Keifer's POV
I was standing in a quiet field.
The grass moved softly under my feet. The sky above was pale blue, like early morning before the sun fully rises.
There was no wind.
No sound.
Just silence.
I frowned.
"Where am I…?"
Then I heard a voice humming.
A familiar melody.
Slow.
Gentle.
My heart skipped.
That song…
It was the same song from Jay's recorder.
I turned.
Under a large tree sat a boy.
He leaned against the trunk calmly, humming the tune with his eyes closed.
I slowly walked closer.
When he opened his eyes, he smiled at me like we had known each other for years.
"Hey," he said.
My chest tightened.
"…Adrian?"
The boy nodded casually.
"Yeah."
I stared at him.
This couldn't be real.
But he looked exactly like the picture in Jay's room.
Same warm eyes.
Same calm smile.
"You look like you saw a ghost," Adrian said lightly.
"…I kind of did."
He laughed.
"Relax. I'm not here to scare you."
Adrian stood up and stretched a little before walking toward me.
Then he studied my face carefully.
"So you're Keifer."
My eyes widened.
"How do you know my name?"
Adrian smiled.
"Jay talks about you."
I blinked.
"She does?"
"Sometimes," he said.
"You look confused," Adrian said with a light laugh.
"I am," I admitted.
Then his expression softened.
"She cried today, didn't she?"
The memory hit me instantly.
Jay holding the picture.
Jay crying.
Jay shaking in my arms.
"…Yeah," I said quietly.
Adrian looked down at the grass.
"She always cries like that when she blames herself."
He looked back at me.
"You saw her weakest side today."
I nodded.
"I did."
For a moment we were silent.
Then Adrian suddenly spoke again.
"So… are you serious about that promise?"
"What promise?"
"The one you told my picture."
My chest tightened.
Don't worry. I'll protect her.
"I meant it," I said firmly.
Adrian looked straight into my eyes.
Like he was testing something.
After a moment he smiled.
"Good."
He turned and looked toward the horizon.
"I used to calm her anger with songs."
His voice was quiet.
"But I can't do that anymore."
He walked past me slowly.
"So now…"
He paused beside me.
"…that job belongs to you."
I clenched my fists slightly.
"I'll do it."
Adrian nodded.
"Then I'm not worried."
He began walking away.
"Wait," I called.
Adrian stopped.
"Will Jay ever stop hurting like this?"
He was quiet for a moment.
Then he answered softly.
"She'll never forget me."
"But one day…"
He looked back at me with a small smile.
"…she'll smile because of you."
The world around us suddenly began fading.
The sky turned bright.
The field slowly disappeared.
Adrian's voice echoed softly.
"Take care of her, Keifer."
Then everything went dark.
I woke up suddenly.
My whole body jerked upright.
My heart was pounding.
Fast.
Too fast.
My room was dark except for the faint light from the window.
I looked around quickly.
"Adrian…?"
Silence.
Only the quiet sound of the night.
My hands were slightly shaking.
"That… wasn't real…"
But it felt real.
Too real.
I touched my face and took a deep breath.
Then I lay back down slowly, staring at the ceiling.
"…It was just a dream," I whispered.
But deep inside, something didn't feel like a dream.
And the words Adrian said still echoed clearly in my head.
Take care of her.
I closed my eyes again.
"…I will."
Even if it was only a dream.