My Other Half : JAYFER? & JANRI? JohYan ?

AUTHORS POV

The long table at the Adventure Café looked like a VIP war zone. Ten teenagers sat together, but the Mariano brothers—Percy, Aries, and Johan—were visibly uninterested.

Percy played with his straw like he’d rather be anywhere else.
Aries leaned back, arms crossed, face emotionless.
Johan kept shifting in his seat because YanYan was glued to his arm like a personalized keychain.

Mia kept glancing at Aries, trying again and again to speak.

“Aries… can we talk? Please?” she whispered gently.

Aries took a slow sip of his drink. “We are talking.”

“No, I mean really talk. About the past.”

Aries didn’t even turn. “The past is past. You don’t need my forgiveness.”

Mia looked down at her hands, hurt but still hopeful.

Meanwhile on the other side—

Keifer leaned toward JayJay, voice low and teasing.
“So… you’re loud even when you’re not talking?”

JayJay blinked. “Excuse me, that’s called personality.”

Keifer smirked. “I like it.”

JayJay froze for a second—half amused, half flattered—but before he could respond, Percy leaned forward like an angry mother hen.

“Keifer, stop flirting with my sibling.”

Aries added, still without looking, “Second warning.”

Johan, still trapped under YanYan’s grip, muttered, “That’s the third warning already.”

Keifer raised an eyebrow. “Wow. Overprotective much?”

JayJay sighed dramatically. “See? My brothers ruin everything.”

On JayJay’s other side, Jennie was happily sipping chocolate milk, completely ignoring how Yuri kept staring at her like she was a Marvel heroine.

Jennie finally noticed. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Yuri turned red instantly—matching his hair.
“I—I wasn’t! I was just—uh—making sure you weren’t choking on your drink.”

JayJay whispered, “Smooth. Very smooth.”

Jennie giggled softly. “Thanks, I guess.”

Yuri looked like he might pass out.

And in front of all this chaos—
Amy was peacefully eating her ice cream, legs swinging, unbothered by the tension. She held up her slate to JayJay:

“Everyone in drama. Only me enjoying dessert.”

JayJay high-fived her.

YanYan, meanwhile, was busy clinging to Johan’s arm.

“Johan, where are we going tomorrow? You’re free, right? Let’s go shopping. Or movie. Or just staring contest. Anything!”

Johan’s soul left his body. “YanYan, please let go of me before my arm dies.”

She only hugged tighter.
“No.”

Yuri sighed. “YanYan, stop suffocating him.”

“I’m showing love!” she protested.

Percy whispered loudly to JayJay, “Is she going to marry him without his consent?”

JayJay nodded. “Probably.”

Suddenly—

Johan’s phone rang.

A girl’s name flashed on screen:

SOFIE 💛

Johan’s ears turned bright red.

YanYan stopped mid-hug.
“…Who’s Sofie?”

Johan panicked and snatched the phone. “N-Nobody! I mean—she’s just a friend!”

Percy gasped like he discovered a scandal.
“Ohhhhhh someone’s blushing!”

JayJay screamed dramatically. “WHO IS SHE?!”

Jennie leaned over. “Sofie? Cute name.”

Amy wrote quickly:
“Girlfriend?”

“NO!” Johan shouted, face exploding red.

He picked up the call anyway, voice suddenly soft—too soft.

“Hey, Sofie… yeah, I’m good… yeah, I miss— I mean, I miss talking to you.”

JayJay froze.
Percy choked on his drink.
Jennie dropped her straw.
Aries actually blinked.
Keifer snorted.
Yuri whispered, “He’s gone.”

YanYan stared at the table, heartbreak blooming across her face.

“Sofie?” she repeated quietly. “He never talks like that to me…”

Yuri looked at his sister’s sad expression and patted her head gently.

Meanwhile Johan kept talking on the phone, smiling—smiling—like he turned into a romantic anime boy.

“Yes, Sofie… okay… yeah, I’ll call you tonight… promise.”

When he hung up, the entire table erupted.

JayJay: “PROMISE?! OHHHHH!”
Jennie: “Our boy is in love!”
Percy: “Who is Sofie? Show picture!”
Amy held up her board with a drawing of Johan surrounded by hearts.

Johan covered his face. “STOP. ALL OF YOU. STOP.”

YanYan whispered, “So he… likes another girl…”

She smiled, but it wasn’t her usual bright smile.
More like a tiny broken one.

Johan noticed but didn’t know what to say.
He cared for YanYan—but not like that.

Aries leaned back, watching the chaos, and muttered,
“At least someone’s love life is alive.”

Keifer shot another glance at JayJay.
“Mine could be alive too… if your family would let me flirt.”

Percy instantly glared.
“Try it and see what happens.”

JayJay groaned. “My brothers are my biggest enemies.”

And the chaotic café table—
filled with crushes, jealousies, past wounds, and new sparks—
kept buzzing with life.