Jay jay pov
Lunch break finally started, and the whole class immediately turned loud. Chairs moved, people stood up, and within seconds Section E was back to being… chaos.
"I'm telling you, don't touch my food," Felix said seriously.
Calix looked at him. "No one wants to."
"That's not the point."
"That is exactly the point."
I leaned back slightly in my chair, watching them. Same noise, same arguments. Somehow, it felt… normal now.
I opened my bag, already thinking about eating—then paused.
Empty.
"…seriously?" I muttered under my breath.
Eren looked over. "What happened?"
"I forgot my lunch."
He gasped dramatically. "That's tragic."
"Relax."
I was about to just ignore it when something slid onto my desk.
I looked down. A lunch box.
For a second, I just stared at it, then slowly turned my head.
Keifer.
He was opening his own food like nothing happened.
"…what's this?" I asked.
"Lunch," he replied casually.
"I can see that."
"Good. Saves time."
I narrowed my eyes a little. "…you brought it?"
He shrugged slightly. "I figured you might forget."
I paused.
"…so you just decided to be helpful?" I said.
He finally glanced at me, a small smirk forming. "I'm always helpful. You just don't notice."
I looked at him for a second, then shook my head lightly, but I could feel a small smile coming.
"…thanks," I said quietly.
"Don't mention it," he replied, already eating.
I opened the lunch box.
And okay—
"…this actually looks really good," I thought.
Just as I was about to take a bite—
Felix leaned over suddenly. "What is THAT?"
I blinked. "…food."
"That looks better than mine."
"That's because yours is questionable," Calix said.
"Excuse me?"
"It looks like you packed disappointment."
Eren laughed. "I agree."
"I hate all of you," Felix muttered.
Cin came and sat beside me, not too close, but close enough. "You forgot your lunch?"
"Yeah."
She nodded slightly. "Good thing someone didn't."
I didn't reply, but I understood what she meant.
I took a bite, and for a second I just focused on that.
Calix laughed. "She's in a good mood."
"I'm always in a good mood."
"No, you're not," Eren said.
"Be quiet."
They all laughed again, and I shook my head slightly.
"…idiots," I thought, but not in a bad way.
After a moment, I glanced sideways.
Keifer was already looking at me.
Not obvious. Just… there.
He raised an eyebrow slightly. "What?"
"…nothing," I said.
He smirked a little. "You sure? You've been staring."
"I was not."
"Hmm. Then I'll assume you were admiring me."
I almost choked. "In your dreams."
"Careful," he said calmly, "you might start liking them."
I rolled my eyes and looked away, but I could feel it—that small, annoying smile again.
"…he's impossible," I thought.
But I didn't mind.
I was sitting in class.
Looking at the board.
At least… that's what it looked like.
Sir Alvin was explaining something.
Numbers. Words. Whatever it was—
I wasn't listening.
My pen rested between my fingers, unmoving.
My notebook—blank.
I should focus.
I know I should.
But my mind—
was somewhere else.
I turned my head slightly.
Not obvious.
Just enough.
Keifer.
He was sitting beside me.
Focused.
Or at least pretending to be.
I stared at him for a second.
Then looked away.
"…what am I doing?" I thought.
But my mind didn't stop.
It kept going back.
To small things.
The way he notices everything.
The way he doesn't ask too much.
But still understands.
The way he brought lunch.
Like it was nothing.
The way he was there yesterday.
Not letting me fall apart.
My fingers tightened slightly around my pen.
"…he's always there," I thought.
Not loudly.
Not in a way that demands attention.
Just—
there.
I exhaled slowly.
"…how does he do that?" I thought.
I've seen people say things.
Promise things.
But him?
He doesn't say much.
He just stays.
And somehow—
that means more.
A small pause.
Then another thought hit me.
I blinked slightly.
"…I forgave him," I thought.
That part was clear.
I knew it.
I felt it.
But then—
"…what are we?"
I frowned slightly.
We act like something.
Everyone can see it.
He acts like—
My fingers paused.
"…like I'm his," I thought.
And I…
I don't push him away.
I leaned back slightly in my chair.
"…so what is this?" I thought.
No title.
No words.
Just—
us.
I glanced at him again.
He didn't look at me this time.
Still focused ahead.
"…does he think about it?" I wondered.
Or is he just…
waiting?
A small, unexpected thought crossed my mind.
"…what if I take the first step?"
I blinked.
That felt—
strange.
I don't do that.
But still…
"…why not?" I thought.
He's already done enough.
More than enough.
A small idea started forming.
Not something big.
Not something dramatic.
Something… us.
Maybe—
"…a small party?" I thought.
Not too obvious.
Just enough chaos so no one suspects.
And then—
I'd say it.
Simple.
Clear.
I felt a small smile forming.
"…yeah," I thought.
"That might work."
"Miss Jay?"
I blinked.
Looked up.
Sir Alvin.
"…yes?" I said.
"Care to tell us the answer?"
I stared at the board.
Blank.
"…no," I said honestly.
The class laughed.
I sighed slightly.
"…worth it," I thought.
A few minutes later—
I felt it.
That look.
I turned slightly.
Keifer.
Looking at me.
Not confused.
Not annoyed.
Just… noticing.
"…what?" I whispered.
He leaned slightly closer.
"You've been somewhere else for the last ten minutes."
I raised an eyebrow. "Have I?"
"Yeah."
I shrugged lightly. "Maybe I'm just bored."
He didn't look convinced.
"…sure," he said.
But his eyes stayed on me for a second longer.
Like he knew.
I looked away.
"…he notices everything," I thought.
I need to be careful.
Because if he figures it out—
That ruins everything.
A small smile returned.
"…but it'll be worth it," I thought.
(Keifer's) pov
She's acting different.
Not in a bad way.
Just…
distracted.
i glanced at her again.
She was looking at the board—
but not really.
i noticed it earlier too.
During lunch.
Small things.
The way she pauses.
The way she looks at i —
then looks away.
"…she's up to something," i thought.
A small smirk almost formed.
But—
it didn't feel wrong.
Didn't feel like she was hiding something from me.
Not like before.
This was different.
Lighter.
"…she's planning something," i thought.
And for some reason—
i didn't mind waiting to find out.
Maybe…
i'd enjoy it.