— NOTHING LEFT UNSAID
The Fernandez mansion didn't sleep that night.
It just… slowed down.
—
After the hug.
After the tears.
After the shock softened into something real—
everything settled.
—
Jae stood in the hallway for a second longer than needed.
Taking it in.
The walls.
The air.
The feeling.
—
It wasn't unfamiliar.
But it wasn't the same either.
—
Because she wasn't the same.
—
"…You're doing that thing again."
—
She turned.
Keifer.
Leaning against the wall, watching her like he already knew.
—
"What thing?"
—
"Freezing in a moment."
—
"I'm not freezing."
—
"…You are."
—
She rolled her eyes.
"I'm just processing."
—
He stepped closer.
—
"…Good or bad?"
—
She looked at him.
—
"…Good."
—
That was enough.
—
"…Come on," he said softly. "You're missing everything."
—
—
And she was.
—
Because the moment she walked back into the living room—
—
"THERE SHE IS—"
—
Percy pointed at her like she had personally offended him.
—
"YOU DISAPPEAR AND COME BACK LIKE NOTHING—"
—
"I went outside."
—
"WITHOUT PERMISSION—"
—
"Why would I need permission—"
—
"BECAUSE THIS IS IMPORTANT—"
—
"Shut up," Yuri cut in.
—
Laughter.
—
Ci-N was already in front of her again.
"You're staying, right?"
—
"…Yes."
—
"For how long?"
—
"A while."
—
He nodded like that solved everything.
"Good."
—
Felix leaned back.
"This still feels fake."
—
Eman nodded.
"Yeah, like she's gonna vanish."
—
"I'm not disappearing."
—
Blaster pointed.
"You said that last time."
—
"…Okay fair."
—
More laughter.
—
And just like that—
everything felt normal again.
—
—
Jae sat on the floor.
Back against the couch.
—
Keifer sat beside her.
—
Not too close.
Not far either.
—
Just there.
—
"…You regret coming?" he asked quietly.
—
She shook her head immediately.
—
"…Not even a little."
—
He smiled slightly.
—
"Good."
—
A pause.
—
"…You?"
—
He looked at her.
—
"…I would've if you didn't."
—
That stayed.
—
"…Good thing I did then."
—
"…Yeah."
—
—
Time passed.
Noise. Music. Chaos.
Percy yelling about nothing.
Angelo shutting him down.
Aries watching everything quietly.
—
Jae noticed all of it.
—
But for once—
she wasn't overwhelmed.
—
She was just… in it.
—
—
Later—
The house calmed slightly.
—
People still talking.
But softer now.
—
Jae stepped out onto the balcony again.
—
The air felt lighter.
—
A few seconds later—
—
"…You're predictable."
—
She didn't turn.
—
"You followed me."
—
"Obviously."
—
Keifer stood beside her.
—
This time—
closer.
—
No space left.
—
"…So," he said. "Tour."
—
She nodded.
—
"Yeah."
—
"When?"
—
"Soon."
—
"…Nervous?"
—
She thought for a second.
—
"…No."
—
He raised an eyebrow.
—
"…Not at all?"
—
She shook her head.
—
"…I think I'm ready."
—
He looked at her.
—
"…You are."
—
Simple.
Certain.
—
And that made it real.
—
—
Silence settled.
—
Then—
—
"…I meant it."
—
She looked at him.
—
"…What?"
—
"…I love you."
—
Her expression softened.
—
"…I know."
—
A small smile.
—
"…Say it again."
—
"…Seriously?"
—
"Yeah."
—
He looked at her—
then said it again.
—
"…I love you."
—
This time—
it hit deeper.
—
"…I love you too."
—
No hesitation.
—
—
A pause.
—
Then—
her expression shifted slightly.
Not heavy.
But thoughtful.
—
"…I need to tell them something."
—
He looked at her.
—
"…Who?"
—
"Kuya Angelo… Aries… Tita Gema."
—
He nodded.
—
"…What about?"
—
She leaned back against the railing.
—
"…Everything I didn't say before."
—
A small pause.
—
"…The cancer."
"…The depression."
—
The words didn't shake this time.
—
They just… existed.
—
Keifer didn't interrupt.
—
"…When?" he asked quietly.
—
"…Tomorrow."
—
She exhaled slowly.
—
"…I don't want them to hear it from anyone else."
—
He nodded.
—
"…They should hear it from you."
—
She glanced at him.
—
"…Yeah."
—
A small pause.
—
"…You'll be okay?" he asked.
—
She thought about it.
—
Then nodded.
—
"…Yeah."
Pause.
"…I will."
—
And she meant it.
—
—
Inside—
Percy's voice echoed again.
—
"WHERE ARE THEY—"
—
Jae groaned.
—
"We should go back."
—
"Unfortunately."
—
—
Back inside—
—
"THERE YOU ARE—"
—
"SUSPICIOUS—"
—
"Shut up."
—
"NEVER."
—
Yuri threw something at Percy.
—
Peace restored.
—
—
Hours passed.
—
Eventually—
it was just them.
—
Aries.
Angelo.
Keifer.
Jae.
—
Sitting together.
—
No chaos now.
—
Just quiet.
—
"…You're staying," Aries said.
—
Not a question.
—
"…Yeah."
—
He nodded.
—
"Good."
—
Angelo leaned back.
—
"…Don't disappear again."
—
"…I won't."
—
This time—
no "maybe."
—
Just—
certainty.
—
—
Later—
Jae walked back to her room.
—
Sat on the bed.
—
Looked around.
—
Same space.
Different feeling.
—
Her phone buzzed.
—
The group chat.
—
Percy:
TODAY WAS INSANE
—
Felix:
STILL PROCESSING
—
Denzel:
BEST DAY
—
Ci-N:
SHE'S REAL CONFIRMED
—
She smiled.
—
you're all dramatic
—
Percy:
YOU LOVE US
—
She paused.
—
Then typed:
—
yeah.
—
Simple.
—
Real.
—
She placed her phone aside.
—
Laid back.
—
Staring at the ceiling.
—
No noise in her head.
No weight.
—
Just calm.
—
Because this time—
nothing was left hanging.
—
And tomorrow—
she would say the rest.
—
Not because she had to.
—
But because she was ready.
—
And that made all the difference.
Morning didn't feel calm.
Not like yesterday.
Not like the night before.
—
It wasn't chaos either.
—
It was…
anticipation.
—
Jae was awake early again.
Sitting on the edge of her bed.
Hands loosely clasped together.
—
Not shaking.
Not panicking.
—
Just thinking.
—
"…Okay."
—
She stood up.
—
No delaying.
No overthinking.
—
Because if she waited—
she knew she wouldn't do it.
—
—
Downstairs—
The house was quieter than usual.
—
Tita Gema was in the kitchen.
Humming softly.
—
Aries sat at the table, scrolling.
Angelo leaning back in his chair, half-focused on something on his phone.
—
Normal.
—
Jae stood there for a second.
Watching.
—
Then—
"…Can we talk?"
—
All three of them looked up.
—
Something in her voice—
made them pause.
—
"…Now?" Angelo asked.
—
"…Yeah."
—
Aries straightened slightly.
—
"…Okay."
—
Tita Gema wiped her hands.
"…What is it, anak?"
—
Jae didn't answer immediately.
—
She walked in.
Sat down.
—
And for the first time—
there was no distraction.
No noise.
—
Just them.
—
"…There's something I didn't tell you."
—
Silence.
—
Not tense.
But focused.
—
Angelo leaned forward slightly.
—
"…Go on."
—
Jae exhaled slowly.
—
"…When I left…"
Pause.
"…a lot happened."
—
They didn't interrupt.
—
Didn't rush her.
—
"…I got sick."
—
That made them freeze.
—
Aries' expression changed instantly.
—
"…Sick?" he repeated.
—
She nodded.
—
"…Cancer."
—
The word landed.
Heavy.
Still.
—
Tita Gema's hand moved to her mouth immediately.
—
"…No…"
—
Angelo went completely still.
—
Aries didn't even blink.
—
"…When?" he asked quietly.
—
"…A while ago."
—
Her voice stayed steady.
—
"I went through treatment."
Pause.
"…I got through it."
—
Silence.
—
Because they weren't reacting to the end of the sentence.
—
They were stuck on the beginning.
—
"You were alone?" Tita Gema's voice broke.
—
Jae looked at her.
—
"…Yeah."
—
That hurt.
More than anything else.
—
Aries stood up suddenly.
—
"…Why didn't you tell us?"
—
Not angry.
—
But hurt.
—
Jae met his eyes.
—
"…Because I didn't want you to see me like that."
—
"That's not your decision," he said immediately.
—
"I know."
—
A pause.
—
"But it was mine to make."
—
Silence.
—
Angelo finally spoke.
—
"…And you didn't think we deserved to know?"
—
That one—
was sharper.
—
Jae didn't flinch.
—
"…I thought you deserved to not worry."
—
"That's not how that works," he said.
—
"I know."
—
Another pause.
—
Then she continued.
—
"…It wasn't just that."
—
They looked at her again.
—
"…I wasn't okay."
—
Her voice dropped slightly.
—
"…Even after."
—
Tita Gema sat down slowly.
—
"…What do you mean?"
—
Jae looked down at her hands.
—
"…I was dealing with a lot."
Pause.
"…Mentally."
—
No details.
—
But enough.
—
"…Depression," she added quietly.
—
Silence again.
—
Different this time.
—
Not shock.
—
Understanding.
—
"…For how long?" Aries asked.
—
"…Long enough."
—
He clenched his jaw slightly.
—
Angelo looked away for a second.
—
Tita Gema's eyes filled.
—
"…And you went through all of that alone?"
—
Jae shook her head slightly.
—
"…Not completely."
Pause.
"…But not with you."
—
That hurt.
—
They didn't deny it.
—
Because they couldn't.
—
—
A long silence followed.
—
Not empty.
—
Just…
processing.
—
Then—
Tita Gema stood up.
—
Walked over.
—
And pulled Jae into a hug.
—
Tight.
—
"…Don't ever do that again."
—
Her voice was shaking.
—
"Don't ever go through something like that alone again."
—
Jae hugged her back.
—
"…I won't."
—
And this time—
it wasn't something she said just to comfort her.
—
She meant it.
—
—
Aries stepped closer.
—
Didn't say anything at first.
—
Just—
looked at her.
—
"…You're okay now?"
—
She nodded.
—
"…Yeah."
—
He exhaled.
—
Like he'd been holding that breath the entire time.
—
Then—
he pulled her into a hug too.
—
Not loose.
Not careful.
—
Tight.
—
Like he wasn't letting go easily.
—
"…Don't shut us out again."
—
"…I won't."
—
—
Angelo stayed where he was for a second.
—
Then walked over.
—
"…You're impossible."
—
She looked at him.
—
"…I know."
—
But there was no real frustration in his voice.
—
Just…
relief.
—
He pulled her into a hug too.
—
"…We should've been there."
—
She shook her head slightly.
—
"…You're here now."
—
That was enough.
—
—
They didn't say much after that.
—
Because there wasn't anything left to say.
—
Everything important—
was already out.
—
—
Later—
Jae stepped outside.
—
The air felt different again.
—
Lighter.
—
Not because the past disappeared.
—
But because it wasn't hidden anymore.
—
Footsteps behind her.
—
She didn't turn.
—
"…How'd it go?"
—
Keifer.
—
"…I told them."
—
A pause.
—
"…Everything?"
—
She nodded.
—
"…Yeah."
—
"…And?"
—
She smiled slightly.
—
"…They didn't leave."
—
He let out a quiet breath.
—
"…Of course they didn't."
—
She looked at him.
—
"…I know."
—
A small pause.
—
"…Thank you."
—
"For what?"
—
"…For being there when they weren't."
—
He didn't answer immediately.
—
Then—
"…I'm here now too."
—
That stayed.
—
"…I know."
—
—
They stood there.
—
No rush.
No pressure.
—
Just quiet.
—
And for the first time—
—
there was nothing left hidden.
—
Nothing left unsaid.
—
Just—
truth.
—
And people who stayed anyway.