Jay's POV
Darkness didn't disappear all at once.
It peeled away slowly.
Like fog lifting from water.
My body felt heavy.
My head felt… far away.
Then I felt it.
Dry.
My throat was painfully dry.
I tried to swallow.
It hurt.
My eyelids fluttered open.
White ceiling.
Soft hospital light.
The steady beep… beep… beep of a monitor.
I turned my head slightly.
The room was dim.
Chairs pushed close together.
Everyone was asleep.
David slouched in a chair, arms crossed.
Ciel leaning on Yuri's shoulder.
Endrix half on the couch.
Felix sitting with his head back against the wall.
Percy near the window.
Dad.
Aunty Gemma.
Ella beside Aries.
They stayed.
They all stayed.
My chest felt warm.
I tried to speak.
Nothing came out.
Water.
There was a glass on the small table beside my bed.
I slowly lifted my hand.
Pain shot up my arm.
I winced.
Still reached.
My fingers barely brushed the edge.
Just a little more.
The glass tipped.
Then—
CRASH.
It shattered on the floor.
Everyone jerked awake.
Chairs scraping.
"Jay!"
"Are you okay?!"
"Careful!"
Voices surrounded me.
Too many at once.
My head spun.
"I'm… okay…" I tried.
It came out as air.
Ci-n rushed forward and hugged me gently.
"You scared us!" she whispered, her voice shaking.
I tried to smile.
It probably looked weak.
I looked around the room.
Faces.
Familiar.
Relieved.
Tired.
But one face was missing.
Where is he?
My eyes searched again.
Not there.
Endrix suddenly looked down.
"There's glass on the floor," he said quickly. "Calix, take the class outside and get a new one."
Class.
He meant glass.
Calix nodded and carefully guided some of them back so they wouldn't step on the shards.
I swallowed painfully again.
I needed to know.
"Yu… ri…"
My voice barely reached him.
But he heard.
He immediately leaned down beside me.
"I'm here."
"W… where… k… kei… fer…"
The name felt heavy on my tongue.
Yuri's expression softened.
"He's resting," he said calmly. "He'll wake up very soon."
Resting?
Why does that sound wrong?
I tried to sit up slightly.
Pain flared at my back.
I hissed quietly.
"Don't move too much," Yuri said.
"Is… everyone… safe?"
The room fell silent for half a second.
Yuri answered carefully.
"Out of 100%… 10 didn't make it."
My chest tightened.
"60% got hurt."
My fingers curled slightly.
"30% were safe."
I closed my eyes.
Ten.
Ten families.
Ten empty chairs.
I nodded slowly.
At least… most survived.
Calix returned with a new glass.
And the doctor.
The doctor smiled when he saw my eyes open.
"Well, look at you," he said gently. "Back from your adventure."
Adventure.
That's one way to call it.
He checked my pulse.
Looked at my bandages.
Asked me to move my fingers.
My toes.
Shined a small light into my eyes.
"You're fine," he said finally. "Just rest. Minor injuries. Your back has a light impact bruise, and your leg and hand wounds need healing. No internal damage."
Aunty Gemma nodded in relief.
"Thank you, doctor."
After a few more instructions, he left.
The room felt lighter.
I slowly pointed at the glass of water.
Aunty Gemma noticed immediately.
"Oh sweetheart."
She carefully helped me sit up a little.
The water touched my lips.
Cool.
Refreshing.
It felt like life returning.
I drank slowly.
Every swallow easing the burning in my throat.
"There," she said softly. "Better?"
I nodded.
After a moment, Aunty Gemma turned to everyone else.
"Go home. Change. Rest. You all look like ghosts."
They hesitated.
But she was right.
One by one, they said goodnight.
Ci-n squeezed my hand.
Yuri gave me a long look before leaving.
Dad brushed my hair back gently before stepping out.
Soon, the room became quiet.
Just me.
And Aunty Gemma.
We talked softly for a while.
About nothing important.
Just… normal things.
It felt strange after everything.
Then—
The door opened.
I turned my head.
And there he was.
Keifer.
He looked like he hadn't slept in hours.
Hair messy.
Eyes tired.
But alive.
The moment he saw my eyes open, he didn't walk.
He ran.
He reached my bed and leaned in, wrapping his arms around me carefully.
Not tight.
Just enough.
"You're awake," he breathed.
His voice cracked slightly.
"I am," I whispered.
Aunty Gemma stood up.
"Are you okay?" she asked him.
"Yeah," he nodded. "I'm good."
He didn't look good.
But he tried.
Aunty Gemma smiled gently.
"Go home. Change. Come back."
"I'll stay a little longer," he said quietly.
She studied him for a second.
Then nodded.
"I'll give you two some space."
She stepped out.
The room became still.
Keifer sat on the edge of my bed.
His hand found mine.
Held it.
Warm.
Steady.
His thumb brushed over my knuckles carefully, avoiding the bandage.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
The machines beeped softly.
The night outside the window was calm.
So different from earlier.
"I thought…" he started, then stopped.
I looked at him.
"You thought what?"
He shook his head slightly.
"Nothing."
His grip tightened just a little.
I watched him.
He's different.
Something changed.
Not just fear.
Something deeper.
"I'm okay," I whispered.
He looked at me.
Really looked.
"I know," he said softly.
But he didn't let go of my hand.
Not even for a second.
End of Chapter 77. 🤍