Third Person POV
Morning arrived louder than usual.
The dining area of Jay's house was already full—her mother moving between the table and the stove, Tita Gema seated with a cup of tea, Aries sprawled comfortably on a chair, and Kuya Angelo reading something on his phone, calm as ever.
Eces sat neatly at the table, hands folded, posture relaxed but alert.
Keifer entered like he belonged there.
No hesitation. No guilt. No trace of a midnight crime.
"Good morning," he said politely, nodding to everyone.
Jay's mother looked up immediately. "Good morning, Keifer. You're early."
He smiled, warm and respectful. "Couldn't sleep."
Jay nearly choked on her water.
Eces glanced at her.
Interesting.
Jay's mother set a warm bowl in front of Eces, her movements calm and familiar.
"Eat properly," she said softly. "Did you sleep well last night?"
Eces nodded. "Yes, Mom."
The room went quiet.
Keifer, who had just stepped inside and was pretending to be deeply interested in the food on the table, froze mid-step.
"…Mom?" he repeated, lifting his head.
Eces looked up, a little startled, then smiled politely. "Yes."
Jay's mother didn't even hesitate. She simply patted Eces's hand.
"She can call me that if she wants."
Tita Gema smiled like she'd been waiting for that moment.
Aries raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Kuya Angelo observed quietly, eyes sharp but thoughtful.
Keifer glanced at Jay, then back at Eces, something unreadable flickering across his face.
"You're comfortable here already," he said, half-teasing, half-curious.
Eces met his gaze calmly. "She makes it easy."
Jay watched the exchange, heart warm and slightly tight all at once.
Keifer took a seat across from Eces, casually stretching his arms like nothing in the world had happened hours ago. He didn't look at Jay—not directly—but somehow, he was very aware of her presence.
Too aware.
Aries leaned forward, smirking. "You two are quiet today."
"We're fine," Jay said too fast.
Keifer picked up a cup. "Yeah. Just normal mornings."
Eces watched them over the rim of her glass.
Jay sat stiffly, cheeks warm, eyes glued to the table. Keifer, on the other hand, looked infuriatingly calm—composed, relaxed, the picture of innocence.
But then—
Jay reached for the sugar.
Keifer reached for it too.
Their fingers brushed.
Jay froze.
Keifer didn't flinch. He simply slid the bowl toward her, his voice neutral. "Here."
Their eyes met.
Just for a second.
Jay looked away first.
Eces noticed everything—the way Jay's shoulders tensed, the faint smile Keifer suppressed, the quiet shift in the space between them that hadn't been there before.
Ah.
So that's it.
Jay's mother continued speaking, unaware. "Eces, if you need anything at all, tell us. You're family here."
"Thank you," Eces replied softly.
Kuya Angelo finally looked up, his gaze flicking briefly between Jay and Keifer. Something thoughtful passed through his eyes—but he said nothing.
Eces smiled faintly to herself.
No mind reading needed this time.
Something had happened.
Something quiet. Something secret.
And only she seemed to notice.
Keifer POV
I was leaning against the counter, pretending to listen.
Wedding dates.
Venues.
Colors.
My name and Jay's said together so casually it still felt unreal.
Jay's mom was talking about guest lists, Tita Gema chiming in with décor ideas, Aries joking about being the loudest one there. Angelo listened more than he spoke, as always.
I should've been smiling.
I was.
On the outside.
Inside, my attention kept drifting—back to the dining table.
Eces sat there quietly, spoon in hand, listening. Not interrupting. Not forcing herself into the conversation. Just… present. Comfortable. Too comfortable.
When Jay's mom asked, "What do you think, Eces? Garden wedding or something simple?"
Eces looked up, surprised, then smiled softly. "Whatever makes Jay happiest."
The answer was perfect.
Too perfect.
I felt it again—that shift. The same one from this morning. From the way she'd noticed things without looking. From how calm she'd been yesterday when everything around her was chaos.
She didn't behave like someone new to a family.
She behaved like someone who knew how families worked.
Jay laughed, leaning into my side. "She's sweet, right?"
"Yeah," I said automatically.
Sweet wasn't the word that bothered me.
Controlled did.
I watched Eces as the talk moved on. Her eyes flicked to each speaker, attentive but guarded. Like she was collecting information without anyone realizing it.
And then she did something small—almost nothing.
She caught my stare.
Met it.
Didn't flinch.
Just gave me a polite, unreadable smile before looking back down at her food.
That was when it clicked.
She wasn't just Jay's sister staying with us.
She wasn't just a quiet guest.
She was hiding something.
I slid my hand into Jay's, squeezing gently, grounding myself. This was my future they were planning. My life. My family.
And Eces was already inside it.
Whatever she was running from—or toward—I had a feeling it wasn't over.
And I wasn't sure yet whether she was here to protect…
or to prepare.
I kept my face neutral, my voice light as I joined the conversation again.
But my eyes stayed on Eces.
Watching.
Jay POV
By evening, the house felt fuller.
Keigan arrived first, dropping onto the couch like he belonged there—which, honestly, he did. Keiren followed close behind, quieter, his eyes lighting up the moment he noticed the food on the table.
"What did we miss?" Keigan asked.
"Apparently, my entire wedding," I said dryly.
Keiren blinked. "You're getting married?"
Keifer sighed. "We've been over this."
Keiren grinned. "Still feels new."
Laughter filled the room, and naturally, the conversation drifted back to dates.
"June is too hot," Tita Gema said.
"August is too crowded," Aries added.
Mom tapped her fingers together. "What about July?"
I was about to answer when Keifer spoke.
"July 1st."
The room stilled.
I turned toward him. "That's… very specific."
He met my eyes, his voice calm but certain.
"That's the day we met. The first time."
My heart skipped.
I hadn't realized he remembered the exact date.
Keigan let out a low whistle. "You're sentimental."
Keifer shrugged. "Only about her."
My chest tightened, warmth spreading everywhere.
Mom smiled softly. "That's perfect."
Tita Gema nodded. "A beginning becoming a promise."
Keiren leaned toward Keigan and whispered, not nearly quiet enough, "I really like him."
Keifer smirked. "Good. You're stuck with me."
I laughed, squeezing Keifer's hand under the table.
Of all the days he could have chosen—
He chose the day our story began.
I leaned closer and whispered, "July 1st it is."
He squeezed back.
And just like that, the future felt real.
Not rushed.
Not frightening.
Just right. 💍✨
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Guys , my exams are coming, so from now I will upload after two days .
Please try to understand my situation too .
Well , be ready for Jayfer wedding 💒 💒