Author's POV
The common room felt different that morning.
Not completely normal.
Not yet.
But lighter.
Everyone had gathered around the huge sofa in the center of the room.
Somehow, despite there being more than enough space elsewhere, everyone had ended up sitting together.
Aries was comfortably leaning against one side.
Cora sat beside Luna.
Denila had somehow taken up far more space than necessary.
Percy was sitting near the other end, looking far too comfortable.
Angelo was quietly scrolling through his phone.
Alex sat nearby, listening to everyone.
And Jay—
was sitting beside Keifer.
Keifer's arm rested loosely around her shoulders.
Jay hadn't complained.
Actually, she seemed comfortable there.
She was still tired.
Her eyes were slightly swollen from crying earlier.
But she wasn't crying anymore.
For the first time in days—
she looked peaceful.
Nobody wanted to ruin it.
So naturally—
Percy ruined it first.
He suddenly squinted at Keifer's shirt.
Then leaned forward.
Then squinted again.
Jay noticed.
"What?"
Percy didn't answer.
He looked at Keifer.
Then at Jay.
Then back at Keifer's shirt.
A tiny smile appeared on his face.
"Jay."
Jay looked at him suspiciously.
"Hm?"
Percy pointed toward Keifer.
"Did you know you left artwork on his shirt?"
Jay blinked.
"What?"
Percy leaned closer.
"There."
Everyone looked.
There was a faint mark on Keifer's shirt from Jay's tears.
And somehow—
it vaguely resembled a tiny face.
Denila immediately leaned over.
"WAIT."
He stared.
"Bro."
Luna looked too.
"Oh my God."
Cora covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
Aries leaned forward.
"Why does that actually look like a face?"
Jay stared at the shirt.
Her eyes widened.
"No."
Percy nodded seriously.
"Yes."
Jay immediately reached toward the mark.
"I'm cleaning that."
Keifer gently caught her hand.
"Leave it."
Jay looked at him.
"Keif."
He smiled.
"It's fine."
Percy gasped dramatically.
"Ohhhh."
Keifer looked at him.
Percy immediately raised both hands.
"Nothing."
Denila started laughing.
"Bro is keeping the evidence."
Keifer gave him a warning look.
Denila pointed at the shirt.
"That's basically a limited-edition Jay signature."
Cora laughed.
"Denila!"
"What? I'm appreciating the art."
Percy nodded solemnly.
"Exactly."
He looked at Keifer.
"You should frame it."
Keifer sighed.
"I hate all of you."
"No, you don't," Percy replied instantly.
Aries laughed.
Jay tried hiding her face behind her hand.
Percy noticed.
"Oh, she's embarrassed."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm not."
"You absolutely are."
Jay grabbed the nearest cushion.
Percy immediately leaned backward.
"WAIT—"
The cushion flew.
Percy caught it.
Everyone burst out laughing.
Denila pointed at Jay.
"THERE SHE IS!"
Jay stared at him.
"What?"
"You finally look like yourself again."
The laughter slowly softened.
For half a second, everyone became quiet.
Because they all knew what he meant.
Jay looked around at them.
Then—
the smallest smile appeared on her face.
And suddenly she laughed.
Just a little.
A quiet, tired laugh.
But real.
Everyone stopped.
Not because it was awkward.
Because they hadn't heard it in days.
Keifer looked down at her.
He didn't say anything.
He just smiled.
Percy immediately ruined the emotional moment.
"Okay, nobody move."
Jay looked at him.
"What now?"
Percy pointed dramatically.
"We need to document this."
Denila nodded.
"Historic event."
Luna rolled her eyes.
"You're both idiots."
Cora laughed again.
Jay shook her head.
But she was still smiling.
Keifer's arm remained around her shoulders.
He looked at her for a moment.
She was still healing.
Still carrying things she wasn't ready to talk about.
But she was laughing.
And somehow—
that was enough for today.
For the first time in a long time—
the room didn't feel like a war room.
It felt like home.
Keifer's POV
I knew she hadn't slept properly.
Everyone else might have missed it.
I didn't.
The faint tiredness in her eyes.
The way she kept going quiet between conversations.
The way her head occasionally leaned back against the sofa as if she was fighting sleep.
Jay was exhausted.
Completely exhausted.
And still, somehow, she was sitting there laughing with everyone.
I watched her quietly from beside her.
She didn't realize how tired she looked.
Or maybe she did—
and simply didn't care.
"Jay baby," I murmured softly.
She turned toward me.
"Hm?"
"You need to rest."
She immediately shook her head.
"I'm fine."
Of course.
That answer again.
I sighed quietly.
She had been saying it for days.
But this time, there was something different.
She wasn't pretending everything was perfect.
She was simply trying to keep going.
I looked at her for another moment.
"You don't have to stay awake just because everyone else is."
Jay gave me a tired little smile.
"I'm not sleepy."
I raised an eyebrow.
She lasted approximately three seconds before yawning.
Percy immediately noticed.
"Not sleepy, huh?"
Jay glared at him.
Everyone laughed.
I couldn't help smiling.
But underneath that smile, I was still worried.
She had been through too much.
And right now, all I wanted was for her to finally get some proper sleep.
No memories.
No guilt.
No Kyle.
No fear.
Just rest.
For once.