"You're really running a taxi service now?" she mumbled near his ear, a smile in her voice.
"Only for you," Keifer replied smoothly.
"V.I.P. rates apply."
Jay rolled her eyes but didn't pull away. She let her gaze drift-over the glowing string lights that hung from lamp posts, the fading gold of the evening sky, the occasional flutter of cotton candy scent in the air.
"Comfortable?" he asked, glancing sideways.
Jay nodded against his shoulder. "Yeah."
"Good," he murmured. "Then hold on."
The shift in pace made Jay more aware of the moment-of the bounce in his step, of how steady his hands were beneath her knees.
Then, with a sigh muffled by the shoulder of his shirt, she muttered, "This is undignified."
Keifer didn't miss a beat. "Correction: this is legendary."
"You're enjoying this way too much."
"I'm carrying my best friend through an amusement park. I'm basically a rom-com lead."
"You're basically an idiot."
He grinned. "An idiot with strong calves."
Keifer kept walking, weaving through the crowd with exaggerated care. "Excuse us! Injured bride aboard! Emotional support human coming through!"
Jay buried her face in his shoulder. "Stop. Talking."
Keifer chuckled, adjusting his hold under her knees as he carried her through the thinning crowd. "You're blushing," he teased.
She didn't answer. Just stayed there.
But as they moved past the rollercoasters and into a quieter stretch of the park, something tugged at her chest. Keifer had gone all out-park tickets, pre-booked rides. It was... a lot. Suspiciously a lot.
With her arms looped loosely around his shoulders and her chin resting near his ear, Jay raised an eyebrow. "You sure this wasn't for something specific?"
Keifer blinked innocently, "Like what? National Chaos Day?"
She narrowed her eyes, even as her legs shifted slightly against his sides.
"Hmm."
"Jay," he said with exaggerated offense, "can't a man take his favorite chaos gremlin out for some reckless fun without being accused of scheming?"
Before she could reply, he gently adjusted his grip and tugged her wrist into place for balance as he carried her toward a quiet, garden-themed pavilion that overlooked a small lake in the park. It was strangely empty, except for one long picnic table near the edge.
As they reached the clearing, Keifer bent his knees slightly and said softly, "Alright, touchdown time."
He eased her down with care, his hands lingering just long enough to make sure she had her balance. Once her feet touched the ground, Jay looked ahead-then froze.
"Keifer..." she began, suspicion turning into something warmer. "What is this?"
He just gave her a quiet, crooked grin.
Because there it was: a cake. A beautifully frosted, two-tier cake with pastel blue icing, little rollercoaster decorations on the side, and big bold letters on top that read:
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAYBIRD."
Behind it, the garden pavilion had transformed. Strands of soft fairy lights hung from the wooden beams overhead, twinkling like stars as the evening light dimmed. A banner with hand-painted letters-slightly crooked but full of charm-stretched across the back wall: "Another Year of Chaos-Starring Jay."
But what caught her breath were the photos.
Dozens of candid shots were clipped to twine strung between posts, fluttering gently in the breeze. Laughing at a beach bonfire. Mid-bite with ketchup on her cheek. Dancing terribly at a friend's wedding. Moments she hadn't even known he'd saved. Moments she didn't think anyone had noticed.
She stared at it.
Then turned slowly toward Keifer, mouth parted. "You-"
"I do read calendars, you know," he said with a smirk, pulling a small wrapped box from his backpack. "Just because you didn't tell me doesn't mean I forgot."
Jay blinked quickly, the sting of tears rushing back-only this time, for a very different reason.
"You remembered," she whispered, voice wobbly.
He grinned. "Of course. I'm annoying, not heartless."
She laughed, sniffling. "Why didn't you just say something this morning?"
"Where's the fun in that?" he asked, guiding her to the table and motioning for her to sit. "I had to watch you try to pretend all day like it was a normal Wednesday. Very impressive poker face, by the way."
"I honestly thought you forgot."
Keifer mock-gasped. "Me? Forget your birthday? Please. I've set three calendar reminders, one Post-it note on my mirror, and a very aggressive alarm that shouted 'JAY'S BIRTHDAY, DON'T BE A DISASTER' at 6 a.m."
Jay laughed again, covering her mouth.
He slid the gift box across the table.
"This is for you. Don't worry, it's not a puppy. Yet."
She opened the box slowly. Inside was a delicate silver necklace with a tiny rollercoaster charm on it. On the base of the charm, engraved in tiny letters, were the words: "Buckle up, Jay."
Her breath hitched. "Keifer..."
"I figured," he said softly, "if life's gonna throw loops at you, you might as well have something that reminds you you're not riding it alone."
Jay was quiet for a moment, holding the necklace like it was made of glass.
"You are such a pain."
"True," he said, grinning. "But today, I'm your pain with a cake."
She looked up, eyes glistening. "Thank you."
He tapped his chest. "All part of the Keifer Deluxe Birthday Package: screaming, sugar highs, and something mildly sentimental to make you cry."
"You're really proud of yourself, huh?"
"Extremely. I even wrote a speech. Would you like to hear it?"
She narrowed her eyes, amused. "Go on."
He stood dramatically, clearing his throat. "Dear Jay, on this day many years ago, the world was blessed with a beautiful, brilliant, occasionally terrifying woman who has a
questionable taste in friends-"
"Hey!"
"-but a heart of gold. Also, she has the lung capacity of a freight train based on her scream on the Thunder Blaster.
Happy birthday, Jay. You're my favorite person to lose a sock with."
She burst into laughter, shaking her head. "I can't believe you remember that dream."
"I can't believe you fought a dream sock thief like it was life or death."
"I was under attack!"
"You were under a blanket," he teased, then cut her a slice of cake and passed it over. "Eat before I start singing. I warn you, it's not pretty."
She took a bite, eyes closing in bliss. "Mmm. This is dangerously good."
"I tasted five cakes to find this one. It was my most noble sacrifice."
"You are ridiculous," she said, smiling around her fork.
He leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head. "Yeah, but you like me anyway."
Jay looked at him, the sun casting golden light on his slightly messy hair, his dimple peeking through that smug grin. Her chest swelled with warmth.
"Yeah," she said softly. "I do."
He blinked, then smiled-just a little softer, a little more real this time.
They sat there, letting the quiet hum of the park settle around them, the cake slowly disappearing between them.Jay leaned back on the bench, hands cradling the necklace still around her fingers.
Keifer watched her in silence for a moment, then reached over and gently took the charm from her hand.
"Want me to put it on you?" he asked softly.
Jay nodded, brushing her hair over one shoulder. Keifer moved behind her, one knee resting on the wooden slats as he leaned in, the faint warmth of his breath ghosting over her skin.
His fingers found the clasp, light and deliberate as they worked the necklace into place. When they brushed the nape of her neck, she shivered slightly-whether from the touch or the closeness, she couldn't tell. Her breath hitched. He fastened it gently, letting the chain settle against her collarbone.
"There," he murmured near her ear, his voice low. "Now you're officially strapped in for life."
Jay chuckled, cheeks pink. "You know... for a guy who pretends to be all jokes, you're actually kind of smooth."
He came around to face her again, cocking an eyebrow. "Smooth? Me? I literally tripped over air in front of the churro stand two hours ago."
She laughed, eyes glowing. "That was the highlight of my day, actually."
Keifer smiled, his expression softening as he sat beside her again. "Was it a good day?"
Jay looked at him, really looked-at the way his eyes crinkled slightly at the corners, at the warmth in his face that hadn't dimmed once since morning. "It was perfect."
He nodded slowly, then added, almost in a whisper, "You deserve more perfect days, Jay."
Jay's heart fluttered, caught off guard by the honesty in his voice.
She turned to him slowly, her fingers tightening just slightly around the cupcake wrapper. His profile was outlined by the fading sun, calm and still-like he hadn't just turned her heart inside out with a single sentence.
Then, without thinking, without overanalyzing the impulse, she shifted closer and wrapped her arms around him.
Keifer stiffened in surprise, caught off guard. She felt it-the pause in his breathing, the tiny jolt of uncertainty. For a half second, it felt like maybe she'd crossed some invisible line.
But then his arms came around her-carefully at first, like he wasn't sure how tightly to hold on. Then, a moment later, all hesitation melted away. He pulled her closer, steady and sure, and something in her exhaled that she hadn't realized she was holding in.
Her cheek pressed against his shoulder, the scent of cotton candy and sunshine still clinging faintly to his shirt. His hands rested on her back, one moving gently, almost imperceptibly, in a slow circle. The bench creaked slightly beneath them, but neither moved.
It wasn't dramatic or long. Just warm.
Grounding. The kind of hug that said, I see you. I'm here.
Jay didn't say anything right away. She wasn't sure she could.
Then, her voice barely above a whisper, she murmured, "Thank you. For all of it."
No teasing came in response. No sarcastic comment. No smirk. Just a quiet hum of understanding, and then Keifer's voice in her ear, lower than usual.
"Anytime."
He held her just a little tighter with that word, like it carried more weight than it seemed to. Like he meant it in a way that reached past the day, past the cupcakes and rollercoasters, past the joke-filled hours and soft laughter.
Jay let her eyes fall shut for a moment, letting herself sink into that quiet. Into him.
And for once, they didn't need to talk.
Didn't need to laugh or fill the silence.
The moment said enough on its own.
Maybe more than either of them was ready to admit.
Yet.
And though Jay hadn't expected anything when she woke up, she now had everything she hadn't even known she wanted:
A perfect day. A ridiculous man. And a memory she'd never forget.