The moment the executives stepped out, the room felt too small for the both of us.Jayjay lingered at the table, pretending to fix her papers, but I could see her hands shaking.
She was nervous.Good.Because my chest felt like it was about to explode.
"Jayjay," I said quietly.
She froze.
Then she lifted her head, and for a second, it felt like the world paused. Her eyes looked glossy, uncertain, like she was scared of whatever I was about to say.
"Come with me," I said.
She hesitated. "Keifer, I—"
"Please."
Her lips parted at the word.Yeah. I said please.Because if I didn't get this conversation, I'd lose my mind.
She didn't fight it this time. She followed me out of the room, out of the hallway, down a quiet corridor until we reached an empty lounge overlooking the city. Glass walls. Sunset pouring in like gold.
The door shut behind us.
And suddenly it was just us again.
No corporations.No classmates.No past.Just… us.
She stayed near the wall, hugging her arms around herself.
"I wasn't trying to run from you," she murmured.
I stepped closer. "But you did."
"I just needed space."
"You disappeared."
"I didn't know how to face you."
"You broke me, Jayjay."
Her breath hitched.
Good—because she needed to hear that. She needed to know what it did to me.
I wasn't yelling.I wasn't angry.I was just… tired of losing her.
She swallowed. "I'm sorry."
The first time she ever said that to me.And god, it hit me harder than any punch.
I took a step closer. "Then look at me."
She lifted her eyes slowly—and when she did, something inside me cracked open. She looked guilty. Sad. But she looked like my Jayjay again, the one who always came back even when she swore she wouldn't.
I raised my hand gently, resting it against her cheek.
She didn't pull away.
"Why didn't you call?" I asked softly.
"I thought you'd hate me."
I let out a breathy laugh. "Sweetheart, I… I could never hate you."
Her eyes shimmered again.
I brushed my thumb along her cheekbone.Slow.Careful.Barely touching her.
"Jayjay," I whispered, "stop running from me."
She closed her eyes, leaning into my hand like she'd been waiting for this.
"I'm tired of running," she whispered back.
My heart jumped.
And without even thinking, I leaned closer. Slowly. Giving her time to move away if she wanted.
She didn't.
Her breath brushed my lips. Soft. Warm. Familiar.
"Keifer…" she breathed.
That was all it took.
I kissed her.
Slow.Not desperate or rushed—just gentle, like I was memorizing the shape of her all over again. Her lips were warm, trembling slightly, and she kissed me back so carefully it almost hurt.
My other hand slid to the small of her back, pulling her closer.
She wrapped her arms around my neck—hesitant at first, then tightening, like she finally let herself fall.
The kiss deepened just a little. Not too much. Not rough. Just… real. The kind of kiss that said:
I missed you.I'm sorry.I still love you.
When we finally pulled away, she kept her forehead resting against mine, catching her breath.
"Keifer," she whispered, voice shaking, "I didn't come here to fall for you again."
A soft smile tugged at my lips.
"Then you shouldn't have kissed me back."
She hid her face against my chest—embarrassed, flustered—and I wrapped my arms around her.
For the first time in a long time, the world didn't feel heavy.
It felt like home.
And it felt like she was always going to come back to me.