Chapter 8 – Quiet Roads, Quieter Truths 🌙
The library incident ended with the librarian practically throwing Section E onto the street like they were a pack of stray cats. And honestly? For once, I was glad. No chanting, no spying, no fanart—just silence.
Keifer and I packed our things slowly, neither of us rushing. The quiet between us wasn't awkward anymore—it was full.
"You heading home?" he asked, slinging his bag over his shoulder.
I nodded. "Yeah. You?"
"Same direction," he said simply.
So we walked. No noise, no background chaos, just the rhythm of our steps against the pavement.
---
At first, I focused on little things—the hum of the street lamps, the way the evening air was cooler than usual. But then Keifer spoke.
"You've changed," he said, his tone calm but thoughtful.
I frowned. "That's… vague."
He glanced at me, his lips tugging at the corner. "I mean it in a good way. More confident. Stronger. It suits you."
I looked down, not trusting myself to meet his eyes. Why does he still know exactly what to say to make my chest tighten?
"Well, someone had to step up when certain people decided to fly across the world," I said lightly, but my voice betrayed more than I meant.
Keifer didn't answer right away. His silence wasn't empty—it was heavy, like he was holding back words that wanted to spill. Finally, he just said, "I'm sorry."
The words were soft, but they hit harder than I expected. For a moment, I didn't know what to say.
"…You should be," I muttered. But my voice lacked bite.
We walked on, neither of us pushing the conversation further. And yet, somehow, it felt like a beginning instead of an ending.
---
When I finally reached home, I didn't even get through the door before a voice called out:
"Late again, Horoscope's getting worried!"
I sighed, dropping my bag. "Aries, I told you not to call yourself Horoscope. That's my thing."
My older brother peeked from the couch, his usual teasing grin plastered on his face. "Well, Horoscope says you've been working too hard. You need balance."
I threw a pillow at him, which he caught easily. "You sound like a fortune cookie."
"And yet I'm right," he said, leaning forward. "So… project going okay?"
I hesitated. Aries didn't miss it. His teasing softened, replaced by quiet concern.
"Jay." His voice was gentle now. "You don't have to pretend around me. You look… tired."
For a second, my defenses cracked. I thought of the library, of Keifer's apology, of all the words I couldn't say out loud.
"I'm fine," I said, but softer this time. Almost a whisper.
Aries didn't push. He just reached out, ruffled my hair like I was still a kid, and said, "Whatever it is, you'll figure it out. You always do. And hey—Horoscope predicts things might turn out better than you expect."
I laughed despite myself, shaking my head. "You're impossible."
"But loveable," he said smugly.
And maybe he was right.
---
That night, lying in bed, my mind kept drifting back to Keifer. To the way he'd said I'm sorry. To the way he'd walked beside me in silence that somehow said more than a thousand words.
And for the first time in a long time, I let myself wonder: What if this wasn't just the project? What if there was more waiting in that quiet between us?
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✨ End of Chapter 8 ✨