A soft knock echoed against the door.
It cut clean through the moment—
through the silence,
through the tension,
By the way, neither of us had looked away.
"Kiefer…" I said, quieter this time—careful, but not careful enough.
His eyes darkened.
Slowly—almost deliberately—he lowered his head, resting it against my shoulder. His breath was warm and uneven.
"Don't say my name like that," he murmured. "You're making this harder than it already is."
I felt the subtle shift of his throat as he swallowed, like he was holding something back—something sharp, something dangerous.
For a second, I forgot how to breathe.
"We should go," I said, forcing the words out, even as my body refused to move.
A pause.
Then—
His lips brushed my neck.
Not rushed. Not careless.
Intentional.
The touch sent a slow, controlled shiver through me, like he meant for me to feel every second of it.
"What are you doing?" I asked, but my voice had already betrayed me.
He didn't step away.
Instead, he lingered—close enough that I could feel the ghost of his breath against my skin.
"Nothing," he said softly.
But his hand lifted—fingers grazing my arm, steady and claiming, as if there were no question of permission.
"Just reminding you…"
His voice dropped, smooth—unshakably certain.
"…that no matter where you go—"
A pause.
Measured. Intentional.
"You don't get to forget who you belong to."
The words settled between us like something real. Binding.
Then—
He stepped back.
Just enough.
"Jay…" His voice shifted, rougher now, like restraint was finally cracking at the edges. "Go. Before I lose control."
He turned, opening the door without looking at me.
And that's when I saw him clearly.
His ears were flushed—
his neck, too—
a faint red climbing up his skin like something he was trying—and failing—to hide.
For a second, I just stood there.
Because this… this wasn't the composed, untouchable Kiefer.
This was the version of him that felt.
That wanted.
That was holding him back—for me.
I stepped out.
The moment I crossed the threshold—
click.
The door locked behind me.
And only then—
I breathed.
A sharp inhale, like I'd been underwater this whole time.
"What was that…?" I whispered, dragging a hand through my hair, trying to steady something that refused to settle.
But the answer lingered anyway.
Not in words.
The sensation of his touch still burned on my skin.
I could still feel the warmth of that kiss—
And without realizing it, my fingers had already risen, pressing against the spot… lingering there, almost bruising it, like I was trying to hold onto something that hadn't fully left.
"Gago…" I muttered under my breath—then immediately pressed my lips together.
"What are you doing here?"
I froze.
Slowly, I turned.
"Keigen," I said—
then stopped.
My mind was still numb, caught somewhere between what just happened and what I was supposed to say now.
The silence lingered.
He noticed.
Of course he did.
"Come with me."
No explanation. No room to refuse.
I followed.
We reached his room—and the moment I stepped inside—
click.
The door locked.
I turned sharply. "What—?"
"Do you like my Kuya?"
The question hit harder than I expected.
Simple.
Direct.
Dangerous.
I hesitated.
I liked him enough to kiss him.
Enough to let him get that close.
But how much…?
"I… maybe," I said quietly. "I don't know."
I said, avoiding his eyes.
Keigen exhaled through his nose, gaze sharpening.
"If you don't," he said quietly, "don't give him something he can't keep."
His voice wasn't angry.
It was protective.
"I don't want to watch him break again."
A pause.
"I've seen it once. Four years of it."
"…Because of a girl," I finished.
His eyes flickered. "So you know."
"I just know he loved her," I said. "Yuri mentioned it."
"And he still does," Keigen replied.
That… tightened something in my chest.
"What happened to her?" I asked. "Every time I bring it up, people avoid the question."
Keigen studied me for a long moment—really studied me.
Then—
"She couldn't handle the truth," he said. "So she did the only thing she could…"
A pause.
"She ran from it."
Ran.
But C-in said they lost her.
Why did that sound… different? Why does everyone talk in riddles like I'm not supposed to understand?
"You mean she cheated on him?" I asked.
"No," he shouted immediately.
He ran a hand through his hair, jaw tightening slightly.
"She loved him enough to die for him."
That made even less sense.
"Then why would she leave?"
He let out a short breath, almost like a laugh—but without humor.
"You really asked so many questions?"
Then his gaze sharpened again.
"Why??? If she comes back—what then?" he asked. "Will you step aside?"
"No," I said immediately.
Then paused.
"…But I don't like it," I admitted quietly.
"Everyone talks about her like she's still here. Like she owns a place I'm not allowed to touch."
My fingers curled slightly at my sides.
"She came before me. She marked something in him… and all of you act like there's a line I shouldn't cross."
Silence.
Then—
"You're jealous."
I looked up.
And he—
laughed.
Not lightly.
Fully. Openly. Like I'd just said something absurdly obvious.
"Why are you laughing?" I snapped.
"You're unbelievable," he said, still amused. "I heard you were dense, but this—this is something else."
My eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"
"And don't talk to me like that," I added. "If I marry your brother one day, I'll be your Ate."
The words came out before I could stop them.
Marriage?
Where did that even come from?
His laughter stopped.
Just like that.
"You really want to marry my kuya?" he said.
A faint smile touched his lips.
"Go on."
A faint smile lingered on his lips—
then vanished.
Just like that.
His expression hardened, turning serious—too serious.
"Make him happy," he said quietly. "I want to see him smile again."
A pause.
Then his gaze locked onto mine.
"But don't leave him again."
Again.
The word didn't land softly.
It hit.
Heavy.
Before I could ask—before I could even process it—
He walked out.
Leaving me standing there.
Still.
Trying to understand what just happened.
Did I… get approval for a marriage I never even thought about?
And why did he say it like that?
Again.
Like I had already let him go once.
My brows slowly furrowed.
"These brothers…" I muttered under my breath.
"Why do they talk like everything has layers?"
Like every word meant something more than what they were saying.
And somehow—
I had the feeling…
Those words weren't meant to confuse me.
They were meant to remind me.
Of something I couldn't remember.
When we went downstairs, the atmosphere didn't get any lighter.
Another brother glanced at me—
just once—
and it felt like standing too close to fire.
In this house, they didn't need words.
A single look was enough to burn.
Then—
Kiefer appeared.
Walking down like he owned the space… as the air itself moved around him.
Composed.
Untouchable.
As if nothing had happened.
As if he hadn't just—
My fingers twitched.
I quickly dropped my hand.
"Why is no one else here?" I asked, forcing my voice to be steady.
"I don't like people wandering around," Kiefer replied calmly.
Of course.
Control.
That word fit him too well.
We sat down to eat.
The silence was… heavy.
"So, Ate," Keigen suddenly said, "why are you here?"
I choked.
"Ate?" both Kiefer and Keigen echoed at the same time.
I shot Keigen a look, pointing my fork at him like a threat.
I will end you.
He just smirked.
"If she comes here as Kuya's—"
I kicked his leg under the table.
Hard.
And across the table—
I could feel it.
Kiefer's gaze.
Not questioning.
Not confused.
Just… watching.
Like he already knew.
Breakfast ended, but the silence didn't.
We moved to the living room.
Kiefer sat on the sofa, laptop open, completely absorbed in his work—as if the morning hadn't happened.
As if I hadn't happened to be there.
Keigen and Keiran were sprawled across the other side, watching a movie as if nothing in this house was ever complicated.
And me—
I was stuck inside my own head.
I came to Manila to find answers.
My past.
My life.
But where do you even begin… When you don't remember anything?
I only knew one thing—
I had lived here.
That was it.
No names.
No places.
No one.
And the worst part?
I couldn't ask for help.
Because they knew something.
All of them.
And they weren't telling me.
Flick.
"Ow—!" I snapped, grabbing my forehead. "Gago! Why did you hit me?"
Kiefer didn't even look guilty.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked, eyes still on me.
"Nothing. Just… random stuff," I muttered, looking away.
"Then why are your brows furrowed like that?" he said calmly. "You only do that when you're thinking too much."
Before I could react—
His hand closed around mine.
Warm.
Firm.
Grounding.
"Tell me, Jay."
My breath caught.
"I—"
"Kiefer."
The voice cut through everything.
I turned.
And the moment I saw her—
something twisted in my chest.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
"What are you doing here?" she said, looking straight at me. Then she waved it off like it didn't matter. "Never mind. Kiefer, why aren't you answering Uncle's calls?"
Before I could process—
She stepped closer.
And kissed his cheek.
My fingers tightened unconsciously.
"Honey," Kiefer said smoothly, standing up, "I was busy. I'll call him now."
Honey.
He said it so easily.
So naturally.
Then—
His eyes flicked to me.
"Stay here. Don't go anywhere. I'll be back."
And just like that—
He walked out.
Leaving me there.
With her.
I stared.
Not glaring.
Just… staring.
Because something about her—
annoyed me.
Deeply.
"What are you looking at?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"Nothing," I said lightly. "Have we met before?"
"Yes," she replied without hesitation. "I don't like you. You punched me once."
I blinked.
"…I don't remember that," I said honestly.
Then I tilted my head slightly.
"But I don't like you now either."
Her lips curled.
"Kiefer really has weird taste in girls."
I leaned back into the sofa, letting a slow smirk form.
"Hmm… I was just thinking the same thing," I said lazily. "How is he still talking to someone like you?"
A pause.
Then—
"You're kind of ugly."
Her expression snapped.
"What the hell? Jay—you really haven't changed."
She turned and walked off toward the kitchen—
like she owned the place.
I watched her go.
Something in me—
itching.
Sharp.
Ugly.
"Stop staring at her like that," Keigen said from the side. "You look like you're about to kill her."
I didn't look away.
"So what?" I muttered. "She's annoying."
"She's Kuya's secretary," he added casually.
"Tch."
I stood up abruptly.
"I'm going out."
"Jay—"
I didn't wait.
The air outside hit me harder than expected.
Cool.
Quiet.
Free.
I kept walking.
No direction.
No plan.
Just—
away.
My phone buzzed.
Kiefer.
Calling.
My fingers hovered over the screen for a second.
Then—
ignored it.
The silence that followed felt louder than the call itself.
"Tch…"
I exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through my hair.
"He lets her touch him like that...is he playing with me?"
And
"Why does that even bother me?" I muttered.
"He's not even my boyfriend."
A pause.
My chest tightened anyway.
"…So why does it feel like that?"
I stopped walking.
The street stretched ahead, empty, unfamiliar—
But that wasn't what made me feel lost.
It was this.
This feeling.
Annoying. Sharp. Uninvited.
My fingers curled into fists.
"They all talk about her…" I whispered. "Like she's still there… like she still matters."
Her.
The girl from before.
The one no one explains.
The one who "ran."
The one they "lost."
"And now this one…" I scoffed under my breath.
Secretary.
Right.
"Everyone just walks in as they belong…" I said quietly, my voice tightening. "Like they already have a place next to him…"
My jaw clenched.
"And I—"
I stopped.
Because I didn't know what I was.
Not a stranger.
Not… anything real either.
Just—
someone in between.
And somehow—
That felt worse.
My chest felt too tight.
My thoughts are too loud.
Everything is piling up at once—
The past I couldn't remember,
the girl I couldn't replace,
the way he looked at me…
and the way he let me touch him.
"Tch—"
Before I could stop myself—
I kicked a small rock on the road.
Hard.
Too hard.
It flew—
faster than I expected.
Crash.
Glass shattered.
The sound snapped everything.
I froze.
My eyes widened slowly.
In front of me—
a flower shop window.
Broken.
"…Shit."
My first instinct?
Run.
And I almost did.
I turned—
ready to disappear—
when the door creaked open.
A girl stepped out.
No—
not just a girl.
She was… beautiful.
Soft features, calm eyes, the kind of presence that made everything around her feel quieter.
I was dead.
Instead of running—
I walked toward her.
"I'm sorry," I said quickly, bowing my head slightly. "I didn't mean to—I'll pay for it."
"Jay."
I blinked.
She said my name so easily.
Like it belonged there.
I looked up. "Do I… know you?"
She nodded gently.
"I'm Sakura," she said, bowing politely. "Yuri's wife."
Yuri.
That name again.
"You don't know me," she added softly. "But I know you."
Something about that—
felt strange.
Not threatening.
Just… heavy.
I studied her for a second, then smiled faintly.
"You're really beautiful."
Her expression softened even more.
"Arigatō," she said, her voice light.
Cute.
Too cute.
I tilted my head slightly, a thought slipping out before I could stop it.
How did that idiot end up marrying someone like her…?
"Come inside," she said.
The shop smelled like fresh flowers.
Soft.
Calming.
Like stepping into a memory I couldn't quite reach.
I pulled out the money I borrowed earlier from Aries and held it toward her.
"Here."
She shook her head immediately.
"No. It's just glass."
"That's not the point—"
"It's okay," she insisted gently.
I hesitated… then lowered my hand.
"…Fine. But I still owe you."
She smiled.
"So," she asked, tilting her head slightly, "why are you here?"
Then, after a pause—
"I heard you went to New York after the accident."
Accident.
That word again.
I nodded slowly.
"I did… but I don't remember much," I admitted. "Do you know anything about me?"
She thought for a moment.
"I only know that you studied at HVIS," she said. "Maybe you can find something there."
HVIS.
A place.
Finally—
something real.
"Yeah… okay," I said quietly. "That helps."
Then I looked at her again.
"Give me your phone."
She blinked. "Why?"
I smiled slightly.
"I owe you coffee."
A pause.
Then I added, more casually—
"Let's meet later."
She handed it over without hesitation.
I saved my number and handed it back.
"Call me," I said.
Not long after—
I found myself standing in front of it.
HVIS School
It was huge.
Bigger than I expected.
Imposing… but familiar in a way that made my chest feel tight.
I stood there, staring.
And then—
It hit me.
Flashes.
Quick.
Unsteady.
Laughter.
Voices.
Sunlight spilling across hallways.