Karma ━━ Jake Sim

𝟭𝟮 ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏⠀Tough Crowd

He frowns, "That's unfair, Chae. You're both in the wrong."

"Yeah, right!" She crosses her arms with a whine, "I can't believe you're not even comforting me right now!"

"I asked if you were okay as soon as we got out of the gym! And tried to give you a hug, but you pushed me away without even saying anything!" Jake throws his hands up in the air defeatedly, "What else am I meant to do?"

Chaeyoung purses her lips, "Try harder."

What's that even supposed to mean?

"I'm trying my best, alright?" Jake sighs, "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I'm just trying to say, this whole thing got blown way out of proportion and the both of you contributed to it. There's no need to pick sides or point the finger-"

The further he tries to explain, the more Chaeyoung starts to grow visibly agitated. She ultimately resorts to giving him the cold shoulder.

"Chaeyoung, c'mon-"

"You're the worst!"

She spins on her patent leather heel with a humph, marching down the pathway on her own.

Jake lets out a frustrated groan.

He silently contemplates running after the girl, but before he's able to make a decision, her petite silhouette is already disappearing behind the grand archways of the main building.

Fuck... He thinks, I'm definitely getting an earful at the next co-president meeting.

Meanwhile, Sujin can't quite hide her amusement at the scene she'd just witnessed before her very eyes.

"Y'know, I'm no expert," She drawls, "But your girlfriend seems like the 'total piece of work' if you ask me..."

Jake purses his lips, ignoring the intended jab.

"She's not my girlfriend," He mutters.

Sujin snorts, "Does she know that?"

No response.

The pair continue to walk toward the main building with a stifling awkwardness hanging between them. Sujin's mentally counting her footsteps - Forty seven, forty eight, forty nine... - all the while Jake has his hands jammed into his pockets, anxiously contemplating what to say next.

Han Sujin is a total mystery, he's decided. Like a ten page long mathematical equation that he just can't quite seem to wrap his head around. Usually, he's pretty good with numbers. And even better at reading people from his first few impressions. However, with her...

It's like he doesn't even know where to begin.

The thought only makes him that much more determined to figure her out, but that might just be the heat exhaustion and overachiever complex talking.

Jake clears his throat, daring a quick glance at the enigma of a girl walking beside him.

"Why'd you do it?"

By this point, they'd already stepped beneath the archways. The afternoon sun peeks through gaps in the limestone, curved shadows dancing upon their skin. The rest of the school is still tucked away in their fifth period classes, so only the sound of their footsteps and windblown leaves scraping against the pavement are left to echo in the early autumn air.

Sujin feels uncharacteristically tense under the boy's gaze. Nervous, even. She can already tell there's something about Jake that makes most people feel inclined to blindly trust him. Perhaps it's the effortlessly charming way he carries himself, or the everpresent glimmer in his eyes that makes her feel like he actually cares about what she has to say. Perhaps it's just plain old intimidation.