Jay's POV
The walk home felt completely different now.
A few minutes ago we were laughing.
Now?
Silence.
Heavy silence.
The streetlights glowed softly above us while our footsteps echoed quietly against the pavement.
Keifer walked beside me calmly.
Too calmly.
Which honestly felt more dangerous.
I shoved my hands into my pockets casually.
"Well," I said lightly, "that was exciting."
Keifer looked at me blankly.
"You almost got kidnapped."
"Details."
"That is not a detail."
I sighed dramatically. "You worry too much."
"And you almost broke someone's arm."
"…Allegedly."
Keifer stopped walking suddenly.
I stopped too.
Then he turned toward me fully.
"Jay."
Okay.
That tone meant trouble.
"What?"
"Who were they?"
"I don't know."
"They knew MJ."
I shrugged slightly. "A lot of racers know MJ."
"They also knew where you were."
Silence.
Oops.
Keifer noticed immediately.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"You're hiding something again."
"I'm literally standing right here."
"Jay."
I looked away.
Because honestly?
I didn't know what to say either.
The truth was weird.
And dangerous.
And annoying.
We started walking again.
Slower this time.
Then Keifer spoke again quietly.
"Have you been in fights before?"
I nearly laughed.
"…Maybe."
"Maybe isn't an answer."
"Then maybe I don't have one."
He sighed deeply beside me.
"You're impossible to talk to."
"You still talk to me though."
That shut him up for half a second.
Tiny victory.
Then suddenly—
Keifer grabbed my wrist lightly.
I blinked. "What?"
He lifted my hand slightly.
My knuckles were scraped and lightly bleeding.
Ah.
Right.
Punching people.
Keifer frowned immediately.
"You're injured."
"Tiny injury."
"You punched a human being."
"And I'd do it again."
He stared at me in disbelief.
"You say things that concern me."
"You sound old."
"I'm serious."
I looked down at my hand awkwardly.
Then quietly muttered:
"…I didn't mean to lose control earlier."
Keifer's expression softened slightly.
"The part where you nearly killed him?"
"I was NOT going to kill him."
"You looked like you were considering it."
Fair enough.
The wind blew softly around us again.
Then Keifer suddenly spoke quieter.
"You froze."
My steps stopped immediately.
Silence.
The teasing atmosphere disappeared instantly.
I slowly looked away.
"…You noticed."
"You think I wouldn't?"
I swallowed slightly.
Because that moment…
that stupid moment…
I hated it.
Hated how my body remembered things before my mind did.
Keifer watched me carefully now.
Not pushing.
Just waiting.
Then quietly:
"Did something happen before?"
I forced a smile quickly. "Lots of things happen before."
"That's not an answer either."
"Then stop asking difficult questions."
For a second…
he actually looked frustrated.
Not angry.
Just worried.
Which somehow felt worse.
Then finally he sighed again.
"You know what's annoying?"
"What?"
"You keep acting like everything's fine."
I looked ahead quietly.
Because honestly?
I didn't know how to explain that pretending was easier.
Thankfully…
we finally reached my street before the conversation became even more emotional.
I pointed ahead dramatically. "Look. Civilization."
Keifer looked unimpressed. "You're changing the topic."
"Correct."
"You admit it?"
"I'm growing as a person."
A small laugh escaped him despite himself.
There it was again.
That softer expression.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
When we finally reached my gate, I turned toward him.
"Well," I said lightly, "thanks for not dying tonight."
"You're saying that like it was optional."
"For you? Debatable."
He shook his head slowly.
Then his eyes suddenly shifted past me.
His expression changed immediately.
I frowned slightly.
"What?"
Keifer pointed toward the gate.
"There."
I turned.
And froze.
A black envelope rested quietly near the entrance gate.
No stamp.
No name.
Only two letters written across the front in silver ink.
MJ
The air suddenly felt colder.
Neither of us moved.
Then Keifer spoke quietly beside me.
"…Jay."
But somehow…
for the first time tonight…
I didn't know what to say.