Jay's POV
The question hung in the air like a blade suspended above us.
"What's your answer, Jay?
Do you forgive me?"
My breath caught.
The kitchen was warm, sunlight just starting to crawl across the counter, the faint smell of pancakes filling the space. But somehow, my chest felt cold.
Keifer stood across from me, spatula in hand, pretending he wasn't barely breathing while waiting for my reply.
I swallowed hard.
"I…"
My voice cracked, so I tried again.
"I can't forgive you. Not right now."
His entire body went still.
Not dramatic.
Not angry.
Just… still.
His fingers tightened around the edge of the counter, knuckles going pale, but he didn't look away.
"I understand," he said quietly.
And I could hear the break hiding under the calm.
"I just—"
He exhaled slowly.
"Don't push me away because you're hurting. Don't lock me out. Don't disappear on me."
I stared at him.
He wasn't asking for forgiveness.
He wasn't begging for love.
He wasn't demanding anything.
He was asking to stay.
And that… that was harder to say no to.
I nodded slowly.
"I won't push you away."
The relief that washed over his face was subtle—but it was there. His shoulders dropped. His jaw unclenched. His eyes softened in the slightest way.
He turned off the stove and placed a plate in front of me.
"Eat," he murmured. "You haven't eaten since yesterday."
I hesitated, then picked up the fork.
He watched me take the first bite like it physically mattered to him.
The pancakes were warm, fluffy, perfect.
Of course they were.
We ate in silence for a while, the kind that wasn't awkward… just thick, with everything unsaid still floating in the air.
Halfway through, I finally spoke.
" btw keifer Where… exactly are we?"
He didn't even look up from slicing strawberries.
"Your island."
I blinked.
"…my what?"
He glanced up — calm, casual, like he hadn't just dropped a bomb on my morning.
"Your island," he repeated.
"Bought it a week ago. Put it in your name."
He shrugged.
I stared at him, fork halfway to my mouth.
He said it like he was talking about the weather.
"My… island," I echoed, voice slightly strangled.
A corner of his mouth lifted — not smirking, not mocking — just a tiny, exhausted, honest ghost of a smile.
"Yes, Jay," he murmured.
"Your island."
My brain short-circuited.
He slid the plate of strawberries closer to me, brushing my fingers lightly with his. The touch was soft, deliberate.
"Eat," he said again, quieter this time.
"I like when you eat in the morning. Always have."
And God — the way he said it…
I looked down at the pancakes.
Because looking at him felt too much.
Too real.
Too close.
Too dangerous.
But one thought kept circling in my mind, no matter how hard I tried to ignore it:
He still wasn't forgiven.
But he wasn't leaving.
And neither was I.
Jay's POV – Beach
Breakfast ended with an uneasy calm lingering between us — like we were walking on glass, but together.
Keifer suggested fresh air.
I didn't fight him.
The sun was low, still soft, casting long golden streaks across the sand as we walked side by side. Not touching, but close enough that our hands kept brushing.
He didn't pull away.
I didn't either.
The waves were gentle, the wind cool. For the first time in hours, my chest felt a little less heavy.
Until—
"Jay, wait—"
I turned just in time to see Keifer misstep on a hidden rock.
There was a sharp sound — a muffled grunt — and he went down on one knee.
"Keifer!"
I rushed forward, heart jumping to my throat.
He was gripping his ankle, jaw clenched, breath strained.
"It's fine," he muttered.
"It's—ah—fine."
"It's not," I snapped.
"Sit on the pavement. Now."
To my surprise, he listened.
He sat on the low stone pavement by the beach path, leaning back on his hands, breathing through the pain. His shoe was already wet, probably making it worse.
I dropped to my knees in front of him.
"Does it hurt a lot?"
"Yes."
"Then stop pretending you're invincible."
"…Okay."
His honesty caught me off guard.
I gently reached for his ankle.
He flinched—barely—but didn't move away.
I pressed lightly.
He hissed.
"Sorry," I whispered.
"It's okay," he said softly.
My fingers worked carefully, brushing sand away, pushing his pant leg up a little. He watched me—so intensely I could feel his gaze burning into the top of my head.
When I glanced up—
Our eyes locked.
And everything stilled.
The waves.
The wind.
My heartbeat.
His lips parted slightly.Not to speak.Just… reacting.To me.
To my touch.
To this moment.
He leaned forward an inch.
I felt my breath catch.
His hand hesitated near my face—just hovering, trembling—like he wanted to touch me but didn't dare.
"Jay…" he whispered, voice low, rough, intimate.
I swallowed.
Something warm twisted inside me, something confusing and dangerous and familiar all at once—
"JAAAAAY!"
The scream cut through the air like a blade.
"JAAAY!"
Then another.
And another.
"JAYYYY!"
"JAY? JAY, IS THAT YOU?!"
Her heart stopped.
She turned toward the direction of the calls — the long stretch of beach, the morning sun blazing gold across the water.
Footsteps.
Fast. Numerous.
Jay squinted.
And then her eyes widened.
"Cin?!"
Cin was sprinting toward her at full speed, practically tripping on the sand.
Behind her came the rest —
Rory, Edrix, Mayo, Eren, Eman, Denzel, Kit, Josh, Felix, Calix, Yuri, Blaster, and Drew,David — all running like they were seeing a ghost they'd been looking for forever.
"Jay!"
"Holy sh*t it is her!"
"Cin don't push me—"
"I'm not pushing, you're slow—"
"MOVE—"
Jay didn't even wait.
She bolted.
She met Cin halfway — colliding into her as Cin wrapped her arms around her tightly, almost lifting her off the ground.
"WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?!" Cin half-sobbed, half-yelled into her shoulder.
Jay laughed shakily, tears instantly filling her eyes.
"I—I don't even know…"
And then the rest crashed into her — a messy, chaotic, loud, overwhelming Section E group hug.
Rory ruffled her hair.
Eren squeezed her face.
Calix slapped her back so hard she nearly choked.
Felix kept muttering "Thank God, thank God…" like a prayer.
Denzel was swearing nonstop.
Eman was trying not to show he was tearing up but everyone saw.
Josh hooked her arm around his neck.
Kit shoved a water bottle at her even though she wasn't thirsty.
Mayo practically clung to her side.
Yuri was smiling so wide it was almost painful.
Blaster yelled, "WE FOUND OUR GREMLIN!
Drew looked like he'd just been given oxygen after drowning.
Jay cried and laughed at the same time, trying to touch all of them, hold all of them, breathe them in.
She didn't even notice Keifer standing a few steps back — injured arm wrapped, staring at the explosion of love unfolding in front of him.
Section E didn't even know he was there yet.
Jay pulled back from the group hug, breathless.
"You guys— what are you even doing here?!"
Cin sniffed dramatically.
"We came to look for you, you idiot."
Eren added, "You disappeared. Did you really think we'd sit still?"
Rory crossed his arms.
"We're Section E. We find our own."
Jay's throat tightened so painfully it almost hurt.
And for the first time in days…
She felt home.
Cin was still clinging to Jay's arm when her eyes flicked past her — and landed on Keifer.
A slow, evil grin spread across her face.
"Ohhhhhhh," she drawled loudly, "so THAT'S why she vanished."
Jay froze.
"Cin— NO—"
Too late.
The entire group turned like wolves scenting fresh prey.
Rory smirked.
Edrix raised a brow.
Eren cracked his knuckles like he was preparing a speech.
Felix was already whispering to Calix.
Yuri was smiling like he had blackmail material.
Blaster's eyebrows shot up.
Drew whistled like a menace.
And then:
"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" they all yelled in unison.
Jay buried her face in her hands.
"I hate all of you."
Keifer blinked, surprised, still holding the bandaged arm Jay treated.
"Uh— hello?"
Eman nudged Jay.
"You didn't tell us you were on a ROMANTIC ISLAND GETAWAY."
"It's NOT—" Jay sputtered.
Kit leaned in with a wicked grin.
"Looks like someone has a type."
Josh added, "Tall, broody, emotionally damaged— classic Jay."
"HEY—" Jay swatted at him.
Mayo gasped dramatically.
"Wait— is this why she disappeared? She was BUSY."
Jay punched his arm.
"I WAS SLEEPING."
Cin chimed, "WITH HIM?"
Jay: "CIN OH MY GOD."
Blaster pointed accusingly at Keifer.
"You. Watson boy. Did you drug her?"
Keifer panicked.
"What? NO— it was— I was just— SHE WASN'T DRINKING WATER—"
Section E howled.
Rory shrugged.
"Jay let you breathe in her radius without punching you. That's good enough."
Listening that keifer smirked...
Jay groaned loudly.
"STOP TALKING ABOUT ME LIKE I'M SOME WILD ANIMAL."
Denzel deadpanned, "Aren't you?"
Jay: "DO YOU WANT TO DIE TODAY?"
Laughs erupted again.
Felix leaned toward Calix.
"Think she's in love?"
Jay kicked sand at him.
"I'M RIGHT HERE."
Eren grinned knowingly.
"Yeah… she's in love."
Jay whirled.
"EREN—"
But then Keifer stepped closer, standing at her side, his voice low and gentle.
"It's okay," he murmured.
"She can yell at you guys later."
And Jay's ears turned bright red.
Section E noticed immediately.
Rory yelled, "SHE'S BLUSHINGGGG—"
"SHUT UP!" Jay shouted, hiding her face in her hands again.
Cin looked at Keifer with a proud nod.
"You. Good job."
Keifer, confused: "For… what?"
Cin:"Existing."
Section E cracked up again.
And Jay?
Jay couldn't help smiling.
Even under all the teasing, the chaos, the embarrassment—
She felt whole again.....
I was still trying to pry Cin off my arm when something warm brushed my wrist.
Keifer.
He didn't touch me — not really — just lightly grazed my skin to let me know he was there before stepping closer.
The teasing around us got louder instantly.
"Ohhh look, he's claiming her."
"Possessive much?"
"Someone's scared we'll steal his girl."
Jay: "SHE'S NOT HIS GIRL—"
Keifer: "…not yet."
The entire group SCREAMED.
I spun toward him with wide eyes.
"KEIFER—"
But he didn't even flinch.
He was calm. Too calm. Like he'd decided embarrassment wasn't real.
His eyes flicked down at me — a quiet, steady gaze that made my heart absolutely malfunction.
Cin elbowed Felix.
"He said not yet, oh my god."
Rory: "Bro is bold. I respect it."
Yuri crossed his arms.
"If you hurt her again—"
Keifer nodded.
"I won't."
Yuri wasn't expecting compliance that fast — he blinked, slightly thrown off.
"Uh… good," he muttered.
Blaster squinted at Keifer's bandaged ankle.
"Why are you injured?"
I was about to answer, but—
Keifer shrugged casually.
"She pushed me."
"WHAT?!" I choked.
Cin gasped dramatically.
"Jay injured her boyfriend—"
"He IS NOT—"
"NOT YET," the group finished together like a cult.
I covered my face with both hands.
I could feel Keifer's stare on me again, soft in a way that felt unfair.
And then—
"Okay enough teasing," Drew said suddenly.
But his grin suggested the opposite.
He slung an arm around my neck.
"Jay… you okay?"
For a moment, the laughter faded.
I looked at them — at every stupid, annoying, loud, irreplaceable one of them.
My found family. My chaos. My safety net.
And my voice cracked as I whispered—
"Yeah. I'm okay."
Cin hugged me again.
"Good. 'Cause we're not letting you disappear like that again, idiot."
I breathed out a laugh, finally letting myself lean into her.
"Okay," I murmured.
Then Mayo yelled, "Group photo!"
Felix held up his phone.
"Jay in the middle!"
I groaned.
"No— don't put me in the mid—"
But Keifer gently nudged my shoulder forward.
"Go."
My cheeks burned.
I glared at him.
He just looked back, completely unfazed, like this was the most normal thing ever.
I took my place in the middle.
Cin and Eren immediately flanked me like guard dogs.
The rest piled in around us.
Then a hand slipped briefly around my waist.
Warm. Steady. Familiar.
Keifer.
He didn't pull me into him—just rested his hand there, a quiet reassurance.
I didn't push him away.
Cin noticed immediately.
"Oh. My. GOD."
Felix groaned.
"At this point you two should just—"
"SHUT UP AND TAKE THE PICTURE!" I yelled.
The entire group burst into laughter as the shutter clicked.
And for the first time in days—
I laughed too.
Really laughed.
With all of them around me. With Keifer right behind me. With the world — for once — not collapsing.
For one moment…
I was exactly where I belonged....