(Jay's POV)
The sunlight was stabbing my eyes. I groaned, trying to roll over, but my body felt like it had been hit by a freight train and then put back together with glue. Being sick sucks, but the recovery? That's where the real struggle is.
I felt a warm weight across my waist. I squinted and saw Keifer's arm draped over me, his thumb tracing idle circles on my hip even while he was half-asleep. I looked at him—messy hair, jawline sharp enough to give me a papercut, and that annoying "I'm-perfect-even-at-6-AM" face.
"Stop staring, Jay," he mumbled, his eyes still closed. "It's creepy."
"I'm not staring, I'm evaluating," I croaked, my voice still a bit scratchy. "Thinking about trading you in for a newer model. One that doesn't hog the duvet."
He finally opened one eye, a smirk tugging at his lips. He pulled me closer, burying his face in the crook of my neck. "You couldn't handle a newer model. You're stuck with me."
He started leave tiny, feather-light kisses along my shoulder, making my breath hitch. The "I'm sick" excuse was officially over, and the atmosphere in our little apartment was shifting from 'nursing home' to 'very romantic' real fast. I turned in his arms, wrapping mine around his neck, enjoying the rare quiet moment where we weren't being chased by rivals or yelled at by Section E.
"I missed you," I whispered, getting all mushy.
"I was right here, Jay," he chuckled, leaning in to brush his lips against mine. "You were just unconscious and snoring like a chainsaw."
"I do not snore—"
The moment was shattered by his phone screaming on the nightstand. Keifer groaned into my forehead before reaching out to answer. It was Sir Alvin.
"HOY! MGA BATA!" Sir Alvin's voice was so loud I could hear it from two feet away. "Are you two still in bed? The results are out! The website is crashing because everyone is panicking, but I checked the master list! GO LOOK NOW!"
He hung up. My heart did a triple backflip. The 12th-grade finals. The exams that nearly killed me.
"Keifer, the laptop! Move! Move! Move!" I scrambled over him, accidentally kicking him in the ribs.
"Ow! Jay, watch the internal organs!" He lunged for his laptop, his fingers flying across the keys as we huddled together under the blanket.
The HVIS portal loaded with agonizing slowness. I was chewing my fingernails. "If I failed, I'm blaming you. Your face is a distraction."
"Shut up, look," he muttered.
The page flickered.
MARIANO, JASPER JEAN: 93.6%
I froze. I blinked. I rubbed my eyes. "93.6? Me? The girl who once tried to highlight a textbook with a Sharpie? Is there another Jasper Jean? Is this a prank?"
"You actually did it, Jay," Keifer said, sounding genuinely shocked. "You're... you're actually smart."
"Hey! Don't sound so surprised!" I cheered, jumping up and down on the mattress. "I'm a genius! I'm an academic weapon! 93.6! I'm going to buy a frame for this! I'm going to make everyone call me 'Professor Jay'!"
"Check mine," Keifer said, his voice calm, though I saw his hand shake just a tiny bit.
He clicked his name.
MARK KEIFER WATSON : 99.8% – RANK 1 (VALEDICTORIAN)
The room went silent. 99.8. He basically got everything right except for probably forgetting to dot an 'i' somewhere.
I stared at his score, then at my 93.6 which suddenly felt very small. I looked at him. He looked at me, waiting for a compliment.
"0.2 percent, Keifer?" I sighed, shaking my head with fake pity. "Wow. You really let yourself go. I expected perfection, but I guess I'm living with a failure."
Keifer's jaw dropped. "A failure? I topped the school! I'm literally the number one student in our year!"
"Yeah, but that 0.2 though," I teased, dodging his hand as he tried to grab me. "It's okay, babe. Not everyone can be perfect. I'll keep you around for your looks, since the brains clearly hit a ceiling."
"Oh, you're dead," he laughed, lunging for me as I scrambled toward the kitchen. "Get back here! I'm going to make you take back every word!"
I was still running around the kitchen island, dodging Keifer's attempts to tackle me for calling him a "0.2% failure," when my phone started vibrating on the counter. I skidded to a halt, seeing the caller ID.
"Wait, wait! Truce!" I wheezed, holding up a finger. "It's Kuya Angelo."
Keifer stopped, smoothing back his hair and trying to catch his breath, though he still gave me a look that said 'We aren't finished yet.'
I swiped 'accept' and put it on speaker, my heart hammering. Even with a 93.6%, talking to my brother about grades always felt like I was standing in front of a judge.
"Hello? Kuya?"
"Jasper Jean," his voice came through, deep and serious. My stomach did a somersault. He only used the full name when things were heavy. "I just got off the phone with Sir Alvin."
I bit my lip, looking at Keifer. "Look, Kuya, if he told you I accidentally broke a chair during the finals, it was an accident—"
"He told me your average," Angelo interrupted. There was a long pause. I held my breath. "93.6 percent."
"Yeah... is that... okay?" I asked tentatively.
I heard a heavy sigh on the other end, followed by the sound of him shuffling some papers. "Okay? Jay-Jay, I spent the last three years wondering if I'd have to bail you out of jail or find you a job as a professional pebble-collector. I thought we'd be lucky if you hit 75."
"Hey!"
"But 93.6?" His voice cracked just a tiny bit, losing that stern edge. "You actually did it. You really worked for it, didn't you? I'm... I'm proud of you, brat. Really proud."
I felt the sting in my eyes immediately. Hearing Kuya Angelo—the guy who usually just scolded me or looked at me like I was a walking disaster—actually say he was proud was better than the grade itself.
"Thanks, Kuya," I whispered, feeling like a total sap.
"And tell that guy next to you," Angelo's voice sharpened again, "that if he thinks he's better just because he got a 99.8, I'll still come over there and kick his—"
"He hears you, Kuya!" I laughed, looking at Keifer who was now standing straight like a soldier on duty.
"Congratulations, you two," Angelo muttered, sounding like he was trying to hide a smile. "Now go get some food. You're probably starving since you spent all your brain cells on those exams."
As soon as he hung up, I turned to Keifer with a watery grin. "Did you hear that? He's proud of me! I'm officially the favorite sibling now!"
Keifer walked over, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me into a proper, warm hug. "He's right to be proud, Jay. Even if you are a brat."
The silence that followed Kuya Angelo's call was different. The high-energy chaos of the morning settled into something soft and heavy. I was still standing there, clutching my phone, feeling the weight of my brother's praise, when Keifer stepped into my space.
He didn't say anything at first. He just tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my cheek. The teasing glint in his eyes was gone, replaced by that intense, molten look that usually made my brain short-circuit.
"93.6," he murmured, his voice dropping an octave. "Do you have any idea how much I loved watching you study for that? Even when you were crying over calculus and threatening to throw your book at the wall?"
"I was a mess," I admitted, leaning my face into his palm. "I didn't think I'd actually make you and Kuya proud."
"Jay, I've been proud of you since the day you survived Section E," he said softly. He stepped closer, closing the gap until my back pressed against the kitchen counter and his hands rested on either side of my waist. "But seeing you realize how smart you actually are... that's the best part."
I looked up at him, my heart doing that annoying thumping thing again. "Even if I'm 6.2 percent behind you?"He chuckled, a low vibration in his chest. "I'd give you that 6.2 percent in a heartbeat if it meant seeing you smile like that every day."
He leaned down, resting his forehead against mine. I could smell the faint scent of his soap and the coffee he'd made earlier. Everything felt quiet—the results, the school, the noise of the city—it all faded out until it was just us in our small kitchen.
"I love you, Professor Jay," he whispered.
"I love you more, Top Ranker," I breathed.
He leaned in, kissing me slowly this time. It wasn't the playful, messy kiss from earlier; it was deep and sure, tasting like relief and a brand-new beginning. For a second, I forgot about the 12th grade, the exams, and the fact that I was hungry. I just wanted to stay right here, wrapped up in the guy who had been my biggest headache and my greatest protector all at once.
His hands moved to pull me flush against him, and I completely lost track of time—until my stomach let out a growl so loud it sounded like a dying whale.
Keifer pulled back, breaking the kiss with a grin. "And there she is. The romantic moment, killed by a hunger pang."
"Hey! My 93.6 percent brain needs fuel!" I shouted, though I was blushing furiously.
"Fine, fine! If the genius brain is hungry, the genius brain gets fed," Keifer laughed, grabbing his keys from the bowl. "But since I'm the 'disappointing 99.8% failure,' you're paying."
"In your dreams, Top Ranker! You're the one with the scholarship potential, you're my sugar daddy now," I shot back, already shoving my feet into my sneakers.
We headed out, the afternoon air feeling fresher than usual. It was like the weight of the entire school year had finally lifted off our shoulders. We walked hand-in-hand to our favorite corner, the one where the auntie with the best isaw and kwek-kwek always set up. The smell of vinegar and grilled charcoal was better than any five-star restaurant.
"Auntie! Huge servings today! We're celebrating!" I yelled as we approached the stall.
"Oh, Jay-Jay! You look glowing. Did you finally win the lottery?" she asked, handing me a paper cup.
"Better! I'm officially not a high school dropout!" I beamed, stabbing a fishball with a stick like it was a trophy.
We sat on the plastic stools by the curb, bumping shoulders. Keifer watched me devour my food with a look of pure adoration—and a little bit of horror at how much vinegar I was using.
"You know," Keifer said, holding a stick of isaw like it was fine dining, "we actually made it. No more Section E drama, no more exams. Just... us."
I leaned my head on his shoulder, my mouth half-full. "Yeah. Just us. And a 0.2% gap that I will never let you live down."
He groaned, pulling me into his side. "I should have failed a subject on purpose."
"Too late! You're stuck being the smart one, and I'm stuck being the... slightly less smart but much cuter one."
We stayed there for an hour, just two regular kids eating street food, ignoring the world. For the first time in years, the future didn't look like a battlefield—it looked like a wide-open road.
I was just about to steal the last kwek-kwek from Keifer's cup when a familiar, ear-splitting screech echoed down the street.
"IS THAT JAY-JAY?! AND SHE'S EATING WITHOUT US?!"
I froze. That voice was unmistakable. I looked up just in time to see a jeepney screech to a halt at the curb, and out tumbled the chaos personified: Section E.
Ci-N was the first one out, running toward us like a golden retriever on caffeine, followed by David , Edrix, and the rest of the pack. Before I could even stand up, Ci-N had me in a suffocating hug.
"JAY-JAY! 93.6! I thought the computer was lying! I thought Sir Alvin was drunk!" he yelled, spinning me around.
"Put her down, Ci-N, you're going to make her barf up the isaw," David said, though he was grinning ear to ear as he gave Keifer a firm "bro-shake." "Congrats, King. 99.8? You're a freak of nature."
"Hey! Don't forget me!" I pouted, finally getting my feet back on the ground. "I'm a genius now too!"
"Yeah, a genius who's still buying the cheapest fishballs on the block," Edrix teased, already reaching into our cups to help himself to our food. "Where's the party? Where's the buffet? We heard the 'Power Couple' was moving up in the world!"
"This was a romantic date," Keifer grumbled, though he couldn't hide the small smile as he watched his friends swarm our tiny table. "Key word: was."
Within five minutes, the quiet corner was a disaster zone. The boys had dragged over three more plastic tables, ordered the auntie's entire stock of grilled lungs and chicken skin, and were chanting "SPEECH! SPEECH!" at a very embarrassed Keifer.
"Fine!" Keifer stood up, holding a stick of fishball like a microphone. He looked at the rowdy group of misfits who had become our family, and then his eyes settled on me. "To Section E. We survived the exams, we survived the teachers, and somehow, we survived each other. But mostly, to Jay—for proving that even a 93% can keep a 99% on his toes."
The boys erupted in cheers, whistling and banging on the plastic tables. I laughed, leaning against Keifer as Ci-N started a "Jay-Jay is a Nerd" chant.
The "romantic" silence was gone, replaced by the loud, messy, and ridiculous reality of our lives. And honestly? I wouldn't have traded it for anything.
"Fine! But if someone breaks the TV, Ci-n pays for it!" Keifer shouted over the cheers as we piled back into a couple of trikes and headed to our apartment.
The second the door opened, our quiet sanctuary was officially invaded. Ci-N immediately claimed the beanbag chair like it was a throne, while the rest of the boys scrambled to connect their phones to our speakers. Within minutes, the living room went from "romantic recovery suite" to "Section E Headquarters."
"Jay-Jay! Do you have chips? My brain is empty from all that thinking I did three weeks ago!" Ci-N yelled, already rummaging through our kitchen cabinets.
"Help yourself, but if you touch my secret stash of spicy noodles, you're dead!" I laughed, leaning against the counter while Keifer tried—and failed—to keep the guys from jumping on the sofa.
The night turned into a blur of loud music, terrible karaoke (mostly led by Edrix and a very enthusiastic Ci-N), and endless stories about the "good old days" of being the most notorious class in school. We sat on the floor, surrounded by empty soda bottles and snack wrappers, the glow of the city lights outside matching the energy inside.
At one point, I looked over and saw Keifer sitting on the edge of the chaos. He wasn't annoyed anymore; he was just watching everyone with a calm, proud smile. I slid through the crowd and sat between his knees, leaning my back against his chest.
"You okay, Top Ranker?" I whispered.
"Best 'failure' of my life," he teased, wrapping his arms around me and resting his chin on my head. "Look at them, Jay. We actually made it out together."
I looked at the boys—some were arguing over a video game, others were passed out on the rug, and Ci-N was trying to teach Felix a TikTok dance. We were a mess, a beautiful, loud, 93-to-99-percent-certified mess.
"We did," I said, closing my eyes and soaking in the heat of the room. "And tomorrow, we start all over again."
As the sun began to peek over the horizon, the apartment finally went quiet, leaving just the two of us awake in the middle of our sleeping friends. The exams were over, the grades were in, and for the first time, the future didn't feel like a question—it felt like home.
After much shouting, three failed attempts to wake up a snoring Ci-N, and Edrix practically dragging the rest of the guys out the door by their collars, the apartment finally fell silent.
The echo of their laughter still hung in the air, but the chaotic energy was gone, replaced by the low hum of the refrigerator and the ticking of the wall clock.
I stood in the middle of the living room, looking at the mountain of empty chip bags and lopsided pillows. "I think they took five years off the life of this sofa," I muttered, starting to pick up a stray soda bottle.
"Leave it, Jay," Keifer's voice came from behind me.
Before I could protest, I felt his arms wrap around my waist, pulling me back against his chest. He buried his face in the crook of my neck, letting out a long, tired sigh that vibrated through my whole body.
"Finally," he whispered. "I thought Ci-N was going to move in."
"He probably considered it," I laughed, dropping the bottle and leaning back into him. I turned around in his arms, looping mine over his shoulders. The room was dim, lit only by the soft glow of the city lights filtering through the window. "You look exhausted, Top Ranker."
"Being the smartest guy in school is a heavy burden," he teased, though his eyes were soft and focused entirely on me. He reached down, picking me up effortlessly and carrying me over to the couch. He sat down and kept me right there on his lap, like he was afraid I'd disappear if he let go.
"You know," I said, tracing the line of his jaw with my thumb, "everyone is so obsessed with the 99.8 and the 93.6. But they don't know about the part where you stayed up making me soup when I was sick, or how you whispered the answers to life—not just exams—whenever I felt like giving up."
Keifer caught my hand, kissing my palm. "Because the grades don't matter as much as the girl who earned them. I'd take a zero if it meant I got to keep you."
"Liar," I giggled. "Your ego would never allow a zero."
"Maybe not," he grinned, pulling me closer until our foreheads rested against each other. "But I'd definitely settle for a 93.6 if it meant we were always on the same page."
He leaned in, and this time, the kiss was slow, quiet, and perfectly still—no Sir Alvin calling, no brothers shouting, and no Section E crashing the party. It was just us, two people who had survived the madness of high school and were ready to face whatever came next, as long as we faced it together.
I rested my head on his shoulder, watching the sun start to actually rise over the horizon. "We should probably sleep, Keifer. We have a lot of 'adulting' to do tomorrow."
"Five more minutes," he murmured, tightening his grip on me. "Let's just stay like this for five more minutes."
And as the world outside began to wake up to a new day, we finally fell asleep, tangled together in the quiet victory of our own little world.
Just as the room had finally settled into a peaceful silence, the front door burst open with a familiar energy. Keigan and Keiren practically flew into the living room, their faces beaming with a mix of relief and pure excitement.
"Ate Jay!" Keiren shouted, skidding across the hardwood floor and throwing her arms around me in a crushing hug. "93.6?! We saw the list! You're actually a scholar now!"
Keigan wasn't far behind, grinning as he joined the group hug, nearly knocking me off the sofa. "And Keifer... Top Ranker. 99.8. I guess the family genes aren't completely broken after all," he joked, punching Keifer's arm lightly. "We are so proud of both of you. Truly."
For a moment, the room was filled with the warmth of siblings. I laughed, soaking in the love, feeling like for once, everything was perfect. But as I looked over at Keifer, I saw his expression shift. The softness in his eyes vanished, replaced by a heavy, somber shadow. He stood up slowly, stepping out of the celebratory circle.
"Keigan, Keiren," Keifer said, his voice dropping to a serious, hollow tone that immediately killed the cheering. "Sit down. There's something you need to know."
The siblings exchanged a confused look but obeyed, sensing the sudden shift in the atmosphere. I stayed by Keifer's side, taking his hand. It was cold.
"It's about... Kaizer," Keifer began, the name of their father—the 'Monster' who had haunted their lives—hanging like a curse in the air.
"What did he do now?" Keigan asked, his jaw tightening, his defensive walls already going up.
Keifer looked them straight in the eyes, his voice unwavering but filled with a hidden pain. "He won't do anything ever again. He's dead. I... I took care of it. He's gone, and he can't hurt any of us, or Jay-Jay, ever again."
The silence that followed was deafening. The "burden" of their father's shadow, the fear that had dictated their every move for years, suddenly collapsed. Keiren's hands began to shake, and Keigan looked like he had been struck. The realization hit them all at once: they were finally, truly free, but the price of that freedom was a weight Keifer had chosen to carry alone until this moment.
"It's over," Keifer whispered, looking at his siblings. "The monster is dead. We don't have to look over our shoulders anymore."
Keiren let out a shaky breath that sounded half-sob, half-laugh. He collapsed back into the cushions, his face buried in his hands.
"He's... he's really gone? We don't have to wait for the next threat? The next 'lesson'?"
Keigan, usually the one with a quick comeback, was dead silent. He stared at his brother, his eyes searching Keifer's face for any sign of a joke. When he saw only the cold, hard truth, his shoulders slumped, and he looked like a massive weight had been lifted off his chest.
"You did it," Keigan whispered, his voice thick. "You actually ended it." He stood up and didn't offer a handshake or a joke. Instead, he pulled Keifer into a fierce, bone-crushing hug. "You shouldn't have had to do that alone, man. You should've told us."
"I did what I had to do to keep this family—and Jay—safe," Keifer muttered into his brother's shoulder, his eyes finally moistening.
Keiren jumped up and wrapped her arms around both of them, sobbing into Keifer's chest. "Thank you, Kuya. Thank you for making it stop."
I stood back for a second, watching the three of them. The "Monster" was a shadow that had darkened their lives since they were kids. To see them finally breathing—actually breathing—without that fear was the most intense thing I'd ever witnessed.
I walked over and put my hands on their backs, joining the huddle. Keifer reached out one arm and pulled me in tight, tucking me under his chin.
"No more monsters," I whispered.
"No more monsters," Keifer echoed, his voice finally sounding like the burden was shared. "Just us. And whatever we decide to do with our 90-plus-percent brains."
The four of us stayed like that for a long time, crying and laughing in equal measure. The results on the laptop screen were still glowing in the corner—93.6 and 99.8—but in that moment, they were just numbers. The real victory was silence in the room where fear used to live.