THIRD PERSON POV...
Keifer's jaw tightened. He was the leader of the "Kings," the boss of the sandbox, and yet this girl with the messy pigtails was treating him like a footstool.
"I'm not 'Grumpy'," Keifer huffed, though his face remained a stubborn shade of crimson"And you're in the way of our secret meeting.".
Jay-jay didn't even look at him. She was busy unscrewing the lid of her jar just a crack, watching a single firefly crawl toward the rim."Secret meetings are boring," she chirped."Besides, Yuri likes my fireflies. Right, Yuri?"
Yuri, usually the quietest of the bunch, nodded so fast he nearly lost his balance. "They're like tiny stars,"he whispered, his eyes fixed on the glowing jar.
Aries and Percy exchanged a look. They were supposed to be Keifer's "squad," but the lure of the glowing bugs was too strong.
They climbed up a level closer, leaving Keifer standing alone on the highest bar like a captain on a sinking ship.
"Hey! Don't listen to her," Keifer commanded, but his voice lacked its usual authority.
He looked down at Jay-jay. She was humming a soft tune, completely unfazed by his glare.
Up close, the smudge of dirt on her nose made her look like a tiny .
Suddenly, Jay-jay looked up, her big eyes locking onto his."If you're gonna stand there and pout, you're gonna miss the best part."
"The best part of what?" Keifer asked, his curiosity finally winning over his pride.
"The release," she whispered.
She stood up on the narrow bar, showing off a sense of balance that even Keifer envied.
With a flourish, she opened the jar wide. A dozen tiny lights spiraled upward into the purple evening sky.
For a moment, the world felt quiet. The boys watched in silence as the fireflies danced around them, momentarily turning the old playground into a magical kingdom.
Keifer felt something strange in his chest—a flutter that had nothing to do with the bugs. He looked at Jay-jay, who was laughing as one firefly landed on her pigtail.
"Fine," Keifer muttered, though a tiny, reluctant smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "You can stay. But only because Yuri likes the bugs."
Jay-jay grinned, reaching out and poking his cheek."Sure, Grumpy. Whatever helps you sleep at night."
From that day on, the "Kings" realized their squad was missing something. They didn't know it yet, but they had just met their Mutya—and Keifer had just met the girl who would give him a headache (and a heartbeat) for years to come.