Jayjay's POV:
If someone asked me what peace looked like, I'd say: Not this.
"GIVE IT BACK!" April yelled, halfway across the table.
"It's MY ice cream now," Ci-N said, already eating like rent was due.
"You didn't even order that!"
"You're my emotional sister, you ordered it for me!"
"You're about to order an ambulance."
"April," Yuri said calmly, "you bought four."
"I bought four for SUPPORT, not for this vacuum cleaner!"
"Vacuum cleaner is wild," Ci-N muttered, not stopping.
And somehow, that wasn't even the loudest part.
Because behind us?
Section E.
All of them.
Alive.
Too alive.
"BROOOO THIS PLACE IS EXPENSIVE," Josh complained.
"Then don't breathe here," Eman replied.
Edrix leaned back in his chair. "If I pay, I'm ordering everything."
"You can't even pay for water," Calix shot back.
Kit nodded.
Mayo was already eating someone else's fries. "Sharing is caring."
"That's mine," Eren said flatly.
"Was yours," Mayo corrected.
Denzel leaned over to Drew. "If we leave now, we survive financially."
Drew shook his head. "Too late. We're already in debt spiritually."
I pressed my lips together.
This was insane.
"You're quiet," Keifer said beside me.
"I'm surrounded," I replied.
He huffed softly.
"Yeah."
Across from us:
April was STILL fighting for her ice cream.
"APOLOGISE!" she grabbed Ci-N's collar again.
"NEVER."
"I will expose your childhood photos to Rakki."
"…I'm sorry."
Yuri nodded. "Resolved."
"No, it's NOT!" April snapped.
Josh leaned over from the other table. "Who's dying?"
"Ci-N," I answered.
"YAY!," Eman exclaimed.
I smiled.
I didn't even realise I was smiling.
Because this?
This chaos?
This noise?
It felt like… mine.
Keifer shifted slightly beside me.
Close.
Not much.
But there.
"…You still misunderstand me?" he asked quietly.
That question again.
"…Less," I said.
He smiled.
Small.
Real.
"I'll take that."
Then:
April slammed her hand on the table.
"OKAY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!"
Entire classroom: silent for 0.2 seconds.
It didn't last long anyway.
"No."
"Yes."
"Don't start."
"She's starting," Edrix said.
"If this is about ice cream-" Yuri sighed.
"It's NOT," April snapped.
Felix leaned forward.
"Is it significant?"
April grinned.
Dangerous.
Excited.
Alive.
"Pack your bags."
"…Why?" Drew asked.
Yuri spoke like this was normal.
"Because we're leaving."
"WHERE?" Josh yelled.
Keifer said it.
"Japan."
Silence.
Then-
"WHAT?!" the ENTIRE Section E exploded.
"WE'RE WHAT?!" Eman stood up.
Edrix grabbed his head. "WE'RE INTERNATIONAL NOW?!"
Calix pointed. "WHO FUNDED THIS?!"
Felix whispered, "HANAMITCHI AND REYES CORP-"
Kit: "I'm coming."
Mayo: "I'm packing snacks."
Eren: "Does every idiot have passport?"
Denzel blinked. "We're actually doing this?"
Drew just nodded slowly. "We're getting arrested."
April raised her hand proudly. "Tickets are basically done!"
"BASICALLY?!" Ci-N repeated.
"DONE," she corrected.
"YOU BOOKED WITHOUT ASKING?!" Josh yelled.
"OF COURSE I DID!"
My brain finally caught up.
"Wait.. WHAT ABOUT ANGELO?" I blurted. "He won't let me go!"
April blinked.
Tilted her head.
Then laughed.
"Huh? I'll convince boss."
"You call him boss?" I stared.
"Obviously," she shrugged. "He IS the boss. I'll convince him, it's SO easy."
Yuri sighed. "That means manipulation."
"I call it persuasion."
"She's terrifying." Ci-N pointed.
"I'm effective."
Josh whispered, "I'm scared."
Drew nodded, "Same."
I turned to Keifer.
"…This is a bad idea."
He looked at me.
That calm, steady look.
"Too late."
I rolled my eyes.
But I was smiling.
Because somehow..
this chaos
this noise
this ridiculous, loud, unstoppable group..
felt like something I didn't want to lose.
April was already planning outfits.
"WE NEED JAPAN FITS! ATLEAST 10 OR 15-"
Mayo: "Food first."
"DON'T EVEN THINK OF SKIPPING THIS. WE'RE GOING TO YURI'S HOME. I VISITED IT WHEN I WAS 14 BEFORE, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF CHANGES."
"SHUT UP," everyone said.
Yuri leaned back, already tired.
Ci-N was still eating.
And Keifer was still looking at me.
"Say it," he said quietly.
"Say what?"
"You're coming."
I looked at all of them.
Every single idiot.
Every voice.
Every laugh.
"…I'm coming."
The way his smile softened?
Yeah.
That.
And just like that, everything changed.
Not an ending.
Not even close.
Just chaos… on a global scale.
Next stop?
Japan.
Section E edition.
God save the country. ✈️
April's POV:
Mission: Convince Angelolo
I drove to Jayjay's home.
Time to use my manipulation skills.
HAHAHAHA. (Insert villainic sounds)
Wow, the bell switch is in the gate? Wow, kuya Angelolololo is so rich!
How my bro went from a gangster of Section E to whatever this is.
Maturity!
I rang the bell, and a woman came.
"Hello po, I want to see brother Angelo." I said, slightly smiling at them.
"One minute, he's eating. Your name?" she asked.
"April, po. He'll recognise me."
"Okay, I will be right back." she said.
She went inside to call Angelolo.
She came back after 30 seconds or so. "Come in, ma'am. Sir is there," she pointed towards the living room. I gave her a small smile and entered.
There he was, the man. The man who inspired us. The man who was the best brother-figure.
"Angelo.."
He looked up.
And for a second... everything else disappeared.
Not the boss.
Not the strict, no-nonsense, terrifying Angelo everyone knows.
Just… him.
His eyes stayed on me a little longer than usual.
Like he was checking if I was real.
"…April?"
I smiled.
Softer this time.
Not my usual chaos.
"…Hi."
Silence stretched.
Not awkward.
Just… full.
"You grew," he said finally.
I blinked.
"That's your line?"
"You disappeared for a year," he replied.
Oh.
There it was.
I shifted slightly.
"I didn't disappear."
"You didn't come."
Direct hit.
I exhaled.
"…Same difference."
He looked at me properly now.
Not scanning.
Not judging.
Just… looking.
"You okay?" he asked.
And that?
That almost broke my act.
I nodded quickly.
"Yeah. Obviously. Look at me."
"Hmm."
HE DOESN'T BELIEVE ME.
I dropped into the seat across from him anyway.
"Okay, emotional reunion done. I need a favour."
"There it is," he muttered.
"I missed you too," I shot back.
A tiny smile.
Very tiny.
But I saw it.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"Japan."
Pause.
"…No."
"YOU DIDN'T EVEN LET ME EXPLAIN-"
"I don't need to."
"IT'S FOR JAYJAY."
That worked.
Of course it did.
His posture changed.
"…What about her?"
HOOKED.
I leaned forward.
"We're going on a trip. All of us."
"No."
"WHY?!"
"Because you're involved."
Rude.
"I'm VERY responsible now."
"You broke into your own house."
"THAT WAS ONE TIME."
"You forgot your PIN."
"IT WAS A STRESSFUL DAY."
He just stared.
Unmoved.
I groaned.
"Okay, fine, listen."
I softened.
A little.
"She wants to come."
Silence.
"She won't ask you properly," I continued. "You know her."
His fingers tapped lightly. Thinking.
"But she's happy," I said quietly. "With us."
That landed.
I saw it.
"We're not… that bad."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Okay, we are," I admitted. "But we take care of each other."
A pause.
"Keifer's going?" he asked.
"Obviously."
"You trust him?"
I didn't even think.
"More than myself, yes."
"And Yuri?"
I smiled slightly.
"…Always. BRO, IT'S HIS COUNTRY. WELL WELL, HIS FAMILY IS THERE."
He leaned back.
Exhaled slowly.
"You didn't come for a year," he said suddenly.
Oh.
We're back here.
I looked down.
"…Busy."
"Liar."
"…Okay, yeah, I went to the US for a year. Mother issues."
Silence.
"You could've tried to talk," he said.
I nodded.
"…I know. I didn't talk even to Yuri or Keifer."
Another pause.
Quieter now.
Then-
"She checks in with me," he said.
I blinked.
"…That's a yes?"
"Daily."
I stood up immediately.
"DONE."
"She doesn't go anywhere alone."
"OBVIOUS."
"If anything happens-"
"Nothing will happen."
He gave me a look.
"…Nothing serious," I corrected.
A long breath.
"…Fine."
I froze.
WAIT.
"FINE?!" I almost yelled.
"Don't make me change my mind."
I zipped my lips instantly.
Then grinned.
Wide.
Bright.
Chaotic.
"Boss," I said sweetly, "you missed me."
"Get out."
"Love you too, Angelolololo."
"DON'T CALL ME THAT."
"BYE, KUYAA ANGELOLOLOLO!"
And as I walked out-
I realised something.
I didn't just win the argument.
I came back.
After a year.
And maybe…
just maybe…
I wasn't as far from home as I thought.
END OF BOOK 1.