Chapter 177 - Keifer's Side

Jay-Jay's POV

"Where have you been?" Kuya Angelo asked while looking at me from head to toe.

My clothes were wet, making it obvious that we had been swimming—or at least near water. My friends were also watching.

"S-swimming—"

"Where?" He cut me off before I could finish.

Kuya knew there was a small waterfall nearby. I used to pick him up from there when he dropped me home.

"In the fish pond," Ci answered, causing all of us to look at him.

"Excuse me? In the fish pond?" Sir Alvin clarified.

We absentmindedly nodded. It was better than admitting that we had bathed in the small waterfall and river, which might have raised more questions.

"Do you even realize how dirty the water in that fish pond is?!" Kuya's voice held a hint of irritation.

"It was really hot… We didn't go anywhere far, just there," David responded.

"Go clean yourselves now!" Kuya ordered. Without hesitation, we ran back to our campsite to grab fresh clothes.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Yuri asked while sorting through the collected branches.

"Because Jay-jay's big brother is grumpy!" Ci-N chimed in.

Yuri and Keifer exchanged glances before looking at me. I didn't say a word. I just grabbed my things and ran to the restroom.

Since we didn't have many people around, I didn't have to wait in line for the shower. I quickly washed up and changed. Maybe it was because I was about to face Kuya, and I had a feeling something was wrong.

I ran back to our campsite to drop off my stuff.

"Why are you panicking?" Felix asked.

I stopped. "I have a feeling something happened. Kuya wouldn't have come here for no reason."

A big part of me told me that. I could call him, but the signal here was weak.

"Think positive, Jay. Maybe your brother just came to say hello," David said.

But that didn't ease my uneasiness. Something still felt off.

"Alright… Go see your big brother," Yuri said with a smile.

I returned the smile and made my way to the hall where I had left Kuya Angelo speaking with Sir Alvin.

They were still there, but this time, Aries was with them. The moment he saw me, he shot me a sharp glare.

I hope you're quick!

Kuya Angelo whispered something to Sir Alvin, who nodded and walked away, flashing me a small smile before disappearing from view.

Once he was gone, I finally approached Kuya Angelo.

"W-why are you here?" I asked nervously.

Kuya crossed his arms and looked down at me.

"Cyrus' parents called me," he said.

Dead.

"...He was taken to the hospital along with his friends."

I looked away. I knew it! Kuya wouldn't have come here if nothing had happened. Damn it!

"Do you have anything to do with that?" Kuya asked directly.

His voice was starting to rise. It felt like my heart was pounding just as loudly.

"W-well..."

"Damn it!" Kuya shouted, making me flinch in fear. "What the hell happened?!"

My tongue and lips refused to cooperate. It was as if they were scared of Kuya too. I wanted to explain everything, but I couldn't.

"Has your madness taken over again?" Aries asked sarcastically.

Madness?

Was he saying I was crazy? For reasons I didn't understand, his words stung—even if they weren't true.

"I'm not crazy," I said firmly.

He just smirked and sighed, as if he were challenging me. If that's what he was doing, I wouldn't hesitate to punch him.

"What do you call what's happening to you then? You change into someone else. You keep hurting people non-stop. You don't even listen to anyone."

What is he saying?

I lowered my gaze. I didn't know the answer. No matter what I did, I couldn't explain it.

Maybe… Maybe I really was crazy.

"I… I don't know."

Aries chuckled lightly. "You're not crazy."

"Enough!" Kuya suddenly yelled.

His voice was like thunder. Even the sky seemed to agree, flashing lightning across the darkening clouds. His voice alone could referee a fight.

Kuya turned back to me. "Did you do it?!"

I slowly shook my head. "N-no—"

"I did," someone interrupted.

Who?

Who else but the King of Snakes himself, always ready to bite?

We both turned to him. He was still smirking, looking at us in amusement.

"Excuse me?" Kuya snapped at him irritably.

"You know… that thing that happened to—what's his name again?" Keifer asked me innocently.

Seriously? After causing trouble, he couldn't even remember the guy's name.

Unbelievable.

"Cyrus," I answered.

"Yeah. That thing that happened to Cyrus. It was me, not Jay-jay."

Kuya Angelo raised an eyebrow, glancing between me and Keifer.

"Tell me exactly what happened," he demanded.

"I don't know," the arrogant snake answered casually.

Shameless!

"What do you mean 'you don't know'?" Kuya repeated, clearly losing patience.

Damn it! He was trying to irritate Kuya before actually answering.

"Shh."

You've got to be kidding me!

Kuya clenched his fists, visibly trying to keep his composure. Maybe he knew what Keifer was like and didn't want to waste energy on him.

"If you have nothing sensible to say, you can leave!" Aries snapped at Keifer.

They both stared. The only thing missing was a laser attached to their eyes to make their glares even more intense.

"Just melt one."

"Keifer... I don't have time for your jokes," Kuya said calmly, though his authority was evident.

I looked at the pest King pleadingly. If he didn't intend to get serious, he shouldn't have gotten involved. I was the one Kuya was upset with.

"I don't know what happened," he said with a sigh. "...But when we arrived, they were hurting Jay."

He suddenly grabbed my chin, tilting my face to show Kuya the bruised part of my lip. Then, he moved to expose my neck, which still bore the mark of Cyrus' claim.

Kuya Angelo and Aries had the same reaction—silent but intense. Keifer let go of my chin and turned back to them.

"...So I did what I had to. I took down Cyrus."

"And what were you doing at Holy Saints? Jay-jay, I know you had a reason to be there. But what about you?" Kuya asked.

"Going for a walk," he answered quickly.

Nice!

What a great answer! I was amazed. Seriously, even when he's annoying, he's impressive. I almost wanted to applaud him.

I glanced at Aries. His fists were clenched. With Kuya and Aries, it was easier to read their reactions.

"Seriously?" Kuya asked sarcastically. "...Keifer—"

"You're so stupid," Keifer interrupted, causing Aries to grab his collar.

"What did you say?!" Aries snapped angrily. "What did you just call my brother?!"

"Stupid," Keifer repeated without hesitation.

Of course!

"Aries," Kuya called. "Let him go." His voice was firm, but Aries showed no intention of obeying.

"Now."

At that sharp command, Aries immediately let go. Keifer straightened his clothes and faced Kuya again.

"You're so stupid," he repeated once more. "...Isn't it obvious? I don't know anyone at Holy Saints. I must have been with Jay-jay."

Kuya didn't react, but his gaze shifted toward me. I stiffened under his scrutiny.

"Why did Cyrus hurt you?"

Because he's jealous of my beauty, obviously!

Maybe the King was right. He really is stupid. Did Kuya and Aries forget what happened in the past? They could be just as oblivious as Keifer, Yuri, and Percy sometimes.

"Really? That... I did that to him before," I admitted, holding my breath. "...I guess he wanted revenge."

Kuya took a deep breath, his expression unreadable. Aries didn't say anything, but his fists remained clenched.

"And what about Cyrus' friends? Did you do anything to them too?" Kuya asked Keifer.

"No. That was our classmates," he answered while glancing at me.

"Thanks for clarifying that. You can go now."

That was Kuya's way of ending the conversation. I nodded and started walking away. Each step felt heavy, as if the weight of the situation was pressing down on me. I could feel the King following behind.

We were almost at our destination when I suddenly stopped. He halted as well. Even though he didn't say anything, I knew he had something on his mind.

"Jay," he called.

I turned to him, unsure if he was just bored with this place or bored with me.

"Spill it out," he said, taking a deep breath. "...I know you have something to ask."

Was I that obvious? Or had he known from the beginning? Either way, I didn't care. I had too many questions. Especially after what Freya told me.

"I want to ask you a lot of things. But you have to promise you'll answer them all," I said, my voice a mix of frustration and hesitation.

He bowed his head slightly. "I can't promise that."

His words made me uneasy. What if he refused to answer? But my worries faded when he took my hand in his.

"...But I'll try my best," he added with a small smile.

I couldn't bring myself to return his smile, but I squeezed his hand in response.

"Did you really hurt Freya?" I asked, looking straight into his eyes.

He didn't flinch. "I did."

A tight feeling formed in my chest. I couldn't understand. How could he hurt a woman? Didn't he think about what happened to his own mother?

"W-why? Why did you do that?"

I couldn't help but raise my voice. Anger surged through me. I didn't even know why I was so affected by this. Freya and I weren't friends, but we were both women. Maybe that was reason enough for me to be upset.

"Freya was my first in everything," he admitted, letting go of my hand. A pang of something—hurt, maybe—struck my heart. "...But I wasn't hers."

Freya had told me that.

"I accepted her. Everything about her. But knowing that Yuri was still..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "That's what I couldn't accept."

Was that why he was so angry before? Because the first person she loved had been in love with Yuri? That explained why he always reacted so aggressively toward her.

I couldn't find the words to continue my questioning.

"...I'm sure you won't understand how much it hurt me. My pride. My ego. It was unbearable... especially when I realized Yuri was on her mind while we were together." He exhaled shakily. "...Jealousy and fear consumed me. We kept fighting until... I couldn't control myself anymore. I—"

"You hurt her," I finished for him. "...But that's not a good enough reason. Freya is a woman."

He turned away, avoiding my gaze. Maybe I couldn't fully grasp his pain—what it felt like to have his pride crushed. But that still didn't justify his actions.

"I don't know... Maybe I'm like my dad," he muttered, lowering his head.

I felt the weight of his sadness. A sudden urge to comfort him washed over me.

I stepped closer and wrapped my arms around him.

"No. You're not like him," I said firmly.

I felt his arms tighten around me in response. "Believe me, I was shocked by what I did. I promised myself I'd never do it again."

But you almost did it to me.

As if reading my mind, he pulled me even closer.

"...But I almost did something to you, too. Because Yuri was involved again."

That explained his extreme reaction. His anger wasn't just jealousy—it was something deeper.

I slowly pulled away from him, searching his face. His eyes were filled with sadness, and I could feel the heavy emotions weighing on him.

I felt guilty. I had wanted the truth, but now it felt like I was judging him.

That wasn't my intention.

"Sorry. I understand you. I just can't believe you did that," I said.

He forced a smile. "Do you have anything else you want to ask?"

A lot.

"M—there is... Maybe next time—"

"It's okay. You can still ask me," he interrupted.

But I didn't know if I should ask more. I felt like I had already asked too much of him.

He looked at me as if waiting for my next question. So, even though I was hesitant...

"Freya told me something else." I took a deep breath. "...She said you treated her like a prisoner."

He suddenly laughed. I was annoyed by his reaction, but somehow, I felt a little better.

"That's actually normal," he said.

Normal? For him?!

"Normal?"

He nodded. "Because she was scolding me. I could not see anyone with her."

"Why did you two break up?" I kept asking.

His smile disappeared, and he bowed his head slightly. "Because of Aries."

What the fudge?

I blinked several times, struggling to process what he had just said. Aries? What does Aries have to do with this?

"S—Aries? W-who...?"

"Remember Michael Mitchell?" he asked, and I nodded. "...He told me that Aries and Freya were in a relationship. He even showed me pictures of them making out."

"W-what did you do?"

Why does this story seem so familiar to me?

"Nothing. She was already breaking up with me at the time—I was the only one holding on. Then, when Mykel told me about them, I just thought maybe she really didn't want to be with me anymore." He forced a smile. "...So, I let her go."

A miracle?!

Aries wasn't even confronted or punched? That's a miracle! Maybe an angel passed by at that time. Or maybe Mykel talked to him properly.

"Isn't it?"

I looked at him strangely. "What?"

"You really didn't confront Aries?" I asked, and he nodded. "...That's hard to believe."

"Yeah... I didn't. Mykel was the one who took care of everything." He laughed loudly.

There it is! A confession!

There's no way he just let it slide. That's Keifer Watson!

I smacked his arm to stop him from laughing. He did and looked at me. Then, he held my hand.

"Do you still have more questions?" he asked.

"I do. Freya said that Yuri just took what he wanted and then left her. Is that true?" My tone was filled with concern.

"That... I don't know." I looked at him. "...I don't know what really happened between them—I just know that they did something, and I accepted it."

Pfft...

How does he not know? He should know! That's bad! My question was about that.

"It's hard to believe that Yuri would do that," I muttered.

" I doubt that Yuri did something like that," he said, seeming deep in thought. "...Even when we were there, he still acknowledged me in front of Freya."

That means he still cared about Freya.

"...There were other times when he showed that he still had feelings for her. That's why I was always jealous."

It felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest. Yuri couldn't have done that. If he had only been after her body, he wouldn't have shown any concern.

But the way Freya looked when she told me about it... She seemed truly hurt. So, it was impossible that she was lying.

What was the truth?

"Do you have any more questions?"

I looked at Keifer and scratched the back of my neck. I was so lost in thought that I had forgotten we were still together.

"We should head back to the site. It's getting dark," he said, pointing to the sky.

Oh, right! We had been talking for so long that night had already fallen.

"Alright, let's go back," I said, walking with him.

Before I could take a step, he grabbed my arm. I looked at his hand, then at his face. He smiled and raised his eyebrows.

I knew that look.

He smirked, confirming my suspicion. The idiot was asking for a kiss!

"I don't want to," I answered quickly. "...Maybe tomorrow night."

His face immediately fell, and he looked annoyed. The speed at which his expression changed was ridiculous.

"They're still around, aren't they? They might suddenly show up here... We'll get caught," I said as an excuse.

"Fine," he grumbled, walking ahead of me.

I just laughed. He needed to be kept in check. If he got too carried away, we might end up repeating New Year's Eve.

Anyway, my thoughts about him and Freya had eased a little. Some of my questions were answered. Now, I just wanted answers from Yuri.

I knew he had an explanation.

And I was ready to listen.

Even from afar, I could see the bonfire's glow and hear the noise of our group.

As we got closer, I noticed the guys drinking, laughing, and teasing each other. Ci, as always, had the loudest voice of them all.

"Jay-Jay!" Eman called out and walked toward me. "...Here, for you," he said, handing me a bottle of wine.

I was surprised, but I took it and looked around at everyone. I hadn't realized they had brought alcohol—wait!

This wasn't ours! This was from Section A. Tsk! These guys were unbelievable.

"Eat something first, Jay! You don't want an upset stomach," David said, handing me a plate full of snacks.

"Oh! Don't get too drunk on that!" Edrix shouted with concern. "...Or you might end up summoning another demon from the fire!"

Everyone burst into laughter while looking at me.

Idiots! Am I supposed to laugh at that?

I just sighed, rolled my eyes, and looked for a place to sit.

I really hope I don't get drunk tonight.

Because...

You're here with me.