The Boy From The Bridge - Jakehoon

Chapter 37: The Dangerous Sheep 4/7

Sunghoon felt a flush of anger overcome him. He couldn't believe what he just saw. One of the players who had been having a running battle with Jake during the game had hit him, knocking Jake to the ground. Sunghoon moved to go onto the pitch but felt something pulling him back. Jungkook's hand was fixed on his shoulder. "Easy Sunghoon - don't go making this worse..." the instruction was drowned out by a roar from the surrounding crowd. Sunghoon and Jungkook turned their eyes from each other to the pitch.

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"Jaeyun - Jaeyun?" A voice called softly to Jake as he roused. Blinking wearily his head felt weak. Before him was a peculiar sight, I giant anthropomorphic sheep. Jake was surprised, confused. Around the sheep, players from both team's tussled with one another.

"What in the...?" Jake begun to say, confused at the sight of the mascot and the surrounding anarchy.

"...Oh." The mascot made the sound in acknowledgment at how odd he must of  looked and promptly removed his head. A sweaty faced Jungwon appeared from beneath the costume.

"Jungwon?" Jake asked whist rubbing his head, "what... what happened?"

"Their player hit you and then..." Jungwon started to speak but Jake's eyes cut him off. Jungwon was stood adjacent to another prone person. It was the opposing team's right back, clutching his chest as if winded. Jake turned a confused face back to the sheep, "ah... well Jaeyun, you see... he hit you and I, sort of... hit him and then everyone started..."

"..Jake.... Jaeyun" Sunghoon raced onto the pitch, kneeling at the side of Jake. "Are you alright?" Jake felt Sunghoon grasp him to steady his balance. Sitting up Jake saw care in Sunghoon's eyes. There exists a pleasant warmth in being held by someone and there exists and even pleasanter feeling when you are being cared for.

"...Jungwon!" A voice shouted, "where did you learn how to do that?" The voice belonged to Jungkook who was emerging onto the pitch with Artemis. They came through the raucous crowd which had descended into a loud furore as the players fought one another across the pitch.

Before Jungwon could answer the referee arrived with a whistle blowing loudly. The referee had run over to them, where he immediately told Sunghoon and Jungkook to get off the pitch before brandishing a red card first at Jungwon and then at his victim.

Before long most of the players had received their marching orders and the game was ordered to be abandoned. This saddened Jake as it meant that the result of the match and their victory was voided. His dissatisfaction was only exaggerated by the painful feeling in his head. Jake sat on a bench staring at the now empty playing field. He sat with Sunghoon and Jungwon whist Jungwon's grandmother was getting told off for the actions of her grandson. 

Jungkook had insisted that they keep Jungwon company, before he promptly walked off to get some hot refreshments leaving them with the dog.

"Sorry about this" Jungwon spoke. The bench had being quiet as Jake had rebuffed Sunghoon's attempt at a conversation due to the swelling on his head making talking painful.

"Sorry about what? Hitting the guy? He was a jerk" Sunghoon said, trying to justify Jungwon's action to him.

"He was but I'm sorry that you're having to wait with me in the rain. You guys should go - you'll want to miss my grandmother scolding me"

"Don't be sorry, you protected Jaeyun so we'll protect you from you grandmother" They both smiled at Sunghoon's reassurance. Jake listened to them talk, Sunghoon wasn't keeping his affection towards him subtle. His persistent attendance at Jake's side was a touch obvious for someone who wanted to keep his crush a secret.

Jake mused on this, wondering how long Sunghoon did want to keep his feelings concealed. He wondered if there would be some big 'coming out' moment like one might see on the TV or in the Movies. Heeseung and Jay had both mentioned that Sunghoon liked the big gestures but that didn't match the Sunghoon who Jake knew. Perhaps the theatrical Sunghoon was just a facade, a version of Sunghoon that erects a facade by putting on a show when in reality the real Sunghoon is a lot more careful and considerate, preferring certainty over ceremony.

"Alright, four hot chocolates" Jungkook said when he returned to them, "and don't worry Yang, I've got a coffee for your grandmother. I'll talk to her afterwards, this'll be fine"

"Thank you" Jungwon said taking a cup, "but you don't have to do this"

"But I want to - you're my boy Jungwon, I can't let you be fed to the sharks." Jungkook said, standing in front of them as Sunghoon picked up two cups, one which he handed to Jake and one which  he kept for himself.

"How do you guys know each other anyway?" Sunghoon asked Jungkook, "'You and Jungwon, are you related?"

"NO!" Both Jungwon and Jungkook said in unison almost as if they were brothers.

"We share a hobby" Jungwon said.

"What hobby?" Sunghoon enquired.

"Nerd stuff. Nerd stuff  like you couldn't believe" Jake croaked from his end of the bench. 

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To Jake's surprise not only could Sunghoon imagine the hobby but he was keen to find out more. In what Jake had considered might be ploy to spend more time with him, Sunghoon had accompanied them the following day to the Shopping Centre where Jungkook and Jungwon played their game. This theory was nulled as Sunghoon spent all of his time at the edge of the table asking questions to Jungkook and Jungwon.

"Woah what's this?" Sunghoon would ask before receiving an answer that made no sense to Jake. Plastic toy soldiers are what kids play with Jake thought. Watching Jungkook, an adult, enjoy talking about said plastic toys almost as much as playing with them made Jake realise that if left to their own devises, men like Jungkook don't really grow up. 

"This guy's awesome" Sunghoon said, pointing at one of Jungkook's models.  A large mech figuring with a giant jetpack and four large guns was positioned stoically on the table. 

"That's his baby" Jungwon said with a laugh. 

"His baby?" Sunghoon asked.

"It's my Coldstar, he has bad luck but he's capable. He can move further and more quickly than any other model." Jungkook explained, 'Which means I hurl him across the map into the enemy's backline." Jungkook spoke with a smile across his face, "It's suicide for the Coldstar though, it's a one way trip"

"It might be a one way trip" Jungwon interrupted, "but you don't fully believe that he's gone until he's dead, that's why you spend the rest of the game trying to get him back in one piece." 

"Hey, if you care about someone you don't give up on them" Jungkook countered, " you don't hang them out to dry" 

Jake realised that Sunghoon could easily stay there all day. "Well would you look at the time" Jake interrupted the conversation, "we've got a party to get ready for". 

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Jakehoon fanfic 6.4