a song of ice and fire // jakehoon

een en dertig ;

Jake found it odd how everyone had split up after the formalities — the mothers were on the main bedroom's balcony, sharing wine as they chatted. The fathers sat in the living room, watching the TV as they spoke occasionally. Hyuna and Yeji warmed up to one another immediately, and it didn't take long for Jake to figure out that Yeji was of warmth, unlike her brother and parents.

Jake and Sunghoon seperated to Jake's room, both sitting on the window sill with intertwined hands. Their legs dangled outside, joining the gentle autumn breeze of Gangwon Province. They could smell the sea this afternoon, as the breeze arrived from the ocean's direction. The sky bared no sunlight, reflecting Jake's worries.

"I don't think they like me," Jake muttered. "It's probably because they don't like that you're dating a boy."

"No, don't say that — they wouldn't waste time meeting your parents if they were homophobic or something like that," Sunghoon muttered, putting his hand on Jake's cheek to gently push his head onto his shoulder. "They're… warming up to you, if I can say it like that. I'm sure the warmth of your family is affecting them, and they're getting warmer themselves."

"But still, I'm allowed to be worried," Jake muttered with a soft sigh. "What if they won't let us stay together? What if they take you away from me? They definitely want you to continue ice skating, and y-you should listen to them, they're your parents."

"Ah, Jake, I'm done with skating for good," Sunghoon sighed. "I'm permanently injured. I'm not going to do things that will potentially harm myself so that I can no longer see you." Sunghoon was smiling confidently, while Jake still seemed shy. "I'd never leave someone so pretty. I'd never let you be without me."

"I'm not pretty, stop that."

"You're the prettiest boy I've ever seen." Sunghoon smiled, turning his head slightly to kiss Jake's forehead. The Australian boy sighed softly, rubbing his soulmate's hand gently with his thumb. "Listen, Jakey… we won't be seperated, I swear. I'm sure your parents will do some convincing as well. My parents are generally terrible people considering me, so don't worry about them not liking you."

"But we're one at this point — whatever happens to you will most likely affect me as well," Jake muttered with a heavy sigh. "Our lives just started together. It can't end here."

"It won't — we'll be together forever," Sunghoon smiled. "You'll get through your health issues, I'll get through arguing with my parents, and we'll always be happy hereafter. I swear on it, I won't leave you."

Jake sighed softly, letting go of Sunghoon's hand shakily. "Our future together isn't guaranteed at all. All we can do is try our best to stay together for as long as possible."

"Well, God dammit, Jake, put some effort into that, then." Sunghoon was frowning as he turned to Jake. "Jake, I seriously love you. I want our future to be guaranteed. I want nothing more than to be with you forever. I need to see the same dedication from you as well."

"There's nothing more I want than for us to be together," Jake said quickly. "But with my bealth problems and your parents, there's no telling what will pull us apart." He had tears in his eyes, but they remained stagnant, like a puddle of water after heavy rainfall. "No one loves you more than I do, Sunghoon. You think I want to let you go? Not without a fight. We're madly in love, and we'll stay madly in love. Because we're soulmates — right?"

Sunghoon eyed the tears in Jake's eyes and drew a sharp breath before gently putting a hand to his cheek and pressing their lips together. Jake's tears fell immediately, dripping down his cheeks simultaneously. Some seconds passed before Sunghoon pulled away, pushing Jake's hair behind his ear with the same hand that was against his cheek.

"I won't let them take me away — we're meant to be, and that's that," he said softly. "I love you too much to just leave at their word. You're my sweet Prince of Gangwon Province, and you'll stay mine forever."

Jake nodded, putting his head on Sunghoon's shoulder as he wiped his tears. "I don't want to ever be without you, Sunghoon."

They both hoped the universe would stay in their favour.

•

"You met your soulmate already?"

Hyuna was smiling proudly as Yeji drew the comb through her hair. "Yep — no more than a few days ago, actually. His name is Jay — his father was from America. Goodness, he's so handsome."

"Do you have a photo of him?" Yeji asked, using the scrunchie on her wrist to bunch Hyuna's hair together in a ponytail. Hyuna nodded, unlocking her phone and going straight into her gallery. Hyuna showed one of his selfies and Yeji outwardly cooed. "Aw, you two look so cute together!"

"I'm so happy to be with him," Hyuna sighed happily. "We have a date soon, anyways. He's currently working with his grandfather on his farm, and I love country boys. They're always so kind and gentle — he's a little off from that description, but he's still the sweetest. I'm older than him, though — almost 3 years."

"Oh, that's a bit of a gap," Yeji hummed, "but there's a 6-year gap between my parents." Hyuna hummed in response, scrolling through some other selfies on her phone of herself and her soulmate. "Are… are Jake oppa and Sunghoon happy together?"

"They're only ever with each other with Sunghoon is here," Hyuna chuckled, locking her phone again. She thanked Yeji for the ponytail and turned to face her again. "If anything, they're the most accurate portrayal of soulmates I've seen thus far. They're crazy in love, and it's honestly sweet."

"My parents are trying to sell the manor, so Sunghoon oppa might have to come back to Seoul," Yeji told her. "Oppa isn't happy at all about it, and I think they're reconsidering, actually, seeing was Sunghoon is much happier here. He's more fragile than he seems, and it would break him mentally and emotionally if he was taken from here."

Hyuna looked down at her hands in thought. "Jake and Sunghoon can't be seperated. Jake needs him right now. I've never seen Jake this happy either. They were simply made for one another. If Sunghoon leaves… Jake just might not live at the end of this all."

Yeji wondered what Hyuna meant, but she'd soon find out why Jake and Sunghoon were so attached to one another.