Jay Jay's POV
How much did he see?
That question had been haunting me ever since yesterday.
Not because Mark Keifer Watson looked scary.
No.
That wasn't the problem.
The problem was that he looked too calm.
And calm people noticed things.
Dangerous things.
Like bracelets.
Or awkward girls staring at them in cafeterias.
Or the fact that said awkward girl nearly dropped her spoon because he smiled.
Which, in my defense, was a biological reaction.
The man smiled.
Humanity suffered.
Including me.
"Miss Mariano."
I froze.
Mrs. Salonga's voice snapped me back to reality.
"Would you like to answer question number four?"
"..."
"..."
Noah whispered behind me.
"She's buffering."
The whole class laughed.
I immediately stood up.
"The answer is forty-two, ma'am."
Mrs. Salonga blinked.
"It is."
I sat down proudly.
Noah looked offended.
"Excuse me, why are smart people so annoying?"
Raf patted his shoulder.
"Because God nerfed them with social anxiety."
I kicked his chair.
Again.
During lunch break, Aileen was trying to save everyone's academic future.
Which was impossible.
Because Raf had somehow turned the study session into a funeral.
"Friends."
He stood dramatically on a chair.
"If I fail, bury me beside my answer sheets."
"No one wants haunted mathematics,"
Noah replied.
"That's rude."
"That's reality."
I couldn't help laughing.
Life had become strangely peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Mark's POV
Something was wrong.
The symbol.
The bracelet.
And her.
The moment I saw it, I recognized something.
Not completely.
But enough to know it wasn't ordinary.
Yet when I looked at Jay Jay…
She was just…
Jay Jay.
The same girl who blushed whenever people looked at her.
The same girl who laughed quietly at her friends' nonsense.
The same girl who somehow made my days noisier.
And better.
Lucas interrupted my thoughts.
"You've been staring."
I ignored him.
"You know," he continued, "normal people blink."
"I'm blinking."
"Twice an hour."
Selene nearly laughed.
Which was terrifying.
Because Selene never laughed.
After classes, mentoring sessions officially began.
The entire Class 8-A looked at me like I was either their savior or their executioner.
Probably both.
"Good afternoon," I greeted.
"GOOD AFTERNOON, SENIOR!"
I nearly stepped back.
They sounded like soldiers.
Noah raised his hand.
"Senior, before we start, are emotional breakdowns allowed?"
"No."
"What about crying?"
"Also no."
"What about death?"
"Sit down."
"Fair."
Jay Jay sat near the window.
Quiet.
Writing notes.
Golden sunlight touched her hair.
And for some reason—
Something about that scene felt familiar.
Too familiar.
Like I'd seen it before.
But where?
"Senior Mark!"
Raf's voice shattered my concentration.
"What?"
"Question."
"Ask."
"If hypothetically someone accidentally slept during the test—"
"Not hypothetical."
"—would they fail?"
"Yes."
Raf gasped dramatically.
"Academic discrimination!"
Jay Jay burst into laughter.
Actual laughter.
Not the shy smile she usually wore.
Not the quiet chuckle.
Real laughter.
And suddenly—
Everyone stopped.
Because she looked beautiful.
Even she froze.
Embarrassed.
Cute.
Dangerously cute.
And then—
The bracelet glowed.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
This time clearly.
My eyes widened.
Impossible.
No.
That symbol belonged to—
No.
It couldn't.
Jay Jay's POV
I felt it again.
Warm.
The bracelet.
Not now.
Please.
Not here.
Not in front of him.
I quickly covered it.
But I saw something strange.
Mark's expression.
Fear.
Confusion.
Recognition.
For the first time—
Mark Keifer Watson looked afraid.
And somehow…
That frightened me more than the bracelet itself.
Outside Holy Saint Academy…
A black car stood beneath the shadows.
Hidden.
Watching.
Inside sat a man dressed in black.
Silver eyes.
Cold expression.
He slowly lowered a photograph.
My photograph.
Jasper Jean Mariano.
His lips curved slightly.
"So…"
"We finally found you."
And beside him—
An ancient symbol glowed crimson.
The same symbol hidden beneath my bracelet.
Far away…
Deep inside the Watson Estate.
Mark's father stood in front of an old painting.
His eyes narrowed.
"No…"
"It can't be."
"The Mariano bloodline should have disappeared years ago."
Thunder echoed outside.
And for the first time in many years—
Fear crossed his face.
Because if the symbol had truly awakened…
Then the war that had slept for generations…
Was about to begin.