Jay-Jay's POV
My condo had never felt this small.
The city lights shimmered beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting faint reflections across the polished marble floor. Usually, the familiar warmth of the place calmed me after a long day.
Tonight...
It felt suffocating.
No one dared to speak.
Keifer stood beside the kitchen island, his eyes flickering between me and the man sitting comfortably on my living room sofa. Yuri leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, unusually quiet, while Ci-N remained beside him, his brows knitted in confusion. Samy paced back and forth near the balcony, occasionally glancing toward the stranger before looking at me for answers.
None of them knew why my hands wouldn't stop trembling.
None of them knew why I couldn't tear my eyes away from him.
Years.
It had been years.
And yet...
I'd recognized him the second I opened the door.
He hadn't changed much.
Still composed.
Still observant.
Still carrying that unsettling habit of looking at people as if he already knew what they were thinking.
His gaze met mine, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Not warm.
Not mocking.
Just... familiar.
"Long time no see..." he said, breaking the silence.
His smile widened slightly.
"...Partner."
The nickname sent a chill racing down my spine.
No.
Not now.
Not in front of them.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced myself to meet his eyes.
"What do you want, Adrian?"
The room fell even quieter.
Keifer's head turned toward me.
"So... you do know him."
I ignored the question.
Adrian rested his elbows on his knees, studying me carefully.
"The truth."
I let out a quiet scoff.
"I'm not hiding anything."
He raised an eyebrow.
"No?"
"I've already told you everything."
"You told me what happened."
His voice remained calm.
"But you never told me how."
I looked away.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Adrian sighed dramatically before leaning back against the sofa.
"Come on, Jay."
"I spent months searching for someone who could help us."
He laughed quietly to himself.
"When I finally found a source..."
"...you disappeared."
My jaw clenched.
"Do you know how difficult that was?"
No response.
"I trusted you."
Still...
Nothing.
He shook his head with a bitter smile.
"You asked for my help."
"You wanted every document."
"Every witness."
"Every missing piece."
"I gave you everything I could."
His eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
"And then you vanished without a word."
Keifer frowned.
"Hold on."
He looked at me.
"You investigated a case?"
I closed my eyes for a brief moment.
"...Yes."
"You never told us that," Yuri said quietly.
"My conscience wouldn't let me stop."
My voice barely rose above a whisper.
"I needed answers."
Adrian nodded.
"I know."
His expression softened for the first time that night.
"But here's the problem."
He leaned forward again, his eyes never leaving mine.
"You didn't know everything from the beginning."
"You learned it."
"One clue after another."
"One person after another."
He paused.
"So tell me..."
"How did it all begin?"
Silence settled over the room once more.
Then Adrian spoke again, his voice quieter than before.
"Tell them."
I looked at him without answering.
He gave me a sad smile.
"Tell them..."
He hesitated.
"...Sis."
"What?"
Samy was the first to react.
Ci-N straightened immediately.
"...Sis?"
Yuri frowned.
"Wait... what did you just call her?"
Keifer looked from Adrian to me, confusion written across his face.
"Sis?"
No one spoke.
No one moved.
I slowly lowered my gaze to the floor.
"...He's telling the truth."
Four pairs of eyes fixed on me.
I took a shaky breath.
"Adrian..."
I looked up at him.
"...is my stepbrother."
The silence that followed was louder than any scream.
"STEPBROTHER!"
Ci-N and Samy shouted together.
Yuri seemed to be shocked as well,
but it was like no words were able to come out from his mouth.
While Keifer, he seemed deep in thought.
Then he suddenly spoke, breaking the awkward silence
"What is your last name, Adrian."
I think that Keifer now might have an idea about who he was.
"Abalos, Adrian Abalos"
"HAHAAHAHAH...What kind of surname is that."
Samy said while she was laughing so hard, I wish that she choke on herself.
Ci-N was laughing too, and Yuri was trying so hard not to laugh out loud as well.
All their laughing made Adrian a little angry.
"Ya ya, go on. Laugh all you want. It's not like I love this name, I also hate it."
He said while pouting like a kis.
Looking at him, how can anyone say that this person is 5 years older than me.
5 YEARS!
My gaze landed on Keifer, and he was looking at me.
"So, you investigated that case."
Looks like someone figured it out.
"Oh, you told him too jay." Adrian asked me.
"Well, I didn't tell him. We found out together."
"WHA-"
Before Ci-N could say any more dramatic line, Keifer spoke.
"I think you should tell them about him."
This made everyone go quiet, and Adrian and I understood who he was talking about.
"Ya Jay, they also deserve the truth." Adrian replied.
"Who are you guys talking about and what truth."
Samy said loudly, it was clear that she was now irritated.
"Ok fine. I will tell you....."
"About Rodrigo Abalos. The reason why I left home and came here."
And then I started telling them how it all started -
*Flashback*
People say college changes you.
For me...
It simply gave me the chance to breathe.
Life wasn't perfect—far from it—but it had finally become... peaceful.
Our schedules were packed with lectures, quizzes, projects, and endless deadlines. Every week seemed busier than the last, yet somehow, I had never felt more alive.
Every morning started the same way.
A rushed breakfast.
A quick goodbye to everyone at home.
Then the familiar drive to campus with my headphones on and a notebook full of unfinished assignments sitting on my lap.
By the time I reached the college, the campus was already buzzing with students.
Some hurried toward their classrooms.
Others sat beneath the old acacia trees, desperately trying to finish homework due in the next ten minutes.
Nothing ever changed.
And maybe...
That was exactly why I loved it.
"Jay!"
I turned around just in time to see Eunice jogging toward me, balancing two iced coffees in one hand while trying not to drop her phone.
"Please tell me Professor Salazar isn't here yet."
I checked my watch.
"You still have five minutes."
She let out an exaggerated sigh of relief.
"I almost died trying to get these."
I laughed before taking one of the cups from her.
"You chose coffee over arriving on time."
"I chose survival."
"Fair enough."
Before either of us could enter the building, someone gently slipped an arm around Eunice's shoulders.
"Morning."
Dane.
Eunice looked up at him and smiled without even realizing it.
"You bought breakfast?"
"I did."
"And coffee?"
"I did."
"And you're still late."
Dane chuckled.
"I had priorities."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Your priority being...?"
He glanced at Eunice.
"My girlfriend."
Eunice lightly elbowed him.
"Dane!"
"What?"
"You make it sound so dramatic."
"It is dramatic."
"You've seen me for less than five minutes."
"I know."
"I missed you."
Eunice covered her face with one hand.
"I can't deal with you this early."
I laughed quietly as we walked toward the building.
Around us, students whispered among themselves.
"There they are."
"The campus couple."
"I heard they've been together for months."
"They're actually so cute."
Eunice heard every single word.
Her ears turned bright red.
"I'm transferring schools."
Dane laughed.
"No, you're not."
"They keep staring."
"They're staring because you're beautiful."
She looked away, clearly embarrassed.
"You are impossible."
"So I've been told."
I couldn't help smiling.
The entire campus seemed to know who Dane and Eunice were.
Whether it was because of student council events, academic competitions, or simply because they looked like they'd stepped out of a romance novel, people loved talking about them.
They had unofficially become our university's "it couple."
And honestly...
They deserved the title.
By noon, my phone vibrated.
Keifer:Lunch?
I smiled before replying.
Jay:You're not even on this campus.
Three dots appeared almost immediately.
Keifer:Look outside.
I blinked.
Then hurried toward the window overlooking the main entrance.
Standing beside the gate, wearing his university jacket with both hands tucked casually into his pockets...
...was Keifer.
The idiot actually came.
Again.
I hurried downstairs.
"What are you doing here?"
He looked genuinely confused.
"I came to see my girlfriend."
"You have classes."
"I finished early."
"So you drove all the way here?"
He shrugged.
"It isn't that far."
"It takes almost forty minutes."
"Worth it."
I tried not to smile.
I failed.
He noticed immediately.
"There's the smile."
"I wasn't smiling."
"You absolutely were."
"I wasn't."
"You still are."
I looked away before he could see my cheeks warming.
"You're unbelievable."
"So I've heard."
He reached into the paper bag he was carrying and handed me a sandwich.
"You skipped breakfast again."
"...How do you know that?"
"You always text differently when you're hungry."
I stared at him.
"That's not a real thing."
"It is now."
I shook my head.
"You're ridiculous."
"And yet..."
He leaned down slightly.
"...you still like me."
I nudged his shoulder.
"Don't flatter yourself."
"I don't have to."
"Oh?"
"You do it every time you look at me."
My mouth fell open.
"You really think highly of yourself."
He grinned.
"I think highly of your taste."
I laughed despite myself.
There was no winning against him.
Not when he looked at me like that.
Not when he smiled like that.
Not when he somehow managed to make an ordinary lunch break feel like the highlight of my day.
The rest of the afternoon disappeared beneath stacks of notes and textbooks.
A few days later, Keifer met me after my last class.
"I need help."
I narrowed my eyes.
"With what?"
"My assignment."
"You?"
"Yes."
"You actually admitted you need help?"
"I've grown."
"You've panicked."
"...Maybe a little."
We ended up in a quiet café near campus.
I explained the same concept three times.
Keifer nodded seriously each time.
Then asked the exact same question again.
I sighed.
"Were you even listening?"
"I was."
"So explain it back to me."
He looked at the notebook.
Then at me.
Then smiled.
"I forgot."
"Keifer."
"You were distracting."
"I was teaching."
"Exactly."
I stared.
"You keep looking at me."
"I'm supposed to."
"No, you're supposed to look at the notes."
"I like my view better."
I closed the notebook.
"That's it."
"What?"
"Study session over."
He immediately reached for my wrist.
"Wait."
"You said I was distracting."
"I changed my mind."
"You've learned nothing."
"I learned one thing."
"And what's that?"
He smiled.
"I definitely chose the right girl."
I rolled my eyes.
"...Hopeless."
"But your hopeless."
For a moment...
Neither of us spoke.
We simply smiled at each other.
Sometimes...
Love wasn't grand gestures.
Sometimes it was just stolen afternoons, unfinished homework, shared lunches, and someone willing to drive across the city just to spend an hour with you.
It started with silence.
Not the comfortable kind.
Not the kind that settled over a house after a long day.
This silence...
...felt deliberate.
I didn't notice it at first.
College had been keeping me busy. Between lectures, projects, and finding every excuse possible to see Keifer before heading home, my days blurred together.
So when I walked through the front door that afternoon, I expected the usual.
Tita Gemma humming while preparing dinner.
Aries arguing with Angelo over something ridiculous.
Mom reminding everyone not to make a mess.
Home.
Instead...
The living room fell quiet.
"..."
I frowned.
Mom, Angelo, Aries and Tita Gemma were sitting together around the coffee table.
The moment I stepped inside—
The conversation stopped.
Almost instantly.
Everyone looked at me.
Then smiled.
Too quickly.
"You're home," Tita Gemma said brightly.
"I am."
Mom stood up.
"You must be tired."
"A little."
"You should go freshen up."
I blinked.
"...Okay."
As I climbed the stairs, I glanced back.
They were still standing there.
Watching me.
The moment I disappeared around the corner...
Their voices started again.
Soft.
Almost whispers.
I couldn't make out a single word.
Maybe...
I was imagining things.
That's what I kept telling myself.
The next morning wasn't any different.
Mom had already left before breakfast.
Which wasn't unusual.
But Angelo...
Normally he'd tease me about waking up late.
Instead, the second I walked into the kitchen—
He stood up.
"Oh."
"Morning, kid."
"Morning."
"I just remembered I have to make a phone call."
He grabbed his keys.
"I'll see you later."
Before I could answer...
He was gone.
I stared after him.
"...Weird."
Tita Gemma set a plate of toast in front of me.
"Eat before you're late."
"Did Kuya Angelo always have somewhere to be this early?"
"Hm?"
She avoided my eyes.
"Oh... work."
"He already finished work yesterday."
"He... remembered something."
I looked at her carefully.
She smiled.
Too quickly.
Again.
By the third day...
The feeling wouldn't leave me.
Something was wrong.
I just didn't know what.
A week later, I decided I'd stop guessing.
I'd ask.
Starting with the easiest person.
"Tita?"
She looked up from chopping vegetables.
"Yes?"
I leaned against the kitchen counter.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Is something going on?"
Her knife stopped moving.
Only for a second.
Then she continued chopping.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know."
I sighed.
"Everyone's acting strange."
"No, they're not."
"You all stop talking whenever I walk into a room."
She laughed softly.
"You're imagining things."
"I don't think I am."
She reached over and gently pinched my cheek.
"You've been studying too much."
"I'm serious."
"So am I."
Her smile never faded.
"Everything's fine."
Too quick.
Too practiced.
Like she'd rehearsed those exact words.
I watched her for another moment before nodding.
"...Okay."
But I didn't believe her.
Not even a little.
If Tita Gemma wouldn't tell me...
Maybe Angelo would.
He never could keep a secret.
I found him on the balcony that evening, watering the plants.
"Kuya."
He looked over his shoulder.
"There she is."
I walked over.
"Busy?"
"Not really."
I leaned against the railing beside him.
"I wanted to ask you something."
He nodded.
"Shoot."
"Is something happening at home?"
His hand froze around the watering can.
Only for a heartbeat.
Then he smiled.
"What makes you ask that?"
"Everyone's acting different."
"We're acting exactly the same."
"No."
I shook my head.
"You're not."
"You've barely been home."
"Mom avoids me."
"Tita keeps saying everything's fine."
"And you keep leaving every time I come into a room."
He chuckled.
"You notice everything."
"I do."
He reached over and ruffled my hair.
The same way he always had since I was little.
"You're overthinking."
"I know you."
"So?"
"So when you ruffle my hair..."
"...you're trying to distract me."
His smile widened.
"Caught."
"I knew it."
"But I'm still telling the truth."
"There isn't anything you should worry about."
"You said 'should.'"
"I meant..."
He paused.
"...there isn't anything."
I narrowed my eyes.
He simply laughed before changing the subject.
"How's college?"
"...Kuya."
"And Keifer?"
"Kuya."
"I heard he still waits outside your classes."
I sighed dramatically.
"You're impossible."
"And you're avoiding my question."
"So are you."
He only grinned.
Conversation over.
Aries proved even more difficult.
He was fixing his motorcycle outside when I found him.
"You've been hiding from me."
He laughed immediately.
"I have not."
"You have."
"I've just been busy."
I crossed my arms.
"Busy enough to disappear every time I walk in?"
He wiped his hands on a towel.
"Jay."
"Hm?"
"Has anyone ever told you that you think too much?"
"All of you."
"Maybe there's a reason."
I frowned.
"So there is something."
He blinked.
"What?"
"You just admitted it."
"I did not."
"You implied it."
He burst into laughter.
"You'd make a terrifying lawyer."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
He shook his head.
"There isn't some big family conspiracy."
"Then why is everyone acting weird?"
"We aren't."
"You are."
"You've convinced yourself of that."
He walked over and gently tapped my forehead.
"Get some sleep."
"I'm serious."
"So am I."
He smiled.
"You're imagining things."
Exactly.
The same words.
Again.
Only one person remained.
Mom.
If anyone would tell me the truth...
It would be her.
Or so I thought.
She was sitting alone in the living room that night, reading through a stack of papers.
I quietly sat beside her.
She smiled without looking up.
"You're home."
"I've been home."
"Oh."
She finally looked at me.
"Tired?"
"A little."
For a few moments...
Neither of us spoke.
Then I asked.
"Mom..."
"Hm?"
"Is something wrong?"
Her eyes softened.
"What makes you think that?"
"I don't know."
I looked down at my hands.
"I just feel like..."
"...everyone's hiding something from me."
She was quiet.
Long enough for hope to bloom inside me.
Maybe she'd finally tell me.
Instead...
She reached over and squeezed my hand.
"Don't worry."
"Everything's fine."
There it was.
Again.
The exact same sentence.
The exact same calm smile.
The exact same answer.
I searched her face for anything.
Anything at all.
Fear.
Sadness.
Hesitation.
Nothing.
Just that gentle smile she'd worn my entire life.
I smiled back.
But it didn't reach my eyes.
"...Okay."
That night, I lay awake staring at the ceiling.
Replaying every conversation.
Every smile.
Every pause.
Every subject they changed.
Every excuse they gave.
They all said the same thing.
Maybe they had planned it.
Maybe...
I wasn't supposed to know.
I barely tasted dinner.
Tita Gemma had cooked my favorite adobo.
Normally, I would've gone back for seconds.
Tonight, I spent more time pushing the rice around my plate than actually eating it.
Every now and then, I'd glance around the table.
Mom smiled whenever our eyes met.
Angelo joked with Aries.
Tita Gemma kept asking if everyone wanted more food.
To anyone else...
Everything looked perfectly normal.
But I couldn't shake the feeling that they were acting.
Like actors following the same script.
"...Everything's fine."
Those three words echoed inside my head.
Again.
And again.
And again.
After helping clear the dishes, I headed upstairs.
I had barely closed my bedroom door when my phone buzzed.
Keifer
Come downstairs.
I blinked.
Another message appeared.
No excuses.
Then—
I'm already outside.
A smile escaped before I could stop it.
"This idiot..."
I quickly grabbed my hoodie, slipped into my sneakers, and quietly made my way downstairs.
The night air was cool.
Streetlights painted soft pools of gold across the quiet neighborhood.
Parked beneath the old acacia tree sat Keifer's car.
The driver's window rolled down.
"There you are."
I crossed my arms.
"You know normal people ask before showing up."
He tilted his head.
"I did."
"You texted me after you arrived."
"I asked you to come downstairs."
"That's not asking."
"It worked."
"...You're impossible."
"And yet..."
He leaned over and pushed the passenger door open.
"...you still came."
I tried not to smile.
Failed miserably.
"Get in."
The city looked different at night.
Quieter.
Calmer.
The usual traffic had disappeared, leaving only the occasional car passing beneath glowing streetlights.
Soft music played through the speakers.
Neither of us spoke for a while.
The silence wasn't awkward.
It never was with him.
He rested one hand on the steering wheel while quietly humming along to the song.
I looked out the window.
Watching the lights blur together.
"You've been quiet."
His voice was gentle.
"I'm always quiet."
"You've been thinking quiet."
I looked at him.
"There's a difference?"
"There is."
"And?"
"You keep biting the inside of your cheek whenever something's bothering you."
"...You notice that?"
"I notice everything."
I laughed quietly.
"That's a little scary."
"I prefer attentive."
"I prefer creepy."
"Ouch."
He placed a dramatic hand over his heart.
"I drive all the way here..."
"...and this is how I'm treated."
"You'll survive."
"I don't know."
"I'm emotionally wounded."
I shook my head.
"Drama king."
"Proudly."
A few minutes later, he pulled into a small ice cream shop we'd been visiting since high school.
He jumped out first.
"I'll order."
"I can choose my own."
"I already know what you're getting."
"You don't."
"I do."
"I changed my mind."
"No, you didn't."
"You don't know that."
He simply smiled before disappearing inside.
I waited in the car, watching people walk past the brightly lit shop.
Five minutes later...
He returned carrying two cups.
He handed one to me without saying a word.
I looked down.
Chocolate hazelnut.
With extra cookie pieces.
My favorite.
I looked back up.
"...Lucky guess."
"I've bought you enough ice cream to know."
"You remember?"
"I remember everything."
My chest warmed.
I looked away before he noticed.
"...Thank you."
"Always."
We parked near the riverside overlook where the city lights reflected across the water.
The windows were cracked open just enough for the cool breeze to drift inside.
For a while...
We simply ate.
Or at least...
I tried to.
Halfway through my first bite—
My spoon suddenly came back empty.
I turned slowly.
Keifer smiled innocently while chewing.
"...Did you just steal my ice cream?"
He swallowed.
"I was conducting quality control."
I stared.
"Quality control?"
"What if it tasted bad?"
"It doesn't."
"Exactly."
"Because I checked."
I hit his arm with the back of my hand.
"You thief."
He laughed.
"It tastes better from your cup."
"Oh, really?"
"Mhm."
"Then eat yours."
"I am."
"You literally stole mine."
"I shared."
"You didn't ask."
"I'm asking now."
"No."
He leaned closer.
"Please?"
"No."
"Pretty please?"
"No."
"With extra cookie pieces?"
I couldn't stop laughing.
"Absolutely not."
He sighed dramatically.
"My own girlfriend refuses to share."
"My own boyfriend is a criminal."
"A criminal?"
"You stole evidence."
"It was one spoon."
"It was my spoon."
He gasped theatrically.
"So possessive."
I rolled my eyes so hard it almost hurt.
Eventually...
The laughter faded.
The music continued playing quietly.
And somehow...
The comfortable silence returned.
Keifer looked out at the water.
"You want to tell me what's been bothering you?"
There it was.
The question I'd been avoiding.
I stared down at my melting ice cream.
"I think something's wrong at home."
He didn't interrupt.
Didn't rush me.
Just listened.
So I kept talking.
"I don't know what it is."
"My mom barely talks to me anymore."
He frowned slightly.
"Tita Gemma keeps smiling every time I ask if something's wrong."
"Angelo changes the subject."
"Aries says I'm imagining things."
I sighed.
"They all do."
"They stop talking whenever I walk into a room."
"They avoid answering me."
"They keep looking at each other."
I shook my head.
"I feel like..."
I searched for the right words.
"...I'm standing outside my own family."
For a long moment...
Keifer said nothing.
He simply listened.
Really listened.
When I finally looked at him, his expression had softened.
"You've tried asking them?"
"I asked everyone."
"And?"
"The same answer."
"'Everything's fine.'"
He nodded slowly.
"I see."
"You think I'm overreacting too?"
"No."
The answer came immediately.
"I think..."
He paused, choosing his words carefully.
"...there's probably something happening."
Hope flickered inside me.
"But."
He reached over and gently nudged my shoulder.
"It might not be something you need to carry."
I frowned.
"What do you mean?"
He looked out at the city lights.
"When we're kids..."
"Our parents hide birthday presents."
I blinked.
"That's different."
"I know."
"But they do it because they want to protect the surprise."
He turned back toward me.
"Sometimes adults hide problems for the same reason."
"Not because they don't trust us."
"But because they don't want us worrying."
I thought about his words.
"So..."
"You think they're protecting me?"
"Maybe."
"Or maybe they're trying to solve something before telling you."
He smiled softly.
"Whatever it is..."
"I don't think they'd hide it because they don't love you."
I stared at him.
"You really think so?"
"I do."
He bumped my shoulder again.
"And if something's actually wrong..."
"They'll tell you when they're ready."
I wanted to believe him.
I really did.
Because everything he said made sense.
It was logical.
Reasonable.
Comforting.
But...
Something deep inside me still refused to settle.
Like my instincts were quietly whispering—
No.
Something isn't right.
Keifer noticed the look on my face.
"You still don't believe me."
"I want to."
"But?"
"I don't know."
I looked down at my hands.
"It just..."
"...feels different."
He reached over and gently intertwined his fingers with mine.
His hand was warm.
Steady.
"You don't have to figure everything out tonight."
"I know."
"And you don't have to carry it alone either."
I smiled faintly.
"I have you."
"You do."
"And if you start overthinking again..."
He pointed toward my half-finished ice cream.
"...I'll confiscate the rest of that."
I laughed.
"You wouldn't."
He grinned.
"Wanna test me?"
I immediately pulled my cup closer.
"Hands off."
He chuckled.
"There she is."
"Who?"
"My Jay."
"The one who smiles."
The words settled quietly between us.
For the first time all evening...
I smiled without forcing it.
Maybe he was right.
Maybe I was worrying over nothing.
Maybe everything really was fine.
I looked out through the windshield at the city glowing beneath the stars.
And yet...
That uneasy feeling still lingered.
Quiet.
Persistent.
Like a storm gathering somewhere beyond the horizon.
Waiting for the right moment to arrive.
The city had settled into silence.
From where we were parked, the buildings looked like tiny constellations scattered across the horizon. The last traces of sunset had disappeared, leaving only the glow of streetlights and passing headlights reflecting across the river.
I rested my head against the seat and sighed.
"I still think something's wrong."
Keifer glanced at me.
"I know."
"I keep trying to stop thinking about it."
"I know."
"I can't."
"I know."
I turned to him.
"You're being very repetitive."
He smiled.
"I'm trying something."
"What?"
"I'm waiting to see how many 'I knows' it takes before you laugh."
I stared at him for a second.
"...Idiot."
"There it is."
"What?"
"The smile."
I hadn't even realized I was smiling.
I looked away immediately.
"I wasn't."
"You were."
"No."
"Your cheeks disagree."
"They're cold."
"It's twenty-eight degrees."
"They're... emotionally cold."
He laughed, shaking his head.
"I've missed this."
"We literally saw each other this morning."
"I know."
"I still missed you."
I rolled my eyes, but the warmth spreading through my chest betrayed me.
There was something unfair about the way Keifer could make everything feel lighter.
Even on nights like this.
He reached over, gently nudging my shoulder.
"So..."
"Hm?"
"What do you want to become?"
I blinked.
"What?"
"When we graduate."
He leaned back in his seat.
"What do you want your life to look like?"
I let out a small laugh.
"That's random."
"It is."
"But answer me."
"I don't know."
"Liar."
"I'm serious."
"You've thought about it."
I stared out at the water.
Had I?
Maybe.
Maybe more than I wanted to admit.
For a while, neither of us spoke.
The soft music continued playing in the background, filling the silence without demanding attention.
Finally, I smiled.
"...Okay."
"There it is."
"What?"
"The real answer."
I sighed.
"I guess..."
I paused, searching for the right words.
"I want to be successful."
Keifer nodded, waiting for me to continue.
"I don't mean famous."
"I don't need people to know my name."
"I just..."
I looked down at my hands.
"I don't ever want my family to worry about money again."
The words came easier now.
"I want to work hard."
"Earn enough."
"Buy Mom anything she wants without checking the price."
I smiled faintly.
"I want her to stop working so hard."
"She's spent her whole life taking care of me."
"I want it to be my turn."
Keifer listened quietly.
No interruptions.
No jokes.
Just listening.
"I want Kuya Angelo to be proud."
"I know he already says he is..."
"...but I want him to look at me and think..."
"'She really made it.'"
A lump formed in my throat.
"I want to repay Tita Gemma."
"She never treated me like anything less than family."
"I don't even know how I'll ever repay everything she's done."
I laughed softly.
"Maybe I'll start by buying her a kitchen so big she won't complain about not having enough space."
Keifer smiled.
"She'd love that."
"I know."
"And Aries..."
I chuckled.
"I'll probably buy him something loud enough to annoy the neighbors."
"A motorcycle?"
"He'd choose that over a car."
"Definitely."
I nodded.
"And then..."
I looked up at the stars.
"I just want everyone to be happy."
Keifer remained silent.
His eyes never left me.
I frowned.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You're staring."
"I'm admiring."
I groaned.
"You were being serious five seconds ago."
"I still am."
"You make it difficult."
"I try."
"You succeed."
His smile softened.
"You know what I noticed?"
"What?"
"You didn't mention yourself."
I blinked.
"...Didn't I?"
"You talked about your mom."
"Your brother."
"Tita Gemma."
"Aries."
"Your family."
He tilted his head slightly.
"But not once did you say what you wanted."
I opened my mouth.
Then closed it again.
Because...
He was right.
"I guess..."
I laughed awkwardly.
"I've never really thought about myself."
He reached over and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
"You should."
"Why?"
"Because your dreams matter too."
The sincerity in his voice made my chest tighten.
"What about you?"
"My dream?"
I nodded.
"What do you want?"
He pretended to think.
"Hmm..."
"This is a difficult one."
"Oh?"
"Very."
He tapped his chin dramatically.
"I've narrowed it down."
"To?"
He looked directly into my eyes.
"You."
My heart skipped.
"...What?"
"My dream."
He smiled.
"Is you."
I felt my face grow warm.
"Keifer..."
He laughed.
"I'm not finished."
"Oh?"
"I mean..."
He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
"I want to build something."
"A career."
"A home."
"A future."
His smile became smaller.
More genuine.
"And I want you standing beside me."
The world suddenly felt very quiet.
I couldn't find the words.
I looked away instead.
Embarrassed.
He noticed immediately.
"You're blushing."
"I'm not."
"You absolutely are."
"I am not."
"You won't even look at me."
"I'm looking at the dashboard."
"The dashboard isn't that interesting."
"It is today."
He laughed.
"I win."
"You didn't win."
"I did."
"You cheated."
"By telling the truth?"
I crossed my arms.
"You talk too much."
"And yet..."
He leaned in just enough for our shoulders to touch.
"...you still haven't told me to leave."
I smiled despite myself.
"That's because I'm being nice."
"I knew it."
"Knew what?"
"You like having me around."
"I tolerate you."
"Ouch."
"Barely."
"Double ouch."
"I deserve compensation."
"You've already eaten half my ice cream."
"I was helping."
"You were stealing."
"I prefer borrowing."
"You never gave it back."
He grinned.
"I'll buy you two next time."
"Three."
"Deal."
"And you don't get to taste any."
"No promises."
I laughed so hard I had to cover my face.
He watched me for a moment.
Then his smile faded into something softer.
"Jay."
"Hm?"
"I'm proud of you."
I lowered my hands.
"For what?"
"For dreaming."
No one had ever said those words to me before.
Dreaming had always felt...
Selfish.
Something you did quietly.
Something you didn't talk about.
Yet here he was.
Looking at me as though my dreams mattered just as much as his own.
Without thinking, I reached for his hand.
Our fingers intertwined naturally.
Comfortably.
He squeezed my hand once.
"You know..."
"If none of those dreams happen exactly the way you imagine..."
"That's okay."
I looked at him.
"You'll still make the people you love proud."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because..."
He smiled.
"They're already proud of the person you are."
My eyes stung unexpectedly.
I looked away before he noticed.
"...You're making this difficult."
"Why?"
"Because now I don't know if I'm emotional..."
"...or if it's just the cold."
He laughed softly.
"The emotional cold again?"
"Exactly."
He leaned forward.
"So dramatic."
"Says the guy who claimed my ice cream tasted better because it was mine."
"I stand by that statement."
I shook my head.
There was only one Keifer.
One wonderfully ridiculous, endlessly patient Keifer.
He lifted his free hand and gently rested his forehead against mine.
Neither of us spoke.
The music continued quietly in the background.
The city lights shimmered beyond the windshield.
For just a moment...
Nothing else existed.
No unanswered questions.
No strange silence waiting at home.
No worries about tomorrow.
Just us.
He smiled.
"So..."
"So?"
"Still emotionally cold?"
I laughed.
"A little less."
"Good."
He pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead before leaning back with a satisfied grin.
"There."
"What?"
"Doctor's orders."
"Oh?"
"Official treatment."
"For?"
He smiled.
"Overthinking."
I rolled my eyes, unable to stop smiling.
Maybe...
Just for tonight...
I could let myself believe everything would be okay.
The ride home felt shorter than usual.
Maybe because my mind wasn't as heavy anymore.
Or maybe because Keifer had somehow managed to make me laugh until my cheeks hurt.
He parked outside the gate and looked over at me.
"We're here."
I nodded.
"I noticed."
"You don't sound very excited."
"I'm thinking."
"Dangerous."
I laughed.
"You always say that."
"Because every time you start thinking too much, you forget basic human needs."
"Oh?"
"Like sleeping."
"I sleep."
"Barely."
"Eating."
"I eat."
"Only because I force you."
I gave him a look.
"You force me?"
"I strongly encourage."
"I'll remember that."
"You should."
He smiled before reaching into the back seat and handing me my backpack.
"You almost forgot this."
I blinked.
"I actually did."
"I know."
"You really do notice everything."
"I have to."
"Why?"
He shrugged casually.
"If I don't..."
"...who's going to remind you that your bag exists?"
I laughed, shaking my head.
"You are unbelievable."
"And yet..."
He pointed toward the house.
"...someone in there is waiting for you."
I followed his gaze.
The porch light was still on.
Mom always left it on whenever I came home late.
No matter how old I got.
No matter how many times I told her she didn't have to.
She always did.
I smiled.
"I should go."
"You should."
Neither of us moved.
A few quiet seconds passed before Keifer chuckled.
"You know..."
"What?"
"We're both really bad at saying goodbye."
"We're saying goodbye now."
"No."
He grinned.
"We're delaying it."
I rolled my eyes.
"You're impossible."
"So I've heard."
I reached for the door handle.
Then paused.
"Keifer?"
"Hm?"
"...Thank you."
His teasing expression softened.
"For?"
"For tonight."
"For listening."
"For the ice cream."
"For..."
I smiled sheepishly.
"...everything."
He looked at me for a moment before smiling back.
"Anytime."
The sincerity in his voice made my heart feel lighter.
I climbed out of the car and started toward the gate.
Just before I stepped inside, I turned around.
He was still there.
Watching to make sure I got inside safely.
When he noticed me looking, he lifted a hand in a small wave.
I waved back.
Only after the front door closed behind me did I hear the sound of his car pulling away.
The house was quiet.
Much quieter than it had been during dinner.
Most of the lights had already been switched off.
I slipped off my shoes as quietly as possible and climbed the stairs.
For the first time in days...
I wasn't thinking about strange conversations.
Or awkward silences.
I was thinking about Keifer.
About the way he'd listened without interrupting.
About how he somehow knew exactly what to say.
About the way he'd looked at me when I'd talked about my dreams.
A smile found its way back onto my face.
"He's such an idiot..."
A very sweet idiot.
I unlocked my bedroom door and immediately flopped onto the bed.
My phone buzzed almost instantly.
Keifer
Text me when you're inside.
I smiled and typed back.
Inside.
The reply came less than ten seconds later.
Good. Now sleep before your brain invents another mystery.
I laughed quietly.
Goodnight.
His final message arrived with a simple:
Dream big.
I stared at those two words for a long moment before locking my phone.
Dream big.
Simple.
Yet somehow...
They stayed with me.
I changed into comfortable clothes, tied my hair into a loose ponytail, and reached for my laptop.
I still had a few announcements to check before sleeping.
Our college portal was usually full of assignment reminders and schedule changes.
Nothing exciting.
I absentmindedly logged in.
New notifications.
Four.
Three were from professors reminding us about upcoming submissions.
I clicked through them quickly.
The fourth notification caught my attention immediately.
INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
I frowned.
"...Scholarship?"
Curious, I opened it.
A new page filled my screen.
My eyes moved slowly across every line.
Partner universities.
International exchange.
Full academic scholarship.
Accommodation support.
Leadership development.
Research opportunities.
I sat up straighter.
"...What?"
I scrolled back to the top.
Surely I'd misunderstood.
But no.
It was exactly what it sounded like.
An opportunity to study abroad.
I kept reading.
Eligibility.
Academic requirements.
Entrance examinations.
Interviews.
Recommendation letters.
Personal essays.
It wouldn't be easy.
Not even close.
Thousands would probably apply.
Only a handful would be chosen.
Still...
I couldn't stop reading.
Somewhere between the eligibility requirements and the list of participating universities...
My heart began beating a little faster.
A thought quietly slipped into my mind.
"What if..."
I stared at the screen.
"What if I actually tried?"
Immediately another voice answered.
"That's impossible."
Studying abroad?
Leaving home?
Competing against some of the brightest students in the country?
The chances were unbelievably small.
Yet...
The possibility existed.
And that alone was enough to make me dream.
I thought about Mom.
Working late.
Always pretending she wasn't tired.
I thought about Angelo.
Never buying anything for himself because someone else always came first.
I thought about Tita Gemma.
Cooking for everyone before remembering to sit down herself.
I thought about Aries.
Always making everyone laugh, even on difficult days.
Then...
I remembered what I'd told Keifer earlier.
"I want to make them proud."
Maybe...
This was the first real chance to do exactly that.
If I worked hard enough...
If I gave everything I had...
Maybe one day I'd be able to tell them...
"I did it."
Maybe I'd earn enough to give Mom the peaceful life she deserved.
Maybe Angelo would finally stop worrying about me.
Maybe Tita Gemma would smile because of something I accomplished.
Maybe...
I could become someone worthy of everything they'd sacrificed for me.
Without thinking any further, I reached for my notebook.
I carefully wrote the application deadline across the top of a fresh page.
Then I began making a list.
Required documents.
Grades.
Recommendations.
Essay topics.
Interview preparation.
Every step.
Every requirement.
Every possibility.
For the first time in days...
The uncertainty in my heart wasn't frightening.
It was exciting.
Because uncertainty also meant opportunity.
I closed my laptop with a quiet smile.
Outside my bedroom window, the city lights stretched endlessly into the distance.
Somewhere beyond those lights...
Beyond this city...
Beyond everything I'd ever known...
A future was waiting.
I just didn't know whether it was waiting for me.
Not yet.
But I was going to try.
With everything I had.
I didn't know then...
That clicking on that scholarship announcement...
Would become the first step toward changing my entire life.