The morning of the first exam arrived like a storm.
Everyone was stressed. Everyone was quiet. Everyone was clutching review materials like lifelines.
Ci-n: "I'm going to fail."
Rakki: "You've been saying that for three weeks."
Ci-n: "THIS TIME I MEAN IT!"
Rakki: "You mean it every time."
Ci-n: "THIS TIME IT'S ACCURATE!"
Percy appeared beside them. He wasn't taking the exam—just documenting.
Percy: "CIN! HOW'S THE STRESS LEVEL?"
Ci-n: "PERCY! I'M DYING!"
Percy: "DOCUMENTING!"
Ci-n: "YOU'RE NOT HELPING!"
Percy: "I'M HELPING HISTORY!"
Rakki: "Those two."
Mica: "Dangerous."
Calix: "Chaotic."
Freya: "Loud."
Edrix: "Perfect."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
Jay and Keifer walked in together. Hand in hand.
Jay: "Nervous?"
Keifer: "No."
Jay: "Liar."
Keifer: "Maybe a little."
Jay: "We studied. We're ready."
Keifer: "I know."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "Stop."
Jay: "No."
He kissed her forehead.
Aries and Ella arrived behind them.
Aries: "You two are always touching."
Ella: "They're in love."
Aries: "It's excessive."
Ella: "It's cute."
Aries: "Same thing?"
Ella: "Same thing."
They entered the exam room.
Section E's usual classroom. Desks spread out. Sir Alvin at the front.
Sir Alvin: "Good morning, everyone. Today's the day."
Groans.
Sir Alvin: "You've studied. You're ready. Trust yourselves."
Ci-n: "I DON'T TRUST MYSELF!"
Rakki: "We know."
Then—
The door opened.
Yuri walked in.
Section E froze.
Yuri: "Sorry I'm late."
He walked to his seat. Passed right by Jay and Keifer.
Keifer's jaw tightened.
Jay grabbed his hand. Squeezed.
Jay: "Ignore him."
Keifer: "I'm trying."
Yuri sat down. Didn't look at them.
But the tension was there. Thick. Uncomfortable.
Ci-n whispered to Rakki: "Why is everyone tense?"
Rakki: "Long story."
Ci-n: "I WANT THE LONG STORY!"
Rakki: "After the exam."
Ci-n: "PROMISE?"
Rakki: "Promise."
Mica looked at Jay. Worried.
Calix squeezed her hand.
Freya raised an eyebrow at Edrix.
Edrix shrugged. He didn't know either.
Rory typed something on his laptop. Probably researching.
Drew: "New bet! How awkward is this exam?"
David: "Very. 500."
Drew: "Easy money."
Eren: "Wait, who's that guy?"
Josh pointed at Yuri. Then made a face.
Eren: "Bad guy?"
Josh nodded.
Eren: "Oh. Okay."
Baster hummed a tense melody.
Sir Alvin began distributing papers.
"Focus on your own work. No talking. Good luck."
The room fell silent.
Pens moved. Brains worked. Time passed.
Jay focused. Blocked everything out.
Keifer focused. Ignored Yuri's presence.
Yuri wrote. Didn't look up.
Two hours later.
"Pencils down."
Groans. Sighs. Relief.
Sir Alvin collected the papers. "Well done, everyone. Rest today. Next exam tomorrow."
Section E spilled out.
But Keifer wasn't done.
He walked toward Yuri.
Jay: "Keifer—"
Keifer: "One minute."
Keifer stopped in front of Yuri.
Keifer: "What are you doing here?"
Yuri: "Taking an exam. Same as you."
Keifer: "You know what I mean."
Yuri: "I'm Section E. I've always been Section E. I have a right to be here."
Keifer: "After everything?"
Yuri: "After everything."
The tension crackled.
Section E gathered around. Watching. Waiting.
Ci-n: "WHAT'S HAPPENING?"
Rakki: "Shh."
Ci-n: "I DON'T KNOW HOW!"
Percy (recording from the corner): "THIS IS CINEMA!"
Yuri looked at Keifer. Then at Jay.
Yuri: "I'm not here to cause problems."
Keifer: "Then why are you here?"
Yuri: "To finish school. To graduate. To move on."
Jay: "Yuri—"
Yuri: "I know. I know what I did. The engagement. The pressure. All of it." He paused. "I was wrong."
Silence.
Yuri: "I saw you two at camp. On the news. Everywhere. You're happy. Really happy."
Keifer: "We are."
Yuri: "I'm not trying to change that."
Keifer: "Then what?"
Yuri: "Nothing. Just... letting you know. I have my own life now. My own girl. Jay doesn't have to worry about me anymore."
Jay blinked. "You have a girlfriend?"
Yuri almost smiled. "Yeah. Someone who actually wants to be with me."
Keifer stared at him. Searching for lies.
Found none.
Keifer: "Good for you."
Yuri: "Good for you too."
They nodded at each other.
Not friends. But not enemies.
Ci-n: "WAIT, THAT'S IT? NO FIGHT?"
Percy: "I WAS READY TO DOCUMENT A FIGHT!"
Rakki: "Conflict resolution is boring to you?"
Percy: "CONFLICT RESOLUTION IS MATURE! I'M HERE FOR DRAMA!"
Ci-n: "YEAH! DRAMA!"
Rakki: "You two are hopeless."
Ci-n: "HOPELESSLY DRAMATIC!"
Percy: "SAME THING!"
Rakki: "Not the same thing."
Ci-n: "IT IS TODAY!"
Ci-n: "UNCIRCUMCISED BRAT!"
Percy: "SHORTY!"
They were at it again.
Rakki: "And they're back."
Mica: "Never left."
Calix: "Eternal."
Freya: "Unfortunately."
Edrix: "You love it."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
The tension broke. Everyone relaxed.
Jay grabbed Keifer's hand. Pulled him close.
Jay: "You okay?"
Keifer: "Yeah. I am."
Jay: "Good."
Keifer: "Tss."
Jay: "Stop."
Keifer: "No."
She kissed his cheek.
Yuri watched. Then smiled. Real smile.
He walked away.
Section E watched him go.
Ci-n: "He seems... okay?"
Rakki: "He seems different."
Mica: "People change."
Calix: "Sometimes."
Freya: "Rarely."
Edrix: "But possible."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
Aries appeared. Ella beside him.
Aries: "Everything good?"
Jay: "Yeah. Everything's good."
Ella: "No drama?"
Keifer: "No drama."
Ella: "Disappointing."
Aries: "Relieving."
Ella: "Same thing?"
Aries: "Not the same thing."
Jay: "Tss."
Aries: "Not you too."
Jay: "Me too."
Aries: "I hate this family."
Ella: "No, you don't."
Aries: "No, I don't."
They walked out together.
Section E. Fernandez family. All of them.
Percy and Ci-n still arguing.
Percy: "SHORTY!"
Ci-n: "UNCIRCUMCISED BRAT!"
Percy: "THAT INSULT LOST ITS POWER!"
Ci-n: "IT NEVER HAD POWER! IT WAS JUST FUNNY!"
Percy: "FAIR!"
They high-fived.
Rakki: "Those two."
Mica: "Dangerous."
Calix: "Chaotic."
Freya: "Perfect."
Edrix: "Agreed."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
Jay and Keifer at the back. Hand in hand.
Jay: "First exam done."
Keifer: "One down."
Jay: "Many to go."
Keifer: "Together."
Jay: "Always."
Keifer: "Tss."
Jay: "Stop."
Keifer: "No."
He kissed her.
Percy: "DOCUMENTING!"
Ci-n: "FROM THREE ANGLES!"
Rakki: "GO HOME."
Percy: "HISTORY NEVER GOES HOME!"
But he followed anyway.