Keifer's POV
The walk back home was much louder than the walk to the café.
Not because of the traffic.
Because of Keiren.
He simply refused to let the topic go.
"Kuya," he called dramatically, throwing an arm around Keagan's shoulders. "How does it feel to finally confess?"
Keagan sighed.
"It feels like I should've stayed quiet."
"Nope."
"You've been talking for fifteen minutes."
"I can go for another fifteen."
Everyone laughed.
Ahead of us, Jay and Eces were walking side by side, talking quietly about something. Every now and then, Jay laughed, and Eces would shake her head with the smallest smile.
Krish walked beside them with his usual calm expression, occasionally joining the conversation.
Watching the four of them together, it was hard to imagine how tense the afternoon had felt just a few hours ago.
By the time all of us reached the house, everyone was ready to relax.
Shoes were left near the entrance.
Someone claimed the biggest sofa before anyone else could.
Grace carefully settled Grazel into her portable crib while Denzel unpacked her blanket and toys without needing to be asked.
Honey immediately disappeared toward the kitchen.
"I'm making coffee," she announced.
"If anyone wants any, come now."
"Me!" half the room answered together.
Within minutes, mugs of coffee, tea, juice and snacks had found their way into everyone's hands.
The living room slowly filled with comfortable chatter.
I sat beside Jay on one end of the sofa.
Without thinking, she leaned lightly against my shoulder while reaching for a biscuit from the plate on the table.
"You stole the last chocolate one," I pointed out.
"I did."
"You don't even look guilty."
"I'm not."
I laughed.
"You planned it."
"I absolutely did."
I stole half of her biscuit anyway.
She looked at me in disbelief.
"...Really?"
"Marriage."
She rolled her eyes before quietly taking another biscuit and placing it on my plate.
"There."
"Thank you."
"You still owe me half."
"Fair."
Across the room, the conversation had somehow returned to Keagan.
Aries looked at him with a grin.
"So..."
Keagan immediately sighed.
"No."
"I haven't even asked anything."
"I already know where this is going."
The room laughed again.
Percy pointed toward him.
"We're just curious."
"About?"
"What now?"
Keagan shrugged honestly.
"Now... nothing."
Everyone looked at him.
He continued calmly.
"I confessed."
He glanced briefly toward Eces.
"She told me she'll see."
Eces looked up from her tea.
"I said we'll take things one step at a time."
"Exactly."
"And?"
"And... that's enough."
There was something surprisingly peaceful about his answer.
No impatience.
No pressure.
Just acceptance.
Krish nodded once.
"Good."
Keagan returned the nod.
No challenge.
No competition.
Just understanding.
Keiren wasn't satisfied.
"So you're not going to follow her around dramatically?"
"No."
"Write poetry?"
"No."
"Stand outside her room with flowers?"
Keagan stared at him.
"...Definitely no."
Ci-n burst into laughter.
"I would've paid to see that."
"So would I," Rakki admitted.
Honey returned with another tray of snacks.
"I missed something, didn't I?"
"Keagan refuses to become a movie hero," Percy informed her.
"A tragedy."
Jay quietly rested her hand over mine.
I looked down before looking back at her.
"What?"
She smiled softly.
"I like this."
"What?"
"This."
She gestured around the room.
"Everyone laughing again."
I understood.
The last few days had carried enough tension.
Seeing everyone relaxed felt... nice.
I gently intertwined my fingers with hers beneath the cushion where no one could see.
She smiled a little wider but said nothing.
Near the window, Grazel made a tiny sleepy sound.
Grace immediately looked over.
Before she could even stand, Denzel had already reached the crib, gently patting the baby until she settled again.
Jay watched them quietly.
"He's become really good at that."
"He has."
She smiled.
"Grazel's lucky."
I looked at her instead of the baby.
"So is Denzel."
She turned toward me.
"What do you mean?"
"He has someone who trusts him completely."
Her expression softened.
"So do I."
The words came so naturally that they caught me off guard.
I smiled.
"I know."
On the other side of the room, Eces stood to refill her glass of water.
As she walked past, Keagan instinctively moved aside to give her space.
A small gesture.
Simple.
Respectful.
She noticed.
"So," she said casually.
He looked at her.
"Thank you."
"For?"
"For not asking for an answer today."
Keagan smiled faintly.
"I meant what I said."
"I know."
She gave the smallest nod before walking toward the kitchen.
Keiren watched the exchange dramatically.
"I think that's progress."
"It is," Krish agreed.
Everyone turned to look at him.
He simply shrugged.
"Patience matters."
Keagan nodded.
"It does."
The conversation moved on after that.
Someone switched on music.
Honey convinced everyone to play cards later.
Blaster challenged Felix to a game neither of them actually knew how to play.
The house slowly filled with its usual warmth again.
I leaned back against the sofa.
Jay was still beside me, her shoulder resting comfortably against mine as we watched everyone talking over one another.
For the first time that day...
Nobody was trying to prove anything.
Nobody was competing.
They were simply together.
And somehow...
That felt like the best ending the day could have asked for.
The teasing should have ended.
It didn't.
The moment everyone settled into the living room again after returning from breakfast, Percy looked around the room with an expression that immediately worried me.
"...I have one last question," he declared.
Keigan groaned. "You said that five questions ago."
"I lied."
"No surprise there," Honey muttered, earning a laugh.
Jay settled beside me on the sofa, her shoulder brushing mine. I reached over and absentmindedly intertwined our fingers. She glanced down at our hands for a second before smiling to herself.
Percy pointed dramatically at Keigan.
"If you're so confident, answer a few simple questions."
Keigan sighed. "Fine. As long as this is actually the last round."
"No promises," Keiren chirped.
The room laughed.
Percy folded his arms. "What's Eces's favorite ice cream?"
"Butterscotch."
Eces looked up from where she was sitting.
"...Correct."
Keiren pumped both fists into the air.
"One point!"
Ci-n, sitting cross-legged on the rug, immediately joined in.
"Favorite color."
"Black."
Again, Eces nodded once.
"Correct."
Honey looked impressed.
"You're doing better than I expected."
"I pay attention," Keigan replied simply.
Jay leaned slightly toward me and whispered, "He's answering without even thinking."
"He isn't guessing," I murmured back.
"He remembers."
She smiled quietly.
Mica rested her chin on her hand.
"Okay... favorite dessert?"
Keigan smiled faintly.
"Brownies."
Eces blinked.
"You noticed?"
"You always choose them if they're available."
Rakki gave an approving nod.
"That's true."
Percy refused to let him relax.
"What does she usually drink?"
"Americano."
He paused.
"Extra hot."
Krish looked toward Eces.
She lifted her cup slightly.
"Still correct."
Keiren dramatically wiped imaginary tears.
"My kuya has been studying."
"I have not."
"You definitely have."
Laughter echoed around the room.
Blaster leaned forward.
"What does she do when she's upset?"
This time Keigan took a second before answering.
"She gets quieter."
No one interrupted.
"She doesn't tell people immediately. She thinks first... then decides whether it's worth talking about."
The room became noticeably calmer.
Even Eces looked a little surprised.
Jay squeezed my hand once.
I looked at her.
She wasn't watching Keigan anymore.
She was watching Eces.
Sometimes Jay noticed people's reactions before anyone else.
Percy nodded slowly.
"Not bad."
Freya smiled.
"What makes her happy?"
Keigan looked toward Eces for only a moment.
"When people trust her."
"...And when they don't make decisions for her without asking."
Eces let out the smallest breath.
"...That's also correct."
Keiren threw both hands into the air again.
"I knew my kuya wasn't hopeless!"
"I heard that," Keigan replied.
"You were supposed to."
Everyone laughed.
I looked down as Jay shifted a little closer without realizing it.
Her head rested lightly against my shoulder for a brief moment before she straightened again.
"Tired?" I asked quietly.
She shook her head.
"No."
"Liar."
"I just got comfortable."
"I noticed."
She nudged my arm, trying not to smile.
Across the room, Percy cleared his throat dramatically.
"Final question."
Keigan pointed at him.
"If this isn't the final one, I'm leaving."
"It is."
"...Probably."
Honey rolled her eyes.
"Just ask."
Percy smiled.
"Why her?"
No one laughed this time.
Keigan's expression softened.
He looked directly at Eces.
"Because she never tries to be someone she's not."
The room stayed silent.
"She listens before she speaks."
He paused.
"And she makes people around her want to become better versions of themselves."
I saw Eces blink once.
Very slowly.
Keigan continued.
"I don't want to change who she is."
"I just want to walk beside her."
Silence lingered for another heartbeat.
Then Eces stood.
She walked over until she was standing in front of him.
"You've been paying attention," she said.
"I always did."
She studied him for a moment before giving a small nod.
"I can see that."
Keiren immediately clapped.
"Does that mean he passed?"
Eces looked at him.
"It means..."
She glanced back at Keigan.
"...he's doing better than before."
That was enough.
The room filled with applause, whistles, and exaggerated cheering.
Keigan rubbed the back of his neck, looking both embarrassed and relieved.
Beside me, Jay smiled warmly at the scene.
"He really has changed," she whispered.
I looked at my younger brother, then at Eces, who still wore the faintest hint of a smile.
"...Yeah," I replied quietly.
"He finally understands that knowing someone isn't about memorizing answers."
"It's about paying attention."
The cheering from Keigan's "trial round two" had barely settled before Percy looked around the room with narrowed eyes.
Then, very slowly, his gaze landed on Krish.
"...Hold on."
The room followed his line of sight.
Krish was standing near one of the windows, completely relaxed, sipping the last of his coffee as though the last twenty minutes hadn't happened.
Percy's eyes widened.
"No."
Honey immediately caught on.
"...No what?"
Percy pointed dramatically.
"He's been standing there this whole time, acting innocent."
Krish looked up.
"I usually do."
"Exactly!" Percy exclaimed. "Too innocent."
A chorus of suspicious hums spread through the room.
Jay, who was beside me, folded her arms with an amused smile.
"I think Percy has found his next victim."
"I feel sorry for Krish already," I murmured.
She laughed softly.
"So do I."
Krish sighed.
"I haven't done anything."
"That's what guilty people say," Blaster replied immediately.
"I've literally said nothing."
"Suspicious."
Laughter filled the living room again.
Keiren walked over, dragging an empty chair.
"Sit."
Krish looked at him.
"...Why?"
"Because we're asking questions."
Krish looked around the room.
Nobody looked like they intended to let him escape.
"...Fine."
He sat down with the patience of a man accepting his fate.
Percy rubbed his hands together.
"So..."
"You've been engaged for three months."
Krish nodded once.
"Yes."
Honey blinked.
"And you didn't tell us?"
"I was going to."
"When?"
He thought for a moment.
"Eventually."
The room erupted.
"Eventually?!"
"You live with us!"
"Three whole months!"
Jay shook her head, laughing.
"I can't believe you kept that from everyone."
Krish looked completely unfazed.
"I didn't think it was urgent."
"It was absolutely urgent," Honey protested.
"We've been discussing everyone else's lives while yours was quietly moving forward!"
Even Eces let out the faintest chuckle.
Percy continued.
"So..."
"What's her name?"
"Anika."
"A pretty name," Mica smiled.
"How did you meet?"
"Our families introduced us," Krish answered. "We spent time getting to know each other."
"And?"
"And we realized it worked."
"So practical," Aries muttered.
Krish shrugged lightly.
"It doesn't make it any less real."
The room grew a little quieter.
I had to admit...
That sounded exactly like him.
Jay leaned a little closer to me.
"He really would answer every question in one sentence if he could."
"He absolutely would."
She smiled.
Honey tilted her head.
"Who confessed first?"
"I did."
That surprised a few people.
"You?" Percy asked.
"Yes."
"Where?"
Krish smiled just a little.
"On a rooftop."
"Oho..."
"Private?"
"Yes."
"No audience?"
"No."
Percy dramatically sighed.
"And here we are making everything public."
"That's your choice," Krish replied.
Laughter returned.
Ci-n, who had been listening quietly until now, raised a hand.
"Does she know about all of... this?"
He gestured around the noisy room.
Krish nodded.
"Yes."
"And she isn't scared?"
"No."
"That's impressive," Rakki laughed.
Freya looked thoughtfully between Krish and Eces.
"So... Eces already knew?"
Before Krish could answer, Eces nodded.
"I've known for a while."
Jay turned to her in disbelief.
"You knew and didn't tell me?"
"You didn't ask."
Jay stared for a second before laughing.
"Fair enough."
Keiren rested his chin on the back of the chair.
"Ate Eces always knows everything first."
"Not everything," Eces replied calmly.
"Almost everything," Keiren corrected, making everyone laugh again.
Blaster leaned forward.
"So when are we meeting Anika?"
"Soon," Krish answered.
"She's looking forward to meeting everyone."
Honey grinned.
"Hopefully she knows what she's getting into."
"I warned her."
"You warned her?"
"I described all of you honestly."
Percy looked offended.
"...Should we be worried?"
"A little."
The room burst into another round of laughter.
Watching everyone tease Krish felt strangely refreshing.
There was no awkwardness anymore.
No misunderstandings.
Just friends enjoying each other's company.
I felt Jay's shoulder brush mine.
Without thinking, I slipped my hand into hers beneath the armrest of the sofa.
She glanced at me briefly before giving my fingers a gentle squeeze.
No words.
None were needed.
Across the room, Keigan was talking with Keiren, no longer watching Eces every few seconds.
Krish looked settled.
Eces looked quietly content.
The house, which had been filled with uncertainty only hours earlier, now felt lighter.
Sometimes clarity didn't arrive with dramatic speeches.
Sometimes it arrived with laughter, teasing...
...and a room full of people who had finally stopped guessing and simply enjoyed being together.
+++++++++++++
Spoiler : A very very sweet night ✨
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