Three days after the kiss, Keifer texted.
Keifer: Dinner. Tomorrow. 7 pm. Don't be late.
Jay: Bold of you to assume I'll say yes.
Keifer: Will you?
Jay: ...Yes.
Keifer: Good. Wear something red.
Jay: Bossy much?
Keifer: You like it.
Jay: I hate it.
Keifer: You hate everything about me.
Jay: Exactly.
Keifer: See you tomorrow. 7. Don't be late.
Jay smiled at her phone like an idiot.
Percy walked past her room. Saw her face. Stopped.
"You're doing it again."
"Doing what?"
"Smiling at your phone. It's disgusting."
Jay threw a pillow. He caught it.
"Date tomorrow?" he asked.
"None of your business."
"That's a yes." He grinned. "Honey said Keifer's been weird all week. Pacing. Checking his phone. Asking her if the restaurant was good."
Jay's heart fluttered. "He's nervous?"
"Terrified, apparently." Percy leaned on the doorframe. "The great Keifer Watson. Ice King. Scared of a dinner date."
Jay tried not to smile. Failed.
"Shut up," she said.
"Make me."
"Get out."
"Fine." He left. Then popped his head back in. "Wear something red. He'll lose his mind."
"GET OUT."
Percy laughed all the way down the hall.
The restaurant was private. Rooftop. Candles. City lights.
Keifer got there an hour early. Checked everything. The table. The flowers. The view.
He was nervous.
Actually nervous.
Honey had laughed at him for twenty minutes when he asked for advice.
"Just be yourself," she'd said.
"That's the problem."
"She likes you. The real you. The weird, cold, secretly soft you."
"I'm not soft."
"Sure, sir."
He straightened his tie for the tenth time.
Then he saw her.
Jay stepped off the elevator. Red dress. Hair flowing. Smile small but real.
She walked toward him like she owned the place.
Because she did. She owned him.
"You're early," she said.
"You're late."
"Five minutes."
"I counted."
She laughed. Actually laughed. "You counted the minutes?"
"Every single one."
Jay's heart did a flip.
He pulled out her chair. She sat. He sat across from her.
For a moment, they just looked at each other.
"This is weird," Jay said.
"Weird how?"
"Weird like... we're not fighting."
"We can fight if you want."
"No." She smiled. "This is nice. Actually nice."
Keifer nodded. "Yeah."
They talked. Really talked. No fighting. No insults.
About their moms. Their annoying brothers. Their companies. Their dreams.
Jay learned Keifer played piano as a kid. Quit because his dad made him perform too much.
Keifer learned Jay wanted to be a dancer. Gave it up to take over the company.
"You gave up something you loved," Keifer said quietly.
"I did."
"I'm sorry."
She shrugged. "It's fine. I love the company now."
"But you miss it."
She looked at him. Really looked.
"Yeah," she admitted. "Sometimes."
He reached across the table. Took her hand.
"Then dance."
"What?"
"Dance. Here. Now."
Jay laughed. "There's no music."
"Yes there is."
He pulled out his phone. Pressed play.
Soft piano music filled the rooftop.
Keifer stood. Held out his hand.
Jay stared at him. "You're insane."
"Probably." He didn't lower his hand. "Dance with me."
She took his hand.
He pulled her close. They moved slow. No steps. Just swaying.
"This is cheesy," Jay whispered.
"I know."
"I hate cheesy."
"You love it."
"Shut up."
"Make me."
She looked up at him.
He looked down at her.
They kissed. Soft. Slow. Perfect.
Neither noticed the flash across the street.
The next morning, Jay woke up to her phone EXPLODING.
Messages. Calls. Notifications.
She sat up, confused.
Percy: SIS YOU'RE FAMOUS.
Aries: Uh. Check Twitter.
Ella: OMG THE PHOTO IS EVERYWHERE.
Mama Reycee: Baby you look so beautiful!
Jasfer: That's my daughter!!!!
Jay's heart dropped.
She opened Twitter.
And there it was.
A photo of her and Keifer. On the rooftop. Kissing. City lights behind them. Perfect angle. Perfect lighting.
The caption: Watson Enterprises CEO and Mariano Enterprises CEO caught in ROMANTIC date! Merger of hearts? 💕 #Jayfer #PowerCouple
It had 50k likes already.
Comments:
THEY'RE SO HOT TOGETHER
Wait they hate each other though??
HATE TO LOVE IS REAL GUYS
Keifer Watson smiling??? I'M SHAKING
Jay Mariano in red??? QUEEN
This merger just got interesting
THEIR FAMILIES ARE PROBABLY SCREAMING
Jay stared at the screen.
Then her phone rang.
Keifer.
"Did you see it?" he asked.
"YES."
"I'm sorry. I should've picked a more private place."
"I don't care about that." Jay paused. "Are you... okay with it? People knowing?"
Silence.
Then: "Jay. I kissed you in front of both our families. I'm not hiding."
She smiled. "So you're okay with being #Jayfer?"
"I'm okay with being yours."
Jay's heart melted.
"Corny," she said.
"Shut up."
"Make me."
He laughed. Actually laughed. "I'll pick you up at 6. We're having breakfast with both families."
"Why?"
"Because they've been texting me all morning. They want to celebrate."
Jay groaned. "They're gonna be insufferable."
"The worst."
"See you at 6."
"See you."
She hung up. Looked at the photo again.
Saved it.
Then posted it on her own story with one caption:
🤫 #Jayfer
Within seconds:
Percy: OMG SHE POSTED IT
Keizer: MY FUTURE DAUGHTER IN LAW
Jasfer: THAT'S MY GIRL
Mama Reycee: THE WEDDING IS GONNA BE SO PRETTY
Aries: I give it a week before they fight again
Ella: Babe let them be happy
Keigan: I still have the video of the first kiss btw
Keiren (via Serina's phone): Kuya's girlfriend is on my phone!!!
Jay laughed.
Her phone buzzed again.
Keifer: I like the post.
Jay: I like you.
Keifer: ...Say that again.
Jay: I like you, Keifer. Don't let it go to your head.
Keifer: Too late.
Jay: Idiot.
Keifer: Your idiot.
Jay smiled so hard her face hurt.
Breakfast was chaos.
Both families. One big table. Phones out. Showing everyone the post.
"FIFTY THOUSAND LIKES?" Keizer yelled. "MY SON IS FAMOUS."
"He's always been famous, Dad," Keigan muttered.
"NOW HE'S FAMOUS FOR LOVE."
Jasfer showed Mama Reycee. "Look at this comment. 'Power couple.' That's us. We raised a power couple."
Aries pointed at Keifer. "If you hurt her, I know people."
"You ARE people," Ella said.
"EXACTLY."
Keifer didn't react. Just sat there. Holding Jay's hand under the table.
Keiren climbed onto Jay's lap. "Are you really my kuya's girlfriend now?"
Jay looked at Keifer. He nodded slightly.
"Yeah," she said. "I guess I am."
"Good." Keiren nodded seriously. "Then I am calling you ate Jay."
Keifer choked on his coffee.
Jay laughed. "Sure baby."
Their family cheered.
Percy and Honey sat at the end of the table, whispering.
"So," Honey said. "Our bosses are dating."
"Basically married," Percy agreed.
"Does that make us... related?"
"Dating the siblings of the bosses." Percy thought. "We're like... in-laws. Almost."
Honey laughed. "You're weird."
"You like it."
"Yeah." She smiled. "I do."
Later, after breakfast, Jay and Keifer stood outside.
"You leaving?" she asked.
"Work."
"Always work."
He looked at her. "You're work too."
"Rude."
"The best kind."
She stepped closer. "When will I see you again?"
"Tomorrow. Dinner. My place."
"Bold. Inviting me to your house."
He leaned down. "Scared?"
"Of you? Never."
"Good."
He kissed her. Quick. Soft.
Pulled away.
"Your family's watching," he murmured.
Jay looked behind her. Sure enough. All of them pressed against the window.
She laughed. Waved.
They waved back, cheering.
"Idiots," she muttered.
"Our idiots," Keifer corrected.
She looked at him. Smiled.
"Yeah. Our idiots."
He kissed her forehead. Got in his car. Drove away.
Jay walked back inside to a standing ovation.
"ENCORE!" Keizer yelled.
"SHUT UP."
But she was smiling.
And her phone buzzed.
Keifer: I like you too. Just so you know.
Jay: I know.
Keifer: Good.
Jay: Drive safe. Your idiots are waiting for you.
Keifer: Our idiots.
Jay: Our idiots.
She saved the messages.
And the photo.
And everything.