Keifer's POV
The bell rang. Finally School was over for the day. Everyone spilled into the courtyard like scattered marbles, buzzing about plans, deadlines, last-minute notes for finals. But all I saw was her.
Jay.
Her smile was soft today, a little worn at the edges. Maybe tired. Maybe thinking too hard. I wanted to keep her close, drag her away from everything — school, pressure, exams and just let her breathe. But instead, she walked up to me with that familiar bounce, laced her fingers with mine for a second, and said, "I need to leave with Aries."
I wanted to say no. God, I hated letting her go, even for an hour. But she had that look determined and apologetic all at once. I knew better than to argue with her when she was in "serious" mode.
So I nodded, kissed the back of her hand, and let her go.
After she left, the guys stuck around for a while. Usual jokes. Usual banter. But I wasn't really there. My mind was already running on something else. Something bigger.
A surprise.
Something for Jay. For Jasper Jean, my chaos, my peace.
Movie night? Too casual.
Game night? She'd just complain about me beating her in Mario Kart.
Fancy five-star dinner? That wasn't her. She'd probably ask if we could sneak fries in her bag.
No. None of it was right. But then… it hit me. The perfect idea. The kind that makes your heart leap before your brain catches up. All I needed was a field, a few calls, some lights, some tech, and a hell of a lot of timing.
Good thing I'm a Watson.
Challenge accepted.
Jay's POV
The second I stepped into the house, I knew something was different.
There it was a cake. On the table. Frosted with swirls of soft pink and tiny hearts. And standing around it? The entire house staff, grinning like they'd just pulled off a national-level secret.
"Miss Jay-Jay," one of the maids said, stepping forward. "Happy birthday from all of us."
My chest tightened. I don't know why I suddenly felt emotional, but I did. Maybe it was the exhaustion. Maybe it was just… nice. Being seen. Remembered. Celebrated.
Without hesitation, I hugged every single one of them. And of course, I ate the cake. Who wouldn't?
But the sugar rush didn't last long. Reality settled on my shoulders like a heavy blanket. Final exams. The dark cloud above everything.
I went to my room and sat down, staring at the mountain of notes I had to get through. My hands trembled slightly as I picked up a pen.
I wasn't about to let anyone — not even myself — call me a loser. Not in academics. Not in anything. I had to prove something. To my family. To myself.
Five days until exam week.
Exam date sheet was out:
Next monday
Day 1: History & Geography
Day 2: Maths (kill me now)
Day 3: Chemistry
Day 4: Biology
Day 5: Physics (kill me twice)
Day 6: Business Studies
Lord, help me.
Maths and physics were my personal nightmares. Numbers never sat still in my brain. Formulas danced like little demons. But I wasn't going to run. Not this time.
I began revising. Hours passed. My eyes burned. My shoulders ached. I was on the brink of falling asleep on top of my textbook when my phone buzzed.
Keifer.
"Jay, I'm coming to your house in an hour. Be ready. Don't ask questions. It's a surprise."
And then the call cut off.
My heart skipped. My brain screamed. My hands suddenly flew into full panic mode.
What the hell am I supposed to wear?!
I dashed into the washroom, showered faster than a racing cheetah, and then exploded my entire closet. Clothes were flying. Hangers clashed. My bed looked like a battlefield.
Eventually, I settled on a white mini skort and a red off-shoulder tank top. A little bold, maybe. But it was my birthday. I earned it.
Perfume? Yes. I snuck into Mom's collection. Just a little. Okay, maybe a lot.
Hair? Brushed. Kind of. I wasn't a pro, but I tried.
Makeup? Ugh. I dabbed on some blush, lip gloss, and called it a day. Nothing dramatic. Just… kissable.
I clasped the necklace Keifer had given me, one that still made my chest flutter every time I touched it.
Then I realized — SHOES.
Heels? I hated them.
Aries's gift shoes? Didn't match.
Heels it is. Ugh. Pray for me.
I checked the time. 8 PM. That meant one thing:
Kuya Angelo would NEVER let me leave now.
Desperate times.
I tiptoed into Aries's room like a ninja.
"Aries… ariessss…"
He didn't even look up. "What do you want? Go study."
"I was studying! But I need to go out."
Now he looked. And his jaw dropped.
"You're dressed up?" His eyes went wide. "Is that an off-shoulder top?! Heels?! PERFUME?!?"
"Stop screaming and help me sneak out."
"I'm not helping you, Jay-Jay."
"Please? Don't you love me?"
"Where are you going?"
"With… Keifer."
"JAY. HELL. NO. I'm not letting you go with that monkey."
"Oh, please. Like you don't sneak out with Ella."
"THAT'S DIFFERENT."
"Aries, please. Pleasepleaseplease."
His face contorted like he was fighting a moral war inside his head.
"Fine," he finally groaned. "I'll distract them. You run. But you better be back by midnight."
"Deal!"
He went downstairs and pretended to trip, which was hilarious until I realized he actually hurt his ankle a bit. But while everyone swarmed around him, I bolted. Like lightning.
I burst out the door and spotted Keifer's car. My heart slammed against my ribs. I ran to the passenger side, yanked it open, and jumped in.
But then — I froze.
Because behind me, in the doorway, stood Aries.
Watching. Staring at us.
Aries' POV
That fall was supposed to be fake. It wasn't.
I twisted my ankle for real, but whatever. I recovered fast, just in time for Kuya Angelo to ask what happened.
"Nothing, just slipped," I said with a fake laugh, limping slightly.
"Study hard, okay? Both you and Jay," he added.
"Yup, we are. Promise."
I went to "grab a snack" total lie and slipped out the front gate, just to see if that idiot Keifer actually had the nerve.
He did.
I saw Jay jump into his car, and Keifer? That smug monkey had the AUDACITY to wave at me.
"Thanks, brother-in-law!" he shouted.
Brother-in—BROTHER-IN-LAW!?
I AM GOING TO KILL HIM.
Keifer's POV
She sat next to me, breathless. Stunning. Like a summer storm you wanted to get drenched in.
She never dressed up. Jay was always hoodie and shorts, messy hair and sneakers. But tonight? White skort. Red off-shoulder. Heels. Perfume.
Lip gloss.
God, help me.
I couldn't stop glancing at her. My hands gripped the steering wheel so tight I thought I'd crack the leather.
"You okay?" she finally asked, playful smile on her lips.
"Just… focused."
She didn't believe me.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see," I smirked.
Minutes passed. Then I said, "Close your eyes. We're here."
She obeyed, biting her lip nervously. I got out, ran around, opened her door, and took her hand. Guided her step by step onto the soft grass. The night was warm. The wind gentle.
"Okay. Open."
She blinked. "Keifer… it's pitch black. I can't see—"
"Look up."
And then the sky lit up.
First, a pulse of blue. Then green. Pink. Purple.
A drone show bloomed above us hearts, flowers, her name in lights. Thousands of synchronized lights dancing across the sky. And finally:
"Happy Birthday to the girl I love the most."
She gasped. Screamed. Jumped up and down. Threw her arms around me, laughing like a child.
"Wait," I whispered. "There's more."
She blinked. "MORE?!"
I led her to a picnic blanket under fairy lights, a field bathed in golden glow. A basket sat beside it. She squealed and flopped down.
"Watch the sky again," I said.
Then — fireworks.
Crimson. Gold. Blue. Exploding like dreams.
She watched in awe, eyes wide, mouth slightly open.
God, I loved her.
When the last one faded, she turned to me.
"I'm starving."
"I made pasta," I said.
"You—? You made it?"
She didn't wait for confirmation. She dug in. "Keifer Watson," she said with a full mouth. "Are you sure you don't want to be a chef?"
"I don't," I laughed.
"Well then," she said, eyes twinkling, "at least be my chef."
"Why would I be your chef," I said softly, "when I can be your husband and cook for you every day?"
She stopped chewing. Her cheeks turned pink. She looked away.
But I caught her chin and turned her to face me.
"Jay," I whispered. "Thank you for being born."
She smiled. "Thank you for making tonight perfect."
And I kissed her.
Slow. Deep. Like every emotion I'd ever felt was pouring through my lips into hers.
"I love you," I said, forehead against hers. "Until scientists find the end of the universe."
She laughed. "That's a long time."
"Good. I'm not done with you."
Jay's POV
After the kiss, I couldn't stop smiling. Couldn't stop blushing. My whole face felt like it was on fire, but the good kind, the kind that made your heart beat in your ears and your stomach flutter like butterflies were throwing a party.
Keifer looked up at me, still so close, and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. His hand lingered against my cheek.
"You make me so happy, Jay," he whispered.
"I think I'm going to explode from how happy I am," I replied, giggling.
He laid his head on my lap like he belonged there, and honestly? He did. I ran my fingers through his hair gently while we looked at the stars. My heels were killing me, but I didn't care. The grass. The night air. His arms around my waist. The smell of his cologne mixing with the fresh air. I wanted to stay like this forever.
But time… time was always moving.
"Keifer," I whispered after a while. "It's almost 11. We should go home. School's tomorrow."
He groaned softly, like a little kid who didn't want to leave the park. "Just a few more minutes. Please, Jay?"
I sighed and nodded. A few more minutes wouldn't hurt. Besides, who could say no to him when he was this sweet?
Eventually, we packed up. He held my hand the whole time, like he was afraid I'd disappear. We drove in silence a comfortable one. Every so often, I caught him stealing glances at me again.
And I knew. I just knew he wasn't done.
A few blocks away from home, he pulled the car over into a quieter street. My eyebrows lifted.
"What are you doing?" I asked, heart thudding.
He didn't answer. Instead, he reached across, grabbed my hand, and gently pulled me closer.
"You look great," he murmured. "Not just great. Beautiful."
I blinked at him, stunned.
"But—" he added, leaning in lips brushing against mine "don't wear that much lip gloss again."
"Why?" I whispered.
"Because," he said, voice low and sinful, "it makes it really hard to control the urge to kiss you."
Before I could reply, he kissed me.
Soft. Then deeper. Slower. Like he had all the time in the world. His lips tasted like sweetness and fireworks, and something inside me snapped.
I kissed him back — hard.
My fingers found their way into his hair. His hands were on my waist, pulling me closer, closer, like even air between us was too much. Our breaths grew heavy. Our lips moved faster. Deeper.
I didn't want to stop. I couldn't.
He pulled back for a second, eyes wild, lips red. "Jay—"
"Don't," I whispered, pressing my forehead against his. "Don't say anything."
And we kissed again.
This time, it wasn't sweet. It was hungry. Desperate. Like every second we'd ever spent apart was being made up for in this kiss. His hand moved to the back of my neck, fingers curling into my hair. My body was practically in his lap, hearts pounding in sync.
He kissed down my jaw, my neck, just softly enough to make me shiver.
"Jay," he said again, this time like he was breathless.
"I'm here," I whispered, clinging to him.
He pulled back slightly, and our eyes met. His hands held my face like I was the most fragile thing in the world.
"I love you," he said again. "Like soul-deep. Like I'd burn the world down for you."
My heart cracked wide open.
"I love you too," I said, voice shaking. "And I'd burn it down with you."
He laughed a little, then leaned back in. And I let him.
We kissed until the windows fogged up.
Until my lipgloss was smeared and his shirt was wrinkled.
Until our breathing slowed but our hearts wouldn't stop racing.
And for a while, nothing else existed. Just him. Me. The car. The warmth of his lips. The weight of our love.
The world outside didn't matter.
Keifer's POV
I couldn't stop.
I didn't want to.
Her lips were addicting soft, warm, real. Every time she kissed me back, every time her hands tugged at my shirt or slid across my skin, I felt something in my chest snap.
This was her. My Jay. My Jasper Jean.
I had seen her at her weakest, crying in pain, struggling to walk. And now here she was sitting on my lap in heels and an off-shoulder top, kissing me like she owned me.
And she did.
Completely.
I broke the kiss, just for a second, to breathe.
Her lips were swollen. Her eyes half-lidded. Her blush deep.
She looked like sin and sunlight.
"Jay," I whispered.
She blinked, resting her forehead against mine. "Yeah?"
"I think I'm obsessed with you."
She laughed breathlessly. "Took you long enough to realize."
We stayed there for a moment just holding each other, hearts slowing, warmth spreading between us like a shared secret.
Then she sighed. "I really have to go. Kuya Angelo will literally hunt us down."
I chuckled. "Let him. Worth it."
"Noooo," she groaned, pulling away reluctantly. "You already called Aries your brother-in-law. I think that almost gave him a stroke."
"That's what he gets for trying to block my blessings," I teased.
She laughed and opened the car door.
But I caught her hand one last time. "Jay."
She looked back, hair slightly messy, cheeks still pink.
"I love you," I said again, just in case she didn't hear it the first hundred times.
She smiled. "Well, it's good for you that I love you too."
And then she leaned in, grabbed my face with both hands, and kissed me hard.
Caught me off guard.
Stole my breath.
I didn't even care.
I kissed her back. Deep. Heavy. Like we had nothing but time.
My hands gripped her waist. Her fingers curled around the back of my neck. Everything else faded. My thoughts, my worries, the rules — all gone. There was only her. There had only ever been her.
The way she touched me. The way she melted into me.
It was a full-body kind of love.
A forever kind of love.
And when she finally pulled back, her lips were red, eyes dazed, breathing heavy.
"I should go," she whispered.
But she didn't move.
"I know," I replied.
But I didn't let go.
One more kiss. One more second. One more heartbeat.
She pulled away finally, hand lingering on my jaw.
And then she was gone, heels tapping against the pavement, body disappearing into the dark.
But her scent stayed behind. Her warmth lingered. And so did that smile.
Jay's POV
I tiptoed back into the house like a trained ninja.
Aries was fake-sleeping on the couch. When I passed by, he cracked one eye open and whispered, "You're two minutes early. Shocking."
I stuck out my tongue and crept upstairs. My heart was still racing. My lips still tingling.
In the mirror, I looked like a disaster.
Lipgloss gone. Hair ruined. Eyes sparkling.
But I didn't care.
Because tonight, Keifer showed me the sky.
And I saw the stars through his eyes.
Not just lights. Not just drones or fireworks.
But love.
His love.
It was loud. Bright. Wild. Gentle. Hungry. Safe.
He made me feel like I was the only person that mattered in the universe.
And tonight? That was enough.
No matter how hard finals would get, how many notes I had to revise, how late I'd have to stay up…or how hard life gets….
At least now, I had something stronger than fear.
Hope.
And him.
Always him.