(Keifer's POV)
The game didn't end.
It just… slowed down.
The noise faded in pieces.
Not all at once.
Blaster was still arguing about something pointless.
Drew half-lying on the floor, still defending himself.
"That was not a real question!"
"It was!" Felix replied.
"It wasn't fair!"
"Life isn't fair," Freya said, already bored.
Mica leaned against Calix quietly.
Talking softly.
Denzel and Grace had stopped talking completely.
Just sitting close.
Cin was still trying to start another round.
"One more—just one more!"
"No," Rakhi said.
"Please?"
"No."
"…okay."
That was the end of that.
People started getting up slowly.
Stretching.
Yawning.
Leaving in small groups.
Percy stood last.
Looked around.
"This was chaotic."
"You started half of it," Honey said.
"I improved it."
"You didn't."
He shrugged.
Still smiling.
Then even he left.
The hall grew quieter.
Too quiet.
I stayed where I was.
On the couch.
Leaning back.
Jay was still beside me.
Not sitting straight anymore.
She had shifted at some point.
Now half-turned toward me.
One leg folded slightly.
Her shoulder resting lightly against my arm.
Not fully leaning.
But not distant either.
Her phone was in her hand.
Screen dim.
Not really being used.
"…they're too loud," she said quietly.
"They were," I replied.
A pause.
"You didn't stop them."
She tilted her head slightly.
"I was watching."
Of course she was.
I looked at her for a second.
"You didn't answer."
She didn't ask what I meant.
She knew.
"…I didn't want to."
I nodded once.
Didn't push it.
The silence after that wasn't awkward.
Just… calm.
She shifted slightly again.
This time—closer.
Her head resting lightly against my shoulder.
Careful.
Without thinking too much.
I didn't move.
Didn't adjust.
Just let her.
Her breathing was slower now.
Tired.
But still awake.
"You're quiet," she murmured.
"I'm always quiet."
"No."
A small pause.
"…only when you're thinking."
I glanced down at her.
"And now?"
She didn't answer immediately.
Just stayed there.
Then—
"…now you're watching."
That was true.
I didn't deny it.
"You don't have to pretend with me," I said quietly.
No reaction at first.
Then—
a small breath.
She didn't move away.
Didn't respond.
But her hand shifted slightly.
Resting closer.
Like that was her answer.
The hall stayed quiet.
Lights still on.
Everyone else gone.
Just us.
And for once—
there was nothing to interrupt it.
After sometime
Jay's head rested against him, her breathing already slow.
"Jay… baby," he called softly.
She stirred slightly.
"…five minutes," she mumbled.
He smiled.
Of course.
Without saying anything more, he carefully picked her up.
She didn't protest.
Just leaned into him.
And he carried her back to their room.
Morning felt different.
Lighter.
Louder.
Not because something changed—
but because everyone was finally… awake.
The hall was already messy.
People everywhere.
Talking.
Arguing.
Eating.
Normal.
I dropped down beside the girls.
Not sitting properly.
Just… there.
Freya was already mid-sentence.
"I'm telling you, boys think they're important for no reason."
"They are important," Mica said softly.
Freya turned to her.
"You're biased."
"I am not."
"You are."
Ella sighed.
"They're useful sometimes."
"Sometimes?" Freya repeated.
"Very rarely," Ella corrected.
I snorted.
They looked at me.
"What?" I said.
"You agree?" Freya asked.
"I agree that they're annoying."
"That's not the point," Ella said.
"It is the point," I replied.
Mica laughed quietly.
"They do try," she added.
Freya leaned back.
"Trying is not enough."
"Exactly," Ella nodded.
There was a pause.
Then Freya's eyes lit up slightly.
"We should punish them."
I looked at her.
"For what?"
"For existing," she said.
I smiled.
"That's fair."
Mica blinked.
"That's not fair."
"It is," Freya insisted.
Ella crossed her arms.
"…I'm listening."
Now this was interesting.
"What kind of punishment?" I asked.
Freya thought for a second.
"Something that annoys them."
"Everything annoys them," Ella said.
"Exactly," Freya grinned.
I leaned forward slightly.
"…or we make them lose something."
They looked at me now.
"How?" Mica asked.
I tilted my head.
Thinking.
Not too big.
Not too obvious.
Just enough to start something.
"…we don't punish them directly," I said slowly.
Freya narrowed her eyes.
"Then?"
"We make it look like they lost."
Ella raised a brow.
"And how do we do that?"
I smiled slightly.
"By proving they're wrong."
Silence.
Not confusion.
Just… interest.
Mica leaned in a little.
"Wrong about what?"
I shrugged lightly.
"Anything."
Freya smirked.
"Like?"
I glanced toward the boys' side.
Already loud.
Already arguing about something stupid.
Of course they were.
Then I looked back at the girls.
"…like how they think they're important."
A pause.
Ella's expression changed slightly.
Freya smiled wider.
Mica blinked.
"That's… dangerous," she said softly.
"That's fun," Freya corrected.
I leaned back slightly.
"Let's just see," I said casually.
"See what?" Ella asked.
I glanced at the boys again.
Then back at them.
"…how long it takes before they start proving us right."