Chapter-319 Home

Jay-jay's POV

I had a package. From Japan.

I wanted to be happy about it, but I couldn't remember ordering anything online, and Yuri hadn't mentioned anything to me either.

He was the only person I knew from Japan.

Now, I was scared to open it. But if I didn't, I'd be late. Aries would get mad and say I was too slow.

As if he was any faster. I was convinced he just splashed himself with water in the bathroom, sprayed on some cologne, and dampened his hair a little to make it look like he showered.

Haha, your tricks are so lame.

If only they had told me last night that I had a package, I wouldn't have to rush my decision on whether to open it now or later.

In the end, I had no choice but to open it. I grabbed the cutter from my study table and sliced through the packaging tape, tossing the cutter back onto the desk afterward.

My hands trembled slightly as I carefully opened the box. And when I finally saw what was inside...

It was all bubble wrap.

I scratched my head before removing the bubble wrap entirely, revealing the real contents of the box.

A severed head.

A Snorlax head!

Wait, no, just the head— a wide, plush pillow designed like Snorlax.

I picked it up and unwrapped the plastic covering. It was so soft, perfect for hugging. I walked over to my Snorlax plushie that I always slept with at night and placed the pillow beside it.

"Look! You have a sibling now!" I said, putting them together on the bed.

But my full-body Snorlax immediately toppled away from the Snorlax head. I tried adjusting it multiple times, but the same thing kept happening. It seemed like he didn't like his oversized head.

I let it be and went back to the box. I checked if there was anything else inside, but all I found was more bubble wrap. I examined the outside of the box, hoping to find the sender's name, but only my name and address were written on it.

"Why does my name look like this?" I muttered in confusion.

My Queen Jasper Jean Mariano.

Since when did my name have "My Queen" in it? This wasn't for me, was it?

But I was the only Jasper Jean here. Maybe it was just a mistake.

I was about to check the stickers for more details when I heard Aries knocking on my bedroom door.

"Hurry up! I'm gonna be late!" he shouted.

So he was done with his splash-splash routine.

"Okay, okay!" I yelled back before setting the box down and grabbing my bag.

I went back to fix my full-body Snorlax, but it toppled over again. He really didn't like his giant head look-alike.

I left my room and headed straight out of the house. I didn't even get to greet Auntie since she had already turned toward the kitchen. I just sighed.

The moment I got into Aries' car, I immediately noticed his weird expression.

"Why do you look like that?" I asked as I adjusted my seatbelt.

He gripped the steering wheel tightly, coughed a few times, and started driving toward school.

I couldn't shake the weird feeling his demeanor gave me.

It felt like something bad had happened while I was gone yesterday. Or maybe I did something wrong? Maybe he was upset about us going out yesterday?

We hadn't even gotten far from the house when his phone rang—his new phone. Since it was mounted on the dashboard, I could clearly see Ella's face on the screen.

Aries answered, and since he was driving, the call was on speaker.

["Aries."] Ella greeted.

No pet names? No baby? No babe? No love? Nothing?

"Ella." my brother responded.

That was it?

How plain. Their relationship was so boring. No pet names, no affection. If I ever got a girlfriend again, our nicknames would be epic.

Gardo or maybe Tagpi. Sometimes Puti or Kimchi. When we're being sweet, Sugar or Choco Chips. If we're in a weird mood, Turmeric sounds nice. And if we're mad at each other? Damn it or Son of a btch* would do. Right? Perfect!

I tuned back into their conversation. One of these days, I should give them a list of pet names.

["He's here."] Ella said lifelessly.

Aries glanced at me for a second before replying to his Miss Universe girlfriend. Ugh, I'd love to throw her into space.

"I know." my brother replied just as flatly.

["Does she know?"] Miss Universe asked.

Their conversation was making me annoyed. It was already slow, and now it was lifeless, too. They sounded like they were at a funeral. No pet names, no energy, no sweetness! Are they even a couple?!

"I don't know. I'll talk to you later. I'm driving." my Horoscope-obsessed brother said.

Maybe his horoscope gave him bad luck today, which was why he sounded so down. He should've brought some charms for protection.

["Aries, I love you."]

Oh wow!

It took him a while to respond. He even coughed a few times.

"I know." my dumbass brother said before hanging up.

I wanted to burst out laughing. Sometimes Aries could be such an ass. She said I love you and that was all he gave her? Savage!

"Your love life is just so sweet, huh?" I teased.

But he didn't respond, so I just rolled my eyes. He was definitely not in the mood. Maybe the stars were out of alignment for him today. No good fortune for him.

When we arrived at school, I immediately noticed a huge crowd of students blocking the pathway. It was like a celebrity had just passed by.

Most of them were girls, and even students from different year levels had gathered near our main building.

What was going on?

Aries parked the car. As I unbuckled my seatbelt, I noticed that he hadn't unlocked the car doors.

I looked at him in confusion.

"Aries, the lock." I said, but he stayed in his seat.

"Maybe you shouldn't go in yet." he said softly.

My face lit up. "I'm fine with that. But you'll have to explain to Kuya."

My smile disappeared when I saw how serious he looked.

I was starting to feel nervous about his behavior.

Even if I didn't want to think about it, something was definitely wrong. I could tell just from his conversation with Miss Universe.

"W-why?"

He shook his head and grabbed his phone to dial a number, but he finally unlocked the car doors. He gestured for me to get out before putting the phone to his ear.

I got out, pouting as I looked at him through the window. My gut was telling me something was really off.

I started walking away when I noticed a sleek, expensive car parked near us.

Damn!

I had never seen that model before, but it was obvious that whoever owned it was filthy rich. The type who could buy the whole school and still have spare change.

I was about to get a closer look when someone called out to me.

I turned around and saw Yuri smiling slightly at me.

"President!" I greeted, and his smile instantly vanished. "Are you leaving the club?" I teased.

Shunga Lovers Club.

"Jay, stop it!" he said, irritated, making me burst into laughter.

I hadn't stopped teasing him since yesterday when we met that red-haired girl. He wouldn't admit it, but he was definitely smitten.

A small ache formed in my chest at the thought. I felt like I was losing something. I didn't like the idea of him liking someone else.

It sounded selfish, but Yuri was important to me. I might not be able to love him the way he wanted, but I could still treasure him.

But if I keep him to myself, he won't be happy. He has the right to be free after everything he went through with me. I also want to see him love and be loved.

"Why? What a waste. You didn't even get her name. And you even pulled her hair." I teased.

He scratched his head. "I didn't mean to."

"But she's pretty, flawless." I said, running both my hands over my face. "And her hair is so long. And she's Japanese too—"

"Jay." His voice held a hint of sulking. "Please stop."

"Whoa! Why?"

"I'm not looking for someone else just to replace you." He blushed slightly. "Y-you're the only one I want to love."

I stared at his face. He scratched his eyebrow while avoiding my gaze.

"You look like a tomato when you blush, you know?" I said, and he turned even redder.

I let out a small laugh and pointed at his face. "You only look like that after seeing that girl yesterday."

He sighed and shook his head. We walked together toward our classroom. The students were still scattered around, talking about something I couldn't understand.

"He's so handsome!"

"He looks even better now!"

"My dad said he already has rights in their company!"

"I'd have his child, even just one."

I scratched my head. Whoever they were talking about must be a newly discovered creature. They were saying things I'd never heard before.

Maybe there's a celebrity around.

"Is there a shoot here? Which celebrity are they talking about?" I asked Yuri.

He stopped for a moment and looked at me like I had said something wrong.

"Haven't you heard?" He asked.

"Heard what?" I asked back. "Is there really a shoot?"

His eyes looked sad for a moment before he forced a smile. He just shook his head and continued walking as if I hadn't asked anything.

I quickly caught up to him.

"Hey! I'm asking you." My voice had a tinge of irritation. "You! Just because you saw someone to replace me, you're acting like this—"

I didn't get to finish my sentence because he suddenly hugged me.

The students around us, both passing by and lingering, turned to stare.

"Please stop mentioning her." He pleaded. "It feels like you're pushing me away."

His voice was heavy, like he was close to crying. I couldn't help but panic at his reaction. We always teased each other about things like this, but this was the first time he seemed so sensitive.

"O-okay. I won't anymore. I was just joking." I replied, patting his back.

His hug tightened even more. I felt like he could burst into tears at any moment. So, even though we were now the center of gossip, I hugged him back just as tightly.

I had long accepted that I was a favorite topic of rumors.

"Yuri..." I called his name. "If something's wrong, you'll tell me, right? Whatever you're carrying, share it."

I heard a soft chuckle from him at my choice of words. At least I managed to ease his burden a little, even just through a joke.

"T-thank you, Jay. I'll never regret loving you." He whispered before finally letting go.

He took a deep breath and ran his hands over his face. He smiled before inviting me to keep walking.

I nodded and walked alongside him again. From time to time, I lightly punched his arm, and he retaliated by messing up my hair. Just before we reached the classroom door, he suddenly ruffled my hair, making it fall over my face. I decided to just ignore it and continue walking like that.

I went straight to my seat without greeting or even looking at the Snakes. But I did notice how unusually quiet they were. Unlike how they usually were.

I let it go. Maybe they were just sleepy.

Why does it feel like someone's sitting in Kei's seat—on the right?

I just fixed my hair and arranged my things. It was probably just one of the Snakes. I knew they never sat there even when he wasn't around, and he wouldn't find out anyway. Maybe they just wanted to mess around—wait a minute! Why am I even thinking about his chair or his seat? Why do I even care?!

I took out my notebook and checked if I was missing any notes. I had been too lazy to write down two of our lessons. I turned to David, intending to wake him up, but—he was already awake!

I blinked at him in surprise. This was shocking! Truly shocking!

I even clutched my chest and gave him an exaggerated reaction.

"You're awake? What happened?" I asked him.

He looked at me and smiled slightly. "You're underestimating me."

"This is shocking. Should I have a mass said for you?" I teased him.

He chuckled slightly and shook his head. "No need. You might get burned."

Wow, nice comeback.

I grimaced at him. "Lend me your notes." I said, holding out my hand.

He glanced behind him slightly. "You don't want to borrow from them."

"Oh, I can't expect anything from them. Josh and Eman are stingy." I said, keeping my hand extended.

They were the ones diligent in writing notes, but they were selfish about sharing them. Kit could've been an option too, but he prioritized flirting.

David looked behind again and smirked. He shook his head before grabbing his notes and handing them to me. I knew his handwriting looked like Arabic script, but I had no choice. Better than nothing.

I quietly started writing, though I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

I glanced at Ci, who was beside me, and oddly enough, he was silent. He simply grinned, almost exposing his gums, then gestured toward the back of the room.

I frowned but chose to ignore him.

I couldn't help but feel irritated. Something was definitely wrong! So wrong!

They weren't making noise like they usually did. They weren't causing trouble or asking for food. And most of all—I felt like someone was staring at me.

"Taking too long enough to turn around." I heard someone whisper.

"Shut up. You might get heard." Another replied.

I had a strong feeling they were messing with me again.

They wouldn't get anything out of me. I wasn't turning around. They could wait forever, for all I cared.

I continued writing until Sir Alvin finally arrived. Everyone started fixing their seating positions. Since I was almost done, I kept writing. I knew Sir would understand since we needed to catch up on our lessons. He was even the one who told us it was okay to do unfinished lessons in his class.

"Complete." Sir began.

We were always complete. As long as you didn't count those in London, probably with whoever fell down with that bridge.

"Attendance." Sir said and started calling names.

The one thing I never understood about Sir's attendance was why my name was listed among the boys. Unlike other sections, I wasn't separated. Maybe Sir had decided to make me a guy too.

Sir, are you a Snake too?

"Mariano?" He called my name.

"Present." I answered without looking at him.

I noticed a brief pause from Sir. When I looked up, I saw a faint smile on his lips. But it quickly disappeared, and he continued calling names.

What was that about? It seemed like even he was messing with me.

"Mercado," Sir called out to Drew.

"Present."

See? My name was really lined up with theirs. It was no longer separated the way girls' and boys' names were normally listed.

"Peñaflor."

"Present."

"Peralta."

"P-present."

I glanced at Ci for a moment, but he quickly bowed his head and played with his fingers. He was clearly restless.

"Ramos."

"Present." He even yawned as he muttered, "Taking so long to turn around."

I ignored him and continued writing. What was the big deal about turning around anyway? Did they expect people to just snap their necks whenever they wanted? What if someone had a stiff neck? Would they take responsibility if that person ended up with a broken neck from all their nagging? Why did I even have to turn around? Who was I supposed to be looking at?!

"Rivera."

"Present."

"Maybe we should just yell so she'll turn around."

I overheard someone whisper.

"Call her and say there's dirt on their back."

Another one responded.

It wasn't that I wanted to eavesdrop, but their so-called whispers were getting louder.

"Venites."

"Present."

I had just finished copying David's notes. I was about to return them when I noticed those annoying Ulupong giggling like they were waiting for some big announcement on TV—like they were watching a lottery draw or anticipating the crowning of a beauty pageant winner.

Idiots.

"Welcome back," Sir suddenly said, making me freeze.

"Watson."

I blinked. The words that came out of Sir's mouth seemed to slow down. So slow that his voice even deepened. If I could rewind it, I would—just to make sure I heard it right.

Watson?

Watson? Emma Watson? Watson Pharmacy? Watson Building? A person? An animal? A place? An idiot? A fool? A jerk? A snake?

What Watson?

This was impossible. It couldn't be happening. It was more impossible than floodwater being crystal clear.

This was a joke! Right! Sir was messing with me. This was a big joke.

Now it all made sense. Sir was just like them—an Ulupong himself. That must be why he became a teacher here, because he fit right in. Amazing!

They were probably waiting to see if I would turn around. If I did, they'd tease me. They'd say I missed him, just like they always did. Then they'd keep pushing and pushing until I snapped.

Well, tough luck. I wasn't going to turn around! They wouldn't get me!

But all the theories, all the conclusions I had about this turning-around nonsense, vanished the moment I heard a voice confirm everything I had been trying to deny.

A deep voice. Slightly different, but still familiar.

And it was clear as day.

I knew exactly who had just answered—

"Present."

My grip on my pen tightened.

Even though I didn't want to, my body moved on its own. My neck turned just as they wanted.

I could hear their cheers and teasing, but I ignored it all.

I just needed to see for myself—

Leaning back in his seat, arms crossed over his chest. Looking directly at me, as if he had been waiting all this time.

He tilted his head slightly, and a small smirk played on his lips.

My heart felt like it was about to explode from all the emotions swirling inside me.

I wanted to slap myself—hard—just to check if this was real.

If he was really here.

The King of the Ulupong was really right in front of me.