In which
He has spent years making sure she never forgets him.
or
In which
She has spent years hating him
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
Sooah has always despised Jake-her brother's best friend and the guy who's made it his life's mission to tease her at every opportuni...
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🩷༘⋆
Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby -
˚ ༘ ೀ"Nothing's gonna hurt you baby As long as you're with me you'll be just fine"⋆｡❀˖°
✮✮✮
The walk back to the car felt different. The air between us wasn't heavy like it used to be, filled with unspoken words and buried tension. Instead, it was charged with something new—something warmer, something I wasn't quite used to.
Jake's hand was still wrapped around mine, his thumb brushing slow circles against my skin like he couldn't stop touching me, like he needed to make sure this was real. And the scariest part? I didn't want him to stop.
The realization sat heavy in my chest, but for the first time, I didn't push it away. I wasn't running from it anymore.
When we reached his car, he let go of my hand just long enough to open the door for me. It was something he always did—so effortlessly smooth, like it was second nature to him—but this time, when our eyes met, something flickered between us. Something unspoken.
I slid into the seat, exhaling slowly as he shut the door and walked around to the driver's side. The second he got in, my phone buzzed.
Minji: TELL ME EVERYTHING OR I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL SHOW UP AT YOUR HOUSE.
I bit back a smile.
Jake glanced at me as he started the car. "Minji?"
"Obviously," I muttered, quickly typing back:
Me: Calm down. I'll call you when I'm home.
The drive was quiet, but not awkward. Every now and then, Jake's fingers would tap against the steering wheel, or he'd glance at me like he was trying to memorize my face. The weight of what had happened between us—the confessions, the kiss—still lingered in the air, like neither of us really knew what to do with it.
I should've been nervous. But I wasn't.
When we pulled up in front of my house, Jake shifted in his seat, turning to face me fully.
"You're really sure?" he asked, voice softer this time.
I sighed, rolling my eyes. "If you ask me that one more time, I'm taking it back just to mess with you."
He chuckled, but there was something hesitant in the way he looked at me, something almost unsure. "I just... don't want you to regret this. Us."
My heart did something weird in my chest.
I tilted my head, watching him carefully. "You really think I'd regret liking you?"
His lips parted slightly, like he wasn't expecting me to say it so easily, like he still thought this was some kind of dream he was going to wake up from.
"I mean..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "You did spend most of your life acting like I was the worst person on earth."
I scoffed. "And whose fault was that?"
Jake grinned, leaning in slightly. "So you're saying I wasn't actually the worst person on earth?"
I opened my mouth to argue, but his face was close, way too close, and suddenly, I forgot how to breathe.
The way he was looking at me—his dark eyes warm, his gaze flickering between my lips and my eyes—it sent something shivery down my spine. I hated how easily he made me feel like this. I loved how easily he made me feel like this.
I swallowed hard, but before I could say something dumb, he leaned in even closer, his voice dropping to a murmur.
"Just so we're clear," he whispered, his breath fanning against my cheek, "I'm gonna kiss you again. And again, and again, and again. Till the day that I die."
My breath caught. "Oh."
Then his lips brushed against mine, slow and teasing, like he was savoring the way I melted into him.
And then I wasn't thinking anymore.
I reached for him, gripping the front of his jacket as I pulled him in, deepening the kiss. He made a quiet sound in the back of his throat, his hand sliding up to cup my cheek, tilting my head back as he pressed closer.
It was different from the first kiss. This time, there was no hesitation, no lingering doubt. Just Jake and me, kissing like we had all the time in the world.
Like we needed to be closer, even though it wasn't possible.
When we finally broke apart, we were both breathless. My heart was pounding, and judging by the way Jake's chest was rising and falling unevenly, his was too.
He pressed his forehead against mine, eyes still closed, like he was trying to collect himself. "Yeah," he muttered. "I could get used to this."
I laughed, shaky but happy. "Me too."
Jake exhaled, pulling back slightly to look at me. "Goodnight, princess."
I rolled my eyes at the nickname but couldn't stop the small smile tugging at my lips. "Goodnight, Jake."
I reached for the door handle, but before I could open it, he caught my wrist.
"Wait," he murmured.
I turned back to him, surprised.
He hesitated for a second, then smirked, leaning in just enough for his lips to ghost over my cheek. "Sweet dreams," he whispered.
I could feel my face heat up, but before I could react, he let go, sitting back in his seat like he hadn't just completely wrecked my ability to function.
I huffed, trying not to smile as I stepped out of the car. When I reached my front door, I turned to look at him one last time.
He was still sitting there, watching me, his expression unreadable.
I lingered for a second, like there was something else I wanted to say.
But instead, I just smiled.
And for the first time in a long time, I knew exactly what I wanted.
