✦ CHAPTER — "Only Me." ✦
The mansion was quieter tonight.
Not peaceful quiet.
Heavy quiet.
The kind that made everyone walk a little faster and speak a little softer.
😭🖤
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Jay's POV
I noticed immediately that something was wrong.
The mafia men kept moving in and out of rooms quickly.
Phones ringing.
Weapons being carried around.
Low serious voices echoing through the halls.
---
And Keifer?
Missing all evening.
---
Which naturally annoyed me.
😭
---
I walked through the hallway holding Mochi against my chest while trying to find someone useful.
One of the men froze the second he saw me.
---
"Little Boss."
"Where's Keifer?"
Immediate hesitation.
Bad sign.
---
"…Boss is handling something."
Suspicious.
Very suspicious.
---
I narrowed my eyes.
"Handling what?"
Another hesitation.
Then:
> "…you probably shouldn't go downstairs right now."
And obviously—
that only made me MORE curious.
😭💀
---
So five minutes later—
I ignored him completely and went downstairs anyway.
---
The deeper parts of the mansion felt colder.
Darker.
The lights dimmer.
Even the air felt different.
---
And then—
I heard it.
A scream.
😭🫀
---
My footsteps stopped instantly.
---
Not loud.
Not dramatic.
Just enough pain to make my chest tighten.
---
Slowly—
I looked toward the slightly open door nearby.
Light spilling through the gap.
Voices inside.
---
And before my brain could stop me—
I pushed the door open slightly.
---
The room froze me immediately.
---
A man sat tied to a chair.
Bruised.
Terrified.
Several mafia men stood around silently.
And in the middle of the room—
Keifer.
😭🖤
---
Black shirt sleeves rolled up.
One hand resting lazily in his pocket.
The other holding a gun.
---
But it wasn't the weapon that shocked me.
It was his face.
---
Cold.
Emotionless.
Completely unreadable.
---
No softness.
No warmth.
Nothing familiar.
---
The man in the chair was shaking.
Actually shaking.
---
Meanwhile Keifer just tilted his head slightly.
Voice calm.
Quiet.
Almost bored.
> "Last chance."
😭💔
---
I'd never seen him like this before.
Not fully.
Not without his softness around me balancing it out.
---
And suddenly—
I understood why everyone feared him.
---
The man started panicking again.
Begging loudly now.
Keifer didn't even blink.
---
Then finally—
his eyes lifted.
Toward the door.
Toward me.
😭🫀
---
And everything changed instantly.
---
The coldness disappeared so fast it almost felt unreal.
---
"Jay?"
His voice softened immediately.
The entire room noticed.
---
One of the mafia men actually looked shocked.
Another quickly looked away awkwardly.
😭💀
---
I stood there frozen.
Still holding Mochi tightly.
---
Keifer's eyes moved over me quickly.
Checking if I was okay first out of habit.
Always first.
---
Then he walked toward me.
And with every step—
he became more familiar again.
More mine.
😭🤍
---
When he finally reached me—
his hand settled automatically against my waist.
Warm.
Protective.
---
"Why are you down here?"
Soft voice again.
Like the terrifying man from thirty seconds ago no longer existed.
---
I swallowed slightly.
"…I was looking for you."
For a moment—
something gentler appeared in his eyes.
---
Then he sighed quietly.
Not annoyed.
Just tired.
---
"You shouldn't be here."
I looked back toward the room once more.
The tied man refused to even look at Keifer directly anymore.
---
And suddenly—
my chest hurt a little.
Because I realized something.
---
Nobody touched Keifer casually here.
Nobody interrupted him.
Nobody teased him.
Nobody climbed into his lap or stole his hoodies.
😭💔
---
Everyone feared him too much to even breathe wrong around him.
---
Meanwhile I complained when he ignored me for five minutes.
---
Keifer guided me away from the room slowly.
Hand still secure against my waist.
Keeping me close.
Keeping me away from that part of his world.
---
The hallway felt quieter now.
Only our footsteps echoing softly.
---
After a moment I finally whispered:
"…are you always like that?"
Keifer looked at me briefly.
He knew exactly what I meant.
---
A long silence followed.
Then quietly:
> "…sometimes."
😭🫀
---
I didn't know why that answer hurt.
But it did.
---
Because suddenly—
I imagined him living like this before me.
Cold rooms.
Cold conversations.
People fearing him constantly.
No softness anywhere.
---
No wonder he clung to me so much.
😭💌
---
That night—
I stayed unusually close to him.
---
While he worked on the couch: I sat beside him pressed against his arm.
When he moved: I followed.
When he sat down: I climbed into his lap without thinking.
---
Keifer noticed everything immediately.
Of course he did.
---
Eventually his hand slid slowly through my hair.
Eyes still on paperwork.
Then quietly:
> "…why are you staring at me like that?"
I looked up at him silently for a second.
Then whispered softly:
> "…I think everyone else gets a different version of you."
His hand stopped briefly in my hair.
---
The room went quiet.
Heavy quiet.
Emotional quiet.
😭🫀
---
Then finally—
Keifer pulled me closer against his chest.
Face burying lightly into my neck.
Like instinct.
Like relief.
---
And very quietly—
almost too quietly to hear—
he murmured:
> "…only you were ever supposed to." 🤍
The mansion was quiet again.
Rain still tapped softly against the windows, turning the night cold and sleepy.
Most of the lights downstairs were already off.
Only the dim lamp in the living room stayed on.
Warm.
Golden.
Lonely.
😭🤍
---
Jay's POV
I was half asleep on the couch when the front door finally opened.
Immediately I sat up.
"…Keifer?"
No answer at first.
Only heavy footsteps entering the mansion.
Slow footsteps.
Too slow.
---
And the second he stepped into the light—
my stomach twisted.
😭🫀
---
Black shirt.
Dark coat.
Hair messy.
Knuckles bruised.
And blood staining slightly near the sleeve of his cuff.
---
Instant panic.
I stood up immediately.
"Keifer—"
> "I'm fine."
Too fast.
Automatic.
Lie.
😭
---
He loosened his tie while walking past me toward the stairs like nothing happened.
Like bleeding into expensive clothes was completely normal.
---
I followed him instantly.
"No you're not."
> "Jay."
"You're literally bleeding."
Another tired sigh left him.
---
By the time we reached the bedroom—
I was already upset.
Not angry.
Worse.
Worried.
😭💔
---
Keifer pulled off his coat carelessly and threw it onto the chair nearby.
That's when I saw it properly.
Blood near his side.
Not a huge injury.
But enough.
Enough to make my chest ache immediately.
---
"…sit down."
> "It's small."
"Sit."
😭🫀
---
Keifer stared at me for a moment.
Probably realizing I wasn't letting this go.
Then finally—
he sat at the edge of the bed quietly.
Still watching me.
---
I hurried toward the bathroom for the first aid kit while trying not to panic too much.
---
When I came back—
Keifer looked even more exhausted somehow.
Head lowered slightly.
Tie completely gone now.
Top buttons undone.
Breathing heavier than usual.
---
And suddenly—
he didn't look scary at all.
Just tired.
😭🤍
---
I carefully stood between his legs while opening the kit.
"…you should've told me."
No response.
---
I gently pushed his shirt aside near the wound.
And immediately frowned.
"Keifer."
> "It looks worse than it is."
"You say that about everything."
😭
---
He stayed quiet after that.
Too tired to argue properly anymore.
---
So I started cleaning the blood carefully.
Slowly.
Trying not to hurt him.
---
The room became quiet except for rain and soft breathing.
---
Then suddenly—
I felt his forehead rest lightly against my stomach.
😭🫀
---
I froze slightly.
---
Keifer's arms slowly wrapped around my waist.
Not tightly.
Just enough.
Like instinct.
Like he needed grounding.
---
My heart softened immediately.
Every single time.
😭💌
---
"You're quiet," I whispered softly.
A tired hum against me.
---
I continued cleaning the wound carefully while running one hand through his hair slowly.
And little by little—
I felt his body relaxing.
The tension leaving him.
---
Then quietly—
without lifting his head—
he muttered:
> "…hate when you look at me like this."
I blinked softly.
"…like what?"
> "Worried."
😭💔
---
My fingers slowed slightly in his hair.
---
"You hide things from me."
Silence.
---
Then finally:
> "…used to handling things alone."
That answer hurt more than I expected.
Because he sounded honest.
Not defensive.
Just used to loneliness.
😭🫀
---
So I carefully set the bandages aside.
Then gently held his face so he'd look up at me.
---
His eyes looked exhausted.
Heavy.
Soft only for me again.
---
"You don't have to do that anymore."
Silence.
Deep silence.
---
And for one second—
Keifer looked almost vulnerable.
Like he wanted to believe me.
But didn't fully know how yet.
😭🤍
---
Then suddenly—
his hands tightened around my waist.
And before I could react—
he pulled me directly onto his lap.
---
"Keifer—"
He immediately buried his face against my neck.
Warm breath against skin.
Arms locked around me tightly now.
---
"…stay still for a minute."
Low sleepy voice.
😭💌
---
I melted instantly.
Of course I did.
---
So I stayed there quietly in his lap while rain filled the room softly.
My fingers moving through his hair.
His heartbeat steady beneath my hands.
---
And slowly—
for the first time all night—
Keifer finally relaxed.
Actually relaxed.
---
Half asleep against my neck—
he muttered quietly:
> "…can't stand making you worry."
I kissed his hair softly.
Then whispered back:
"…then stop getting hurt."
A sleepy hum.
Then:
> "…can't promise that."
😭🫀🤍