Jayjay POV
Eman's restaurant was still buzzing, like everyone had bottled up the whole day and finally let it spill out at once. Cutlery clinked, chairs scraped, laughter rose and fell in waves.
"I'm stepping out for a bit," I muttered, standing.
No one really noticed.
Outside, the air was cooler, calmer. I leaned against the railing and breathed in slowly, letting my shoulders drop.
Today could've ended so badly.
Why does it still feel unreal?
"You disappear a lot."
I turned, startled. "Keifer—don't do that."
"Didn't mean to scare you," he said lightly. "You alright?"
"Yeah," I said. "Just thinking."
There was a short silence.
"Back there," I said finally, "when you came to the school… the headmaster looked terrified."
Keifer glanced at me.
"You noticed."
"Hard not to," I said. "So… why was he scared of you?"
He exhaled slowly.
"Because of my mother."
I frowned, curiosity sparking. "Your mother?"
He nodded.
I turned fully toward him now.
"…Who is she?"
And for the first time since we met, Keifer didn't answer right away. "Yeah," I said. "Just thinking."
There was a short silence.
"Back there," I said finally, "when you came to the school… the headmaster looked terrified."
Keifer glanced at me.
"You noticed."
"Hard not to," I said. "So… why was he scared of you?"
He exhaled slowly.
"Because of my mother."
I frowned, curiosity sparking. "Your mother?"
He nodded.
I turned fully toward him now.
"…Who is she?"
And for the first time since we met, Keifer didn't answer right away.