10:00 AM - The Morning Chaos
The scent of garlic and onions sizzling in the pan filled the apartment as Jessica hummed to herself, expertly flipping an omelet. Sunlight streamed through the kitchen window, casting warm streaks across the countertops. Her phone buzzed—a message from Alexa:
Alexa: "Ate', are you free right now?"
Jessica (wiping her hands on a towel): "Kinda. I'm cooking. Why?"
A video call invitation popped up. Jessica accepted, and soon Annette's grinning face joined Alexa's on the screen.
Annette: "Sooo… how's city life treating you?"
Jessica (stirring the pan): "It's okay. Hehe, by the way, guess who I'm living with? Percy. Separate rooms, obviously."
The screen erupted with gasps.
Alexa (eyes wide): "WOAH! So where's the hunk? Did you two already—"
Jessica (nearly dropping her spatula): "What?! No! We're just neighbors, for God's sake!"
Annette (smirking): "Neighbors? Sure, sure."
Jessica (rolling her eyes): "Ugh, yes. And how could I fall for a guy who walks around in boxers and flip-flops, chugging coffee like it's oxygen?"
Alexa (cackling): "Oh? And how do you know what he wears?"
Annette (leaning in): "And you're cooking for him? Wow, wifey duties already?"
Jessica (groaning): "This guy survives on instant noodles! The only thing he can 'cook' is rice. It's tragic."
Annette (fake-swooning): "Sounds like someone's got it bad."
Jessica (flustered): "I—what? NO! Stop it!"
Just then, Percy shuffled into the kitchen, wearing only a towel slung low on his hips, his hair dripping wet. He scratched his stomach absently, squinting around.
Percy: "Hey, Jessica? Did you see my shampoo? I can't find it."
Jessica's face burned. "Oh! I, uh—threw the old one out. It was expired. Bought you a new one." She thrust the bottle at him, avoiding eye contact.
Percy (taking it): "Thanks." He yawned, completely oblivious to the video call, and sauntered out.
Alexa & Annette: "...…"
Alexa (whispering): "Damn. You're lucky."
Annette (grinning): "Wait, why are you buying house supplies for him?"
Jessica sighed, stirring the omelet aggressively. "Mrs. Rachel said I don't have to pay rent if I help out. My boss gave me an advance, so I figured… might as well make this place livable. Percy's been alone here for years. It's depressing."
Annette (softly): "Aww. Why so caring?"
Jessica's face flamed. "STOP. He's just… a good guy. Not like those fake-nice guys who sweet-talk you and then bail. I feel bad for how I treated him before."
A beat of silence.
Annette: "…You're crying."
Jessica (quickly wiping her eyes): "It's the onions! Anyway, send my love to Mom. Bye!" She hung up before they could tease her further.
Alone again, she exhaled, staring at the sizzling pan.
What am I even doing?
The Kitchen Confession
As Jessica set the table, her vision blurred. A tear splashed onto a plate. Then another. Damn onions, she told herself—but no, this was guilt, sharp and relentless. If I hadn't turned Percy down back then… would this have been my life? Warm mornings, shared meals, his stupid boxer shorts everywhere—
A pair of arms wrapped around her from behind.
Percy (mumbling into her hair): "Hey. Who hurt my baby girl?"
Jessica stiffened. His chest was warm against her back—and bare. Again.
Jessica (sniffling): "N-nothing. Just… memories."
She turned in his hold—and froze.
Shirtless. Still shirtless.
Her sorrow evaporated like water on a hot pan.
Jessica (deadpan): "Percy."
Percy (innocent): "Yeah?"
Jessica (pinching his nipple HARD): "DON'T YOU EVER HUG ME HALF-NAKED AGAIN, YOU IDIOT! I WILL NOT FALL FOR YOUR TRICKS!"
Percy (yelping): "OW—HEY!" He clutched his chest. "That's assault!"
Jessica (wiping her face): "Sorry. Food's ready."
The Breakfast Interrogation
Percy shoveled eggs into his mouth like a man starved. Jessica eyed him.
Jessica: "Why are you up? You're nocturnal."
Percy (mouth full): "Gym. Doctor's orders. Edema's a bitch." He flexed his calf, where faint swelling lingered. "Sitting all day writing murders my circulation."
Jessica (raising a brow): "So you're… working out?" The mental image of Percy lifting weights—shirtless, sweaty—short-circuited her brain.
Percy (grinning): "Jealous?"
Jessica (stabbing her omelet): "Of what? Your dad bod?"
Percy (gasping): "Rude."
The Unlikely Road Trip
Jessica: "I'm visiting your mom after this."
Percy (perking up): "I'll drive you. Gym's near town square."
Jessica (suspicious): "…Why?"
Percy (shrugging): "You'll get lost. Also, Mom's hiding my good coffee beans. I need them."
Twenty minutes later, they were in Percy's beat-up sedan. Jessica glared at the pine-tree air freshener.
Jessica: "This car smells like regret and gasoline."
Percy (offended): "It's vintage."
As the engine sputtered to life, Jessica hid a smile. This idiot. This ridiculous, shirtless, coffee-hoarding idiot.
And for the first time in months, her chest didn't ache.
A Grand Welcome
The tires of Percy's beat-up sedan crunched over the gravel driveway as they pulled up to the Reyes estate. Jessica's breath caught in her throat.
"You live here?" she blurted, staring at the sprawling two-story Spanish colonial home with its terracotta roof tiles and ivy-covered stone walls. A marble fountain bubbled in the circular driveway, surrounded by meticulously trimmed hedges. The afternoon sun glinted off the floor-to-ceiling windows, making the whole property look like something from a luxury magazine.
Percy rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly sheepish. "Well, Mom lives here. I just... visit sometimes."
Jessica shot him a look. "You told me your family was 'comfortable.' This isn't comfortable—this is old money."
Percy shrugged, avoiding her gaze. "Details."
As he drove off with a wave, Jessica stood frozen at the front steps, suddenly hyper-aware of her simple sundress and sandals. The doorbell echoed like a cathedral chime.
Mrs. Rachel answered wearing gardening gloves, her face lighting up. "Jessica! Welcome to my modest abode," she laughed, pulling her into a warm hug that smelled of rosemary and sun-warmed linen.
Jessica gaped at the vaulted ceilings and sweeping staircase visible through the open door. "Mrs. Rachel, this isn't a house—it's a palace."
"Oh hush," Mrs. Rachel waved her off, though her eyes sparkled with pride. "It's just home. Come in, come in!"
The Ice King Cometh
The foyer's marble floors gleamed under their feet as Jessica followed Mrs. Rachel inside. Then a voice cut through the air like a blade:
"Who the hell are you?"
Jessica turned to see a man lounging on the living room sofa, documents spread across the coffee table. At first glance, he looked like Percy—same sharp jawline, same unruly dark hair—but where Percy was all soft edges and sarcastic charm, this man was carved from ice. His tailored navy suit probably cost more than Jessica's monthly rent, and his glare could freeze lava.
Mrs. Rachel sighed. "Victor, manners. This is Jessica, Percy's—"
"Wait." Victor sat up, suddenly interested. His cold eyes raked over Jessica. "You're the girl shacking up with my idiot brother?"
Jessica's cheeks burned. "We're roommates."
Victor snorted, leaning back. "Right. And I'm the Pope."
Mrs. Rachel smacked the back of his head. "I SWEAR TO—"
"Ow! Nanay, I'm kidding!" Rubbing his head, Victor stood and—to Jessica's shock—offered her a perfect cup of tea with sudden charm. "So. How's my kuya? Still moping in that apartment?"
Jessica accepted the tea, thrown by his whiplash mood changes. "He's... Percy."
Victor's lips quirked. "Ah. So still a disaster."
The House of Memories
Mrs. Rachel gave Jessica the grand tour:
The Gallery Wall
A collection of framed photos showed a younger Mrs. Rachel with a dashing man—Sir Ramon, Percy's late father. In one, a teenage Percy stood between them, round-cheeked and grinning in a too-big suit.
"That was his first book signing," Mrs. Rachel said fondly. "He spilled coffee on three copies."
The Garden
Rows of roses and herbs stretched toward a white gazebo. "Percy broke his arm there at seven," Mrs. Rachel chuckled. "Tried to 'fly' off the roof."
The Shrine
Percy's childhood bedroom was frozen in time—band posters, a cluttered desk, and a bookshelf crammed with well-loved novels. Jessica sat on the twin bed, picking up a faded photo. Teen Percy, heavier but beaming, had his arm around a stunning girl while Annette and MJ grinned beside them.
"Wait." Jessica squinted. "This was Percy?"
Mrs. Rachel sighed. "Ah. That phase." She pointed to the girl. "Caitlyn Quirino. Percy's first heartbreak."
Jessica nearly dropped the frame. "The supermodel?!"
"He lost twenty kilos for her," Mrs. Rachel murmured. "Wrote her letters every day. Then she left him for some Leandro heir." Her voice dropped. "Rumor is she... entertained directors for roles. Destroyed my boy."
Jessica's chest ached. She squeezed Mrs. Rachel's hand.
"I don't push you two," Mrs. Rachel said softly. "But seeing him alive again since you came..."
Tears welled in both women's eyes—
"Lola! I'm hungry!"
A tornado of energy burst into the room—a toddler with Percy's curls and Ramon's smile. He launched at Jessica, giggling. "Pretty lady! Smell like flowers!"
Mrs. Rachel laughed through her tears. "Careful, apo. Your uncle Percy might get jealous."
The Ice King Melts
In the kitchen, Victor served empanadas so perfect they made Jessica moan.
"God, these are art," she said around a mouthful of flaky crust and savory filling. "Why can't Percy cook like this?"
Victor shrugged. "He can. Just lazy." He eyed her. "Don't let the moping fool you. My brother's got more talent in his pinky than I do in my whole—"
"Finally some humility!" Mrs. Rachel pinched his cheek.
As laughter filled the sunlit kitchen, Jessica realized:
This wasn't just a house.
It was a home Percy had run from—and somehow, she'd brought him back.