JAY JAY POV
I was sitting in Mia's office, still trying to shake off that weird, fuzzy feeling in my brain. Zade was hovering over me like a mother hen, checking my vitals and making sure the sudden dizziness had actually passed. Honestly, if he asked me one more time how many fingers he was holding up, I was going to perform a lobotomy on him with a plastic fork.
"I'm fine, Zade! My brain just decided to have a temporary disco, okay?" I huffed, pushing his hand away.
"Just making sure, Jay. You know how your Kuya gets. If you faint on my watch, he'll have my head on a platter," Zade replied, looking a bit stressed.
And then, as if I'd summoned him with my thoughts, I saw a familiar tall figure standing by the doorway.
"Kuya!" I squealed.
I didn't even think about my supposedly fragile state. I practically launched myself off the examination table and tackled him. I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him so tight he probably struggled to breathe.
"Oh my god, I missed you so much!" I said, burying my face in his chest. It had only been a few days since I'd landed in the Philippines, but without his constant overprotectiveness, I felt like a lost puppy.
Kuya Luan let out a soft laugh, his arms wrapping around me in a firm, steady embrace. "I missed you too, brat," he murmured, kissing the top of my head.
I pulled back just enough to look at him, my eyes scanning his face for any signs of exhaustion.
"How was it while I was gone?" I asked him, leaning back against his chest. "Did you finally realize how boring your life is without your favorite sister?"
"You know the usual," Luan said, a teasing smirk playing on his lips. "It was so gloomy at the house. No one was there to annoy me, no one was stealing my snacks, and I actually managed to finish my work without someone screaming Kuya' every five minutes. It was almost... peaceful."
I pouted, crossing my arms. "Liar! You were probably crying into your whiskey because you didn't have anyone to boss around. Admit it, you were miserable!"
"Maybe a little," he conceded, ruffling my hair until it was a complete mess. "The house felt way too big without you running around making a mess of everything."
I beamed up at him, the recent dizziness completely forgotten.
"Come on, Kuya! I'm starving," I said, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward the exit. "You're buying me the most expensive Samgyup in the city to make up for those boring, gloomy days!"
"Of course," Luan laughed, letting me lead him away. "Anything for the brat."
As we walked down the hospital hallway, I felt safe.
A little later, we found ourselves walking around the park. The sunset was painting the sky in shades of orange and purple, and the breeze felt amazing against my face. It was the perfect escape from the sterile, white walls of the hospital.
"Zade told me about the dizziness. How are you now?" he asked, his voice dropping into that protective, Kuya-is-listening tone.
I rolled my eyes, swinging our joined hands. "Tss. Zade overreacts to everything, you know that. He's probably just jealous that my brain is more active than his. Besides, I'm fine! See?"
To prove my point, I let go of his arm and did a little dizzying spin on the grass, laughing as my lab coat—which I'd forgotten to take off—flared out around me.
"Stop that, you'll actually make yourself dizzy," Luan scolded, though he was smiling.
I stopped and huffed, my eyes landing on a nearby vendor. My stomach did a little somersault of joy. "Kuya! I want cotton candy! Please, please, please!"
I gave him my best puppy-dog eyes—the ones I knew he could never resist. He let out a long, dramatic sigh, but I saw his hand already reaching for his wallet.
"Wait here. Don't move an inch," he commanded, pointing a finger at me like I was a toddler.
"Yes, Boss!" I saluted him.
I watched him walk toward the stall, his expensive suit looking completely out of place in a public park, but he didn't seem to care. While I was waiting, I leaned against a large tree, humming a tune and watching the kids play nearby.
Suddenly, a small, soft weight thudded into my legs.
"Oof!" I gasped, steadying myself. I looked down to see a tiny girl, maybe around 7 years old, who had accidentally stumbled into me while chasing a butterfly.
"Oh! Are you okay?" I asked, my doctor-instincts kicking in instantly. I knelt down on the grass, gently checking her elbows and knees for any scrapes or cuts. She seemed fine—just a bit startled.
"No, I'm good," she said, her voice small and sweet. She stared at me with wide, curious eyes, then a shy smile broke across her face. "You're really pretty."
I felt my heart melt right then and there.Why are kids so much better than adults? "Aww, thank you so much! I must say, you look gorgeous," I said, and I wasn't just being nice—she was definitely more than beautiful. She had these bright eyes and a face that looked strangely familiar, though I couldn't place why.
"What's your name?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Luna Jay. What's yours?" I asked her, reaching out to fix a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"Grazel Jay," she said proudly.
My eyes widened. "Hey! We both have Jay in common!" I laughed, giving her a gentle poke on the nose. "You must be my long-lost twin!"
Grazel Jay giggled, the sound bright and infectious. It felt so easy talking to her, like I'd done it a thousand times before.
"Grazel! Sweetie, where are you?" a woman's voice called out from a distance.
I looked up and saw a woman running toward us, looking frantic. As she got closer, she froze. Her face went pale, and she looked like she'd just seen a miracle and a ghost all at once.
"J-Jay-jay?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
I blinked, standing up slowly. Tss. Not again.
First the skyscraper Keifer, then the Horoscope brothers, and now this lady? Is there anyone in this city who doesn't think I'm someone else?
"I'm sorry, but my name is Luna Jay," I said, offering a polite, slightly confused smile. "Is this your daughter? She's lovely. We were just discussing how we might be long-lost twins."
"Grace, babe, where is Grazel?" a guy called out, jogged toward us. He stopped short, his eyes widening as he took me in. He looked stunned for a heartbeat, but he managed to compose himself way better than the others. "Hi, Doctor."
"Hello!" I said, offering a bright smile.
"Denzel," he said, extending his hand. I shook it, and his grip was firm, though I could feel a slight tremor in his fingers. "We actually have an appointment tomorrow."
"Oh, that's great!" I said, genuinely excited. "Getting to know my patients before an appointment is actually one of my favorite things. It makes the hospital feel less like a scary maze and more like a meeting with friends."
I looked back down at the little girl holding Grace's hand. "Is this your daughter?"
They both nodded, looking at me with an intensity that made my skin tingle.
"You have an angel," I told them, and I meant it. She was precious. "How old is she, by the way?"
"Seven years old!" Grazel answered for herself, holding up seven fingers with a proud grin.
"That's nice," I said, giggling. Seven years. There's that number again. It's like the universe is obsessed with it.
"Luna!" Kuya Luan's voice boomed from near the cotton candy stall. He was walking toward us
"Sorry guys, I have to go. I will talk to you tomorrow!" I said, giving little Grazel a quick wave.
I made my way to Kuya, who immediately pulled me close to his side.
"What was that about?" he asked, his voice low and sharp.
"Just meeting some patients, Kuya! Relax," I said, reaching for the pink cotton candy he was holding. I took a huge bite of the sugary fluff. "They're actually quite nice. And their daughter has the best name—Grazel Jay. Can you believe it?"
Luan didn't answer. He just guided me toward the car, his eyes scanning the park like he was expecting an ambush.
As we drove away, I looked out the window. I felt a strange sense of warmth
But as I chewed on my cotton candy, one thought kept circling my brain. Why did Grace look at me like she wanted to cry?
Tss. Maybe I just have one of those faces.
The car swerved just a tiny bit before Luan straightened it out. He gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. "How do you know them?"
"They came to the ER today!" I answered "Angelo's son—Angel—got into a fight. He's a total warrior, Kuya. He stayed so brave while I cleaned his cut. And his uncle, Aries... he has a birth sign for a name! I almost called him Horoscope."
Luan didn't laugh. If anything, he looked more stressed. He let out a long breath, pulling up to the curb of my building. He turned to look at me, his expression more serious than I'd seen in a long time.
"In the wedding, if you feel like you're overwhelmed... if your head starts to hurt or if it gets too much, tell me immediately," he said, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "We will go home the second you want to. Understand?"
I blinked, surprised by the sudden intensity. "Kuya, it's just a wedding. I'm not going to faint from too much lace and white roses."
"Promise me, Luna," he pressed.
"Fine, I promise!" I huffed, grabbing my bag. Tss. Overprotective Freak Level: Midnight. "I'll be the perfect sophisticated doctor-slash-sister. I won't even steal the wedding cake before they cut it."
"I'm serious, Jay. Be careful," he muttered.
"I will! See you later, Kuya!"
I hopped out of the car and waved him off
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