Got it — fixing it properly:
✔
CHAPTER 50 — THE SONG THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
Morning came too fast.
—
Jae didn't even remember falling asleep.
Her notebook was still open on the desk.
Pen in her hand.
Head resting against her arm.
—
Min-jae knocked once.
No response.
—
He opened the door slightly.
"…You alive?"
—
Nothing.
—
He stepped in, took one look at her, and sighed.
"…Of course."
—
He walked over, tapping the desk lightly.
"Hey. Songwriter."
—
She woke up abruptly.
Blinking.
"…What time is it?"
"Late enough that you definitely didn't sleep properly."
—
She sat up, immediately looking at the notebook.
The song.
Still there.
Real.
—
Her fingers brushed over the page.
A small smile.
"…I actually like it."
—
Min-jae raised an eyebrow.
"That's rare."
"Shut up."
"I'm serious."
—
She didn't argue.
Because it was true.
—
"I'm finishing it today," she said, standing up.
"No breaks?"
"No."
"Food?"
"…We'll see."
—
He shook his head.
"Unbelievable."
—
But he smiled.
—
—
Across the city—
Aries grabbed his bag.
Angelo checked his watch.
"We're going to be late."
"You've said that five times."
"And you still aren't faster."
—
The door opened.
Jae walked in.
"Let's go."
—
They both paused.
—
"…You're dropping us?" Aries asked.
"Yes."
"Since when are you nice?"
"Don't get used to it."
—
Angelo laughed.
"I like this version of her."
"I don't," Aries muttered.
—
—
At the airport—
It wasn't emotional.
Not in the obvious way.
—
Just quiet.
—
Jae leaned against the car.
Watching them.
—
"Don't do anything stupid," Angelo said.
"No promises."
—
Aries looked at her.
"…Send the song."
"Maybe."
"You will."
—
She didn't deny it.
—
Angelo added—
"And next time—bring us back longer."
—
Jae smirked slightly.
"Only if you bring Tita Gema."
—
Both of them froze.
—
"…You just said that," Aries said.
"What?"
"That."
—
She shrugged.
"Don't make it weird."
—
Angelo laughed.
"Noted."
—
Aries smiled slightly.
"…We will."
—
A pause.
—
"…Go," she said. "Before I change my mind."
—
They left.
—
And this time—
it didn't feel like losing something.
—
—
A week later—
The song dropped.
—
No warning.
No buildup.
—
Just—
posted.
—
And it blew up.
—
Comments flooded.
Shares everywhere.
—
"THIS IS HER BEST SONG."
"WHY DOES THIS FEEL SO DIFFERENT??"
"IT'S HAPPY BUT IT HURTS???"
—
Section E went crazy.
—
Min-jae walked in, holding his phone.
"…You've officially lost control of the internet."
Jae didn't look up.
"Good."
—
She checked her phone.
Numbers rising.
—
But she didn't feel overwhelmed.
(A/N:orginally what it sounds like form k pop demon hunters)
This is what it sounds like
Why did I cover up the colors stuck inside my head?
The light instead
I'll find your harmony
The song I couldn't write, this is what it sounds likeWe're shattering the silence, we're rising, defiant
Shouting in the quiet, "You're not alone"
We listened to the demons, we let them get between us
But none of us are out here on our ownSo we were cowards, so we were liars
So we're not heroes, we're still survivors
The dreamers, the fighters, no lying, I'm tired
But dive in the fire, and I'll be right here by your sideWe broke into a million pieces, and we can't go back
But now I'm seeing all the beauty in the broken glass
The scars are part of me, darkness and harmony
My voice without the lies, this is what it sounds like (ah)Why did we cover up the colors stuck inside our head?
Get up and let the jagged edges meet the light instead
Show me what's underneath, I'll find your harmony (ah)
Fearless and undefined, this is what it sounds likeThis is what it sounds like
Hey! (Oh-oh), hey! (Oh)
This is what it sounds like
Hey! (Oh-oh), hey! (Oh)
This is what it sounds like
Hey! (Oh-oh), hey! (Oh)
This is what it (sounds like), this is what it
This is what it sounds likeWe broke into a million pieces, and we can't go back
But now I'm seeing all the beauty in the broken glass
The scars are part of me, darkness and harmony
My voice without the lies, this is what it sounds likeWhy did we cover up the colors stuck inside our head?
Get up and let the jagged edges meet the light instead
Show me what's underneath, I'll find your harmony
Fearless and undefined, this is what it sounds likeMy voice without the lies, this is what it sounds like
Fearless and undefined, this is what it sounds like
Truth after all this time, our voices all combined
When darkness meets the light, this is what it sounds like
—
Just… calm.
—
—
In Manila—
Aries paused mid-scroll.
"…Angelo."
"What?"
"…Listen."
—
A few seconds in—
Angelo went quiet.
—
"…It's hers."
"Yeah."
—
No doubt.
—
Because it sounded like her—
but lighter.
—
"…She's okay," Aries said quietly.
—
—
Back home—
Jae's phone lit up.
Keifer calling.
—
She answered.
"…Hi."
—
"…You dropped a song and didn't tell me?" he said.
—
She smiled slightly.
"You found it anyway."
"Obviously."
—
Pause.
—
"…It's really good."
—
Her chest tightened slightly.
"…Thanks."
—
"It sounds like you."
"…It is me."
—
Silence.
But not awkward.
—
Something steady.
—
—
That night—
Everything was quiet.
—
Jae sat on the floor.
Back against her bed.
—
Her song playing softly.
—
But her eyes—
were filled with tears.
—
Not loud.
Not dramatic.
—
Just quiet.
—
The door opened.
Min-jae walked in.
—
He stopped when he saw her.
—
"…Hey."
—
She didn't look at him.
"…Hi."
—
He walked over.
Sat beside her.
—
"…You okay?"
—
She laughed softly.
But it broke.
"…Yeah."
—
He didn't believe it.
—
"…Jae."
—
Silence.
—
Her fingers tightened slightly.
—
"…We need to talk."
—
That—
that changed something.
—
Min-jae went still.
But didn't interrupt.
—
She took a breath.
"…I think… we've been pretending."
—
His jaw tightened slightly.
"…About what?"
—
She looked at him now.
Finally.
—
"…Us."
—
Silence.
—
"I care about you," she continued. "A lot."
—
He nodded slowly.
"I know."
—
"But it doesn't feel…" she paused.
"…right anymore."
—
There it was.
—
Not anger.
Not blame.
—
Just truth.
—
Min-jae looked down.
Hands clasped together.
—
"…Since when?"
—
She swallowed.
"…I don't know."
Pause.
"…Maybe for a while."
—
That hurt.
But he didn't show it fully.
—
"…And you're telling me now?"
—
Her voice softened.
"I didn't want to lose you."
—
That hit.
—
"…You won't," he said immediately.
—
She blinked.
—
"I'm not going anywhere," he added.
—
Her eyes filled again.
"…Even if we—"
—
"Break up?" he finished.
—
She nodded slowly.
—
Silence.
—
Then—
he exhaled.
Leaned back slightly.
—
"…Okay."
—
She froze.
"…Okay?"
—
He looked at her.
A small, sad smile.
—
"Yeah."
—
That almost hurt more.
—
"No fighting?" she asked quietly.
—
He shook his head.
"What's the point?"
—
Silence.
—
"I'd rather have you as my best friend," he said.
"…than lose you completely."
—
Her tears fell again.
—
"…You're too good."
—
He laughed lightly.
"…Don't make it emotional."
—
"It already is."
—
A pause.
—
Then—
he held his hand out.
—
"…Best friends?"
—
She looked at it.
Then at him.
—
And slowly—
she took it.
—
"…Always."
—
They didn't hug immediately.
Didn't rush it.
—
Just sat there.
Hands still loosely held.
—
Letting it settle.
—
Bittersweet.
But not broken.
—
Because nothing ended completely.
—
It just changed.
—
After a moment—
Min-jae stood up.
"…I'm still sleeping on the bed."
—
She laughed through her tears.
"Absolutely not."
—
"Wow. Break up and suddenly I lose rights?"
"Yes."
"Unfair."
"Deal with it."
—
He smirked slightly.
"…You're still annoying."
—
"You love me."
—
"…Yeah," he said.
"…I do."
—
And that?
Didn't change.
—
Not in the way that mattered.
—
Later—
Jae sat alone again.
—
Her phone in her hand.
—
A message open.
From Keifer.
—
She stared at it for a second.
—
Then smiled slightly.
—
Because for the first time—
everything was clear.
—
Not easy.
Not perfect.
—
But clear.
—
And that was enough
Manila felt louder than usual.
Or maybe—
Keifer just hadn't felt this quiet in a long time.
—
He was lying on his bed, one arm behind his head, phone in the other.
Scrolling without really looking.
Nothing sticking.
Nothing holding his attention.
—
Until—
he saw it.
—
A post.
Shared again.
And again.
And again.
—
Her name.
—
He sat up instantly.
"…No way."
—
He clicked it.
—
The song started playing.
—
At first—
he didn't move.
Didn't react.
Just listened.
—
Then—
his expression changed.
Slowly.
—
Because it didn't sound like before.
—
It wasn't heavy.
Wasn't sharp.
Wasn't breaking apart at the edges.
—
It was—
lighter.
But not fake.
Not forced.
—
It still had her in it.
Every line.
Every pause.
Every word that felt like it meant more than it said.
—
"…Jae."
He said it under his breath.
—
A small smile appeared.
Without him realizing.
—
"She actually—"
He stopped.
Shook his head slightly.
—
"She sounds okay."
—
And that?
That mattered more than anything else.
—
He replayed it.
Again.
Then again.
—
By the third time—
he wasn't analyzing it anymore.
—
He was just listening.
—
Because it felt…
good.
—
Different.
But good.
—
His phone buzzed.
Messages flooding in.
—
"BRO HAVE YOU HEARD THIS??"
"THIS IS HER BEST ONE."
"ISN'T THIS YOUR—"
—
He muted the chat.
—
Didn't want noise.
Didn't want opinions.
—
Just—
this moment.
—
Then—
his phone rang.
—
He looked at the screen.
—
Jae calling.
—
For a second—
he just stared.
—
Then—
he answered immediately.
"…Hey."
—
There was a small pause.
Then her voice.
"…Hi."
—
And something about that—
simple.
Soft.
—
It made his chest feel lighter.
—
"…You dropped a song and didn't tell me?" he said.
—
He could hear her smile.
"You found it anyway."
—
"Obviously."
—
A pause.
—
He leaned back slightly.
Looking at the ceiling.
—
"…It's really good."
—
He didn't overthink it.
Didn't filter it.
—
Just said it.
—
Because it was true.
—
"…Thanks," she said.
—
"It sounds like you."
—
A softer pause.
—
"…It is me."
—
That stayed.
—
Because he knew what that meant.
—
This wasn't a version of her.
Wasn't something she was trying to be.
—
It was just—
her.
—
And for the first time in a long time—
that didn't scare him.
—
It felt right.
—
They didn't talk long.
Didn't need to.
—
But when the call ended—
he didn't feel that usual drop.
That emptiness after.
—
Instead—
he just sat there.
Quiet.
—
A small smile still there.
—
"…She called me."
—
He said it out loud.
Like he needed to hear it.
—
Because it meant something.
—
Not everything.
Not yet.
—
But something.
—
Later that night—
The room was dark.
—
His phone lay beside him.
The song still in his head.
—
He closed his eyes.
—
And for some reason—
he felt it.
—
Not clearly.
Not something he could explain.
—
Just a feeling.
—
Like something was shifting.
—
Like things weren't stuck anymore.
—
Like whatever came next—
was going to be different.
—
Better.
—
"…Yeah," he murmured quietly.
—
For the first time in a long time—
his thoughts didn't spiral.
Didn't pull him back.
Didn't weigh him down.
—
They just…
settled.
—
And slowly—
without overthinking—
without holding onto anything—
—
Keifer fell asleep.
—
Not restless.
Not half-awake.
—
But deep.
—
Calm.
—
The kind of sleep that only comes when something inside you finally…
lets go.
—
And somewhere between that silence—
and that quiet sense of change—
—
everything started moving forward.
For real this time.
________________
A/N:
okayyyy… 😭
first of all — THIS chapter?? the growth?? the emotions?? the way things are finally starting to shift??? yeah… we're getting somewhere now.
and before anyone panics:
YES — jay and min are still best friends. nothing messy, nothing toxic. just… real. bittersweet but right.
BUT ALSO 👀
we are FINALLY stepping into the jayfer arc.
like ACTUAL jayfer.
no more crumbs. no more "maybe someday."
we're going there.
next chapter is coming TONIGHT — and trust me… things are about to change in ways you've been waiting for.
stay ready 💋