Ang Mutya Ng Section E (Book - 2) English

Jay-Jay's POV

Staring at nothing. Nothing at all.

"You look terrible."

Who looks terrible?! I immediately turned to the person who said that. Ci-N stood there with an ice cream cone in his hand.

"Are you talking about me?"

He shook his head. "No, I meant them—the brothers."

He was referring to Felix and Percy. We had just left the restaurant when someone stopped them, claiming to know their parents. The crooks had already shared their stories.

Now, we were waiting in the parking lot. From here, we could see them through the glass window.

"You're awful. They already set you free," I said, crossing my arms.

Ci-N kept eating his ice cream, some of it dripping down the side of his lips. I searched my bag for a tissue and quickly wiped his face.

He's such a messy eater!

He took the tissue from my hand. "I can do it myself."

I let him be and went back to staring into nothingness, still thinking about what Felix had said. It seemed true, but it was hard to believe. Maybe I just had trust issues, which made me think this way.

"Jay, give me another tissue," Ci said.

I opened my bag again and reached for what he asked, but I froze when I noticed something inside.

A pink envelope.

I handed Ci-N the tissue before taking out the envelope. It had a heart design on it. It looked familiar, as if I had seen and touched it before.

Of course, I had.

I opened the envelope. It was obviously mine—it wouldn't have been in my bag otherwise. I pulled out a piece of stationery.

The handwriting was beautiful. Elegant and feminine.

💌

"Dear Jay-Jay,

This is not a love letter. It would be more accurate to call it a friendship letter..." 💌

I stopped reading and put it back in the envelope. It was too cheesy for me. I suddenly felt sleepy and couldn't bring myself to read the rest. But the letter was really well-written.

I looked toward the restaurant door just as the brothers came out. Percy was frowning, but Felix had a grin on his face.

"Ugh! Why do I have to be so handsome?!" Crazy Blue Eyes grumbled.

Wait... is he seriously complaining?!

His brows furrowed as he fumbled for the car keys in his pocket. Felix just laughed and shook his head.

"What happened?" Ci-N asked.

"Because Mama's friend was trying to set him up with her daughter," Felix said, patting Percy on the shoulder. Percy immediately reacted, "...all because he's interested in zombies."

Felix and Ci-N burst into laughter. Percy shot them a glare. Even I couldn't help but chuckle at the idea of Percy being a zombie. Turns out, their Mama's friend was just as crazy.

"Do you two want to walk home?" Percy threatened, making them slowly stop laughing.

I just shook my head as he opened the car door, and we all got in. Felix and Ci-N still chuckled occasionally.

"Come on, Zombie Lord," I teased.

He slammed the door shut. "I am NOT a zombie! Don't you get it?! I'm way too handsome to be a zombie!"

I stifled my laughter in the backseat. He was really obsessed with calling himself handsome.

"...If I ever turn into a zombie, girls will be lining up just to get a bite from me because of my good looks!" he continued while fastening his seatbelt.

"The power of the air conditioner!" Ci-N joked, pretending to worship the car's AC while laughing.

"You want to come down?" Percy asked sarcastically. "How are you?! I haven't even started the engine! The air conditioner is just too strong!"

"That's not the air conditioning! That's a storm—a storm!"

He started the car, clearly still annoyed, while the three of us occasionally burst into laughter. Ci-N was already acting like a zombie—his eyes staring blankly, his tongue slightly hanging out. I bit my lip to keep myself from laughing out loud. Every now and then, Felix would glance back at us and chuckle at Ci-N's state.

"What is it?! Why are you laughing?!" Percy asked, irritated.

"Nothing. Just drive," Felix answered, laughing.

The car stopped at a red traffic light. I looked out the window and frowned. The road we were taking seemed different. I was sure we were supposed to be heading home.

"Wait—where are we going? I thought we were going home?" I asked, still staring outside.

"Who said we were going home?" Felix smirked at me. "We can't end our date just yet."

I winced. The nerve of this guy! If my phone hadn't rung at that moment, I would have cursed him. I quickly grabbed my phone from my bag. It was a text from Yuri.

📩

From: Pres. Yuri

Message: Hello? Enjoying your date with Felix?

I had already edited his contact name, adding "Pres." for President—since he was the president of our club. I started typing a response.

To: Pres. Yuri

Message: Hi, It's okay, not too much. Ci-N and Percy are with us.

He replied in less than a minute.

📩

From: Pres. Yuri

Message: You're not enjoying it because you are with someone? 😲😲

I almost laughed at the shocked emoji he sent. Smiling, I typed my reply.

To: Pres. Yuri

Message: No! It's not that. I'm just outnumbered.

📩

From: Pres. Yuri

Message: Ahh… I thought it was because you two were alone. Now I'm jealous. 😩😩

I shook my head, smiling. This guy is crazy. Maybe that's why he texted—he was restless.

You're jealous…

To: Pres. Yuri

Message: Tsk! To Keep you quiet, Ci-N is sitting next to me now.

📩

From: Pres. Yuri

Message: 😞😞

To: Pres. Yuri

Message: 😠😠

📩

From: Pres. Yuri

Message: 😚😚

I was about to type another message when I suddenly felt a presence on my shoulder. Turning, I saw Ci-N leaning in, reading my texts.

And yet, he didn't seem to notice that he was being too obvious—his eyes remained glued to my phone. I tried to move it away, but his gaze followed.

This guy's curiosity is insane! Annoyed, I smacked my phone against his face.

"There! Damn it! Gouge your eyes out! Shame on you for being so nosy!" I snapped.

He laughed, rubbing his face, and held up a peace sign with his fingers. Sometimes, teasing is fun.

"Who are you texting?" he asked again.

I glanced at the rearview mirror and saw Percy watching us closely. I quickly looked away and cleared my throat.

"No one."

I gripped my phone tightly. Percy didn't like hearing Yuri's name. As time passed, his anger toward his former friend seemed to grow.

I had tried to find out the real reason, but he always avoided the topic. And if I pushed too hard or tried to change the subject, he would get angry—almost as if he hated even mentioning the truth.

But if he doesn't say it, I won't understand.

I feel that this isn't just an issue between him and Freya. I know there's more to it than that. Whatever it is, I just hope it doesn't cause another disturbance for all of us.

My cell phone rang again. I thought it was Yuri texting me, but a different name appeared on the screen.

📩

From: Gagong Baliw

Message: Busy?

You look busy!

This person is still a mystery in my life. I have a strong hunch—an incredibly strong hunch—that he's connected to the King of Snakes.

I didn't reply. There are a few things I'm waiting for him to do, and once he does them, they'll pave the way for me to catch him.

"Here we go!" Felix announced.

I turned to see what they were looking at outside the car—one of the biggest arcades in our area.

Game House!

Percy parked the car in front of the building. Young Snake was obviously excited—he jumped out first, pointing eagerly at the Game House.

"Come on! Let's go in! I'm exhausted!" he exclaimed.

I scratched the back of my neck as I got out of the car. His childishness was showing again. His birthday just passed—his brain should have gained +1, but it seems like it lost one instead.

"Why did we even bring him along?" Percy whispered.

"You don't want to? Fine. Let's go home," I threatened.

He immediately shook his head with a forced smile.

"Joke! Joke!"

I smirked before walking toward Ci, who was standing at the entrance, his face practically glued to the glass door. I placed a hand on his head and nudged him inside. A crooked man nearly bumped into the door, but he managed to avoid it just in time. I gave him a quick apology without saying a word.

The arcade was huge, divided into three sections—a playground for kids, an arcade for adults, and a shop selling food, toys, and clothes.

Fierce! This place is heaven for hangouts.

"Wow! It's so big," Felix commented from behind me.

"Jay-Jay!" Ci-N called out, waving. "Let's get on that!"

I walked closer to see what he was pointing at. It was the little sightseeing train usually found in malls.

But… we can't.

Some younger kids were already boarding, and they were looking at us, probably wondering why grown-ups like us would want to ride it. We don't, by the way.

"Ci... What... W-we can't ride that," I said hesitantly.

His expression instantly changed. His shoulders slumped, and he stared at me with disappointment.

"Uh-oh... The kid looks like he's about to cry," Percy teased.

"Poor thing..." Felix added.

I shot them both a threatening glare. If they were so strong, they should be the ones explaining to Ci-N why this wasn't possible. I turned back to Ci, only to be shocked—tears were rolling down his cheeks, and he was even sniffling like a child.

Confirmed. His brain really works backward.

"Ci-N, you're too old for—" I started, but he cut me off with a loud sob.

Haizt! I can't believe I'm about to do this. But I refuse to be the only one looking ridiculous here.

"Fine. Fine. Let's get on." I sighed, already regretting it.

His face lit up instantly. He clapped his hands and jumped excitedly. I shook my head.

"On one condition," I added, stopping him. "They have to ride too."

I turned to the two troublemakers. Percy frowned while exchanging glances with Felix, clearly hesitant. I motioned for them to come over.

"Why?" Percy asked, twirling his finger like some treasure-hunting sorcerer.

Sala-ola!

"We are all riding this train," I emphasized, stressing the word we.

"We don't want to." Felix protested.

"Do you want me to force you?" I threatened.

"Let's get on! Come on! Let's go!" Ci grumbled.

"Just you. Don't take us!" Percy said.

"I want to be with Jay-Jay."

"Well, I want to be with you," I replied, referring to the two of them.

Percy turned to Felix and patted him on the shoulder. "Come with me."

Felix furrowed his eyebrows and shot Percy a sharp look. "YOU. That means more than just one person."

The two continued arguing while I helped Ci buy tickets for the four of us. Once we found a place, I quickly positioned myself behind them and pushed them forward with all my might.

"Wait! We're not going there!" Percy protested.

I was trying to push them into the train carriage. They had no choice but to move forward since the entrance was crowded. Once they got inside, I also stepped in and positioned myself near them so they couldn't escape.

Maybe they jumped in too suddenly. I thought Ci-N was with us, but when I looked around, I found him standing next to the driver at the front. The man didn't seem to mind him—he only scratched his head while looking at Young Snake.

"Why are we still together?" Felix asked, annoyed.

"Who started this date?"

"It's embarrassing to ride this. It's childish."

"Then why did you bring us here?"

"Percy said… He said you liked the Arcade."

I quickly turned to Percy, who frowned. "Who said I liked the Arcade?"

Instead of answering, that idiot just flashed me a wide grin. I wanted to punch him so badly. Where did he even get that idea?

Suddenly, we heard the loud ringing of a bell, signaling that the train was about to start moving. I couldn't help but laugh when I realized that Ci-N was the one making the sound.

"Let's go!" he screamed excitedly.

Felix and Percy both bowed their heads at the same time. People around us started laughing, and honestly, I couldn't blame them—we really did look embarrassing.

"This is your fault, Jay," Percy muttered, covering his face with his hand.

"No, it's your fault! You knew we had a kid with us, and yet you still brought us here!" I retorted in frustration.

To make matters worse, the train was moving so slowly that I was pretty sure I could crawl faster.

It's crawling! Speed!

I just wanted this embarrassment to end. Meanwhile, Ci-N was having the time of his life, enjoying the ride next to the driver. He was even getting a lesson in operating the train—better than any motorcycle enthusiast.

Our embarrassment peaked when we passed by the Arcade. It was full of high school students. We quickly exchanged glances before bursting into laughter.

Sweetie! This is so annoying!

After a few more minutes, the train finally stopped. We each jumped out of the carriage, moved a little distance away, and crossed our arms almost simultaneously. We waited for Ci-N, who looked too happy to leave.

"One more ride!" he pleaded.

I raised an eyebrow. "No."

"Oh, just one more! Please!"

"That's enough," Felix said, clearly annoyed. "...We might lose the last shred of dignity we have left."

Ci scratched his neck and pouted before sighing in defeat. We then headed toward the Arcade—our original destination—rather than wasting more time on that painfully slow train. Percy bought the game cards for us and added credits so we could play. He frowned as he handed out the cards, keeping one for himself.

Ci-N quickly ran to the games that rewarded tickets. He was determined to collect enough to exchange them for a stuffed toy he had seen on display. There were many games to choose from, but I went straight to basketball. It was mostly boys playing, but I didn't care. I wasn't here for them.

Please, as if!

I swiped my card and started playing. Basketball had always been my thing. I was already in my second round when I noticed something strange beside me.

The group of guys who had been playing earlier were laughing while looking in my direction. I turned slightly toward them—only to realize that they were mimicking the movement of my chest.

They pretended to have a breast with their hand and acted like it would bounce. They laughed while pointing at me. I shook my head in annoyance.

I didn't come here to cause trouble, but it looks like that's exactly what I'm going to get.

I was about to take the final shot when I pretended the ball slipped from my hand and threw it at them instead. It hit one of them right in the face.

"Oh, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to," I said, as if asking for forgiveness.

"Be careful!" one of them snapped, clearly annoyed.

They tossed the ball back to me. I smiled and thanked them. I hadn't even returned to my seat when they spoke again.

"I guess we're your type!" one of them said, laughing.

Type?! My stomach churned.

I raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"Don't be shy. Just tell us if you like one of us."

I just laughed. They were like Percy, but an uglier version.

"Wow. You guessed it," I said, smiling.

They looked at each other and smirked, pressing their hands together. I tightened my grip on the ball.

"Which one of us do you like? Tell us," one of them said arrogantly.

"I like all of you..." My smile faded. "...because I'm going to break your faces!"

With all my strength, I threw the ball at one of them. Direct hit—right in the face! The crowd quickly stirred and turned to look at us.

"You idiot!" one of them cursed.

They rushed to their friend, who had collapsed on the floor. Panic set in when they saw blood covering his face.

"Shit, Pre! There's so much blood!" one of them yelled.

"What the hell is your problem?!" another shouted at me, stepping forward.

Before he could reach me, a tall figure blocked his way. Felix towered over them.

"You're mad about what he did to your friend? What about what you said to her?" Felix scolded.

Was he here the whole time? Even the rude ones know when to back off.

The guys hesitated, especially when Percy stepped up beside Felix. They were almost the same height, just as imposing as before.

"Is there a problem here?" Percy asked, feigning innocence.

The guys quickly shook their heads. In a hurry, they picked up their injured friend and bolted. I could hear the people around us laughing.

Felix and Percy turned to face me.

"You okay?" Percy asked.

I nodded, then glanced at Felix. He smiled at me, as if to say everything was fine. For some reason, I smiled back—on purpose.

"T-thank you," I said, bowing slightly.

Felix placed a hand on my head. "You really like starting trouble, huh?"

I burst out laughing at his comment. So did he. And with that simple laugh, the weight on all of us seemed to lift just a little.