(Jay's POV)
"Give it back," Percy snapped, already moving toward Aries.
"No," Aries replied calmly, holding the phone just out of reach.
"Aries," Percy said, dead serious now, "that's my personal property."
"Exactly why I took it."
I bit the inside of my cheek.
Don't laugh.
Don't laugh.
Keifer stepped slightly to the side, not interfering—just watching like he already knew where this was going.
"Unlock it," Aries said.
"Die," Percy replied instantly.
"That wasn't a request."
"That wasn't a no."
I looked down, pressing my lips together.
Keifer leaned slightly closer to me again. "Don't," he murmured.
I nodded quickly.
Across the room, Percy crossed his arms. "You touch anything on that phone and I swear, I will expose every embarrassing thing you've ever done."
Aries raised a brow. "You don't have that much data."
Percy smirked. "I don't need data. I have memory."
Keifer let out a small breath that almost sounded like a laugh.
"Aries," Percy continued, stepping closer, "give it back before I remind everyone what you did in eighth grade."
Aries didn't react. "Irrelevant."
"Not to your reputation."
"You don't have one either."
"At least mine is interesting."
I pressed my hand lightly against my stomach.
Careful.
Still not laughing.
Keifer noticed immediately.
His hand moved slightly, resting near mine.
A quiet warning.
"Last chance," Percy said.
"Unlock it."
"Make me."
That was it.
Percy lunged forward.
Aries stepped back again, holding the phone higher this time.
"Wow," Percy said, shaking his head, "this is betrayal."
"You started it."
"I didn't start anything."
"You were smiling."
"That's illegal now?"
Keifer finally spoke, calm as ever. "Depends. Looked suspicious."
Percy turned to him. "Oh, now you're involved?"
"I was always involved."
"Traitor," Percy muttered.
Aries glanced down at the phone again.
"Password?"
"Try being respectful."
"I'll try guessing."
"You'll fail."
"Confident."
"Correct."
I looked up again.
Still smiling.
Still fighting it.
Because right now—
Percy was completely exposed.
And he knew it.
"Fine," Percy said suddenly, stepping back, folding his arms again. "Go ahead. Check it."
Aries paused.
That was too easy.
"…why?" Aries asked.
Percy smirked.
"Because you won't find anything."
Keifer tilted his head slightly.
"Or," he said calmly, "you're bluffing."
Percy looked straight at him.
"Or," he replied smoothly, "I'm just smarter than all of you."
I lost it for a second.
A small breath of laughter slipped out—
before I stopped myself immediately.
Pain hit slightly.
Not sharp.
But enough.
Keifer's hand moved instantly, steadying mine.
"Told you," he murmured.
I nodded, still trying to calm down.
Across the room—
Aries looked at Percy.
Percy looked back.
And for a second—
neither of them moved.
Then—
Aries unlocked the phone.
And Percy's expression changed.
Just a little.
"Oh," Keifer said quietly.
And just like that—
they knew.
Percy was definitely not single.
(Jay's POV)
Aries didn't hesitate.
The moment the phone unlocked—
he started scrolling.
"Aries—" Percy moved forward instantly, trying to grab it back.
Aries stepped aside without even looking at him.
"Stay there."
"Give. It. Back."
"No."
Keifer crossed his arms slightly, watching, calm but focused.
I leaned forward just a little—
curious.
Aries stopped scrolling.
His brows pulled together.
"…Honey?" he read out.
The room went quiet.
I blinked.
Once.
Then again.
Keifer's expression didn't change much—
but I could see it.
That slight shift.
"Open it," Percy said quickly.
Too quickly.
Aries already had.
"Aries, don't—"
Too late.
He started reading.
Out loud.
"Honey 🍯: did you drink water"
Percy groaned. "Stop reading like that."
"Percy: obviously not, i'm too pretty to stay hydrated"
I looked up.
Deadpan.
Keifer looked at me.
Then back at Aries.
Aries continued.
"Honey 🍯: idiot go drink water"
"Percy: say please"
"Honey 🍯: please"
"Percy: now i don't want to"
A pause.
"…what?" I muttered.
Keifer exhaled slowly.
Like he wasn't sure if he should react.
Aries kept going.
"Honey 🍯: you are impossible"
"Percy: yet you text me every day"
"Honey 🍯: unfortunately"
"Percy: correction, emotionally attached"
Percy lunged again. "ARIES—"
Aries moved the phone higher. "Sit down."
"Give it back or I swear—"
"Or what?"
Keifer spoke calmly, "Let him read."
Percy looked betrayed. "You too?"
Aries scrolled more.
"Honey 🍯: what are you doing"
"Percy: being attractive"
"Honey 🍯: that's not a task"
"Percy: it's a full-time responsibility"
I pressed my lips together.
Hard.
Keifer looked away slightly.
Like he was trying not to react.
Aries' expression had shifted now.
From suspicion—
to confusion.
Then he read again.
"Honey 🍯: what did you eat"
"Percy: your patience"
"Honey 🍯: i didn't have much anyway"
"Percy: i noticed"
A pause filled the room.
This wasn't what we expected.
At all.
I leaned back slightly, staring at Percy now.
"…this is what you talk about?"
Percy crossed his arms. "It's called intellectual conversation."
Keifer rubbed his forehead once.
"Of all people…" he muttered.
Aries scrolled again, slower this time.
"Honey 🍯: you didn't reply for 2 hours"
"Percy: i was busy"
"Honey 🍯: doing what"
"Percy: existing beautifully"
"Honey 🍯: you're so annoying"
"Percy: and you're still here"
Silence.
I looked at Keifer.
He looked at Aries.
Aries looked at the phone.
Same expression.
Irritation.
Confusion.
…and slight disbelief.
"…this is your relationship?" Aries asked flatly.
Percy smirked slightly. "You wouldn't understand."
Keifer finally spoke, calm but sharp. "She works for me."
"Relax," Percy said. "She works. She also has taste."
I almost laughed again.
Stopped myself just in time.
Aries lowered the phone slowly.
Still staring at the screen.
"…you both are weird."
"Thank you," Percy replied immediately.
Keifer shook his head slightly.
I leaned back, still processing.
Because honestly—
none of us expected this.
Not the attitude.
Not the conversation.
Not…
whatever this was.
And somehow—
that made it worse.
Or maybe—
just… stranger.
The room was still not quiet.
Percy was still standing there like nothing happened.
Aries still holding his phone.
Keifer watching him like he already had ten questions ready.
I was still looking at Percy.
At the messages.
At the way they talked.
So normal.
So… easy.
Something shifted.
Just slightly.
I leaned back a little more into the couch.
My hand moved to my stomach again.
Not sharply.
Not like before.
Just that same dull ache—
reminding me.
The noise around me faded a little.
Not completely.
Just enough that I wasn't fully there in it.
Keifer noticed first.
Of course he did.
His eyes shifted to me instantly.
"Jay," he said quietly.
I shook my head a little.
"…I'm fine."
But I wasn't.
Not fully.
It wasn't just pain.
It was everything.
The hospital.
The room.
The way things had changed.
The way I was still not… me.
Before anything else could be said—
the door opened.
All of us turned.
And then—
they walked in.
Keigen.
Keiren.
And—
her.
Honey.
For a second—
no one moved.
Then Keigen and Keiren rushed forward.
Straight toward me.
Too fast.
Keifer stood up immediately.
Stepping in front of me before they could reach.
"Easy," he said.
Not harsh.
But firm.
They stopped.
Not because they didn't want to reach me—
but because they understood.
They had seen me like this before.
At the hospital.
Every second day.
Keiren stepped forward slightly, slower this time.
"You okay?" he asked.
I nodded faintly.
"…yeah."
Keigen exhaled quietly, tension leaving his shoulders just a little.
"Don't scare us like that again."
I didn't reply.
Just looked at them.
Then—
the room shifted again.
Keifer turned.
His attention landing directly on her.
Honey.
She stood near the door, calm.
Not nervous.
Not awkward.
Just… there.
Percy straightened slightly behind us.
Trying to act normal.
Failing.
Keifer walked a step closer.
Not aggressive.
Not cold.
Just… controlled.
"Honey," he said.
Her gaze met his.
"Yes?"
A small pause.
"Since when?" he asked.
No shock.
No anger.
Just a question.
She didn't hesitate.
"A while."
Keifer nodded once.
"Work and this—separate?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Good."
Another pause.
Then—
his eyes shifted briefly toward Percy.
"Does he behave like this with you too?" Keifer asked calmly.
Percy scoffed. "Excuse me—"
Honey's lips curved slightly.
"Worse."
Silence.
Then—
I almost laughed again.
Keifer looked back at her.
Still calm.
Still controlled.
"You know what you're dealing with?" he asked.
She nodded.
"I do."
Percy crossed his arms again.
"Can we stop talking about me like I'm not here?"
"No," Aries said.
Keigen smirked slightly.
Keiren looked between all of them.
And just like that—
the room filled again.
Not heavy.
Not tense.
Just—
alive.
I leaned back slightly, letting it all settle around me.
Still tired.
Still healing.
But this time—
I wasn't just watching it.
I was part of it again.