when the stars align | sim jaeyun

05.

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The library sessions with Jake quickly became a part of my routine, though I wasn't sure if I'd call them pleasant. If he wasn't teasing me about something, he was cracking jokes that weren't as funny as he thought they were. But for all his annoying habits, Jake was surprisingly focused when it came to the project. 

"Okay, so if we use this setup, it'll show how energy transfer works between the coils," he said, sketching a diagram in his notebook. 

I leaned over to look at it, my shoulder brushing against his. "That might work, but we'll need stronger wires. The ones from the school lab won't cut it." 

He tilted his head, glancing at me. "You're smarter than you look," 

"Gee, thanks," I said dryly, sitting back in my chair. 

Jake grinned, twirling his pen between his fingers. "I mean it. You're kind of a genius." 

I didn't know how to respond to that, so I just focused on my notebook, ignoring the way his words made my cheeks warm. 

---

By the end of the week, we'd made decent progress on the project, though working with Jake was still a challenge. He had a way of getting under my skin, and I hated how easily he seemed to enjoy it. 

"So, what's the plan for tomorrow?" he asked as we packed up our things after another library session. 

"Same as today," I said. "We need to finish building the model if we want to have time to test it before the deadline." 

Jake nodded, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "You're a tough boss, Park. But I guess that's why we're ahead of schedule." 

"Glad you're finally realizing how great I am," I said, unable to resist the jab. 

He laughed, the sound warm and genuine. For a moment, it caught me off guard. It had been years since I'd heard Jake laugh like that—like he wasn't trying to impress anyone, like he wasn't hiding behind his usual bravado. 

I shook off the thought, reminding myself that this was still the same Jake who'd made my life miserable for years. 

"See you tomorrow," I said, turning to leave. 

"Later," he called after me, his voice tinged with something I couldn't quite place. 

---

That weekend, I found myself at the school's football field, thanks to Yunjin and Yuna's insistence that we "get some fresh air." 

"You have to admit, watching the football team isn't the worst way to spend a Saturday," Yuna said as we settled onto the bleachers. 

I rolled my eyes but didn't argue. The team was practicing for an upcoming match, and the field was buzzing with energy as the players ran drills and shouted instructions to each other. 

Jake was, of course, at the center of it all. He moved with an ease that was almost annoying, his confidence evident in every step. 

"You're staring," Yunjin teased, nudging me with her elbow. 

"I am not," I said quickly, tearing my gaze away. 

She smirked. "Whatever you say." 

The practice ended an hour later, and as the players headed off the field, Jake spotted me in the crowd. To my surprise—and horror—he jogged over, his hair damp with sweat and his jersey clinging to his frame. 

"Jisun," he said, grinning as he stopped in front of us. "What are you doing here?" 

"Enjoying the sunshine," I said, keeping my tone neutral. 

"Sunshine, huh?" He glanced at Yunjin and Yuna, who were both watching him with varying degrees of interest. "And here I thought you came to cheer me on." 

"Don't flatter yourself," I shot back. 

He laughed, clearly amused. "Well, if you're sticking around, you should come to the match next week. I'll even save you a seat on the sidelines." 

"Pass," I said, standing up and grabbing my bag. 

Jake smirked, stepping aside to let me pass. "Suit yourself. But you'll be missing out." 

As I walked away, I could feel his eyes on me, and for some reason, it made my heart race. 

---

Back at home that night, I found myself thinking about Jake more than I wanted to admit. The way he laughed, the way he looked at me—it was all so confusing. 

I knew I shouldn't let him get to me. After everything he'd done, I had every reason to hate him. But as much as I tried to hold onto that anger, I couldn't ignore the moments when he reminded me of the boy I used to know. 

Maybe working on this project together would be a good thing. Maybe it would remind me why I couldn't trust him. 

Or maybe it would do the opposite. 

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i'm actually SO tired right now
i'm editing this at 1:33am 😭😭 help me
just 1 more chapter and i'm going to bed i can't do this anymore