𝙲𝚘𝚜𝚖𝚘𝚜|JakeHoon

☆40☆

Closing the door behind him gently, Jake leaves his spacious apartment to start a brand new day. This time, he makes sure to keep a wide smile on. Walking down the hallway felt weird, there was no Ms. Gonzales he greets every morning before he drives off to work.

As he entered the elevator, Jake made sure to press the button that leads him to the first floor. He patiently waited as the lift slowly descended, feeling it shake a bit made him feel nauseous. Jake always thought about what horrible things could happen on the elevator and have always preferred using the stairs, he laughs it off.

It was one of the days were he'd wake up smiling to himself on the mirror and eagerly take his time to prepare. Though he indeed missed having small talk with his tenant.

Inserting his hand on his right pocket, he hastily took the keys out and shuffled a bit on the car's door. After being successful on opening it he entered and closed the door shut. Instantly inserting the key once again on the ignition and putting the gear stick on neutral he stopped for a second to put the seat belt on and buckle up.

The songs motivated Jake to feel jolly despite the traffic that was about to meet him. He still has an hour to spend in the middle of a long line, Jake can wait. He taps on his stirring wheel to the beat of the song. Today's going to be a good day, he thinks to himself.

☆

"Ohh, finally." Jake grins as his car moved forward, he was still in the same spot he was in 30 minutes ago. A couple of songs had already been played on the radio and a lot of drivers have already been pressing their hands against the stirring wheel, releasing loud-ass beeps from their cars, much to Jake's dissatisfaction.

He realized people might have different reactions to traffic and different tolerance of emotions, especially patience. Well, good thing he got a boyfriend who taught him to wait despite how long it burns you out.

Once he reached the part of the road where it is completely free and no cars were close to him in front, he presses hard on the accelerator and the car moves speedily. It was fast that Jake only sees everything pass beside him blurry and this puts a smile on his face.

A rush of adrenaline slithering through his spine, this was a favorite that he does when driving to work, everything that comes along would be greater., that's what he thinks.

☆

"Happy as usual, Jake" Heeseung greets him from the entrance. He was holding a cup of coffee on his right hand while his left hand went to pat Jake's back.

Jake laughs in return. "Of course." They then exchange more information about yet again another mission meant for Jake. Still, nervousness lingered his mind. That he can't deny. Walking to his office, he sits himself on the usual chair.

Before he started typing, he looked at the picture frame beside his desktop. It was his birthday when they went to watch the meteor shower. Speaking of a new mission, he remembered the first mission he had lead.

A couple of reports have been told by crew at the Mission Control have been reported to Jake who was keeping a monitor of the space shuttle.

"Sir, I have detected an irregularity at the Maintenance System of the shuttle."

"Tell me." Jake anxiously speaks. It has been the 5th report of a problem in the shuttle 'Aurora'. Three were detected in the Mechanical System while the remaining two were from the Maintenance.

"Flight Captain Park Sunghoon, what is the status inside the shuttle." Jake speaks through the mic, he sees the crew through the screen. It surprised him how none of them seemed to be in distress. Sunghoon's eyes were focused on the front, upon hearing Jake's request, he checks on the controls.

"Our cargo bay doors have been opened. I'm afraid we are unable to close them right now. The liquid oxygen tank appeared to have a hole, possibly from the pressure of our current speed as we reach down the earth. Shuttle 'Aurora' is at the initial speed of 18,257 miles per hour."

Jake has his breath caught on his throat. The shuttle is going down abnormally fast. The worse thing is that he can't do anything about it but hope they make it out. "I want any irregularities immediately reported with complete details."

A couple of seconds had passed and more reports are coming in. The shuttle went a thousand miles faster. It was the time both Jake and Sunghoon finally realized. They simultaneously looked at each other through the large screen.

For the first time, Jake saw a new emotion on his boyfriend's eyes. Fear.

Right after their eye contact, the screen went black. Everything went silent. "Communications?" Jake asks the crew assigned for the communication between them and the astronauts. Nothing came up.

"Sir, we have lost intel with the space shuttle 'Aurora.'" Someone from the Communications Crew speaks up.

"Keep trying, please." Jake tries with desperation of hearing from them. This can't be happening. He never thought about this happening, it was all just going well.

A full five minutes have passed between them. No one uttered a word, they were only shaking their heads all thinking of the same thing. 'Aurora' is gone. So is everyone inside.

Someone from outside the Mission Control enters the room, she was holding the telephone. "Sir, multiple calls have been coming in."

"What is it? About what?"

"It might have been a space shuttle crashing. People have called 911 and every single one claimed they saw it."

He felt like crying, like vomiting even. Jake's breathe shakes, it pained him to tell this but. "Lock the doors." With his remaining strength, he manages to command.

"All data and transcript are to be compiled and given to the authorities for an initial report. Not single one of those shall make it's way outside." After telling instructions, Jake leans his hand on the table in front him.

He feels Heeseung's hand on his back. Every part of his body just went numb.

Those eyes full of fear were the last things Jake saw of Sunghoon.

. . .

Jake is able to control himself from shedding tears. He reminisces the final transcript they were able to construct from the astronauts. It was from Sunghoon, for him.

"Just look up."

When he felt lonely, he remembers those words. Yes, he looks up the sky. He sees the beautiful horizon along with what's above them. Afterwards, Jake again feels free and comforted. All those matter above them, the dazzling objects that mesmerize him; they were all a witness of a love story Jake never thought he'd experienced.

Just look up and you'll see a whole another world. The Cosmos.

☆END☆