The Project 'Buddy'

~16~

Jay: lol!! It's called first time jitters 😉

Won 🤺: I'm not a
                                                  boomer, Park 💀💀

Jay: I didn't say you were. I just saying ur most probably nervous texting me 🫶🏻🫶🏻

Won 🤺: excuse me?

Jay: hah! Nvm, I'm honestly not okay at the moment 😭😭

Won 🤺: Uhm, why?

Jay: okay, so see, how do you solve a problem when it includes one drunk beat friend and another one who is getting drunk? 💀💀

Won 🤺: Heeseung
and Nicholas?

Jay: omg yes! Help me pls, they're mumbling stuff and I'm scared they'll make the house possessed or smthg

Won 🤺: why are they drinking though? Did smthg happen?

Jay: oh you don't know? Smthg happened between Heeseung and Jake. And Nicholas...my bro just poured himself a glass. He probably failed an exam or smthg.

Won 🤺: Jake hyung? With Heeseung? I thought they were getting on good?

Jay: idk...Heeseung keeps saying something about them fighting but like, he doesn't meant for it to happen.

Won 🤺: ok I'll talk
                                                         with Jake hyung.

Jay: mhm. Same here with Heeseung

————
"Why are you guys fighting?"

Jake looked up from cooking ramen and stared into Jungwon's curios and serious boba eyes. He coughed a bit, pretending not to understand the question. But he knew all too well what Jungwon was talking about.

"Um, it's nothing. We just disagreed and all," Jake mumbled, looking away, while stirring his ramen slowly.

Jungwon walked over and patted his Hyung's shoulder. "You know you can tell me anything right?"

Jake sighed and gestured for them to sit down on the sofa first. When they did, Jake took in one deep breath and started explaining little by little.

"I...I think I like Heeseung," he started and Jungwon scoffed. Jake smacked his arm and blushed.

"We...actually were getting along and he...we even kissed-"

"Shut the fuck up," Jungwon interrupted, his mouth hanging and his eyes as large as it could go. Jake just nodded, like he wasn't joking and Jungwon leaned back into the sofa. He gestured for him to continue with a wave of his hand.

"We were doing okay for a while, then...then his ex showed up," Jake blurted out and Jungwon snapped up again, facing him fully.

"You're fucking kidding me," Jungwon exclaimed, and Jake shook his head.

"They-I saw them talking and suddenly they were kissing and like I-" suddenly Jake's breath hitches and he starts sniffing. The more he sits there the more the tears come. In the end, he began sobbing.

"Hyung! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Jungwon exclaimed, pulling Jake into a hug, stroking his hair and cooeing into his ear.

"I...*sniff*...really thought...*sniff*...we were...you know," Jake mumbled in between sobs, and Jungwon hugged even closer, patting his bag as Jake cried, wetting his shoulder. About 5 minutes later, they pull apart and Jungwon wipes away Jake's tears with his sleeve.

"It's ok hyung. At least you gave it a shot," he encouraged gently and Jake nodded, sniffling a little.

Jungwon didn't believe that Heeseung would do such a thing, considering how he was always so clingy around Jake. Was that all an act? He was known to be a pretty good actor. He was the lead for a play that time in Freshmen after all.

Still, Jungwon made sure to not make assumptions. He would tell Jay all this later.

Right now, he just needed to be there for his friend.

"Then what did you mean by Heeseung flirting with you that time in the chat? Was that before this or after?" Jungwon asked, and Jake bit his lip.

"I...lied. We weren't flirting we were arguing but like, I didn't want you guys to know and solve my problems," Jake admitted and Jungwon's heart sank at his words. This whole time, he was suffering alone.

"You know it's okay to ask for help right?" Jungwon hugged Jake's shoulder and Jake nodded, snuggling against Jungwon.

"It's ok," Jake said, more confidently this time, "I'll just ignore him. I need to start manifesting to get good grades anyway. And we need to get the Gbogh Fest ready." Jake glanced at Jungwon, who grinned proudly.

"That's right, that's the spirit! Come on, let's go practice," Jungwon suggested and Jake stood up with him.

Together, they headed to the dance studio and called over their friends to practice together. They decided to not tell their friends anything yet, it'll only cause more problems.

For now, it was their little secret.