The Boy From The Bridge - Jakehoon

Chapter 58: Admiration and Adoration 5/6

"I thought you had your gaming marathon with Niki today?" Jake asked. He had recently been woken, to his surprise, by breakfast in bed from Jungkook. Sat upright, and likely causing crumbs to fall onto his sheets, Jake ate.

"I did" Jungkook replied, he was leaning against the bedroom door. "But he had to cancel so I'm going to spend today doing nerd stuff at the shopping centre."

Jake gave him a fearful look, to indicate that he didn't want to be dragged of to watch people play toy soldiers for several hours at a time.

"Don't worry, you don't have to come. I'm sure you can find a better way to enjoy your day"

"But?" Jake asked preemptively

"But nothing - I've walked Artemis already so you can stay in bed as long as you wish"

Jake stopped eating, this was bizarre. Something didn't feel right - a complete day off, to himself, no requirements. 'Why was he being doted upon' Jake wondered 'was he missing something about today, was it special?' Like a lightbulb switching on, Jake paused his consumption of breakfast and looked up at Jungkook, his eyes focusing inquisitively on the man by the door. "Sunghoon?"

______

"What's cooler?" Sunghoon asked the assistant at the sportswear shop. He was holding an FC Barcelona Jersey that he had picked out for Jake. Despite his new found wealth, Sunghoon was still surprised by how much the kit cost.

"I'd say the name of the player" The assistant replied. Sunghoon had been questioning whether or not to get Jake or Messi printed on the back.

"Urgh" Sunghoon affirmed reluctantly, pushing the hair from his eyes, "we'll go with that then". He watched the assistant start placing letters onto the back of the shirt before placing it inside the large machine which Sunghoon presumed, melted the characters onto the back of the garment.

He hoped he had made the right decision, he supposed it was the safer of the two options. Waiting patiently, he felt the weight from the plastic grocery store bag handles press against his skin. They were weighed down by his earlier shopping. At his father's request he had bought milk, meat, bread and eggs amongst other items - for Jake he had bought cake and a few tubs of ice cream. Aside from foodstuffs, Sunghoon had also purchased a soccer video game, some candles and a card.

The card was tricky, what did he write? He had no idea. Sunghoon chuckled to himself at the thought of asking the assistant what she thought. It was surprising to him that he even had enough self-confidence now to even consider asking. Sunghoon found himself staring at the letters 'M-E-S-S-I' being place on the shirt, he still couldn't rid himself of the thought that it would be better with Jake's name on the back.

'Jake' Sunghoon thought, he wouldn't mind asking the assistant for advice. He was someone who actually had the confidence to ask for help. Sunghoon concluded that were Jake to ask the assistant, he would be told to write from the heart - there's not much advice anyone can give if you were to tell them the predicament Sunghoon was currently in, that you were looking to write to your quasi boyfriend/not-yet boyfriend to  wish them a happy birthday whilst also expressing gratitude.

Sunghoon let the bags gently drop on the ground and he reached for his phone. Due to the poor standard of his handwriting, if he was going to write a card he was going to draft it first:

Dear Jake,

Thank you. I could just end the letter right there but then I would be forgetting to wish you happy Birthday and considering that's what we're celebrating it would be odd of me to not say that. The reason I think it's more important for me to say thank you is that you've improved me, markedly and I will be forever grateful for that.