YOUR FIRE

The First Look

The restaurant was louder than it needed to be.

Mostly because of Aries.

“I’m telling you,” Aries said dramatically, pointing his fork like he was in a courtroom, “if she laughs at your joke, she likes you.”

Keifer didn’t even look up from his drink. “She laughed because you tripped over a chair.”

Percy snorted. “To be fair, that was pretty funny.”

Yuri just shook his head, already used to the chaos at their table.

Keifer leaned back in his chair, only half paying attention. Nights like this were normal — Aries being loud, Percy adding fuel to the fire, Yuri pretending he wasn’t involved.

Nothing new.

Nothing interesting.

Until the restaurant door opened.

It wasn’t dramatic.

No music shift. No slow motion.

But Keifer noticed.

A group of girls walked in, talking over each other, clearly comfortable in their own little world. Right in the middle of them was someone he didn’t recognize.

And for some reason—

His eyes stayed there.

“Bro,” Percy said slowly, “why did you just go quiet?”

Aries followed Keifer’s line of sight and immediately grinned. “Ohhh. I see.”

Yuri glanced over once, then raised a brow. “You’re staring.”

“I’m not,” Keifer said calmly.

He was.

Across the restaurant, Jay slid into her seat between Mica and Ella, still smiling from whatever Freya had just said. Rakki was already reaching for the menu like this was a serious mission.

“I’m starving,” Mica groaned. “If this place is slow, I’m actually going to cry.”

Freya leaned toward Jay. “Why did you suddenly stop talking?”

Jay blinked.

She hadn’t meant to look across the room.

She really hadn’t.

But something pulled her attention anyway.

And there he was.

A guy sitting with three friends who were very obviously too loud for public spaces. He wasn’t laughing as much as they were — just watching them with this calm, slightly amused expression.

Like he was used to the chaos.

Like nothing really bothered him.

Jay frowned slightly.

“…Why does he look so confident?” she muttered under her breath.

Ella perked up immediately. “Who?”

Jay quickly looked down at the table. “No one.”

Too late.

Mica was already turning in her seat. “Window table?”

Freya gasped softly. “Ohhh. Him?”

Rakki finally glanced up from the menu. “…He looks annoying.”

Jay exhaled quietly.

“Exactly,” she said.

Across the room, Aries was barely containing himself.

“She looked over here,” he whisper-yelled.

Keifer stayed calm. “People look around restaurants. It’s normal.”

Percy leaned back, studying him. “You noticed though.”

Yuri added mildly, “You definitely noticed.”

Keifer didn’t respond.

Because he had.

Against his better judgment, his gaze flickered back across the room.

And—

Jay was already looking at him.

Their eyes met.

One second.

Two.

Three.

Jay’s expression didn’t soften.

If anything… her eyes narrowed slightly.

Keifer blinked once.

Oh.

That was new.

Most girls either looked away quickly or smiled.

She did neither.

Instead, Jay calmly picked up her drink — without breaking eye contact — and took a slow sip.

Like she wasn’t impressed.

Like she wasn’t interested.

Like she’d already decided something about him.

Aries leaned closer. “Why does she look like she’s judging you?”

Percy grinned. “Because she is.”

Yuri’s lips twitched. “This might be the first time someone hasn’t immediately liked you.”

Keifer finally looked away, resting his elbow on the table.

“…She doesn’t even know me,” he said.

But for some reason—

He looked back again.

Across the restaurant, Jay caught the movement.

And this time—

She looked away first.

But not before muttering quietly:

“…Annoying.”

Mica leaned in instantly. “Oh, you’re already irritated. That was fast.”

Jay grabbed the menu. “I just don’t like his vibe.”

Freya covered her smile. “You’ve seen him for thirty seconds.”

“Exactly,” Jay said.

Back at the boys’ table, Percy smirked.

“So,” he said lightly, “you made an enemy already?”

Keifer’s gaze drifted back across the room one more time.

Jay was pretending very hard not to look their way.

His lips curved slightly.

Not warm.

Not friendly.

Interested.

“…Maybe,” he murmured.