--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
The five days following the "Aries incident" were a strange, blurred cocoon of sugar, warmth, and intense overprotection. Keifer, usually the man who ruled Section E with an iron fist and a cold gaze, had transformed into a relentless caregiver.
It was overkill, honestly.
Because my period had been late, the cramps were brutal, but Keifer treated it like a tactical emergency. He didn't just buy a heating pad; he bought three different types—one that vibrated, one that stayed hot for twelve hours, and a portable one for when I finally insisted on leaving the bed. He stocked my nightstand with an absurd variety of dark chocolates and pints of premium sea-salt caramel ice cream. But what truly surprised me was the box he set on the counter—the highest-quality, organic silk sanitary pads. He hadn't even asked; he'd just researched and bought the best.
"Keifer, I'm okay now, go to sleep, you don't need to check on me this much, this is normal." I'd whisper when he'd wake me up at 3:00 AM just to check if I needed fresh water or another massage.
"Go back to sleep, Jay," he'd rumble, completely ignoring me, his large, warm hand already sliding under my shirt to rub the small of my back with that warming oil. "I'm monitoring you."
By the time the five days were up, I felt pampered to the point of insanity. But as soon as I was back on my feet, the "Machine" had to return to his world. The Watson Company was facing a massive merger, and Keifer became occupied, spending long nights at the office or locked in his study with a headset on.
Our days settled into a new rhythm. While Keifer worked, I stayed at the mansion. I spent my afternoons with Keiran and Keigan, helping them navigate their mountain of school assignments. It was peaceful, in a way. The younger Watson brothers were surprisingly studious when they weren't trying to blow something up, and I enjoyed the quiet hum of the library.
Of course, "quiet" never lasted long when Section E was involved.
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
Almost every day, the front gates of the mansion would buzz, and the rest of the squad would pile in. They'd bring snacks, video games, and enough noise to wake the dead. We'd sit in the massive living room, books scattered everywhere, talking about our upcoming move to LSE for college.
But today, the atmosphere was... wrong.
Usually, the house was vibrating with the sound of Ci-N screaming about a video game or Drew trying to scam Rory out of five hundred pesos to "invest" in a sure-fire bet. But today, the living room was eerie.
Rory was sitting on the floor, flipping through a magazine. Felix was staring at his phone. Keiran and Keigan were whispering to each other. And there, sitting on the far end of the velvet sofa, were Ci-N and Drew.
They were silent.
Ci-N wasn't wearing his usual mischievous grin. He was staring out the window, his shoulders hunched.
Drew was even worse; he looked like he hadn't slept in a week. He wasn't asking for money. He wasn't talking about debts. He was just... staring at his hands.
I put my pen down and walked over to them, my brow furrowing. "Okay, what happened? Why are you two so quiet? It's creeping me out."
Ci-N didn't look up at first. He just let out a long, shaky sigh. "It's my parents, Jay," he whispered. "You all know I've wanted to be a pilot since I was a kid. I've studied the flight manuals, I've looked at the schools... but they aren't budging. They told me this morning that if I don't enroll in the medical program, they're cutting me off. Theywant a doctor, not a pilot."
"But you're so smart, Ci-N. You could handle the books," Calix said, trying to find a silver lining. "It's not that you're scared of blood or anything, you're just... obsessed with the sky."
"I don't mind the medical stuff, honestly," Ci-N muttered, kicking the leg of the coffee table. "It's just that if I go to Med school, I'll never have time to fly. It's one or the other for them. I feel like I'm being buried alive."
I bit my lip, an idea forming. "Wait... Ci-N, listen. Why do you have to choose? What if you propose a deal? Tell them you'll take the Pre-Med or Medical course they want, but only if they allow you to take your Private Pilot License (PPL) or ground school on the side. Tell them you'll be a 'Flying Doctor.' Thinkabout it—it's a real thing! You could be a specialist who flies to remote areas. If you present it as a 'specialized medical career' rather than just 'flying for fun,' they might actually see the prestige in it."
Ci-N's eyes widened slightly, a spark of hope flickering. "A... flying doctor? That sounds like a movie character. My mom loves that kind of stuff. She might actually listen to that."
"It's worth a shot," I encouraged him, squeezing his shoulder. Then, I turned to Drew. He looked even more devastated than Ci-N. "And you, Drew? What's your excuse for the silence?"
Drew cleared his throat, his jaw tightening. He wouldn't look me in the eye. "I can't come with you guys," he said, his voice cracking. "I'm not going to LSE."
The room went dead silent. Even Keiran and Keigan stopped whispering.
"What do you mean you aren't coming?" Felix asked, standing up. "We all applied. We all got in. The plan was Section E takes over LSE together."
"The plan was for people who can afford it," Drew snapped, though it wasn't aimed at us—it was aimed at himself. He finally looked up, and I saw the raw, crushing weight of reality in his eyes. "You all know my condition. I'm barely able to provide anything for my mother and sister. I'm buried in debt. Every time I ask you guys for money, it's just another hole I'm digging."
He stood up, pacing the rug agitatedly. "If I come with you to LSE, I won't be able to handle it. The tuition, the housing, the food... I'll just be a burden. Even if I ask you guys for help, I can't forget the fact that I already owe you all more than I can ever repay. I have to stay here. I have to find a full-time job. I have to be the man of my house."
I felt a sharp pang in my chest. I walked right up to him, blocking his path. "Are you an idiot, Drew?"
He blinked, startled by my bluntness. "Jay, I—"
"Do you really think we can just leave you here?" I asked, my voice rising with indignation. "Do you think so little of us? Do you think Section E is just a group of friends who hang out when things are easy?"
"No! It's not that!" Drew said, his voice thick with emotion. "I know if I tell you these things, you'll help me. But I don't want to bother you guys anymore! I've already taken so much money... I haven't repaid a single cent..."
"Seriously?" Rory interjected, walking over to stand beside me. "Drew, I thought you realized we were a family. Do you think we stopped giving you 'gambling money' because we were being stingy? No, we didn't give it to you because we didn't want you wasting your future on a bet. We were saving it for this."
"We all help each other," I said firmly, grabbing Drew's hand. He was trembling. "We are not leaving you behind to drown in debt while we're off at college. If one of us goes, we all go. That's the rule of Section E, and it's the rule I'm enforcing."
--: Drew's POV: --
I felt like the ground was falling out from under me. I had spent so many nights staring at the ceiling, calculating how many shifts I'd need to work just to pay off the interest on my debts, feeling the suffocating weight of being the "poor friend" in a group of titans. I didn't want their pity. I didn't want to be a charity case.
But looking at Jay-Jay's fierce expression, and seeing the guys nodding behind her... it didn't feel like pity. It felt like a safety net.
"I... I can't just take it," I whispered, the tears I'd been holding back finally stinging my eyes. "I'll repay you. I swear. I'll work there, I'll find a part-time job on campus, I'll do whatever it takes..."
"You'll work on your degree," Keifer's voice suddenly boomed from the doorway.
We all spun around. Keifer was standing there, his tie loosened, his suit jacket draped over his arm. He looked exhausted from the office, but his eyes were sharp as they landed on me.
"Keifer," I breathed.
"I heard enough," Keifer rumbled, walking into the room. He didn't look angry; he looked like a king assessing his troops. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a checkbook, and scribbled something down before tearing the leaf out and handing it to me.
I looked at the amount and my heart stopped. It was enough to clear my debts and cover my first year of housing.
"This isn't a gift," Keifer said, his voice dropping into that dark, heavy register. "It's an investment. You're Section E. You don't fail, and you don't stay behind. You will come to LSE. You will study. And when you're a success, you'll pay it back to the squad by being there when the next person falls. And promise you won't these in gambling avain"
I couldn't help it. A sob broke through my throat, and I wiped my eyes quickly, embarrassed but overwhelmed. "Thank you... Keifer... Jay... thank you. I'll work my ass off. I promise,I won't use this for gambling."
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
I smiled, seeing the light finally return to Drew's eyes. Even Ci-N looked inspired, his mind clearly already rehearsing the "Flying Doctor" pitch to his parents.
I looked at Keifer, who was watching the squad with a quiet, possessive pride. He might be a psycho,—but he was the heart of this family.
"Group hug!" Ci-N yelled, breaking the tension and diving toward the middle of the room.
"Don't touch me, Ci-N," Keifer snapped, though he didn't move away fast enough to avoid being caught in the middle of the chaotic Section E pile-on.
As I watched my boys laughing and finally breathing easy, I realized that no matter how much debt or drama came our way, as long as we were together, we were untouchable.