Chapter 181 - Midnight Convo

Jay-Jay's POV

The entire Section E was kind to me—even though most of them were full of nonsense. But aside from Keifer and Yuri, I also had a few people to clash with.

There was Eman because I found out about his equipment. But we quickly made amends when we helped out at their restaurant.

Then Felix, of course, because of what happened with Aries and Percy. We agreed that I would help him get back on the basketball team.

Blaster and I once got stuck together in a group activity, but that was resolved quickly.

Mayo—because of his sneaky tricks, parkour stunts, and, of course, Kit's attempt to kiss me. Jealousy! But we eventually patched things up after I punched him.

And now, it seems I have a new enemy. Someone who's clearly holding a grudge against me. But I never thought it would come to this.

"When do you plan to tell us about you?" Josh asked persistently.

"About what?" Edrix asked, clearly confused.

"What are you talking about?" Yuri questioned him in return.

My heart was pounding in my chest. Thoughts raced through my mind—did Josh know about our engagement?

Impossible!

How could he know? We made sure no one would find out. Unless...

"I heard you..." Josh stood up, shifting his gaze from me to Yuri. "...When are you going to tell everyone that you're engaged?"

"What?!"

"Is that true?"

"Since when?!"

"Are you cheating on Keifer?"

One by one, they stood up, exchanging glances with Yuri, waiting for someone to answer.

Damn it!

I looked at Josh, who was staring at me with hostility, and I clenched my fists. What did I ever do to him? Why is he so mad at me? Did I mess up their section that badly for him to hate me this much?

"What?! No one's going to answer?!" Felix demanded angrily.

I couldn't respond. I couldn't think of anything to say. Because it was true. The engagement was real, but we chose to keep it a secret from everyone.

"Keifer! Aren't you going to say anything?!" Rory asked, exasperated.

Keifer responded with a firm voice. "That engagement is a deal between their families. Jay-Jay and Yuri had nothing to do with it. End of discussion."

"Of course, you'd know... Can't you just stay out of it?" David sneered.

Keifer immediately shot him a glare and stepped closer, but I quickly intervened.

"Keifer! Stop!"

"Don't you dare talk to me like that! You think I'm stupid?!" he snapped at David. "...I know what you're doing behind our backs. I know you're working for Percy!"

"What?!" Felix yelled, storming toward David. "You're in contact with Percy?! Is that true?!"

"Shit! What else are we missing?!" Drew shouted furiously.

"Why aren't you answering?!" Denzel bellowed. "Did you think we didn't know you were gambling again?!"

"Stay out of this! You should focus on taking care of your wife and kid, something you can't even manage!"

Denzel's fist flew straight into Drew's face. Mayo immediately stepped in to separate them.

It was chaos. Everyone was trying to hold someone back from fighting. I wrapped my arms around Keifer, preventing him from charging at David, who was already at odds with Felix.

"Don't act so righteous! As if you've never done anything wrong!" David shouted at Keifer.

Keifer wasn't backing down, still pushing toward David, ready to fight. I stood between them, unsure of what to do. The whole scene was turning into a complete disaster.

And it was all my fault.

No one else was to blame but me. This wouldn't have happened if not for me.

"This is your fault! You should've left our section when you had the chance!" Josh spat angrily at me.

It is my fault.

I wanted to respond. I wanted to defend myself. But all I could do was stare at him as tears streamed down my face.

"Don't talk to Jay-Jay like that!" Ci-N shouted before lunging at Josh.

Another fight broke out. I tried to stop them, but they just shoved me aside. I fell to my knees, feeling completely helpless.

"Enough..." My voice barely came out, but I had to stop them. "...Enough! Please!"

No one listened.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I had to make them stop.

That's right! Stop it!

"STOP IT!" I screamed, but no one paid attention.

"WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A TEAM!" I yelled with all my strength.

Slowly, one by one, they stopped and turned to look at me. I wiped away the tears still wet on my cheeks.

"Look at yourselves!" I said, scanning their faces. "...You're fighting over such petty things!"

"You just don't understand," Felix muttered, still holding resentment in his voice.

"Then explain it to me! Make me understand!"

"Jay-Jay... I'm sorry if you feel guilty about our fights—"

"No!" I cut Yuri off. "Josh is right... I am the reason you're all fighting."

"It's not like that!" Calix protested.

"There they are!" a voice suddenly shouted.

We turned toward the flashlight beam approaching us. The bonfire illuminated the figures behind it, revealing who they were.

Sir Alvin stood there with two organizers and two people from Section A. I straightened up immediately, hoping they wouldn't notice the mess we'd made.

"Section E... What's going on here?" Sir Alvin asked calmly.

No one spoke. Everyone avoided eye contact. Yuri was the only one who dared to step forward. He forced a smile and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I-It's nothing, Sir. Just a small misunderstanding. You know... just a little argument, but everything's fine now." He tried to play it off.

"Someone reported that you were fighting," Sir Alvin stated, scanning our faces.

Yuri turned to us, silently asking for backup. We all remained quiet, unsure of how to respond.

Sir Alvin seemed to pick up on the tension. He turned to the Section A students and the organizers.

"It looks like there's nothing to worry about. Just a minor disagreement," he explained.

"But, Sir... they were really fighting earlier. They were at each other's throats," one of the Section A students insisted.

So they were the ones who snitched. How did they even see us? I didn't notice anyone around before.

"It's best if you all head back now. I'll stay behind and have a word with them," Sir Alvin suggested.

Though hesitant, the organizers and Section A students eventually agreed and left. Once they were far enough, Sir Alvin turned back to us with a serious expression.

"Explain what happened," Sir ordered Yuri.

"It's just hard work. We were playing earlier," he explained to Sir, rubbing the back of his neck.

Sir looked at all of us, but his gaze stopped at me. I swallowed hard and lowered my head. I didn't know what to say—I felt like I was about to cry.

"You'd better go and sleep. Throw away those wine bottles," Sir ordered, pointing at the empty bottles they had been drinking from.

Good thing only Sir saw them. If one of the organizers had found out, we might have lost our minds.

I helped clean up. Some were nice to me, while others avoided even looking at me. Before we could finish, I chose to return to my tent to grab a few things.

I wanted to clean myself up—maybe I would feel better. I ran to the restroom, but the queue was long.

Great.

I had no choice but to wait in line. But the longer I stood there, the heavier my heart felt. If they found out, I knew they would start avoiding me. They would think I was deceiving both of them.

I was engaged, yet I still let myself get close to someone else. Because I was stupid. I agreed to this engagement even though I wasn't sure about my feelings. I felt tears forming in the corners of my eyes and quickly wiped them away before they could fall.

"...Seriously! They were messing around earlier!"

I glanced toward the front of the queue. The person speaking was loud, drawing everyone's attention.

"They were fighting! We couldn't even understand what they were saying!"

I froze at what I heard. Were they talking about us? I slightly hid behind the girl in front of me and continued listening.

"What else can you expect from their section?" someone replied.

"He might be handsome… but still an idiot."

"You said it!"

"It's a shame about Grace… She still went back to her boyfriend. That doesn't make sense."

I knew they were referring to Denzel. I was used to gossip, but when it involved a friend, it was frustrating.

"What's that girl even doing in their section?"

"Nothing… just crying in the middle because her classmates won't help her."

"Maybe she thought it would be fun to be in that section. She didn't know it was hell."

They laughed. I wanted to say something, but I didn't have the energy to fight. I felt too drained.

I endured their gossip as I waited in line for a few more minutes before finally getting inside to take a shower.

Still, they wouldn't stop talking. My ears started ringing. Their gossip was getting worse, full of ridiculous rumors.

Queen of gossip!

I finished getting ready and stepped out. The gossipers immediately fell silent.

Now you're quiet?

I walked away, each step feeling heavier than the last. My body didn't want to go back to the campsite. I hadn't gone far when I stopped.

There was something—no, someone—sitting on a rock nearby. When he sensed my presence, he looked up and stood.

Even in the dim light, I already knew who he was. He stepped closer, and as he moved into the light, I saw his sad expression.

"Jay… I'm sorry about what happened earlier," Yuri said.

I shook my head. "You don't need to apologize. It was my fault."

He reached for my hand. "Jay—"

"Let go of her hand."

I immediately pulled my hand away, startled by the voice. Yuri and I turned to look at him together.

Keifer was furious but trying to stay calm. He stepped forward and took my hand, pulling me slightly behind him.

"Yes, they know you're engaged, but that doesn't give you the right to hold her hand in front of me," he said with authority.

I lowered my head. I felt ashamed in front of Yuri. He was my fiancé—he should be the one doing this. But he wasn't, because he wasn't the one I loved.

"She's not your property," Yuri answered firmly.

"She. Is. Mine."

I felt the tension between them. I didn't want a fight—I was too exhausted. I tried to pull Keifer's hand.

"L-let's go back," I whispered.

They exchanged sharp glances, as if battling with their eyes.

I shouldn't be standing in the middle—I might get stabbed!

"K-Keifer," I called hesitantly.

I thought they would go on like this forever, but fortunately, Keifer took the first step and walked away. I followed him, his grip still tight on my hand.

I glanced back at Yuri, but before I could fully turn, Keifer pulled my hand slightly, stopping me.

Wow. No words.

Once we were far enough, I yanked my hand away with all my strength. I glared at him.

"Why did you do that to Yuri?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm.

"Now you're worried about him?" he asked sarcastically.

"I've always been concerned about him. It's just that we're getting into trouble—"

"Then stop messing with him!" he suddenly shouted.

I froze and looked at him. I knew he was angry, but I didn't understand why he had to yell.

"What's your problem?" I asked, frustrated.

"Nothing… Let's go back," he answered calmly and walked away.

I stood there, just watching him leave. Maybe his mood swings were acting up again. Eventually, I followed him back to the campsite.

When I arrived, the others were getting ready for bed. Some were still chatting, but it was as if I had disappeared—they didn't even acknowledge me.

I went straight to my tent, unsure if Ci-N would still be beside me. Hugging my Snorlax plushie, I lay down.

Tears spilled down my cheeks, the weight of everything crashing down on me.

This is all my fault. If only I had thought before making a decision. Stupid, Jay-jay. Exhausted from crying, I fell asleep.

Sometime later, I stirred when I felt someone hugged me. I assumed it was Ci-N, so I let it be and drifted off again. But I hadn't been asleep long—maybe two or three hours—when I woke up feeling warm breath against my neck.

Ci-N's hug tightened. And Snorlax… was gone?

I turned around, expecting to see Ci-N. Maybe he was playing with Snorlax again. But my eyes widened. That's not Ci-N!

I bit my lip to stop myself from screaming.

What the hell?!

What was the King of Snakes doing in my tent? I patted his arm, trying to wake him up, but he didn't budge. I was about to hit him hard when I hesitated.

For the first time, I really looked at his face. Why does he look so peaceful when he sleeps? I poked his nose lightly. He didn't react, and I smiled. I studied his face.

His skin was so smooth, it put mine to shame. Even his one little pimple looked embarrassed to be there.

I had only ever seen him sweat once, and even then, he didn't smell bad. Instead, he smelled… sweet?

Is his sweat perfume or what?

I examined his eyebrows, remembering how I once drew on his face with a marker. I raised an eyebrow at the memory. I reached out, tracing the line of his brow with my fingertip.

My finger touched his nose and then landed on his lips. His lips are even better than mine—red and thin. How many people has he kissed? I didn't remove my finger from his lips. They're soft, like they have lip balm on them.

Suddenly, a wave of sadness and pain filled my heart. When I think about everything he has been through, I feel sorrow. I wish I had been there by his side during those times. I want to comfort him.

Resting my hands on my cheeks, I leaned in closer to study his face. My gaze stopped at his eyelids.

I remember the way he looks at me—his stare is intense, as if it could make my heart stop. Sometimes, he looks so cold, like he could freeze me in place with just a glance. But what I love most is his meaningful gaze, as if he's sending me silent messages through his eyes.

That's intense. But I never seem to understand what he's trying to say.

"How do you love, Keifer?" I whispered softly, afraid to wake him. "Me? I don't know. I'm only feeling it now."

And I never expected that by feeling this way, I would end up hurting someone.

"...It feels unbearable to even think about losing you," I added.

My eyes returned to his lips, and I felt an invisible force pulling me toward them. I leaned in slightly. He's asleep—he won't know. Just a little closer, and the space between us will disappear.

I suddenly noticed his lips twitching, as if he were suppressing a smile. I kept staring, watching for any more movement. Was he... awake?

"Keifer," I called him softly.

I waited for him to move, but he remained still. His lips didn't move either. I kept watching him until my suspicion was confirmed.

"If you want to kiss me... do it now," he murmured in a husky voice.

I smiled before smacking his arm hard. He opened his eyes and glared at me.

"Idiot! What are you doing here?" I whispered, annoyed.

"Sleeping," he replied lazily.

"Why here?"

He averted his gaze and fell silent. But thanks to the dim glow of the bonfire filtering through my tent, I noticed the faint blush on his cheeks.

Keifer… blushing? What?

"Because I miss you," he muttered almost inaudibly.

I couldn't help but smile. If only he knew—I miss him too. Even though we see each other every day, it still feels like he's far away.

"I miss you too," I admitted.

He smiled and pulled me into a hug. "Please… just this once. Let me kiss you passionately." ❤️

I chuckled. He sounded like he was begging. I was about to respond when we suddenly heard rustling outside.

It sounded like footsteps. Keifer immediately pulled away and pressed a finger to his lips, signaling me to stay quiet. I nodded.

He carefully unzipped the tent and peeked outside. He stayed like that for a while before suddenly stepping out completely, slipping on his slippers. I watched as he walked toward Yuri's cradle, his expression turning serious.

He was looking for something, but when he didn't find it, he hurried back.

"It's Yuri. He's not in the cradle, and his phone is gone too," he informed me.

"Where could he be going at this hour?" I asked, grabbing my phone to check the time.

12:14 AM.

A bad feeling crept over me. I quickly got out of the tent, ready to wake the others, but Keifer grabbed my arm.

"W-why?" I asked.

"I'll go after Yuri," he said, deep in thought.

"I'm coming with you," I declared.

He immediately shook his head. "...I'm coming with you," I insisted.

"Jay-Jay…"

"Let's go," I pressed.

With a reluctant sigh, he finally agreed. I put my phone back in my bag and grabbed my hooded jacket.

But where do we even start looking for Yuri? We have no idea where he went.