when the stars align | sim jaeyun

11.

-

The days passed in a quiet rhythm. The schoolwork piled up, and the weather grew colder as we edged toward the end of the semester. My life had become predictable, and I liked it that way.

But then, Jake started to change things.

It was subtle at first. A glance here, a passing comment there. Sometimes, I'd catch him looking at me when he thought I wasn't paying attention, his eyes lingering just a moment too long. I'd look away quickly, trying to ignore the flutter in my chest.

It was easy to pretend it was nothing. That's what I kept telling myself. But when I sat next to him in class or crossed paths with him in the hallways, something shifted in the air. It was like I could feel the space between us closing in slowly.

---

"Are you going to the game this weekend?" Yunjin asked me one afternoon as we sat in the cafeteria. She nudged me, her eyes playful.

I glanced over at the table where Jake and his friends were sitting, all of them laughing and joking around. I noticed Jake's gaze flicker over to me for a second before he quickly turned away. I tried to ignore the sudden heat in my face.

"I don't know," I said, taking a bite of my lunch. "Maybe."

Yuna, sitting next to me, raised an eyebrow. "You're not going to see Jake, are you?"

"What? No!" I said too quickly, and Yuna gave me a knowing look.

"You sure about that?" she teased.

I rolled my eyes, but I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. "Why would I want to go to a football game just to watch *him*?" I said, trying to sound casual.

Yuna and Yunjin exchanged a glance, both of them looking entirely too amused.

"Okay," Yunjin said with a wink, "but if you do decide to go, let us know. We'll tag along."

I didn't respond, instead choosing to focus on my food. The last thing I wanted was for Yuna and Yunjin to start getting any ideas.

---

Later that week, I was walking down the hallway after class when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I turned to find Jake standing there, looking unusually serious.

"Jisun," he said, his voice lower than usual.

"Yeah?" I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral.

"I need to talk to you about something."

I frowned, instinctively taking a step back. "What's going on?"

Jake glanced around, his eyes scanning the hallway to make sure no one else was listening. "Not here. Come with me."

I hesitated for a second before nodding. This wasn't the usual interaction I was used to with him.

---

Jake led me to an empty classroom, the silence between us thick with unspoken words. I stood by a desk, unsure of what to do with myself.

He finally spoke, breaking the tension. "I—uh, I need some help with an assignment. I know you're good at this stuff, and I didn't want to ask anyone else."

I blinked, a little taken aback. "Are you serious? You've been avoiding me and now you want *my* help?"

Jake winced at the sharpness in my voice. "I get it," he said, running a hand through his hair. "It's just that I've been having a hard time with the material, and I didn't want to fall behind."

I crossed my arms, studying him. This wasn't the arrogant, cocky Jake I'd known. It was like he was almost... nervous.

"Okay," I said, sighing. "Let me see the assignment."

He handed me his papers, and we sat down together to go over it. It felt awkward at first, but as we worked, the tension between us slowly started to fade.

For the first time in years, I was actually helping him. And I couldn't deny it—it felt kind of good.

---

**Jake's POV**

I wasn't sure why I was doing this.

I had been avoiding Jisun for so long, and now here I was, asking for her help like I was some kind of helpless idiot. But the truth was, I couldn't focus on anything else when it came to school. The pressure was building, and I needed someone who could actually help me understand things.

And Jisun? She was the smartest person I knew.

I couldn't help but watch her as she explained the material to me. She spoke with confidence, but there was something else there too. Something softer. She didn't mock me or make me feel stupid, even though I was pretty sure I deserved it.

As I looked at her, I realized how much I had missed this. Not the mocking, not the teasing, but this—sitting together, talking, working as if we were... friends.

But I couldn't let myself get carried away.

Not yet.

---

When the bell rang, signaling the end of the day, I felt strangely reluctant to leave. "Thanks," I said, standing up from my seat.

Jisun looked at me, a faint smile on her lips. "Don't thank me. Just don't fail your next test."

I chuckled, the sound a little more relaxed than I expected. "I'll try."

As I walked out of the classroom, I couldn't help but glance over my shoulder. Jisun was packing up her things, her focus entirely on what she was doing.

But for a brief moment, I wondered if things could be different between us. If we could go back to how it was before. Or if we could finally figure out what had changed.

---

Later that evening, I was in my room, staring at the ceiling again. The same thoughts kept circling in my head. What was I doing?

I wasn't sure if I was trying to make amends for all the years I'd spent pushing Jisun away, or if I was just confused by the way she seemed to be getting under my skin lately.

Either way, I knew I couldn't keep pretending like nothing was changing.

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this was a filler chapter tbh
i honestly don't know where i was going with this chapter😀