Sunday, April 28 – Morning / Midtown Apartment – Jay's Place
The First Wake-Up
Jay's eyes opened to soft sunlight slanting across his ceiling and a dull throb in his neck.
He had fallen asleep on the couch. Half-sitting, half-slumped, fully exhausted.
Empty paper cups were still on the kitchen counter. Someone had drawn cat ears on a sticky note and stuck it to the fridge. His rooftop was still strung with lights. The rooftop party was over—but only just.
He didn't move for a while. Just blinked at the ceiling fan and listened to the stillness of his apartment.
It was Sunday.
No class. No messages yet.
Finally, he sat up, ran a hand through his hair, and sighed.
"...Guess I survived."
Group Chat Check-In
By the time he brewed coffee and wandered over to his phone, the group chat was already alive.
SOFIA: someone please explain why there's a shoe in the punch bowl
TYLER: my bad
NOAH: I have no memory of that rooftop. I blame the moon.
EMMA: You were all unhinged. But. Fine. It was fun.
SOFIA: THIS IS GROWTH
MILES: I am never socializing again
LUNA: I took a few photos. Some of you actually looked happy.
Jay smirked as he scrolled through the chaos.
Then another message came in—privately.
AMAYA: Did everyone make it home safe?
Jay tapped a reply.
JAY: No one died. Though Sofia might still be asleep on my roof.
A few seconds later—
AMAYA: Good :)
AMAYA: I helped with bakery prep this morning. It was nice. Just… quiet.
He stared at the message for a second.
Then simply replied:
JAY: Quiet sounds good today.
AMAYA : I hope you're resting too.
Jay looked at the text for a moment longer than necessary.
He replied:
JAY: Just woke up. Coffee counts as recovery, right?
AMAYA: Definitely :)
AMAYA: I saved you one of the raspberry buns. Come by if you're out later.
Tyler's House
Tyler stretched out on his bed like a corpse, blanket twisted around his legs, phone resting on his stomach.
He yawned. The group chat was still exploding.
Then—
IRIS: SOOO are you alive or in a food coma?
TYLER: emotionally reborn
TYLER: you?
IRIS: We had our own Class 1-C hangout last night. You were missed.
IRIS: But also… not really.
IRIS: JK. Kind of.
TYLER: rude
IRIS: honest. anyway I'm stealing you Tuesday lunch. don't argue.
TYLER: not arguing. just submitting to fate.
IRIS: good boy
Tyler groaned but smiled, rolling over and nearly knocking over his lamp.
Emma's Home
Emma sat at her desk, flipping through notes she didn't need to review.
Her uniform hung pressed and untouched in the corner.
She glanced at her phone but didn't open the chat.
Instead, she opened her planner and drew a small star on Friday.
Final results.
Then she quietly shut it again.
Afternoon Walk
By 3:30 PM, Jay finally stepped outside.
The air was cool, the streets half-busy, the buzz of a lazy Sunday hanging low over the city.
He walked with no plan. Down the main road. Past the small bookstore that only stocked second-hand novels. Past the bus stop with peeling posters for exam prep.
He didn't think about anything important.
Didn't plan.
Didn't analyse.
He just walked.
Until—
"Jay?"
He turned.
Amaya stood at the front window of her family's bakery, tying up a ribbon on a gift box. She looked up from behind the counter, surprised but smiling.
"Hey," he said. "You said there were raspberry buns?"
Her smile widened. "Always for you."
The bakery was quiet—low jazz playing through small speakers, sunlight filtering through the window onto polished tables. The scent of warm sugar and yeast filled the air.
Amaya brought him a small box and sat across from him with a glass of iced tea.
Jay took a bite. "These are dangerous."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
They didn't talk much. Just shared the stillness.
A bell jingled as a new customer entered, and Amaya stood to help.
Jay watched her move around the space—calm, purposeful.
Like she belonged here more than anywhere else.
Jay finally checked the class group chat again.
SOFIA: okay okay real talk—assembly on FRIDAY
EMMA: Results get posted right after.
NOAH: We're all gonna perish.
TYLER: nah I studied like 3 full hours I got this
MILES: You spelled "hours" wrong.
YUKI: Confidence is cute.
Jay didn't reply. He just noted the date.
Five days left.