JAY'S POV :
Classes let out early, so we decided to hit the mall. Me, Ci-n, Blaster, Denzel, Kit and Mayo marched out in front while the rest lagged behind. Tss. They're always slow.
We were halfway down the walkway when I saw him—a boy coming toward us. Younger than us. Wait—Keigan? Keigan, in his school uniform, storming straight ahead like he was on the way to war. His eyes were pure fire. He doesn't even study here. Then why is he here?
We froze. He kept walking, and without warning he swung and hit Blaster. Blaster went down.
"Blaster!" someone screamed from the back.
Denzel grabbed Keigan's arm.
"Keigan! What's wrong with you?!" I shouted.
He didn't even glance at me. Blaster scrambled up and swung back, but Keigan had him—easy, clean, like this was rehearsed. Blaster stung, but Keigan didn't stagger. He stood there, unmoved, expression a thing of stone.
"KEIGAN!" I shouted, again.
He gave me a deadly glare. I was stunned. He never saw me like that. It's as if he doesn't remember me at all
Keifer came running. Behind him the others followed, shouting. "KEIGAN!"
But Keigan didn't listen.
Then he kicked Blaster. I pressed my hand over my mouth and felt ice run through my veins. Blaster writhed, gasping. Keifer didn't move toward him; he only stared at Keigan with that helpless look he gets when logic fails.
Kit and Eren rushed to pull Blaster away. Keigan lashed out at them too—sharp, frantic. This wasn't the Keigan I knew. He looked like he belonged to someone else.
"Keifer! Won't you stop him?!" I demanded.
"Jay, you don't know his problem. I can't help," Keifer said, voice flat.
I watched Keigan strike and remembered. Memory slid into place—files, whispered reports, secret hospital visits, his problem. Around us people were shouting Keigan's name, trying anything. Keigan fought everyone who came in his way.
"Yes, you can," I said, eyes locked on Keigan.
"Huh?" Keifer blinked.
"Go and hug him from behind. Pull him back," I said.
He hesitated, but then he did it. Keifer wrapped himself around Keigan and hauled. Keigan clawed, twisted, tried to free himself. Keifer went down but held on. They landed on the pavement in a tangle.
"Ku-kuya! Leave me!" Keigan shoved and kicked and sobbed-snarled at the same time.
I crouched in front of him.
"Keigan. Keigan. Look at me. Look in my eyes, Keigan. Breathe," I said, keeping my voice low, steady. His thrashing slowed a fraction. "Look at your ate. Breathe. Just breathe."
Through the thrumming noise in my ears, I thought: steady. Anchor him. Be the shore.
His eyes flicked up. He stared straight at me, and for a heartbeat there was nothing familiar there—only panic and rage. Then he spat,
"Fuck off, you bitch."
"KEIGAN!" Keifer tightened his hold.
I didn't answer the insult. I kept looking at him until something softened in his face. Finally I said, quietly,
"You are not Keigan."
"You are not the Keigan I know," I repeated, and I pointed at him as if naming him might bring him back.
"I am Keigan," he barked.
"No," I said, louder.
"The Keigan I know isn't like this. He's not a monster."
He went silent.
"He is Mir Keigan Watson. Son of Serina Watson. He is not like this." I said.
My words landed. His eyes went glassy. He started to cry.
"I—I'm sorry. It's not m-me. H-he made me d-do it. I'm so sorry," he stammered.
I cupped his face with both hands.
"No. Don't apologize. I know. I know you don't do this." I soothed him, rubbing his back, my palm warm against his trembling shoulders. He melted into me and sobbed harder.
Around us, Section E clustered—frowning, tense, but giving space. Keifer sat rigid beside us, breathing like someone who had been underwater and finally found air.
After a while Keigan's crying slowed to soft, shaky sobs.
"I'm…sorry," he whispered.
I pulled back enough to see him properly. His eyes were red, full of guilt. I kept my voice gentle but firm.
"You did not do it by yourself. You don't need to apologize to me. But you have to apologize to one person."
He looked up, searching the ring of faces until they parted and Blaster—still on the footpath, bandaged and being tended by Denzel—came into view. Keigan pushed himself up. I rose with him. Section E followed.
Blaster lifted his head, eyes flashing anger and disbelief. Keigan stopped in front of him, words trembling out of him.
"I—I'm sorry," he said. "I know what I did is not right. I shouldn't have reacted out of jealousy. When I found out she loves you… I'm sorry. Please tell my apologies to her too. I—I won't bother her anymore."
Blaster stared for a long beat, then slowly pushed himself up.
"We're sorry too," he said. "We should have told you sooner. When we realized we fell for each other, it was already—she was already with you. We tried to tell you many times but…I'm sorry. We're sorry."
Keigan's face changed. It hurt and it healed at once.
"I know what we did hurts you—" Blaster continued.
"It does hurt. But it's okay. I can't force her to love me. If I did, it wouldn't be love. I understand, bro. I'm sorry again." Keigan said.
Blaster's expression cracked; tears welled up. Then he pulled Keigan into a hug. Keigan froze a second, then returned it. I felt something in my chest unclench. I smiled even as tears pricked my own eyes.
Ci-n ruined the cinematic moment with perfect timing.
"Group hug!" He shouted, leaping into them, making everyone laugh.
One by one Section E closed in: jokes, shoved shoulders, sloppy affection. I hung back, watching, smiling. Keifer didn't move.
"Jay, come!" they teased.
I had no choice. I stepped in and wrapped my arms around them. Before I hugged back, I tugged Keifer into the circle. He hugged like he meant it, all rough warmth and quiet relief, and then he laughed—soft, reluctant.
We pulled apart and headed for a small food stall. We bought ice cream on the way; Keifer called it childish until I forced one into his hand. What? It's ice cream. Everyone melts for it.
At the food stall, we ate all we don't have another day. Keifer claimed he'd pay—show off. I pretended to be unimpressed, but I took it. He offered me extra food and drinks. Though he said he just wants to, his eyes said everything he wants to confess. Damn those eyes. It's a crime that he's so handsome. Ok. Don't go to that. Back to main topic.
All through the walk, Keigan and Blaster kept thanking me. I half-threatened to toss them off a roof, but they grinned and said, "What you did means more than our lives." Cheesy. I secretly liked it. The important thing was Keigan was okay. That's what mattered.
Later, we left. Somehow I ended up in Keifer's car. Keifer drove; I sat in the back with Keigan asleep in my lap. Keifer kept glancing up at me in the rearview. I pretended not to notice. Silence hung between us like waiting lightning until finally Keifer broke it.
"How do you know about Keigan's problem?" he asked.
I looked down at the boy curled against me, the soft rise and fall of his breath, and said.
"I have my ways."
He frowned.
"That's my line."
"Now it's mine," I said, grinning.
He tried not to smile. Then he got serious again.
"No one in Section E knows. Yuri doesn't know completely. Even Keigan himself doesn't fully know. Then—how?"
I didn't answer. Instead I watched Keigan sleep and thought about the small things that make people readable: the way they flinch at sudden touches, the scars you only see if you know where to look. I knew Keigan's records, his meds, the nights he'd woken trembling. I knew enough to help him.
"Yuri and Keigan know enough for me to figure it out," I said finally, and looked out at streetlights sliding by. "Our problems…they're similar, Keifer. So I guessed."
It wasn't the whole truth, but it was a half that kept things safe.
He didn't speak after that. We rode in quiet until we reached my place. Keifer stopped the car. I eased Keigan's head off my lap and swung my bag onto my shoulder. Keifer waited until I was nearly off the car, and then—without thinking or maybe with all the thinking in the world—he closed the distance and hugged me, forehead resting against my shoulder.
I froze. Then I melted into him.
"Thank you. Thanks a lot. Thank you so much," he whispered, voice thick, as if he couldn't find a right shape for gratitude.
"It's okay. I'm his ate, Keifer. I'm supposed to protect him," I said, rubbing his back like I meant it. And I did.
"No. You don't understand. What you did…it's so big to me. Thank you, Jay. Thank you for standing by my brother. Thanks for understanding him."
We stayed wrapped like that for a while, neither of us daring to pull away. When we did, we traded nervous glances—half apology, half confession.
"Thanks again, Jay," he said.
I smiled.
"Bye, Keifer."
I was turning away when he reached for my hand. Then he stepped close, kissed my forehead, and then backed off with a small, stunned smile.
"Thank you, Jay. For everything."
KEIFER'S POV :
I didn't plan it. I just did it—kissed her forehead, then got into the car like it was nothing. But it was everything. How does she know him so well? How did she see what I didn't? Even I didn't properly know my brother, how does she? Her answer cleared a few clouds but left me with a thousand questions I didn't want to ask. All that mattered then: Keigan was safe.
I was driving when someone suddenly spoke from behind.
"Do you like her?" Keigan asked.
I kept my eyes on the road and didn't answer.
"She's sweet. I like her," he continued. "I never liked your exes. They were gold diggers. But Jay…she's different. When I'm with her, I feel Mom's warmth."
My grip tightened on the wheel.
"Just tell, Kuya. She's the only person on earth I accept as my ate," Keigan said with a grin. "I saw you kissing her. You love her, right?"
Heat rose in my neck. I didn't say anything, but inside I was floating. I'm on cloud 9.
"She's a diamond Kuya. Don't miss her" he said.
He's right. She is a diamond—bright and rare, found in the mud but shining anyway. She understands us, protects us, loves us without asking for anything. She never judges. She never leaves.
I clenched my jaw.
I hate what I did—my plan, my cruelty. I thought making her fall then breaking her would prove something to myself. It was the stupidest thing I've ever done. It hurts to remember it. I thought I could control it, but love doesn't work like that. If I ever hurt her, I would be destroying the only light I have left. I can't. I won't. I will protect her at all costs—even if it kills me.
I love you, Jasper Jean Mariano. I love you until scientists find the end of the universe…