Hate To Date You ➤ Jake

|| The Date That Wasn't

Minji looked at me with a grin that promised nothing good. "You ready?"

"No."

"Then open the door already!" she insisted.

I walked slowly, as if moving any faster would make this whole nightmare come to life faster. When I opened the door, my heart actually skipped a beat. Not because of excitement, but because the guy standing on the other side was giving me a very Jake-esque look.

There he was, wearing a black leather jacket over his uniform, his hair pushed back in that messy-yet-intentionally styled way that made him look like he had just stepped out of a K-drama.

He smiled, too easily. "Hey, babe," he greeted, voice low and warm, his eyes locking with mine in a way that made me feel things I definitely didn't want to feel.

I couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes. "I told you to stop calling me that."

Jake leaned in slightly, unphased. "Aww, but it's cute when I do."

"No." I almost hissed.

Minji, who had clearly been hiding behind the door to watch the scene unfold, took her cue and stepped in. "Well, well. Sooah, you're all dressed up," she teased. "And Jake, look at you. The perfect date."

Jake grinned at her. "I know, right? I clean up pretty well."

I wasn't sure if I should throw up or just punch him.

Minji's mischievous grin appeared again. "I'll leave you two alone now," she said, already backing out of the room. "Have fun!"

I was left with Jake, who was leaning casually against the doorframe, as if this was the most normal thing in the world.

I stared at him, feeling my hands suddenly clammy.

"So, where are we going, babe?" he asked, the smirk never leaving his face.

I wanted to remind him that we were supposed to fake date, not real date, but this wasn't the time. I had to survive the next few hours. That's it.

"I'm driving," I said, deciding to take some control over the situation.

Jake looked disappointed for a second but quickly covered it up with a chuckle. "Fine, I'm not about to argue with the lady."

We walked out of the house, me trying to keep a calm, collected face while Jake, of course, was all smiles and charm. It was a struggle, but somehow I managed to keep it together until we got into the car.

I drove in silence, mostly because I was trying to avoid looking over at Jake, who was sitting way too comfortably in the passenger seat. He was humming along to the song on the radio, his eyes out the window, and every so often, I would catch him glancing at me with that ridiculous smile of his.

It was much. Too much.

"So," he started, breaking the silence, "I was thinking we could get dinner first. Maybe sushi?"

I glanced at him briefly. "Sushi's fine."

Jake looked pleased with my answer, nodding enthusiastically. "You know, I don't think I've ever actually gone to sushi with someone who doesn't like it."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to impress me by pretending like you know me?"

"Nope," he said, shaking his head with a grin. "I'm just trying to get to know you. Even though we've known each other since we were little."

That should've made me uncomfortable. Honestly, it did, but there was something about the way he said it that made my stomach twist, and I couldn't figure out why.

Dinner wasn't as horrible as I'd anticipated.

The restaurant was casual, but classy enough that it felt like an actual date. We ate sushi, talked about random things like the dumbest bets we'd ever been a part of (Jake's involving a slap bet that I didn't even want to ask about), and somehow, amidst all the ridiculousness, we didn't completely fall apart.

There were moments—small ones, but they were there. Moments when Jake would smile in a way that almost made me forget how much I loathed him.

And when I caught him looking at me a few too many times for it to be just for the sake of the bet, I couldn't tell if I was imagining it or if maybe... just maybe... Jake had real feelings in this fake relationship.

But I wasn't about to let that mess with my head. I wouldn't let myself fall into the trap. No way.

The night ended with Jake walking me to my car, and even though I had been trying so hard to keep my guard up, I felt him step closer than necessary. He stopped in front of me, just a little too close for comfort.

"Well," he said, his voice suddenly quieter, "this wasn't so bad."

I looked up at him. "It was fine," I replied, my voice tight.

He grinned. "See? It's not all so horrible."

Before I could respond, he leaned in, his lips brushing the top of my head in an almost casual gesture. "Goodnight, Sooah," he said softly.

I froze, my heart thudding in my chest. This was supposed to be fake, but everything about the moment felt too real.

As I drove home, my mind was a mess. Maybe I had underestimated just how complicated this whole fake dating thing was going to be.

And as much as I hated to admit it, I couldn't deny the weird connection I felt with Jake, the one that went beyond the Senior Bet, beyond the fake relationship.

But that wasn't something I was ready to face just yet.

Not yet.

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A/N: thehehe this is lowkey cute okok bye sillybillyssss have a good dayyy