Jay noticed it the day Keifer didn't smile the way he usually did.
They were at the café, sitting at their usual table. Jay had come expecting the same gentle comfort she always found there—simple conversation, quiet support, the kind of presence that didn't demand anything from her.
But Keifer looked different.
He was quieter than usual, his eyes focused on her like he was trying to understand something without being obvious. The way he listened felt deeper. The way he spoke felt careful.
When Jay spoke, he didn't just hear her.
He felt her.
She tried to ignore it, telling herself it was just her imagination. She had been feeling things lately—things she didn't want to name. She had been scared of wanting someone again.
But as the day went on, she couldn't shake the feeling that Keifer was changing.
At one point, she reached for her tea and accidentally knocked it slightly. The cup tilted, and the hot liquid spilled onto the table.
Jay froze, embarrassed.
"Oh—" she started.
But Keifer was already moving. He grabbed napkins quickly, his movements fast and efficient.
"Don't worry," he said, voice low. "It's fine."
He didn't sound annoyed.
He sounded… protective.
Jay looked at him, startled. She hadn't realized she needed protection from anything. But when she saw the way he was looking at her—like she mattered—her chest tightened.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
Keifer paused, his gaze lingering on her face.
"You're welcome," he replied.
The way he said it felt different. Like there was something more behind it. Something he was trying not to say.
Jay tried to ignore it. She tried to return to her usual calm.
But then, as they left the café, Keifer walked beside her and stopped at the gate, as if he was about to say something important.
Jay looked at him, waiting.
Keifer's eyes flicked away for a second, then back to her.
"Jay," he began, voice gentle, "if you ever feel uncomfortable… you can tell me."
Jay blinked. "I do tell you."
"I know," he said, almost smiling. "But I mean… you don't have to hold everything inside."
Jay's throat tightened. She looked down.
"I'm fine," she said automatically.
Keifer didn't push. He simply nodded, like he accepted her answer but didn't fully believe it.
Jay felt a strange warmth in her chest. She didn't know why. She didn't want to know.
She had never been the kind of person to rely on someone else.
But with Keifer, it felt… easier.
When she returned home, Jay stood at the window and stared out into the night. She thought about the way Keifer had looked at her today. The way he had moved. The way he had spoken.
She couldn't shake the feeling that he was trying to protect her—not just physically, but emotionally.
And that scared her.
Because if he was changing, it meant she was too.
If he was becoming more… invested, then she was too.
Jay had never wanted to be the reason someone got hurt.
She had never wanted to be the kind of woman who caused trouble.
She didn't know how to handle the possibility of being loved again.
That night, she stared at the ceiling and whispered to herself:
What is happening to me?
Because something was changing.
And Jay couldn't tell if it was the beginning of something beautiful…
Or the start of something that would break her again.