✨ Jay-Jay (POV)
I couldn't stop crying.
My hands trembled as I held the note and the chocolates.
"He left."
The voice was low. Rough.
I looked up.
Jare.
I nodded slowly, my throat tight.
"I hate seeing you cry… don't cry," he said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. "He must've just left. I saw him about thirty minutes ago… he should still be on the island."
My heart skipped.
"Really…? You saw him?" I asked, my voice barely steady.
He nodded.
"Go," he said softly. "Before you miss your chance."
That was all I needed.
I didn't think.I didn't stop.
I just ran.
The note slipped from my fingers.The chocolates almost fell—
But I didn't care.
I just ran.
The wind hit my face as I rushed toward the shore.
My chest burned.My legs felt too slow.Too short.Too weak.
Then—
I saw him.
Walking toward the yacht.
And beside him—
Someone tall.
Leaving with him.
"No…" I whispered.
I ran faster.
But the distance—
It wasn't closing.
He took one step—
I had to take three.
"Wait!" I tried to shout, but my voice came out broken.
My vision blurred with tears.
I looked down—
A small pebble.
I grabbed it without thinking—
And threw it.
It hit him.
He stopped.
Before he could turn—
I ran the last few steps—
And jumped onto his back.
✨ Clyden (POV)
We headed toward the shore.
The waves were calm.The air felt too quiet.
Like the world was holding its breath.
Then—
thud.
Something hit the back of my head.
"What the—"
Before I could turn—
Someone jumped onto my back.
Arms wrapping tightly around my neck.
"I knew it," her voice said, shaky. "You were going to leave without saying goodbye."
I froze.
"…Jay."
"You didn't even look for me," she added, her voice breaking.
I let out a small breath.
"I did," I said. "You were sleeping like you were in another world. I couldn't wake you."
She didn't reply.
Instead—
Her grip tightened.
And then—
She started crying.
"Can't I come with you? I don't want to be far away from you… If I let you go now, I don't know when I'll see you again. I already miss you…"
Her voice cracked.
Soft. Fragile.
"Just come back soon, okay?"
"Hey—" I said, trying to lighten the moment. "You're choking me. Are you trying to kill me before I leave?"
She sniffed and slowly let go, dropping back onto the ground.
I reached into my bag and pulled out a small pack.
Chocolates.
Her favorite.
"Here," I said, placing them in her hands. "Emergency supply."
She looked at them… then at me.
Tears still clung to her eyes.
I reached out and wiped them gently.
"You cry this much for chocolates?" I murmured. "You look terrible."
She hit my knee immediately.
Not hard.
But enough.
I smiled.
"See?" I said softly. "You look better when you smile."
She tried to glare at me—
But failed.
I raised my hand and hooked my pinky finger toward her.
"Promise," I said. "I'll come back for my sister."
She looked at my hand for a second—
Then hooked her finger with mine.
"Be good," I added quietly. "Don't pick fights. And be nice to them."
I glanced back slightly.
"They love you… they're just bad at showing it."
Her grip tightened slightly.
"But don't forget me," I said.
She scoffed lightly, wiping her face.
"In your dreams," she muttered. "Like I could ever forget you."
For a moment—
Neither of us moved.
Because both of us knew—
This wasn't just a simple goodbye.
"Can I hug you?" Jay asked softly.
I raised an eyebrow.
"Since when do you need permission?" I said, counting on my fingers."You've already kicked me, thrown things at me, and jumped on me."
She frowned—
Then hugged me anyway.
Tightly.
"Come back…" she whispered. "I'll wait."
My hand slowly came up, resting on her head.
"I'll come back," I said quietly.
My eyes lifted.
Jare. Percy. Aries.
They were all watching.
Silent.
Holding back more than they showed.
I exhaled softly, then smirked.
"What? Do you guys need a group hug too?"
They all rolled their eyes at the same time.
Jay turned to them instantly—
And opened her arms wide.
For a second—
They hesitated.
Then slowly—
They stepped forward.
And hugged her.
Carefully.
Like she might disappear if they held her too tight.
Their expressions said everything they couldn't.
Relief.Pride.Love.
I smiled.
Then suddenly—
Jay reached back and pulled me into the hug again.
This time—
All of us.
Together.
It felt… warm.
Warmer than anything I'd ever known.
Warmer than sunlight.
Warmer than home.
I glanced up slightly.
Behind a tree—
Kiefer.
Standing still.
His eyes were red.
Tears barely held back.
He didn't move.
Didn't step forward.
Just watched—
Like he didn't have the right to be there.
I shifted slightly, making sure Jay couldn't see him.
Then I gave him a small nod.
He understood.
He walked toward us quietly.
Without a sound.
Slowly—
He reached us.
And wrapped an arm around the group from the side.
Not fully.
Just enough to be there.
He leaned down—
And gently kissed Jay's head.
Soft. Careful.
I looked at him and mouthed—
"You took advantage of it."
He smirked.
Then mouthed back—
"She's mine."
…Sly bastard.
Jay shifted slightly in the hug—
Like she felt something.
Something familiar.
Her fingers tightened just a little.
"It's warm now…" she said softly.
Her voice was quiet.
Uncertain.
"I love you all, Kuya."
The words were simple.
I muttered under my breath—
"I won."
Kiefer's smile disappeared.
But the words—
They hit harder than anything else.
Because she didn't remember.
And yet—
She still meant them.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
We just stood there—
Holding onto her.
Like if we let go—
We might lose her all over again.
The sun slowly rose over the horizon.
Light spreading across the water.
Soft. Quiet. Endless.
A new day.
A new beginning.
For them.
For her.
…and for me.
Because the moment I step off this island—
I won't just be Clyden anymore.
I'll be—
Clyden Watson.
✨ Kiefer (POV)
When I saw Jay jump onto him, I stepped back and hid behind a tree, watching everything from a distance.
She was crying, holding onto him like he was the only person that mattered—and it hurt more than I expected.
They had only known each other for a few days.
But somehow, she had already grown attached to him.
That was just Jay.
She had a way of making people soften without realizing it.
The kind that made you stay—
Even when you shouldn't.
She hugged all of them.
And I couldn't stop thinking—
That should have been my place.
If I had been there from the beginning…
I would have been the first one she ran to.
The first one she hugged.
But I wasn't.
Then Clyden looked at me and gave a small nod.
A silent permission—
That I could be there too.
I didn't move at first.
But somehow…
I still walked toward them.
Slowly.
Quietly.
I didn't fully step in.
I didn't want to take something that didn't belong to me anymore.
But from the side—
I reached out just enough to be there.
Even without holding her completely—
I could feel her warmth.
And when I leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her head—
For a second…
It felt real.
Like she knew.
Like she felt me.
And something in my chest twisted.
Then I saw his lips move.
"I won."
For a second—
I didn't understand.
Then I did.
My smile disappeared before I could stop it.
Not because of him.
But because he wasn't wrong.
My fingers curled tightly at my side.
She was right there.
So close—
Close enough to touch.
Close enough to hold.
And yet—
I couldn't.
I was standing in the same space.
Breathing the same air.
Listening to her voice—
"I love you all, Kuya."
My chest tightened.
That word—
Kuya.
It should have been mine.my name kiefer,
But it wasn't anymore.
I closed my eyes for a second.
Because if I didn't—
I might break right there.
Seventeen days.
Seventeen days of searching.
Of not sleeping.
Of imagining the worst.
And this—
This was what I got.
She was safe.
She was smiling.
She was happy.
But not with me.
A slow, unsteady breath left my chest.
I should have felt relieved.
I should have been grateful.
So why did it feel like I had lost her?
When I looked at her again—
She was still in that hug.
Still holding onto them—
Like they were her whole world.
Like I wasn't part of it.
I took a step back.
Quiet.
Careful.
Like I didn't belong there.
Maybe—
I didn't.
My throat tightened.
My vision blurred.
I looked away quickly.
Not here.
I couldn't break here.
So I turned—
And walked away.
From them.
From her.
From that warmth I couldn't touch.
The moment I was far enough—
I stopped.
And that was it.
My shoulders dropped.
My breath broke.
My hand came up to my face—
Too late.
Tears slipped out anyway.
Silent.
Uncontrolled.
"I'm here…" I whispered.
My voice cracked.
"I'm right here…"
But she didn't know.
And that hurt more than anything else.
I tried to hold it together—
But I couldn't.
Because for the first time—
I wasn't the one protecting her.
I was the one she forgot.
I walked into the yacht—
Without looking back.
✨ Jare (POV)
I hated seeing her cry.
"I hate seeing you cry… don't cry," I said quietly, rubbing the back of my neck. "He must've just left. I saw him about thirty minutes ago—he should still be on the island."
The moment her eyes lit up, I knew she was going to run.
And she did.
Without thinking. Without stopping.
Just like that—she ran past me.
I stood there for a second, watching her go, my chest tightening.
I was angry at Clyden.
He was the reason she disappeared… but also the reason she was still alive.
And that made everything worse.
Because when I saw him standing beside her—so close, so natural—like a real brother… something inside me twisted.
I was her twin.
And yet…
I didn't even know her.
But him?
He tried.
He stayed.
He made space for her to open up.
He knew how to talk to her… how to make her smile.
She clung to him and cried like a child—
And he knew exactly what to do.
For a moment, he looked like Kuya… like Cole.
Like someone who belonged there.
Not me.
Later, when he jokingly told me to hug him, I rolled my eyes.
But when she opened her arms for me—
I didn't think.
I ran to her.
And hugged her.
It was the first time.
The first time I held her without hesitation.
Without distance.
My eyes stung.
Before I knew it—
They were filled with tears.
From behind, I reached out and lightly tapped Kiefer's head.
A quiet gesture.
He looked at me.
And I saw it in his eyes—
Love.
Pain.
Regret.
The same things I was feeling.
Then he walked away.
Slowly.
Like he didn't belong there.
I watched him go.
Watched him disappear toward the yacht—
Trying to hide the fact that he was crying.
"I'm going now," Clyden said.
"Call me when you land," Jay replied.
She didn't cry again.
Not this time.
He ruffled her hair gently.
"Bye… Kuya will be back," he said.
Then he turned—
And walked away.
Jay stood still.
Watching him.
Until he disappeared from sight.
"He will come back, right?" she asked softly, looking at us.
"Yes," Aries said. "Don't you know him better than we do?"
"That's why I'm asking," she replied quietly. "I know he brought me here… and hid me from all of you. Every time I asked about family, he avoided it but he never lied to me. Now that I'm back with you… will he still come looking for me?"
So she knew.
She knew he had taken her away from us.
And still—
She chose to stay close to him.
I looked at her.
Then I spoke softly.
"If you believe that… then he'll come back. As a brother… I trust him."
"Trust him, Jay," Percy added.
She nodded slowly.
"Let's go home," she said.
"Pack your things. Everything's ready," Angelo said, walking over and gently patting her back. "Did you talk to him?"
Jay nodded.
We freshened up and packed our things.
Soon, everything was loaded onto the yacht.
"Let's go," I said.
But Jay didn't move.
She stood there on the beach.
Looking at the house.
"Is it okay to leave it like that?" she asked softly.
"Kuya said people will come and take care of it," I replied. Then I paused before adding, "And… Clyden asked me to give you this."
I handed her the key.
She blinked.
"A key?"
I nodded.
"He said… it's your home too."
She stared at it for a moment.
Then smiled.
"Then we should come back here every year," she said. "We can celebrate Clyden Kuya's birthday here."
She looked at me.
"He'll like that… after all, I'm his family."
Then she added softly—
"And you… you should call him Kuya too. He'll be happy."
I hesitated for a second.
Then nodded slightly.
"I'll try."
Because the truth was—
I didn't hate him.
Not anymore.
We turned—
And walked toward the yacht.
MANILA
✨Jay-Jay (POV)
We reached home.
The house felt… familiar.
Not fully.
But enough to make my chest feel strange.
Cole, Percy, and Jare said they were going back to their condo. When I asked why we weren't all living together, they gave me a vague answer… and avoided the question.
That felt odd.
But I didn't push.
The moment I stepped inside—
A woman rushed toward me and pulled me into a tight hug.
"Are you okay, Jay? Did you get hurt anywhere? " she asked, her voice full of worry as she kissed my face again and again.
"Mom…" I said softly, hugging her back.
"Mom?" another woman repeated.
I turned.
"She's your Tita," she said calmly. "And I'm your mother."
I froze.
I looked between them.
Tita was warm.
Comforting.
Like I already knew her.
But the woman who called herself my mother—
She felt… distant.
I didn't understand why.
Tita didn't say anything more. She just smiled gently, brought me food—adobo—and fed me herself like I was a child.
After that, she showed me my room.
The moment I lay down—
I fell asleep.
When I woke up—
It was midnight.
The house was quiet.
Too quiet.
I picked up my phone.
Cly—Kuya Cly—had given it to me before leaving.
There were only a few contacts saved.
All of them… "Kuya."
A message.
From Cly:
Reached London. Did you eat?
I stared at it for a second.
Then typed—
To Cly:
Yup.
A lie.
A second later, another message came.
From Cly:
You must be rolling on the bed right now. Go eat and take a bath.
I froze.
Then slowly looked around the room.
"…Did he install cameras here?" I muttered.
I sighed.
To Cly:
Okay, sir.
I got up, took a quick shower, and walked downstairs.
Aries was there.
Leaning against the wall like he had been waiting.
"Slept for a long time," he said, folding his arms.
"Why are you here?" I asked.
"I knew you wouldn't eat," he replied simply. "So I waited."
I blinked.
Then smiled a little.
"Wow… I have such a caring kuya," I said. "Did you find anything to eat?"
"Nothing much," he admitted. "Just rice and chicken curry."
I made a face.
"I don't want that. Let's go out. Don't we have shops nearby?"
"We have a mini-mart," he said.
"Good. Let's go."
We both grabbed our hoodies and stepped outside.
He brought a bike.
"It's yours," he said. "You used to go to school on this."
I smiled slightly—
Then hopped onto the back.
✨ Aries (POV)
She hopped onto the back of the bike like it was the most natural thing in the world.
For a moment, I just stood there.
Then I started pedaling.
The road to the mini-mart felt… familiar.
Like I had lived this moment before.
We used to do this all the time.
Sneak out.
Buy snacks.
She would sit behind me, holding onto my shirt, laughing like nothing in the world could touch her.
Then—
That accident happened.
And everything changed.
Now she was here again.
Right behind me.
Holding on.
Maybe she didn't remember.
But I did.
And maybe that was enough.
Even if she never got her memories back—
I could still try.
I could still be her kuya.
The one she used to trust.
The one she used to follow.
The one who stayed.
✨Jay-Jay(POV)
Inside the mini-mart, I grabbed everything I could reach.
Chips.
Chocolates.
Soft drinks.
Ice cream.
"Are you going to eat all that?" Aries asked, watching me.
I nodded.
"I can eat it," I said. "Just not all at once."
Then I opened the ice cream and took a bite.
"We didn't even pay yet," he said, pointing at it.
"So?" I shrugged. "You're still here. You can pay."
He sighed.
We went to the counter.
Well—
He paid.
"Why are you eating so much?" he asked as we stepped outside.
"Kuya Cly feeds me well," I said casually. "So I can be strong and healthy."
He paused.
"What… Cly?"
I smiled.
"Clyden. I call him Cly," I said. Then I tilted my head at him. "And you're Ari Kuya."
He stopped walking.
"I have six kuyas," I continued. "I can't just call all of you 'Kuya,' so I gave everyone nicknames."
For a moment, he didn't say anything.
Then he nodded slowly.
Like something settled inside him.
✨ Night Scene (Jay-Jay POV Continued)
When we got home, I followed him straight into his room.
"Why are you here?" he asked.
"I don't want to sleep alone," I said honestly. "That room feels strange."
Before he could answer, I threw my pillow onto his bed and wrapped myself in the blanket.
He sighed.
But he didn't stop me.
After a moment, he lay down beside me.
"Did you feel lonely on the island?" he asked quietly.
I shook my head.
"No. Cly Kuya always stayed with me."
I smiled faintly.
"He would sit on the chair in my room. Sometimes working. Sometimes telling stories."
I paused.
"When I had nightmares… he would sit beside me and tell me he was there."
Aries turned toward me.
"You had nightmares?"
I nodded slowly.
"I used to dream that someone was hurting me… and I kept asking for help."
My voice softened.
"But he was always there."
I closed my eyes.
"So I wasn't scared… even when I slept."
There was a brief silence.
"He really knew you well," Aries said quietly.
"Yeah," I said with a small smile. "But he teases a lot."
I kept talking.
About random things.
Dreams I didn't understand.
Feelings I couldn't explain.
At some point—
I fell asleep.
✨ Aries (POV)
She fell asleep mid-sentence.
For the first time—
She looked peaceful.
Safe.
I watched her for a while.
Maybe she really was a magnet for trouble.
But at least—
Tonight—
She was okay.
I didn't know…
That two days later—
She would be gone again.
Again.
And in front of the house—
We found an envelope.
Inside—
A photo.
Jay.
Her face—
Crossed out.
With red marker.
And behind it—
Two words.
I got her.
"KUYA"