Lunch was loud.
Plates clinking, chairs scraping, conversations overlapping. Everyone sat around the long outdoor table, food spread everywhere, the mood easy and careless.
Jay arrived late.
And the moment she did, the air shifted.
She wore a short top—simple, effortless—just enough fabric to reveal a glimpse of her waist when she moved. Not trying. Never trying. And somehow that made it worse.
Keifer was already seated, leaning back in his chair, talking to someone across the table.
He looked up.
And forgot what he was saying.
Jay stopped beside him, reaching for a plate. Her arm brushed his shoulder. Barely there.
That was all it took.
His hand came out of nowhere—firm, instinctive—gripping her waist and pulling her closer before she could react. She gasped softly, more surprised than alarmed.
"Keifer—" she started.
He tilted his head, lips brushing a slow, deliberate kiss against her waist, just above where her top ended—brief, intimate, unmistakably claiming.
The table went silent.
Jay froze for half a second.
Then she smiled.
Not shy.
Not embarrassed.
Satisfied.
Her fingers slid into his hair as she leaned slightly into him, letting the moment exist exactly as it was.
Across the table, forks paused mid-air.
Girls stared.
Some shocked.
Some furious.
Some burning with a jealousy they couldn't hide.
Ella's face tightened.
This wasn't accidental affection.
This wasn't heat slipping out of control.
This was showing off—quiet, confident, devastating.
Keifer leaned back again like nothing had happened, one hand still resting on Jay's waist, thumb absentmindedly pressing there like it belonged.
Jay picked up her plate calmly.
"Are you going to eat," she murmured to him, "or keep distracting me?"
His mouth curved into that dangerous smile.
"Both."
And just like that, the table buzzed again—but the damage was done.
They didn't need to announce anything.
Everyone already knew.
The day when everyone are out The lights near the small street stalls glowed softly against the night.
Jay stood a little away from the crowd, phone in hand, waiting. Keifer had insisted on getting her ice cream himself—"Don't move," he'd said, pointing at her like she was something precious he didn't want to lose in the noise.
She smiled at the memory.
That's when the laughter started behind her.
Low. Mocking.
She turned to see a group of boys leaning against a bike, eyes roaming too freely, confidence borrowed from numbers and darkness.
One of them smirked.
"So… you only show affection to that guy?" he said, nodding vaguely toward the stalls. "Seems unfair."
Jay stiffened.
Another stepped closer than necessary.
"Relax. We're just talking."
Her spine straightened instantly. "Back off."
They laughed again—but this time, it faltered.
Because the air changed.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Heavy.
Certain.
Keifer's shadow fell between them.
He didn't raise his voice.
Didn't rush.
Didn't even look angry at first.
Just calm.
Dangerously calm.
"What's going on?" he asked, eyes never leaving the boys.
The confidence drained from their faces one by one.
Recognition hit late—but hard.
One of them swallowed. "We— we didn't know she was with you."
Keifer stepped forward once.
That was enough.
Jay felt it—the shift, the fear settling in where arrogance had been seconds ago.
"Apologize," he said quietly.
"I— sorry," one of them muttered, eyes on the ground. "Didn't know who she belonged to."
Keifer's jaw tightened.
"She doesn't belong to anyone," he said coldly. "She's with me because she chooses to be. Remember that."
They nodded fast. Too fast.
"Sorry," another repeated. "Won't happen again."
They didn't wait for dismissal.
They left.
Jay hadn't moved the entire time.
Only when the street felt safe again did Keifer turn to her.
"Are you okay?" he asked, all the edge gone, hands gentle on her shoulders.
She nodded, voice steady. "I am now."
He handed her the ice cream, then pulled her into his chest—protective, grounding, not possessive.
"I'm right here," he murmured. "Always."
Jay leaned into him, fingers curling into his jacket.
And for the first time that night, she let herself breathe.
The boys were gone. Silence settled over the street except for the soft hum of the stalls and distant chatter. Jay clutched her ice cream, still catching her breath.
Keifer stepped closer, low voice only for her.
"You see," he murmured, leaning in just enough for her to feel his heat, "my girlfriend… she's so damn hot it's impossible to resist."
Jay blinked, caught off guard. "Keifer—"
He smirked, brushing a strand of hair off her face. "And yet, I'm here," he said, voice teasing, "protecting you from everyone who isn't me."
Her cheeks warmed, but she tried to act casual, gripping her ice cream like a shield.
"Stop talking like that," she whispered, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her.
He grinned wider. "Oh, I'm not stopping. I love showing everyone exactly who you belong to."
Jay's eyes widened, and a small, breathy laugh escaped her. She swatted lightly at his chest. "You're ridiculous."
"I know," he said, lowering his voice to a velvety whisper, "and you love it."
She froze, heart racing, because he was right. She did.
Then, without breaking eye contact, his hand slid to her waist—just a touch, possessive enough to make the air around them sizzle. The way he held her close, warm and steady, made everyone else disappear.
Jay licked the tip of her ice cream nervously, trying to focus, but Keifer leaned closer, lips brushing her ear.
"Seriously," he murmured, "you look so good standing here, I might forget the world exists."
Her knees nearly betrayed her. She gripped his arm, muttering under her breath, "Keifer, everyone's watching."
He chuckled softly, pulling her even closer. "Exactly," he said, voice low and teasing. "Everyone should see who I'm with. My girl. The one no one touches."
Jay's cheeks were on fire, but she couldn't stop the tiny, triumphant smile that spread across her face.
Keifer kissed the side of her head, lingering there just long enough to make a point: he wasn't just teasing. He was claiming.
And anyone watching? They could feel it.
The street lights flickered over them, ice cream forgotten, as Keifer whispered, "Hot as hell… and all mine."
Jay's hand tightened around his jacket. She didn't deny it. She didn't want to.