--: Author's POV: --
The moon hung like a silver sickle over the Bangkok skyline, its light bleeding through the sheer curtains of the master suite. Inside, the world felt suspended in amber. The only sound was the rhythmic hiss-click of Keifer's IV pump, a mechanical heartbeat that filled the silence of the penthouse.
In the armchair, Jay Jay's eyes snapped open at exactly 2:00 AM. She didn't wake up slowly; she woke up like a soldier hearing a distant alarm. Her body felt like it was made of lead, but her mind was a razor. She checked the bed—Keifer was still deep in a healing sleep, his breathing steady. Keiran and Keigan were curled into his sides like small anchors. Satisfied that they was safe, she stood up. She had made a threat to the rest of the house, and she was a girl of her word.
--: Jay Jay's POV: --
I moved like a ghost. I didn't wear slippers; I didn't want the sound of soles hitting the floor to give me away. I slipped out of the room, the heavy door clicking shut behind me.
The long hallway was a tunnel of shadows. Most of the household was truly out—I could hear the heavy, genuine rhythm of sleep coming from the rooms where the girls and the rest of Section E were staying. I walked to their wing first. I eased their doors open just an inch, peering into the darkness. I saw Gorya and Kaning tangled in their blankets, their faces finally relaxed. I saw the rest of the boys and the girls from the unit sprawled across their beds, completely surrendered to exhaustion.
A small knot of tension in my chest loosened. They were safe. Seeing them like this was the only thing that made me feel like I was finally making up for the last few days.
But as I moved toward the main wing, I felt the "active" energy. They were still awake.
I reached Kuya Angelo and Aries's door first. I pressed my ear to the wood and heard the hushed, urgent whisper of my brothers.
"I'm telling you, Kuya, let's go back to sleep," Aries muttered. "If she catches us out there, she's going to lose it."
"I just want to make sure she isn't sitting there blaming herself, and crying" Kuya whispered back. "Just one peek—"
I didn't knock. I just turned the handle and pushed the door open an inch. "I told you I was checking," I said into the darkness, my voice a sharp, cool blade.
The silence was instant. Thud. I heard the sound of Kuya Angelo basically diving back onto his mattress. Within seconds, the room was filled with the loudest, fake "snoring" I had ever heard. I pulled the door shut.
Next was Percy and Yuri. I heard the low mumble of their voices. I tapped on the door with a rhythmic, warning cadence. Tap. Tap-tap. The mumbling died. A muffled "Ow!" followed as someone hit their shin in their rush to get under the covers.
Finally, the F4. In Ren and Thyme's room, a sliver of light showed under the door. I didn't even wait. I kicked the bottom of the wood once—thud. The light flickered off instantly. I did the same at MJ and Kavin's door. I heard MJ's quiet "Shh!" before they, too, went silent.
"I'm going to check again in an hour," I called out softly to the hallway. "If I see a single light or hear a voice... I meant what I said about shutting you out."
--: Author's POV: --
3:00 AM.
True to her word, Jay Jay did the rounds again. This time, the silence was different. The "pretend" snoring had turned into real, heavy breathing. Even the eight leaders had finally been claimed by their fatigue.
Jay Jay returned to the suite for the final time. She slumped into the armchair, wrapping her blanket tightly around her. She meant to stay awake. She really did. But the safety of the house finally broke her. By 4:00 AM, her eyes slipped shut, her hand hanging off the armrest.
--: Keifer's POV: --
I woke up as the darkness was just beginning to thin. My mind was clear, the "fog" of the collapse finally gone. I felt the heat of my brothers beside me, but my eyes drifted to the chair. Jay Jay was there, slumped at an angle that looked painful.
I reached up and carefully unhooked the tape from my arm. The IV bag was empty. I moved with the precision of a shadow, sliding out of bed. I walked over to the chair. I didn't know about her rounds, but I saw the exhaustion etched into her face. I didn't want her waking up alone in that chair.
--: Author's POV: --
Keifer didn't say a word. He slid one arm behind her back and the other under her knees. She didn't bolt awake; she simply leaned her head into the hollow of his neck and let out a long sigh of relief.
"Keifer..." she murmured..
"I've got you, Jay," he whispered back.
--: Keifer's POV: -
I carried her to the bed. I laid her down and then climbed in, turning on my side to face her. The moment I was close enough, she buried her face in my chest, hugging me with a desperate, tight grip. I pulled her closer, my arm winding around her to lock her in place. I felt the pull of my own exhaustion returning, but this time, it was peaceful.
--: Author's POV: --
Morning light began to filter through the curtains, painting the room in soft gold. Outside in the hallway, Angelo, Aries, Percy, Yuri, and the F4 gathered. They looked a little tired, but the frantic panic of the previous night had settled into a quiet calm now that they had finally gotten some rest.
They shared a silent look before Angelo slowly reached for the handle. They expected to find Jay Jay in the chair, but when the door creaked open, the sight before them made all eight of them stop dead.
The bed was a tangle of limbs and blankets. They were all still deeply asleep, finally resting.
Keifer was lying on his side, his back to the door, protectively curled around Jay Jay. Jay Jay was tucked securely against his chest, her arms wrapped tightly around him. Pressed against Jay Jay's back was Keiran, his arms looped around her waist, anchoring her from the other side. Behind Keifer, Keigan was curled up tightly, hugging Keifer's back.
It was a chain of protection—a circle of four people who refused to let go.
Kavin moved first, but not to wake them. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, his movements practiced and silent. He framed the shot—the golden light hitting the bed, the way the four of them looked like one single unit. Click. He looked at the screen, a genuine smile tugging at his lips, before showing it to the others. Angelo exhaled a breath he felt like he'd been holding for a week.
They didn't say a word. They didn't want to break the first real peace this room had seen in days. Angelo slowly pulled the door shut, leaving the four of them to the quiet, golden morning.