Jay-jay's POV
["I don't have it anymore! Keifer had it erased."] Ci-N answered from the other line.
Yuri sighed and brought the phone slightly closer to his mouth.
"You didn't keep even one?"
["None at all."]
"Alright, thanks."
The call ended, and Yuri pocketed his phone. He was looking for the videos of their misdeeds from Ci-N. Apparently, Edrix was the one who originally kept them, but they had already ended up with Batang Kumag.
That's why I once saw the video of them beating up Kiko. They called what they did the One Hit Rule. Yuri admitted that they didn't just do it once.
In total, there were more than thirty incidents. Each one had a video as a souvenir. We tried to borrow the videos to see who else they had hurt. But unfortunately, they were all gone.
Yuri had his phone on loudspeaker, so I heard everything clearly.
I'm not blind—wait, deaf instead.
"Why did you even have something like that?" I asked irritably.
"We've had a lot of enemies. They come back whenever they feel like getting revenge. That One Hit Rule was our way of fighting back so they wouldn't return..." He scratched the back of his head.
"...it gets tiring if it's always the same people we're fighting."
"Wow... You get tired of your enemies, but not of fighting." I said, pretending to be amazed.
He smiled. "That'll never change for us. We're Section E, Jay."
"Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!" I shook my head at him.
He put his hands in his pants pockets. I crossed my arms and looked into the distance. I couldn't get out of my head the thought of who could've done that to Mykel.
Whoever they were, why did they seem so full of rage? If it really was them, then why did I have a strange feeling about it?
"Who do you think really did that to Mykel?" I asked him.
He didn't answer. He just kept staring into the distance, looking deep in thought. I placed my hand on his shoulder and stretched out my index finger to get his attention. When he turned, my finger poked his cheek.
He let out a small laugh. "W-why?"
"I was asking you something. You zoned out."
"Sorry. I was just thinking about what happened to Mykel." He took a deep breath. "...I have this weird feeling that it wasn't a group that did that to him."
"It seems like just one person."
"Just one person."
We said it almost at the same time. We looked at each other. I knew it! My gut feeling was right.
"W-who do you think it is?" I asked.
He lowered his head for a moment, hesitating as if unsure whether to say the name. He pouted slightly and looked at me.
"Keifer is the one I have in mind."
I nodded. He was also one of my suspicions, but there was another one—GagongBaliw! He had sent a threatening text saying Mykel would pay.
"I have another suspect." I said as I took my phone from my pocket. "...maybe you recognize this number."
I handed him my phone, where the name and number of my mysterious textmate were displayed.
He raised an eyebrow. "Gagong...baliw?"
I named him that! Unique, Bes! Unique!
"Don't mind the name!"
He shrugged and grabbed his own phone, pressing buttons as if trying to dial the number. But he quickly shook his head when he found no matching contact.
I took my phone back from him.
"Who is that?" he asked again.
"This idiot's been texting me. He refuses to tell me who he is, but he knows me—and all of you. Then when I was hospitalized, he threatened that Mykel would pay."
I opened our conversation and showed him the message from the mysterious sender. He read it, but he didn't seem satisfied. He went back to read the previous messages.
"Is it okay if I start from the first message?"
I nodded and let him keep reading. It took quite a while for him to finish, so I sat down on a nearby plant box.
"Jay, when was this blindfolded moment when he kissed you?" he asked, sounding slightly annoyed.
"When I was kidnapped, and Keifer got stabbed."
He stared at me as if he just remembered something. "There was no one else standing there when we arrived. Keifer was the only one conscious."
I already knew that. That's what I was thinking at first too.
I stood up and walked toward him. "Yeah, but that's impossible. First, Keifer was far from me when you guys arrived."
"No."
"Huh?"
"He was standing near you when we got there."
I frowned. I was starting to get confused again.
"B-but when the blindfold was removed from me..."
"He was standing. He forced himself to walk but collapsed right away because of his wound."
Holy Fvckining Shit!
What does that mean? That he was really the one who kissed me? That he's the one texting me and trying to get my attention? But why? How? Shit!
But what if he wasn't? What if this idiot was just saying he was the one who kissed me, even if it wasn't true? Or maybe it was him, and it just so happened that when he left, the King of the Snakes stood up.
"I think it's better if you don't reply to this person for now. We don't really know who he is." Yuri said, handing my phone back to me.
I just nodded at him, even though I had no intention of following his advice. How would I find out who this really was if I didn't talk to him? I had to get clues that would lead me to him.
"Let's go... I'll take you home. It's getting dark."
I looked up at the sky. It wasn't getting dark because it was evening. The sky was dark because it looked like it was going to rain. I confirmed it when I heard a faint rumble of thunder.
Yuri quickly walked to his car. I followed him and immediately got in when he opened the door for me.
"We almost got caught in the rain."
Right. He's not supposed to get wet. He'll multiply.
He started the car, and silence filled the space. Just a few minutes passed before heavy rain poured down. That's when I suddenly asked myself—
Did I take a bath?
It doesn't matter. I'm already here, on my way home. Do I really need to stress about whether I showered or not? It's probably not even noticeable. Yuri hasn't said anything.
I subtly sniffed my armpit. Smells good! When was the last time I shaved?
"Jay? Are you okay?" Yuri asked.
Oh, he saw me!
"O-oh… I was just checking something," I said, adjusting my seat.
He smiled at me and focused on driving. The car came to a stop as the traffic light turned red. Pedestrians crossed the street, and while watching them, something crossed my mind.
"Yuri. You said that more than 30 people experienced your One Hit Rule, right?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Do you still remember who they were?"
He scratched the back of his neck. "Hhhmmm… Well, some of them. The ones who hurt you and attempted to kidnap you."
I looked at him, frowning. The monkeys who tried to take me? The ones I fought on the street? Seriously?
That has to be a joke. Yuri is such a joker.
"...Why do you think none of them have come back for revenge?"
I thought about it. Oh, right?! If you think about it, they could've easily gotten back at me since they know where to find me.
"So that's the reason?"
He nodded. "There's only one person we haven't gotten back at…"He cleared his throat. "...your ex."
My eyes widened. "Cyrus?! But Keifer already got him, right?"
He tilted his head slightly. "H-he wasn't satisfied."
Damn!
That's embarrassing. Cyrus couldn't even stand back up. He was taken to the hospital. And he wasn't satisfied?! That's really embarrassing.
I rolled my eyes at nothing in particular. These Serpents are seriously something else.
The rain grew stronger, and it looked like the streets were starting to flood. I noticed Yuri suddenly turning into a parking lot.
It was a wide, covered parking lot, safe from the rain.
"Why are we stopping here?" I asked.
"The rain's too heavy. We might get into an accident," he said as he turned off the car. "...Let's eat first. My treat."
I quickly unbuckled my seatbelt. "Let's go! Why are you so slow?!"
I even got out of the car before he did. He just shook his head while opening his door.
This is a free meal, man!
He locked the car before walking toward me. There were so many people gathered at the mall entrance and exit, probably stuck because of the rain. I had to squeeze through the crowd just to get inside.
While pushing my way through, someone suddenly threw an arm over my shoulder.
I was startled and was ready to punch someone, but I stopped when I saw who it was.
"Don't wander off," Yuri said, eyes fixed ahead. "...You might lose me."
I frowned. Why does that sound so different from what he meant? I decided to just ignore it.
Once we got through the crowd, I quickly pulled away from him and glared.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, smirking.
"That stunt of yours! You better watch yourself." I warned.
He just laughed loudly, catching the attention of some people around us.
"Damn, his laugh is so attractive."
"So manly, total panty-dropper."
"Kuya is so handsome."
I turned to look at the ones who said that. Damn, guys! I can't handle this nonsense.
When they saw me staring at them, they quickly ran away.
"Jealous already?" Yuri teased.
"Excuse me, I'm not jealous. I'm just shocked by what they said."
"Why are you reacting? I didn't even say it was you." he smirked.
I raised my fist toward his face. "Do you want this?"
He shook his head. "Like I said, let's go. Let's eat at Tokyo Tokyo."
"Now that's more like it!"
We walked toward the Japanese-themed restaurant he pointed out. He told me to find a seat while he ordered.
While waiting, my phone suddenly buzzed. A text message.
I took it out of my pocket, wondering which scoundrel was texting me. The first person that came to mind was GagongBaliw, and I think I was right.
From: GagongBaliw
Message: Y r u with Yuri again?
(Why are you with Yuri again?)
How did this person know?!
I quickly scanned my surroundings, hoping to spot someone suspicious. But what was I expecting, really? There were some guys on their phones, but it was unlikely to be them.
I swiftly typed a reply.
To: GagongBaliw
Message: pnu mo nlman? Andto k b? Asn? MAGPAKITA KA!
(How did you know? Are you here? Where? SHOW YOURSELF!)
From: GagongBaliw
Message: I dnt want to! Kng gsto mo kng mkita pnthan mo ko!
(I don't want to! If you want to see me, come to me!)
To: GagongBaliw
Message: ayw! Mmya pgka-kain.
(No! Later after eating.)
From: GagongBaliw
Message: Takaw! Takaw!
I was about to curse this person badly if Yuri hadn't arrived. I quickly hid my phone.
"Are you texting someone?" he asked innocently.
"N-no... I was just reading."
"Reading? Wattpad? Oh no!... It's addicting."
I looked at him in confusion. "You know Wattpad?"
He nodded. "I read there sometimes. Sci-Fi or Fantasy."
"So you're addicted to Wattpad too?"
He shook his head. "I only read during my free time. But when I have things to do, I set it aside."
I smiled. So, there are guys like him who are into Wattpad. He acts all tough, but he reads Wattpad.
"Keep that up. It's attractive."
"Are you attracted?" he asked with a smirk.
I've been slightly attracted to you before, but my feelings for the King of the Vipers took over like a storm.
I quickly felt awkward. I chose to roll my eyes at him to hide what I was feeling. He just laughed at me in response.
Soon, a waiter arrived with his order. I focused my attention on that. I pretended to be busy eating, but the truth was, my mind was playing out the situation between the three of us.
Just as I was finishing my meal, my phone rang again. Someone was calling me, and when I checked—it was GagongBaliw.
"Who is it?" Yuri asked.
I ignored his question and chose to answer the call from GagongBaliw.
"Hello..." I greeted as I picked up. "...what do you want?"
I thought he would speak, but I heard nothing on the other end—until I accidentally glanced at the restaurant's glass wall. I froze.
Standing not far away was the person who had just been in my thoughts.
Keifer.
"Jay... Is something wrong?" Yuri asked with concern.
I dropped my phone and slowly stood up from my seat. Yuri was about to follow my gaze, but a group of teenagers walked by, and just as they passed, he was gone.
"Who were you looking at?"
I couldn't be mistaken. That was definitely Keifer. I quickly walked outside, searching for his familiar face, but he was gone. Not even a glimpse of his back.
I didn't notice that Yuri had followed me.
"Jay! What's wrong? What was that?! Did you see someone?!" he asked, worried.
"I-I saw him here... He was standing right here."
"Who?"
"Keifer."
I kept looking around, hoping to see him again.
"Maybe you were just seeing things."
I shook my head. "He was really here. He was looking at us."
It was really him. I couldn't be mistaken.
His brows furrowed. One hand was in his pocket, while the other held a phone. That's when I remembered my own phone.
Yuri was holding my phone, and I quickly grabbed it back.
A single text message was left by GagongBaliw.
From: GagongBaliw
Message: Don't.
I tried calling the number, but it was already turned off. I kept trying, but nothing.
What if he really is GagongBaliw? I bit my lower lip.
"Naze..." (why...) I heard Yuri whisper.
I didn't understand what he said, but the way he looked at me—it was like he was full of questions.
As I stared at him, tears suddenly fell from my eyes.
Yuri quickly pulled me into a hug. My face was buried in his chest. I knew people were staring at us, but I didn't care.
"Kare no tame ni nai te i nai." (Don't cry because of him.)
This guy! I'm already struggling, and he still managed to speak Japanese. I wanted to smack him! He probably forgot that I don't understand Nihongo.
We stayed like that for a while before I finally decided to pull away.
"Sorry... I couldn't help it. I just got so frustrated." I explained while wiping my tears.
"It's okay... I'm always here for you."
He placed a hand on my head and ruffled my hair slightly. He forced a smile before slowly lowering his hand to my wrist.
He started walking slowly, and I just let myself be pulled along. I stared at our hands. His grip wasn't that tight, but I felt so affected. It was as if my pulse was burning.
We reached the parking lot, and he opened the car door for me. He even buckled my seatbelt before flashing me another small smile and closing the door.
He looked lifeless as he walked to the driver's seat
When he got in, he let out a deep sigh. He put on his seatbelt, shut the door, and started the car. We had been driving for a few minutes when I broke the silence.
"S-sorry," I whispered.
"You have nothing to apologize for." He spoke without looking at me.
"I keep hurting you."
He glanced at me for a moment before looking back at the road. He pulled over to the side. I stayed quiet, waiting for him to speak.
"I want to blame you," he started. "...I want to be mad at you. I want to resent you. But that would be wrong because from the start, I already knew. It was always clear to me that it was Keifer."
Please... Yuri...
I lowered my head. "So maybe, you should stop then. I don't want to hurt you anymore."
"That's not an option." He looked at me, making me turn to him. "...Since when were you able to stop love?"
"But Yuri...you're just getting hurt because of me."
"And you're hurting because of him. But did you stop?"
I shook my head at his words. I knew why he was doing this, but why did I still feel confused?
He unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned slightly closer to me. He took my hand and kissed it.
"Hurt me. Hurt me many times. Hurt me anytime. I don't care. Hurt me until I feel numb." His grip on my hand tightened. "...I'll take it, no matter how painful. Because I'd rather endure the pain than lose you."
I bit my lower lip.
Why?
Why couldn't it just be him and me?
Why couldn't my heart, which was busy jumping rope in my chest, have just chosen him?
"You really are fit to be the president of our club," I said, and he looked at me in confusion.
"...Shunga Lovers Club."
Slowly, a smile formed on his lips while he still held my hand. He kissed it again before speaking.
"And you're the vice president."