KEIFER'S POV
"Let me go! Aaaaggghhh!" I heard Jay-Jay scream.
I could hear them arguing earlier, and it bothers me that we're still here, just watching. Every time I try to get closer, they stop me, saying my recklessness will put her in danger.
As if she's not already in danger.
"Too loud," I commented, trying to get their attention.
The three of them immediately turned to glare at me.
"Seriously? What? It's just an apple. Are you going to destroy Jay-Jay for that?" Percy whispered, shouting at me.
"I was trying to get his attention," I explained.
But it seems I caught more than just his attention.
"H—he is here." It was Jay, obviously looking for me. "Is he here? Is he here?"
"W-who? Who's here?" That idiot Sato started looking around as well.
We were all alarmed when he suddenly pulled Jay-Jay away.
Nope! Not my girl!
"Let her go now!" Yuri shouted, and I almost smacked his red-haired head.
They were angry because of the noise I made. Sato, now even more confused, tightened his grip on Jay-Jay. I was about to step forward when Percy suddenly stood in front of me and started singing.
"Let her go... Let her go..." he sang with exaggerated hand gestures.
Aries immediately smacked him. He turned to us.
"Who was that? That hurt!" Percy complained. "I was just setting the mood."
Aries couldn't take it anymore. He immediately stood up and marched toward Sato.
"Let go of my sister!" he demanded.
Percy followed him immediately, and Yuri did the same. I just sighed and followed behind. I took off my coat and tie, knowing they'd only get in the way of the fight.
Seeing my Jay-Jay again almost made me cry. I wanted nothing more than to run to her and pull her into my arms. I missed her so much. But why do we have to meet again under these circumstances? 🥺
I locked eyes with Sato. And I know, just by looking at him, that he was cursing me again. I smirked at the thought.
"Tss… Profanity."
"You heard that?" Jay-Jay cut in. "You actually understood that? Damn, animal!"
Keep cursing, my Queen. I'm counting them all. 😂
I ran a hand through my hair before throwing my coat and tie aside.
"I came straight from London, and that's how you greet me? Calling me a snake and animal? Not even an 'I miss you, Keifer'?"
"Idiot! We met yesterday!"
Yup. And with such a warm welcome too, Baby.
"Yeah. You insulted me, didn't you?"
"I-I don't remember anything! That wasn't me!"
Now she's denying it. I raised a brow at her. She immediately avoided my gaze.
"The sky is beautiful—Aahhh… ouch!"
Sato gripped her tighter. I almost ran to her—until I saw the gun he was holding.
"Let go of Jay-Jay now." Yuri's voice was low and threatening.
Jay-Jay looked at him softly.
Don't look at him like that!
"Let go of Baby Sister. Aren't we handsome enough to stun you?" Percy said, his confidence overflowing.
I rolled my eyes. Why hadn't his arrogance washed away when he had that accident? At least then, his ego would've been shattered.
"Don't call her 'Baby Sister.' She's my sister, not yours," Aries grumbled.
Percy pouted. "So grumpy. Fine, then you can be my baby." He reached out to hug Aries, but Aries raised a fist to stop him.
"FUCK! LET ME GO!" Jay-Jay suddenly screamed.
Sato didn't like that. He shoved her to the ground and aimed his gun at her. My reflexes kicked in immediately. I ran as fast as I could and lunged at Sato.
"GET JAY-JAY OUT OF HERE!" I shouted, seeing David rush to carry her away.
A strong punch sent me staggering back. I struck back immediately, not letting up until we heard a gunshot.
"Stand down!"
I turned and saw several men with matching tattoos—Sato's crew. At least 12 of them were still standing, but only two held guns. I had no idea he still had backup. I thought only the losers were left. Sato spoke in Japanese as he steadied himself. Yuri glared at him.
"Yuri…" I called, signaling him to translate.
"He said they'll torture Jay-Jay after this," Yuri said, his voice laced with rage.
Ci-N was right about the Sato Clan. They're torturers. They take whoever they want. Sato spoke again while walking toward his men. I looked at Yuri, who turned to me.
"He said we're his first priority," Yuri translated. We exchanged glances, trying to form a plan.
Before we could, Percy made a reckless move.
"Screw them! We can take them!" he shouted and hurled a stone at them.
It hit one of the gunmen, just as the other was about to shoot.
We charged.
Before he could pull the trigger, I reached him, kicking the gun away. Someone punched me, but I struck back instantly. Before I could retaliate further, someone grabbed me from behind, landing several hard punches to my stomach.
I had no intention of going down. Just as he was about to hit me again, I lifted my legs and kicked him. With all the force I had, I slammed the guy holding me, sending him crashing to the ground.
One punch, and he was out cold.
One Punch
I stood up and looked for Sato. I was going to make him pay for what he did to Jay-Jay. But my plan changed the moment I saw him holding a gun, pointing it at someone. I followed the direction of the gun.
At Yuri.
He was exchanging blows and was completely unaware of the danger. A warning wouldn't be enough. My body moved on its own, running toward him.
"Yuri!" I shouted.
"Stop, Keifer!" I heard Percy yell.
But it was too late. Stopping now would mean Yuri's death. He looked at me, shocked. I jumped as high as I could to reach him, and then—
Multiple gunshots rang out from Sato's gun.
We both fell. I felt nothing.
And Yuri...
He seemed fine. We were safe.
Yuri immediately stood up, picked up the gun from the floor, and aimed it at Sato. Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger repeatedly. I watched as Sato collapsed, blood pooling around him.
"Shit!" Aries cursed.
Is he dead?
I tried to sit up, but someone pushed me down.
Who is—?
"Don't move," Percy said, holding me down.
"W-what?" I struggled to look at him.
Aries sat beside me, and Yuri stared at me with worry. I had no idea why they were restraining me. I was about to ask when I suddenly felt the wetness on my back.
Shit.
They lifted my shirt slightly.
"The bleeding looks superficial and not too strong," Percy observed.
"What now?" Aries asked.
"We need to get him to a hospital. I'll call—"
"No. Don't call them," I cut him off.
If Jay-Jay found out I was shot, she would panic. Besides, she can't stand the sight of blood. Her issue with it still hasn't been resolved.
"What do you want to do then? Walk like that? You'll bleed more if you stand up," Aries said, standing.
"What do you think?" I shot back sarcastically.
He chuckled in disbelief.
"You're reckless, Keifer," Yuri muttered.
"Clear my path. I'll walk normally," I insisted.
"It's up to you, but you'd better hurry. Get out as soon as possible. Run," Percy suggested.
Seriously?
"Too much movement will cause excessive bleeding," Aries countered. "And excessive bleeding leads to death."
"Here? Dying? What a tragic way to end things," Percy said, laughing.
I wanted to punch him, but I was in no position to do so. I watched as he adjusted my clothes before standing up and dusting himself off.
"Ugh, I have blood on me!" he exclaimed in mock shock.
He must have gotten it from me. That's his own fault for touching me without thinking.
"Move! What am I, a rag?" Aries complained.
I looked over and saw Percy wiping his bloody hands on Aries' clothes.
"I'm just wiping it off. I'm going to see Freya, and I need to look presentable," he said, smoothing his hair. "I'll check on Jay-Jay and my Freya. You only have a few minutes—excessive bleeding leads to death."
Was he trying to scare me, or was he actually threatening me? Either way, he wasn't helping. He turned and walked inside. This was a different path from earlier—probably where Sato and the others had passed through.
I tried to move slowly, attempting to sit up, but the moment I did, blood started pouring from my back. The pain intensified before turning into numbness.
Not a good sign.
"Maybe he can cover the wound," Aries suggested, pulling out a handkerchief.
I immediately waved my hand to stop him and pointed to my coat and tied behind him. He grabbed them and handed them to me.
"It's your call. Just don't blame me if you die," he said before turning around and following Percy inside.
I was about to stand up when I noticed what Yuri was holding.
"You should put that down," I said, glancing at Sato.
I couldn't be sure, but I thought he was dead.
Yuri had—
"It's not over yet," Yuri muttered.
I frowned. When I looked at him, he was staring at Sato.
Sato.
I looked back at the lifeless body—no. Is he still alive? A small movement confirmed it. Yuri stepped toward him, still gripping the gun.
I tried to push myself up using one hand, but a sharp rock cut into my palm. Gritting my teeth, I used my necktie as a makeshift bandage. I attempted to stand again and saw Yuri walking toward me.
He was no longer holding the gun. I looked at his clothes—stained with blood. Not sure if it was mine.
"Let me help you," he offered.
I shook my head.
"I was shot, not paralyzed," I said, putting on my coat. "Do what I said—clear my path."
He pursed his lips and turned, but after a few steps, he stopped.
"I'm just wondering… If you die here..." He turned to face me, expression blank. "No one will ever know how, why, or who did it, right?"
I tilted my head. Does he really have time to joke right now?
"You're a bastard. That won't work on me," I said.
He smirked slightly before continuing inside. For a moment, I almost thought his words were serious. But of course, he's my friend.
He wouldn't do something like that—would he?
My head automatically moves to Sato's not-so-alive body.
Is he really dead this time?
I'm about to walk toward his body, but my back is getting worse. I immediately put on my coat and head inside. Every step I take leaves a trail of blood behind me.
I just hope Jay-Jay doesn't notice. I don't want her to have a panic attack—or worse, lose herself again.
I can almost see them all. My stomach twists with every step I take. I shouldn't feel excited, but I can't control it. And when I see her eyes, everything goes silent.
My Jasper Jean. 🥺🩷
"Keifer." Ci-N calls my name.
Now, it's no longer silent.
"Ci…"
"Are you alright?"
"Not good. I need to get out of here as soon as possible," I say, trying to control my dizziness.
"At our hospital. Dad will take care of you," he says, and I nod.
"We'll take care of Jay-Jay."
My head automatically turns to Jay-Jay. She's looking at me, obviously worried. I remain stoic. I don't want to show how much I miss her.
"Walk, Keifer. You might get caught," Ci-N says, and I continue walking.
I try not to look at her, but my reflexes betray me. My head turns in her direction, but I bite my tongue to stop myself from speaking. As I get closer to Aries, I see Ella beside him. She looks at me too. After all this time, I've finally realized—I don't have feelings for her anymore.
And I thought I'd never move on.
I choose to pass them. I see Yuri and Percy both looking at me. Like I asked, they cleared my path. If I get out quickly, I can reach the hospital in time. But something hits my back. I almost scream in pain.
"Jay!" Yuri warns her.
Then, something hard smashes against my head. I feel the poison seeping in.
Am I losing too much blood?
I want to believe it's just because of the blow, but I know it's not. Staying here will put me in danger..Then something soft hits me.
What now?
"That's it! Eat it! Be smart! Show up, and then that's it! Never mind!"
It's my Jay-Jay.
Her voice makes me hesitate. I breathe heavily and turn to face her. She's glaring at me furiously. I look down at the scattered socks and shoes. I pick them up and hand them to Felix, who's closest to me.
Done?
I'm about to turn away when she speaks again.
"You're good at that! Turning around and leaving! Get out of here! That's all you can do! You can only throw punches!"
She's right.
I can only throw punches because I feel like a coward every time I face her. I'm sick of the pain.
"J-Jay… stop," Rory says, clearly worried.
"Keifer… there's a lot of blood on your back," Felix whispers, and I feel my clothes growing wetter.
My dizziness intensifies. My vision begins to blur. Denzel says something to Jay-Jay, and she looks at me even more fiercely.
"Really?!" she asks sarcastically. "Take care? Or run away?"
I stare at her intently. I will not run away.
I'm staying here for you. Even if staying means dying. As long as you're the last person I see before I disappear.
"…you haven't even confronted me about your pranks on me! And now, you're leaving again? What, that's it? I'm supposed to wait again? That's it?!"
"Maybe this isn't the best time to talk about this," Percy says, but she keeps going.
"If you're leaving, then leave. But I can't promise I will be able to come back."
No. I will stay. That's my decision.
"Done?" I ask, and she nods.
Now it's my turn.
I walk as fast as I can toward her. When I reach her, I cup her face in both hands. I've wanted this moment so badly.
"You talk too much," I say and press my lips to hers. ❤️
It feels like my heart just exploded from happiness. If this is dying, I will embrace my own Grim Reaper. I wish this moment could last forever. If only we could stay like this. I would stop time if I had to—just to get a little more time with her.
But I guess not all wishes come true. The time I long for isn't mine. My body gives out, and within seconds, my vision turns dark. Maybe this is my time. Maybe my end has come. I want to go back. I haven't done enough yet.
But I know I can't.
Or maybe I can.
I wake up to the sound of beeping machines. The steady rhythm of the monitor. My eyes focus on the fluorescent light above me.
Definitely not dead.
Pain radiates from my back. My throat is unbearably dry, and there's something in my mouth. I glance around and see Keigan sitting beside my bed, holding my secret phone.
Fuck! He found out.
"K-Keigan," I managed to croak.
He looks at me and immediately presses the emergency button on the wall above my bed.
"You're awake. You scared me, Brother," he says, holding my hand.
I see relief and happiness in his eyes. I try to squeeze his hand back, but I'm still too weak.
Doctors and nurses rush in to check on me.
My Jay-Jay. Where is she?
Moments later, the doctor declares that I'm in stable condition. I still need rest after the surgery. They removed the bullets from my back. Luckily, they weren't too deep, according to the doctor.
After the checkup, the medical team leaves. As if on cue, my friends enter the room.
"At last, you're awake," Percy says, about to hug me, but Felix stops him.
"You see, you just woke up. It's still bad," he said to his brother.
"Are you ready to fight again?" Denzel asked.
I smiled and nodded. They all laughed at my response.
"We were nervous about you," Ci-N said, flashing me his gummy smile. "We were all afraid something bad might happen to you."
"Except for one person," Mayo muttered without looking at me. Kit lightly hit him, and the others fell silent.
If I could raise my brow, I would. Who are they talking about? I scanned the room, searching for a particular person.
Are they talking about my Jay-Jay?
"W-where is s-she?" I asked, and they all looked away.
It was Yuri who answered. "She's on the bottom floor. Also admitted with Aries."
Admitted?
I almost sat up. "I-is she o-okay?"
Keigan immediately stopped me. "Stop, Kuya. That's dangerous."
"Jay-Jay is fine. Her brother Angelo admitted them just to make sure they're both okay," Ci-N explained.
But I still wanted to see her. I needed to see for myself if she was really okay. I had no idea what Sato had done to her.
"I...w-want...to see...Jay-," I stammered, trying to get up.
"Stop, Brother." Keigan continued to hold me back. He knew I wouldn't stop, so he turned to Ci-N. "Better to bring her here."
Ci-N stood up and walked out, followed by Felix and Percy.
I lay back down, exhausted. Pain radiated from my back, making every movement a struggle. I glanced at the rest of my friends. Most of them had a few bruises, but no one was seriously injured.
Except for me, of course.
They started discussing the incident, and I listened in silence until the topic shifted.
"But Sato was terrible—completely insane. Out of fear, he gave up and killed himself."
Committed suicide?
I looked at Yuri, who was also staring at me. He wasn't telling the truth. Where did that story come from? My forehead creased. I didn't like what he was up to.
A few minutes later, Ci-N returned with Felix and Percy, but they were empty-handed. That meant they couldn't bring Jay-Jay here.
I sighed and closed my eyes. I really wanted to see her. I didn't realize I had fallen asleep again until I felt the vibration of my secret phone under my hand, as if someone had placed it there.
Keigan was gone. I slowly picked up the phone and saw a message from Jay-Jay. I replied, and before I knew it, we were on a call. I missed her voice, but something about the way she spoke felt off. She was telling a story—about us, about me.
A tear rolled down my cheek. She was saying goodbye. She was giving up for real. As soon as the call ended, I removed my oxygen mask and pulled out the IV needle from my skin. I forced myself to sit up.
I needed to see her.
I was about to get up completely when someone pushed me back—hard. A sharp pain shot through me as my back hit the bed. Even with the foam mattress, the impact hurt.
I looked up to see who it was.
My brother.
No. He looked like my brother, but something about him felt… different.
"I can't believe Keigan trusted you," he said coldly, as if he wasn't Keigan.
Or maybe… he really wasn't.
"Everything was planned. But you chose to be with your girl. It's lucky for you that you got shot." He laughed. "Maybe I should let you die here." He took a step closer. "Of course, I can't. Keigan might hurt himself."
He pressed the emergency button.
Before I could react, doctors rushed in and injected me with sedatives to calm me down.
But I didn't need that.
I needed to see Jay-Jay.
My eyelids grew heavy. I lost consciousness before I could say another word to my brother.
I woke up at 2 AM. My brother was in the room, fixing everything to move me to London.
But I couldn't leave without seeing Jay-Jay.
I let Keigan believe I was still asleep. The moment he left, I resumed what I had tried to do earlier. I removed all the tubes and wires attached to me and forced myself to stand up.
I was out of breath by the time I got to my feet. Because of the late hour, the hallway was empty—no nurses, no patients.
I called Aries using my secret phone.
"Do you know what time it is?" he asked irritably.
"I need your help," I said, pausing for a moment.
"I'm not helping you. Go ask someone else."
"Please…" My voice sounded desperate.
A beat of silence. Then—
"Where are you? I'm bored."
"Meet me at the elevator." I ended the call and walked as fast as I could.
When I reached the elevator, Aries was already inside, waiting. His eyes widened when he saw my condition. I did my best to convince him to let me see his sister.
At first, he refused. But in the end, he led me to their room, keeping an eye on the door to make sure no one caught us.
And at that moment, when I finally saw Jay-Jay— I wanted to cry. I wanted to hold her.
Please… don't give up.