JAY-JAY POV
One month.
One whole month since the school trip.
One month since saying goodbye to Adrian, Robin, Cyrus, and Luka.
Life had somehow gone back to normal.
Or... whatever "normal" meant when Section E existed.
I adjusted my school uniform in front of the mirror before grabbing my bag.
From downstairs, Aries shouted,
"Jay-Jay! If you're late on the first day back, I'm not saving you!"
"I'm coming!"
"That's what you said ten minutes ago!"
I rolled my eyes and hurried downstairs.
Kuya Angelo was drinking coffee at the dining table.
"Back to school."
"I miss vacations already."
Tita Gema fixed my collar.
"Eat your breakfast."
"I'm not hungry."
"Jay-Jay."
"...Okay."
I quickly finished eating before putting on my shoes.
Aries smirked.
"Try not to fight anyone."
"No promises."
"Little sister."
"Don't call me that."
"You'll always be the youngest here."
I stuck my tongue out at him before stepping outside.
The morning air felt familiar.
I had barely closed the gate when—
"You're late."
I looked up.
Keifer.
Of course.
He was leaning casually against the wall, looking annoyingly confident.
"...What are you doing here?"
"You walk too slowly."
"That's not an answer."
A small smirk appeared on his face.
"I wanted to walk with you."
I blinked.
"...Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
Before I could reply—
"GOOD MORNING!"
Cin appeared out of nowhere.
Rory waved dramatically.
Felix looked like he hadn't slept.
Section E had officially arrived.
Cin stared between me and Keifer.
"Did he seriously wait outside your house?"
"He did," Rory answered before I could.
Felix sighed.
"It's too early for this."
I glared at Keifer.
"You didn't have to wait."
"But I did."
"Why?"
He looked at me like the answer was obvious.
"Because I wanted to."
My face felt warm instantly.
"You're so annoying."
"You keep saying that."
"Because it's true."
"You still haven't told me to stop."
I opened my mouth.
Then closed it again.
"...Shut up."
His smirk widened.
Cin looked horrified.
"HE'S FLIRTING AGAIN!"
Rory grabbed Felix.
"HE CAN'T KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH THIS!"
Felix looked tired.
"It's not even first period."
I ignored all of them and started walking toward school.
Section E immediately surrounded me.
Talking.
Arguing.
Laughing.
Just like before.
My phone vibrated.
I looked down.
Luka: Ate! I got full marks! Buy me chocolates!
I smiled.
Another message.
Robin: School is boring. Save me.
Then—
Cyrus: Ignore Robin.
And finally—
Adrian: Have a good first day back. Don't skip lunch.
The smile on my face softened.
They were far away.
Another city.
Another school.
But somehow...
they were still here.
Keifer glanced down at my phone.
"You miss them."
I looked ahead.
"...Yeah."
A pause.
Then quietly, I added,
"But that's okay."
Because distance didn't change anything.
Adrian was still Adrian.
Robin was still dramatic.
Cyrus was still the voice of reason.
Luka was still obsessed with chocolates.
And Section E was still causing chaos right beside me.
Keifer walked beside me as we reached the school gates.
"You okay?"
I looked around.
At Section E.
At the familiar school.
At the messages on my phone.
Then at Keifer.
"...Yeah."
For the first time in a long time...
I really meant it.
I was okay.
Maybe life wasn't perfect.
Maybe people lived in different cities.
Maybe growing up meant saying goodbye sometimes.
But it also meant finding people worth missing.
And people worth coming back to.
I adjusted my bag and walked through the school gates.
Ready for whatever chaos waited for me next.