EMAN RESTAURANT — Section E Chaos Reunion
JAY'S POV
The moment I pushed open the restaurant door, I regretted EVERYTHING.
The entire Section E table snapped their heads toward me like synchronized owls.
"JAAAAAAYYYYY!"
I flinched so hard the waiter nearly dropped a tray.
The chaos squad was already seated like they owned the place—two tables pushed together, food half-eaten, drinks spilled, the usual:
Cin
David
Rory
Edrix
Eman
Drew
Denzel
Calix
Felix
Yuri
Josh
Blaster
Mayo
Kit
Eren
And…
Keifer.
Leaning back.
Arms crossed.
Looking like he was auditioning for "Hot People Who Make Your Life Complicated Magazine."
Fantastic.
I sat down…
Mistake.
The moment my butt touched the chair—
Cin grabbed the table edge and practically climbed onto it.
"UPDATE. NOW. SPEAK, DEMON."
Calix pulled him down by the collar.
"Bro relax, she didn't even breathe yet."
"I DON'T CARE IF SHE'S BREATHING," Cin shouted. "I NEED ANSWERS."
Yuri poked my shoulder gently. "Jay? You good? Alive? In one piece?"
Rory leaned across the table dramatically like a news reporter. "Blinks twice if Angelo chased you."
Edrix threw a fry at his forehead. "Can y'all be normal for three seconds?"
"No," the entire table answered.
I raised both hands in surrender.
"WE ARE NOT STARTING WITH ME.
Start with YOUR results."
They exchanged looks.
Then shrugged.
"Fine."
---
UNIVERSITY RESULTS — THE CHAOS BEGINS
Cin shot his hand up dramatically like he was in a spelling bee.
"I got into Oxford."
The table ERUPTED.
"WHAT?!"
"OXFORD???"
"UK?!"
"YOU??? HOW???"
"BRO ARE YOU SECRETLY A GENIUS???"
Cin threw imaginary confetti.
"I'm just him."
David went next, sipping his iced tea like a professor.
"London. Psychology."
Everyone groaned.
"You're gonna psychoanalyze British people??"
"They're not ready."
"London is doomed."
Then Yuri.
The table quieted, sensing something big.
He smiled softly.
"I'm going back to Japan for university."
Collective heartbreak.
"Noooo YURIIII."
"AGAIN?!"
"My boy is going home."
"Group hug him!!"
Four people tackled him.
Then Keifer spoke.
And my whole body tensed.
"London. Business."
David clapped him on the back. "See you there, Watson."
"Please don't," Keifer muttered.
Everyone laughed.
Then the others:
Eman → Manila University
Drew → España
Denzel → Dentistry Manila
Calix → Engineering Manila
Felix → Business Manila
Kit, Mayo, Eren, Blaster → Mix of Manila & España
They were shouting, comparing courses, throwing fries, hugging, screaming.
Then—
Slowly—
Every head turned to me.
Full silence.
Like a cult meeting.
---
MY TURN — AND I IMMEDIATELY REGRET EXISTING
I cleared my throat.
"My results came this morning."
Felix leaned forward like a gossiping auntie. "AND??"
Josh smacked the table. "SPIT IT OUT."
Cin was vibrating like a phone on silent mode. "JAY I SWEAR DON'T DRAMATIC PAUSE ME—"
I inhaled.
"I got into Harvard."
The whole table:
…
...…
...…
"Ha.... "
"Wai-t... Whaaattt... "
"NO YOU DID NOT."
"HUH??? HARVARD???"
"THE HARVARD???"
"IN AMERICA???"
"AS IN ACROSS THE EARTH??"
"JAY WHAT THE HELL???"
Cin grabbed my cheeks dramatically.
"You're… leaving the PLANET?"
"IT'S A COUNTRY, CIN—"
"I DON'T CARE, YOU'RE FAR."
Then Blaster dropped to the floor like a telenovela actor.
"HARVARD?!? OUR LITTLE ACCOUNTING PRINCESS???"
I groaned.
"STOP CALLING ME THAT—"
"NO."
They lunged at me and group-hugged me so aggressively I couldn't breathe.
When they finally let go, I added quietly:
"And… dual program. Business and Law."
The table went silent again.
Then Felix HOWLED.
"LAW?? BUSINESS?? HARVARD?? JAY ARE YOU TRYING TO BECOME PRESIDENT??"
Drew held his chest. "I'm… emotional."
Calix wiped imaginary tears.
"She grew up so fast."
Yuri hugged me from behind. "You deserve the world," he said softly.
My eyes stung.
Then it turned emotional all at once.
Kit: "We're proud of you."
Mayo: "You worked so hard."
Eren: "You're really leaving us…"
Rory sniffed loudly. "On a scale of 1 to 10 how much will you miss me??"
"Zero," I deadpanned.
The table screamed.
But then—
Everything quieted again.
Because Keifer spoke.
---
THE MOMENT EVERYTHING STOPPED — KEIFER'S REACTION
He wasn't smiling.
He wasn't teasing.
He was just looking at me.
Really looking.
"Harvard," he murmured softly.
"That's… unbelievable."
My heart twisted painfully.
I whispered, "You're… okay with me going that far?"
His jaw flexed.
Just barely.
Then he exhaled, eyes warm and sad and proud all at once.
"Jay… you have no idea how proud I am of you."
Oh no.
Oh NO.
My heart genuinely malfunctioned.
"But…" he added, smirking slightly,
"You really think distance is gonna stop me?"
The table LOST THEIR MINDS.
"AYOOOOO."
"LONG DISTANCE??"
"THE ARC CONTINUES."
"WATTPAD BEHAVIOR!!"
"OH MY GOD."
I buried my face in my hands.
"STOP. ALL OF YOU."
Keifer leaned back again.
Still looking at me.
Like he was memorizing me before I disappeared.
---
KEIFER'S POV — WHEN SHE SAID "HARVARD"
Harvard.
Of all schools.
She got into HARVARD.
And of course she said it like she was telling us she bought bread.
The table screamed.
Chairs moved.
Cin nearly died.
But me?
Everything in my brain went quiet.
Harvard.
Which meant:
She was leaving.
Farther than me. Farther than Yuri. Farther than anyone.
I should be happy.
I am happy.
She deserves everything—more than everything.
But the moment she said it, the reality hit me hard:
I'm going to miss her.
More than I should. More than I'm allowed to. More than I can ever admit out loud.
When she looked at me—
actually looked at me—
and asked,
"You're… okay with me going that far?"
God.
I wanted to say no.
I wanted to tell her to stay.
I wanted to be selfish for once.
But she worked for this. She earned it.
So I smiled.
And told her I was proud.
Because I am.
I always will be.
And distance?
She really thinks that's enough to stop me?
Not a chance.
---
BACK TO JAY'S POV — THE NIGHT ENDS WITH CHAOS (OF COURSE)
"PICTURE PICTURE PICTURE," Rory screamed.
Everyone piled in.
Cin on the table.
Drew standing on a chair.
Felix holding a chicken wing.
Yuri peace signing.
David doing a serious pose.
Eman dying in the corner.
Blaster crying dramatically.
Mayo holding fries like a bouquet.
Kit saluting.
Eren hugging me.
Keifer—
Standing right behind me.
Warm.
Close.
Like he belonged there.
The picture was pure chaos.
But it was perfect.
Because soon…
We wouldn't all be together anymore.
And this night—
this stupid, loud, emotional, chaotic night—
was our good moment.
The last moment before everything changed.
And even though my future was terrifying and huge and far—
I wasn't scared.
Not with them behind me.
Not with him looking at me like that.
The night finally died down.
The screaming quieted.
Cin stopped threatening to hide in my luggage.
Yuri stopped hugging me like he was sending me to war.
Rory stopped recording my emotional breakdowns.
Keifer had to pry Blaster off my leg.
Eman kicked us out because "IT'S MIDNIGHT, GET OUT OF MY RESTAURANT YOU MENACES."
And somehow…
Somehow…
I ended up walking outside with Keifer.
Just me.
And him.
And the stupid soft yellow streetlights making everything feel like a drama scene.
We walked side by side in silence for a bit. Not awkward. Not tense. Just… something warm.
Something familiar.
The night was cool. The kind of cool that made me want to hug myself.
But then he shrugged off his jacket and placed it over my shoulders without even looking at me.
"Your kuya will kill me if you get sick," he muttered.
I snorted. "My kuya wants to kill you anyway."
"Fair," he said.
Our shoulders brushed lightly.
And it felt like electricity.
He kept glancing at me.
Like he had a thousand things to say but didn't know where to start.
Finally—
"When do you leave?" he asked quietly.
My stomach twisted.
"In… a week."
He nodded.
Jaw clenching.
Like he'd been expecting it but still didn't like hearing it.
"I leave around then too," he said.
"London starts orientation earlier."
I gave a small smile. "That's good. You and David together. You won't be alone."
He looked at me.
Soft.
A little sad.
"Yeah," he said. "But I'll still be… farther from you."
My heart kicked in my chest so hard I almost tripped.
I didn't answer.
I couldn't.
We turned into my street—quiet, sleepy, familiar.
My house at the end, warm lights glowing inside.
He slowed down, turning to face me.
"Jay."
I made the mistake of looking at him.
And God.
He was looking at me like I was something he wasn't ready to lose.
"I meant what I said back there," he murmured.
"About being proud of you."
My throat tightened.
"And I also meant the other part," he added with a small smirk.
"You're not escaping me that easily. Harvard or not."
I laughed—quiet, shaky.
"You really think long distance is easy?"
"No," he said honestly.
"It's not."
He stepped closer.
Too close.
Warm close.
"But I'm not letting distance be what ends… whatever this is."
My breath caught.
His hand gently brushed my cheek. Barely. Soft. Almost trembling.
"Jay," he whispered, "I'm not going anywhere. Not really."
I swallowed.
"Promise?"
He smiled—small, real, heartbreakingly soft.
"I promise."
Then—slowly, gently—he leaned in.
Not like earlier in the elevator, where everything was hungry and rushed and messy.
This one was different.
Soft.
Warm.
Almost fragile.
His forehead touched mine first. Then his nose brushed mine. Then—
His lips met mine.
A slow kiss. Careful. Tender. Like he was memorizing the feeling.
Like he didn't want to scare it away.
His hand cupped the back of my head. Mine curled around his jacket on my shoulders.
And for a moment—
I forgot about Harvard. About London. About leaving. About everything.
There was just him.
Just this.
Just us.
When he finally pulled back, he stayed close. Eyes still on me. Breath warm against my lips.
"No matter the distance," he whispered,
"I'll find my way back to you."
My chest physically hurt.
I whispered, "Keifer…"
He smiled and stepped back, hands in his pockets again like he didn't just ruin my entire emotional stability.
"Go inside before Angelo jumps out of the bushes."
I hit his arm. "Shut up—"
He chuckled.
Started walking backward.
"Goodnight, Harvard girl."
"Goodnight, London boy."
He gave me one last look—soft, lingering, stupidly sweet—
Then turned and walked away.
I stood there like an idiot for a full minute.
Heart racing. Face burning. Legs weak for entirely new reasons.
Inside, I already knew:
Leaving was going to break something in me.
But knowing he felt the same?
Made it hurt a little less....
KEIFER'S POV —
I should've walked away faster.
That's the first thing I realized.
Because the moment I turned my back on Jay, my legs suddenly forgot how to function like normal legs.
They went stiff. Heavy.
Like every step was pulling me farther from something I wasn't ready to leave.
I made it maybe ten steps before I exhaled a breath I didn't realize I was holding.
She was still standing in front of her house.
Still wearing my jacket.
Still looking like the exact thing I didn't want to say goodbye to.
I almost turned back.
Almost.
But I forced myself to keep walking.
Because if I stayed one more second, one more breath, one more look—
I would've kissed her again. And again. And probably never stopped.
The street was quiet except for the sound of my heartbeat punching inside my chest.
God, Harvard.
She really said Harvard.
HARVARD.
I replayed it in my head like some deranged loop:
"I got into Harvard."
I swear something inside me short-circuited.
There she was, with her voice soft and unsure, like she didn't know she was telling me the biggest news anyone could ever drop—
And all I could think was:
Of course you did. Of course.
Because when has Jay ever been anything less than extraordinary?
But it still hit me like a truck.
Harvard.
An ocean away.
A whole life away.
I scrubbed a hand over my face as I walked.
London suddenly felt too far from everything.
Too far from her.
I shoved my hands into my pockets, trying to steady the weird mix of proud and terrified sitting in my chest.
Because I was proud. God, I was proud.
She earned that. She deserved that.
But the thought of her leaving—
It twisted something sharp inside me.
I wasn't ready.
Not for distance.
Not for empty hallways.
Not for missing her voice.
Not for missing her laugh.
Not for missing the way she looked at me like she saw through every version of me.
I didn't even realize I'd stopped walking until I looked up and saw the dark road stretching in front of me.
My heart was still stuck back there with her.
I turned around.
Just to check.
Just to look.
And there she was.
Still standing by her door.
Still watching me.
She was so small in the distance, but somehow she took up all the space in my chest.
She lifted her hand—just a tiny wave.
I don't know why that made my throat tighten, but it did.
I raised my hand back.
Our stupid little silent goodbye across a dim street.
And because my body is a traitor—
I smiled.
Soft.
Uncontrolled.
Completely ruined.
I turned again, walking toward home, finally forcing myself to keep moving.
But my mind stayed with her.
Her voice.
Her smile.
Her whisper: "Promise?"
Her lips against mine—soft, slow, like she was afraid I'd disappear.
Like I was someone she didn't want to lose either.
I touched my lips, just for a second.
It felt real.
Too real.
The kind of real that stays.
The kind of real that hurts.
When I reached the main road, city noise started creeping back.
Cars.
Distant shouting.
Normal life.
But nothing felt normal anymore.
Not now that everything had an expiration date.
I muttered under my breath, to no one:
"Harvard, huh?"
A small laugh escaped me.
I wasn't angry.
Just… overwhelmed.
Because she was leaving for something bigger.
Better.
Beautiful.
Something she earned with her own mind and grit and chaos.
And I loved that for her.
I really, genuinely did.
But God—it scared me too.
I shoved my hands deeper into my pockets, glancing once more over my shoulder.
She wasn't there anymore.
Probably inside.
Probably being interrogated by Angelo.
Probably hiding my jacket from Aries.
Probably thinking about the same thing I was trying not to think about:
How do you hold onto someone when the world is pulling you in different directions?
I exhaled, breath visible in the cold.
"Whatever this is…"
Her words echoed in my head.
Long distance is hell.
But losing her would be worse.
So I decided, right there under a flickering streetlight:
I wasn't going to let the universe, the countries, the miles—any of it—decide for us.
Not this time.
Not her.
Not us.
I whispered it into the empty street, like a vow only the night needed to hear:
"I'll find my way back to you too."
And for the first time in a long time—
The future scared me.
But it also didn't.
Because she would be in it.
Somewhere.
Somehow.
Even across oceans.
Even across time zones.
Even across everything.
I wasn't losing her.
Not now.
Not ever.