Yuri's POV
I didn't wake up well. I stayed up late thinking about what Keifer had said. I know he's hiding something. The difficulty is that I still have to guess what's on his mind.
I was about to go to Otosan's office to say goodbye. I didn't want to be late for school so even though I was still sleepy, I went in. I also had to pick up Jay-jay. I stopped when I noticed that there were many maids in front of Otosan's office door. Auntie, the oldest of all the servants, was also there.
"Good morning Young Master." Auntie greeted me while showing respect.
"Good morning." I greeted back. "...What's up?"
Auntie was about to open her mouth to answer but I heard a familiar voice from inside.
"Yuri-kun, is that you?" Tanda asked.
This was a very early start for me! I opened the office door with a raised eyebrow, but when I saw who was inside, I felt like a tame sheep.
"Yuri..." The Head Master called me.
I didn't know he was here. He's Tanda's brother and he's the current Head Master of the entire Hanamitchi Clan. Without hesitation, I paid my respects in the traditional way. I sat with my legs on the floor and placed both my hands in front of me and bowed until my forehead hit my hand.
I stayed like that until the Head Master told me to stand up. His legs and knees hurt.
Why now?! I don't understand why the Head Master is here. All of a sudden, I feel nervous for----I don't know the exact reason. Please don't call me to practice----it's not possible yet!
Jay-jay and I are still not married. If I go back to Japan without him, I might never be able to come back to the Philippines. That will be a problem.
A very huge one!
Now is the time when I will no longer have a rival to Jay-jay. When I decided to help him forget.
"Tachiagaru." (Stand up) Head Master said.
I stood up but still remained hunched over. My sweat was pouring as I looked at my feet.
"Anata no kami ni nani ga okotta nodesu ka?" (What happened to your hair?)
Oh shit! I forgot my hair. Why didn't I dye it yet?
"W-watashi wa tanoshī tame ni sore o chakushoku." (I-i colored it for fun)
I wanted to slap myself for my answer. Stupid Yuri! It looks like I'm going back to Japan bald. Suddenly the Head Master laughed. I raised my head slightly to see him. He was the one sitting behind the desk. Otosan and Tanda were on the side while seriously hunched over while sitting on the legs.
"Sore wa watashi no tame ni yoku meiro. Iro no subarashī sentaku." (It's look fine for me. Great choice of color.) He said while keep laughing. I don't know if I should have been shocked by what he said. The first time he just laughed at my foolishness. But what if he found out about my other foolishness? Maybe he'll be the one to confront me as a Samurai.
"Ani." (Big brother) Tanda whispered.
"Naze koko ni iru no ka tazuneru no wa daijōbudesuka?" (Is it okay to ask, why are you here?) The Head Master stopped laughing and looked at Tanda with a smile.
"Yumori... Watashi wa anata no kazoku o hōmon shitai." (Yumori, I just want to visit your family.) He looked at me.
"Watashi wa wakaku natte inai." (I'm not getting younger.)
We looked at him at the same time. I could see Tanda's concern. He seemed to be hinting at resigning from his position.
No!
I'm next in line to be Head Master. I'm not ready to return. If training starts now, he'll be able to quit early. But if I do that.....I'll be far away from Jayjay.
"Oji. Anata wa sore o itte imasu ka----" (Uncle. Are you saying that---)
The Head Master immediately cut off Otosan's words. "Īe. Īe. Son'na koto wa omowanaide kudasai." (No. No. Please don't think like that.)
Tanda smiled at him. "Anata wa watashitachi o kowagatte iru." (You're scaring us.)
The Head Master immediately laughed out loud. Tanda and Otosan laughed too, but I just kept looking at them. The entire Hanamitchi Clan is led by the Head Master. It is often passed down to the eldest son. The position is given when the successor has completed his training. It was passed down to Tanda's brother early on. He is the same age as me.
His son was supposed to inherit the position, but he died in an accident when I was young. They looked for a replacement in the entire clan, but no one could match the current Head Master's wishes. Until I----the so-called lucky boy----was chosen. I hadn't thought about it yet, but my name was already listed as the next Head Master. This was also the reason why Tanda couldn't do anything I wanted. I learned right away what I was capable of.
"Yuri-san... Anata wa ima sugu deru koto ga dekimasu. Anata wa gakkō ni chikoku surudeshou." (Yuri... You can leave now. You'll be late to your school.)
I nodded before bowing and backing away slightly. I'm about to leave but the Head Master said something that made me stop.
"Raishū anata no fianse o tsurete kuru koto o wasurenaide kudasai. Watashi wa kanojo ni aitai." (Don't forget to bring your fiancé next week. I would like to meet her.)
She's dead!
"Hai, Heddomasutā" (Yes, Head Master.)
I had no choice but to agree. That's what he wanted, and I had to do it. I have no choice but to bring Jay-jay here and introduce her to the Head Master.
I ran quickly to the elevator, almost forgetting my shoes and belongings. I swallowed repeatedly, restless inside the elevator.
How am I supposed to present Jay-jay to him?
And why now, of all times, when there's a problem? I wiped my forehead multiple times with the back of my hand. I was still sweating despite the cold air from the air conditioner.
As soon as the elevator doors opened, I walked briskly toward my car—like a man whose wife was about to give birth. My breathing was almost restrained.
Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!
The drive was quick since I was in a hurry. I arrived at Jay-jay's house, but it was their maid who greeted me.
"She already left?" I asked.
"Yes... Since Angelo isn't here, Jay-jay was like a bird that escaped from its cage. She disappeared quickly," the maid replied.
"Alright. Thank you," I said before immediately heading back to my car.
I just hope she doesn't do anything reckless that might reach Tanda and the Head Master. I stopped by Mina Mart, hoping she was there, but she wasn't.
I continued driving, but I suddenly slammed on the brakes when a group of men ran across the street, almost getting hit.
The hell! Of all times to be in a hurry!
I let the men cross but then noticed something on the other side of the road. They were chasing a girl.
IT'S JAY-JAY! FVCKING HELL!
I immediately swerved my car, causing a chorus of honking from other vehicles. I didn't care—I needed to catch up to Jay-jay.
They ran into an alley. I tried to drive in, but my car wouldn't fit, so I got out and chased after them. I ran as fast as I could, and soon enough, I caught up to some of them.
"Hey!" one of them shouted after I bumped into him.
I ignored them and kept running to catch Jay-jay. And I wasn't disappointed—I found her fighting off several men.
"Jay-jay!" I shouted after she landed a punch on one guy's stomach and then struck his face.
She shot me a glare, then shifted her gaze behind me. I turned to look—it was the guys I had passed earlier. I stepped closer to Jay-jay and shielded her slightly behind me.
"Damn! You really made us run!" one of them said, panting.
"And why the hell were you chasing me?!" Jay-jay taunted.
I looked at her and signaled for her to stay quiet, but she just rolled her eyes at me.
I turned back to the men. I didn't recognize them, which meant we hadn't clashed with them before.
"Guys… Maybe you can just leave her to me, so you don't have to waste your energy," I said calmly.
I couldn't afford a fight, not when the Head Master was around. He'd definitely hear about it.
"No way! That girl's insane! We were just asking her name, and she suddenly punched my buddy!"
"You do look like a bunch of monkeys!" Jay-jay yelled, making them even angrier.
"You little—!"
I quickly stepped between them before they could attack.
"Guys… Just let it go. She's just… got a strong personality, which is why she starts fights," I tried to reason with them. But it didn't work—they just shoved me aside.
No choice!
Before they could get past me, I grabbed one of them by the arm—the same guy I had spoken to earlier. He glared at me and tried to shake off my grip.
I looked at him seriously. "I asked you nicely, but you wouldn't listen."
"Let me go! I'm not wasting my time on you!"
"Don't worry… I won't waste your time." I said before punching him in the face.
He dropped to the ground, staring at me in shock. The others were just as stunned. I took a step forward, and suddenly, they all lunged at me.
I punched them one by one, landing blows on their faces. Some tried to hit back, but I dodged easily. They were clearly amateurs in street fights. I even had to kick one of them after dodging his weak punch.
They all collapsed, their previous anger now replaced by fear.
"D-dude! Let's get out of here!" one of them shouted, and they all scrambled away, struggling to move.
I turned to Jay-jay, who was clearly unimpressed. Her eyebrows were furrowed deeply as she crossed her arms.
"Are you alright?" I asked.
"You're such a pain, aren't you?" she said irritably. "...That was my fight! Why did you interfere?"
I looked down, rubbing the back of my neck. "I was just protecting you."
"I don't need your protection! I'm not a princess who needs a prince to save her!"
No, you're not a princess. But soon, you will be.
"Yeah… But—Jay!" I couldn't finish my sentence because she suddenly walked away.
I followed her, picking up my pace to catch up. She still looked pissed. But there was no way I'd let her fight alone. Even if she didn't ask for help, I'd still help her.
I needed to come up with an excuse for the Head Master.
I glanced at my car. It was causing a traffic jam, with drivers honking impatiently. I walked over and opened the passenger door, then looked at Jay-jay, waiting for her to get in. She stared at me with irritation, clearly debating whether to ride or not.
"We might be late... Come on!" I urged.
She let out a deep sigh before getting into the car. I quickly ran to the driver's seat—my car was seriously causing a huge inconvenience on the road. Thank goodness there weren't any cops nearby.
I needed to talk to her about the Head Master.
"Jay-jay… Can we talk?"
"You're already talking," she replied, bored.
Patience… Patience.
"Remember our Family Tree? The Hanamitchi clan with the Head Master?" I asked.
I had explained our Family Tree and traditions to her once before, but she said she didn't understand a thing. She thought our family was too complicated.
She slowly turned to face me, one eyebrow raised. Even with that expression, I felt a little relieved.
"Well… somehow, somewhere, something came up, and now the Head Master is at our house," I tried to explain quickly but clearly. "...And he wants to meet you."
Her sharp expression disappeared, but she kept looking at me. I couldn't tell if she was afraid of the clan's Head Master.
"Yuri…" she called, and I glanced at her. "...Can you do me a favor?"
"W-what is it?"
"Please find my care about what you're saying. I seem to have lost it," she said sarcastically.
I let out a sigh. I knew it. I could already tell she was going to say something like that, so even though I was confused about the word 'favor,' I just let it go.
How long are you going to be like this?
I knew this was our fault, but I couldn't help but search for the Jay-jay we used to know. Maybe this is what pain does—it changes people.
We arrived at the school. She got out of the car before I could even park properly, just like she always did.
It was disheartening. If this keeps up, I might have to talk to Tanda and Angelo. Maybe I should call off the wedding.
Jay-jay's POV
Red-haired nerd!
This Yuri is so annoying! He just ruined my day. I really thought I had escaped him, but he still managed to find me. He's unbelievable! He's just like his best friend—always talking like a wise guy. They're both infuriating! They should be cursed. Maybe they should grow three eyes or just one nipple.
I hadn't even reached our classroom yet, but I could already smell something familiar. I quickened my pace because the scent seemed oddly recognizable.
When I reached the room, I saw a group gathered near the back, where our kitchen area—well, their kitchen area—was. I wasn't part of it, after all.
"Pancake! Pancake! Pancake!" Ci-N chanted while banging on the table. "Pancake! Pancake!"
"Alright, alright! You sound like a broken record!" Eman complained.
I knew it! The smell was familiar. They were cooking pancakes. The scent was mouthwatering, and I suddenly felt hungry. But I had no intention of joining them.
I sat in my usual spot and grabbed my phone. I plugged in my headset, shoved it into my ears, and turned the volume all the way up. I just listened to music, like I always did.
I kind of missed my old phone.
It had tons of games and all sorts of things. It even had movies. Ugh, this is all that Damn Snake King's fault. Because of him, I was forced to change my phone number too.
I decided to text Percy. I was already getting bored here.
To: Percing...
Message: What are you doing?
At first, I thought he wouldn't reply, so I smiled when a message popped up.
From: Percing...
Message: Take a guess. 😆
Ugh, what an idiot.
To: Percing...
Message: Trying to look handsome?
From: Percing...
Message: No need! I'm already handsome. 😎
I grimaced at his reply. His confidence was beyond solid—it needed to be slammed against a wall to shrink a little.
To: Percing...
Message: 😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒
I was sure he was laughing at me again. My phone beeped again. I thought it was him, but it was actually from an unknown number.
From: +639*********
Message: My life.**
Huh?! Wrong send, maybe?
To: +639*********
Message: Wrong send.**
From: +639*********
Message: Jasper Jean Mariano.**
I almost dropped my phone. My eyes darted around, trying to see if anyone around me had sent that message. Maybe they were just messing with me. I examined the number carefully, but it didn't look familiar.
To: +639*********
Message: Who are you?**
From: +639*********
Message: You're my everything.**
Is there seriously someone named "You're my everything"?
People these days can't even name things properly. If they're looking for something unique, they might as well use "You're my everything."
I was about to reply when I suddenly stopped. A plate was shoved right in front of my face. Ci-N was smiling as she handed me a plate of pancakes.
It looked fresh off the pan, with steam still rising from it. The butter had already melted on top, and the syrup was spread evenly. I took off my headset and faced her.
"I don't want it. You eat it," I said, uninterested, and pushed the plate back toward her.
"It's delicious! Remember when you made me cook this for you?" he said cheerfully.
I remembered. It was on grade posting day, the same day she was accused of stealing. I chose to ignore him, but of course, this was Ci-N Peralta we were talking about…
"Just take it!" he said, grinning while pushing the plate toward me again.
I pushed it back. "I'm not in the mood to eat right now."
She slid the plate back to me once more. "But it's really good!"
Oh, for crying out loud…
I'm starting to get annoyed with what she's doing. I pushed the plate away again, but she did the same thing. She kept smiling at me, which only made my irritation worse.
"Ci, I don't want it. Just eat it yourself or give it to someone else," I said calmly.
"But this is for you."
"I don't want it."
"Just take a bite. I promise you won't regret it."
"I said no."
I was close to losing my patience. I was trying to calm myself down, but if she didn't stop, I might not be able to hold back anymore.
Stay calm, Jay. Stay calm.
he picked up the fork resting on the plate and took a small piece of the pancake. She held it up to my mouth, trying to feed me.
"Come on… Say ahhh," she coaxed, the fork with the pancake hovering near my lips.
I turned my head away, but he followed me. I was really getting irritated! My hand moved on its own to push his away, but I accidentally hit the plate he was holding too.
"I said I don't want it!" I snapped.
he stared sadly at the plate that had fallen onto the floor. I looked at it too.
Shit! Why does it feel like this?!
A sharp pang hit my chest. I took a deep breath and looked away, only to meet the gazes of the Ulupong. Their reactions varied.
"O-okay… I-I'll just get you another one," Ci said, and I looked back at her.
Her voice was shaky, and it was clear she was about to cry. She forced a smile even though her tears were already welling up. My brows furrowed. My irritation disappeared, replaced by anger.
Anger at myself—for feeling hurt.
"Stop this already! Can't you see? We're never going back to how things were, so just give up!" I said angrily.
"Jay-jay," David warned, trying to stop me. I shot him a glare.
I heard Ci-N sniffle. Slowly, I turned back to her, and it felt like a punch to the chest when I saw her wiping her tears away with the back of her hand.
"Why?" she asked, her voice trembling. "...Why should I give up? Did you give up on me when I was accused of stealing? Did you give up on Calix and Mica, on Denzel and Grace? On Drew? Did you ever give up on any of us?"
Stop it!
I bit my lower lip and looked away. I won't deny that this is hard for me too. I don't want to ignore them, but it hurts.
"...So don't tell me to give up! Because you never gave up on us, so I won't give up on you either," she added, taking a deep breath. "...Stay right there! I'll get you another pancake."
She walked back to where Eman was. I saw the others pat her on the arm, as if telling her she was right.
Damn it! It wasn't supposed to be like this!