--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
"Ow! Freya! Easy with the blender! You're going to bruise the other side of my neck at this rate!" I winced, trying to pull away from her aggressive dabbing.
Freya didn't budge. She gripped my chin with one hand and continued to pound the high-coverage foundation onto my skin with the other. "If you didn't want it to hurt, you shouldn't have let Keifer treat your neck like a buffet, Jay," she teased, her eyes glinting with a wicked sort of amusement. "Seriously, I've seen hickeys before, but this? This is a statement. He was really staking a claim, wasn't he?"
My face felt like it was on fire. I tried to look at the ceiling to avoid her gaze. "It wasn't... he wasn't... we were just resolving a fight."
"Oh, is that what the kids are calling it these days?" Freya laughed, leaning in close as she started to blend the edges near my collarbone. She stopped for a second, her expression turning suggestive. "So, tell me. Did you actually... you know... do it? Like, all the way?"
I felt my heart skip a beat. I blinked rapidly, trying to summon the most confused face I could muster. "Do what? What are you talking about? We just talked and fell asleep."
Freya stopped dabbing and just stared at me, a smirk playing on her lips. She tapped the beauty blender against my cheek. "Jay-Jay. I'm many things, but I'm not stupid. You have messy hair, your dress was half-off when I walked in, and you have a mark on your neck that looks like it was made by a very hungry predator. Don't play the innocent little lamb with me."
"I... I really don't know what you mean," I squeaked, my voice failing me.
"Sure, sure," she chuckled, giving my neck one final, forceful thud with the sponge. "There. Gone. You're officially 'innocent' again. At least on the outside."
--: Keifer's POV: --
The door to the cottage finally creaked open. I'd been pacing the porch like a caged tiger, checking my watch every thirty seconds. When Freya stepped out, she looked like a cat that had just finished a bowl of cream. Jay-Jay followed behind her, looking down at her feet, her hand instinctively hovering near her collar.
"She's all set, Keifer," Freya said, her voice loud and clear. She walked right up to me, leaning in so Jay-Jay could hear every word. "But honestly? You might want to work on your self-control."
"Freya!" Jay-Jay gasped, her face turning a deep, vivid violet.
I rubbed the back of my neck, unable to look Freya in the eye. "I... I'll keep that in mind."
"Do that," Freya winked, looping her arm through mine on one side and Jay-Jay's on the other. "Now, let's go. The lions are hungry, and they've been waiting for their entertainment for far too long."
The three of us walked toward the mansion together. The tropical air was thick, but the atmosphere inside the dining hall was even thicker. As we pushed the heavy doors open, the roar of conversation died down for exactly one second before erupting into a symphony of chaos.
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
"THE TRIO HAS ARRIVED!" Ci-N shouted, standing up and waving his napkin in the air. "Look at them! What did you do? Did you have to perform a rescue mission, Freya?"
"Something like that," Freya laughed, sliding into her seat and leaving Keifer and me to face the music.
We sat down in the middle of the long table. Immediately, the questions started flying like arrows.
"So," David leaned in, his eyebrows wiggling. "What was the legendary fight about? We saw you two at breakfast looking like you wanted to murder each other. What changed?"
"Nothing changed," I said quickly, grabbing a piece of bread and ripping it apart. "He was just being annoying. He wouldn't leave me alone about the medicine, so I got mad. We just talked it out and fell asleep."
"Talked it out for four hours?" Felix barked, slapping the table. "That must have been a lot of words, Keifer! Did you run out of things to say, or did you start repeating yourselves around hour three?"
"It was a complicated issue," Keifer said, his voice dropping into that low, firm tone he used when he was trying to be serious.
"Oh, I bet it was complicated!" Rory laughed, nudging Blaster. "Must have been very... hands-on problem-solving."
"Hey, Jay-Jay," Ci-N leaned over, sniffing the air. "Why do you smell like Keifer's cologne and... is that expensive foundation? I thought you don't like wearing makeup."
My heart plummeted. I gripped the table. "I... I just wanted to look nice for lunch!"
"Really?" Ci-N grinned. "Because you're also wearing your hair to the left. You never wear it to the left unless you're hiding something. What's under there? A secret..."
"Enough, Ci-N," Keifer said, his voice suddenly cutting through the laughter like a cold wind. He leaned forward, his eyes sharp and serious. "Stop it. Both of us. We had a rough morning, we settled it, and we're tired. Just let us eat in peace."
The table went quiet for a second, startled by the intensity in his voice. But then, Eren let out a low whistle. "Whoa. He's being the protective boyfriend now. See? The 'resolution' definitely worked."
"Look at them both," Josh pointed out, howling. "They're both turning redder than the pasta sauce! If it was 'nothing,' why are you both blushing like you just got caught stealing the crown jewels?"
"We're not blushing! It's just hot in here!" I shouted, which of course made everyone roar with laughter again.
--: Keifer's POV: --
I looked at Jay-Jay, who was practically vibrating with embarrassment. I reached under the table and found her hand, squeezing it firmly. She looked at me, her eyes filled with a mix of 'I hate you' and 'don't let go.'
I could see Yuri watching us from the end of the table. He wasn't joining the shouting. He just had that small, knowing smile on his face, a look of quiet understanding that made me feel slightly more at ease. And for the first time, he seemed happy about us.
"To the 'Annoying' Keifer!" MJ shouted, raising his glass. "May he continue to be annoying for at least four hours at a time!"
"TO THE RESOLUTION!" other voices cheered, the sound echoing off the mansion walls.
Aries was still staring at me from across the table, his eyes narrow and suspicious, but for once, the noise of Section E was loud enough to drown out the threat of my impending death. We were in the lions' den, but we were in it together.
.
.
————————
Hiee!!
Firstly, Sorry for uploading late..
And secondly, I have 2 questions for you all, I'll do what majority of you will choose, Okk??
1) Should we bring Angelo on the island on the last day?? Or should we not bring him??
2) Should I add F4, Gorya and Kaning's college life too?? Like, they will go in the same college as Section E, Aries, and the Girls??