Jayjay's POV
Andrew's uncle's restaurant smelled like fried food, warm spices, and the kind of comfort you only notice when you're exhausted.
By the time I walked in, my body still felt weak, my head light, but at least I wasn't shivering anymore. The bell above the door chimed softly, and the first thing I saw was Ci-N, already seated, with Yuri, Ciel, and Endrix around him.
They all turned at the same time.
Silence.
Then Endrix leaned back in his chair and grinned.
"Wow. You look like you survived a tragic romance novel."
Ciel tilted her head, eyes scanning me. "Pale," she said honestly. Then smiled. "But still pretty."
Yuri added, "Sick pretty. Very concerning. Very aesthetic."
I rolled my eyes. "Thank you. I feel like a ghost with a headache."
They laughed, and just like that, the heaviness in my chest loosened a little 🤍
We ordered quickly. Nothing fancy. Fries, drinks, snacks Andrew had clearly already dropped off before disappearing again. When the food came, none of us touched it immediately.
Ci-N pulled out his phone.
"Okay," he said, serious now. "Let's look."
I unlocked my phone too, sliding it across the table so we could all see. The screen filled with photo after photo.
So many.
I sighed. "Do you know how annoying it is to have this many pictures of people you didn't ask for?"
Ci-N blinked. "This is more than my camera roll. And I take pictures of the ceiling."
Ciel scrolled. "These were taken over months," she murmured. "Whoever did this was patient."
Five minutes passed. Just swiping. Zooming. Complaining.
Then Ci-N suddenly stopped.
"Wait."
We all leaned in.
"There," he said, zooming in. "Behind jay."
I squinted.
Behind me, slightly blurred but unmistakable, was a framed family photo hanging on the wall.
My breath caught. "That's it. That's the one we saw at her house."
The man in the frame stood stiffly beside her family. Tall. Sharp jaw. Familiar eyes.
Endrix pulled out his laptop instantly, connecting it to Ci-N's phone. The image appeared larger, clearer.
We stared.
"…Why does he look like someone important?" Ciel asked slowly.
Yuri frowned. "Important or annoying?"
Endrix snapped his fingers. "Wait. What if he's an actor?"
Ci-N shook his head. "No way. He doesn't have actor vibes."
"Politician?" Yuri guessed.
I snorted. "Please no."
Endrix leaned closer. "What about a retired football coach?"
Ciel laughed. "From where? Mars?"
Andrew chose that exact moment to return, dropping more snacks on the table. He glanced at the screen.
"Oh," he said confidently. "That's definitely a magician."
We all turned to him.
"A magician?" I repeated.
Andrew nodded seriously. "Look at his eyes. He looks like he disappears coins."
Ci-N burst out laughing. Even Yuri cracked a smile 😂
"Okay," I said, wiping my eyes. "Clearly guessing isn't working."
I leaned forward. "What if we hide the rest of the picture? Just focus on his face."
Ci-N's eyes lit up. "Masking."
Endrix was already on it, using his laptop. He cropped. Masked everything except the man's face.
We stared again.
Something shifted.
The jokes faded.
Ciel's smile slowly dropped. "He looks… familiar."
Yuri leaned back, arms crossed. "I've seen that face before. I just don't know where."
My chest tightened. "Same."
Andrew leaned in again. "Still magician though."
"Andrew," Ci-N said calmly, "please sit."
But even with the jokes, the feeling was undeniable.
This man wasn't random.
And whoever wanted me to see those pictures… wanted this face to be found.
I looked down at my untouched fries.
The rain had stopped.
But the storm had only changed direction 🌫️