Jayjay's POV
The clinic smelled like antiseptic and quiet embarrassment.
I hated both.
The nurse finally finished wrapping my hand, warning me about rest, care, and "not doing reckless things" while looking directly at me like I personally invented gravity. When she stepped away, I slid off the bed carefully, my fingers still tingling.
"See?" I said lightly, lifting my bandaged hand a little. "Alive. Functional. Slightly dramatic."
Yuri snorted.
Ciel rolled her eyes but smiled anyway.
The others hovered like worried satellites.
We stepped out of the clinic together, the hallway cooler than inside. My mind was still busy replaying the slip, the fall, the sound my pride made when it shattered on the floor.
Then—
We bumped into him.
Kiefer.
Of course.
And, just as expected, Sienna was right beside him.
The universe really had timing issues.
Kiefer's eyes landed on my hand immediately.
The smile he was wearing vanished.
"What happened?" he asked, already stepping closer.
Before I could answer, he gently took my hand in his, careful but firm, like he was afraid it might disappear if he let go.
My heart did that annoying thing again.
"Jay," he said softly, inspecting the bandage. "Does it hurt?"
I shrugged, forcing my voice to stay light. "It's fine. Really. Just a small accident."
Lie.
Half-lie.
Okay, full lie, but let's not expose me like that.
Before he could say anything else—
Sienna grabbed his arm.
Hard.
"Keifer, we have to go," she said sharply. "We need to submit the work to the professor."
Her sudden pull made him release my hand too quickly.
Pain shot up my arm like electricity.
I sucked in a breath before I could stop myself.
Great.
Ten out of ten timing.
Would flinch again.
Kiefer noticed instantly.
He turned to Sienna, his expression shifting.
Cold.
Sharp.
The kind of look that didn't raise its voice but didn't need to.
"Sienna," he said quietly.
She froze.
The hallway seemed to pause with her.
"…We'll be late," she tried again, weaker now.
He didn't respond to that.
Instead, he turned back to me.
The cold vanished.
Replaced by something familiar.
Concern. Care. Him.
"I'm sorry," he said gently.
I shook my head. "Oh, it's nothing. Don't worry about it."
Why was I so good at pretending everything was okay?
Someone revoke that skill.
Sienna's phone buzzed.
She glanced at it, then looked up at Kiefer quickly.
"The professor is waiting for us. We really have to go."
I smiled, forcing it this time.
"Don't worry," I said. "Go."
He hesitated.
I could see it.
That pause where his thoughts fought each other.
He looked at Yuri.
Yuri met his gaze without flinching.
"Don't worry, Keif," Yuri said calmly. "We're here for her."
Ciel nodded beside him. "She won't disappear."
Kiefer exhaled slowly.
"…Okay," he said at last. "I'll meet you guys later. If not today… then tomorrow."
He looked at me again.
Longer this time.
Like he wanted to say more but didn't know how.
Then he turned.
Sienna followed behind him, her heels clicking a little too loud against the floor.
I watched them walk away.
My hand still throbbed.
But somehow… that wasn't what hurt the most.
Yuri stepped closer.
"You okay?"
I nodded.
"Yeah," I said.
But inside, my thoughts whispered something else.
Why did it feel like he was walking away from me… even though he promised to come back?