when the stars align | sim jaeyun

23.

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Back in Seoul, things felt different. The familiar rhythm of school life should have been comforting, but instead, it left me restless. I couldn't stop thinking about Jeju—the way Jake had looked at me during that conversation on the cliff, the subtle changes in his demeanor, and the walls he kept around himself. 

It was Monday, and the week was already off to a rocky start. I had overslept, forgot to pack my lunch, and nearly failed a quiz in math because my mind had been elsewhere. Now, I was sitting at a corner table in the cafeteria with Yuna and Yunjin, pretending to listen to their conversation. 

"Hello? Jisun?" Yunjin waved a hand in front of my face, snapping me out of my thoughts. 

"Sorry," I mumbled, offering a sheepish smile. "What were you saying?" 

Yuna tilted her head, studying me closely. "We were talking about the winter festival next month, but you seem... distracted. Is something on your mind?" 

Before I could respond, Yunjin leaned in conspiratorially. "Is it Jake?" 

My heart jumped. "What? No!" 

Yuna smirked. "You're a terrible liar, Jisun." 

"I'm not lying," I protested, stabbing my chopsticks into a piece of kimchi with unnecessary force. "Jake and I are... nothing. Still enemies, remember?" 

Yunjin raised an eyebrow. "Enemies who spent half the Jeju trip exchanging stolen glances? Sure, sounds like 'nothing' to me." 

"Stolen glances?" I repeated, my voice rising an octave. "You're imagining things." 

"Am I?" Yunjin asked with a sly grin. 

Yuna laughed, reaching for her drink. "Relax, Jisun. We're just teasing you. But seriously, you should talk to him. Properly, I mean. Don't you think it's time to clear the air?" 

I hesitated, her words hitting a little too close to home. "It's... complicated," I muttered. 

Yunjin and Yuna exchanged a knowing look, but thankfully, they didn't press further. 

As lunch ended and we headed back to class, I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in my chest. Was it really time to confront Jake? And if I did, what would I even say? 

---

That evening, I found myself at home, lying on my bed and staring at the ceiling. My phone buzzed on the nightstand, and I grabbed it, half-hoping it was a message from Jake. 

It wasn't. 

Instead, it was Niki, sending me an instagram reel. I chuckled, quickly typing out a reply before tossing my phone aside. 

"Jisun, dinner!" my mom called from the kitchen. 

I dragged myself out of bed and joined my family at the table. As we ate, my younger brother, Jinho, launched into an animated story about his school's soccer tournament. 

"Are you even listening?" he asked, glaring at me. 

"Of course," I lied, poking at my rice. 

"She's been spacey all week," my mom noted, raising an eyebrow. "Is everything okay, sweetie?" 

"I'm fine," I insisted, forcing a smile. "Just... tired." 

"Maybe you should focus less on school drama and more on your studies," Jinho teased. 

"Mind your business," I shot back, throwing a piece of lettuce at him. 

As the conversation shifted to lighter topics, I found myself relaxing a little. Being home always grounded me, even when my thoughts felt like a tangled mess. 

---

The next morning, I arrived at school early, hoping to review for a history test. The hallways were quiet, the usual morning chaos still an hour away. I made my way to the library, settling into a corner table with my textbook. 

But before I could get through the first paragraph, someone slid into the seat across from me. 

"Morning," Jake said, his voice low. 

I blinked at him, caught off guard. "What are you doing here?" 

"Studying," he replied casually, though the smirk on his face told me otherwise. 

"Funny. I didn't know you knew how to study." 

"Ha ha," he said dryly. "I thought we agreed to try being civil." 

"We agreed to try," I corrected. "Doesn't mean we're good at it." 

Jake leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed. "Fair enough." 

For a moment, we just stared at each other, the silence stretching out between us. I could feel the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air, but neither of us seemed willing to break it. 

Finally, Jake spoke. "About what I said in Jeju..." 

I tensed, unsure if I wanted to hear whatever he was about to say. "What about it?" 

He hesitated, running a hand through his hair. "I meant it, you know. I didn't want to hurt you. Back then. Or now." 

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding. "Then why do you keep doing it?" 

Jake looked away, his jaw tightening. "Because I'm an idiot. And because I thought it was easier to push you away than to—" 

"Than to what?" I pressed, leaning forward. 

He shook his head, standing abruptly. "Forget it." 

"Jake—" 

"I'll see you in class," he said, cutting me off before walking away. 

I stared after him, frustration bubbling in my chest. Why couldn't he just tell me the truth? 

---

After school, I met up with Yuna and Yunjin at a café near campus. Niki joined us a little later, plopping down in the chair next to me with a dramatic sigh. 

"Long day?" I asked, amused. 

"You have no idea," he groaned. "Second-year teachers are relentless." 

"Wait until you're a third year," Yuna teased. 

As the conversation shifted to lighter topics, I found myself relaxing for the first time all day. Being with my friends always had a way of easing the tension, even when my thoughts kept drifting back to Jake. 

By the time I got home that evening, I felt more at peace. But as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling once again, I couldn't stop replaying Jake's words in my head. 

Whatever he was hiding, I was determined to figure it out. 

---