Ang Mutya Ng Section E (Book - 2) English

Jay-Jay's POV

I stared into nothingness. My saliva alone wasn't enough to describe how out of my mind I was. Well, I'm always out of my mind, but today felt different.

I was fixated on the calendar. It had been almost two weeks since Ci's birthday, which meant Keifer's birthday was next.

Tomorrow is February 28, and then, on the 29th, the King of Snakes will turn a year older.

But I haven't received a single call or text from him. Meanwhile, the Gagang Baliw has started texting me again. My hope that they are the same person is getting smaller and smaller.

"You're a pest, Keifer! You're making my gums hurt."

I was about to munch on the last Pepero stick I was holding, but when I looked down, it was gone. It was as if I had eaten it without realizing it. I checked my bag, but there was no food left.

Whenever I feel like having a midnight snack, the snacks in my bag always seem to disappear. I glanced at the wall clock. It was 10:43 PM. Kuya must be asleep.

I slowly opened my bedroom door and peeked at Kuya Angelo's room. His door was closed, and there was no light coming from underneath. That meant Kuya Angelo was fast asleep—like a monster in hibernation.

And no, don't let Kuya hear the word monster.

I carefully stepped out of my room, moving as quietly as a thief. As soon as I reached the stairs, I made my way to the kitchen quickly, hoping to find something to eat.

But as soon as I arrived… Boom! There is a horoscope.

Today, you will be very hungry, so eat. Lucky color: mud. Lucky number: mouth.

Thanks for the horoscope. Is there no warning included?

Aries was also searching for food. He kept rummaging through the fridge, opening and closing containers, but he didn't seem satisfied. He sighed deeply before closing the refrigerator door.

He didn't seem to notice my presence as he walked closer.

"Aries."

"What the—?!" he exclaimed in shock. "What are you doing?! And why are you surprising me?!"

I wanted to laugh at his reaction. He was the one getting scared, yet he blamed me.

"I wasn't trying to surprise you. You're just an idiot."

He gave me an annoyed look. "I'm not an idiot! Look at where you are."

I glanced around. I was standing near the kitchen door, in complete darkness, with no light coming from anywhere. Even the other part of the kitchen was dimly lit.

"Who wouldn't be startled by that? A voice suddenly speaking from the dark, and I couldn't even see who it was!"

"Sorry," I said, scratching my head.

He let out a deep breath and rubbed his head, looking tired.

"What time is it? Why are you still up?"

"Midnight snack. Is there any food?"

He glanced at the fridge before answering. "There is, but it's just leftovers."

Oh... I didn't want that. I wanted something sweet.

"Oh..." I muttered, scratching my head. "I'll just go out and buy something."

I turned around to leave, but before I could take a step, a hand grabbed the collar of my shirt from behind, yanking me back. I felt like a helpless puppy dangling in the air.

"Where do you think you're going? Let me remind you that someone wants you dead, and you're just going to waltz outside?!" he snapped.

"I'll be in disguise."

He raised an eyebrow, his expression practically screaming 'Wow, genius.' The sarcasm was thick in his voice.

I struggled to free myself from his grip, but he only tightened his hold.

"Alright... I just really want to buy something." I tried reasoning with him.

"It's late."

"Oh wow, really?!" I said, pretending to be amazed.

He finally let go of my collar but not before giving me a hard flick on the forehead. Tears welled up in my eyes as I rubbed the sore spot.

"That hurt!" I whined.

"That stubbornness of yours, overcome by pain?"

"Maybe I'm human too, right?!" I answered sarcastically.

I didn't wait for his response. I quickly turned around and walked back to my room, intending to go out and buy something. I grabbed my hoodie jacket and looked for something to cover my face.

I spotted a beanie. Even if it smelled like it hadn't been worn in ages, I needed it. I also took the sunglasses that belonged to Ci-N, which he had left here when he stayed over once.

There! Stupid face!

I cringed when I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked like an American—just missing the bling-bling. Shades at night? Seriously? I looked like an addict. And the beanie? Was I trying to channel a Baguio tourist?

I yanked them off and threw them on the bed. A better disguise was needed. Instead, I adjusted my hoodie to cover my face.

Better than looking like an American junkie.

I stuffed my wallet and phone into my pocket. But when I opened the door and was about to step out, I immediately took a step back.

Because the Horoscope had appeared in front of me.

The idiot was also wearing a hoodie. And to make things worse—we were wearing the same color. Red!

"You look like Kokey," he said, crossing his arms.

"Who's that? An actor?"

He smiled and nodded. "Yeah, an actor."

Hey, I have a famous face! Nice! So proud!

I smiled sweetly, tucking my hair behind my ear. But what intrigued me more was the foolish smile on his face.

I stared at him. "Why are you here?"

"I'll go with you... Rather than letting you walk alone," he answered seriously.

I glanced at his outfit. "Why are you wearing that? A disguise too?"

"Idiot! It's foggy outside. I'm too lazy to carry an umbrella," he said, turning his back to me.

Such a fun guy to talk to.

Sometimes, I just want to smack his head against the wall. Or maybe pair him up with his fellow Horoscopes. Can Taurus and Scorpio even be friends?

I rushed to follow him but hesitated for a moment, remembering that my brother was sleeping—I didn't want to wake him up. I tiptoed my way to the stairs. My stupid brother wasn't in the living room, so I went straight outside. He was holding my bike, staring off into the distance.

"Let's go," he said without looking at me.

"Are you taking my bike?"

"We're walking," he replied emotionlessly.

Good luck with that.

I glared at him, and he winked at me.

"We'll use the service instead. Try using that useless brain of yours sometimes," he teased.

I hit him hard, but he blocked it with his elbow. The result? I was the one who got hurt.

"Let's go!" I snapped, letting him go ahead.

I slowly opened the gate and peeked outside. It was quiet—so quiet that I could hear dogs barking in the distance. I didn't see anyone or any parked cars nearby. When I turned back, Horoscope was right next to me, staring at me seriously.

"I'll go out first," he said, and I quickly stepped aside to let him pass.

He stepped out, scanning the area just like I had earlier. After making sure everything was clear, he took the bike out and motioned for me to follow.

He got on the bike and looked at me. I expected him to let me ride, but instead, he pedaled away.

"Alright. Start walking," he said lifelessly.

Fine...

"That's embarrassing for me! That's my bike!" I said irritably.

He stopped and looked at me. "Yeah, get on."

I grinned widely and rushed toward him. I was about to sit on the bike's frame when—bam!—I accidentally hit his chin.

"Ouch..." I whispered, looking at him.

He shot me a death glare, holding his mouth and chin. I winced.

"I said so... I'm already in the back." I was forced to sit at the back.

I don't want to be here, standing with both feet on the steel beside the wheel. I'm hesitant, too, because if he brakes suddenly, we might both fall.

Reluctantly, I placed my hands on his shoulders. It only took seconds before the engine started. It feels strange—happiness mixed with sadness.

I'm happy because we used to be like this. He would take me for rides on his bike, and I never imagined it would happen again. But at the same time, I feel sad. I know that once the night is over, this moment might never happen again.

To be honest, I've been wondering what he really wants from me. I want to ask, but I'm afraid. What if he gets angry again, just like he did in his room that time?

I want to know if we're okay. I want to know if he has forgiven me. I want to know if he still accepts me as his sister. I want to know if... we can ever be like this again.

I glanced at my hand and noticed tiny droplets of water. He was right—it's foggy.

"I hope it doesn't last," I whispered.

He turned slightly toward me. "Huh?"

"The rain... I hope it doesn't last."

He suddenly stopped, causing me to almost fall against him. Looking up, he felt the sky. I did the same and only then noticed how bright the moon was.

"That's not rain... The moon is bright, and look, there's even a star."

*Flashback*

"Let's go home... It looks like it's going to rain," I had said while glancing at the sky.

The moon was shining, and I could see it clearly, but I could already feel the raindrops.

He had also looked up. "That's not rain... The moon is bright, and there's even a star."

*End of flashback*

Even though I could only see his back, I couldn't take my eyes off Aries. He started fiddling with the bike again, and my gaze remained fixed on him.

For reasons I can't understand, tears spontaneously rolled down my right cheek. That memory reminded me of how happy I once was, even though my past remains incomplete in my mind.

Now, I'm just grateful that I haven't lost my happy memories of him. Even if they're not complete, it's okay. At least I know that we were happy.

And if I may ask...

I hope we can be like that again. I hope we can go back to how we used to be—without problems, just the two of us, as if the whole world were our playground.

What started as a few tears has now turned into an unstoppable flow. And it upsets me because I didn't ask to cry, yet here I am.

I can't help it. But this time, I'm not crying because I'm hurt. I'm crying because I have a wish—one I know is impossible to fulfill.

Please... I just want to be with Aries like before. I want us to be happy again. I want it all back. I miss those times. I miss what we used to do.

I miss my big brother.

I tried my best not to make any noise—I didn't want him to hear me sobbing.

As we approached the Mini Mart, I took a deep breath and quickly wiped my tears away. Adjusting my hood, I made sure he couldn't see my face. As soon as he stopped in front of the store, I got off before him.

"Really greedy," I heard him mumble.

When I stepped inside, the clerk motioned for me to lower my hood—it wasn't allowed.

Do I look like a thief or something?

I had no choice but to lower my hood and rush toward the food section. I wiped my eyes again, hoping the redness wasn't too noticeable.

Annoying! Why did I cry over that horoscope?

I grabbed some chutchirya before heading toward the drinks section, where I picked up a 1.5-liter bottle of soda. This one's mine!

"Put it back!" Aries snapped, walking toward me.

I lowered my head slightly, avoiding his gaze. "But this is what I want! Besides, I'm paying for it!"

He snatched the soda from my hands and put it back in the fridge.

"That's why your brain is empty—you eat nothing but junk," he lectured, inspecting the chutchirya I was holding.

Excuse me! My brain is full of food!

"This is what I want!" I said, annoyed, while trying to grab the chutchiryas.

He mercilessly slapped my hand, making me let go. He quickly put them back on the shelves. I followed him with a frown.

Moving to another shelf, he picked up a loaf of bread. "You should eat food like this."

"We have something like that at home."

He looked at the bread in his hand. "Not anymore. I ate the last one this morning."

Wow. Looks like someone is hiding their greed.

"Will that even be enough to fill me up?" I asked irritably.

"Probably. All food is filling."

Ugh! Annoying. I didn't want that. I was already forced to eat biscuits. I even had to eat pre-heated food. And yogurt—something I already disliked—I had to heat that up too.

I approached him with my arms almost full of things. Now, I was in bed, hugging my food.

"You pay for it," I told him.

He sighed, clearly struggling with my demands. "Fine." He quickly grabbed the things he wanted to buy before turning back to me. "...But with the amount you took, that might not be enough."

We approached the cashier one after another. As the barcode scanner beeped through our items one by one, I casually backed away and returned to the shelves. I grabbed the chutchiryas.

Hiding them behind me, I waited until the cashier was finished before putting them down in front of him. Aries looked completely shocked.

"Seriously?!" He gave me a sharp glare. "You're so stubborn."

I gave him big, pleading eyes, trying to look cute, just to annoy him more. I burst into laughter. You'll never win against my stubbornness.

We left the mini-mart with three plastic bags. Aries looked as if the sky had fallen, frowning at the receipt. We had paid over 1000—but it seemed like everything was mine.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he asked sarcastically.

I couldn't stop smiling as I sipped my probiotic milk through a straw.

"Food is life," I said simply.

He walked to the bike and lifted the stand. Holding a plastic bag in one hand, he slowly pushed the bike forward. I carried the other two bags—since, well, everything inside was mine.

"Should we just walk?" I asked.

He lifted the plastic bag he was holding. "Do you think I can drive with all this?"

"That's why I said... I'll walk." I quickened my pace to match his.

At first, we walked in silence, both staring at the road. I chose not to speak, afraid of breaking whatever was on his mind. I opened my cheese bread and took a bite. The plastic bags crinkled as I adjusted them in my arms.

"Are you pregnant?" His sudden question broke the silence, making me choke on my food.

I almost spat it out. "Tado! Where did you get that idea?!" I glared at him.

"Because ever since you got to Section E, you've been so greedy. And now, it's like twice as much. Have you even weighed yourself?"

I glanced down at myself. I wasn't fat. Sure, my clothes were a little tight, but that wasn't a problem.

"It's because Percy gave me food. Otherwise, I might just hang myself." I explained truthfully.

As soon as I said that, Aries immediately bought the food I wanted. I guess I was getting spoiled by him. Suddenly, his expression changed. He didn't like what I said. He looked away and kept walking.

Still, he remained silent.

"You know..." I started, but he still didn't look at me. "...Percy was really angry at Yuri."

His breathing deepened. "And I hate them too."

I stopped walking and stared at him.

"And you're also very angry at me."

He halted in his tracks. My words hit him like an arrow to the back. He didn't turn around, but I could see him slowly bowing his head.

"Why, Aries? Why? What did I do to make you so angry with me? Why do you hide it to me as your brother?"

Seconds passed. Then minutes. Ten, to be exact. He still didn't answer.

Until, slowly, he began to walk away.

"Let's go home. It's dangerous for you to stay outside."

I bit my lower lip, disgusted with myself. I shouldn't have spoken. What was I expecting?

No one said a word. We were almost at the gate of the house when he suddenly stopped. I halted a few feet behind him.

"Jay..." He called my name and slowly turned to face me. "...Give me time."

I don't have a watch. I looked at him, confused by what he meant. What kind of time is he asking for?

"...Give me time to think about what happened..." He smiled softly. "...Kuya will come back to you."

My lips moved instinctively into a smile. I was about to run toward him when the sound of a speeding car caught my attention.

It was coming from behind me. I turned around, my heart hammering in my chest as I saw it approaching fast. My legs froze in place.

JAY-JAY! MOVE!

It was too late. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the impact—except it never came.

Instead, I felt two strong arms wrap around me, and in the next moment, we were thrown to the side of the road. The embrace was tight, and I could barely move.

When I opened my eyes, all I could see was the back of the car speeding away, with Kuya Angelo chasing after it.

I couldn't hear anything—only the deafening thud of my own heartbeat. A high-pitched ringing filled my ears.

Why is this happening?

Aries was in front of me, his mouth moving rapidly, but I couldn't hear a word. Slowly, the world around me started to come back into focus.

"Damn it! Answer me!" Aries shouted. "Jay! What's wrong with you?"

I slowly shook my head. "N-nothing... I-I'm fine."

Suddenly, I collapsed against his chest. His breaths were deep and heavy, and I could hear the strong, frantic rhythm of his heartbeat.

"Damn it! You were so close"