JAY POV
I regret everything.
That was the only thought inside my head as I stood in the middle of the luxury mall surrounded by shopping bags and crazy rich people.
Correction.
Crazy rich people who apparently adopted me overnight.
Jay : i said i only need few things.
Nobody listened.
Absolutely nobody.
ate lily : she needs everything.
MJ nodded dramatically like this was a life-or-death situation.
MJ : yes. this is national emergency.
Kevin placed a hand on his chest.
Kevin : her fashion sense disappeared for years. we must help.
Jay : excuse me?
Ren coughed quietly to hide his laugh.
Traitor.
Thyme stood beside me with his hands inside his pockets looking completely relaxed while chaos exploded around him.
Which was suspicious.
Very suspicious.
Jay : kuya why are you quiet?
Thyme smirked lazily.
Thyme : because for once they are annoying someone else instead of me.
Jay : wow. fake brother.
Thyme : adopted sister.
MJ gasped dramatically.
MJ : family bonding.
I rolled my eyes so hard my head almost hurt.
ate lily suddenly grabbed my arm before I could escape.
ate lily : come on we are buying clothes first.
Jay : ate i already have clothes.
ate lily : those oversized hoodies dont count.
kaning : honestly she dresses like she is hiding from society.
Jay : maybe i am.
gorya : not anymore.
For some reason that sentence made my chest feel warm.
Before I could defend myself, they dragged me inside a massive clothing store.
Meanwhile the boys followed behind us like exhausted bodyguards forced into suffering.
MJ immediately pointed at an extremely glittery dress.
MJ : jay wear that.
Jay : absolutely not.
Kevin : i agree with jay. she will look like disco ball.
MJ gasped loudly.
MJ : fashion hater.
Ren quietly walked around before picking a simple light blue dress.
He handed it to me calmly.
Ren : this one suits you more.
I blinked slightly.
Jay : thank you ren.
Thyme immediately looked offended.
Actually offended.
Thyme : wow. he gets thank you and i get attitude.
Jay : because you deserve attitude.
Kevin almost choked laughing.
MJ slapped Kevin dramatically.
MJ : the romance is dying.
Thyme : THERE IS NO ROMANCE.
ate lily shoved ten more outfits into my arms.
Jay : ate this is kidnapping.
ate lily : go change.
Jay : no.
ate lily : yes.
Jay : no.
ate lily : i raised thyme. dont test me.
I immediately walked toward the changing room.
Smart decision.
A few minutes later I slowly walked out wearing the blue dress Ren picked.
The moment I stepped out—
Everyone went silent.
Which scared me.
Jay : why are all of you staring at me like that?
ate gorya smiled softly.
gorya : you look beautiful.
I froze slightly.
Beautiful.
That word felt unfamiliar.
Like something meant for other people.
Not me.
MJ dramatically wiped fake tears.
MJ : our daughter grew up.
Kevin : ren actually did something useful.
Ren : thank you i guess.
Thyme stared at me quietly for a second before awkwardly looking away.
MJ noticed immediately.
Of course he did.
MJ smirked.
MJ : ohhhh someone stopped breathing.
Thyme : shut up.
Kevin secretly recorded everything on his phone.
Kevin : evidence collected.
Thyme : delete that.
Kevin : never.
I rolled my eyes but secretly…
I liked the dress.
After that everything became worse.
Or better.
Depends on perspective.
They made me try:
dresseshoodiesjacketsskirtsshoesaccessoriessunglasses
At one point I was carrying so many shopping bags I could barely see.
Jay : i cant feel my arms anymore.
MJ : sacrifice is necessary.
Kevin : for fashion.
Jay : i hate rich people.
Thyme : you live with rich people now.
Jay : unfortunate.
The ates burst out laughing.
While walking toward another store, I suddenly noticed Thyme glaring at something.
Or someone.
I followed his gaze and saw two boys around our age staring at me.
The second they noticed Thyme staring back at them, they immediately looked away and walked faster.
Jay : kuya did you just threaten people with your eyes?
Thyme : maybe.
Jay : psycho.
Thyme : safe psycho.
For some reason that made my chest feel warm.
Later we stopped at a café because everyone looked exhausted.
Mostly me.
I collapsed dramatically into the chair.
Jay : my soul left my body three stores ago.
Ren quietly pushed a drink toward me.
Ren : drink first.
Jay : thank you ren you are my favorite.
Thyme : excuse me?
MJ clutched his chest.
MJ : he is getting replaced.
Kevin : tragic story.
Thyme sat beside me looking personally betrayed.
Thyme : after all the money i spent today?
Jay : ate forced you.
ate lily : true.
Thyme : betrayal everywhere.
The table burst into laughter again.
For a moment I just sat there quietly listening to them argue.
The noise.
The laughter.
The teasing.
It felt warm.
Safe.
And suddenly I realized something.
For years everything in my life felt heavy.
Even simple things felt exhausting.
But today…
Shopping.
Laughing.
Drinking coffee.
Arguing over clothes.
It all felt normal.
And maybe that was what healing felt like.
Not some big dramatic moment.
Just people making space for you until you slowly felt alive again.
My thoughts were interrupted when MJ suddenly stood up dramatically.
MJ : WAIT.
Everyone looked at him.
MJ pointed at me seriously.
MJ : we forgot plushies.
Jay : oh my god yes.
Thyme sighed deeply.
Thyme : we created monster.
Too late.
Because five minutes later all of us entered a giant toy store.
And immediately chaos returned.
Rows and rows of plushies filled the entire place.
Big plushies.
Tiny plushies.
Cute plushies.
Ugly plushies.
Plushies that probably cost more than my monthly food budget.
MJ gasped dramatically.
MJ : this place is beautiful.
Kevin already grabbed three giant plushies.
Kevin : jay choose wisely. this is important life decision.
Ren quietly picked up a small white bunny plushie and stared at it peacefully.
Typical Ren behavior.
Meanwhile Thyme grabbed the biggest tiger plushie he could find.
Thyme : obviously this one.
MJ looked offended instantly.
MJ : absolutely not. that thing looks like it eats children.
Thyme : it has character.
Kevin pointed at a round pink dinosaur plushie.
Kevin : THIS has character.
Thyme : it looks unemployed.
Kevin : rude.
ate lily suddenly appeared carrying a giant duck plushie.
ate lily : excuse me all of you are wrong. THIS is the best one.
ate gorya laughed.
gorya : ate lily that duck looks confused.
ate lily : exactly. relatable.
I stared at all of them.
Jay : why are rich people emotionally attached to stuffed animals?
MJ hugged a panda dramatically.
MJ : because plushies understand us.
Kevin : unlike thyme.
Thyme : shut up.
Ren quietly held up a small cat plushie toward me.
Ren : this one kinda looks like you.
Jay : excuse me?
Ren : angry but cute.
The entire group went silent.
Then Kevin started wheezing.
MJ literally bent over laughing.
MJ : REN JUST CALLED HER CUTE.
Ren blinked calmly.
Ren : i did.
Thyme slowly turned toward Ren like he personally betrayed him.
Thyme : wow.
Ren : what?
Thyme : nothing. just betrayal.
Jay : kuya why do you sound divorced?
Kevin almost collapsed laughing.
Before the chaos could continue, Thyme shoved the giant tiger plushie into my arms.
Thyme : this one suits you better.
Jay : why?
Thyme : because it looks dangerous and annoyed.
Jay : so basically you bought yourself.
MJ grabbed Kevin dramatically.
MJ : she destroyed him.
Kevin : live murder witnessed.
ate lily laughed so hard she almost dropped the duck plushie.
Then suddenly I remembered why I came here.
I looked toward Ate Kaning.
A man outside the aisle was staring at her.
Not casually.
Not normally.
Staring.
And Ate Kaning looked visibly uncomfortable.
My expression immediately changed.
Jay : ate kaning come with me.
ate kaning : where?
Jay : just come.
ate kaning : ok.
I quickly took her deeper inside the store away from the man.
Jay : ate you wait here i will come back.
She nodded quietly.
I immediately went to find the others.
After searching for a minute, I finally found them arguing again.
Loudly.
Very loudly.
MJ held up a giant bear plushie proudly.
MJ : THIS is clearly the best one.
Thyme : no. mine is better.
Kevin : both of your choices are ugly.
Ren : all of you are loud.
ate gorya sighed.
gorya : ah jay you are here. they are fighting like children.
Thyme pointed at MJ immediately.
Thyme : HE started it.
MJ : because your taste is horrible.
Jay : stop fighting its serious.
That instantly got their attention.
Jay : someone is staring at ate kaning. i took her inside but i think that man is still outside.
Their expressions changed immediately.
Kevin's smile disappeared first.
And honestly?
That was terrifying.
Because Kevin smiling was chaotic.
Kevin silent was dangerous.
Thyme's jaw tightened.
MJ slowly put the plushie down.
Even Ren looked cold.
ate gorya : you boys handle that man. jay and ate lily lets go to kaning.
Jay : yes.
We quickly moved toward the corner where Ate Kaning was waiting.
But the second we got there—
I froze.
Ate Kaning was cornered near the shelves.
And the man was standing way too close to her.
His hand gripping her wrist while she looked visibly uncomfortable.
My blood boiled instantly.
++++++++++END++++++++++
one more chapter
a spolier and and a question
"What was the name of Kaning's ex-boyfriend?"
should i write one more book
sorry for late update as 11 grader my classes has started not my school and i am online classes so sorry once again
and i will upload a late is it ok
bye