Chapter 84: War of Hearts, War of Pride
(Keifer's POV)
Two months.
Two.
Whole.
Months.
No kisses.
No soft "good mornings" with her lips brushing mine.
No random forehead kisses when she thought I wasn't looking.
No late-night, quiet, warm, her.
Just—
Nothing.
Keifer (muttering):
"This is inhumane."
Jay stood across the room, pretending to scroll through her phone.
Pretending.
Because I could see it.
The small smirk she was hiding.
She knew.
She knew exactly what she had done.
And worse?
She knew it would work.
Keifer:
"You're enjoying this."
Jay didn't look up.
Jay:
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Keifer:
"You're evil."
Jay:
"I've been called worse."
Keifer walked closer.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
Keifer:
"You won't last."
Jay raised an eyebrow.
Jay:
"Try me."
Silence.
Tension.
The kind that feels like lightning before a storm.
Keifer leaned in slightly.
Close enough to feel her breath.
Keifer (low):
"You're really going to deny me?"
Jay didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
Jay (soft but firm):
"Yes."
That one word—
Hit harder than anything.
Keifer pulled back.
Ran a hand through his hair.
Keifer:
"…this is torture."
Jay:
"This is growth."
Keifer:
"This is cruelty."
Jay:
"This is necessary."
I stared at her.
And for the first time—
I realized.
She wasn't joking.
Not even a little.
(Jay Jay's POV)
He thought I'd give in.
That I'd laugh.
That I'd soften.
That I'd kiss him just to shut him up.
But no.
Not this time.
Because this wasn't about teasing.
This was about something bigger.
Jay (thinking):
You don't get to avoid your past and keep your future at the same time.
Keifer paced the room.
Restless.
Frustrated.
And honestly?
A little dramatic.
Keifer:
"You're really serious."
Jay:
"Yes."
Keifer:
"No loopholes?"
Jay:
"No loopholes."
Keifer:
"No exceptions?"
Jay:
"No exceptions."
Keifer:
"What about emergencies?"
Jay:
"No."
Keifer:
"That's unfair."
Jay:
"That's life."
He stopped pacing.
Turned to me.
Keifer:
"…what if I fix it?"
Jay:
"Then you get your kisses back."
Keifer:
"Immediately?"
Jay:
"Immediately."
Keifer:
"…with interest?"
I almost laughed.
Almost.
Jay:
"Maybe."
Keifer narrowed his eyes.
Keifer:
"You're negotiating now."
Jay:
"I'm motivating."
Keifer:
"You're blackmailing."
Jay:
"I'm inspiring."
Keifer:
"You're impossible."
Jay:
"And yet here I am."
Silence.
Then—
Keifer:
"…fine."
I blinked.
Jay:
"…fine?"
Keifer:
"I'll do it."
Jay:
"Just like that?"
Keifer:
"Don't act surprised. I like kissing you."
Jay:
"…wow."
Keifer:
"I'm serious."
Jay:
"Good."
Keifer sighed.
Keifer:
"…where do I even start?"
That question—
That's when everything shifted.
(Keifer's POV)
Where do you start…
When everything ended so badly?
Aries.
Yuri.
Percy.
Even Angelo.
We weren't just friends.
We were… everything.
And then—
We became nothing.
Keifer:
"…I don't know how to face them."
Jay softened slightly.
Jay:
"You don't need the perfect words."
Keifer:
"Then what do I need?"
Jay stepped closer.
Jay:
"Honesty."
Keifer:
"And if that's not enough?"
Jay:
"Then at least you tried."
Silence.
Keifer:
"…and if they don't forgive me?"
Jay looked at me.
Straight.
Jay:
"Then you live knowing you did your part."
That hit.
Hard.
Because for years—
I didn't even try.
(Jay Jay's POV)
He was thinking.
Really thinking.
And that's when I knew—
He was already halfway there.
Jay:
"You don't need to fix everything in one day."
Keifer:
"Feels like I do."
Jay:
"You don't."
Keifer:
"Then what?"
Jay smiled slightly.
Jay:
"Start with one."
Keifer:
"…who?"
I didn't hesitate.
Jay:
"Percy."
Keifer blinked.
Keifer:
"Percy?"
Jay:
"Yes."
Keifer:
"He's the hardest."
Jay:
"He's the most honest."
Keifer:
"He's dramatic."
Jay:
"He's loyal."
Silence.
Keifer:
"…he saved Aries."
Jay nodded.
Jay:
"He did."
Keifer:
"And I believed he didn't."
Jay:
"You were wrong."
Keifer:
"I know."
Jay:
"Then tell him that."
Keifer:
"…just like that?"
Jay:
"Yes."
Keifer exhaled.
Slow.
Heavy.
Keifer:
"…this is going to be a disaster."
Jay smirked.
Jay:
"Probably."
Keifer:
"You're enjoying this."
Jay:
"A little."
Keifer:
"You're evil."
Jay:
"Still effective."
He shook his head.
But I could see it.
That shift.
That decision.
(Keifer's POV — Later That Night)
I stood outside Percy's apartment.
Knuckles hovering over the door.
This was it.
Years of silence.
Years of anger.
Years of misunderstanding—
All behind this door.
Keifer (thinking):
Just knock.
My hand didn't move.
Keifer (thinking):
You faced boardrooms. CEOs. Enemies.
Pause.
Keifer (thinking):
And this is what scares you?
I clenched my jaw.
Then—
Knocked.
Once.
Twice.
Footsteps.
The door opened.
Percy stood there.
Same dramatic expression.
Same sharp eyes.
But this time—
There was something else.
Distance.
Percy:
"…Keifer."
Keifer:
"Percy."
Silence.
Awkward.
Heavy.
Percy:
"This is unexpected."
Keifer:
"Yeah."
Percy crossed his arms.
Percy:
"Did you come to argue?"
Keifer:
"No."
Percy:
"Blame someone?"
Keifer:
"No."
Percy:
"Then why are you here?"
That was it.
The moment.
Keifer:
"…to apologize."
Percy froze.
Completely.
Percy:
"…what?"
Keifer:
"I was wrong."
Percy blinked.
Keifer:
"I believed something that wasn't true."
Percy:
"…go on."
Keifer:
"You saved Aries."
Silence.
Keifer:
"And I let you carry that alone."
Percy didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Keifer:
"I should have been there."
Still nothing.
Keifer:
"I should have believed you."
The silence stretched.
Then—
Percy laughed.
Not amused.
Not happy.
Just… tired.
Percy:
"You finally figured it out."
Keifer:
"…yeah."
Percy:
"Took you long enough."
Keifer:
"I know."
Percy looked at me.
Really looked.
Percy:
"…why now?"
And I knew the answer.
Keifer:
"Because someone refused to kiss me."
Percy blinked.
Percy:
"…what?"
Keifer:
"It's a long story."
Percy stared.
Then—
Percy:
"…you're serious."
Keifer:
"Very."
Silence.
Then—
Percy shook his head.
Percy:
"You're unbelievable."
Keifer:
"I've been told."
Percy sighed.
Long.
Heavy.
Percy:
"…I was angry."
Keifer:
"You had every right to be."
Percy:
"I thought you chose him over me."
Keifer:
"I chose wrong."
Silence.
Then—
Percy:
"…you did."
Keifer nodded.
Keifer:
"I know."
Pause.
Then—
Percy stepped aside.
Percy:
"…come in."
And just like that—
Something that had been broken for years—
Shifted.
Not fixed.
But… started.
(Jay Jay's POV — Ending)
I sat on the couch.
Waiting.
Phone in hand.
Not scrolling.
Just waiting.
Then—
The door opened.
Keifer walked in.
Quiet.
Calm.
Different.
Jay:
"…well?"
He looked at me.
And for a second—
Said nothing.
Then—
Keifer:
"I started."
That was all.
But it was enough.
I stood up slowly.
Walked toward him.
Close.
Very close.
Jay:
"That means…"
Keifer:
"Don't even think about it."
Jay smirked.
Jay:
"…no kiss yet?"
Keifer:
"Not yet."
Jay:
"Good."
Keifer:
"You're enjoying this too much."
Jay:
"Maybe."
He sighed.
But there was something new in his eyes.
Hope.
And that?
Was worth more than any kiss.
End of Chapter
Chapter Moral ✦
Sometimes, the hardest battles aren't fought against enemies—but against the past we've been avoiding.
Growth doesn't happen in comfort.
It happens when you take the first step toward something painful, uncertain, and long overdue.
You don't need to fix everything at once—
you just need the courage to begin.
Because even the most broken relationships…
can start healing with one honest moment.