Time slipped by without any of them noticing.
Plates were empty.
Glasses half-finished.
And the sky outside had turned a deep shade of blue, the kind that quietly tells you it's late.
Cin was the first to check the time—and her eyes widened."Wait… it's this late?"
Rory straightened slightly. "You're kidding."
Edrix glanced toward the windows, already calculating distance. "We're not making it back anytime soon."
Eren didn't speak, but the tension returned—subtle, quiet.
They weren't in their world anymore.
They were in hers.
Jay, meanwhile, looked completely unbothered.
She followed their gaze toward the dark outside, then back at them.
"Your houses are far," she said simply.
No one argued.
A small pause.
Then—
"Stay."
Just one word.
Casual. Effortless.
Like it wasn't a big deal.
Cin blinked. "Just like that?"
Jay tilted her head. "Would you rather walk back at this hour?"
Rory muttered, "Fair point."
Edrix studied her for a second longer. "You trust us?"
That made her smile slightly.
"I trust myself," she replied.
And somehow… that answer was enough.
"Rooms are upstairs," she added, already turning away. "Pick any guest room. Try not to get lost."
"Try?" Rory echoed.
Jay didn't respond.
She was already walking toward the back again.
They followed—more out of curiosity than anything else.
The night air was cooler now, brushing against their skin as they stepped out near the pool again. The lights reflected off the water, turning it into a sheet of liquid glass.
Jay stopped at the edge.
For a moment, she just stood there.
Quiet.
Then she slipped off her outer layer, leaving herself in simple, comfortable swimwear—nothing flashy, just practical, like everything else about her.
There was something striking about the way she carried herself.
Not showing off.
Not trying.
Just… confident.
Rory crossed his arms, looking away for a second before glancing back. "You're seriously going swimming right now?"
Jay didn't even look at him.
"Helps me think."
Cin sat down on one of the lounge chairs, watching. "At midnight?"
Jay stepped closer to the edge of the pool.
"Best time."
The water shimmered under her feet.
And then—
She dove.
Clean. Sharp. Effortless.
No hesitation.
No splash beyond what was necessary.
Just precision.
For a second, she disappeared completely beneath the surface.
Cin leaned forward slightly. "She's been under for a while…"
Before anyone could say anything—
She emerged again, smooth as if she belonged in the water.
Her movements were controlled, powerful.
Not random swimming—trained.
She pushed forward in long, steady strokes, cutting through the water like it was nothing.
Eren's eyes narrowed slightly. "That's not casual swimming."
Edrix nodded faintly. "No. It isn't."
Jay flipped underwater again—this time longer.
Gliding.
Turning.
Moving with a kind of quiet mastery that didn't need to be announced.
Rory let out a low breath. "Okay… that's actually insane."
Cin didn't even respond.
She was watching too closely.
Jay reached the far end of the pool and paused, resting her arms against the edge for just a second before pushing off again—stronger this time.
Faster.
The water barely resisted her.
It followed her.
When she finally stopped, she pulled herself up slightly, water dripping from her hair, her expression calm—like she hadn't just done something that left all of them silent.
Her gaze flicked toward them.
"You're staring."
Rory didn't even deny it. "You swim like you're in some competition."
Jay raised an eyebrow. "Who says I'm not?"
That shut him up.
She stepped out of the pool, grabbing a towel casually.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Not because it was awkward—
But because they were all realizing the same thing.
Again.
They didn't know her.
Not really.
Every time they thought they understood something—
She proved them wrong.
Jay dried her hair slightly, then looked at them, her usual calm slipping right back into place.
"Go sleep," she said. "You'll need the energy."
Cin frowned slightly. "For what?"
Jay paused.
Just for a second.
Then that same faint, knowing smirk appeared.
"You'll see."
And just like that—
The mystery was back.