Chapter: A Name That Shouldn't Matter (Jay's POV)
I swear I was having a normal day.
Normal by Section E standards — which means loud, chaotic, and mildly illegal.
I walked into class and saw something unusual.
Keifer was quiet.
Suspiciously quiet.
And when Keifer is quiet, either the world is ending… or something interesting is happening.
Felix was whispering to Cin.
Yuri kept glancing at me.
Why are they acting like background characters in a drama?
"Why do you all look like you're hiding a crime?" I asked, dropping my bag.
Cin coughed. "Jayyyy… random question."
"I don't trust that tone."
"If your cousin's girlfriend was… connected to someone here… would you care?"
I blinked. "Connected how?"
Felix looked at Keifer.
Keifer immediately looked away.
Oh.
Oh?
Wait.
My brain started connecting dots.
"Her name is Ella," I said slowly.
Silence.
No one spoke.
Yuri scratched his neck. "Yeah…"
My eyes slowly shifted to Keifer.
He still wasn't looking at me.
My chest did something weird.
"Why is everyone acting like that name is explosive?" I asked.
No one answered.
Then Mayo, the traitor, said it.
"She used to date Keif."
Silence.
Dead silence.
Even the fans seemed to stop spinning.
My ears rang.
"…What?"
Felix whispered, "Ex. Long time ago."
Ex.
Keifer's.
Ex.
Ella.
Aries' girlfriend.
My cousin's girlfriend.
Is his ex.
What kind of twisted family drama is this?
I looked at Keifer.
He finally looked at me.
Calm.
Too calm.
"It was nothing," he said casually. "Old story."
Old story.
Why does that bother me?
Why do I suddenly feel like someone punched my stomach?
Why do I care?
I don't care.
I shouldn't care.
He's annoying.
He's arrogant.
He asked me that stupid question on the first day.
So why does the word "ex" feel so loud in my head?
Felix tried to lighten the mood. "It lasted like what, Keif? A few months?"
Keifer shrugged. "Didn't work out."
Didn't work out.
That's it?
That's all?
No drama?
No emotion?
I crossed my arms. "Why are you all looking at me like I'll explode?"
Cin raised his hands. "You look like you might."
"I'm not."
"You're clenching your jaw."
I relaxed it immediately. "I am not jealous."
No one even said the word jealous.
Why did I say that?
Keifer's eyes flickered slightly.
Jealous?
Why would I be jealous?
It's not like—
It's not like I care who he dated.
It's not like I imagined punching Ella for no reason just now.
It's not like I suddenly hate the name.
Wait.
Do I hate the name?
No.
Ella is fine.
She's probably nice.
She makes Aries happy.
That's good.
That's… good.
So why does it feel uncomfortable knowing Keifer once looked at her the way he sometimes looks at—
No.
Stop.
Illegal thought.
Delete.
"Does Aries know?" I asked quietly.
Keifer nodded once. "Yeah."
"And you're okay with it?"
His jaw tightened slightly this time.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
That wasn't an answer.
I don't know why… but something about that bothered me too.
I grabbed my bag.
"I need water."
I don't.
But I needed air.
As I walked out, I heard Yuri whisper, "She's jealous."
Felix replied, "Hard."
I almost turned back to throw a chair at them.
I am not jealous.
I just—
I just don't like… overlaps.
Yes.
Overlaps are annoying.
That's all.
When I came back, Keifer was staring at his desk.
I stopped near his seat.
He looked up slowly.
"What?" he asked.
"Nothing."
Silence.
Then I said it.
"So… you liked her?"
Why did I ask that?
He studied my face carefully.
"For a while."
That small sentence hurt more than it should.
I nodded casually. "Oh."
Oh?
That's all I can say?
Oh?
He leaned back slightly.
"Why?"
I scoffed. "Why what?"
"Why does it matter?"
"It doesn't."
"You sure?"
I met his eyes.
Too close.
Too intense.
"I don't care about your past, Keifer."
He didn't break eye contact.
"But you're thinking about it."
My heart beat faster.
"No, I'm not."
He tilted his head slightly.
"You're jealous."
"I'm not."
"Then why did your voice drop?"
I froze.
He noticed that?
I stepped back immediately.
"You're delusional."
I turned to leave.
But before I could—
He said quietly,
"It was different."
I stopped.
Different?
"What do you mean?" I asked without turning.
He paused.
Then said calmly,
"You're different."
My heart betrayed me again.
I didn't turn around.
I didn't respond.
I just walked back to my seat.
But the whole time—
My chest felt heavy.
Why did it bother me knowing he once liked her?
Why did I imagine them together and hate it?
Why do I suddenly want to know everything about that relationship?
And why…
Why do I feel like I'm losing something I never even had?
This is stupid.
I don't like him.
He's my enemy.
But if he smiles at Ella the way he used to—
I don't know why…
But I think I'll hate it.
And that scares me more than anything.