(Keifer's POV)
The noise had faded.
Not completely—
just enough.
Voices from the mansion still echoed faintly.
Laughter.
Music.
Distant now.
Here—
it was quieter.
Just the wind.
And her.
She was still sitting there.
Exactly where I left her.
Stubborn.
Of course.
I walked back slowly.
No rush this time.
No chaos to cut through.
Just her.
She didn't look at me.
Knew I was there.
Still didn't look.
"Done pretending?" I asked.
"Wasn't pretending."
Same tone.
Same lie.
I exhaled lightly.
Then sat beside her.
Close.
Not too close.
For a second—
neither of us spoke.
Then she shifted slightly.
Careless.
And I caught it.
The way her hand almost went back to her side.
I reached first.
Gently moved it away.
"Stop."
"Don't start," she muttered.
"I'm not starting."
"You are."
"I'm finishing."
A pause.
She didn't argue that one.
Good.
She leaned back slowly.
Careful this time.
Less fight in her movements.
More tired.
And without saying anything—
her head dropped.
Right onto my shoulder.
Then slid—
resting against me properly.
Like it just… happened.
Like she didn't plan it.
I didn't move.
Didn't react.
Just adjusted slightly—
so she wouldn't strain.
So it wouldn't hurt.
Her breathing slowed.
Steadier now.
Warmer.
"You worry too much," she murmured softly.
Eyes still closed.
I looked down at her.
"Not enough."
She didn't reply.
Didn't argue.
That was new.
The wind picked up slightly.
I shifted my arm behind her—
pulling her just a little closer.
Not asking.
Just doing it.
She didn't resist.
Of course she didn't.
Her hand rested lightly near my shirt.
Not gripping this time.
Just… there.
Quiet.
Soft.
For a while—
nothing else mattered.
Not the noise.
Not the others.
Just this.
Then, after a moment—
I spoke again.
"Next time…"
She hummed faintly.
"Don't hide it."
A small pause.
Then—
barely audible—
"Next time…"
Her lips curved slightly.
"…don't catch me."
I almost smiled.
Almost.
But my hand stayed where it was.
Holding her close.
Not letting go.
(Jay's POV)
Morning started loud.
Of course it did.
"WHO ATE MY PANCAKES—" Percy shouted.
"I did," Cin replied calmly.
"WHY?"
"Because they were there."
"THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU EAT THEM—"
"It actually does," Freya added.
"NO IT DOESN'T—"
"It does," Ella said without even looking up.
Chaos.
Pure chaos.
I walked into the kitchen slowly.
Still a little stiff—
but not enough to stop me.
"Move," I muttered, pushing Percy aside.
"HEY—"
"You're blocking food."
"That's MY food."
"Not anymore."
I grabbed a plate.
Started eating like nothing was wrong.
Like last night didn't happen.
Like the morning didn't hurt a little more than usual.
No one noticed.
Good.
"Jay, sit properly," Honey said.
"I am sitting."
"You're half standing."
"I like it this way."
"That's not a way."
"It is now."
Laughter.
Normal.
Perfect.
Across the table—
I didn't look at him.
Didn't need to.
I could feel it anyway.
That stare.
Still there.
"Beach?" Freya suddenly said.
"YES," Cin jumped.
"Finally."
"I'm in," Percy added.
"Obviously you are," Ella muttered.
I smirked slightly.
"Let's go."
Too fast.
Too ready.
"Eat first," Aries said.
"I am eating."
"You're inhaling."
"Same thing."
"No, it's not."
"It works."
More laughter.
And just like that—
the plan was made.
Beach.
Again.
The sun was higher now.
Brighter.
Warmer.
The water looked better.
Calmer.
"LAST ONE IN IS A LOSER—" Percy shouted.
"YOU'RE ALREADY A LOSER," Freya replied.
They all ran.
Shouting.
Splashing.
I followed.
Not fast—
but not slow either.
The water hit my feet.
Cold.
Then more.
Ankles.
Knees.
A wave came in—
stronger this time.
And there it was.
That pull.
Sharp.
"…shit," I muttered low.
My hand almost moved—
I stopped it.
Not here.
Not now.
"JAY—CATCH THIS—"
A splash hit me.
"ARE YOU SERIOUS—"
I splashed back instantly.
"TAKE THAT—"
Laughter again.
Noise.
Distraction.
It almost worked.
Until—
a hand caught my wrist.
Firm.
"Leave it."
"No."
I turned.
Keifer.
Too close.
Watching too closely.
"I'm fine."
"Stop saying that."
I rolled my eyes.
"You're overreacting."
"You're not reacting at all."
A pause.
Water moving around us.
"You knew it would hurt," he said.
Low.
Controlled.
I didn't look away.
"So?"
His jaw tightened slightly.
"So you still did it."
Silence.
"I can handle it," I said.
"That's not the point."
I pulled my hand back.
This time—he let me.
"Stop acting like I can't," I said.
A little sharper now.
He didn't move.
Didn't raise his voice.
Just looked at me.
"I'm acting like you don't have to."
That—
stopped me.
For a second.
Then I looked away.
"…you're doing too much."
"Am I?"
I didn't answer.
Behind us—
the others had gone quiet.
Watching.
Of course they were.
"…should we be scared?" Cin whispered.
"Yes," Percy replied.
"Shut up," Freya muttered.
I stepped back.
Out of the water.
Out of that moment.
"Relax," I said.
"I'm fine."
Again.
Then I turned—
and walked away.
Like it didn't matter.
Behind me—
he didn't follow.
But I could feel it.
Still watching.
(Keifer's POV)
She walked away.
Didn't look back.
Of course she didn't.
The water moved around my legs—
but I didn't move.
Didn't follow.
Not yet.
"…that was intense," Cin said under his breath.
"Shut up," Freya muttered.
Percy looked between me and the shore.
"She's gonna kill you later."
"I know," I said calmly.
Aries didn't laugh.
Of course he didn't.
He was already watching her.
The way she sat.
Like nothing happened.
Like she didn't just walk out of a fight.
"…she won't listen," he said quietly.
"I know."
A pause.
The others slowly went back to their chaos.
Not us.
Aries stayed.
Still looking at her.
Then—
"When she came to us…" he started.
I glanced at him.
He didn't look at me.
Just ahead.
"…she was already like that."
A pause.
"Like what?" I asked.
"Like she didn't feel things the same way."
Not cold.
Not careless.
Just… different.
My jaw tightened slightly.
A thought pressed forward.
I didn't stop it.
"Where was she before that?"
That made him pause.
Finally, he looked at me.
And for the first time—
there was something uncertain there.
"…we don't know."
Silence.
"She was gone," he added.
"Missing."
The word stayed there.
He exhaled slowly.
"Almost three years."
Something in my chest stilled.
Three.
I looked away.
Toward her.
Sitting there like nothing mattered.
Like she was just another person on the beach.
"…and then?" I asked.
"She just… came back."
No explanation.
No story.
"Didn't say anything."
Of course she didn't.
"She doesn't talk about it," Aries added.
"Never did."
I nodded once.
But my mind wasn't there anymore.
Three years.
I knew two.
Exactly two.
Where she was.
What she went through.
Enough to understand some of it.
Enough to know—
that wasn't normal.
But one year—
One missing piece.
Unaccounted for.
And suddenly—
everything didn't add up the same way anymore.
That level of pain isn't normal.
The doctor's voice again.
She didn't flinch.
She adjusted.
I looked at her again.
Really looked this time.
At the way she sat.
Relaxed.
But not careless.
Controlled.
Always controlled.
"…you thinking too much," Aries said suddenly.
"Maybe," I replied.
But I didn't look away.
Because now—
it wasn't just concern.
It was something else.
Something that didn't sit right.
And I wasn't going to ignore it.
Not anymore.