CHAPTER 61
NOTHING WAS THE SAME
TWO MONTHS INTO THE HOLIDAYS
The school was still closed.
Their vacation was supposed to last around three to four months, and only two months had passed so far.
So nobody was expecting to return to classes anytime soon.
They were still enjoying their time with their families, staying at home, traveling, doing whatever they wanted.
But then, one morning, the Section E group received a message from the school.
School Administration:
Dear Students, your examination results are now available. Please come to school on Monday to receive and check your results.
That was it.
No marks were mentioned.
No rankings.
Nothing.
Just one simple instruction.
Come to school on Monday and check your results.
And somehow, that one message was enough to bring everyone back together for a day.
---
YURI'S NEW HOUSE
Yuri had been spending most of his time with his family.
After getting his mother and little sister back, he had decided to buy a separate house for them.
It wasn't some massive mansion.
It was comfortable, peaceful, and private.
Exactly what he wanted.
His little sister had already made herself completely comfortable there.
His mother loved the quiet environment.
And Yuri?
He loved seeing them happy.
That morning, he was sitting at the dining table when his phone buzzed.
He opened the school message.
He read it once.
Then again.
His mother looked at him.
"What is it?"
"Results."
"Oh."
Yuri smiled.
"I have to go to school Monday."
His little sister immediately looked up.
"Are you going back to school?"
"Just for the results."
She nodded seriously.
"Then come back quickly."
Yuri chuckled.
"I will."
He looked around the house.
For once, he wasn't worried about anything else.
He just wanted to enjoy this time with his family.
---
PERCY
Percy was having his own quiet morning when his father's call came.
He answered.
"Hello?"
"Percy, come to New York."
Percy frowned.
"Now?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I need you here."
Percy stayed quiet for a moment.
His father wasn't the kind of person who called him to New York without a reason.
"Okay."
"Good. I'll see you soon."
The call ended.
Percy packed his things.
Before leaving, he looked at his phone.
The school results were coming.
He would probably have to miss seeing everyone that day.
He sighed.
"Of course."
Then he left for New York.
---
FERNANDEZ MANSION
Jay was staying at Fernandez Mansion.
Her own mansion was still hers, of course, but she wasn't constantly there.
Sometimes she went there during the day.
Sometimes she handled things there.
But she wasn't disappearing there every night.
Right now, she was sitting comfortably in the living room.
Aries was there too.
He looked at her for a moment.
"You've been quiet."
Jay looked up from her phone.
"Have I?"
"Yes."
Aries leaned back.
"Something's bothering you."
Jay gave him a small smirk.
"Maybe."
"Jay."
"What?"
"Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"That thing where you clearly know something and pretend you don't."
Jay looked at him.
For a few seconds, she said nothing.
Then she smiled faintly.
"I know something is going on."
Aries's expression changed.
"What?"
"I don't know everything yet."
She put her phone down.
"But something is moving."
"Do you think it's Lucien?"
Jay's smirk returned.
"I think we're about to find out."
Aries stared at her.
"You're not worried?"
Jay shook her head.
"No."
"Why?"
She leaned back.
"Because whatever they're planning…"
Her eyes sharpened.
"…I'm already two steps ahead."
Aries sighed.
"You're impossible."
Jay smiled.
"And you're still protective."
"Someone has to be."
---
MONDAY
Monday finally came.
The school was still officially on vacation.
The campus wasn't operating like a normal school day.
Students were only coming in to collect and check their examination results.
One by one, Section E students started arriving.
No uniforms.
No formal clothes.
Just comfortable clothes they had worn from home.
Yuri arrived from his new house.
David came in complaining about waking up early.
C-N arrived looking completely prepared, as usual.
The others slowly gathered.
Then Jay arrived.
She looked around.
It had been a while since they had all been together.
Not because they had fought.
Not because they had stopped being friends.
Life had simply moved everyone in different directions.
And then—
Kiefer arrived.
He stopped when he saw her.
Jay looked at him.
Neither of them spoke immediately.
The others noticed.
Of course they did.
After everything that had happened between them, seeing each other again felt different.
Not dramatic.
Not loud.
Just…
different.
Kiefer finally spoke.
"Hey."
Jay answered quietly.
"Hey."
That was all.
But even those two words carried everything neither of them was saying.
---
THE RESULTS
The school staff began handing out the results.
Everyone checked theirs one by one.
Yuri looked at his paper.
98%.
He nodded.
"Good."
David looked over.
"Good?! That's a 98!"
Yuri smiled.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Celebrate!"
Yuri chuckled.
Then C-N checked his.
He stared at the result.
100%.
David immediately looked at him.
"Of course."
C-N adjusted his paper.
"What?"
Everyone started teasing him.
Then Jay checked hers.
She looked down.
99.5%.
She smiled slightly.
Not surprised.
She had expected a high score.
Kiefer checked his next.
98%.
He looked at it for a second.
Then folded the paper.
Jay's eyes briefly met his.
Another silence.
Neither looked away immediately this time.
Then Kiefer moved his gaze.
---
THE RETURN
They were still standing together when a familiar voice came from behind Jay.
"Hey, Jay."
Jay turned.
Her expression changed immediately.
Kaia.
Behind her were Zara, Milan, Elara, Riven, and Sienna.
Jay stared at them for a second.
Then—
she smiled.
"Hey."
Kaia smiled.
"How are you?"
"Good."
Zara nodded.
"It's been a long time."
"Yeah."
Milan looked around.
"So this is where you've been spending all your time?"
Jay smiled.
"Pretty much."
Elara looked at the Section E students.
"They're the famous ones?"
Jay laughed softly.
"Don't call them famous."
Riven looked at David.
"Don't worry. We won't."
David raised an eyebrow.
"Should I be offended?"
Sienna smiled.
"No."
There was no awkward introduction.
No dramatic entrance.
No strange behavior.
Just six old friends finally seeing Jay again.
And with Jay, they were completely different.
They were comfortable.
Playful.
Childish.
Familiar.
They didn't need to act serious around her.
Jay looked at them and shook her head.
"You haven't changed."
Kaia smiled.
"Neither have you."
---
THE PRIVATE ROOM
Later, Jay took them somewhere private.
The seven commanders were already there.
Jay closed the door.
The atmosphere immediately became serious.
She looked at everyone.
Then she began explaining.
Everything she had noticed.
The strange movements.
The information she had received.
The things that didn't make sense.
The connections she had been quietly watching.
Her six friends listened carefully.
The commanders listened too.
Jay didn't leave anything important out.
When she finished, silence filled the room.
Zara finally spoke.
"So something is happening."
Jay nodded.
"Yes."
Milan looked at her.
"And you already knew?"
Jay smirked.
"I suspected."
Riven raised an eyebrow.
"And now?"
Jay leaned back.
"Now I know enough."
Kaia smiled faintly.
"Still two steps ahead."
Jay looked at her.
"Always."
---
SOMEWHERE ELSE
Yuri was back at his new house with his family.
Percy had reached New York.
Aries was still keeping an eye on things.
Kiefer was still thinking.
And somewhere far away—
people were moving pieces into position.
Yuri's family.
Kiefer's family.
Clyde.
And Lucien.
There were connections between them.
But nobody had confirmed the entire picture yet.
Not Kiefer.
Not Yuri.
Not Percy.
Not anyone outside Jay and her commanders.
And Jay wasn't going to reveal it.
Not yet.
---
KIEFER
Later that evening, Kiefer stood alone.
The result was in his room.
The day was over.
But his thoughts weren't.
He remembered Jay's face.
The way she looked at him.
The way she avoided certain questions.
The Shadow League situation.
The timing.
Everything.
He looked toward the window.
"I know you're hiding something, Jay."
His voice was quiet.
Certain.
He paused.
"And I'm going to find it."
His expression hardened slightly.
"Whether you like it or not."
Because whatever Jay was keeping from him—
Kiefer wasn't going to stop looking.
◇◇◇
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Okayyy, THIS is much more like the timeline. 🖤
The school is still closed.
They're only two months into their 3–4 month vacation, and the students only come to school because the administration tells them to come and check their results.
No one knew the marks beforehand.
Jay got 99.5%.
Kiefer got 98%.
Yuri got 98%.
C-N got 100%.
And the others find out their marks one by one.
Yuri is living in his new house with his mother and little sister.
Percy gets called to New York by his father.
Jay is still normally staying at Fernandez Mansion, with only occasional daytime visits to her own mansion.
And then…
SECTION E SEES EACH OTHER AGAIN.
Especially Jay and Kiefer.
Nothing dramatic happened.
But the feelings were still there.
And the atmosphere?
Definitely not the same anymore.
Then Jay's six old friends finally come back.
With everyone else, they're guarded.
With Jay?
They're the same childish, friendly people she remembers.
And behind all of this…
Jay already knows something is fishy.
She just has that little smirk because she knows what's coming.
She is already two steps ahead.
And Kiefer?
He's officially decided:
"I know you're hiding something, Jay. And I'm going to find it, whether you like it or not." 🖤