Chapter 39 - Training

---

🖤 Scene: Stay Still

Jayjay's POV

The sound is sharp.

Unexpected.

---

I stop in the hallway.

Turn slightly.

---

Another sound.

From outside.

---

Curious… I follow it.

---

The backyard is quiet.

Except for him.

---

Keifer stands a few steps away, focused.

Calm.

Controlled.

---

There's a target set up.

And he's practicing.

---

I blink.

---

I've never really seen him like this before.

So… precise.

So serious.

---

"…what are you doing?" I ask softly.

---

He doesn't turn immediately.

"Practice."

---

I walk closer.

Carefully.

---

"…can you teach me?"

Now he looks at me.

---

A pause.

---

"No."

---

I frown.

"Why?"

---

"Because you won't take it seriously."

---

"I will!"

---

He raises a brow.

I cross my arms.

"Try me."

---

Silence.

---

Then he sighs.

"Fine."

---

My face lights up instantly.

---

🖤 Training (kind of)

I stand where he tells me.

Trying to look serious.

---

"Focus," he says.

---

"I am focused."

---

"…you're not."

---

I try again.

---

And miss.

---

Completely.

---

I glance at him.

"…that was close."

---

"It wasn't."

---

I try again.

---

Miss.

---

Again.

Miss.

---

I groan.

"This is hard."

---

"I told you."

---

I turn to him.

"You're distracting me."

---

That makes him pause.

---

"I'm standing still."

---

"Exactly."

---

A small silence.

---

Then—

He steps closer.

---

My breath catches slightly.

---

He moves behind me.

---

"Stop moving," he says quietly.

---

His voice is closer now.

Lower.

---

His hand gently adjusts mine.

Not rough.

Just… guiding.

---

"Like this."

---

I go still instantly.

---

"Focus forward."

---

I nod slightly.

---

But I'm not focusing.

Not really.

---

Because he's too close.

---

His presence feels… different like this.

---

"Jay," he murmurs.

---

"Hmm?"

---

"Pay attention."

---

"I am."

---

"You're not."

---

I smile a little.

---

He exhales softly.

Almost annoyed.

Almost not.

---

"Again."

---

I try.

---

Better this time.

Not perfect.

But better.

---

I turn slightly.

"See?"

---

He looks at me.

Then nods once.

---

"Better."

---

That one word—

Feels like I just passed something important.

---

I grin.

---

"Told you."

---

He steps back now.

Distance again.

---

And suddenly—

I miss it.

Just a little.

---

🖤 Keifer's POV (short)

She wasn't focused.

Not even once.

---

But she tried.

---

And that's the problem.

---

Because now she's looking at me like she wants approval.

---

And I gave it.

---

I shouldn't care this much.

---

But I do.

---

"…we're done," I say.

---

She pouts immediately.

"What? Already?"

---

I look away slightly.

---

"Before you hurt yourself."

---

She rolls her eyes.

"I was fine."

---

I shake my head.

---

"Go inside."

---

She doesn't move.

---

Instead—

She steps closer again.

---

"…teach me again tomorrow?"

A pause

I look at her

Then nod once

" Maybe"

Her smile returns instantly

And she walks off like she just won something

Scene: "I'm Trained Now"

Jayjay's POV

I walk in like I've just achieved something huge.

Because I did 😏

---

Ciel is the first one to notice me.

"You look suspicious."

---

I grin.

"Guess what?"

---

Jare looks up immediately.

"That never ends well."

---

I ignore him.

---

"I just trained."

---

Silence.

---

Aries blinks.

"…trained for what?"

---

I lift my chin slightly.

"Keifer taught me."

---

Ciel gasps dramatically.

"No way."

Jare leans back.

"Keifer? Taught you?"

---

I nod proudly.

"Yes."

---

"What did you even do?" Jare asks.

---

I pause.

---

"…I improved."

---

"That means nothing," Aries says.

---

"I did!" I protest.

---

Ciel runs up to me.

"Show me!"

---

"I can't right now," I say quickly.

---

Jare smirks.

"Because there's nothing to show."

---

I glare at him.

"You're just jealous."

---

"Of what? Missing everything?" he laughs.

---

I huff.

Then cross my arms.

---

"At least he thinks I did well."

---

That line lands.

---

And I don't even realize it.

---

Because—

Behind them—

Keifer is there.

---

Leaning slightly against the doorway.

Quiet.

Watching.

---

🖤 Keifer's POV

She's bragging.

Badly.

---

Half of what she's saying isn't even true.

---

But she looks proud.

---

Like she actually did something important.

---

And when she says—

"At least he thinks I did well."

---

Something in my chest shifts slightly.

---

Because I did.

---

I didn't say much.

Just "better."

---

But she held onto that.

---

Ciel laughs.

"Keifer, did you really train her?"

---

All eyes turn to me now.

---

Jay freezes slightly.

---

I look at her for a second.

---

She looks… expectant.

---

Like she's waiting.

---

I could ruin it.

Say the truth.

---

"She missed almost everything."

---

But I don't.

---

Instead, I shrug slightly.

---

"She tried."

---

Jay gasps softly.

---

"See!" she turns back to them instantly.

"I told you."

---

Jare groans.

"That's not even a compliment."

---

"It is," she insists.

---

I almost smile.

Almost.

---

She turns back to me.

Eyes bright.

---

"Tell them I did good."

---

A pause.

---

I look at her.

Then say simply—

---

"…you did better than I expected."

---

Her whole face lights up.

---

And I regret saying it.

Not because it's wrong.

---

But because now—

She's going to be worse.

---

🖤 Jayjay's POV

I knew it.

---

I turn to them immediately.

"Told you."

---

Ciel claps.

"Jayjay is trained now!"

---

Jare shakes his head.

"This is dangerous."

---

I grin.

---

Then glance back at Keifer.

---

He's still watching me.

---

Quiet.

---

And I don't know why…

But that feels better than anything they said---

🖤 Scene: Stay Still

Jayjay's POV

The sound is sharp.

Unexpected.

---

I stop in the hallway.

Turn slightly.

---

Another sound.

From outside.

---

Curious… I follow it.

---

The backyard is quiet.

Except for him.

---

Keifer stands a few steps away, focused.

Calm.

Controlled.

---

There's a target set up.

And he's practicing.

---

I blink.

---

I've never really seen him like this before.

So… precise.

So serious.

---

"…what are you doing?" I ask softly.

---

He doesn't turn immediately.

"Practice."

---

I walk closer.

Carefully.

---

"…can you teach me?"

Now he looks at me.

---

A pause.

---

"No."

---

I frown.

"Why?"

---

"Because you won't take it seriously."

---

"I will!"

---

He raises a brow.

I cross my arms.

"Try me."

---

Silence.

---

Then he sighs.

"Fine."

---

My face lights up instantly.

---

🖤 Training (kind of)

I stand where he tells me.

Trying to look serious.

---

"Focus," he says.

---

"I am focused."

---

"…you're not."

---

I try again.

---

And miss.

---

Completely.

---

I glance at him.

"…that was close."

---

"It wasn't."

---

I try again.

---

Miss.

---

Again.

Miss.

---

I groan.

"This is hard."

---

"I told you."

---

I turn to him.

"You're distracting me."

---

That makes him pause.

---

"I'm standing still."

---

"Exactly."

---

A small silence.

---

Then—

He steps closer.

---

My breath catches slightly.

---

He moves behind me.

---

"Stop moving," he says quietly.

---

His voice is closer now.

Lower.

---

His hand gently adjusts mine.

Not rough.

Just… guiding.

---

"Like this."

---

I go still instantly.

---

"Focus forward."

---

I nod slightly.

---

But I'm not focusing.

Not really.

---

Because he's too close.

---

His presence feels… different like this.

---

"Jay," he murmurs.

---

"Hmm?"

---

"Pay attention."

---

"I am."

---

"You're not."

---

I smile a little.

---

He exhales softly.

Almost annoyed.

Almost not.

---

"Again."

---

I try.

---

Better this time.

Not perfect.

But better.

---

I turn slightly.

"See?"

---

He looks at me.

Then nods once.

---

"Better."

---

That one word—

Feels like I just passed something important.

---

I grin.

---

"Told you."

---

He steps back now.

Distance again.

---

And suddenly—

I miss it.

Just a little.

---

🖤 Keifer's POV (short)

She wasn't focused.

Not even once.

---

But she tried.

---

And that's the problem.

---

Because now she's looking at me like she wants approval.

---

And I gave it.

---

I shouldn't care this much.

---

But I do.

---

"…we're done," I say.

---

She pouts immediately.

"What? Already?"

---

I look away slightly.

---

"Before you hurt yourself."

---

She rolls her eyes.

"I was fine."

---

I shake my head.

---

"Go inside."

---

She doesn't move.

---

Instead—

She steps closer again.

---

"…teach me again tomorrow?"

A pause

I look at her

Then nod once

" Maybe"

Her smile returns instantly

And she walks off like she just won something

Scene: "I'm Trained Now"

Jayjay's POV

I walk in like I've just achieved something huge.

Because I did 😏

---

Ciel is the first one to notice me.

"You look suspicious."

---

I grin.

"Guess what?"

---

Jare looks up immediately.

"That never ends well."

---

I ignore him.

---

"I just trained."

---

Silence.

---

Aries blinks.

"…trained for what?"

---

I lift my chin slightly.

"Keifer taught me."

---

Ciel gasps dramatically.

"No way."

Jare leans back.

"Keifer? Taught you?"

---

I nod proudly.

"Yes."

---

"What did you even do?" Jare asks.

---

I pause.

---

"…I improved."

---

"That means nothing," Aries says.

---

"I did!" I protest.

---

Ciel runs up to me.

"Show me!"

---

"I can't right now," I say quickly.

---

Jare smirks.

"Because there's nothing to show."

---

I glare at him.

"You're just jealous."

---

"Of what? Missing everything?" he laughs.

---

I huff.

Then cross my arms.

---

"At least he thinks I did well."

---

That line lands.

---

And I don't even realize it.

---

Because—

Behind them—

Keifer is there.

---

Leaning slightly against the doorway.

Quiet.

Watching.

---

🖤 Keifer's POV

She's bragging.

Badly.

---

Half of what she's saying isn't even true.

---

But she looks proud.

---

Like she actually did something important.

---

And when she says—

"At least he thinks I did well."

---

Something in my chest shifts slightly.

---

Because I did.

---

I didn't say much.

Just "better."

---

But she held onto that.

---

Ciel laughs.

"Keifer, did you really train her?"

---

All eyes turn to me now.

---

Jay freezes slightly.

---

I look at her for a second.

---

She looks… expectant.

---

Like she's waiting.

---

I could ruin it.

Say the truth.

---

"She missed almost everything."

---

But I don't.

---

Instead, I shrug slightly.

---

"She tried."

---

Jay gasps softly.

---

"See!" she turns back to them instantly.

"I told you."

---

Jare groans.

"That's not even a compliment."

---

"It is," she insists.

---

I almost smile.

Almost.

---

She turns back to me.

Eyes bright.

---

"Tell them I did good."

---

A pause.

---

I look at her.

Then say simply—

---

"…you did better than I expected."

---

Her whole face lights up.

---

And I regret saying it.

Not because it's wrong.

---

But because now—

She's going to be worse.

---

🖤 Jayjay's POV

I knew it.

---

I turn to them immediately.

"Told you."

---

Ciel claps.

"Jayjay is trained now!"

---

Jare shakes his head.

"This is dangerous."

---

I grin.

---

Then glance back at Keifer.

---

He's still watching me.

---

Quiet.

---

And I don't know why…

But that feels better than anything they said