Cole (POV)
Yesterday's accident should've been the end of it.
Everyone made it out.
Alive.
That's what mattered.
So why did it still feel wrong?
Amy asked for space. I gave it.
Maybe that was my mistake.
I stood outside Jay's room, something uneasy crawling up my spine.
I knocked.
No answer.
I knocked again, harder this time.
Still nothing.
My jaw tightened.
"I'm coming in, Jay."
I pushed the door open—
And froze.
The room was a mess.
Not her kind of mess.
Drawers are half open.
Clothes were thrown out—some on the floor, some hanging like she didn't finish deciding.
Her bedsheet twisted, like she'd gotten up too fast.
A chair was slightly knocked back.
Like she left in a hurry.
My heartbeat picked up.
"Jay…?"
Nothing.
I stepped in slowly, eyes scanning everything—
Trying to make sense of it.
Her wardrobe was open.
Not empty.
Just… disturbed.
Like she grabbed only what she needed and ran.
My chest tightened.
Why would she—
My thoughts cut off when I saw it.
A piece of paper on the bed.
Crumpled.
Like it had been written fast… or changed her mind halfway.
I picked it up, smoothing it slightly with my fingers.
The handwriting was hers.
But messier.
Rushed.
I'm going on vacation.
That was it.
I stared at it, something cold settling in my gut.
No.
No, this wasn't right.
Jay doesn't leave like this.
Not without telling someone.
Not after yesterday.
Not in the middle of the night like she's running from something—
Or someone.
My grip on the paper tightened.
"JARE!" My voice came out sharper than I expected.
"PERCY!"
I was already moving before the echo died.
Fast.
Because this—
This wasn't a vacation.
Something was very, very wrong.
Footsteps thundered down the hall.
They came all at once—Amy, Mia, and Kai.
Jare is right behind them.
"What happened?" Amy asked, breath uneven, eyes already scanning past me into the room.
I didn't answer.
I just held out the note.
She took it.
Read it.
Her expression changed—subtle, but enough.
Mia leaned over her shoulder.
Jare didn't wait. He snatched it next.
Silence fell.
Heavy.
"Did any of you know?" I asked.
Too quick.
Too tight.
They all shook their heads.
"No," Amy said first. "She didn't say anything."
Mia frowned, arms folding. "Not to me either."
Jare exhaled under his breath. "Nothing."
Amy looked back into the room again, slower this time.
Taking it in.
The mess.
The open drawers.
The half-packed life she left behind.
"…She left at night," she said quietly.
Not guessing.
Realizing.
"Without telling any of us," Mia added, her voice sharper now.
Jare's jaw clenched, fingers tightening around the paper.
"Where is my lady…?" Kai muttered, almost to himself
Not now.
Not when I felt the same thing creeping in.
Jare stepped forward, already pulling out his phone.
"I'll call Kuya," he said. "Clyden will know something."
He didn't wait for a response.
The call rang once.
Twice.
Then connected.
Jare put it on speaker.
"Kuya—"
Jare's voice was steady.
Too steady.
A lazy, half-amused voice came through.
"Hey Jare… even you miss me? You can't wake me up at 4 a.m. "
Clyden.
Like nothing in the world was wrong.
Jare's grip tightened on the phone.
"Where is Jay?" I asked coldly.
The tone cut through the room.
Silence followed.
Then Clyden sighed.
"Oh. She should've been halfway into Manila by now."
My blood ran cold.
"What do you mean you let her go without telling anyone?" I snapped.
A soft chuckle came through the speaker.
"Because I chose to be cool."
That didn't sound like kindness.
That sounded like control.
"She relies on me," Clyden continued. "And she already knew you wouldn't let her go."
My jaw clenched.
"Did she remember anything?" Percy asked, his voice tighter now.
A pause.
Longer this time.
"When I heard her voice…" Clyden said slowly, "I knew she remembered something."
Another beat.
"It was confirmed when she asked to go to Manila."
The room shifted.
No one spoke.
"You let it happen," Jare said quietly.
Not a question.
An accusation.
Clyden didn't deny it.
"She promised me something," he said instead. "That if anything went wrong… she would come to me."
His voice sharpened slightly.
"You're all so busy hiding her past… but she still chose him."
My chest tightened.
"She went to find answers," he continued. "I didn't stop her because I want her to be happy."
A pause.
"And I know she only finds that with Kiefer."
The name landed like a strike.
Jare shifted behind me.
Amy went still.
Percy exhaled sharply.
My voice came out lower.
"What if she breaks again?"
For the first time—
Clyden didn't sound playful.
"Let her break."
Silence.
Then he added, quieter—
"She's already breaking inside."
A pause.
"And I'm the one who's going to pick up her pieces."
Something in Percy snapped through the line.
"I'm with him," he said immediately. "I don't know what's going to happen… but I'm on her side. Whether she breaks or not."
A faint hum came from Clyden, like he was already half gone from the conversation.
"Good," he said lazily. "Then don't interfere."
A rustle.
Then—
"Now let me sleep. My sister left me too much work."
Click.
The call ended.
Kiefer (POV)
I went to Angelo's house.
Aries and I had gotten close again over the years.
Not just him.
All of us.
After losing her.
Jay.
We tried to move on.
Tried to act normal.
We drank.
Got into fights.
Laughed like nothing was broken.
But it never worked.
Because no matter what—
Something was always missing.
Her.
Today was supposed to be simple.
It wasn't even meant to be a celebration—at least, not for me. I had skipped my own birthday once again when I went to New York. I told myself it didn't matter.
But Section E didn't agree.
They never did when it came to things like this.
So they planned it anyway.
Something small. Something quiet.
Or at least… that was the intention.
Because nothing with us ever stayed simple for long.
At the house.
And I thought—
Maybe I should invite them too.
Aries.
Angelo.
So I came.
The moment I stepped inside—
My feet didn't listen to me.
They took me somewhere else.
Her room.
I stood at the door for a second.
Then pushed it open.
Nothing had changed.
Everything was still there.
Her things.
Her scent.
Her presence.
Like she had just stepped out—
And it felt like she could walk back in any second.
My chest tightened without permission.
"She'll come back…"
The words left my lips in a whisper.
But even I couldn't tell anymore if I was trying to convince myself—or just holding onto something already gone.
"Did you go to New York to see her again?" Aries asked suddenly.
I didn't answer.
My eyes stayed on her picture.
Same frame.
Same smile.
Still untouched by time… even after years.
Like she never really left this place.
"Why are you here?" Aries' voice pulled me back.
The silence stretched for a moment too long.
I finally looked away.
"Just… looking around," I said quietly.
Then added, almost mechanically,
"Where's Angelo?"
"Downstairs," he replied.
"Come on."
I gave a small nod.
And followed him.
But my steps didn't feel like mine.
Not really.
We walked down together.
Angelo was on a call.
He glanced at us and gestured toward the table.
"Breakfast," he mouthed.
I sat down.
Forced my breathing to stay steady.
Tried to act normal.
Tried to ignore the pressure building quietly in my chest.
Like if I stayed still enough… it would pass.
It didn't.
Then—
The door slammed open.
"Ari Kuya!"
My entire body locked.
"I'm here!"
Time didn't just slow.
It stopped.
That voice—
No.
It couldn't be.
My fingers went still against the table.
Slowly… I turned.
And everything inside me shattered into recognition.
Jay.
Real.
Alive.
Standing there as if she had never left.
Running forward.
Laughing like the world hadn't taken her away from us at all.
She jumped onto Aries as if nothing had changed.
"Jay—get off me!" Aries groaned.
"Clyden really spoiled you! My backbone is going to break!"
She laughed.
Held onto him tighter.
Then grabbed his ear—
And twisted it.
"Say sorry for calling me a monkey!" she snapped.
For a moment—
Everything felt normal.
Like time had reversed.
Like we never lost her.
"Jay, get off him," Angelo said.
Her laughter faded.
Slowly… like something inside her had shifted.
Then she turned.
And looked at me.
Not a glance.
Not a coincidence.
She looked at me.
Really looked.
My breath caught instantly.
Because something in her expression changed—
Her eyes wavered.
Then filled.
Tears gathered without warning.
One step.
Then another.
She moved toward me.
Slowly.
Unconsciously.
Like her body remembered something her mind couldn't explain.
Until she was right in front of me.
Too close.
Too real.
Her hand lifted.
Paused for a fraction of a second—
Then touched my face.
Warm.
Soft.
Familiar.
Like she had done it before.
Like she remembered me…
Even if she didn't know why.
She stepped closer.
And hugged me.
Tightly.
Like I was hers.
Like I belonged to her.
Like she had finally found something she thought she had lost.
My mind didn't catch up.
My body reacted first.
I held her back.
Just as tightly.
Because for a single moment—
Just one fragile moment—
I allowed myself to believe it.
That she remembered.
That she came back.
That she chose me again.
She buried her face into my neck, as she had finally reached the place she was always meant to return to.
I closed my eyes.
Her arms tightened around me—
Not gently.
Desperately.
Like she was trying to carve herself into my existence so I couldn't disappear again.
And I stayed still.
Because if she looked up…
If she asked…
Why was I holding her like this…
Or who I was to her…
I wouldn't be able to answer.
Because deep down—
I already knew.
She didn't remember me.
I had seen her just yesterday.
So what could change in twenty-four hours?
Nothing.
And that truth—
That cruel, quiet certainty—
was what broke me.
So I pushed her away.
Not because I wanted to.
But because I couldn't afford to fall apart in front of her.
My vision blurred at the edges.
My eyes already burned, but I refused to let them fall.
"Aries…" I said, my voice steady.
Too steady.
"I'm going home."
No one stopped me.
No one spoke.
Because they understood.
Or maybe… because they didn't know what to say to something like this.
I turned.
And walked out.
Each step heavier than the last.
Like the air itself was resisting me.
Because this time—
I didn't lose her.
No.
She was right there.
Alive.
Breathing.
Within reach.
And still—
I couldn't have her.
Not anymore.
I went home.
"Kiefer, where did you go?" C-in asked.
"Nothing," I said calmly. "I went to Aries's house… to invite him."
The words sounded normal.
Too normal.
Like nothing had shifted inside me.
But I had already forgotten why I went there in the first place.
Because of her.
Because of Jay.
"Something happened, Kiefer," Davide said, narrowing his eyes slightly.
There it was again.
That look.
Like they could see through me.
"Nothing," I replied flatly. "Just feeling tired."
A simple answer.
Safe.
Controlled.
But even as I said it—
I knew it wasn't exhaustion.
It was something heavier.
Something I couldn't name.
And I didn't want them to see it.
I meant it—but not in the way they thought.
Because I couldn't tell them the truth.
I saw Jay.
That everything inside me shifted the moment her eyes met mine… empty of recognition.
Like I was a stranger.
Like I had never existed in her world at all.
I didn't want to ruin the atmosphere.
Didn't want to drag everyone into something I couldn't even explain properly.
Or make them ask questions I didn't have answers for.
Everything changed after Jay left for New York.
And it didn't just change me.
It changed all of Section E.
Quietly.
Irreversibly.
Like something vital had been removed—
And none of us knew how to grow around the absence.
Felix became a professional basketball player.
C-in—who used to joke nonstop—became quiet. He buried himself in studies and is now the youngest successful doctor, doing his residency at the hospital.
Rory took over his father's company.
Edrix became a professional hacker—and surprisingly, he's married to Fraya now.
I was shocked when I heard it.
But he only smiled and said,
"Jay gave me the courage to choose love."
Danzel found peace with his wife and daughter.
We helped Eman build his own restaurant. Now he's a celebrity chef, winning cooking shows everywhere.
Calix married Mica, and they both work in the same office, living a quiet life.
Drew stopped gambling after I cleared his debt. He promised me he'd rebuild his life—and get his house back.
Balster became a composer and singer. His lyrics now have fans all over.
Eran became an author. Still smiling with those same pickup lines and meaningless relationships.
Josh… is still silent. Still carrying the grief of his girlfriend's death.
Kit and Mayo got married.
At first, we were shocked.
No one saw it coming—not like this, not so quietly, not after everything we had already lost.
But the shock didn't last long in Section E anymore.
It never did.
Because we understood something now.
We didn't want to lose another family member.
Not again.
Not after Jay left a space in all of us that never really healed.
So we accepted it.
Not loudly.
Not formally.
Just… silently.
Yuri stepped down from being a Hanamichi hire.
He left it behind without much explanation. He returned to Manila and took over his family business instead.
And David now runs the family schools.
Everyone… moved forward.
Everyone… is "happy."
But all of us—no matter where we went—
They are still tied to one person.
Jay.
Because of her, Section E stopped breaking apart.
We stopped fighting.
We started building each other up.
We stayed close—not because we had to…
But because many of us never really had a family.
So we became one.
And yet…
Even with all of that growth…
There is still one thing none of us can escape.
Her absence.
And me…
I still don't know how to survive the moment she looks at me like I'm a stranger.
We had started the party. Eman cooked everything like always.
"You guys don't even help me at all… I'm feeding you like you're starving for days," Eman complained, handing plates around. "At least Jay would've helped me make you all work for food."
The air shifted instantly.
Silence.
"She must be forgetting us and enjoying her life in New York," Drew said after a pause.
"No…" C-in shook his head. "I still believe she'll come back. Someone's still there… she needs to return."
His eyes shifted to me.
Then everyone looked at me, too.
I frowned. "Why are you all looking at me?"
"Kiefer…" Yuri leaned back in his chair. "You think we don't know you're going to New York?"
I clicked my tongue lightly. " Tsss, you really keep your eyes on me."
"Why did you come alone?" I asked, shifting the topic. "Didn't you bring your wife?"
Yuri smirked slightly. "She's busy with her flower shop."
"Be nice, Yuri," Rory teased lightly. "You love her, don't you?"
Yuri didn't respond right away.
Just a faint exhale.
Like the answer wasn't something he could say out loud.
"How is she?" David asked after a beat.
The question landed heavier than it should have.
I paused.
"She's fine," I said finally.
Then added, quieter—
"Smiling… happy. Like she used to be."
The moment the words left my mouth, the table went still.
Because we all knew what that meant.
Happy.
Far away.
Even without me…And not here with us.
She was happy.
The thought didn't come with anger.
Or relief.
Just a quiet, hollow acceptance that settled somewhere deep inside my chest.
Like something had been placed there and left behind.
Danzel's daughter suddenly ran in, laughing, hugging him. "Papa!"
A small warmth passed through the room.
Then—
The door opened again.
And everything stopped.
She walked in.
Jay.
The moment she stepped inside, my breath caught.
Her eyes scanned the room slowly… confused… like she didn't know where she was supposed to belong.
Like she didn't recognize anything.
"What are you looking at, Kiefer?" C-in asked quietly, noticing my stillness.
But I couldn't answer.
Because I wasn't looking at everyone.
I was only looking at her.
"Jay…" C-in whispered.
And that was enough.
The entire room froze.
Every voice died.
Every movement stopped.
Even the air felt heavy.
She stood there, blinking slowly, like she was trying to understand why everyone was staring at her.
Like she didn't remember any of us.
And I—
I still don't know how to breathe when she looks at me like she wants me.
I couldn't move.
C-in was the first to break it. He walked toward her and hugged her tightly.
But she didn't hug him back.
Of course, she didn't.
I already knew… she still didn't recognize any of us.
C-in must have understood that, too.
He slowly pulled back and forced a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.
"Hi…" he said softly. "I'm C-in."
He hesitated for a second, then continued,
"We're celebrating our friend's birthday… do you want to join us?"
"No," she replied immediately.
But then—
Her stomach growled.
Loud.
Clear.
I couldn't help it.
I smiled.
She still hadn't changed.
A few of them chuckled.
The tension eased just a little.
C-in exhaled and gently guided her inside. She didn't resist.
Rory shifted his seat without a word, making space for her properly.
She sat down beside me.
We started eating.
Slowly, naturally—as if the chaos never existed.
Everyone began serving her food without hesitation.
More.
More.
Like they were afraid she might disappear again if they didn't give enough.
I placed her favorite dish in front of her.
Lechona
She paused.
Her eyes locked onto it—
then slowly shifted to me.
That stare again.
Sharp.
Heavy.
Like she was trying to dig something out of me.
"Stop staring at me," I whispered under my breath, then added with a faint smirk, "I know I'm handsome, but try not to get lost looking."
Her eyes widened instantly.
"Yes, you're— no… nooo…" she blurted out immediately, shaking her head as if trying to correct herself.
And reached for the adobo food anyway.
But I moved faster.
I served it for her.
"You want this," I said quietly.
She didn't answer.
Just kept looking at me.
Like she was trying to remember something her mind refused to give back.
And for the first time tonight—
I wasn't sure if she was lost…
Or if I were the one slowly breaking.
Kiegen and Kieran came home and joined us.
"Kuya—gir—" Kieran started, but I cut him off immediately. I already knew he was about to say girlfriend.
"Kiegen… Kieran… come here and eat," I said instead, firmly.
Kieran blinked.
Jay looked up at me. "He's your brother."
I bit my lip and nodded once.
"Hii," she said softly, like she was testing the air.
Then my phone rang.
Angelo.
I picked it up immediately.
"Kiefer… Jay is gone. She jumped out of the backyard," Angelo said.
I smiled faintly.
Of course she did.
That sounds exactly like her.
"She's here," I replied calmly.
A pause.
"Give her the phone. I need to talk to her," Angelo said.
I handed it to her.
"Jay," I said quietly.
She took it.
"Angelo kuya…" she said softly.
"Jay…" Angelo's voice came through, relieved.
We could all hear it.
She listened for a moment… then suddenly her expression changed.
"Babee…" she said into the call.
Something inside me snapped.
The glass in my hand shattered instantly.
Wine spilled across my fingers.
Silence hit the room.
I didn't even feel the pain.
Only anger.
Only her voice.
Only that word.
"So you're leaving for New York again?" Kiegen asked, breaking the silence.
She nodded.
Without hesitation.
"Then why are you here? After you," Kiegen suddenly stood up, his chair scraping back.
The room tensed instantly.
And then—
"KIEGEN!" I roared.
My voice shut everything down.
Even her.
Even the air.
Everyone froze.
But I wasn't looking at them.
I was looking at her.
Because she still didn't understand—
She wasn't the only one being pulled apart here.