Chapter: The Misunderstanding
(Jay's POV)
Festival Day Three was supposed to be a rest day.
No events.
No performances.
No chaos.
Just cleaning up decorations and pretending Section E didn't almost burn down the school twice.
Keifer didn't come early that morning.
Band meeting, Blaster said.
So it was just me and Yuri arranging leftover props inside the Section E building.
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
Which usually meant something dramatic was about to happen.
Yuri was on a chair trying to remove a ribbon stuck near the window.
"Hold this," he said, handing me a box of fairy lights.
"You could've asked someone taller," I muttered.
"You're tall enough for support."
"I hate being support."
He laughed. "You love attention too much to be support."
I rolled my eyes but smiled slightly.
We were alone.
Just talking normally.
No teasing.
No screaming class.
Just… calm.
"Jay," Yuri said suddenly, stepping down from the chair.
"What?"
He looked strangely serious.
"You know everyone talks about you and Keifer, right?"
I stiffened slightly. "Let them talk."
"Are you okay with it?"
I shrugged. "It's Section E. When are we ever normal?"
He studied my face for a moment.
"You act brave," he said quietly. "But sometimes you look confused."
That caught me off guard.
"I'm not confused."
"You are."
Before I could respond, he stepped a little closer.
Not threatening.
Not aggressive.
Just close enough to make me uncomfortable.
"You care about him," Yuri said softly.
"That's not a crime."
"I didn't say it was."
His hand lightly touched my shoulder.
Friendly.
I thought it was friendly.
"You deserve someone who's sure," he continued.
"I don't need relationship advice from you."
He smiled faintly. "I'm not giving advice."
And then—
Before I fully processed what was happening—
He leaned in.
And pressed a quick kiss against my cheek.
It wasn't long.
It wasn't dramatic.
But it wasn't something I expected.
I froze instantly.
"Yuri—"
Footsteps stopped at the doorway.
Heavy.
Still.
I turned.
Keifer was standing there.
He had clearly just walked in.
And clearly saw it.
Silence filled the room.
Yuri stepped back immediately.
"It wasn't—" he started.
Keifer didn't say anything.
That was worse.
His face wasn't angry.
It wasn't shouting.
It wasn't teasing.
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
His jaw tightened slightly.
I stepped forward. "Keif, it's not what you think."
He looked at me.
Not at Yuri.
At me.
"You're right," he said calmly.
"I don't think."
The tone wasn't loud.
But it wasn't warm either.
Yuri raised his hands slightly. "It was just a joke."
Keifer's eyes shifted to him briefly.
"It didn't look funny."
Yuri swallowed. "Bro, relax—"
"Don't call me bro right now."
That made my stomach drop.
Keifer never used that tone.
Ever.
I moved closer to him. "He just—"
"You didn't push him," he said quietly.
I blinked. "It happened fast."
"You bite me for kissing you."
That hurt.
"Don't compare it like that," I snapped softly.
He looked away slightly.
And that's when I saw it.
Not anger.
Not jealousy screaming.
Just… hurt.
And that made my chest tighten painfully.
"I didn't expect it," I said more gently. "I didn't ask him to."
Yuri stepped back further. "I'll leave."
"Yeah," Keifer said quietly.
Yuri left without another word.
The room felt colder instantly.
It was just us now.
But it didn't feel like before.
Keifer walked further inside slowly.
Avoiding my eyes.
"You're not my girlfriend," he said calmly. "You can do what you want."
That sentence stung more than if he had shouted.
"That's not fair," I said.
"It's true."
"Don't act like you don't care."
He looked at me then.
And there it was.
The sadness.
"I do," he admitted quietly.
Silence.
My heart felt heavy.
"But I don't get to decide who kisses you," he continued.
"I didn't want him to."
"But you didn't stop him."
His voice wasn't accusing.
Just disappointed.
"I was shocked," I whispered.
He nodded once.
"Okay."
That "okay" wasn't okay.
He turned slightly as if to leave.
I grabbed his wrist.
"Don't walk away."
He stopped.
But didn't turn fully.
"I wasn't smiling," I said softly. "I wasn't encouraging it. I didn't feel anything."
He finally looked back at me.
"Nothing?" he asked.
"Nothing."
A pause.
Then he asked the question that mattered.
"If it was me?"
My breath caught.
"If it was me, what?"
"If I kissed you like that. Random. No promise. No warning."
I held his gaze.
"You wouldn't be random."
Silence again.
His shoulders relaxed just slightly.
"But I'm not official," he reminded quietly.
"I know."
"And you're not either."
"I know."
The space between us felt fragile.
"I didn't like seeing it," he admitted finally.
My chest softened.
"I didn't like it happening," I replied.
He studied my face carefully.
Looking for lies.
There weren't any.
After a few seconds, he stepped closer.
Not pinning me.
Not dramatic.
Just close enough to feel his presence.
"You confuse me," he said softly.
"You threaten to kiss me every day."
"That's different."
"How?"
His lips twitched faintly.
"I mean it."
My heart skipped.
I exhaled slowly.
"I don't want anyone else kissing me," I admitted quietly.
That was the most honest thing I'd said all week.
His eyes changed.
Not playful.
Not teasing.
Soft.
"But we're still not official," I added quickly.
He almost smiled.
"Rest day," he said.
"No drama."
"Too late," I muttered.
He looked toward the door where Yuri had left.
"I'm not mad at you," he said after a moment.
"You're not?"
"I'm…" he hesitated. "Just human."
That made me step closer.
"And humans get jealous," I said softly.
"Maybe."
For a second, we just stood there.
No shouting class.
No audience.
Just quiet.
Then he gently brushed his thumb against my cheek.
Right where Yuri had kissed.
And wiped it dramatically.
"Sanitizing," he said casually.
I stared at him.
"You're ridiculous."
"I know."
But this time—
There was a small smile on his face again.
Not fully healed.
Not fully calm.
But better.
Rest Day Three.
Not dramatic on stage.
But dramatic in the heart.
And somehow—
That felt scarier than ghosts.