when the stars align | sim jaeyun

25.

-

With the festival just days away, the atmosphere at school was electric. Every spare moment was spent preparing, and our classroom buzzed with activity. The smell of paint and glue hung in the air, mingling with bursts of laughter and the occasional argument over last-minute details. 

"Jisun, can you double-check the supply list?" Yunjin asked, waving a clipboard at me. 

"On it," I said, flipping through the pages. "We still need more tablecloths, and someone has to confirm the food deliveries." 

"I'll get the tablecloths," Yuna volunteered, scribbling the note down. "But no way am I dealing with those food vendors again. They scared me last time." 

"I'll do it," I said, sighing. "I need to make sure everything's perfect." 

"You're going to burn yourself out," Yunjin warned, plopping down next to me. "You've been running around like crazy all week." 

"I'll be fine," I assured her. 

"And you're sure this isn't about a certain someone?" she teased, nudging me with her elbow. 

I froze. "What are you talking about?" 

"Oh, you know..." She trailed off with a sly smile, her eyes darting across the room to where Jake was helping Sunoo hang string lights. 

I rolled my eyes. "Don't be ridiculous." 

"Right," she said, clearly not convinced. 

---

As the day wore on, I found myself stationed near the makeshift kitchen, organizing ingredients for the café's menu. Jake wandered over, hands in his pockets and his trademark smirk in place. 

"Need help?" he asked, eyeing the mess of supplies on the table. 

"Not from you," I said without looking up. 

"Come on, Park. Give me a chance to prove I'm useful," he said, leaning against the counter. 

I sighed, handing him a bag of flour. "Fine. Just don't mess it up." 

Jake grinned, taking the bag. "You wound me, Jisun. Have a little faith." 

Hearing him use my name so casually made my heart stutter for a moment, but I quickly shook it off. 

As we worked side by side, I couldn't help noticing how focused he was. His usual teasing was absent, replaced by a quiet determination that caught me off guard. 

"You're actually not terrible at this," I admitted reluctantly. 

"Wow, is that a compliment?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Don't let it go to your head," I said, rolling my eyes. 

But as I glanced at him, I caught the faintest hint of a smile—not his usual cocky grin, but something softer. 

---

The final bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Students began filing out of the classroom, leaving behind the chaos of half-finished decorations and scattered supplies. 

"You're staying late again?" Yuna asked as she slung her bag over her shoulder. 

"Just for a little while," I said, brushing a stray piece of hair from my face. 

Yuna exchanged a look with Yunjin before smirking. "Don't overwork yourself. Or, you know, don't get *too distracted*." 

I glared at her as she and Yunjin left, laughing. 

By the time I looked up, the room was nearly empty—except for Jake, who was still fiddling with the string lights. 

"You don't have to stay," I told him, gathering my things. 

"Neither do you," he pointed out, his voice steady. 

"Yeah, well, someone has to make sure this gets done," I said, crossing my arms. 

Jake set the lights down and walked over to me, his expression unreadable. "You really don't know how to take a break, do you?" 

"I'm fine," I said quickly, but even I could hear the exhaustion in my voice. 

"Jisun," he said softly, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "Go home." 

For a moment, I didn't know what to say. Jake was usually the last person to show concern for me, and yet here he was, looking at me like he actually cared. 

"Fine," I said finally, grabbing my bag. "But only because I don't want to deal with you bossing me around." 

He smirked. "Whatever helps you sleep at night." 

---

That evening, as I walked home, I replayed the day's events in my head. Jake's words, his expressions—they didn't match the image I'd built of him over the past few years. 

And the way he said my name... It was starting to feel like the Jake I used to know was still in there somewhere, just waiting to be found.

---