Percy'sPOV
I walked toward the garden because I knew exactly where she would be. Whenever Jayjay is sad or upset about something, she always goes outside. She loves being under the open sky and surrounded by nature when her mind is troubled. I know my sister so well, but because of that stupid business, I never really got a chance to prove it to her.
As I entered the garden, I saw them. Aries was already there, sitting right next to Jayjay. She was staring up at the sky, her expression full of sadness. I walked closer but stood a little way back for a moment, just listening.
"We'll be back before your wedding," Aries said softly, trying to comfort her.
"But you guys are going away for a whole month," she replied, still not lifting her gaze from the stars.
"But for our sister, her Kuya can come back anytime," he said. Jayjay finally looked over at him.
"Kuya," she repeated, the word sounding small and hopeful. Aries nodded.
"Yes, both of your Kuyas," I said, finally stepping forward. I sat down on her other side, so she was right between us.
"But still... I wanted to buy my wedding dress with my brothers. I wanted to spend this entire month with you guys," she said, her voice trembling a little.
"Well, then we will just postpone your wedding," I suggested. She looked at me, completely confused.
"How?" she asked.
"Your wedding won't be in a month," Aries said. I could tell he already understood what I was thinking.
"We will make sure the wedding happens after two months instead," I added firmly.
"They won't agree to that," she sighed, sounding defeated.
"Who won't agree?" Aries and I asked in unison.
"Mama, Papa, Tita, and Tito," she said.
"Then we won't let you get married at all," I stated.
"Huh?" she asked. Honestly, sometimes I wonder if this girl is a bit dumb.
"Your brothers will just kidnap you on your wedding day," Aries explained with a smirk. That was exactly what I meant.
"But... what about our reputation?" she asked, worried as always.
"I don't care about reputation as long as my sister is happy. I will not let you get married until the elders agree to our conditions," I told her. A small smile finally broke across her face.
"Kuya," she said softly. Aries and I both leaned in and pulled her into a tight triplet hug.
"Don't worry. We'll be with you on your important day, even if we have to do something crazy to make it happen," Aries promised.
We stayed in that hug for a long time, just holding onto each other. When we finally let go and looked at one another, I realized we were all crying silently.
"Why are you both crying?" all three of us asked each other at the exact same time.
"I don't know!" we all said in unison again.
We started laughing at ourselves, the kind of laughter that you can't stop. We were laughing like total idiots until we all dropped back onto the grass, exhausted.
"Oh god," the three of us said together one last time. We've definitely gone crazy.
"I wish I could just stay with you guys and never get married," Jayjay said softly. The three of us were lying flat on the grass now, staring straight up at the bright afternoon sky. The sun was still high, making everything in the garden look warm and golden.
"Your wish is coming true, baby sista," I said with a smirk. She turned her head toward me, looking completely confused. Okay, it's officially confirmed—this girl is a bit dumb today.
"He means the three of us can just run away from the house," Aries explained. Finally, she got it.
"So...?" I asked, waiting to see if she was down for the plan.
"Nah, let's go through with the marriage," she suggested, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I'll get my own house, and then whenever I feel like it, I'll just start a fight with Keifer. Then I'll move to that house and call you two to stay there with me! That way, our reputation stays perfect, and we still get to be together."
Aries and I both nodded. It wasn't a bad plan at all!
"Jayjay, you've totally fallen for Keifer," Aries teased suddenly.
I knew exactly what was going to happen next. Jayjay gave him a terrifying death glare. Aries scrambled to his feet instantly, and Jayjay was right behind him. They started sprinting through the garden, weaving in and out of the trees.
"YOU HOROSCOPE! COME BACK HERE!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. I just lay there laughing as I watched them.
"DO I LOOK STUPID? WHY WOULD I VOLUNTARILY WALK TO MY DEATH?" Aries yelled back, his laughter echoing through the garden.
"A HOROSCOPE DOESN'T LOOK STUPID, HE IS STUPID!" Jayjay shot back. That's my savage queen. I've heard all about her famous "slap sessions" back at the university; I'm honestly so proud of my little sister.
I sat up to watch them. They were still running wild, occasionally bumping into kids playing in the garden, but they didn't even care. Aries was laughing so hard his voice was echoing off the hospital walls, while Jayjay's face was half red from anger and half red from blushing because Aries kept shouting Keifer's name. Under the bright sun, she looked exactly like a ripe red tomato.
"BOTH OF YOU, GET BACK HERE!" I yelled, using my most serious "older brother" voice.
To my surprise, Aries actually stopped. Jayjay didn't realize he had stopped until it was too late, and she slammed right into his back.
"YOU IDIOT!" she yelled, rubbing her nose. Usually, they wouldn't listen to me when they were mid-fight, so I was actually kind of surprised they stopped today.
They both walked back over to me, still looking a bit breathless from the chase.
"What?" they both asked at once.
"Let's go back to the room," I suggested. They looked at each other, then back at me.
"Nah," they said in perfect unison. I raised an eyebrow.
"There are too many people in there, and I might lose my patience the second I see Keifer's face," Aries complained.
"What did Keifer ever do to you?" Jayjay asked, crossing her arms.
"He's taking my sister away from me!" he said. I nodded in firm agreement.
"Jayjay, you said Keifer came to save you with Kuya Angelo," I said, feeling curious. "But isn't Kuya Angelo in the military? How did he even get there?"
"Umm, it's a long story, but the short version is that he came to the university to meet me during lunch. After that, he was supposed to leave," she explained.
"Wait, then how did he end up with Keifer if he had already left?" Aries asked.
"Oh, I told Keifer to bring backup. He called Kuya, and they met up midway," she explained. We both nodded, finally understanding.
"Shall we go now?" I asked. They both sighed but eventually nodded.
"I don't want to go, but I have to go," Jayjay muttered. We both laughed because she looked so cute and adorable making that grumpy face. Aries reached out and poked her cheek.
"Oh, my little warrior, it's okay. Just don't take anything in there too seriously. We'll tell them our condition, and if they don't agree... well, we tell them what we've planned," he said with a dark smirk. I smirked right along with him.
"Good plan," Jayjay said. She playfully hit Aries' arm, but she hit him just right—he lost his balance and fell right onto the grass. We both burst out laughing at him before Jayjay helped him back up.
"Come on," I said. Jayjay grabbed my hand with one of hers and took Aries' hand with the other. We walked back, talking and laughing, until we reached the room door. We looked at each other and shared a final nod.
I opened the door, and the three of us walked in, still holding hands. We went straight to the couch and sat exactly as we had before—Jayjay in the middle, with Aries and me on either side.
"Papa, I have something to say," I began. He signaled for me to speak. "The three of us have decided that Jayjay's wedding is not happening in one month."
Everyone looked at me in total confusion, but Keifer? He looked absolutely angry.
"WHAT!!" they all yelled at the same time.
"Yeah," I said simply. They all shook their heads.
"That is not going to happen," Papa said, his voice rising in anger.
"Okay. Then my brothers aren't going anywhere either," Jayjay shot back in the exact same tone. Honestly, she is the only person in the whole house who can talk to Papa like that.
"That can't happen either," Papa stated firmly.
"Fine. Then don't regret your decisions," Aries added.
"What are you three even talking about?" Mama asked, looking worried.
"If Jayjay's wedding isn't postponed, she's coming with us. We will take our sister with us on her wedding day," Aries declared.
"And we don't care about anything else as long as it involves our sister's happiness," I added.
"You all are kidding, right?" Mama asked seriously. I started getting a little nervous—Mom and Dad look like they might start throwing things if we keep this up.
"We are dead serious," Jayjay said, her voice steady.
"We will talk about this at home. We are going home now," Papa said, turning to Tita and Tito. "Excuse us." They nodded, looking stunned.
"I'll stay here with Keifer," Jayjay offered.
"Dear, we will stay with him. You've already done so much; go home and rest," Tita said, giving her a kind smile.
"No, Tita, it's okay—"
"No, no, it's fine. And thank you," Tito insisted.
"Yeah, Jayjay, go home and rest," Keifer added. She looked at him, and I could see the sadness in her eyes. I think she really didn't want to leave him.
"Okay, if you all insist," she finally said.
After the elders talked for a bit, we finalized our "Plan B" in whispers. If they didn't agree to our condition, we would run away from the house and head straight to Tita Gemma's. There, Aries and I could start our jobs and we could all live our lives together.
We bid everyone goodbye and left the hospital. Mama and Papa went to their car, while Aries, Jayjay, and I piled into mine.
"I think we should just leave now," Aries said from the back seat.
Before we had even gotten into the car, those two fought like toddlers over who got to sit in the passenger seat. Of course, Jayjay won—no one can ever win against her once she makes up her mind.
"No, first let's see if they will actually agree to our condition or not," Jayjay said. Aries and I both nodded. She was making sense; we needed to give the elders one last chance before we pulled the "disappearing" act.
Suddenly, the image of Aries falling flat on the grass earlier popped into my head, and I burst out laughing.
"Why are you laughing like an idiot?" Aries asked, sounding annoyed.
"Because I just remembered you landing straight on the grass!" I said between fits of laughter. That was all it took for Jayjay to join in. She burst out laughing too, nearly doubling over in the front seat.
"Whatever," he muttered, turning away to look out the window.
"Whatever," Jayjay mimicked him in a high-pitched voice, still giggling.
"JAYJAY LOVES KEIFER!" Aries suddenly yelled out the open window.
The teasing shifted to Jayjay instantly. She turned bright red.
"Shut up!" she snapped, but we didn't stop. We kept teasing her the whole way home, laughing and shouting until we finally pulled into our driveway.
Suddenly, Jayjay jumped down from the moving car. Aries and I were both startled—my heart nearly stopped! We slammed on the brakes and scrambled out, our jaws dropped and our eyes wide with shock.
"That was dangerous, Jayjay!" Aries yelled.
"I've done that many times before, and I've never fallen or gotten injured," she said casually, walking toward the house as if nothing happened.
We followed her inside, but we lost sight of her for a moment. Then, we heard the distinct crinkle of chip bags coming from the kitchen. We found our sister exactly where we expected. We walked into the kitchen and started grabbing some of her snacks for ourselves.
"Put that down! That's mine!" she said, her mouth already full of chips.
We just ignored her and started eating anyway. We were all standing there, munching on snacks, when Mama and Papa finally walked in. The atmosphere changed instantly.
Papa slammed his keys onto the ground, and Mama threw her purse onto the sofa with a look of pure rage. They were extremely angry.
"PERCY REY FERNANDEZ MARIANO, MICHAEL ARIES FERNANDEZ MARIANO, AND JASPER JEEN FERNANDEZ MARIANO!" Mom yelled at the top of her lungs.
The three of us froze and looked at each other in terror. We were doomed. From past experience, we knew that whenever Mom used our full names like that, we were in extreme danger. And right now, we were in the middle of a storm.
"Who goes first?" Jayjay whispered, her hand still reaching into the bag of chips.
"Obviously you," Aries and I whispered back at the same time. "You're the favorite, the last-born!"
She immediately put the chip bag down on the counter and shook her head. "Oh, hello? I'm not going! The last time Mama used my full name, I was grounded for an entire day."
"And when exactly was that?" I asked her, confused, because she had been abroad for six entire years.
"When I was thirteen," she whispered back. "It was the first time I objected to the engagement."
"You only got grounded for one day?" Aries whispered, looking offended. "We both got grounded for at least a month every time we got in trouble!"
"Oh! Then that's great!" Jayjay whispered with a small grin. "Maybe your business trip will get cancelled if you're grounded."
"It won't get cancelled," I explained quietly. "They would just make us stay there for even longer than a month."
Jayjay paused for a moment to think about that, but we didn't have time for her to come up with a new plan. Aries and I shared a look and started pushing her out of the kitchen toward the living room.
"Hey! Hey, no!" she whispered, trying to plant her feet on the floor. But we didn't stop until she was fully out of the kitchen and standing right in front of our parents.
Phew. Better her than us.
Jayjay's POV.
Idiots. Jerks. Dumbs. I hope those two rot! Argh, if they were going to push me out here, then fine—let's just fight this out.
"What was that?" Mama asked me, her eyes narrowing.
"What?" I played dumb, trying to keep my cool.
"That drama in the hospital. What was that all about?" she asked.
"What drama? That is simply what the three of us want," I said firmly. I made sure not to raise my voice, but I didn't back down either. "It isn't a big deal. We just want to spend some time together. It isn't as huge as you are making it."
"Jayjay, your wedding is not going to be postponed," Papa said, his voice deep and final.
"Why not?" I asked.
"Because—"
"Because you have to get married to Keifer, and it is better if it happens early," Mom cut him off.
"That is not going to happen," Percy said from behind me. He and Aries finally stepped out of the kitchen and stood at my sides like bodyguards.
"So, now you three are ganging up on us?" Papa asked.
"If it involves our sister, we would gang up on the whole world, Papa," Aries said respectfully but strongly.
"That is enough! Your wedding is happening in a month, and these two are going on their business trip. That is final!" Mama declared.
The three of us shook our heads in disappointment. They were really going to separate us again. Aries and Percy stepped in front of me, shielding me like a wall.
"That is not happening as long as we are alive," Percy said. Even in this mess, I couldn't help but smile a little at his protectiveness.
"And if you try to force us, then we are telling you now—we won't live in this house anymore," Aries added. My eyes widened. Wait, is he crazy? Where are we supposed to go if we leave?
"That is our decision, and you both just shut your mouths!" Papa yelled.
I stepped out from behind my brothers. "That is your decision, not ours," I said quietly.
I didn't wait for an answer. I turned and walked straight out of the house. I could hear them all calling my name, but I didn't turn around. Thank God I had my car keys in my pocket. (Keifer's butler had delivered my car and given me the keys earlier). I jumped into the driver's seat and sped off.
I was so angry and frustrated. They are always so controlling. I didn't want to be around them right now. Papa isn't usually this bad, but Mama... she is so controlling, and I hate being controlled, even by my own mother.
I drove fast, finally pulling up at the beach. I got out and slammed the car door so hard the sound echoed. I walked toward the water and stood there, staring at the waves. It was so peaceful here, just like the quiet moments I spend with my brothers.
"WHY ALWAYS ME, MY BROTHERS AND ALL THE GIRLS, WHY ALWAYS GIRLS, WHY ALWAYS ME AND MY BROTHERS HAVE TO BE SEPARATED, GOD WHY" I yelled at top of my lungs and I calm down a little, that frustrating went somewhere.
I sat down on the sand and hugged my knees, staring up at the sky. I've always loved being under the sky at night. I love the dark sky and the cool, dark weather. I sat there in the silence, watching the moon and trying to figure out how to postpone this wedding.
I didn't even realize I was crying until I felt the hot tears on my cheeks. The thought of leaving my brothers behind again was breaking my heart.
Why, God? I thought. Why do I always have to choose between the most important people in my life? Why do my brothers or I always have to leave? Why can't we be like other siblings who get to play together and stay together? Why can't we just have that?
I was sobbing now. Since the beach was empty, I let myself cry freely. I usually never cry in front of anyone except Percy and Aries. They are the only ones who truly know me, understand me, and support me. Most of all, they are the only ones who truly believe in me.
Why does this always have to happen? My brothers and I are always being pulled apart—first it was because of that stupid business, and now it's because of my marriage. It's not that I don't want to marry Keifer; I just don't want to leave the two men who have always been by my side.
Why is it always the girl who has to leave her house, her family, and her favorite people? Why is it always the girl who has to compromise? Why does no one understand us? Why are people so controlling when it comes to girls? Why can't we just live our lives on our own terms? Why is it always the girl who has to leave? Why is her heart the one expected to stretch and break while everyone else stays in place?
People talk about "tradition" and "reputation," but they never talk about the girl who has to say goodbye to the walls that raised her and the brothers who protected her. Why is a girl's life treated like a suitcase—something to be packed up and moved whenever it suits the elders?
They think they are controlling my future, but they are just tearing my present apart. Why can't we just be seen as humans with hearts, instead of pieces in a "business" or a "marriage" puzzle?
No one can answer these questions. No one.
But my brothers understand. They are against all of this. They want me to be independent and to make my own decisions. They want me to be successful and to stand up for myself. And I am doing exactly that. My three brothers taught me well; they always told me never to give up, to stand my ground, and never to let anyone control my life. It is my life, and I have every right to decide my own future.
I will do this. They support me, and Keifer is just like them.
I was deep in my thoughts when I felt someone sit down on the sand beside me. I turned to see who it was.
"Kuya..." I whispered.
Kuya Angelo was sitting right there. I figured Mama must have called him, telling him to find me and convince me to do what she says. But I won't. This is my decision.
"What happened to you?" he asked softly.
"They didn't tell you?" I asked, turning my gaze back to the moon. He did the same.
"They did, but I want to hear it from you. You're the one who tells me every single detail," he said.
"They're sending Percy and Aries away," I said, looking at him again. "Again," I finished, the word feeling heavy.
"Tell me everything, from the very beginning," he said.
We both turned back toward the moon, and I began to speak. "So, basically..."
I explained everything. I told him every word I said, every word my brothers said, and everything my parents said. I described every single thing that had happened at the hospital and at home. And through it all, he just sat there and listened carefully.
"What's your plan?" he asked quietly after I finished talking.
"I'm not going back to that cursed place," I said, my voice shaking. I kept staring at the waves, refusing to look away. "I won't go back to a place where they pull me and my brothers apart, where they tear us away from each other. I just don't want to go there anymore."
"You don't have to go when you don't want to," he said.
Hearing those words made me lose the last of my strength. I turned toward him with my eyes swimming in tears. He turned to me at the same time, his expression full of care, and and pulled me into a tight hug. I was too weak and exhausted to even hug him back properly; I just collapsed against him.
"Kuya..." I sobbed into his chest. He didn't let go; he just gently rubbed my back, letting me let it all out.
"It's alright. Everything is going to be alright," he assured me.
I don't know how Kuya always knows exactly when I need someone to lean on, but I suppose it's because he's the one who truly raised me. I stayed there, crying and crying without stopping. The weight of everything—the wedding, the business trip, the fighting—finally became too much.
With the sound of the waves in the background and the comfort of my brother holding me, I didn't even realize when my eyes finally grew heavy. I fell fast asleep right there in his arms.
Angelo's POV
Tita Jeena called me, sounding frantic. She told me that Jayjay had stormed out of the house in a rage. I asked her what had happened, and she gave me her version of the story, but I knew I needed to hear everything from Jayjay herself. My sister doesn't get that angry over a "small talk." I know her better than anyone.
I knew exactly where she would go. When she is upset, she craves the beach. She loves sitting under the open sky, especially at night; she has always loved the dark sky and that cool, refreshing weather. I searched every beach in the area, and finally, on the third one, I found her. My little warrior. My princess. She was sitting there, crying while staring up at the moon.
My blood boiled. I will not let anyone live in peace now. My princess is out here sobbing, and a single tear from her eyes is worth more than anyone else's life. I walked over and sat beside her. We talked for a while, and she explained everything. Just as I expected, she was completely right to be upset. When I asked her what she planned to do, she simply said she never wanted to go back to that house.
Eventually, the exhaustion took over, and she fell asleep in my arms, still crying in her sleep. I felt a cold anger settle over me. I'm going to bury anyone alive who made my little sister cry. I don't care if they are elders; this involves my sister's happiness. I always want her to be happy, never sad, and they made her miserable. They are going to pay for that.
I decided then and there that I would talk to Tita Jeena and Tito Jaspher about all of this. In the meantime, Jayjay would have to stay at the house for a little while longer. But if they don't agree to our terms, I'll take Jayjay, Percy, and Aries with me to the US. I won't leave them here to be controlled.
I carried Jayjay back to the house and opened the front door. I was met with a surprising sight: Aries and Percy were standing there, holding their suitcases. They had an extra one with them, too—it must have been Jayjay's. She had told me about their plan to leave, and it looked like they were ready.
I didn't say a word to anyone. I walked past them, went straight to Jayjay's room, and laid her gently on her bed. I tucked the blanket around her, turned off the lights, and headed back downstairs.
I'm not letting them off the hook now. It's time to talk.
Aries POV. (When jayjay left)
"This is all because of you both!" Papa yelled at us the moment Jayjay's car sped away.
"Us?" Percy and I asked, completely shocked.
"It's your fault, and we're not living here anymore. That's it. That is our decision," Percy stated firmly.
"I dare you to move one foot out of this house," Papa threatened, his face red. "If you leave, you won't be allowed to come back!"
We didn't even blink. We didn't care about the threat. We turned around, went straight to our rooms, and started throwing our clothes into suitcases. We even went into Jayjay's room to pack for her, but she was already prepared for her apartment shift. We grabbed our bags and were heading for the front door when Mama stopped us.
"This is for her own good," she said, her voice shaking a little.
"Mama, we know that," I said softly, trying to stay respectful. "But we aren't asking for much. We just want to spend some time with our sister before she gets married."
For a second, it looked like Mama was melting. Her expression softened. Just then, the door opened, and Kuya Angelo walked in, carrying a sleeping Jayjay. He glanced at the suitcases in our hands but didn't say a word. He just walked upstairs.
A few minutes later, he came back down and sat right between Percy and me on the sofa. The room went silent.
"No one is going anywhere until everything is settled," Angelo said, his voice calm but terrifyingly serious. "The wedding will happen in one and a half months. These two will return from their business trip early so they can spend proper time with Jayjay. That is final. No objections."
Papa and Mama looked at each other, thought for a minute, and then slowly nodded.
"Woohoo!" Percy and I whispered, high-fiving each other.
"And one more thing," Kuya Angelo added as he stood up to leave. We all froze and looked at him.
"What is it?" Mama asked.
"From now on, no one controls Jayjay's life as long as I am alive. She will do whatever she wants. The same goes for Aries and Percy," he declared.
Mama and Papa nodded again. I was stunned. Wow. We had been saying the exact same thing all day and they wouldn't even let us finish a sentence, but Kuya Angelo says it once and they agree? His aura is on another level.
"And if she cries one more time," Angelo finished, looking straight at our parents, "I will take her to the US with me. I don't care about anyone's opinion when it comes to Jayjay's happiness."
With that, he walked out.
"I'm sorry, dears," Mama said, turning to us once he was gone. "It's all your father's fault."
"Mine?" Papa asked, pointing a finger at himself in total confusion. Honestly, Mama is usually the controlling one; Papa doesn't usually care what we do!
"It's okay, Mama," Percy said. "But can I ask something? Why are you guys rushing this marriage so much?"
Mama looked at Papa for a split second before looking away. "Because it has to be," she said simply. She patted our arms. "Now, go and rest. A lot of drama has happened today because of your Papa." She let out a long yawn.
"Why me?!" Papa asked again, but no one answered him. We all started laughing.
"Okay then," I said, yawning in the middle of my sentence. "We're going back to our rooms."
They both nodded, and we headed upstairs. I dropped onto my bed, completely exhausted. Today was so frustrating—the flight, the hospital, the fighting. I never thought it would go this far.
As I drifted off to sleep, my last thought was about Jayjay. What will she say when she wakes up? Will she be happy with the compromise, or is she still going to be sad?
The End 🌸.
Don't be angry to me, I'm just preparing you guys for the biggest heartbreak. By the way.
EID MUBARAK MY MUSLIM READERS 🥳🎊🎉