✧ Jay ✧
Something feels off.
I don't know what it is.
But I feel it—
the moment I walk in.
The air.
The silence.
Too still.
Too… heavy.
"…Why is it so quiet?" I ask, looking around.
No one answers immediately.
MJ and Kavin exchange a look.
Thyme leans back, unusually serious.
Gorya is watching me—
carefully.
My chest tightens.
"…What happened?"
Still—
no one answers.
And that's when I know.
Something did.
"Jay."
I freeze.
That voice—
No.
Slowly—
too slowly—
I turn around.
And there—
standing near the entrance—
Keifer.
For a second—
I forget how to breathe.
He looks the same.
And not at all.
Still sharp.
Still composed.
Still—
him.
But something is different.
Quieter.
Like the storm in him isn't on the surface anymore.
"…You're back," Thyme says, breaking the silence.
Keifer nods once.
His eyes don't move.
They're on me.
Only me.
My heart starts beating faster.
Too fast.
I hate that.
"…What are you doing here?" I ask.
My voice comes out steady.
Good.
I don't move.
Don't step closer.
Don't give him anything.
But inside—
everything is moving.
"I came to talk," he says.
Simple.
Direct.
Like always.
I let out a small breath.
"We don't have anything to talk about."
Lie.
He knows it.
I know it.
Everyone here knows it.
But I say it anyway.
Because it's easier.
Because if I admit otherwise—
everything breaks.
A small pause.
Then—
"I think we do."
My fingers curl slightly.
Of course he does.
Of course he came all this way—
thinking he can just say something and fix everything.
My chest tightens again.
"…About what?" I ask.
"About what you saw."
The photos.
Of course.
I let out a quiet laugh.
"There's nothing to talk about," I say.
"It was clear enough."
His jaw tightens slightly.
"It's not what it looked like."
I look at him.
Really look at him.
And for a second—
I almost believe him.
That's the worst part.
Because I don't want to.
"Then what was it?" I ask.
He doesn't hesitate.
"A setup."
Silence.
I blink.
"…Excuse me?"
"Keigan arranged it," he says calmly.
"The media. The positioning. Everything."
My brows pull together.
"That doesn't explain your hand on her waist."
A pause.
Then—
"I didn't realize how it looked."
That—
makes me scoff.
"You didn't realize?"
"No."
"That's your explanation?"
"I'm not asking you to believe me immediately," he says.
Calm.
Too calm.
"I'm telling you the truth."
Something in my chest twists.
Because he's not yelling.
Not defensive.
Just…
steady.
And I don't know what to do with that.
"…Why should I believe you?" I ask quietly.
A pause.
Then—
"You shouldn't."
I freeze.
He exhales slowly.
"Not right away."
His voice drops slightly.
"But don't decide based on something that wasn't real."
Silence.
Heavy.
Confusing.
And then—
"Jay."
Ren.
I almost forgot he was there.
I turn slightly.
He's standing a little closer now.
Not in front of me.
Not blocking.
Just—
there.
Like always.
"Do you want to step outside?" he asks gently.
My chest tightens again.
Because he's not interfering.
Not challenging Keifer.
Just—
protecting me.
And suddenly—
I feel torn in two directions.
"I'm fine," I say quickly.
But my voice isn't as steady this time.
Ren notices.
Of course he does.
But he doesn't push.
He just nods.
"Okay."
Always okay.
I turn back to Keifer.
"…Why now?" I ask.
"You think I'd stay there after that?"
His voice is sharper now.
Not angry—
but real.
"I came back because I needed to fix it."
Fix it.
Fix us?
The thought slips in—
uninvited.
I shake it off.
"There's nothing to fix," I say.
Another lie.
And this one hurts more.
Because this time—
I don't believe myself.
Keifer takes a small step forward.
Not aggressive.
Just enough to close the distance slightly.
"You're lying."
My breath catches.
"I'm not."
"You are."
His voice is low.
Controlled.
"You wouldn't react like this if it didn't matter."
That hits.
Hard.
My fingers tighten.
"…You don't get to say that."
"I do," he says.
"Because I know you."
"No," I shake my head.
"You knew me."
Silence.
For a second—
something flickers in his eyes.
Not anger.
Something else.
Regret.
"…Then let me know you again."
The words are quiet.
But they land louder than anything else.
My chest tightens.
Because that—
that's not the Keifer I remember.
The old him would've argued.
Pushed.
Forced.
But this—
This is different.
And I don't know if that makes it better—
or worse.
"…It's too late," I whisper.
Another lie.
And this one—
he doesn't call out.
He just looks at me.
Like he knows.
Like he understands.
And somehow—
that makes it harder to breathe.
Behind me—
I feel Ren's presence.
Steady.
Unmoving.
And for the first time—
I realize—
I'm standing between two worlds.
One that feels safe.
And one I never really left.
And I don't know which one I belong to.
✨ END OF CHAPTER