The next day, the Fernandez house was in chaos.
Not the usual chaos—the anticipatory chaos.
Percy had a date.
With Honey.
In approximately six hours.
And he was losing his mind.
"I'm not going," Percy announced for the seventeenth time. He was pacing the living room, wearing a robe and slippers, hair in complete disarray. "I'm CANCELLING. I'll text her. What's her number? I don't even have her number. That's a sign. We shouldn't go out if I don't have her number."
Felix, seated on the couch: "You have her number. She texted you last night."
Percy: "THAT WAS A DREAM."
Felix: "It wasn't a dream. You showed me the texts."
Percy: "THAT WAS A DREAM WITHIN A DREAM."
Felix: "That's not a thing."
Percy: "IT COULD BE."
Jasfer, sipping coffee: "Son, you're panicking over a date. It's cute."
Percy: "I'm NOT cute. I'm TERRIFYING. Ask anyone."
Tita Gema, from the kitchen: "YOU'RE TERRIFYINGLY DRAMATIC. SAME THING?"
Percy: "NOT THE SAME THING!"
Serina, elegant as always: "Percy, dear, it's just dinner. You've had dinner before."
Percy: "With WOMEN? Who are INTERESTED in me? Who MAKE EYE CONTACT and SAY THINGS like 'you look single, are you ready to mingle'?"
Serina: "…Has that happened often?"
Percy: "NEVER. THAT'S THE PROBLEM."
Jay's grandma cackled from her rocking chair. "THE BLUE-EYED BOY IS FINALLY GETTING WHAT HE DESERVES!"
Percy: "I DON'T DESERVE THIS. I DESERVE PEACE. QUIET. SOLITUDE."
Aries, deadpan: "You literally walked into my room at 3 AM to show me your skincare routine."
Percy: "THAT'S DIFFERENT."
Aries: "How?"
Percy: "I DON'T HAVE TO JUSTIFY MYSELF TO YOU."
Ella: "You kind of do. You woke him up at 3 AM."
Percy: "HIS SKIN NEEDED HELP."
Aries: "My skin was fine."
Percy: "YOUR SKIN WAS MEDIOCRE. I FIXED IT."
Aries: "I hate you."
Percy: "YOU LOVE ME."
Aries: "Unfortunately."
Meanwhile, upstairs, Jay was getting ready for the day.
She emerged from her room (Keifer's room, technically, but semantics) to find Keifer leaning against the wall, waiting for her.
He smiled. "Morning."
Jay: "Morning."
Keifer: "Percy's losing his mind downstairs."
Jay: "Already? It's 9 AM."
Keifer: "He started at 6."
Jay: "That's… impressive."
Keifer: "That's Percy."
They walked downstairs together, hand in hand.
The living room was exactly as chaotic as promised.
Percy was now attempting to build an outfit by holding different shirts against himself and asking for opinions.
Percy: "This one? Or this one?" He held up a sequined blazer and a simple black button-up.
Mica: "The black one."
Rakki: "Definitely black."
Ci-n: "THE SEQUINS! SEQUINS SAY 'I'M HERE TO PARTY'!"
Rakki: "He's going to dinner, not a disco."
Ci-n: "DINNER CAN BE A DISCO IF YOU BELIEVE."
Calix: "Ci-n, no."
Ci-n: "CI-N YES."
Mayo appeared, assessing the situation. "Darling, if you wear sequins on a first date, she'll think you're trying too hard."
Kit: "Or that you're a magician."
Percy: "IS THAT BAD?"
Mayo: "Unless you actually ARE a magician, yes."
Percy: "I COULD LEARN TRICKS BY TONIGHT."
Kit: "You really couldn't."
Percy: "I'M A FAST LEARNER."
Rory, from his laptop: "I could teach you one card trick. It takes about three hours to master."
Percy: "THAT'S NOT FAST ENOUGH."
Edrix: "You have six hours."
Percy: "THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TIME."
Freya: "Just wear the black shirt and stop panicking."
Percy: "I'M NOT PANICKING. I'M STRATEGIZING."
Freya: "By holding sequins?"
Percy: "SEQUINS ARE A STRATEGIC CHOICE."
Freya: "They're really not."
Drew: "I'm taking bets on how many outfit changes he does before 7 PM."
David: "Over/under 15?"
Drew: "Easy over."
Eren wandered in. "Wait, who's going on a date?"
Everyone: "Percy."
Eren: "With who?"
Everyone: "Honey."
Eren: "The hot one from yesterday?"
Percy: "SHE'S NOT HOT. SHE'S—" He paused. "Okay, she's hot. That's the problem."
Eren: "I don't see the problem."
Percy: "YOU WOULDN'T."
Josh silently handed Percy a cup of tea.
Percy blinked. "What's this?"
Josh: "Calm."
Percy: "In a cup?"
Josh nodded.
Percy: "…Thanks."
He drank it. He did not look calmer.
The day crawled by.
Percy cycled through approximately twenty-seven outfit changes. Drew won 500 pesos. David collected his winnings and went back to sleep.
Section E stayed, because of course they did. No one wanted to miss this.
Honey was due at 7 PM.
At 6:30, Percy was hiding in his room.
Felix went to retrieve him.
Felix: "Percy. Open the door."
Percy's muffled voice: "No."
Felix: "She'll be here in thirty minutes."
Percy: "I'll be dead in twenty-nine. Problem solved."
Felix: "You're not going to die."
Percy: "YOU DON'T KNOW THAT."
Felix: "I really do."
Percy: "MY HEART IS RACING. THAT'S A SYMPTOM."
Felix: "Of attraction."
Percy: "OF IMPENDING DOOM."
Jasfer appeared behind Felix. "Son, open the door or I'm picking the lock."
Percy: "YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO PICK LOCKS."
Jasfer: "I HAVE A CREDIT CARD AND DETERMINATION."
The door opened.
Percy stood there, looking slightly wrecked but also… good. Really good. Black button-up, perfectly fitted. Dark jeans. Hair artfully tousled.
Jasfer: "Oh. You look great."
Percy: "I look TERRIFIED."
Jasfer: "Same thing."
Percy: "IT'S NOT."
Felix: "You look great. She's going to love it."
Percy: "What if she doesn't?"
Felix: "Then she's blind and not worth it."
Percy: "That's… actually comforting."
Felix: "I have my moments."
At 7 PM exactly, the doorbell rang.
Angelo checked the monitor. "It's Honey."
The house went silent.
Percy stood in the living room, surrounded by his entire family and chosen family, looking like a deer in headlights.
Jay: "You've got this."
Percy: "I really don't."
Keifer: "Tss. Childish."
Percy: "I'M NOT CHILDISH. I'M LEGITIMATELY SCARED."
Keifer: "Of a woman?"
Percy: "Of a BEAUTIFUL woman who KNOWS she's beautiful and USES it."
Keifer: "So… a confident woman?"
Percy: "YES. TERRIFYING."
Angelo opened the door.
Honey swept in, looking absolutely stunning in a red dress that turned heads.
Her eyes found Percy immediately.
"Well, well, well." She walked toward him slowly. "Look at you."
Percy: "I—hi—hello—you're here."
Honey: "I'm here. And you look incredible."
Percy: "I look—I mean—you look—wow."
Honey smiled. "Smooth."
Percy: "I'm usually smoother. I swear."
Honey: "I like you flustered."
Percy: "I'm not flustered. I'm—strategically overwhelmed."
Honey laughed—that warm, genuine sound. "You're adorable."
Percy: "I'm TERRIFYING."
Honey: "Terrifyingly adorable."
Percy: "That's not—you can't just—"
Honey: "I can. I am." She looped her arm through his. "Ready?"
Percy: "For what?"
Honey: "Dinner. Conversation. Me."
Percy: "I—yes—no—maybe—"
Honey: "I'll take that as a yes."
She started leading him toward the door.
Percy looked back at everyone with wide eyes.
Felix waved. "Have fun!"
Percy: "TRAITOR."
Jasfer: "BE SAFE!"
Percy: "FROM WHAT?"
Tita Gema: "EAT SOMETHING!"
Percy: "I'M PROBABLY GOING TO DIE!"
Honey: "Dramatic. I like it."
The door closed behind them.
Silence.
Then—
The room ERUPTED.
Ci-n: "PERCY IS ON A DATE! WITH A PRETTY LADY! WHO LIKES HIM!"
Rakki: "I can't believe that just happened."
Mica: "He looked so scared."
Calix: "That was the best thing I've ever seen."
Mayo: "His outfit was perfect though. Credit where due."
Kit: "The black was the right choice."
Rory: "I give it two hours before he texts for help."
Edrix: "Three hours. He's stronger than he looks."
Freya: "He literally just walked out the door."
Edrix: "And?"
Freya: "You're betting on his survival?"
Edrix: "Always."
Drew: "New bet! How long until Percy texts the group chat?"
David: "One hour. 500."
Drew: "Bold. I like it."
Eren: "Wait, so Percy's on a date? With Honey? The hot one?"
Everyone: "YES."
Eren: "…Can I have her number if it doesn't work out?"
Everyone stared at him.
Eren: "What?"
Josh shook his head silently.
Denzel: "Son, that's not how any of this works."
Grazel Jay: "PERCY GO BYE-BYE! WITH PRETTY LADY!"
Grace: "Yes, baby. Percy's on a date."
Grazel Jay: "WHAT DATE?"
Grace: "When two people like each other and go eat together."
Grazel Jay: "LIKE TITA JAY AND KUYA KEIFER?"
Grace: "Exactly like that."
Grazel Jay: "OH. PERCY FIND LOVE?"
Denzel: "Maybe, baby."
Grazel Jay: "I THROW FLOWERS!"
She threw imaginary petals at the door.
Denzel: "That's sweet, baby."
Grazel Jay: "I KNOW."
In the midst of the chaos, Jay and Keifer had slipped onto the patio.
Jay: "That was insane."
Keifer: "That was Percy. Same thing."
Jay: "Honey's really pretty."
Keifer: "She's alright."
Jay looked at him. "Just alright?"
Keifer: "I have a type. It's you. Everyone else is just… people."
Jay's heart did a flip. "Smooth."
Keifer: "I have my moments."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer blinked. "Did you just—"
Jay: "I did."
Keifer: "That's my thing."
Jay: "It's OUR thing now."
Keifer: "I don't know how I feel about that."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "Stop."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "JAY."
Jay laughed, throwing her arms around his neck. "I love you."
Keifer: "I love you too. Even when you steal my sounds."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "I'm breaking up with you."
Jay: "No, you're not."
Keifer: "No, I'm not."
He kissed her.
And on the patio, under the stars—
Jayfer was exactly where they belonged.
Stealing sounds, stealing hearts, stealing every moment they could.
Two hours later, the group chat exploded.
Percy: I'M ALIVE
Percy: BARELY
Percy: SHE TOOK ME TO SOME FANCY RESTAURANT AND ORDERED FOR ME IN FRENCH
Percy: I DON'T SPEAK FRENCH
Percy: I ATE SOMETHING AND PRETENDED TO LIKE IT
Percy: IT WAS ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD
Percy: SHE KNEW I'D LIKE IT
Percy: SHE PLANNED IT
Percy: I'M SCARED AND IMPRESSED
Mica: How's the date going???
Percy: WE'RE ON DESSERT NOW
Percy: SHE ORDERED CHOCOLATE CAKE
Percy: FOR BOTH OF US
Percy: SHE SAID "I HAVE A FEELING YOU LIKE CHOCOLATE"
Percy: HOW DID SHE KNOW
Rakki: Because you mentioned it seventeen times yesterday while panicking?
Percy: I DID NOT
Rakki: You did. We all heard you.
Ci-n: YOU SAID "I HOPE SHE LIKES CHOCOLATE BECAUSE CHOCOLATE IS MY SOUL MATE"
Percy: I WAS STRESSED
Ci-n: STRESSED REVEALS THE TRUTH
Percy: I HATE ALL OF YOU
Honey: They're not wrong 💋
Percy: WHY IS SHE IN THIS CHAT
Honey: Percy added me
Percy: I DID NOT
Honey: You did. When you were stressed.
Percy: I NEED TO LOCK MY PHONE
Honey: Too late. I'm here now.
Percy: SOMEONE SAVE ME
Felix: No ❤️
Jasfer: No ❤️
Tita Gema: No ❤️
Serina: No ❤️
Jay: No ❤️
Keifer: Tss. No.
The house howled with laughter.
Jay showed Keifer the messages. "Percy's losing it."
Keifer: "Percy's been losing it since she walked in. This is just the next level."
Jay: "You think they'll work out?"
Keifer: "Honestly? Yeah. She matches his energy."
Jay: "She's more energy."
Keifer: "That's what he needs."
Jay leaned against him. "Look at you, being wise about relationships."
Keifer: "I have experience."
Jay: "With me?"
Keifer: "Only you. Always you."
Jay kissed his cheek. "Smooth."
Keifer: "I know."
They sat there, wrapped in each other, listening to the chaos inside.
Another message popped up.
Honey: Percy just tried to pay and his card declined
Honey: I already paid
Honey: He's turning the color of the tomato sauce
Honey: It's adorable
Percy: I'M DYING
Percy: ACTUALLY DYING
Percy: THIS IS HOW IT ENDS
Honey: Don't worry, I'll give you CPR
Percy: THAT'S NOT HELPING
Honey: It's helping ME 💋
The house lost it again.
Jay laughed so hard she cried.
Keifer held her, smiling.
"Jayfer forever?" he whispered.
Jay looked up at him, eyes bright.
"Jayfer forever."