Jay's Pov
I woke up to gray skies.
London gray. Not Philippines gold.
Everything here was gray. The sky. The buildings. My heart.
The purple dinosaur sat on my nightstand. Staring at me with its googly eyes.
"Stop looking at me," I muttered.
It didn't stop.
Stupid dinosaur.
I hadn't slept.
Again.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his face.
The cold eyes. The flat expression. The words.
"Of course it's part of my plan."
I clutched my pillow. Wanted to scream.
Instead, I just lay there. Staring at the ceiling.
Jare knocked. "Jay? You awake?"
"No."
"Mom and Dad want to talk to us. Downstairs."
"Tell them I'm dead."
"They won't believe me."
"Tell them I'm a ghost."
"Jay."
I sighed. Dragged myself out of bed.
Looked in the mirror.
Same dead fish eyes. Same hollow cheeks. Same nothing.
"Great."
I walked downstairs.
Papa and Mama Reycee were in the living room. Sitting together on the couch. Looking serious.
Jare was already there. He gave me a small nod.
I sat down. Curled into myself. Hugged a pillow like it could protect me.
"Jay-Jay." Mama Reycee's voice was soft. Worried. "How are you feeling?"
"Like a corpse."
She flinched. "Baby..."
"It's fine, Mama. I'm fine." Lie. Lie. Lie.
Papa cleared his throat. "We need to talk to you both. About something important."
I looked at him. "More secrets?"
"No. No more secrets." He looked at Mama Reycee. She nodded.
"Jare. Jay. You both turn 18 this year."
I blinked. "I'm aware."
"And when you turn 18, you inherit something." Papa paused. "Mariano Enterprises."
Silence.
I stared at him. "What?"
"Mariano Enterprises. The family business. It's been in our family for generations. And now, it's time for you two to take over."
Jare spoke slowly. "You mean... we're heirs?"
"Yes. Both of you. Equal shares. Equal responsibility."
I shook my head. "I don't understand. You never told us—"
"Because we wanted you to have a normal childhood. No pressure. No expectations." Papa's eyes were sad. "But now... now you need something to focus on. Something to build."
"Build?"
"Mariano Enterprises isn't just a company. It's a legacy. Your great-great-grandfather started it. Your grandfather grew it. I maintained it. And now—" He looked at both of us. "Now it's yours."
Mama Reycee added softly, "We thought... maybe having something to work toward. Something to pour your energy into. It might help."
Help.
Like anything could help.
But as I sat there, something flickered.
Mariano Enterprises.
Something of my own.
Something that had nothing to do with Keifer. With Section E. With the Philippines.
Something MINE.
"I'll do it," I said.
Everyone looked at me.
"Jay?" Jare's voice was surprised.
"I said I'll do it." I looked at Papa. "Tell me what I need to know."
Papa studied me for a long moment. Then nodded slowly.
"We'll start tomorrow."
"Good."
Later, in Jare's Room
Jare found me sitting on his bed. Staring at nothing.
"You okay?"
"No."
"Same."
We sat in silence.
Then: "Mariano Enterprises. That's... big."
"I know."
"You're really going to do it?"
"Yeah." I looked at him. "I need something. Something that's mine. Something that can't be taken away."
"Nothing can be taken away that's truly yours."
"That's deep."
"I have my moments."
We almost smiled.
Almost.
That Night
I lay in bed. Staring at the purple dinosaur.
Tomorrow, I'd start learning about Mariano Enterprises.
Tomorrow, I'd start building something new.
Tomorrow, I'd try to forget.
But tonight?
Tonight, I let myself remember.
His smile. His laugh. His ears turning pink.
The way he looked at me like I was the only person in the world.
The way he kissed me.
The way he held me.
The way he broke me.
"Of course it's part of my plan."
I grabbed the dinosaur. Hugged it tight.
Stupid dinosaur.
Stupid Keifer.
Stupid love.
Keifer's Pov
I sat on my bed. Staring at her jacket.
The one she returned.
It still smelled like her.
I buried my face in it. Again.
Yuri walked in. "Dude. You need to eat."
"Not hungry."
"You haven't eaten in three days."
"Not hungry."
"Keifer—"
"Yuri." I looked at him. "She's gone. She's gone and I did it. I did this."
"You did it to save her."
"Same thing."
"It's NOT the same thing."
"It feels the same."
He sat next to me. "She'll come back."
"How do you know?"
"Because she loves you. And love doesn't just disappear."
I wanted to believe him.
I really did.
My phone buzzed.
JARE: She's alive. Barely. But alive.
ME: Keep telling her to eat and take care of her.
JARE: I will. You okay?
ME: No.
JARE: Same. We'll get through this.
ME: Will we?
JARE: We're Marianos. We survive everything.
I almost smiled.
Almost.