Jay-jay's POV
"YU—Ow!" I suddenly tripped.
Just my luck!
I stood up and dusted off my clothes and hands. I looked around again. Was I getting lost?
I took Yuri's phone from my pocket and checked the time, but something else grabbed my attention—his wallpaper. It was a picture of the two of us. I wasn't looking at the camera, but he was smiling brightly.
It looked like it was taken in our classroom. He was sitting next to me, and from my angle and posture, it seemed like we were in the middle of a lesson when he took it.
I smiled—but at the same time, tears started falling. I broke down, crying loudly. Like a child, I dropped to the ground and hugged my knees.
I was scared.I was scared I might never see Yuri's smile again.
"Where are you?!" I said, still crying.
Why is everything so messy? Why is everything this complicated? I thought things between Keifer and Ella were over, so why is it all coming up again? I don't understand.
I heard a twig snap. I immediately stood up and wiped my tears away.
"Yuri? Is that you?" I asked, trying to peer into the darkness where the sound came from.
I stepped closer, but the more I walked, the less I saw. My shoulders slumped in frustration.
"Damn it!" I muttered angrily.
I took another step forward to resume my search, but just my luck—I was standing at the edge of a cliff, and before I knew it, I was falling straight down. I desperately grabbed onto anything I could hold onto.
Thank God for the thick tree root—I managed to save myself. My heart was pounding so fast, I felt like my soul had left my body.
Shit! A near-death experience?!
This is all Yuri's fault! Damn it! Why does he have to be so dramatic? Of all places, why did he have to wander into the forest? He could've just stayed in the hall or at our site.
So frustrating!
I tried to pull myself up. Once I was in a stable position, I peeked over the edge. And just great—turns out the cliff wasn't even that deep. There was a small river below.
I reached into my pocket, intending to grab Yuri's phone, but—nothing. I quickly patted myself down, searching every pocket, but the phone was gone.
Damn it!
I scanned my surroundings, hoping I had just dropped it nearby—but there was nothing. Then, my gaze shifted downward.
Are you kidding me?!
It must've fallen out of my pocket and landed below. At least it didn't fall into the water. I had no choice but to climb down to get it.
So annoying!
I carefully took each step, gripping onto any root or branch I could find. It was too dark to see clearly, so I moved slowly.
When I finally reached the bottom, I almost slipped on the wet rocks. I immediately started looking for Yuri's phone. This thing is expensive—an iPhone!
I found it buried in a pile of leaves. I picked it up and brushed the dirt off. I finally checked the time, something I should have done earlier.
2:46 AM. It was almost morning, and I was still here in the middle of the damn forest looking for him. Damn it, Yuri!
Once I find you, you're so dead—
I stopped. My breath hitched. There was someone lying on the other side of the river. Even though I couldn't see clearly, I knew it was a person.
Could it be Yuri?
I immediately ran toward it. I waded through the river, letting the water soak half of my body just so I could reach them.
But when I got closer, my heart sank. It wasn't a person at all. What I thought was a head was just a coconut. What I assumed was a body was just a branch with a piece of cloth draped over it.
"Damn it!" I shouted in frustration.
I was on the verge of tears again—not from fear, but from sheer exhaustion and annoyance.
"Jay-jay?" someone called out.
My heart pounded faster. No matter how hard I tried to stop them, my tears wouldn't stop falling. He was right in front of me now—the person I had been crying over just moments ago. And I was still crying.
"Yuri..." I said, crossing the river again to get back to where I was before. I hugged him tightly—but he winced and groaned in pain, forcing me to let go.
"S-sorry..." I muttered, finally getting a good look at him.
His clothes were torn, and a piece of fabric was wrapped around his arm. It wasn't clear, but there were scratches on his face. His glasses also seemed to have a crack.
"What happened to you?" I asked, filled with worry.
"I-I fell... I heard your voice. I tried to find you, but this is what happened." He explained.
I started crying again. "Why the hell were you wandering around?! If you were just going to sulk, did it have to be in the middle of the forest?! Do you know how hard it is to look for someone here?!" I complained.
He scratched the back of his head and forced a smile at me. "Sorry... I didn't know you'd follow me."
"Of course, I'd follow you! Especially after what happened." My voice grew softer.
He averted his gaze and stood up straight. I knew he didn't want to talk about it anymore.
"...S-should we head back?" I suggested.
He needed to get his wounds treated. I also wanted to check on Aries. Who knows? His condition might have worsened. He was hit pretty badly, and he even tried to pick a fight.
I glanced around. This part of the forest was unfamiliar to me. Maybe if I followed the river back, I'd find the waterfall where we went swimming earlier.
"Let's go this way." I pointed behind him.
I started walking, expecting him to follow, but I stopped when I noticed he was struggling to walk properly.
He was limping. I quickly went back to support him.
"I-I'm fine." He said.
Yeah, right. Fine, my ass.
"Who are you trying to fool?" I asked sarcastically.
He let out a small laugh. I stayed close to him, supporting him with each step. I could feel how much pain he was enduring with every movement. I noticed a fallen tree nearby. One of its branches, thick with leaves, looked like an umbrella.
"Wait here." I told Yuri before walking over to the fallen tree.
I checked if it could be used as temporary shelter. Since the branch looked like an umbrella, it should be fine. I cleared the area, removing dirt and dried twigs. I also gathered large leaves to use as bedding.
Once I was done, I went back for Yuri and helped him over. He seemed relieved to have some shelter, finally able to rest a little.
"Is this okay?" I asked him before sitting beside him.
"Yeah... This is a good spot in case it rains."
"Is it going to rain?" I looked up at the sky. No stars. It really was possible. Please, no! If it rained, we'd get sick and have even more trouble getting back to the site.
"Let's just hope it doesn't." He said, leaning against the large fallen log behind us.
It was still dark. That's when I suddenly remembered Yuri's phone. I took it out of my jacket pocket. Thankfully, it hadn't gotten wet earlier.
"Here's your phone." I said, handing it to him.
"Thanks."
He pressed the power button, and the screen lit up, casting light on his face. That's when I saw everything—scratches, bruises, and a forming black eye at the corner of his face.
I gently held his face and turned it toward me. I couldn't help but worry.
"W-where did you fall? Why do you look like this?" I asked, immediately snatching his phone back to use the light to check the rest of his body. "...You have so many wounds!"
Aside from the one on his arm, which was wrapped with fabric, he had smaller cuts on different parts of his arms and legs.
"I-I'm okay." He insisted, forcing a smile.
I had no choice but to return his phone. With a deep sigh, I leaned back against the log behind us as well.
Now, I could feel the exhaustion. I wanted to close my eyes, even just for a moment, but if I did, the rain might catch up to us. I just needed a short rest since Yuri was having trouble walking.
"You can sleep for a while. I'll wake you up." He said, smiling at me.
"No. The rain might catch up to us. And I also want to get back before sunrise."
He nodded, accepting my answer. I wondered what had happened to Aries. I was worried about him. I wasn't sure if he lost consciousness because of his fight with Yuri or if it was because of Keif's punch—shit!
I DIDN'T TELL HIM WHERE I WAS GOING!
"Jay... are you okay?" Yuri asked when he noticed the sudden change in my expression.
Panic and fear were all over my face. He was probably looking for me by now. He was probably furious, searching for me everywhere. What should I do?
I wanted to call him, but I didn't have my phone. I left it in the tent earlier, thinking we wouldn't need it. Besides, there was no signal here anyway, so I couldn't use Yuri's phone either.
Seriously?! What a hassle!
Frustrated, I leaned my head back against the log. I closed my eyes for a moment, but before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.
I woke up to something dripping on my face. When I opened my eyes, panic immediately set in—it was raining. I looked at Yuri, who was hugging himself from the cold.
"Why didn't you wake me up?" I asked, irritation in my voice.
I quickly took off my hoodie and wrapped it around him. He didn't move or say anything. That's when I got worried and touched him—he was burning up.
"Yuri! You have a fever!" I shouted, adjusting the jacket to cover him better.
"W-what about you?" He asked, shivering.
"I'm fine! Take care of yourself first!"
I kept wrapping the jacket around him, but he was still trembling, freezing from the cold. I had no choice but to hug him tightly to warm him up.
Body heat!
I also leaned his head against my neck. The rain continued to pour, and I was thankful for this shelter—otherwise, we would have been completely drenched by now.
"Just hold on a little longer. We'll get back to the site soon." I whispered.
He didn't respond, so I had a strong feeling he had fallen asleep. I wanted to sleep too. I wanted to close my eyes. But I couldn't just leave him like this.
I forced myself to stay awake. Suddenly, Yuri's phone, which was lying near his feet, lit up. The battery icon appeared—it was almost dead. I checked the time. 4:36 AM!
The sun would rise soon!
"Jay..." Yuri mumbled. "...Jay."
"What?" I answered, thinking he was awake.
I looked at him, but his eyes were still closed. He must have been talking in his sleep or delirious because of the fever.
"I-I'll fight for you..." he whispered, making me freeze. "...I won't let myself lose again..." He nuzzled his head against my neck. "...Aishiteru."
His words sounded so beautiful. Any girl would have melted hearing something like that. But not me. Instead of feeling giddy, all I felt was shame.
I couldn't fight for him the way he could fight for me. If only I could teach my heart—if I could just tell it, or train it like solving a math problem, that he was the one I should love...
But things just didn't work that way.
The heart is foolish—just as foolish as the human mind. That's why it can't learn to solve a math problem.
You're almost perfect in every angle. Handsome, rich, smart, and you could even be considered a good boy. Yes, you have flaws, but they're things that can be adjusted. Despite your perfection, there's one thing I've realized. I don't deserve you. Someone better does.
I looked up at the sky and noticed it was gradually getting brighter. I picked up Yuri's phone, but it had already turned off. I didn't want to wake him up, but we needed to go back.
"Yuri..." I called while lightly tapping him. "...wake up."
His body was still warm, so I was sure he still had a fever. He let out a soft groan and slowly sat up. His eyes opened little by little.
"Let's go… The rain has stopped." I urged him.
I stood up first so I could help him. I don't know why, but it felt like he was even heavier than before. Maybe earlier, he was trying not to burden me, but now that he had a fever, he couldn't help it anymore.
We continued walking. We were moving even slower than before. The sky had completely brightened now. I could see the dirt all over our bodies—mud, dust, and wounds mixed together.
"Jay... Can we rest for a bit? I'm feeling dizzy." He said, so I stopped walking.
I helped him sit down on a fallen log. His face was flushed red, and he seemed to have trouble keeping his eyes open. I touched his forehead and felt that he was even hotter than before.
It seemed like his fever had worsened.
"Can you still manage?" I asked hesitantly.
He smiled at me as if to show he was fine. "I can... I just need to rest."
I sat down beside him and let him lean his head on my shoulder. His breathing was deep and heavy—I could hear it, and I could feel it.
Please don't let this get worse.
Suddenly, a stomach growled. He raised an eyebrow and looked at me.
"I haven't eaten since last night." I said with a grin.
He chuckled slightly. "We'll eat when we get back."
I nodded. Now that my stomach was complaining from hunger, if this took any longer, I might end up getting sick too.
Yuri rested his head on my shoulder again. Silence filled the air between us. I didn't want to bother him since he was trying to rest.
"You know..." He suddenly spoke, breaking the silence. "...Hahaoya hates it when I get sick." He smiled.
"I think that's true for all moms." Except maybe mine.
"But do you think all moms would do what she did?"
I fell silent. I didn't know how to respond because I had never experienced anything like that from my mom—except for when she meddled in my marriage arrangements.
He moved away from leaning on me and stared into the distance. I wanted to think he was just delirious from the fever, but he wasn't.
"The Hanamitchi family is very well-known in Japan. Aside from being close relatives of the Minister of Japan, they have lots of businesses. They even own an island."
That feeling when you suddenly feel so small. You thought the person next to you was already rich, but it turns out they could be even wealthier.
"...Because of their reputation, they never accepted my mother. Aside from being half-Filipino, her family wasn't well-known. It hurt her that no matter what she did, the entire clan was ashamed of her. But what hurt her even more was when she found out she had a very slim chance of getting pregnant."
I continued listening. I knew he hadn't experienced everything his mother went through, but still, I could feel his pain.
"...So when she conceived me, she protected me with everything she had. Hahaoya never left the house just to make sure I was safe. They say that when I was born, luck came into the family." He took a deep breath. "...So they protected me even more. I'm a prince but never put on a throne. I'm the only heir of the Hanamitchi Clan."
Only? You have a sibling, though.
"...Yoichi is just adopted." He said, making me freeze in place.
"H-ha?"
"He was adopted to fill a gap in the family. One of us needs to marry into a pureblooded, well-known Yakuza clan. He's still related to us, but from a distant branch."
Damn!
As if my situation wasn't already miserable enough, it turns out things could get even worse. He's so young, yet his marriage has already been arranged.
Of course, Yuri can't be married off to someone else since he's already engaged to me, so Yoichi is the one who has to be married off.
"Isn't our life complicated?" He asked with a forced smile.
"A little… I'm just confused why your mom is against Ella. If you think about it, her life is much more stable than mine."
Hello?I come from a broken family!
He didn't say anything. He just suddenly stood up and started walking. I immediately followed to support him.
We kept walking, but he still didn't answer me. I started feeling like he was hiding something from me.
I could already hear the loud rushing of water. That meant we were close to the spot where we had been swimming. I looked at Yuri and saw the exhaustion on his face.
I stopped abruptly. "Let's rest for a bit. Your fever might get worse."
He didn't answer. He leaned against a tree with his eyes closed, catching his breath, constantly wiping the sweat off his face.
"We're almost there—"
"Jay." He cut me off. "...I've something to confess."
I looked at him in confusion, waiting for him to continue. Something was making my heart beat faster. I was starting to shiver, but not because of hunger.
"I-it wasn't Tanda who arranged our marriage." He said, making my mind even more confused. "...Angelo had already refused when Tanda offered it to him. That old man doesn't believe in second chances, so the offer was withdrawn" He averted his gaze and took a deep breath. "...But when I heard the news that Fer Corp was about to collapse, I was the one who made the offer to Angelo."
I took a step back. My mind was flooded with questions, desperately trying to make sense of what he was saying.
"W-what…?"
"I was the one who arranged the marriage in exchange for helping Angelo's company. Since no one could refuse me, they agreed. Even though Hahaoya didn't approve of you, she went along with it."
Tears fell from my eyes on their own. "B-but you said before… Y-you said you couldn't stop the marriage. Y-you said it was their decision."
"I-I lied to you. I'm sorry."
"I-I don't understand… Why did you do that?"
"Because I love you, and I couldn't stand losing to Keifer again." He answered quickly. "...I also wanted to save you from him."
I wiped my tears away. My emotions were all over the place, but anger was the strongest among them. I couldn't understand why he had to be so selfish.
I shook my head and looked straight into his eyes. "No. That's not love."
"No. Please don't say that."
"You're just scared of having your ego crushed!" I struggled to keep my voice steady. "...You're just afraid of being humiliated again for the same reason."
"No. It's not like that."
"Oh, really? If you truly love me, then why are you still affected by Ella?" I challenged him.
He avoided my gaze and didn't answer. I was right! He still had feelings for Ella.
Even though I felt sorry for how miserable he looked right now, I couldn't stop myself from being angry. He tied me to something that would last a lifetime. He never even thought about how I felt.
And I was the fool who, out of fear of what might happen if I refused, agreed without even being sure.
Damn it! You're so stupid, Jay!
I could only shake my head at everything I had just found out—about Ella, about that damn marriage. This was driving me insane!
I heard voices, people talking. I went silent, and almost at the same time, Yuri and I lifted our heads when we realized they were close.
"There are people!" I almost shouted.
I immediately ran toward the direction of the voices but quickly turned back when I heard Yuri let out a loud cry of pain. I had completely forgotten that he couldn't walk properly.
I helped him up, and we walked carefully.
"HELP! THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE!" I shouted so they could find us. "PLEASE HELP US!"
The voices grew louder, meaning they were getting closer. I sighed in relief. We were finally getting out of here. I just wanted to eat and sleep.
"Over here!" I heard someone shout.
I was about to call out again, but suddenly, Yuri cupped my face. Everything happened so fast.
He kissed me!
I instinctively pushed him away, but it had no effect. I couldn't shove him too hard because I was worried about his injured foot. He let go on his own the moment he felt me resist.
I glared at him, eyebrows furrowed, about to lash out at him—but I froze when I noticed someone standing at the side.
My heart stopped, and I felt like I died on the spot — wishing someone would just put me out of my misery right then and there.
K-Keifer.
He stood there, staring at us with an angry, intense gaze. His fists were clenched so tightly I thought he might rush toward us at any second.
"K-Keifer..." I called out, taking a step toward him.
But before I could reach him, he suddenly turned around and ran.
Shit!
I immediately chased after him, and only then did I realize that the other Ulupong members were with him. I stopped when they intercepted me.
"Jay! Finally… we found you." Felix said.
But my eyes were still locked on Keifer. I had to catch up to him. I had to explain.
"G-go to Yuri! He's back there!" I said, pointing to where we had come from.
I didn't wait for their response. I took off running after Keifer, completely ignoring my exhaustion and hunger. I didn't fail to catch up to him. He was standing beneath a tree, motionless. I slowly approached him.
"Keifer…" I called out.
Without warning, he punched the tree with full force. The impact shook the branches, causing leaves to fall.
I swallowed hard, fear creeping in.
"I'll pretend I didn't see anything." he said coldly, then started to walk away.
I didn't know if that was a good thing, but fear and anxiety overwhelmed me.