The preparation room was small. Locked. Silent, except for the faint hum of the flickering fluorescent lights above.
Jay sat on a chair, hugging her knees. Her ankle was still sore, and the storm outside had left a lingering unease in her chest.
Keifer leaned against the table, arms crossed, watching her quietly. For once, he wasn't teasing. For once, he wasn't competing.
"…Why do you panic during storms?" he asked softly.
Jay froze. Her eyes darted to the floor.
"I…" she started, but stopped. Her hands tightened around her knees.
Keifer stepped a little closer, careful not to crowd her.
"You don't have to explain if you don't want to," he said.
Jay shook her head slightly. "No… I think you should know."
Keifer tilted his head, waiting.
She took a deep breath. Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"When I was little… maybe six or seven… there was a big storm. One night. Thunder. Lightning. The power went out."
Keifer nodded slowly, silently encouraging her to continue.
"My… my house was far from anyone who could help. The rain came in through the roof. The wind knocked over things… and… and my dad wasn't there yet. My mom was trying to hold me and my sister together. And…" She swallowed hard, blinking rapidly. "There was a loud crack… a tree fell on the house. Not where we were, but… it could have been."
Keifer's expression softened. He leaned a little closer, careful not to startle her.
"I've… I've hated storms ever since. The thunder… the lightning… it brings it all back. The fear. The helplessness."
Jay's voice broke slightly at the end.
Keifer didn't say anything for a long moment. He just watched her, steady, calm, his presence like a shield.
"I didn't… I didn't tell anyone," Jay admitted quietly. "Not my family. Not anyone. I just… I pretend."
Keifer's voice was low, careful, protective.
"You don't have to pretend with me."
Jay blinked up at him. "…You don't even know me."
"I know enough," he said quietly. "Enough to know when someone's scared."
Jay felt something strange in her chest. Comfort. Safety. A warmth she hadn't allowed herself to feel in years.
"I'm… I'm not going to hug you again," she whispered, almost laughing nervously. "It's not professional."
Keifer smirked faintly, but didn't move. "I wouldn't tell anyone if you did."
Another clap of thunder rolled outside. Jay flinched. Her hands shook slightly.
Without thinking, she leaned slightly into him—not fully, but enough to let him steady her.
Keifer immediately placed a hand lightly on her back, steadying her.
"You're safe," he said softly.
Jay's eyes met his. For the first time, she wasn't hiding anything behind her smile.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Keifer didn't answer. He just stayed there. Watching her. Quietly, protectively.
Outside the Door
Percy, Jane, Keigan, and Keiren were peeking through the crack in the door.
Percy whispered, practically vibrating with excitement: "SOMETHING HAPPENED. I CAN FEEL IT."
Jane rolled her eyes. "Percy. Quiet."
Keigan whispered, "Kuya is actually… soft. With her."
Keiren nodded slowly. "And Ate Jay… she's letting him."
Aries appeared silently behind them, arms crossed. His gaze was sharp, evaluating.
"If he hurts her… I will make sure he regrets it."
Inside, Jay and Keifer remained still for a long moment.
Outside the storm, outside the chaos, outside the world—they were the only two in the room.
The locked room. The stormy backdrop.
The rivalry, the competition, the sarcasm—all faded.
All that remained was the quiet, fragile moment of trust.
And Jay realized something dangerous: for the first time in her life, she wasn't afraid of being seen.