JAY-JAY POV
The next morning started with noise.
Of course it did.
Cin was screaming because Drew stole her fries.
Felix and Blaster were arguing again.
Rory was recording everyone half asleep.
And Keifer?
Still staring at Adrian every five business seconds.
Annoying.
Very annoying.
I was drinking iced coffee quietly when my phone suddenly rang.
I looked at the screen.
Home.
My expression changed immediately.
Adrian noticed first.
"You okay?"
I nodded once and answered quickly.
"Hello?"
A maid's voice came from the other side.
"Miss Jay-Jay… Luka keeps asking for you."
My chest softened instantly.
"…Did he eat breakfast?"
"Yes, Miss."
"And medicine?"
"Yes."
I exhaled quietly.
"I'll come today."
The second I ended the call—
everyone was staring at me.
Cin blinked.
"…Who's Luka?"
I paused for a second.
Then answered simply:
"My cousin."
Silence.
Rory frowned.
"You have a cousin?"
"Yes?"
Blaster looked shocked.
"Why do you sound offended?"
"Because you asked like I spawned alone."
Robin started laughing immediately.
Cyrus shook his head slightly.
Adrian just watched me quietly.
Then asked softly,
"How's Luka?"
"He misses me."
That answer alone made Adrian's expression soften.
Because he remembered Luka.
All of them did.
Back then Luka was tiny.
Always following us around.
Always calling Adrian his hero.
Robin suddenly grinned.
"He still obsessed with dinosaurs?"
"Yes."
"Valid child."
Cin immediately gasped dramatically.
"WAIT. WE'RE GOING."
I blinked.
"…What?"
"We are NOT missing rich mysterious cousin lore."
"That sentence hurt my brain," Yuri muttered.
But unfortunately—
everyone agreed.
And somehow…
a few hours later—
Section E, Adrian, Robin, and Cyrus were all following me out of the hotel.
Worst decision ever.
OLD CONDO – CITY CENTER
The car stopped in front of a massive luxury condo building.
Section E froze instantly.
Cin looked up slowly.
"…Jay-Jay."
I sighed already.
"What?"
"Why do you live like a secret mafia heiress?"
"I don't."
"You literally do," Felix replied.
Robin whispered proudly,
"She actually kind of does."
I kicked his leg immediately.
"Shut up."
Keifer stayed quieter than the others.
But I noticed him looking carefully at the building.
At the security.
At everything.
Then we entered.
The elevator ride was loud.
Too loud.
And the second the doors opened—
a small boy sprinted down the hallway.
"ATE JAY-JAY!"
I barely had time to react before Luka crashed into me.
I laughed softly and caught him instantly.
"There's my baby."
Luka hugged me tightly.
"You took forever!"
"I was busy."
"That's rude."
"You're ten years old."
"And correct."
Behind me, Section E looked completely shocked.
Because apparently none of them expected this version of me.
Luka finally noticed everyone else.
Then his eyes widened dramatically.
"WOAH."
He pointed directly at Adrian.
"KUYA ADRIAN?!"
Adrian immediately smiled for real.
And honestly?
That shocked me too.
"There's the little dinosaur," Adrian said softly.
Luka screamed happily and ran straight to him next.
Robin looked offended instantly.
"No hug for me?"
"You stole my cookies before."
"…Fair."
Cyrus laughed quietly under his breath.
Then Luka suddenly froze while looking at Section E.
"…Why are there so many people?"
"Good question," Yuri muttered.
I finally pushed the condo doors open fully.
And silence hit instantly.
Because the condo was huge.
Massive windows.
Luxury furniture.
Warm lighting.
And everywhere—
pictures.
Frames.
Albums.
Memories.
Me.
Adrian.
Robin.
Cyrus.
Everywhere.
Group pictures on shelves.
Old polaroids on walls.
Photo albums stacked on tables.
One picture had Adrian carrying me after a fight.
Another showed Cyrus with his arm around Robin while I glared at the camera.
Another had all four of us sitting on motorcycles laughing.
Section E slowly stopped moving.
Cin whispered,
"…Oh."
Rory lowered his phone completely.
Blaster stared at the walls.
"This was real real…"
Even Keifer went silent.
Because suddenly—
they weren't hearing stories anymore.
They were seeing proof.
This wasn't some old friendship.
This was family.
History.
A whole life before Section E existed.
Luka proudly pointed at the pictures.
"That's their gang!"
I immediately covered his mouth.
"Inside voice."
Too late.
Cin slowly turned toward me.
"…Gang?"
Robin looked very unhelpful beside me.
"We were kind of famous."
"KIND OF?" Cyrus repeated.
Adrian just shook his head slightly while Luka dragged him toward the albums excitedly.
And then—
one of the maids walked out smiling warmly.
"Miss Jay-Jay, welcome home."
That word hit weirdly.
Home.
Because honestly…
this condo was never really mine.
It belonged to Luka.
His parents.
His family.
I was just the one protecting it until he grew up.
Until he turned eighteen.
Until it became fully his.
And somehow…
standing here again with everyone watching my past unfold around them—
felt more exposing than any fight ever had.
Especially when I looked up—
and caught Keifer staring at one particular photo.
A picture of Adrian holding me protectively while I slept on his shoulder years ago.
And the expression on Keifer's face?
Yeah.
That definitely looked like jealousy.
END OF CHAPTER 43