Jay’s POV A plan to make me fall in love with you?
The corner of my mouth twitched.
I honestly expected Keifer to come up with some stupid plan to get me kicked out of Section E.
Not…
Whatever that was.
I never thought he’d stoop so low just to get revenge.
Pathetic.
I’ve always believed that people only seek revenge when they’re too weak to move on.
Turns out…
Mark Keifer Watson was weak.
Pathetically weak.
I reached into my pocket, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it.
The flame flickered for a second before I took a slow drag.
I leaned against the hallway wall and exhaled a cloud of smoke into the empty corridor.
Then— Bang!
The classroom door beside me swung open.
A familiar red-haired rooster stormed out.
Yuri.
His fists were clenched.
His breathing was uneven.
His jaw was so tight I thought he might crack a tooth.
…He really wasn’t okay with Keifer’s plan.
His best friend’s plan.
That thought made a small smile creep onto my face.
Loyalty.
It was something I valued more than almost anything.
Whenever I helped someone, I expected loyalty in return.
And if they chose to throw that away…
Well…
They usually regretted it.
I pushed myself off the wall, cigarette still between my fingers.
“Not supporting your best friend, I see,” I muttered, just loud enough for him to hear.
Yuri froze.
His eyes widened the moment they landed on me.
“J-Jay…” His voice caught in his throat.
He looked completely stunned.
Like the last person he expected to see…
…was me.
Yuri stood there like he’d forgotten how to breathe.
“You…
heard that?” he asked quietly.
I let out a short laugh, taking one last drag before flicking the cigarette onto the ground and crushing it beneath my shoe.
“What do you think?” Silence.
He lowered his head, running a frustrated hand through his messy red hair.
“…Keifer’s gone too far.” I raised an eyebrow.
“Oh?” “I told him not to do it.” His fists tightened again.
“I told him it wasn’t right.” I studied him for a moment.
He wasn’t lying.
His shoulders were tense, his breathing uneven, and he couldn’t even look me in the eyes.
He actually meant it.
“Hm.” That was all I said.
Yuri looked up at me, guilt written all over his face.
“I’m…
sorry.” The apology caught me off guard.
“…For what?” “For not stopping him.” I stared at him for a few seconds before letting out a quiet scoff.
“You talk like you control him.” “I don’t.” “Exactly.” I shoved both hands into my pockets and walked past him.
“If your best friend wants to play games…” I said calmly, not bothering to look back, “…then he should be ready to lose.” I could almost feel Yuri’s eyes following me down the hallway.
“Jay…” I stopped walking.
“If he actually tries something…” Yuri said, his voice barely above a whisper, “…please don’t destroy him.” A small smile tugged at my lips.
Destroy him?
I wasn’t planning to.
I was planning to let him destroy himself.
All I had to do…
…was let him think he was winning.
A small smile crept onto my face.
“You could’ve supported your best friend back there,” I said casually.
“So why didn’t you?” Yuri stayed quiet.
“Because I helped you the other day, maybe?” I tilted my head slightly.
“I mean…
you hate Aries too.” His eyes drifted to the cigarette between my fingers.
I followed his gaze and held the pack up with a grin.
“You want one?” He shook his head almost immediately.
“…No.” “Suit yourself.” I took another drag before exhaling the smoke into the empty hallway.
Then I looked back at him.
“So?” I asked.
“What’s your answer, Yuri?” He still didn’t speak.
“Are you rejecting Keifer’s little plan because I saved you from that gunshot the other day?” I chuckled.
“You would’ve been dead by now.” Yuri’s shoulders stiffened.
“I…” He swallowed hard.
“Maybe…” “Maybe?” He finally met my eyes.
“you don’t seem that bad.” For a moment, neither of us spoke.
His expression didn’t waver.
There wasn’t any hesitation.
No guilt.
Just conviction.
“your kind.” Yuri said quietly, “But you’re hiding something dark.” The smile on my face faded just a little.
“What do you mean?” My voice came out colder than I intended.
My eyes narrowed, and I saw Yuri tense up immediately.
He took an uneasy step back.
“That day…” he began hesitantly.
“I saw you trembling.” My expression didn’t change.
“You whispered something to that man…” His voice grew quieter.
“…and he started trembling too.” His eyes were locked onto mine now.
Not with hatred.
With fear.
Fear…
of me.
“And then…” His throat bobbed as he swallowed.
“You shot him.” Those three words echoed inside my head.
You shot him.
My grip around the cigarette tightened.
“Don’t.” My voice turned sharp enough to cut through the silence.
“Don’t you dare tell anyone about that.” For a split second, neither of us moved.
Then Yuri nodded.
“I won’t.” He lowered his gaze.
“I hate Keifer’s plan.” He let out a long breath before continuing.
“I probably would’ve supported him…” He paused.
“…if you hadn’t saved my life.” The hallway fell silent.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
My jaw clenched.
I didn’t know what to say.
So I said nothing.
I brushed past him without another glance.
As I walked away, I could still feel his eyes on my back.
For the first time…
Someone wasn’t looking at me with hatred.
They were looking at me like they couldn’t figure out who I really was.