Chapter 74 – Strangers Under Neon Lights
Bangalore looked different at night.
Dangerous almost.
Beautiful in the kind of way that hides loneliness well.
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The club pulsed with loud music, flashing lights, expensive perfume, and people pretending they were happier than they actually were.
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And somewhere inside that chaos—
two broken worlds unknowingly entered the same place.
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Earlier That Night
Rhys was the reason they even came.
Obviously.
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"We are NOT becoming emotionally constipated workaholics at twenty," he declared dramatically.
Care looked exhausted already.
"We are literally doctors."
"Exactly. That's why we need temporary stupidity."
---
Lyra was half asleep on Alex's shoulder.
JJ sat beside them scrolling through her phone lazily.
Cole silently drove like this entire outing was a business merger instead of clubbing.
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Eventually—
they ended up in one of Bangalore's elite clubs.
Loud.
Crowded.
Alive.
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Rhys disappeared to dance within five minutes.
Care regretted existing within six.
---
Lyra and Alex stayed mostly together near the quieter side.
Cole remained at the VIP section like a rich mysterious villain observing civilization.
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And JJ?
She actually laughed tonight.
Relaxed.
Free.
Alive.
---
Something about Bangalore had slowly made her lighter these past months.
Even without memories.
Even without knowing why parts of her heart still felt empty sometimes.
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Meanwhile
At the other side of the club—
Keifer Watson sat alone.
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Black shirt.
Rolled sleeves.
One hand around a glass.
Expression cold enough to silence people automatically.
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Nobody approached him twice.
Instinctively.
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The music didn't reach him fully.
Nothing did these days.
---
Not after JJ disappeared.
Not after losing the girl he already built his entire future around.
---
His wifey.
His Mrs. Watson.
His mutya.
Gone.
Without goodbye he could answer.
---
So now—
he drank.
Not because he enjoyed it.
Because for a few minutes—
it dulled the ache slightly.
---
Just slightly.
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Midnight
Eventually—
Care checked the time.
"We should leave."
Alex nodded.
Lyra was already sleepy.
Rhys protested dramatically.
"No. I'm emotionally attached to the DJ."
"You met him twelve minutes ago."
"Love is fast."
---
Cole stood up calmly.
"We're leaving."
That ended discussion immediately.
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But then—
JJ shook her head softly.
"You guys go ahead."
Care frowned instantly.
"Alone?"
"I'll come later."
Lyra looked suspicious.
"You sure?"
JJ smiled lightly.
"I just want to stay a little."
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After some hesitation—
they agreed.
Mostly because Cole's security was still nearby anyway.
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And just like that—
JJ stayed behind alone.
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The Counter
The club felt quieter after her friends left.
Not actually quieter.
Just lonelier.
---
JJ slowly walked toward the bar counter.
Sat down.
Ordered a drink she barely knew the name of.
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Then—
another figure sat beside her.
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Keifer.
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Neither looked at each other immediately.
Just strangers sharing silence.
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The bartender placed another drink down.
Keifer took it without a word.
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JJ glanced sideways once.
Black shirt.
Sharp jawline.
Tired eyes.
Something painfully familiar about the sadness around him.
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Keifer noticed movement beside him eventually.
Turned slightly.
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And froze.
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Not visibly.
Not dramatically.
But inside—
everything stopped.
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Because for one impossible second—
the girl beside him looked exactly like her.
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JJ.
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Same eyes.
Same presence.
Same way of sitting slightly tilted while holding the glass.
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His chest tightened violently.
---
But no.
Impossible.
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JJ was gone.
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So he looked away again.
Jaw tightening slightly.
Probably hallucinating emotionally now.
Great.
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Meanwhile—
JJ looked at him again briefly.
Something strange pulled at her chest suddenly.
A weird ache.
Like grief she couldn't explain.
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Then softly—
without thinking—
she spoke first.
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"…you look like someone who hates the world."
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Keifer let out a humorless quiet laugh.
First one in weeks.
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"…only parts of it."
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And neither of them realized—
fate had finally placed them face to face again.
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The music around them blurred into noise.
Lights flashing.
People laughing.
Glasses clinking.
But at the counter—
it felt strangely quiet.
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JJ held her drink loosely while glancing sideways again.
The man beside her looked… destroyed.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
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And he had definitely drank too much.
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Keifer leaned back slightly, eyes unfocused for a second before landing on her again.
Really looking this time.
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Then his breathing almost stopped.
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"…you really came back."
His voice was low.
Broken.
Disbelieving.
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JJ blinked.
"…what?"
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Keifer stared at her like he was terrified she would disappear again if he blinked.
"You came back…"
A faint laugh escaped him suddenly.
Not happy.
More like someone losing control quietly.
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JJ immediately realized one thing.
Yeah.
This man was very drunk.
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She softened slightly.
"…you're probably drunk."
Keifer ignored that completely.
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"You disappeared."
That one sentence hit strangely.
Too raw.
Too real.
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JJ looked away briefly.
Something in her chest hurt again for no reason.
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Keifer swayed slightly in his seat.
JJ instinctively reached out and steadied him before he fell sideways.
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The moment her hand touched his arm—
something snapped inside both of them.
Not memory.
Not recognition.
Something deeper.
Instinct.
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Keifer's eyes lowered toward her slowly.
JJ's breath caught unexpectedly.
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And then—
before either of them fully understood why—
Keifer pulled her closer suddenly and kissed her.
---
Not aggressive.
Not careless.
Desperate.
Like someone trying to hold onto the last thing keeping him alive.
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JJ froze.
Only for a second.
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Because somehow—
the moment didn't feel wrong.
It felt familiar.
Painfully familiar.
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And without understanding why—
she kissed him back.
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The world disappeared briefly.
Noise gone.
Music gone.
Everything gone.
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Just heartbreak and familiarity colliding under neon lights.
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Then suddenly—
Keifer pulled back slightly.
Breathing uneven.
Eyes still unfocused from alcohol and emotion.
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JJ stared at him in shock.
Her own heartbeat chaotic now.
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What… was that?
Why did that feel like—
home?
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Before either could speak again—
Keifer nearly lost balance trying to stand.
JJ immediately caught him again.
"Okay yeah, you are NOT driving anywhere."
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He muttered something softly against her shoulder.
Too quiet to understand.
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JJ sighed and grabbed his phone from the counter.
"No offense mysterious emotionally damaged stranger, but your friends are collecting you."
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The phone unlocked through facial recognition.
She checked emergency contacts quickly.
Two names.
Aries. Yuri.
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JJ pressed call.
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The Call
Yuri picked up first.
Loud background noise immediately.
"WHO DIED?"
JJ blinked.
"…what?"
"Unknown numbers usually mean crime."
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Before she could respond—
another voice came closer.
Aries.
Calmer.
"What happened?"
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JJ glanced toward Keifer, who looked seconds away from passing out emotionally and physically.
"There's… a man here."
Someone in background immediately gasped dramatically.(Percy)
"ARIES SHE SOUNDS HOT."
"Shut up," Aries deadpanned instantly.
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JJ almost laughed despite herself.
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Then she continued:
"I found your friend at a club. He's really drunk and probably shouldn't be left alone."
Silence.
Then instantly—
"What club?" Aries asked sharply.
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JJ told them the location.
Yuri immediately answered:
"We're coming."
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Waiting
Keifer sat beside her quietly now.
Head lowered slightly.
Still close enough that JJ could feel warmth radiating from him.
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He looked exhausted.
Like life had been crushing him for a long time.
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Then softly—
without opening his eyes—
he murmured:
"…don't disappear again."
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JJ's chest tightened painfully.
Again.
For absolutely no reason.
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Before she could answer—
her phone rang.
Care.
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JJ picked up immediately.
"Where are you?"
Care sounded dangerously calm.
Which was worse than angry.
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"I'm leaving now."
"You better."
Rhys yelled from somewhere in background:
"TELL HER TO BRING FOOD."
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JJ sighed softly.
"Coming."
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A few minutes later—
Aries and Yuri arrived.
Fast.
Panicked.
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The moment they saw Keifer—
both visibly relaxed slightly.
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"Bro you look TERRIBLE," Yuri said immediately.
Aries ignored him and grabbed Keifer carefully before he collapsed again.
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Then both looked toward the girl beside him.
But JJ had already stepped back slightly.
Lights low.
Face partly hidden.
Just another stranger in the crowd.
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"Thanks for calling," Aries said sincerely.
JJ nodded once.
"No problem."
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Yuri frowned slightly.
Something about her voice felt strangely familiar.
But before he could think further—
she turned away.
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And disappeared into the crowd before either of them could stop her.
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Leaving behind only confusion.
And Keifer whispering one name unconsciously while half asleep.
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"…JJ."