Jay's POV
The security gate slowly disappeared behind us.
I turned back one last time.
On the other side of the glass wall, everyone was still standing there.
Keiren was waving both hands over his head like we might somehow miss him.
Honey laughed and waved back.
Grace adjusted Grazel on her shoulder while Denzel stood beside them with a gentle smile.
Keigan gave us a small nod.
Krish lifted one hand in farewell.
And Eces...
She simply smiled.
A small one.
The kind only I would notice.
I placed my hand against the glass for a second.
She mirrored the gesture from the other side.
No words.
We didn't need any.
Then the crowd carried us forward.
The airport felt quieter after that.
Without Section E's constant conversations, everything suddenly seemed... slower.
Keifer wheeled both of our cabin suitcases while I walked beside him, still holding the itinerary folder.
I had opened it at least six times already.
He noticed.
"You know it won't change if you keep reading it."
"I know."
"So why are you checking again?"
I smiled sheepishly.
"Because I still can't believe we're actually going."
He laughed softly.
"I don't think it's fully sunk in for me either."
We reached our departure gate and found two empty seats beside the large glass windows.
Outside, airplanes taxied across the runway beneath the fading evening sky.
I rested my head lightly against his shoulder.
"It's quiet."
"For once."
"No Keiren."
"No Percy."
"No Honey yelling at Percy."
"No Aries making dramatic speeches."
He chuckled.
"It almost feels strange."
"It does."
For the first time in days...
There was only us.
A few minutes later, my phone vibrated.
Section E ❤️
The group chat had exploded.
Keiren: Don't enjoy Switzerland too much without us.
Honey: Ignore him. Enjoy everything.
Percy: Bring chocolates.
Aries: And photos. Professional photos.
Grace: Have a safe flight. ❤️
Eces: Boarding yet?
I smiled and quickly replied.
Me: Not yet. Miss you already.
Almost immediately...
Eces: Miss you too, Ate.
A second message followed.
Krish: Don't let Kuya forget your jacket if it's cold.
I looked at Keifer.
"They don't trust you."
He raised an eyebrow.
"They shouldn't."
I laughed.
"Passengers travelling to Zürich are requested to proceed for boarding..."
The announcement echoed across the terminal.
My heart skipped.
Keifer stood first before offering me his hand.
"Shall we?"
I slipped my hand into his.
"We shall."
The boarding bridge felt cooler than the terminal.
Every step somehow made the trip feel more real.
At the aircraft door, a smiling flight attendant welcomed us.
"Good evening. Congratulations on your honeymoon."
I froze again.
Keifer looked entirely too amused.
"We've been exposed."
I nudged his arm.
"It's embarrassing."
"It's adorable."
"It's embarrassing."
He only smiled wider.
Our seats were beside the window.
As soon as I settled in, I immediately claimed it.
"You wanted the window, didn't you?" he asked.
"I always do."
"I know."
He carefully placed our bags in the overhead compartment before sitting beside me.
A few minutes later, the cabin slowly filled with passengers.
Families.
Business travelers.
Children excited for their holidays.
A little girl across the aisle peeked at me curiously before hiding behind her mother's shoulder.
I smiled at her.
She smiled back shyly.
The cabin lights dimmed slightly as the safety demonstration began.
Outside, the runway lights stretched endlessly into the distance.
I took a slow breath.
"We're really leaving."
Keifer looked at me.
"Nervous?"
"A little."
"About flying?"
I shook my head.
"No."
"Then what?"
I looked down at our intertwined hands.
"I've never been to Switzerland."
"Neither have I."
"I've never seen snow."
His eyes softened.
"Then we'll see it together."
I smiled.
"Together."
He gently brushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
"That's the point."
The aircraft slowly pushed back from the gate.
The engines grew louder.
My heart beat just a little faster.
I instinctively tightened my grip on his hand.
He noticed immediately.
Without saying anything...
He turned his hand over and intertwined our fingers properly.
A silent reassurance.
"I'm here."
I looked out of the window.
The airport lights became a blur as the aircraft began moving toward the runway.
Somewhere behind us...
Section E was on another flight heading home.
Eces remained in India.
Krish had returned to his work.
And ahead of us...
Waited snow-covered mountains.
Quiet villages.
Parisian streets.
Seven unexpected days that had started as a mystery.
The aircraft paused at the end of the runway.
The engines roared.
I glanced at Keifer one last time.
He smiled.
"Ready for our first adventure as just us?"
I smiled back.
"More than ready."
A second later...
The aircraft raced forward into the night sky, carrying us toward Switzerland and the beginning of a honeymoon neither of us would ever forget.
Keifer's POV
The city lights disappeared beneath us.
Within minutes, India became nothing more than tiny clusters of golden lights scattered across the darkness.
Then even those were gone.
Only clouds remained.
Jay was still looking out of the window.
Her eyes reflected the faint glow from outside, completely captivated by the endless sea of white beneath the moonlight.
She looked like a child seeing something magical for the first time.
"Worth the window seat?" I asked.
She nodded without taking her eyes off the view.
"So worth it."
I smiled to myself.
There were moments when Jay forgot everything around her.
This was one of them.
No worries.
No responsibilities.
Just wonder.
After nearly ten minutes, she finally looked at me.
"Have you ever imagined we'd be doing this?"
I thought for a moment before answering.
"No."
She laughed softly.
"I used to dream about traveling."
"Just traveling?"
She tilted her head.
"...Maybe with someone."
"And?"
"I never imagined it would actually happen."
I reached over and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"I'm glad it did."
"So am I."
The seatbelt sign switched off.
Passengers began moving around the cabin.
Some stretched their legs.
Others queued for the washrooms.
A flight attendant approached our row with a warm smile.
"Congratulations once again on your honeymoon."
Jay covered her face for a second.
"They're never going to stop saying that, are they?"
The flight attendant laughed.
"I'm afraid not."
She handed us two glasses of fresh orange juice.
"A small complimentary welcome drink from the crew."
"Thank you," Jay replied politely.
The attendant smiled before moving on to the next passengers.
Jay looked at the glasses.
"Even the crew knows."
"They probably saw it in the booking."
She sighed dramatically.
"I'll never survive this trip."
"I think you'll survive."
"Barely."
A while later, dinner service began.
The aroma of warm food slowly filled the cabin.
The crew served everyone one by one.
Jay quietly examined everything on her tray before taking a careful bite.
"Mmm."
I looked over.
"Good?"
She nodded enthusiastically.
"Much better than I expected."
"You doubted airplane food."
"I absolutely did."
I laughed.
"You judge too quickly."
She pointed her fork at me.
"I learned from you."
"I've created a monster."
"You did."
By the time dinner was over, the cabin lights dimmed.
Most passengers lowered their window shades.
Some were already asleep.
The steady hum of the engines filled the silence.
Jay rested her head against the seat for a while.
Then, little by little...
She leaned toward me.
I didn't move.
A few seconds later, her head settled comfortably on my shoulder.
"Tired?" I asked quietly.
"A little."
"You should sleep."
"What about you?"
"I'll sleep later."
She frowned slightly.
"You always say that."
"And?"
"You actually need sleep too."
"I know."
She looked unconvinced.
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Satisfied, she relaxed again.
Within minutes, her breathing became slow and even.
Asleep.
I carefully adjusted the small airline blanket over her shoulders.
She unconsciously held onto my sleeve.
Even asleep.
That made me smile.
I looked out of the window again.
Above the clouds...
Everything looked peaceful.
Almost unreal.
For the first time in a long while...
There were no business meetings waiting.
No danger.
No Kaizer.
No plans to stop.
No one threatening the people I loved.
Just silence.
Just this journey.
I glanced back at Jay.
She looked comfortable in my hoodie, her hair falling slightly across her face.
Without waking her, I gently brushed it away.
She trusted me.
Completely.
Even after every mistake I had made.
Even after the pain.
Even after all the reasons she could have walked away.
She had stayed.
Not because life had been easy.
But because she chose us.
My hand found hers beneath the blanket.
I held it carefully.
Not tightly.
Just enough to remind myself she was here.
"I'll do better," I whispered so quietly that even I barely heard it.
She stirred slightly in her sleep.
Her fingers instinctively curled around mine.
A tiny unconscious response.
Yet somehow...
It felt like an answer.
Outside, dawn was still hours away.
Switzerland was waiting beyond the horizon.
Snow-covered mountains.
Quiet villages.
Days with no schedule except making memories together.
I leaned back into my seat, still holding her hand.
For the first time in years...
The future didn't feel uncertain.
It simply felt exciting.
And somewhere beyond the endless clouds, a new chapter of our story was already waiting.
Keagan's POV
The boarding announcement echoed through the terminal.
"Philippines-bound passengers may now proceed to Gate 12..."
One by one, all of us stood.
Suitcases rolled across the polished floor.
Honey was still reminding Percy not to lose his passport.
Keiren was somehow eating chips even after breakfast.
Grace carefully carried Grazel while Denzel stayed close beside them, making sure both she and the baby were comfortable.
The airport buzzed with travelers.
But my thoughts...
They weren't here.
They were somewhere else.
Someone else.
Eces.
The image of her standing beside the security gate replayed in my head.
Calm.
Collected.
Watching all of us leave.
She hadn't cried.
She hadn't made a dramatic goodbye.
She had simply smiled and told everyone to have a safe flight.
That was so... her.
Keiren bumped my shoulder.
"Kuya."
"Hm?"
"You've been quiet for an hour."
"I'm just tired."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Liar."
I looked at him.
"What?"
"You're thinking about Ate Eces."
I sighed.
"I wasn't."
"You literally looked back three times after we crossed security."
"...Did I?"
"You did."
Aries laughed from behind us.
"I counted four."
Great.
Apparently everyone had noticed.
After boarding the aircraft, everyone slowly settled into their seats.
Honey and Percy were across the aisle.
Grace, Denzel and Grazel sat a few rows ahead.
Aries and Ella immediately started looking through the photos they had taken during the trip.
Keiren ended up beside me.
Of course.
He buckled his seatbelt before looking sideways.
"So..."
"So?"
"How does it feel?"
I knew exactly what he meant.
"...Different."
He smiled.
"You finally told her."
I looked down at my hands.
"I didn't plan to."
"I know."
The aircraft slowly began pushing away from the gate.
Outside, the runway shimmered beneath the afternoon sun.
"I only confessed because I was jealous."
The words came out quieter than I expected.
Keiren didn't interrupt.
"I saw Krish beside her."
"I saw how comfortable they were."
"I thought..."
I stopped.
"You thought you were too late," Keiren finished gently.
I nodded.
"Yeah."
The plane began taxiing.
The engines grew louder.
I rested my head against the seat.
"I wasn't even angry at Krish."
"No?"
"No."
I smiled to myself.
"He wasn't trying to steal her."
"He was trying to make me admit what I'd been hiding."
Keiren chuckled.
"His plan worked."
"It did."
"I don't think I've ever confessed that badly."
Keiren laughed so hard that Honey turned around from two rows ahead.
"What happened?"
"Nothing!"
He immediately straightened.
Honey gave him a suspicious look before facing forward again.
The aircraft lifted into the sky.
New Chandigarh slowly disappeared beneath the clouds.
I looked out of the window.
Everything suddenly felt... quieter.
For years, I had convinced myself that what I felt for Eces was admiration.
Respect.
Nothing more.
Then jealousy happened.
One conversation.
One misunderstanding.
One moment where I thought I might lose someone I never even had.
And everything came crashing down.
I laughed softly to myself.
"What?"
Keiren asked.
"I really confessed because I got jealous."
"So?"
"So it wasn't exactly smooth."
He shrugged.
"Maybe not."
"But it was honest."
That made me think.
Honest.
It really had been.
No rehearsed speech.
No perfect timing.
Just the truth.
I remembered what she had said afterward.
"Trial stage continues."
Not yes.
Not no.
A chance.
A chance to prove myself.
To be consistent.
To become someone worthy of standing beside her.
Not because she needed someone.
Because she chose someone.
That difference mattered.
A lot.
The cabin lights dimmed slightly as the flight settled into cruising altitude.
Around us, conversations became quieter.
Some people already closed their eyes.
Keiren stretched.
"You know..."
"Hm?"
"I've never seen you smile this much."
"I've smiled before."
"Not like this."
I looked back out the window.
The clouds stretched endlessly beneath us.
For the first time...
The future didn't feel like a competition.
Krish wasn't someone I had to beat.
He had made that clear himself.
He had someone waiting for him.
And Eces...
She hadn't promised me anything.
Only an opportunity.
Some people would've been disappointed.
Some would've demanded an answer.
But strangely...
I wasn't.
Because this wasn't about winning her over in a single day.
It was about proving, little by little, that my confession hadn't been born only from jealousy.
That it could grow into something steady.
Something real.
I slipped my phone from my pocket.
Without overthinking, I opened our messages.
After staring at the screen for several seconds, I typed only three words.
"Travel safely, Eces."
A few moments later, before the phone switched to airplane mode completely, one reply appeared.
"You too."
Nothing more.
No hearts.
No promises.
Just two simple words.
Yet somehow...
I found myself smiling all over again.
Keiren glanced sideways and shook his head dramatically.
"There it is again."
"What?"
"That smile."
I looked out at the endless clouds.
Maybe he was right.
Maybe this wasn't the beginning of a relationship.
Maybe it was simply the beginning of becoming someone better.
And for the first time in a long time...
That felt like enough.
Third Person POV
The room was almost completely dark.
Only a single lamp glowed in one corner, its weak yellow light barely reaching the walls.
Silence.
Heavy.
Unsettling.
A man sat alone in an old wooden chair, his fingers rhythmically tapping the armrest as rain whispered against the window outside.
Then...
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
"So..." he murmured.
"I warned you, Kaizer."
His smile widened, though there was no amusement in it.
"I told you not to do anything reckless."
His eyes drifted toward the newspaper lying on the desk.
The headline spoke of Kaizer's death.
"What did your recklessness earn you?"
He leaned back slowly.
"Death."
Another pause.
"And not by a stranger..."
His voice became colder.
"But by the person who was once closest to you."
The room fell silent again.
He sighed softly before turning toward a monitor on the table.
Several tracking windows were open.
One blinked red.
Target Lost.
Connection Blocked.
Location Unavailable.
His jaw tightened.
"Switzerland..."
He muttered the word as though it annoyed him.
"Interesting."
A few quick keystrokes.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
He tried another route.
Still nothing.
His expression darkened.
"They've blocked every signal."
His fingers curled into a fist.
"No location."
"No surveillance."
"No data."
A humorless smile appeared.
"So you've finally started protecting her."
He stood and walked toward the large window overlooking the dark city.
"Jay is no longer in India."
A slow breath.
"And someone has made sure I can't reach her from Switzerland..."
He looked at another blinking notification.
"...or the Philippines."
Silence stretched across the room.
Then another thought crossed his mind.
"Eces..."
His eyes narrowed.
"You know."
Not a question.
A statement.
"And Krish knows too."
He turned away from the window.
For the first time since Kaizer's death...
His expression carried something almost resembling caution.
"They're looking."
His gaze slowly wandered across the room until it stopped at one wall.
A single framed photograph hung there.
Simple.
Elegant.
A woman.
Around thirty years old.
Beautiful.
She wore a gentle smile frozen in time.
No name.
No explanation.
Nothing to reveal who she was.
The man stared at the photograph for several long seconds.
Then...
Without warning...
Crash.
The frame slipped from the nail.
Glass shattered across the wooden floor.
The room echoed with the sound.
The man looked down.
His expression didn't change.
Not even slightly.
"...Interesting."
---
Far away from the place , there stood a mansion.
The mansion was quiet.
Most of its lights had already been switched off.
The guests had left.
The house that had been filled with laughter now rested in silence.
Only one room remained lit.
The study.
Krish stood beside the large window, looking out into the empty driveway.
Behind him, Eces sat comfortably on the sofa, one ankle resting over the other, a folder lying unopened on the table between them.
Neither spoke for a long time.
The silence wasn't awkward.
It was familiar.
Finally, Krish broke it.
"We need to find the person."
Eces didn't answer immediately.
Krish turned toward her.
"We're running out of time."
Still nothing.
He took a slow breath.
"BS is getting ahead of us."
Before he could continue...
Eces calmly interrupted.
"I know."
Krish frowned.
"I know who BS is."
The room became completely still.
Krish stared at her.
For the first time in days...
His composed expression cracked.
"...What?"
Eces met his eyes without hesitation.
There wasn't even the slightest trace of uncertainty.
"I know who BS is."
Krish searched her face, trying to determine whether she was guessing.
She wasn't.
"You've known this whole time?"
"I confirmed it recently."
"And you didn't tell me?"
"I needed proof."
Krish exhaled sharply, processing the revelation.
"So all this time..."
Eces nodded once.
"I wasn't looking for BS."
A brief silence followed.
Then she finished quietly,
"I was making sure I was right."
Krish lowered his gaze.
The weight of those words settled heavily between them.
Outside, the night remained calm.
Inside...
Everything had just changed.
To be continued...
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Next chapter Target : 4 COMMENTS ....
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I am too disappointed, maybe I am not writing that well that's why I am not getting enough comments.
So please just let me know if I need improvement or the story is going good..