✓ BETS & BROKEN HEARTS | JAY

6 - Little Duck Keychain

Things became a mess in school. It seemed like everyone had an opinion about what had happened between Jay and Yongsun who appeared to be the chairman's son. Some said Jay was going to be expelled, or even face legal consequences for his actions. Others believed that the school administration would sweep the incident under the rug to avoid tarnishing the reputation of the school.

Social media platforms became battlegrounds for debates and arguments. Hashtags related to the incident trended, and students, alumni, and even outsiders started making memes, posts, and videos, adding a surreal layer to the chaos, and turning a serious matter into a bizarre spectacle.

It had been a week since Jay had gone to school, and no one knew about his whereabouts or well-being. Rumors had spread like wildfire, with some suggesting that he had been placed under house arrest, while others claimed he had transferred to a different school.

"You okay?" Areum walked to Y/N who sat in class, staring out the window. "You've been quiet lately."

"I just feel bad for Jay." She whispered, looking at her fidgeting fingers. "He might have made a mistake, but it's like people forgot that he's a person too, with feelings and struggles. No one is talking about how Yongsun spoke about his mother." 

Areum nodded empathetically, leaning against the desk. "I heard she passed away when Jay was young. He lives with his father and I'm sure it's not so nice. His father is the CEO of Park Hotel Group and he's known to be quite strict and demanding. Now that this happened, he must be in deep shit with his father."

"Do you think we can do anything? I mean we can visit him or something, I don't know." Y/N suggested, genuinely concerned. Jay might be the school's bad boy, he might be annoying as fuck and the worst self-centered jerk but he was still a human being who deserved understanding. 

So, Y/N asked Sunghoon about Jay's address so that she could perhaps visit him. "He doesn't answer the phone nor let anyone in. But you can try." He smiled a little, feeling bad for the bet that he was aware of. "I have a feeling he'll appreciate knowing that you care."

And on a quiet Saturday afternoon, Y/N found herself standing in front of Jay's house. She took a deep breath, clutching her bag in her hands before she rang the doorbell and waited anxiously. After what felt like an eternity, the door cracked open, revealing a wide-eyed Jay, panting as if he ran a marathon. "Why... uh, what's going on?" He asked, his words slightly breathless.

"You've been skipping classes for the whole week," She muttered, looking around. "I just wanted to check on you. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm... I'm fine. Just wasn't expecting anyone, least of all you." He sighed heavily, running his fingers through his hair. "You can come in if you'd like."

Y/N stepped inside, and Jay closed the door behind her. As she glanced around the living room, she noticed a pile of crumpled papers on the coffee table and a stack of untouched textbooks. "Looks like you've been going through a tough time."

"Yeah, something like that." Jay's shoulders slumped slightly. "I'm supposed to write an apology letter when I'm not sorry at all. It's just ridiculous. And my dad's been breathing down my neck about it- I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm telling you this but I haven't talked to anyone for the past two days. I'm going crazy."

His gaze met hers and he paused when she offered a sympathetic smile. "It's okay, I understand. Sometimes, it helps to talk about what's bothering you."

"I never thought I'd be spilling my guts to you of all people." He let out a humorless chuckle. "Why are you even here? I thought I snapped at you the other day." 

"I still care about how you're doing. You apologized once, you might as well apologize twice," She said and he shook his head in disbelief. "Besides, I realized that everyone is blaming you for something Yongsun is the one to blame for. It's unfair that people are ignoring that part of the story."

His jaw clenched and he darted his gaze somewhere else, temporarily lost in thought. "I never expected anyone to see it that way. After all, I'm not exactly someone people would defend. Be honest, would you defend someone like me?"

Y/N held his gaze, her expression serious but gentle. The Jay standing in front of her was far from the facade he often projected. He was vulnerable, struggling, and searching for some understanding. "Yes, Jay, I would defend you." She knew that even the typical bad boy image he projected couldn't completely define him. People were multifaceted, and there was always more to a person than met the eye.

"Why? You barely know me and you've heard the rumors and gossip." He stood there, studying her as if he was trying to decipher the truth behind her words.

"I know, but I also believe in second chances." She sat down on the couch, holding a piece of paper with Jay's handwriting on it. "Rumors and gossip only tell a small part of someone's story. We need to know the whole story."

"Even if I've done things that deserve the reputation I have?" He continued to study her, his eyes searching for any signs of insincerity.

"Everyone makes mistakes. It's part of being human." She smiled and his gaze softened, letting out a quiet sigh as his shoulders seemed to relax slightly.

"You're not like anyone I've ever met." He sat down, still looking a bit bewildered by her presence. 

Y/N leaned forward, her eyes locking onto his. "Maybe that's a good thing." Jay's lips twitched in a faint, almost imperceptible smile at her words. "Here. I brought you a little gift to cheer you up." She reached into her bag and pulled out a keychain. It had a little duck with a knife in its mouth and for the first time in days, a genuine chuckle escaped Jay's lips.

He took the keychain from her, turning it over in his hands. "You really came all this way just to give me a keychain?" She nodded, his eyes lingering on her for a moment. "No one had ever gone out of their way for me like this before. I don't understand why you're being nice to me."

"There's nothing to understand," She shrugged lightly. "Now let's write this apology letter you can't bring yourself to write."

Jay hesitated for a moment, his gaze searching hers. "You'd really do that?"

"Of course. I can be very dramatic and I can write, isn't that what you need now?" She sat down on the rug and grabbed the pen from the table before handing it to him. "Come on. You don't want to be expelled from school, do you?" 

"Sunshine, if I get expelled, it wouldn't be the end of the world." He shook his head as he sat down beside her, staring at the empty sheet of paper in front of him. "I mean, it isn't exactly my favorite spot on Earth."

"I think you'll regret it." She flashed him a sarcastic smile before she tapped his arm, urging him to focus on the letter. He sighed, his fingers tapping the pen against the paper absentmindedly. Then he started writing the first few words of the letter, but before he knew it, Y/N hit his arm, making him stop. "Hey, none of that half-hearted scribbling. This is your future we're crafting here. Pour your heart into it."

"Dear Yongsun, the satisfaction I felt when I punched you in the fucking jaw is still vivid in my memory and I don't have any fucks to give. I'm not sorry at all and I hope I broke your nose." He muttered, making her let out a mock gasp. "What? This is me pouring my heart into it."

The two of them spent the evening writing the letter and joking about Yongsun having to wear a nose cast while the little duck in the keychain watched them, perched on the table. It was hard to stay serious with that thing staring at them, and that might be exactly what they needed.