when the stars align | sim jaeyun

18.

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The next day was filled with sightseeing, which meant long hours of walking around Jeju's picturesque streets, taking in the fresh air and beautiful views. Despite the breathtaking surroundings, I couldn't stop feeling like something was off.

We were assigned to tour different locations in groups, and I was stuck in a group with Yuna and Yunjin, as well as Jake and his friends—Sunghoon, Heeseung, and Sunoo. At first, I was hoping for a break from Jake, but with the way things were, we were pretty much inseparable.

At first, I tried to focus on the beauty of the island, but every time I glanced over at Jake, it felt like I was being pulled into his orbit. He wasn't saying anything to me directly, but his presence loomed over everything. When he wasn't making sarcastic comments with his friends, I could feel his eyes on me, like he was waiting for me to mess up, or maybe for me to finally say something.

It irritated me.

"Are you going to just stare at him all day?" Yunjin teased, nudging me with her elbow as we walked.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not staring at anyone."

"Uh-huh." She gave me a knowing smile, but I wasn't in the mood to argue.

I looked ahead, pretending not to care. It wasn't like I could just forget about Jake. He was everywhere, his laughter ringing in my ears, his presence impossible to ignore.

---

later that day

The group stopped for a break at a small café by the coast. We all sat down outside under an umbrella, sipping drinks and chatting. The breeze was cool, and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore made it feel like we were in another world—far removed from the school drama that usually consumed us.

Still, there was no escaping the tension. It wasn't long before I felt someone's gaze on me again. I looked up to find Jake staring at me from across the table. For a moment, his eyes softened, but then he quickly turned away, like he was annoyed with himself for even looking in my direction.

I didn't know what to make of it.

"Stop looking at him, Jisun," Yuna muttered under her breath, but she wasn't talking to me. She was talking to herself, more like reminding herself not to care.

But she couldn't be serious. I couldn't stop thinking about Jake either. Even if I wanted to ignore him, it was impossible.

---

By the time the sun started to set, our group was back on the bus, heading to the hotel. My exhaustion hit me all at once, and I barely noticed when we arrived back. I was more focused on the strange feeling of unease that lingered.

Jake wasn't the only one who had been acting distant. I had been pulling away too. Whenever our eyes met, I would look away quickly, pretending I wasn't affected. But I was.

I didn't want to admit it, but I was tired of pretending that nothing had changed.

---

The evening passed quietly, with everyone retreating to their rooms after a light dinner. I found myself in the hotel room, once again alone with Jake. We hadn't spoken since the morning, and I was almost relieved.

But I couldn't shake the feeling that this distance wasn't what either of us wanted.

I sat by the window, looking out at the lights of Jeju town below. The moon was rising, and everything seemed so peaceful, so far removed from the tension that hung between me and Jake.

But that tension was real. I felt it every time I even thought about him. It was like a magnet, drawing me in no matter how hard I tried to resist.

"Why do you always have to make everything so difficult?" I muttered to myself, rubbing my eyes.

The sound of movement caught my attention, and I turned to find Jake standing by the door, staring at me.

"You talking to me?" he asked, his voice low but with a hint of amusement.

I stared back at him, not sure how to respond. "No," I lied.

Jake didn't say anything for a moment, just standing there, his hands shoved into his pockets. But then he did something unexpected: he sighed and shook his head. "Whatever. You're impossible, Jisun."

He didn't wait for a response, just turned and walked toward the bathroom.

I sat there in silence, still processing what had just happened. For a split second, there had been something there. Something close to the way things used to be, before everything fell apart.

But I was sure it was just my imagination.

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