Jay Jay's pov
I was outside Drew's house.
Yuri said he was going to do some important work and left me there like it was no big deal. I stood by the curb, checking my phone again and again, waiting for a cab that refused to show up.
Then a car parked right in front of me.
The door opened.
Keifer stepped out.
His eyes were red burning with anger. Not the loud kind. The dangerous, quiet kind. He walked toward me, every step making my chest tighten.
"Hop in."
I frowned, already annoyed. "Keifer, wait, I—"
"I said hop in."
I straightened, ready to argue, ready to defend myself. "I'm not going anyw—"
He stepped closer, close enough that I could smell his cologne, close enough that I had to look up at him.
"Don't make me repeat myself," he said quietly. "You're not staying here."
Something in his voice told me this wasn't about control. It was about fear wrapped in anger. I swallowed whatever comeback I had prepared.
I just opened the door and got inside.
The car door closed with a heavy thud, sealing the silence between us. Keifer got in next, started the engine, and drove off without a word.
But I could feel it.
Keifer's grip on the steering wheel was so tight his knuckles turned white. I knew that look. He was holding back holding back his anger, his words, maybe even himself.
The silence inside the car felt heavier than shouting ever could. The only sound was the engine and my own breathing, slow and careful, like one wrong move might set him off.
I stared out the window, pretending not to notice, but my chest felt tight. I had never seen him like this before not this controlled.
I wanted to say something. Anything.
But the silence felt deliberate like a wall he had built, brick by brick, to keep his anger contained.
Streetlights passed one by one, casting brief shadows across his face. Every time, I caught a glimpse of how tense he was. Jaw clenched. Eyes forward. Guard up.
When we reached near my house, Keifer stopped the car a little far from the gate. He didn't say a word.
I didn't dare to speak either.
Minutes passed in heavy silence.
Then he opened his side door and stepped out.
I did the same.
He walked toward me, stopping just inches away.
"Why?" he asked.
I knew exactly what he meant, but I didn't answer.
"Why, Jay? Why are you doing this?" His voice cracked not loud yet, but sharp.
I opened my mouth, then closed it. Tried again.
"Kei...fer, I just—"
"You just what, Jay?" he snapped, anger rising fast.
"Keifer, please calm down. Listen to me," I said, my voice trembling.
"I am listening," he replied.
"I... I just wanted to hear his side," I whispered. "I wanted to hear his explanation."
"That damn fucking explanation?" he scoffed, then slammed his hand against the car. "Huh?"
I flinched.
So now explanations were disgusting to him. I could see it his anger was taking over again, swallowing everything else.
"So now explanations are fucking things for you, huh?" I shot back.
"Jay, I didn't—"
"Don't you dare," I cut him off, tears streaming down my cheeks. "And you know what? I already made a huge mistake once giving people like you a chance to explain."
"Jay, please—" he tried.
But I didn't let him finish.
"Just go away," I said through my tears. "Let your anger possess you again and break your promise. Again."
"Jay, plea—"
I turned away before he could finish.
The moment I stepped inside, I knew it wasn't over.
If anything, it was just beginning.
Because
I was going to get scolded by Angelo too.
I wiped my tears quickly, forcing myself to breathe like everything was fine, like my chest didn't feel like it was collapsing in on itself. I reached for the door handle, straightened my shoulders, and opened the main door.
And there he was.
Angelo stood in the living room, arms crossed, expression dark and unreadable. He didn't need to say anything. The look on his face already told me everything.
His eyes were stormy dark and furious, the kind of anger that could scare anyone without a single shout.
"Come here," he said.
I obeyed.
"Where were you?"
"Kuya..." I tried to sound normal, tried way too hard. "I told you earlier. I was with Ci-n."
He didn't blink.
"Don't lie." His voice was cold. Ice-cold.
My heart skipped. "Why would I lie, kuya? I was with him. I told you we were going for ice cream."
"Jay," he said slowly, every word deliberate, "tell. me. the truth."
"I am saying the tru—"
The newspaper in his hand slammed hard against the coffee table.
The sound echoed through the room, making me flinch.
"Jay, don't lie," he said, anger finally bleeding through. "And tell me where you were. I talked to Ci-n hours ago."
My breath caught.
"He said you were not with him."
The room went silent.
My mouth opened, but no words came out this time. My hands trembled at my sides, and suddenly the weight of everything Keifer, Drew, the fight, the tears crashed down all at once.
Angelo stepped closer.
"So," he said quietly, dangerously calm,
"where were you, Jay?"
"I was..." My voice came out small. "I was at Drew's house."
This time, his hand slammed hard against the coffee table. The sound echoed through the room. His anger raw and uncontrollable was just like Keifer's.
"You told me you were with Ci-n," he shouted. "You didn't pick up my calls, and now you're telling me you were in that betrayer's house. Alone?"
Tears spilled down my cheeks before I could stop them.
"SAY SOMETHING!" he yelled again.
"I... I I wasn't alone," I whispered.
His eyes darkened. "Then with which fucker were you?"
"Yu... Yuri."
The moment his name left my mouth, Angelo completely snapped.
"Damn it, Jay! Do you even know how much danger you're putting yourself in?" he yelled. "And out of everyone, you were with him? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? There are so many people after Yuri!"
My whole body started trembling. I couldn't even feel my fingers anymore.
That's when I noticed Sir Alvin and Ma'am Cindy standing nearby. Ma'am Cindy rushed closer, her face full of worry.
"Angelo," she said gently, "that's enough. Let her go. She's literally trembling."
"She needs to be responsible," Angelo shot back. "I do everything for her safety, and what does she do? She puts her life in even more danger!"
"Kuya..." I tried. "I j-ju—"
"Jay," he cut me off sharply, "don't make me lose control. Go to your room."
My legs felt weak as I tried to move.
"NOW!" he shouted.
I flinched.
Then I turned and hurried toward my room as fast as my shaking body would allow, my chest tight, my vision blurred with tears
knowing I wasn't just scared anymore.
I was broken.
The moment I stepped into my room, I shut the door and locked it.
My legs gave out.
I collapsed onto the floor, my body trembling, hands shaking, tears streaming down my face as sobs tore out of me. I couldn't breathe properly. Every sound from outside felt too loud, too close, too much.
I cried harder than I meant to burying my face in my knees like that could make everything disappear.
Then my phone started buzzing.
Once.
Twice.
Again and again.
The sound wouldn't stop.
Annoyed and overwhelmed, I dragged my bag closer, opened it with shaking fingers, and pulled my phone out.
The screen lit up.
From King-Bingi:
27 missed calls
33 unread messages
My chest tightened.
Frustration flooded through me, mixing with the pain until I couldn't tell them apart anymore. I didn't have the strength to read a single word.
I tossed the phone onto the bed like it burned.
After some time, the door creaked open.
Without looking up, he started talking.
"Jay, you went to—"
He stopped.
I felt it before I saw it—the silence, the shift. His words died the moment his eyes landed on me curled up on the floor, shaking, completely broken.
"So now you'll yell at me too, right?" I said through my tears, my voice cracking. "Just say it. I'm used to it now."
In a second, he was beside me.
"No," he said quickly, dropping down and pulling me into his arms. "Hey... hey, Jay. Calm down. I'm not mad."
The moment he hugged me, something inside me snapped.
I clutched his shirt tightly and cried harder, sobs ripping out of my chest like I had been holding them back for far too long. My whole body shook as I pressed my face against him, finally letting myself fall apart.
"It's okay," he whispered, one hand rubbing my back, the other holding me steady. "You're safe. I've got you."
I didn't answer.
I just held on tighter and cried
because for the first time that night,
someone wasn't asking me to explain.
After a while, my sobbing slowly calmed down. My fingers were still clutching his shirt, like letting go would make everything come crashing back again.
"Aries," I whispered.
"Hmm?"
"Why can't I stay happy?" My voice trembled. "Don't I deserve it? Does the universe hate me that much?"
"That's not like that," he said softly.
I swallowed hard. "Do you know what... I should just die.i—"
The words got stuck in my throat. I couldn't finish.
He immediately tightened his hold on me.
"Hey. Don't. Don't say things like that," he said firmly but gently. "You don't deserve to disappear. You deserve happiness. You deserve to live."
Tears welled up again. "Then why can't I stay happy, Aries? Why?"
He rested his forehead against mine.
"Hey... it's okay," he whispered. "You will be happy too. This pain isn't permanent. I promise."
I didn't say anything after that.
I just stayed there, holding on, letting his presence steady my breathing.
After some time, Aries spoke again, his voice calm and reassuring.
"Enough for tonight. You need rest. Come on lie down."
He helped me up gently, like I might break if he moved too fast, and guided me to the bed. He tucked the blanket around me carefully, making sure I was warm.
Just as he was about to stand up, I reached out and caught his wrist.
"Please... stay."
He didn't argue.
He sat back down, placing my head gently on his lap, his fingers moving slowly through my hair soft, steady, comforting.
My eyelids grew heavy.
For the first time that night, my thoughts quieted.
And wrapped in that small moment of safety,
I finally fell asleep.