The mansion was finally quiet.
The wedding preparations had been chaotic all day — flowers, dresses, decorations, food, music, and endless arguments. But everything was done now.
Jay was asleep in her room, finally resting after a long day. Keifer had checked on her before coming back downstairs, making sure she was safe and calm.
Now, the only sounds were the faint ticking of the clock and the soft laughter of three boys sitting around the living room.
Keifer, Aries, and Percy sat on the sofa, each with a glass of whiskey in hand.
It was their first real moment of peace in years.
A boys' night.
They had done this before — back when things were simpler. But that was before the accident.
Before the friendship broke.
Before Yuri left.
Before everything changed.
Keifer stared at the glass in his hand, swirling the drink slowly.
His eyes were tired. His heart was heavy.
Aries leaned back, looking away like he always did when he didn't want to show his feelings.
Percy, who was usually loud and playful, sat quietly. His face was pale, like the hospital days still haunted him.
The air felt tense.
And then Percy finally spoke.
"I can't believe we're actually sitting like this," he said softly.
Aries scoffed. "We're just drinking."
Percy looked at him. "No. We're doing more than that."
Keifer didn't respond.
Percy sighed and continued, "I missed this. I missed you guys."
Aries looked at Percy with a hard expression. "You disappeared, Percy. You left us."
Percy's eyes went down. "I didn't mean to."
Keifer spoke quietly, his voice calm but heavy. "No one meant for it to happen."
Aries' eyes flashed. "You were the one who caused the accident, Keifer."
Keifer's face hardened instantly. "Don't start that again."
Aries stood up, anger building. "You always blame me! It was your fault. ."
Keifer stood too, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. "Don't you dare say that!"
Percy stood too, his voice shaking. "Stop!"
The room fell silent.
The tension was so thick, Jay could've heard it from her room.
For a moment, none of them moved.
Then Keifer spoke, voice trembling.
"I blamed Aries because I couldn't blame myself."
Aries froze.
Percy's eyes widened.
Keifer continued, "I was scared. I thought if I blamed someone else, I could ignore the guilt. I thought if I made Aries the reason, I could pretend it was not my fault."
Aries' face softened, but only a little. "You hurt me, Keifer."
Keifer swallowed. "I know."
Percy stepped closer. "We all hurt each other."
Aries looked down, his voice quiet. "And I was always rude to you, Keifer. I hated you for what happened."
Keifer's eyes softened. "I hated you too."
Aries looked up. "I know."
For the first time, there was a real silence — not the uncomfortable one, but the peaceful one.
A silence where the truth was finally being spoken.
Percy wiped his eyes quickly, embarrassed.
"I thought I was dead," he said, voice breaking. "When I woke up, I was in the hospital. I couldn't tell anyone. I didn't know where you guys were. I thought… you didn't find me , or you didn't try to find me, and left me , I thought you hated me."
Aries' eyes widened. "You thought we hated you?"
Percy nodded, tears slipping. "I didn't know what to do. I didn't have a phone. I couldn't contact anyone. And when I finally came back… everything was already broken."
Keifer's eyes filled with tears." We really tried very hard to find you percy"
Percy let the tear fall out" I didn't know, I thought you just trying to cover your mistakes"
Keifer wiped his tears" we didn't find you after soo many attempts"
Aries looked at him and his voice softened, "I thought you were dead too."
Keifer's face twisted in pain. "I thought the same about you."
Percy looked at them both. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I disappeared. I'm sorry I didn't come back sooner. I'm sorry I didn't tell you anything."
Aries shook his head slowly. "You were suffering too."
Keifer nodded. "We all were."
A heavy silence fell again.
Then Keifer stood up and walked to the window, staring at the dark night outside.
"I forgive you," he said quietly, without turning around.
Aries stared at him. "What?"
Keifer finally turned, eyes red. "I forgive you, Aries. For everything. For being angry. For blaming me. For being rude."
Aries' voice cracked. "Keifer…"
Keifer continued, "And Percy… I forgive you too. For leaving."
Percy's face crumpled. "Thank you."
Aries walked closer, standing beside Keifer.
"I forgive you too," Aries whispered.
Keifer looked at him, shocked.
Aries continued, "You were always the one who kept us together. Even after everything, you still tried. You never gave up."
Keifer's eyes softened. "I didn't know you still cared."
Aries shook his head. "I always did."
Percy stepped forward and wrapped both of them in a tight hug.
The three boys stood together in the living room, holding each other like they were trying to regain the years they lost.
They were silent for a moment.
Then Percy whispered, "I wish Yuri was here."
Keifer closed his eyes, swallowing hard. "Me too."
Aries nodded. "But he chose his path. He harassed Jay. We did the right thing."
Percy sighed. "Still… it hurts."
Keifer looked at both of them. "We can't change what happened."
Aries nodded. "But we can choose what happens now."
Keifer's voice grew stronger. "We're together again."
Percy smiled through his tears. "Yes. We are."
Aries leaned back, a small smile forming on his face for the first time in years. "So… what now?"
Keifer looked at them and smiled softly.
"Now we fix everything."
Percy laughed quietly. "Including the wedding."
Aries smirked. "Yeah. Let's do it."
And for the first time in a long time, the three of them felt something they thought they lost forever.
Hope.
And jay standing at the stairs, looking at them, smiling to herself,
She never saw the starting of their friendship but this is a new start of their friendship,
And she loved looking them like that