix against Freya?"
Keifer's expression didn't change. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You're evil."
"I'm efficient."
She kissed his cheek. "I love it."
He smiled—soft, private, just for her.
Percy fake-gagged. "Get a room. Actually, don't. The drama is too good."
Keigan and Keiren ran through the crowd, tackling various Section E members.
"CI-N!"
"RORY!"
"EMAN! DID YOU BRING FOOD?"
"MAYO! KIT! YOU LOOK PRETTY!"
Mayo beamed. "Thank you, Keigan. You have excellent taste."
Kit patted Keiren's head. "You've grown since we last saw you."
"WE'RE VERY GROWN. WE'RE ALMOST AS TALL AS KUYA."
Keifer snorted. "You're really not."
"WE'RE TRYING."
Denzel settled into a chair, phone out, showing Jay photos of Grazel Jay. "She's been practicing writing her name. She wrote 'Jay' perfectly. Well. Mostly perfectly. It's a little sideways."
Jay's heart melted. "She's perfect. I'm buying her everything."
"She'll hold you to that too."
Grace's voice came through Denzel's phone: "Tell Jay I said congratulations on the interview! And tell Keifer he better treat her right!"
Jay laughed. "Tell her I will! And he does!"
Denzel typed. "Message delivered."
Baster had found a corner and was humming, recording himself, clearly planning something musical.
Josh sat quietly, observing everything, saying nothing, somehow comforting anyway.
David had found a couch and was already half-asleep, Drew using his shoulder as an armrest while counting his betting money.
Eren was eyeing Ella—until Aries stared him down so intensely Eren quickly looked away.
"Not even thinking about it," Eren muttered.
"Good," Aries said flatly.
Ella grinned. "Protective boyfriend. Cute."
Aries sighed. "I'm tired."
"You're always tired."
"Because of you."
"And you love it."
He kissed her temple. "Unfortunately."
Tita Gema emerged from the kitchen, Eman beside her carrying platters of food. "EAT! EVERYONE EAT! IF YOU DON'T EAT, YOU DON'T LEAVE!"
Ci-n: "That's a threat AND a promise!"
Rakki: "Please don't encourage her."
Jasfer clapped his hands. "Okay! Now that everyone's here—well, almost everyone, where's Yuri?—let's do introductions properly! I'm Jasfer, Jay's incredibly handsome father. This is Serina, Keifer's equally beautiful mother. We've been best friends since childhood, and we've been waiting for Jay and Keifer to get together since they were teenagers."
Serina nodded gracefully. "It's true. We have photo evidence."
Percy: "Embarrassing photo evidence."
Jasfer: "THE BEST KIND."
Jay groaned. "Dad."
"What? It's true! You two at prom—"
"DAD."
Keifer smirked. "I want to see these photos."
"You're not helping."
"I'm absolutely helping."
Percy flipped his hair. "I'm Percy. Jay's stepbrother. Recently returned from the dead. Handsome, humble, and available for autographs."
Felix snorted. "You're not humble."
"Humble is boring."
Calix stepped forward. "I'm Calix. This is Mica, my girlfriend. We're from Section E. Well, Mica's from Section A, but she's basically one of us."
Mica waved. "Hi! Jay's my best friend. I've seen her go through everything. Seeing her happy now? Best thing ever."
Rakki nodded firmly. "Same. Jay's my best friend too. Anyone hurts her, they deal with me."
Ci-n: "AND ME! I will fight everyone! I'm small but ANGRY!"
Rory: "I'm Rory. I handle tech. And chaos."
Edrix: "Edrix. Also tech. Currently distracting Freya from causing problems."
Freya, from across the room: "I HEARD THAT."
Edrix: "You were meant to."
Freya paused. Then laughed—real, surprised. "Okay. That was smooth."
Edrix smiled.
Rakki whispered to Mica: "Are we watching something happen?"
Mica: "I think we are."
Mayo stepped forward gracefully. "I'm Mayo. This is Kit, my boyfriend. We're here for the drama and the aesthetic."
Kit: "Mostly the drama."
Mayo: "The aesthetic is a close second."
Eren waved lazily. "Eren. I have too many girlfriends. Don't ask for names, I'll forget."
Drew: "I'm Drew. I like betting. Anyone want to bet on how long until something else chaotic happens?"
David, half-asleep: "Ten minutes. I'm in for 200."
Drew: "Deal."
Baster: "I'm Baster. Future music artist. This house has good acoustics. Just saying."
Josh: Silent nod.
Denzel: "Denzel. Dad of the group. Wife Grace, daughter Grazel Jay. Named after our Jay here."
Jay's heart melted again. "I'm going to cry."
"Don't cry," Keifer whispered. "You'll ruin your 'powerful CEO' image."
"I can be a powerful CEO who cries."
"That's fair."
Angelo finally spoke from the doorway. "I'm Angelo. I handle security. If anyone tries anything, I will know. And I will act."
Ci-n: "That's so cool. Can I see your security room?"
Angelo: "No."
Ci-n: "PLEASE?"
Angelo: "No."
Ci-n: "WITH SUGAR ON TOP?"
Angelo: "Especially no."
Tita Gema: "EAT FIRST! QUESTIONS LATER! FOOD IS READY!"
The herd migrated toward the dining room.
Jay watched them go—her crazy, chaotic, wonderful extended family.
Keifer's arm stayed around her waist.
"You okay?" he asked softly.
She looked up at him—at the boy she'd loved for years, the man who'd never stopped fighting for her, the future she'd almost lost.
"I'm perfect."
He kissed her forehead gently.
"Good. Because you're stuck with me now. All of them." He gestured at the chaos. "All of this."
Jay laughed.
"Wouldn't have it any other way."
Percy shouted from the dining room: "JAYFER! STOP BEING CUTE AND COME EAT! EMAN'S COOKING IS GETTING COLD!"
Ci-n: "YEAH! SISTER JAY! COME EAT WITH YOUR NEW FAMILY!"
Rakki: "Ci-n, you can't just claim her as your sister."
Ci-n: "I JUST DID. IT'S LEGAL NOW."
Mica: "That's not how legality works."
Ci-n: "IT'S EMOTIONALLY LEGAL."
Jay laughed, pulling Keifer toward the chaos.
Toward home.
Toward everything she'd ever wanted.