Chapter: The Green-Eyed Storm
(Jay's POV → Aries' POV)
The next day started normal.
Too normal.
Which should've been my warning.
Section E was loud as usual. Ci n was arguing with Blaster over something pointless. Denzel was narrating his own life again.
I was walking toward our building when I saw something that made my steps slow down.
Keifer.
Standing near the stairs.
Talking to a girl from Section B.
Lina.
Pretty. Soft voice. Long hair. The kind who smiles gently at everything.
She was laughing.
At something he said.
And he was smiling.
Not smirking.
Not teasing.
Actually smiling.
Something twisted inside my chest.
"It's nothing," I muttered to myself.
They're just talking.
He can talk to whoever he wants.
You're not official.
You don't own him.
But my feet?
They were already walking toward them.
I stopped a few steps away.
He hadn't noticed me yet.
Lina touched his arm lightly while laughing.
That small touch felt louder than Section E screaming.
I cleared my throat.
Keifer turned.
His expression shifted slightly when he saw me.
"Jay," he said calmly.
Lina smiled politely. "Hi."
"Hi," I replied, but my tone wasn't friendly.
"What are you doing?" I asked him directly.
"Talking," he answered simply.
"With her?" I asked before I could stop myself.
Lina blinked awkwardly. "I'll… go."
She walked away quickly.
Great.
Now I looked crazy.
Keifer's jaw tightened slightly.
"What was that?" he asked quietly.
"What was what?"
"That tone."
"What tone?"
He exhaled slowly. "Why are you acting like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like I did something wrong."
I crossed my arms. "Didn't you?"
His eyes darkened slightly.
"No."
"You were smiling."
He stared at me like I'd just said something ridiculous.
"I'm allowed to smile."
"She was touching you."
"And?"
"And?"
I laughed bitterly. "You didn't move away."
"You didn't push Yuri."
That hit hard.
"Don't bring that up," I snapped.
"Why not? It's the same thing."
"No, it's not."
"How?"
"Because I didn't want that!"
"And you think I wanted her to touch me?" he shot back.
Silence.
We were both breathing heavier now.
Students nearby were starting to notice.
"You looked comfortable," I said quietly.
"And you looked comfortable too," he replied.
"That's not fair."
"What's not fair," he said, voice lowering, "is you getting jealous when we never defined anything."
The word jealous stung.
"I'm not jealous."
"Then why are you angry?"
I didn't answer.
Because I didn't know how to explain the tight feeling in my chest.
He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
"You don't get to control who I talk to."
"I'm not controlling you."
"You're acting like I betrayed you."
I swallowed hard.
"It felt like that."
The moment I said it, I regretted it.
His expression changed.
"Betrayed?" he repeated softly.
I blinked quickly, my vision starting to blur.
"I don't know," I whispered. "Forget it."
I turned to leave.
"Jay," he called.
But I was already walking faster.
Then running.
Because I refused to cry in front of him.
The school building felt suffocating.
My chest hurt.
Why did it hurt this much?
We weren't official.
We never said anything clearly.
So why did seeing him smile at someone else feel like something breaking?
I ran toward the back corridor near Section A.
And that's when someone grabbed my shoulders gently.
"Hey."
Aries.
I didn't even realize I had tears falling until he wiped one away.
"What happened?" he asked quietly.
I shook my head.
"Jay."
"He was with her," I whispered.
"With who?"
"Lina."
Aries sighed softly. "Section B Lina?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"He was smiling."
Aries stared at me for a second.
Then, unexpectedly, he chuckled softly.
"This is not funny," I snapped, voice breaking.
He immediately became serious.
"Did he do anything wrong?"
"He didn't move away when she touched him."
Aries crossed his arms thoughtfully.
"Did he flirt?"
"No."
"Did he hide it from you?"
"No."
"Did he look guilty?"
I hesitated.
"No."
Aries gently guided me to sit on the bench.
"Jay," he said calmly, "Keifer is many things. Arrogant. Dramatic. Annoying."
I sniffed slightly.
"But he's not that kind of guy."
"What kind?"
"The type who plays with feelings."
I looked down.
"It still hurt," I admitted quietly.
"That's because you care."
Silence.
I wiped my eyes angrily. "I hate caring."
Aries smiled faintly. "Too late."
I looked up at him.
"He's not talking to Lina because he likes her," Aries continued. "Section B is planning a joint event. He probably doesn't even realize how it looked."
"But it felt like—"
"Like you were being replaced?"
My throat tightened.
I didn't answer.
Aries' voice softened.
"He's not like that."
"You're sure?"
"I've known him longer than you."
That made me look up sharply.
"And?"
"And when Keifer wants someone, he makes it obvious."
Memories flashed.
The wall pins.
The promises.
The jealousy yesterday.
The way he wiped my cheek.
Aries stood up and offered his hand.
"Go talk to him."
"What if he's still angry?"
"Then fight properly."
I managed a weak laugh.
"You're not helping."
He ruffled my hair slightly.
"You two are impossible. But he won't hurt you intentionally."
I stood slowly.
My heart still heavy.
But calmer.
As I turned the corner—
I saw him.
Keifer.
Standing at the end of the corridor.
Looking like he had been searching.
Our eyes met.
His expression wasn't angry anymore.
Just worried.
And maybe…
A little hurt too.
Rest days were peaceful.
Festival days were chaotic.
But this?
This felt different.
This felt real.