JAY'S POV —
Festival Day One didn't start with drama.
Which, honestly, felt suspicious.
The campus was already alive when I arrived—banners flapping lazily, lights still off but waiting, booths halfway built, teachers pretending they were in control. Music tests echoed from the auditorium like a bad remix war.
Section E had exactly one responsibility for the day.
Night duty.
Garbage collection.
Which meant—
We were free.
Cin realized it first.
The moment Yuri finished checking the duty board, Cin's face lit up like he'd just discovered fire.
"…So we're free till night?"
Yuri nodded. "Yes."
Cin slapped the table. "WE'RE FREE."
Eman laughed. "You say that like it never happens."
"It doesn't," Cin shot back. "This is a miracle."
Keifer leaned against the railing, arms crossed, watching the chaos unfold with an expression that said I predicted this. "Don't get used to it."
"Too late," Edrix said, already walking backward toward the basketball court. "I'm emotionally attached."
I dropped my bag on the bench and exhaled.
No schedules. No coordinating. No arguing.
Just… them.
It felt strange.
Nice.
---
THE BASKETBALL GAME
The court was packed.
Students from different sections crowded the sidelines, cheering like it was a finals match instead of a festival exhibition game. Music blasted from a speaker someone definitely didn't get permission for.
Felix was already warming up, stretching like this was his redemption arc.
I spotted him across the court and raised an eyebrow.
He grinned. Sheepish. Proud.
Keifer leaned slightly toward me. "You had something to do with that."
I shrugged. "The team needed a player."
"They needed him?"
"They needed someone who actually knows how to shoot."
He scoffed but didn't argue.
The game started loud.
Fast.
Felix was good—better than people expected. Clean shots. Quick passes. Confident.
Section E screamed like feral supporters.
Cin was standing on the bench. "THAT'S MY BROTHER—WAIT NO—THAT'S OUR BROTHER—JUST SHOOT—"
Eman held him by the hoodie so he wouldn't fall.
Edrix yelled at the ref. "ARE YOU BLIND OR JUST EMOTIONALLY UNAVAILABLE?"
I found myself smiling.
Actually smiling.
Felix made a three-pointer and glanced toward us.
I nodded once.
He nodded back.
Keifer noticed.
Of course he did.
"Huh," he muttered. "You really don't do things halfway."
I looked at the court. "Neither do you."
He didn't respond.
But he watched the rest of the game with a different expression.
When the final whistle blew, Section E erupted.
We didn't win by a landslide.
But we won.
Felix jogged over, breathless, grinning. "Told you."
Cin pulled him into a headlock. "YOU WERE AMAZING."
Felix laughed. "I couldn't hear half the crowd."
"That was us," Edrix said proudly.
---
FOOD, LAUGHTER, NO RESPONSIBILITIES
The rest of the afternoon disappeared into food stalls and noise.
Cin dared Edrix to try something spicy. Edrix regretted it instantly. Eman filmed the aftermath. Yuri pretended not to know them.
Keifer walked beside me most of the time.
Not talking much.
Just there.
At one point, he handed me a drink without asking.
I accepted it without comment.
That alone felt like progress.
"This is… good," he said eventually, scanning the festival lights turning on. "Too good."
I smirked. "Don't jinx it."
---
NIGHT DUTY — SECTION E STYLE
By 7 PM, reality returned.
Gloves. Trash bags. Headcounts.
Cin stared at the garbage bin like it had personally betrayed him. "I changed my mind. I hate miracles."
"Move," I said, tying my gloves. "We finish fast."
Keifer divided the zones quickly, efficiently. No arguments.
We moved through the campus together—laughing, complaining, competing over who collected the most trash.
Edrix held up a bag. "Look! Proof that people don't know how bins work."
Eman groaned. "Why is there a drink cup in a plant?"
"Nature's recycling," Cin said solemnly.
I found myself walking beside Keifer again, the campus quieter now, lights softer.
"This wasn't bad," he admitted.
"No," I agreed. "It wasn't."
We finished early.
Sat on the steps afterward, tired, full, comfortable.
No masks.
No plans.
Just Section E.
As we stood to leave, Keifer glanced at me.
"Tomorrow's busier," he said.
"I know."
But tonight?
Tonight was just ours.
And for once—
That was enough.
Perfect — Day 2 is busier, louder, more chaotic, with dance performance + night duty, still mostly enjoyment but pressure creeping in.
Still Jay's POV, still no dark execution, just cracks, tension, and chemistry.
---
JAY'S POV — FESTIVAL DAY 2 (THE NOISE GETS LOUDER)
Day Two woke up angry.
Music tests clashed across the campus before the sun fully settled, speakers fighting for dominance like it was a territorial dispute. The smell of food stalls mixed with fresh paint and sweat and anticipation.
I arrived early.
Not because I had to.
Because I knew Section E wouldn't.
And I was right.
Cin came sprinting in ten minutes late, hoodie half-zipped, hair damp.
Edrix followed, carrying a bag of chips like it was a peace offering.
Denzel and Drew argued about choreography while walking.
Felix looked like he hadn't slept.
Keifer arrived last.
On time.
He scanned the group once and sighed. "We're performing in three hours."
Cin froze. "THREE?"
"Yes."
Cin looked at me. "Why do you look calm."
"Because panic is inefficient," I replied.
He hated that answer.
---
BACKSTAGE — DANCE PRACTICE FROM HELL
The rehearsal room was chaos.
Someone's speaker wouldn't connect. Someone forgot the steps. Someone kept changing formations.
Keifer stood in the middle like a commander in a war zone.
"No," he snapped. "Cin, you're late by half a beat."
"I'm expressive."
"You're chaotic."
"Same thing."
I sat cross-legged near the mirror, watching.
Not interfering.
Letting Keifer lead.
He was good at this—controlling energy, redirecting frustration, demanding better without sugarcoating.
At one point, Felix messed up a turn and stopped short.
"Sorry—"
Keifer raised a hand. "Again."
Felix nodded, jaw tight, and tried again.
This time, he nailed it.
I caught his eye in the mirror and gave him a small thumbs up.
His shoulders relaxed instantly.
Keifer noticed.
Again.
"You," he said, pointing at me without turning. "Stop silently motivating people."
I smiled sweetly. "No."
---
THE PERFORMANCE
The crowd was bigger than expected.
Lights dimmed. Music surged.
Cin leaned toward me just before stepping out. "If I die, tell my story."
"I'll exaggerate it," I promised.
The beat dropped.
And suddenly—
They weren't boys I had to herd.
They were performers.
Cin moved with surprising precision.
Drew and Denzel locked into sync like they'd been practicing for months.
Felix—quiet, focused—executed every step clean.
And Keifer?
He owned the stage.
Controlled. Sharp. Magnetic.
The crowd reacted instantly.
Cheering. Phones raised. Screams I pretended not to hear.
I watched from the wings, arms crossed, heartbeat steady.
Proud.
They finished on a sharp stop.
The applause was real.
Cin came running offstage, breathless. "WE SURVIVED."
Edrix hugged him. "We ATE."
Keifer wiped sweat from his neck, eyes scanning the crowd automatically.
Then he looked at me.
That look said We did that.
I nodded once.
---
AFTERNOON — TOO MUCH ATTENTION
That's when things shifted.
People noticed.
Not just the dance.
Section E.
Whispers. Looks. Curiosity.
Felix got stopped twice by juniors. Cin pretended he wasn't enjoying the attention. Edrix absolutely was.
Keifer leaned toward me as we walked. "This is what you meant yesterday."
I raised an eyebrow. "About?"
"Showing up."
I smiled. "Maybe."
---
NIGHT DUTY — LESS JOKES, MORE TIRED
By night, the energy dipped.
Same gloves. Same bags.
Different exhaustion.
Cin dragged his feet. "My legs are filing a complaint."
Eman yawned. "At least no one threw soda everywhere tonight."
Keifer moved quieter now, conserving energy.
At one point, we ended up alone near the auditorium steps, the campus lights flickering above us.
"You okay?" he asked.
I nodded. "You?"
He hesitated, then shrugged. "I don't like being seen."
"Too late."
A pause.
"…Yeah."
We finished later than Day One.
Slower.
Still together.
As we walked out, Cin slung an arm around Felix. "Tomorrow's talent day."
Felix froze. "Don't remind me."
I smiled faintly.
Day Two ended not with laughter—
But with anticipation.
And something tightening beneath it.
Got it — Day 3 stays soft, emotional, and intimate, not dark.
Still Jay's POV, with Yuri's quiet moment, Keifer noticing, and a gentle night patrol scene.
---
— FESTIVAL DAY 3 (THE QUIET THAT LANDS)
Day Three felt different from the start.
Less noise. Less rush.
Like the campus itself was holding its breath.
Talent Day.
By noon, everyone knew Yuri was performing.
They didn't know what.
They just knew.
Yuri didn't talk about it. Didn't rehearse loudly. Didn't pace. He sat backstage with his guitar case closed beside him, fingers resting lightly on the lid like it was something alive.
I sat on the steps a few feet away.
Keifer hovered near the curtains, arms crossed, eyes scanning everything like he expected something to go wrong.
It did.
Five minutes before Yuri's slot, one of the coordinators rushed over, pale.
"The soundtrack file—it's missing," she said breathlessly. "We can't find it anywhere."
Yuri looked up slowly. "What."
"We checked the system. The drive. The backup."
Cin hissed. "You're joking."
"I'm not," she said. "We're so sorry."
Silence dropped.
Yuri didn't panic.
He just opened his guitar case.
"I'll go acoustic," he said calmly.
Cin stared. "You can do that?"
Yuri looked at him. "I can sing."
Keifer's jaw tightened.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
Yuri nodded once.
I stood.
"You'll be great," I said softly.
Yuri's eyes met mine.
And softened.
The lights dimmed.
The crowd murmured.
Yuri walked out alone.
No backing track. No effects. Just a stool and a guitar.
He sat.
Adjusted the strap.
The first chord rang out—warm, steady.
Then he sang.
A love song.
Not loud. Not dramatic.
Sweet.
Gentle.
The kind of song that felt like home.
I didn't realize I was holding my breath until my chest hurt.
And then—
I noticed.
Every time the chorus came around, his gaze drifted.
To me.
Not obvious. Not lingering.
Just… finding.
The crowd didn't notice.
They were too busy listening.
But I felt it.
Across the space. Across the noise.
I glanced sideways.
Keifer was watching.
Not the stage.
Me.
His eyes narrowed just slightly.
When the song ended, the applause was immediate.
Loud. Earnest.
Yuri stood, bowed briefly, and walked off.
Straight toward me.
He stopped in front of me, breathing steady.
"Well?" he asked softly. "How was it?"
I smiled. "It was beautiful."
Relief crossed his face instantly.
"Really?"
"Yes," I said. "You didn't need anything else."
He nodded, almost shy.
"Thank you," he murmured.
Then he walked away.
I turned—and nearly collided with Keifer.
"You noticed," he said quietly.
I tilted my head. "Not everything is about you."
"No," he replied. "But that was about you."
I didn't deny it.
---
NIGHT PATROL — 1:07 A.M.
By night, the campus felt unfamiliar.
Empty stalls. Muted lights. Shadows stretching too long.
Keifer and I were paired.
Again.
We walked in silence at first, boots crunching softly against gravel.
The clock on my phone read 1:07 a.m.
That's when it hit.
The quiet.
Not peaceful.
Watchful.
My steps slowed without me meaning to.
Keifer noticed instantly.
"You okay?" he asked.
I nodded. "Yeah."
A lie.
I hugged my jacket closer and—without thinking—started humming.
Soft. Low.
"Ikaw ang miss universe ng buhay ko…"
Keifer glanced at me. "What's that?"
I blinked, realizing what I was doing.
"…A song," I said.
He waited.
I sighed. "It reminds me of my parents. They used to play it when things got loud."
Keifer's steps slowed to match mine.
"Oh."
We walked like that for a while.
No pressure. No teasing.
Just the hum and the night air.
"You don't get scared easily," he said after a bit.
"I get scared," I replied. "I just don't run."
He nodded like he understood that deeply.
By the time the patrol ended, the fear had faded.
Replaced by something steadier.
Day Three ended not with applause—
But with quiet understanding.
And somehow, that felt heavier.
JAY'S POV — FESTIVAL DAY 4
Day Four arrived louder than the others.
Amplifiers. Drums being tested. Voices shouting sound checks across the field.
Battle of the Bands.
By noon, the energy had shifted—less casual, more charged. People weren't just wandering anymore; they were waiting.
Backstage, Section E looked… ready.
Keifer was different today.
Not tense. Not restless.
Focused.
He rolled his shoulders once, adjusted the mic stand, then glanced at Yuri, who was tuning his guitar with methodical calm. Blaster checked his bass. Felix hovered near the keyboard, fingers tapping softly. Edrix spun a drumstick between his hands.
They looked like a unit.
I stayed near the side, arms folded, telling myself—This is just another event. Another box checked.
Nothing more.
The announcer's voice boomed.
"Next up—Section E!"
Cheers rose. Louder than I expected.
Keifer stepped forward first.
The lights hit.
The first chord rang out.
And my breath caught.
I knew that progression.
My chest tightened before my mind caught up.
Ikaw ang miss universe ng buhay ko.
My song.
Not acoustic. Not soft.
Reworked.
Electric guitar carrying the melody, bass steady underneath, drums slow but sure. When Keifer opened his mouth and started singing, the words landed heavier than they ever had.
Not because of the crowd.
Because of him.
My fingers curled slightly at my sides.
This wasn't part of the plan.
It's just a song, I told myself.
It's performance. Nothing more. Nothing less.
But my body didn't listen.
Memories surfaced uninvited—late nights, quiet conversations, shared looks that lasted a second too long. The way he stood between chaos and control like it was instinct. The way the night patrol had gone quiet without feeling empty.
I felt it.
A flicker.
Unwanted.
Unplanned.
And when the chorus hit, I realized something worse.
I was smiling.
Not sharp. Not strategic.
Just… real.
The song ended to an explosion of applause.
People were shouting. Whistling. Chanting Section E's name like it belonged there.
They bowed together.
When they walked offstage, Yuri came straight to me.
"You liked it," he said, more statement than question.
I swallowed. "It was… unexpected."
He smiled gently. "We practiced last night."
I blinked. "All of you?"
Yuri nodded. "Keifer said it was your favorite song."
My chest tightened again.
"Thank you," I said quietly. "All of you."
Yuri's eyes softened. "He meant it."
Then Keifer appeared.
Close.
Too close.
Up close, the adrenaline hadn't worn off yet—his breathing still a little fast, eyes bright, hair slightly out of place.
"So," he said, voice lower than usual. "How was it?"
For the first time in a long while, words failed me.
I felt heat rise to my face.
Annoying. Unacceptable.
"It was… good," I managed.
He smiled.
Not smug. Not teasing.
Just… pleased.
"That's all I needed to hear."
I stepped back, needing space before my thoughts betrayed me.
The rest of the day blurred—congratulations, noise, laughter, exhaustion settling into bones that had done too much too fast.
By nightfall, the campus lights dimmed again.
Day Four ended without another confrontation.
Without a plan advancing.
Without control shifting.
And that scared me more than anything else.
Because for the first time since this festival began—
Something real had slipped through.
And I didn't know whether I wanted to stop it...