Chapter: The Five Minutes That Changed Everything
(Jay's POV)
I was going to kill Aries.
That was the only thought running through my head as I sat on the hospital bed staring at the door.
"You called him?" I whispered.
Aries leaned against the wall like he had just ordered pizza.
"Yep."
"Why?!"
He shrugged.
"Because you were crying."
"That doesn't mean you bring him back!"
Percy, who had been quietly watching this drama from the corner, crossed his arms.
"I agree with Aries."
I glared at him.
"Of course you do."
He nodded seriously.
"Entertainment value."
"Percy!"
Aries ignored both of us and checked his phone.
"He said five minutes."
My heart started beating faster.
No.
No, no, no.
I wiped my face quickly.
"Okay listen," I said, pointing at Aries. "When he comes in, I'm not talking to him."
"Sure."
"I mean it."
"Of course."
"I'm serious!"
"Absolutely."
Percy whispered loudly, "She's definitely talking to him."
I threw a pillow at him.
"Shut up!"
Then suddenly…
The door opened.
And just like that…
The room went silent.
Keifer walked inside.
His hair was slightly messy like he had been running his hands through it. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, and his breathing looked slightly uneven like he had actually rushed here.
His eyes immediately found mine.
And the moment they did…
Something inside my chest twisted.
No one spoke for a few seconds.
Then Aries pushed himself off the wall.
"Well," he said casually.
"I did my job."
Percy nodded.
"Same."
I looked at them in horror.
"You two are not leaving—"
Too late.
They both walked toward the door.
"Aries!"
He waved.
"Talk it out."
Percy grinned.
"Don't slap him again."
The door closed behind them.
And just like that…
It was just me and Keifer.
Again.
The silence between us felt heavy.
I crossed my arms.
"You shouldn't have come back."
His voice was quiet.
"Aries said you were crying."
"That's none of your business."
He didn't argue.
He just stood there.
Looking at me like he was trying to memorize my face.
That made me uncomfortable.
"What?" I snapped.
"Nothing."
"Then stop staring."
"I'm making sure you're okay."
The words made my chest tighten again.
"You don't get to worry about me."
"I know."
His honesty caught me off guard.
He took a small step closer.
"Does your head still hurt?"
"Stop acting like you care."
"I do care."
"Why?"
The question came out sharper than I intended.
His eyes darkened slightly.
"Because it's you."
My throat tightened.
I looked away quickly.
"You said I meant nothing."
His jaw clenched.
"I know what I said."
"Then believe it."
He didn't respond.
Instead he asked quietly,
"Did Yuri hurt you?"
The question made my stomach twist.
"No."
"He grabbed your wrist."
My eyes widened.
"How do you know that?"
"Aries told me."
For a moment the room was silent again.
Then I said coldly,
"He said he's my fiancé."
Keifer's expression changed instantly.
His entire posture became tense.
"You're not marrying him."
I laughed bitterly.
"Why do you care?"
He stepped closer again.
"Because you're not his."
Anger flared inside me.
"I'm not yours either."
The words hit him hard.
I saw it in his eyes.
But he didn't back away.
Instead he said something that made my heart skip.
"I never said you were."
Then his voice softened.
"But I never stopped loving you either."
The room felt smaller suddenly.
My chest tightened.
"Don't say that."
"It's the truth."
"You don't get to say that after everything you did!"
My voice broke again.
"You broke me!"
He didn't defend himself.
Didn't argue.
Didn't even try to explain.
He just stood there.
Taking every word.
"I know," he said quietly.
That answer made me even angrier.
"You always do this!"
"What?"
"You act like the hero who sacrifices everything but never tells anyone why!"
He froze.
And for the first time…
He looked shocked.
My breathing was uneven now.
"I'm not stupid, Keifer."
His voice became cautious.
"What do you mean?"
I stared straight at him.
"You didn't leave me because you stopped loving me."
His eyes widened slightly.
"You left because of something else."
Silence filled the room.
His expression gave him away.
And suddenly…
I knew.
My voice dropped to a whisper.
"…What are you hiding from me?"