Chapter 34 – Black Roses
Rain started before the funeral even began.
Cold.
Grey.
Heavy enough to make the entire cemetery look unreal.
Like the sky itself refused to accept Serina Watson was gone.
Black umbrellas filled the area slowly as important businessmen, politicians, relatives, and strangers gathered around the white coffin covered in flowers.
Everyone whispered the same thing.
"Such a tragedy…"
"Poor children…"
"Kaizer Watson didn't even appear…"
But none of those whispers mattered.
Not really.
Because near the coffin—
stood Keifer.
Still.
Silent.
Destroyed.
Wearing all black.
Eyes empty.
Keigan and Keiren stood beside him holding each other quietly.
Too young for funerals.
Too young for this kind of pain.
JJ watched from nearby silently.
And honestly?
She hated seeing him like this.
Because this wasn't Keifer anymore.
Not the arrogant president.
Not the flirt.
Not the boy who kissed her after every curse word.
This was just—
a son who lost his mother.
And nobody around him seemed to understand that properly.
Everyone kept treating him like the next Watson heir already.
Strong.
Composed.
Responsible.
Like grief had deadlines.
Like boys weren't allowed to break publicly.
JJ hated it.
---
The Funeral
The priest continued speaking softly about life and loss.
JJ barely listened.
Her eyes stayed on Keifer the entire time.
Because he hadn't moved once.
Hadn't cried once today.
And somehow—
that worried her more.
Percy quietly stood beside JJ.
"…he looks scary calm."
JJ nodded slightly.
Aries crossed his arms nearby silently.
Even he looked unsettled.
Because they all knew—
Keifer wasn't okay.
Not even remotely.
Then came the final prayer.
The final goodbye.
The moment people began placing flowers onto Serina's coffin.
Keigan broke first.
The twelve-year-old burst into tears trying desperately not to cry loudly.
Keiren immediately followed crying hysterically again.
And suddenly—
Keifer knelt in front of them both instantly.
Holding them tightly.
Protecting them.
Even now.
Always them first.
JJ's chest hurt painfully watching it.
Because Keifer himself looked one second away from collapsing—
but he still prioritized his brothers before his own grief.
The priest finally said softly:
"You may say your last goodbye."
Silence spread heavily.
Keifer slowly turned toward the coffin.
And for the first time—
fear appeared in his eyes.
Real fear.
Like saying goodbye would make everything permanent.
JJ quietly stepped closer beside him.
Not speaking.
Just there.
Keifer looked at her briefly.
And somehow—
that was enough.
He walked forward.
Slowly.
Like every step physically hurt.
Then stopped beside the coffin.
Serina looked peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Like she was simply sleeping.
Keifer's lips trembled slightly.
"…you promised," he whispered.
JJ heard it.
Barely.
But she heard it.
"She promised she'd stay…" he repeated shakily.
Then finally—
Keifer broke again.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just silently crying while gripping the edge of the coffin hard enough his knuckles turned white.
JJ immediately moved beside him.
One hand against his back gently.
Grounding him.
Supporting him.
No words.
Because grief this deep couldn't be fixed by words.
---
After The Burial
Hours later—
most people left.
Only close family and Section E remained.
The rain became lighter now.
Cold wind moved quietly through the cemetery.
Keigan and Keiren had fallen asleep inside the car from emotional exhaustion.
Percy and Aries were talking quietly nearby with Angelo.
Even Angelo looked darker than usual today.
More dangerous.
Because Serina had been one of the few adults he genuinely respected.
JJ eventually noticed Keifer missing.
She found him alone near the far side of the cemetery.
Standing under the rain without an umbrella.
Just staring blankly ahead.
JJ walked toward him quietly.
"You'll get sick."
Keifer laughed softly.
Empty.
"Wouldn't matter much."
JJ frowned immediately.
"Don't say things like that."
Silence.
Rain soaked through Keifer's black clothes slowly.
But he didn't move.
Then suddenly—
"Everyone keeps looking at me differently now."
His voice sounded tired.
"I hate it."
JJ stayed quiet.
"They expect me to become him now."
Kaizer.
He meant Kaizer.
JJ's jaw tightened immediately.
"You're nothing like him."
Keifer laughed bitterly.
"You sure?"
"Yes."
Immediate.
Certain.
Keifer finally looked at her then.
And JJ realized something terrifying.
He genuinely wasn't sure anymore.
That's what grief and rage were doing to him.
Destroying him from inside.
"I wanted to kill him," Keifer admitted quietly.
JJ didn't look shocked.
Because honestly?
After what happened—
who wouldn't?
Keifer rubbed his face aggressively.
"When she got shot… all I could think was killing him."
Rain dripped from his hair slowly.
"And part of me still does."
Silence.
Then quieter:
"What if I become someone horrible because of this?"
JJ stepped closer immediately.
"You won't."
"You don't know that."
"I do."
Keifer looked exhausted.
Broken.
Angry.
And suddenly—
small.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
Like all the confidence he carried normally disappeared with Serina.
Then finally—
his voice cracked again.
"I miss my mom."
That sentence destroyed JJ completely.
Because it sounded so painfully young.
So human.
So vulnerable.
Without thinking—
JJ hugged him tightly.
And Keifer immediately held onto her back desperately.
Like he'd been waiting for permission to fall apart.
He buried his face into her shoulder breathing unevenly.
JJ gently ran her fingers through his wet hair quietly.
No teasing.
No flirting.
Just comfort.
And slowly—
Keifer cried.
Actually cried.
Not hiding it.
Not pretending to stay strong.
Because with JJ—
he didn't have to.
That's what scared him most.
She saw every ugly broken part of him—
and stayed anyway.
"You know what hurts most?" he whispered shakily.
JJ held him tighter.
"What?"
"I can't remember the last thing I said to her."
JJ shut her eyes tightly for a second.
Because grief always carried guilt with it.
Always.
"She knew you loved her," JJ whispered softly.
Keifer laughed weakly through tears.
"How do you know?"
JJ pulled back slightly just enough to look at him properly.
"Because people like your mom don't leave this world doubting their children."
Silence.
Then for the first time since Serina died—
Keifer smiled slightly.
Tiny.
Broken.
But real.
And somehow—
standing together in the rain beside a grave—
their bond deepened into something far more dangerous than flirting.
Something neither of them could survive losing anymore.