Jay-jay's POV
"WAAAAAT?" Drew screamed right in my face.
I immediately raised my hand, ready to slap him. If David hadn't slightly blocked his arm, I probably would've hit his mouth.
"Sir Alvin and Ma'am Cindy are really married?" Eren asked, almost in tears.
"Yes. Obviously." I answered irritably.
"NO! THIS CAN'T BE!" Rory shouted in distress.
"Our future with Ma'am is ruined!" Blaster cried out next.
"I even have a crush on Ma'am," Josh said quietly, and I glanced at him.
You have feelings too?
I thought that was the extent of him. If he wasn't being grumpy or picking a fight with me, he was teasing me. Turns out he's capable of liking someone. He really is human and not a ghost.
Eman just scratched his head while watching our classmates freak out over what they'd just learned.
While we were hanging out outside the house, Ma'am Cindy arrived with Yuri, but the Red Hair Girl was gone. I didn't ask where she was because the gang immediately bombarded Ma'am Cindy with questions about why she was there.
I told them the truth — that Ma'am Cindy and Sir Alvin were married, just like I had found out. They were all completely shocked and obviously couldn't accept what I'd said. They each reacted in their own dramatic way.
I already knew they'd had a thing for Ma'am. From my very first day in Section E, I could feel it. She was the only reason they were motivated to attend class. But this reaction? This was on a whole different level.
"I have a crush on Ma'am too, but I'm not that over-the-top," Calix said, shaking his head.
"Why is it that every crush I have is never meant for me?" Edrix complained.
Maybe there's still hope for a friend.
"You never know…" Rory teased. "You just never know."
I chuckled a little at his comment but quickly hid my smile when I noticed Edrix looking at Rory closely, clearly assessing his friend. Good thing Rory's good at pretending nothing's up.
He really needs to keep it up, or we're doomed.
"Don't worry. I have a crush on Ma'am, but I love you more," Mayo said, following Kit, who was completely ignoring him.
"I also have a crush on Ma'am," Ci-N said, raising one hand. "You, David? Do you have a crush on Ma'am too?"
David glanced at us briefly. "I only have one crush. And I have no plans of adding more."
Wow. I wish everyone was that loyal.
I could never do that. Imagine, I have a crush on grilled pork belly, but I also have a crush on roasted chicken. How could I choose? So, to avoid the struggle, I just like them all.
I looked up when I felt someone's hand on my waist, gently pulling me. Keifer was staring straight ahead, his grip on me firm. I followed his gaze, but the only person I saw was David, looking at our classmates.
What's going on?
"When did Ma'am and Sir get married? No one even suspected — not even the people at school," Felix asked.
"Before they started working at the school. Not sure why they kept it a secret, but it would be best if we respect their decision without prying," Keifer answered, and I nodded in agreement.
Ma'am and Sir must have their reasons for keeping their marriage private. It would be rude of us to keep digging when they clearly didn't want it known. Besides, they've done nothing inappropriate as a married couple. I've never heard about Sir being too close with any of the female teachers. I've seen some guys approach Ma'am Cindy, but she never seemed interested.
So even if their marriage is a secret, I don't think they have any bad intentions. Maybe they just prefer or need to keep it private.
That kind of setup seems appealing.
It seems kind of exciting to have a hidden relationship. The only downside is that you'd have to hide your jealousy, as well as your sweet moments and fights. It's like playing hide-and-seek.
"No! Ma'am Cindy! Why didn't you wait for me?" Drew wailed, even throwing himself on the ground.
I cringed. As if Ma'am would ever take him seriously. Aside from their huge age gap, he still has tons of unpaid debts.
He should focus on paying those first.
I suddenly thought of Kwanan. If almost all of our classmates had a thing for Ma'am, maybe he did too. He once complimented Ma'am in front of me when I was still new to Section E. It wouldn't be surprising if he also had a crush on her.
"Keifer," I called seriously. "Do you have a crush on Ma'am too?"
He quickly shook his head, but Ci-N answered for him.
"Yes, he does. He even has a picture of Ma'am on his phone," Ci-N said innocently.
Oh, excellent.
I kept my eyes on Keifer. "Liar."
Shaking your head like that — your neck might snap. And now someone else is spilling your secrets.
"I-It's not what you think," he stammered. "Yes, I do have a picture of her, but that's just for contact purposes."
Why would you even need that? Is it essential to have a photo on contacts?
"Sure. Contact," I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes.
"For real, I add photos on contact information," he added.
"Of course, so you can answer quickly," I teased, and his reaction was like someone caught in the act.
"See? You can't even defend yourself."
He tried to hold my hand, but I pulled away. I also heard David and Felix chuckling as they watched us.
"Don't think of it like that. You all had pictures on my contacts before I changed my phone," he explained.
"I didn't," David chimed in, making Keifer glare at him.
Ugh!
I knew it. There's definitely something going on here. But I can't blame him. Ma'am is beautiful, with a perfectly shaped body. She's obviously smart and has a tough, action-woman vibe. She can even keep up with the students, and I've never seen her lose her temper with us.
Who am I compared to that?
It's embarrassing how I look — obviously lazy when it comes to fixing myself up. I'm too lazy to comb my hair and don't even bother with powder or lip tint. Even my uniform is always a mess. Add to that my big appetite and belly fat.
And above all, my intelligence isn't even noticeable — it's well-hidden, you know? How could I ever compete with Ma'am Cindy, who's admired by everyone?
Oh well, damn it.
"Go away," I said irritably, shooing him. "Go to your Ma'am Cindy."
Always giving and bringing gifts. Keep your island — I don't want it! Acting all worried when I played patintero with people shooting at each other, yet he has a picture of her saved.
"She's not my Ma'am Cindy. She belongs to Sir Alvin."
I was about to curse him when the house door opened and Sir Alvin stepped out. We all walked toward him — even the gang who'd been going crazy earlier.
"I appreciate the whole section coming here, but I'll be honest with you — I don't like the idea of my address or house being exposed to the public. So please, if possible, let's keep this from spreading any further," Sir Alvin said seriously, like the teacher we see at school.
"Your address is safe with us," David assured him, and Sir nodded.
"We're good at keeping secrets. Just like how you kept Ma'am Cindy's marital status," Blaster added, making me facepalm.
He sounded like a total snitch.
"Don't worry, Sir. We're not traitors — unlike you," Drew added.
This one too.
"You know, Sir, you're really cute. Can I hug you — around the neck?" Eren said, and Calix almost smacked him.
Sir just laughed and shook his head. "Snacks will fix this. Let's head to the back — Ma'am prepared some food."
"You can't bribe us with snacks," Edrix said — but he was already walking into the house.
"What's with the fake resistance, Rix?" Rory teased, following him.
The rest of the gang went inside, and so did we. I glanced back at Sir and noticed him looking into the distance, as if checking if someone was watching us. I didn't think much of it — he did say he didn't want their house to be made public.
Maybe he's hiding from creditors.
They all went outside where Kuya Angelo had gone earlier to talk. Eman and David went straight to the kitchen to help Ma'am Cindy. I was about to follow them when I saw Yuri arranging some things. He talked briefly with Kuya, but when he saw me, he immediately turned around and walked outside where Sir Alvin was. I just shrugged off his behavior and approached Yuri to help.
"Good thing some of your stuff is still here," I said, picking up a bag from the floor. "Let me help you."
He smiled at me. "Thanks. Actually, I was already moving things out when they arrived at the house," he said, referring to those who entered their home. "I'm having a hard time with the house's location."
Is that why his room is almost empty?
But earlier, he said their house was broken into by thieves. Maybe he was already moving when they decided to rob him, which is why he managed to save his belongings.
"Where's Red Hair Girl?" I asked as I picked up some boxes and envelopes from the floor.
"We left her in the City. She can't stay here." He adjusted what he was holding and started walking toward the second floor of the house.
I followed him, carrying what I had. "Good thing she agreed."
I heard his soft laugh. "You should probably ask Ma'am Cindy how she managed that."
I was about to ask why when I stopped in front of a room. The door was open, and I clearly saw Keiren sleeping soundly. He was wearing pajamas and a white tank top, hugging a mushroom pillow.
This kid looks adorable. Only when he's asleep, though.
He's incredibly grumpy—like Keifer when I was new to our section. I hope his attitude changes as he grows up; otherwise, he'll have a hard time getting a girlfriend.
I resumed following Yuri. He opened the door to a room and entered. I quickly followed him.
"Just leave them here, Jay. I'll arrange them later," he instructed, and I did as he said.
He turned his back to me to get the remaining stuff left near the living room. As I was putting down what I was holding, the envelopes and papers on top of the box accidentally scattered. The contents flew out, and I quickly gathered them.
I froze when I saw a familiar envelope. It looked like the one Yuri and Freya were arguing about when we were at the hospital after Grace gave birth. I bit my lower lip. I shouldn't meddle, but when I saw the papers scattered around, I couldn't help myself.
I quickly picked them up and looked at them.
My confusion grew when I saw a paper with a man's photo on it. There was also a large red circle mark. I couldn't read anything because the text was in Japanese. I didn't like the appearance of the man in the photo—he clearly didn't seem like a good person. At the bottom, I noticed burn marks.
I looked through the other papers and was stunned when I saw the face of Sato, the man who had kidnapped us before. Like the other, his paper also had a red circle mark. I was starting to get curious about the meaning of those red circles.
I quickly put the papers back in the envelope, fearing that Yuri might come back anytime soon. I placed it back on top of the box.
Just in time, Yuri entered the room carrying the rest of his belongings.
"That's all of it. I'll arrange them later," he said, putting his stuff on the bed.
"O-Okay. Let's go downstairs," I invited, and he nodded.
He turned his back on me, and my eyes widened when I saw a paper on the foot of the bed. I quickly averted my gaze so Yuri wouldn't notice what I saw. He walked ahead of me, and I followed behind.
I couldn't stop thinking about that paper. Yuri would find out I had gone through his things. He might think I was trying to get ahead of him in revealing whatever that was.
I'm dead—such a meddler.
I glanced toward the room where Keiren was sleeping. An idea quickly formed in my head.
"Yuri, you go ahead downstairs," I said, making him stop and face me. "I'll just check on Keiren."
He peeked inside the room and nodded. "Just hurry up, or you might run out of snacks."
He smiled before finally walking away. I waited until he was completely downstairs before rushing back into the room. I quickly grabbed the paper but froze when I saw the photo attached to it.
"K-Keifer?" I whispered in shock.
There was no red circle mark, but there were some English words, so I clearly saw the details. His full name, address, phone number, and other personal information were listed. But aside from that, the rest was in Japanese.
I couldn't help but feel anxious. Why did Keifer's face and details appear here? Why wasn't there a red circle? This paper was with the others in the envelope, but what was it for? I desperately wanted to understand the rest of the text. I wouldn't be at ease until I got some answers.
Learn Japanese.
That would take too long. There was only one solution I could think of—to ask someone else to read it. Aside from Yuri, the only person I could think of who could read this was Ma'am Cindy.
I folded the paper and hid it in my clothes. I ran out of the room and down the stairs. I went to the kitchen first, but no one was there, so I went outside where the others were. I wasn't wrong—Ma'am Cindy was with them.
"Jay-Jay!" Ci called out to me. "Snack time!"
I forced a smile and tried to push away my anxiety. "Looks like you guys didn't leave any for me," I teased.
But it seemed like they really didn't.
"There's none left, Jay. You took too long," Eman said.
"Did you check on Keiren?" the King of the Snakes asked me.
I couldn't hide my nervousness as I looked at him. I felt the sweat dripping down my face. I quickly wiped it off and nodded in response to his question.
"Yeah, he's still asleep, so I left him alone."
He studied my face for a moment. It seemed like he noticed my unease.
"He stayed up late playing PlayStation until dawn," Ma'am Cindy said, drawing everyone's attention away from me. "There are still some snacks inside—grab some before they're all gone."
I nodded. "Okay, ma'am."
"I'll go with you," she offered, walking back inside the house.
This was the perfect chance to show her the paper. I quietly followed her, taking large strides to make sure I caught up quickly.
When we reached the kitchen, I didn't waste any time. I took the paper out and quickly handed it to her.
"Ma'am, I need your help. Can you read this for me, please?" I pleaded.
Her eyebrow rose, but she still took the paper. The stern expression on her face slowly faded into something unreadable.
"Where did you get this?" she asked, her tone laced with anger.
I was about to answer, but I closed my mouth again. I had a bad feeling about this paper. My suspicions only grew stronger because of her reaction. If the contents were bad, Yuri and Keifer could both be in danger. I couldn't let Ma'am find out, and she might not even tell me the truth.
"Can you just tell me what it says, ma'am?" My hands were shaking, and I struggled to keep them still. I silently prayed that my fears were wrong.
"Answer me first," she insisted.
"I-I can't just tell you," I insisted back. "Please just tell me what it says."
"You don't understand—"
"Then help me understand! I'm scared because that paper has Keifer's face and personal details on it. I need to know what it's about because this might be something serious." I struggled to keep my voice steady, even though I wanted to scream.
I tried to stay calm, but my fear was evident in my voice. I wouldn't get the answers if I lost my composure—I just needed to push Ma'am Cindy to tell me the truth.
"Alright, I'll tell you—but you have to show me where you got this paper."
I clenched my fists before nodding in agreement. I was desperate to know.
She grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward the kitchen door leading outside. She stopped just a few steps from the door, looking around before leaning in to whisper.
"This..." she said, holding the paper up to my face, "...is a hit list."
I covered my mouth in shock. I couldn't even speak.
"It doesn't say who it's from, but it states that the person can set the price for the job."
I was stunned. My mind couldn't process what she had just said. Keifer was on a hit list. But why? Who would want that? And the most confusing part—why did Yuri have this list?
Yuri...
What if....no. Impossible. I shouldn't accuse him.
They've been friends for a long time and they've been through a lot, so my thoughts are vague. It could also be that this isn't really for him. Maybe she was just being held or hidden.
Sato and what he did to us back then came back to my mind. He told me that he committed suicide. But why is he also on the list like Keifer? I'm confused.
Yuri is not like that.
"Tell me where you got this?" Ma'am insisted.
I stared at Ma'am. She can't possibly know that it came from Yuri or his stuff. What if he reports it and causes trouble?
He already has too many problems and I don't want to add to them. Maybe later I'll be wrong and my interference will be the trigger for his disaster.
"I-I picked it up outside earlier... In Yuri's building."
I tried to excuse myself but he didn't seem to accept my answer.
"Listen here Ms. Mariano. This is a matter between life and death."
She handed me the paper. "Tell the truth so we can find out who has plans for Watson."
I immediately took the paper and crumpled it up before putting it in my pocket.
She looked at me with a wicked look and was about to snatch the paper but we heard Sir Alvin's voice.
"Cindy? Mariano? What are you doing outside?" he asked us.
"Nothing." I quickly replied before going inside the house.
I didn't hear a word from them but I knew Ma'am Cindy wouldn't hide what we talked about from Sir Alvin. I need to make sure they don't find out who I got the paper from.
I don't want Keifer to get hurt but I also don't want that to happen to Yuri.
How can I help them?