Jay barely had time to breathe.
Keifer's hand was already at her waist.
Warm.
Familiar.
Dangerous.
"Keifer…" she whispered, more like a warning to herself than to him.
He leaned in anyway.
Their lips met.
Not soft.
Not careful.
Like something they had been denying for far too long finally broke free.
Jay's back hit the wall.
His palm pressed into her waist, holding her there.
"You shouldn't…" she murmured against his mouth.
"I know," he answered.
And kissed her again.
Longer.
Deeper.
Her fingers slid into his hair before she even realized she was doing it.
For one small, selfish second, the whole world was only this.
Then—
The door flew open.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
The voice sliced through the room.
Jay jerked back.
Keifer didn't.
His forehead rested against hers for a breath longer than it should have.
Then he slowly turned.
A girl stood in the doorway.
Rina.
Her eyes were wide.
Red already.
Her chest was rising fast, like she had run all the way here.
She looked at Jay.
At Keifer's hand still holding Jay's waist.
At their swollen lips.
"Keifer…?" she whispered.
He didn't move.
Didn't pull his hand away.
Didn't rush to her.
Jay felt the blood drain from her face.
"Rina…" he said quietly.
Not rushed.
Not panicked.
Just… flat.
"You told me you were staying at the office tonight," she said.
Her voice trembled badly.
He nodded once.
"I was."
Jay's breath caught.
Rina laughed weakly.
"So you bring your work into empty rooms now?"
Silence.
Keifer didn't answer.
Jay finally stepped away from him.
His hand dropped only because she moved.
"I—I'm sorry," Jay said without looking at either of them.
Rina's eyes snapped to her.
For a moment, anger flashed there.
Sharp.
Hot.
Then it collapsed into something broken.
"You're her," she whispered.
Jay froze.
Rina turned slowly back to Keifer.
"You promised me," she said.
Her voice cracked completely now.
"You promised you were done with her."
Jay's heart slammed painfully in her chest.
Keifer's jaw tightened.
He didn't deny it.
Didn't confirm it either.
He just stood there.
Rina stepped inside the room.
Slow.
Careful.
Like every step hurt.
"Was I really that stupid?" she asked.
He finally spoke.
"I tried to be normal with you."
Jay flinched.
Normal.
Rina stared at him.
"So that's what I was?" she whispered.
"A replacement for something you couldn't have?"
Keifer looked away.
That was enough of an answer.
Tears spilled down her cheeks.
But her voice suddenly hardened.
"You didn't even push her away."
He didn't reply.
"You didn't even pretend."
Silence.
Heavy.
Humiliating.
Rina looked at Jay again.
This time, not angry.
Just tired.
"I hope you know what you're getting into."
Jay's lips parted.
No words came out.
Rina turned back to Keifer.
Her shoulders squared.
"I loved you," she said simply.
He closed his eyes for a brief second.
But still… he didn't move.
Didn't reach for her.
Didn't say her name.
Rina nodded to herself.
A small, broken nod.
"Of course."
She walked past him.
Straight to the door.
She paused only once.
"You're cruel," she said quietly.
Then she left.
The door slammed behind her.
The room fell dead silent.
Jay stood stiffly near the wall.
Her heartbeat was loud in her ears.
Keifer didn't look at the door.
Not even once.
He turned to Jay.
Slow.
Unbothered.
Almost calm.
That frightened her more than his anger ever could.
"Keifer…" she whispered.
Her hands were shaking.
"She was your girlfriend."
He walked toward her.
Each step slow.
Certain.
"They were words," he said.
Her breath hitched.
"What…?"
"You're real."
He reached her.
Jay instinctively backed up until the wall stopped her.
"You didn't even try to explain to her," she said.
Her voice cracked.
He lifted his hand and closed his fingers around her wrist.
Not tight.
Not gentle.
Possessive.
"There was nothing to explain."
"Keifer…"
He pulled her closer.
Her body collided softly into his.
Her palm pressed against his chest.
She could feel his heartbeat.
Fast.
Steady.
Decided.
"This isn't right," she whispered.
His gaze dropped to her lips.
"I didn't say it was."
Then he kissed her.
Hard.
Immediate.
Unapologetic.
Like the scene at the door had never happened.
Jay gasped against his mouth.
"Keifer—"
His hand slid up to the back of her neck, holding her there.
Not letting her go.
Not asking.
For a second, her body betrayed her.
She kissed him back.
And the moment she did, he deepened it.
Like he had been waiting for that tiny surrender.
Her fingers curled into his shirt again.
Her heart hurt.
Her head was spinning.
Jay pushed against his chest.
"Stop…"
He broke the kiss only because she forced space between them.
Their foreheads brushed.
His breath was uneven.
Low.
"She doesn't matter anymore."
Jay's eyes widened.
"That's not fair…"
He cut her off with a short kiss.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Dangerous.
When he pulled back, his thumb brushed her jaw.
Soft.
Almost tender.
"You're the only thing I've been trying not to choose."
Jay swallowed hard.
And in that terrifying, quiet moment…
She understood something clearly.
Rina's anger didn't touch him.
Her pain didn't reach him.
Her leaving didn't slow him down.
Because the second Rina walked out of the room…
Keifer had already chosen.
And it was her.