kiefer's pov
"You're just like Yuri, you coward." Percy said and took
a sip from his glass.
I just shook my head. I'll just pretend that his drunk. His answer was far from what I was asking.
How did I become gullible?
"I don't care about Yuri's cowardliness. I'm here for My Jay-jay's
phone number." I said and hand signaled the bartender for another round.
"I have a lot of concerns and I'll tell you before I give you my number."
I massaged my temple because of headaches. Why did I insist on
sitting next to him?
"You know what? I think I'll just find another way to get her
number." I said and took my wallet for cash.
"Okay... I'll just tell Jay-jay to change his phone
number." He said and smiled like a lunatic.
I couldn't believe it. This guy was really kidding. I put back my
wallet.
"Tell me all your concerns. You're still acting!"
He suddenly put his glass down on the counter table. It made a
noise that made the bartender look at us.
Percy's seriousness was back.
"I just don't understand why you let Aries suffer like that." He
chuckled bitterly. "You should have been the first to stand by his side but you're the first to leave."
I frowned. "Don't talk as if it's all our fault. If you let us know you're
alive this would never have happened to us."
"If you still don't know it, my Mom never let me contact anyone
from here! Not even my family!"
"You should've at least tried. Just one freaking sign that you're
alive!"
"And then what? I can't still show up, it's useless!"
"But we can search for you. Aries, Yuri, Angelo and I can search
for you."
I can't believe I'm saying this word. I don't know if this conversation will end in a
sampata. I know he knows that I have a lot to
sampata about. And I know the others have the same agony.
"...but obviously it's pointless to fight because of that. What happened has happened so there's nothing we can do." I added and drank.
He shook his head. "The damage caused by my death is huge."
So huge that it has even damaged the reputation of Fer. Corp. Because
everyone knows that Aries is Fernandez and the accident that happened to the four of us. Many of their investors and stockholders have backed out.
That's where their downfall began. They try their best to save the
company but they are in even more trouble because of the Hanamitchis.
Poor Angelo.
"It's huge..." I whispered. I take another sip of my glass. "What's the real reason for your return? Obviously you're not here to get
your life back."
"I'm planning to take Felix and bring them to the US. My crazy Dad left some money for them but he can't claim it because the insurance company can't find them." He explained. "...I'm also going to take
Jay-jay to his Dad."
"Are you planning to tell him?"
"Which one?"
"That her father has cancer."
She stopped and looked at me. She probably couldn't believe that I knew
that thing.
When I said I would help Jay-jay find his Dad,
that was true. But I didn't stop like Jay thought. I searched for him using
my little resource. It was just harder for me because his Dad was based abroad.
Mariano is very private. They also use a different name for their
business ventures. There are very few photos of their family. I can't
believe someone like him can hide himself from the business world.
After all, Rory and Edrix were lucky to have gotten so little
information about him and Percy back then.
"Wow..." He said sarcastically. "...I'm really impressed by what you can
do. You even found out about that."
"It was my lawyer who found out. He was in New York looking for someone to help me. Then he saw Mr. Fernandez at the hospital taking his Chemotherapy."
"How did your lawyer know him?"
I cleared my throat. "I used to look for him for Jay-jay. When I got a picture of him and gave it to my lawyer forfind additional information."
"Tibay!" He said while smiling teasingly. "You're ready to
do it all, right? Is that love?"
Yes. It is!
I ignore him and continue drinking. I asked for another one after
it was gone. Percy did the same.
"Can I have her number now?"
"Kiss first!" He replied.
I almost threw the glass I was holding at him, but
I regretted it.
"Just tell me if you're drunk." I said almost commandingly.
"Not yet! Maybe you, you're the one who got me here first."
I shook my head and took a sip. It's been a long time since I've been drunk. Something
that I seem to have inherited from the Watsons. When did I first find out that we have something like that in our family? I thought it was because my body was just getting used to alcohol.
There's a lot of things that I still haven't discovered about the Watson
family. It's scary to know about them but it's even scarier not to know even one of them.
What else do they have that I don't know about? I don't want to know
but I want to at the same time. I feel like I can use that against them.
One dark little secret.
"Freya..." He said.
That's what I've been waiting for her to ask. I just want to clarify
and I can have Jay-jay's number.
"Was she happy when I was gone?"
I shook the glass I was holding slightly. I hate to say this but there's
no point in hiding it.
"She didn't even cry when we thought that you're dead. I thought
she was just being brave but I was wrong." I take a sip from my
glass. "...I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I will hurt it. She's not
really into you back then."
I hear his soft laughter. Then he suddenly
gulps down his drink. He swallows it like he swallows a drinking water.
He signals to the bartender. "Give me something hard."
Give him a solid earth rock.
The bartender put down a glass of ice in front of him. He scooped it up before pushing it closer to him.
He drank it before speaking again.
"Because she's into Yuri." He said and drank again. "...I didn't see it
back then but I knew she has a hidden crush with Yuri."
My forehead crease. "Did she date you before getting closer to Yuri?"
He shook his head. "I don't know, but..."
He obviously can't continue his word. Probably painful.
"That's what it looks like." I continue his sentence and he nodded.
"She had her chance with him but Yuri screwed up."
"He's a fvcker!" He shouted and slammed the glass at the counter table.
"He took advantage of my Freya! I hope if he didn't really
want it he wouldn't have done it like that!"
He tapped the table while he continued to speak but I couldn't understand them.
I gestured for another glass to the bartender. He looked at me as if he was
inquiring about my condition.
"Are you still drunk, Sir?" He asked while pouring the wine into my
glass.
"Nope. Still not drunk." I said proudly.
Percy suddenly got up. I thought he had fallen asleep or maybe he was drunk and couldn't stand it anymore. He looked like he was still wide awake.
"How did you and Freya get along?" He asked in a serious tone.
"I really like Freya. So when I saw her crying because of
their brake up, I took advantage of the situation and comfort her." I
shook my head.
Remembering my action makes me regret our past. I shouldn't have approached her before. I wish I had let her fix herself first.
She's a mess and starting a relationship while on that situation is a big one No.
"Did you take good care of him?"
"With my best." I answer briefly and take a drink."Did you make her cry?"
I did...Don't know if I will answer him. I'm ashamed of what I did to her
the past.I promised myself I would take care of him. In the name of Percy—
whom we thought dead. But I couldn't because of my anger
management issues.
"Silence means yes." He said and the next thing I know, I was on the
floor with a sting of pain on my cheek.
He punched me! He fvcking punched me while I'm occupied. Is this what he came here for? Because he wanted to punch me?
"That feels good." He said while looking at his fist.
He went back to the chair and I stood up. I took my glass and pressed it to my cheek. If I didn't need him, I might have
reciprocated his punches.
I just sat down with the glass still pressed to my face.
"Why did you hurt him?"
"It was an accident." I tried to cover my face. "...I was
furious because of jealousy. I saw everyone with her. I even saw her flirting with another guy."
"So you punched her?"
I look at him in shock. "What? I never punch her!"
"That's what she told me."
"I push her too hard on the wall then I punch the wall beside her! I
would not do such a thing to her!"
I can't believe this. That's why the news reaches me differently because
he says different things. Some even called me sadists. I just chose to ignore it.
"...and it only happened once!" I added.
I swallowed my drink. I regret that we fought that day. That's where our
problems started. If I hadn't pushed her
hard enough, she probably wouldn't be so afraid of me. I also wouldn't have punched the wall out of anger.
I know she was hurt but she chooses to cry silently. I'm so stupid! If
I wish I had given him the freedom he was asking for. Things would have
been happened in a different way.
I tried to fix things between us. I bought her a
penthouse, a car and gadgets that her parents can't afford for her. She
accepted it and we made out but I didn't know she was up again for
something else.
"So, who's who and who's not?" He asked sounds not interested.
"It's useless to point my fingers to whomever should be blamed. Think
whatever you wanted to think."
He took out his phone. "As I promised."
I'm about to take it from his hand but he slightly moved it away.
"I'm telling you Keifer. When Jay-jay runs to me crying, it's because of you again." He points his finger at me.
"...I'll report you to his father."
I quickly snatched his cellphone from him. As I unlocked it, Jayjay's phone number shows up. I send it immediately to my phone number
before handling his phone back to him.
I quickly snatched my cellphone when I heard it ring. I
stared at her number for a while. I wanted to press the call option to
call him.
But I'm scared.
Fvck this!
I'm Keifer Watson and for the first time I'm scared to call a girl over the
phone.
I thought Watson turns into a beast. Why does it seem like the other way around?
Why do I seem like a coward?
I'm starting to hate this feeling. Is this really how it is when you're in love? Your mind gets confused? I'm not like this with Freya and Ella.
Maybe because it's different. She's different.
I put my phone back in my pocket. That's good and maybe I'll just be tempted to call her. It's not good that she knows that I know her number.
I looked at Percy when I noticed that he was touching the very bottle of
alok. I shook my head.
To be honest, I was jealous of him. He was so close to Jay-jay. I used to be jealous of him because he could make other people laugh. Even
I forget my own problems because of his mischievousness.
That's why I preferred being with the four of them before. I was able to escape the
problems at home. I bit my lips. Because of my escape, I neglected Mom and Keigan. If only I had been stronger then.
And now, I hope I can do what I couldn't do before.
Protect the ones I love and stop being weak.
For my brothers and for her.
"You think I'm weak?" I ask Percy almost whispered.
"Why did you ask?"
"Because I can't protect her without hurting her feelings."
"That's not weakness, that's stupidity."
I don't know if he's teasing or what. He told me everything I do is stupid.
I wish he was drunk. It's like he doesn't know what he's talking about anymore.
"Thanks." I said sarcastically. "Not to mention that I'm also
suffering."
He laughed while shaking his head. "You're just looking at the easiest
option."
"It's not an easy option. It's actually the hardest for me and for her."
"By hurting her? Bullshit." He said calmly.
"Easy for you to say."
"Yet you still haven't let her go."
I looked away.
Because I fvcking can't.
All of this are just temporary. This is all my opponents should see but that doesn't mean that I'm really letting her go.
"What am I supposed to do? I can't let her go forever." That will kill me!
"Didn't you think what you're doing is more painful now? You're showing her that your not really in love with her but in reality you still keep her." He chuckled bitterly. "...it's like you're putting an invisible rope around her neck. And that rope will soon kill her!"
"I won't let that happen!"
He put down the bottle. "It already happened! That's exactly what you're doing for this past few days!"
I washed my face. My actions are true to his words.
"You're fvcking killing her inside."
"Do you think I didn't think of that? It hurts me too but I have no choice!"
He suddenly stopped and stared at me. He motioned to the bartender and
he looked at us. I didn't like the way he looked at
me.
"Leave us." He said and the bartender left.
"What is that for?"
"Tell me Keifer. To whom are you trying to protect Jay-jay?"
I looked away. I had no intention of telling her the truth.
I didn't want her to know either.
He shook his head. "Did you get into trouble and get involved with her?"
"No. It's not like that. I am trying to protect her from my old
enemy."
"From your father?"
I nodded shortly. I wasn't lying. She was one of the
people I fought so hard for her and my siblings.
"Fuck! Isn't your fight over yet?"
he sighed. "I miss so many things about you."
My lips form in a thin line. "Yeah. I think."
He took another sip of the bottle he was holding. It was almost empty.
"If you truly want to protect her I suggest you let her go—for real.
You're obvious, not expensive but not annoying."
I caught myself in my feelings. She was drunk and obvious. Her eyes were also blinking. Until the bottle was empty. Suddenly she laughed out loud.
"I have a joke. Do you want to hear it?" She said while laughing.
Oh fvck!
"No." I said and was about to leave but he grabbed me.
"Wait... No one will listen to my joke. What a waste!"
I force to remove his hand. "Save it for the future."
He shook his head violently. "No."
I took my phone out and dial Felix's number. He answered it after a few
rings.
["Why?"]
"Pick up your brother here at the KingsGround." I said.
"Hey... Listen to my jokes. Jay-jay loves my jokes." Percy begs.
["Drunk? Oh! Just take me out on the highway."]
I shook my head. I couldn't believe he was rejecting his own
brother. Who would want to take this drunk guy home?
He's still full of shit.
"Just pick him up." I said before ending the call.
"I have sooooooo many jokes."
I sighed. I can't stay here any longer.
I saw the bartender he had sent away earlier coming back.
"There's the bartender. He's ready to listen to your jokes."
He let go of me and greeted the bartender. One of them was surprised. I put down some cash at the counter table before leaving.
I quickly went to my car, which was surrounded by people interested in stealing it. I also approached and pressed the unlock button right in front of them.
They quickly left. I got in and quickly started the car.
I enjoy talking to Percy but I don't like his advice.
Let go Jay-jay for real.
How? Isn't it enough that I've chased him away, but I still need to let him go completely?
I pressed the gas pedal. My car accelerated without me realizing it. Where I'm going, I don't know. I keep driving until I
notice the tallest building in front of me.
I'm in the business district. My grip on the steering wheel tightens.
Is it time to tell Yuri? I don't want to involve her but I'm out of choices. Even
simple advice is a big deal to me.
I just need someone to listen about this.
I turned the steering wheel and headed for Yuri's building. I went straight to their basement parking. The guard quickly let me in when he recognized me.
After parking it, I went straight to the elevator. Unlike other elevators,
it doesn't just go straight to Yuri's house. Someone from the security section
is processing a face recognition. If you're not familiar or the Hanamitchi Family doesn't let you in, you can't just go in.
It's a good thing I always visit Yuri. That's why I don't go through their
security processes anymore.
When the elevator door opened, Yuri's Mother greeted me. Which is
kinda weird.
"Auntie..." I said and hugged her briefly.
She smiled at me. "Visiting Yuri?"
"Yeah. Is he here yet?"
She smiled and shook her head. "Maybe on his way." She grabbed my
arm. "I'll take you to his room. Let's go."
This is really new.
She walks slowly as I try to keep up. I don't feel comfortable. I
don't like the way she holds me. It's really awkward.
"You and Yuri have been friends for so long. I still remember how Angelo used to scold you in front of us. It's quite painful because I don't want to see my child hurt or being lectured. But I
guess it has a good result." She said and forced a smile.
"I really don't want anyone else to scream or shout at
him. I feel pain for my son. Especially when he cried, I'm the one who's
crushed for him."
What every mother's feel for their child. But I really don't understand why she's telling me these things.
The last time she talked to me like this, it's about Ella. Who is it now?
"That's why I felt so bad when I saw him cry because of Ella. I thought I did the right thing for him. But I saw him change. My sweet son changes into someone that I don't know who. I can't afford to see him like that again."
I stopped after his hand slowly left my arm.
This is about Jay-jay.
"I know you know what I want to tell you. That Jay-jay
girl. She has to be with my son." She said with teary eyes.
"No." I answer briefly and about to leave but she stops me again.
"I'll tell the Watsons the truth!" She shouts.
I turn to face him in shock. How on earth did she know about the
Watson?
"How many times have people called from the Watson company. We
thought it's about your investment to us but it was more than that."
Her teary eyes turned into a fierce one. "They keep asking about Jasper
Jean. We gave them the same answer that we keep giving them. She's
my son's fiancée."
Fvck them! They are on the move!
I try my best not to show any emotion. But I'm fuming inside.
"But I know that Clyde—your cousin is waiting for a different one
answer. I can give that to him."
My fist clenched. I don't want to say bad things to Tita. She's
been so good to me that I almost treat her like my mother. But my patience
has a limit.
It is true that Yuri's mother is a genius. She knows when to use her
resources on someone's weaknesses.
"Sige. Gagawin ko ang gusto mo." I said and she smiled as a relief.
"Sasabigin ko sa anak mo ang gusto mong marinig." I start walking
toward her until I'm close enough. "...but if Jay-jay got married to Yuri
before I receive my inherits. I will burn your family alive and turn
them into ashes."
Her smile faded. "You can't do such a thing."
"You don't know me, Mrs Hanamitchi. I'm a Watson and I'm
powerful more than you think I am."
She shook her head and smiled arrogantly. "Not without your
inherits. Your still a kid claiming to be powerful." She pointed at me.
"They will still get married before or after you get your inheritance. The Headmaster of our family wants to meet her and that is not a good sign for you."
I smirked. "You think I will let that happen? I assure you someone will be on checkmate and that will not be me."
I passed him and headed straight for Yuri's room.
I didn't know Yuri's Mother would get involved. But I don't give a f**k.
What I said will be done. The person who threatened her was wrong.