**Jay Jay's POV**

I'm tired now, I've had enough. I need to escape my own thoughts at this moment. Without thinking, I bite down hard on the wounded part of my arm, feeling the flesh tear. The blood flows into my mouth, and the pain intensifies. I can't take it anymore, so I drag myself to the door, exhausted, and collapse onto the floor. A loud bang, the door opens. The entire Section E stares at me, dumbfounded.

Jay: "Help me. It hurts so much."

Keifer immediately rushes over to hug me and gently kisses my forehead.

Keifer: "I'm here. I'm sorry. You'll be fine. We'll get through this together."

The rest of the group quietly starts cleaning up the animal carcasses. As for Josh, he glares at Edy and then notices the name tag of one of Section D's members lying on the floor.

Josh: "Daniel Frank? This guy's Mykel's underling. He killed Edy and was one of the ones who kidnapped Jay here."

The others look at Josh as if they know this person. Only I'm confused by the name.

Yuri: "Get him out here."

Then, Section E left to track down Mykel and Daniel. Only Keifer and I were left behind.

Keifer: "Tamana Jay. Tamana. I'm here for you."

(Stop it, Jay. Stop it. I'm here with you.)

Keifer: "Let's go."

He lifts me up, but quickly sets me back down when he sees my bloodied arm hanging limp. The pain... it's heavy, unbearable.

Keifer: "Damn it. I'm gonna chop Mykel's legs off."

He rummages through the cupboard. Since this is Section E's old dorm, everything here is familiar to him. He pulls out medical supplies—bandages, red ointment, tons of first-aid stuff—and begins dressing my wounds. He plans to take me back to class, but I shake my head and cling to him.

Keifer: "Jay Jay, trust me. I will make him regret it."

(Trust me, Jay Jay. I'll make him regret it.)

Not long after, the rest of Section E returns, Eren and Eman holding Daniel tightly. I've regained some composure and ask him.

Jay: "Why did you do this to me?"

Daniel stays silent, so Keifer rushes over and starts punching him.

Keifer: "You damn bastard, I told you to answer."

Daniel stays quiet until Keifer picks up his phone and starts dialing. Yuri nods at him to proceed.

Yuri: "This is Hanamitchi Yuri. I want to inform you that our family is pulling out all its shares and halting any upcoming projects with Mr. Fontain Frank (Daniel's father)."

Keifer: "I'm Mark Keifer Watson. I want to let you know that the Watson Group is canceling all meetings and contract signings with the Fontain Frank family."

Both hang up, then look at Daniel, who's being beaten by Section E.

Keifer: "If you don't speak, we'll cancel the contract. You should remember who I am—I'm Keifer Watson."

At that moment, Daniel finally speaks up.

Daniel: "It's because of Mykel. He paid me to kidnap Jay and kill animals in front of her. He told me to do it fast, to break Jay by making her witness Mykel killing animals. I'm not sure what his goal was."

Keifer looks at Yuri with a confused expression. Yuri just tells Edrix and Rory to keep an eye on Mykel's every move. I don't believe Daniel's words, so I cover my ears and shake my head, crying again. Keifer immediately comes over to comfort me and picks me up. After that, he takes out his phone and seems to be about to call Aries. I grab his hand as if asking what he's doing.

Keifer: "You should go rest. I'll handle everything here."

Jay: "No, I'm worried about everyone. I want to handle it with Section E and you."

Keifer: "But you're not okay. Look at your arm—it's hurt."

Jay: "I'm fine."

Keifer sighs but agrees to let me stay, on the condition that I stay behind him at all times. When we go back, Mykel is already there, glaring at me. I remember what he did earlier, and I'm terrified. I take a step back, clutching Keifer's shirt tightly.

The Ulupong quickly release Mykel and nod to Keifer. These people are really hard to understand. What are they hiding from me? I'm anxious and worried, not knowing what they'll do next. Eventually, Sir Alvin finds out and reports to Kuya Angelo. Mykel remains silent after being released by the Ulupong. Perhaps everyone knows why he's acting this way, but I don't.

I can't sleep, so I text David.

Message to: David 
"Are you asleep?"

From: David 
"No. What do you need?"

Message to: David 
"You guys are hiding something from me about Mykel, right? Why is he targeting me?"

From: David 
"You shouldn't know right now, Jay. At some point, I'll tell you, okay?"

This is the answer I get? I want to know right now! But no matter how much I ask, no one will tell me a thing. The Ulupong have already conspired together. I need a reason, though. So frustrating. Fine, I'll stay mad at all of you until you tell me. And that "Poisonous Snake King"—don't think I'll let him go. Tomorrow, don't even think about touching a hair on my head.

I feel like smashing the phone Percy gave me in frustration, but then I realize if I break it, I won't have a way to contact the evil Ulupong and their "King" anymore. He'd definitely lose his mind and storm into my room. He's terrifying when angry. He's hit people for no reason just because they interacted with me. I don't understand why I still love him this much.

12:00 AM. Already midnight? I should sleep, but as soon as I lie down, my stomach growls from hunger. I clearly ate enough at dinner... did I eat more than usual? Or is my stomach a bottomless pit? Maybe it's just because I'm mad at David's non-answer, which made me hungry. I'm too beautiful to get fat.

I knock on Aries' door. When he opens it, I see him staring at a photo of Mykel with him from when they first joined HVIS. I stand there frozen. He looks at my bandaged arm and then softens his face, becoming gentle. He must have just been "reading fortunes" for a client, so today he's unusually kind. Normally, this kind of gentleness wouldn't happen.

We look at each other. He asks:

Aries: "What do you need, Jay?"

Jay: "I-I'm hungry. I-I just wanted to ask you to go get something to eat...?"

I lower my face when I say it. Honestly, I'm scared of his attitude. I know he's being gentle with me, trying to control his anger, but it only makes me more afraid. He's never restrained his anger by being gentle with anyone, and no one has ever done that either.

Aries: "Wanna go to the convenience store with me?"

Jay: "Y-Yeah, let's go quickly. Kuya Angelo will—"

I stammer, like a child learning to talk. I'm still worried about Aries and Section E. What are they hiding from me?

Aries: "Hurry up. Stop mumbling."

Finally, the "Ghost" returns to his usual self when he gets annoyed, flicking my head when he sees me standing there, head lowered.

Jay: "Hey! Who told you to flick my head?"

I ask, even though I feel a bit relieved that he's still okay, but I'm still angry. He flicked my head hard. I wish he'd lose his hands and voice, Aries. After a while, we return with a lot of late-night snacks—our usual midnight snack. We eat and talk, and I ask:

Jay: "Do you know that Mom moved out and has been living in her own house for a while?"

Aries: "Yeah." That's it? Just "Yeah"?

Jay: "Aren't you worried?"

Aries: "No, she can handle it. I'm not surprised by this anymore."

This insensitive jerk? That's how he responds about his own mother?

Jay: "And...?"

Before I can finish, he looks at me while holding a piece of Haribo candy.

Jay: "I-I think..."

My throat tightens. I want to ask why Mykel is intentionally targeting me. I've been hurt before, but I've never seen animal killings. Why did Mykel choose this method?

Aries: "I know what you're about to ask, but it's best if you don't know. Now clean up the stuff you bought and go back to your room. Let me sleep."

How did he know? Oh right, "Fortune Teller," "Astrology," "Ghost"—that's his title. I don't need him anymore. I'll find out the truth myself. The Ulupong and my "brother" are conspiring to hide the truth from me. I clean up the snack wrappers and head to my room, going to bed with frustration, unsatisfied by his answer.