Keifer's POV..
The house felt… quieter than usual.
Not peaceful. Just… incomplete.
I stood in the middle of the living room, staring at the half-done decorations hanging from the ceiling. A ribbon slipped loose from the tape and fell, brushing against my hand before dropping to the floor.
"Tss"
I bent down, picking it up again.
Careless.
Everything had to be perfect.
Not because it was a party.
Not because anyone expected it.
But because it was hers.
Eighteenth.
A small exhale left my lips as I adjusted the ribbon again, this time pressing it harder into place.
"She said she didn't want anything big…"
And yet, here I was.
Doing the most.
A faint scoff escaped me.
"Of course you are."
Because when it came to her…
simple was never enough.
The doorbell rang.
Once.
Then again.
Impatient.
My brows furrowed slightly. I wasn't expecting anyone.
Walking towards the door, I opened it without much thought—
…and froze.
Aries.
Standing there like he had every right to be.
For a second, neither of us spoke.
The air shifted. Tight. Familiar.
"Didn't expect you," I said finally, voice calm but edged.
He didn't react. Just looked at me, expression unreadable.
"I'm not here for you."
Of course he wasn't.
Before I could respond—
"Move aside, host. You're blocking the view."
A second figure stepped in from behind him, casually pushing past Aries and into the house like he owned it.
Percy.
Alive.
Annoyingly loud as ever.
"Wow… nice place," he looked around, nodding approvingly. "Not bad. I expected worse."
My grip on the door tightened slightly.
"You always talk this much?"
Percy grinned, completely unfazed.
"Only when I'm in a good mood. Which, by the way, I am." He pointed at himself proudly. "Handsome people usually are."
I exhaled slowly.
Still the same.
They both stepped inside.
" Where is Jay" percy asked.
"She went with Keiren to his school for exibition" I replied
Aries walked in without another word, eyes scanning the decorations briefly before looking away. Percy, on the other hand, was already touching everything.
"This is for her?" he asked, lifting a ribbon.
"Don't mess it up."
"Ouch," he placed a hand on his chest dramatically. "No trust at all."
"None."
He laughed.
And just like that… the tension cracked.
Not gone.
Just… lighter.
"Hmm," Percy tilted his head, observing the setup. "It's too plain."
"It's not done."
"Good. Because if it was, I'd be concerned."
"Then don't look."
"Relax," he waved it off. "I'm here to help."
I raised a brow.
"You?"
"Yeah," he pointed at Aries. "And Aries baby too."
"Stop calling me that."
Aries didn't even look at him.
Percy leaned closer to me, whispering like it was a secret.
"He loves it."
"I don't."
I almost—almost—smirked.
Time passed without me noticing.
At some point, we weren't just standing around anymore.
We were… actually working.
Percy messed up more than he helped.
Aries fixed everything without a word.
And I…
I just made sure it all came together.
"Higher," I said, adjusting one side of the banner.
"It's already high," Percy complained from the chair.
"It's crooked."
"It has personality."
"It has a problem."
"Wow," he looked down at me. "You're strict."
"And you're useless."
"Yet charming."
"Debatable."
A small silence settled for a moment.
Not awkward.
Just… quiet.
Percy jumped down from the chair, dusting his hands.
"She'd like this."
The words were light.
But they hit heavier than anything else.
My gaze shifted to the decorations.
"…yeah."
For a brief second—
No tension.
No past.
Just three people standing in the same place…
for her.
Percy stretched his arms, letting out a satisfied sigh.
"See? Not so bad being together again."
No one replied.
Aries turned away slightly.
I didn't look at either of them.
Because we all knew—
This wasn't fixed.
Not yet.
Aries' POV..
I didn't want to be here.
That was the first thought that crossed my mind when I stood in front of his house.
Kuya insisted.
Of course he did.
"It's for Jay," he said.
Like that alone was enough to erase everything.
I exhaled slowly, staring at the door before pressing the bell.
Once.
Then again.
Footsteps approached.
The door opened.
And there he was.
Keifer.
No change.
Same eyes. Same presence.
Same… tension.
"Didn't expect you."
"I'm not here for you."
And I meant it.
Before anything else could be said—
Percy stepped in, completely ignoring the atmosphere like it didn't exist.
"Move aside, host."
Of course he would.
I followed him in.
The house looked… prepared.
Not finished.
But enough to understand.
This was for her.
"She's turning eighteen," percy said casually, already walking around. "Big moment."
I didn't reply.
I didn't need to.
Because I already knew.
At first, I kept my distance.
Watched.
Observed.
Keifer working quietly.
Percy talking endlessly.
Nothing had changed.
And yet…
Everything had.
"Aries baby, hold this."
"I'm not—"
"Just hold it."
I took it.
Not because he told me to.
But because arguing was pointless.
Somehow…
We ended up doing this together.
Fixing decorations.
Adjusting things.
Moving around the same space without clashing.
It felt… strange.
Familiar.
Annoying.
Comforting.
All at once.
At one point, Percy laughed.
Loud. Carefree.
And for a second—
I remembered.
Before everything broke.
"She'd like this."
His voice was softer this time.
I paused.
Looking at the small details around the room.
"…yeah."
I didn't come here for him.
Or for the past.
Or to fix anything.
I came because—
It was her.
And if this mattered to her…
Then I'd be here.
Even if it meant standing next to people I once walked away from.
Percy stretched, smiling like nothing was ever wrong.
"Maybe we can try again someday."
Silence.
I didn't answer.
Because I didn't know if we could.
But I didn't leave either.