KEIFER POV
I should've slept.
Probably.
But that became impossible the second Jay-Jay walked out wearing that red wine colored night suit like she personally wanted to ruin my mental stability.
And now?
She was wrapped in a blanket, AirPods in, completely obsessed with her K-drama while pretending I didn't exist.
Pretending.
That was the important part.
Because no matter how angry she was—
she still looked at me first every single time.
And I noticed.
I always noticed.
Cin suddenly leaned toward me from the next mattress.
"You're staring again."
"I know."
"You're not even ashamed anymore."
"Nope."
Cin looked genuinely impressed.
"Insane behavior."
Probably.
But honestly?
I didn't care.
Not when Jay-Jay looked like that.
Not when she kept reacting dramatically to every romance scene while trying to act tough five seconds later.
It was adorable.
Dangerously adorable.
On her screen, the male lead grabbed the girl's hand dramatically.
Jay-Jay kicked her blanket slightly.
"AWWWW."
The boys started laughing again.
Meanwhile I just watched her quietly.
Because when she forgot people were watching—
she looked softer.
Younger.
Cute in a way she'd probably threaten violence for if I ever said it out loud.
Too late though.
I already said it out loud earlier.
Multiple times.
And somehow she still talked to me.
Which meant I still had a chance.
Yuri suddenly looked over at me calmly from beside Jay-Jay's mattress.
He knew.
Of course he knew.
Yuri noticed everything when it came to her.
"You're enjoying this too much," Yuri said.
I smirked slightly.
"She's entertaining."
Jay-Jay immediately pulled one AirPod out.
"I can still hear both of you, by the way."
"Good," I replied instantly.
Her eyes narrowed immediately.
See?
There it was again.
That look.
Annoyed.
Suspicious.
Trying so hard to stay angry at me.
And honestly?
I deserved it.
I knew that.
I knew I hurt her.
Knew I ruined things.
But watching her ignore me these past weeks felt worse than getting punched.
Because Jay-Jay angry was loud.
Jay-Jay disappointed?
That was unbearable.
On screen, her K-drama male lead suddenly confessed.
Jay-Jay sat up emotionally invested immediately.
"JUST TELL HER YOU LOVE HER."
The room burst out laughing.
I stared at her for two seconds.
Then before thinking properly, I said:
"I did."
Silence.
The room froze instantly.
Jay-Jay stopped moving.
Cin slowly looked between us.
"…Oh."
Yuri's expression shifted slightly too.
And me?
I realized too late that I actually said that out loud.
Jay-Jay looked at me finally.
Really looked at me.
No distraction.
No pretending.
Just those sharp eyes fixed directly on mine.
My heartbeat became stupid instantly.
Then she frowned slightly.
"…You're annoying."
Weak response.
Very weak response.
Which meant she was nervous.
And knowing that almost made me smile again.
I leaned back against the wall casually.
"But you didn't deny it."
The boys collectively lost their minds.
"KEIFER PLEASE."
"HE'S INSUFFERABLE."
"THIS MAN FEARS NOTHING."
Jay-Jay grabbed her pillow and threw it directly at my face again.
I caught it easily.
Again.
At this point she was basically donating pillows to me.
I hugged it dramatically.
"She keeps giving me gifts."
"I'm going to actually hit you one day."
"You'd cry after."
She stared at me in disbelief.
"I would not cry."
"You cried when your favorite ramen place closed."
"That was a tragic event."
Even Yuri laughed at that one.
Jay-Jay looked offended immediately.
"Not you too."
But she was smiling now.
Small.
Tiny.
Barely there.
Still angry.
Still stubborn.
But smiling anyway.
And honestly?
That felt like winning.
Because for the first time in weeks—
she looked at me without hate in her eyes.
Only annoyance.
Nervousness.
Confusion.
And maybe…
something softer hiding underneath.
I shouldn't have wanted that as much as I did.
But I did.
Badly.
Then Jay-Jay looked back at her drama again dramatically.
The male lead on screen kissed the girl suddenly.
Jay-Jay gasped loudly into her blanket.
"Oh my God."
Cin screamed laughing.
"She's actually gone."
I couldn't stop smiling.
And unfortunately…
Jay-Jay noticed.
"What are you smiling at?"
"You."
"Why?"
Because I love you.
The answer almost came out immediately.
But I stopped it just in time.
Because if I said that right now—
with her still angry—
she'd panic.
So instead I smirked slightly and said:
"You're cute when you forget to hate me."
Dead silence.
Jay-Jay's face went completely red.
And the boys started screaming so loudly someone nearly fell off the mattress.
Worth it.
Absolutely worth it.
END OF CHAPTER 31