Only You, Jaeyun | JAKEHOON

Chapter 4

Sunghoon didn’t say much. But he looked.

Every time Jake tapped his pen against his lower lip. Every time Jake mumbled a sentence under his breath, accent curling soft around each word. Every time Jake smiled at something and didn’t realize he was smiling.

Jay peeked over his shoulder from two desks down. “How’s my boy doing?”

Jake turned. “Good, I think?”

Jay nodded. “You know, if you ever feel bullied or overwhelmed or like your cardigan's being unfairly stolen, blink twice.”

Jake blinked once. “No theft. Just wind.”

Heeseung leaned over the back of his chair. “Also. Heads up. Once he gives you food, you’re officially one of us.”

Jake raised an eyebrow. “Sunghoon gives people food?”

Jay barked a laugh. “Absolutely not.”

But right after lunch, Jake sneezed once—just a tiny thing, barely a hiccup—and without a word, Sunghoon slid an unopened strawberry milk across the desk.

Jake stared.

Jay let out a strangled noise.

“Bro,” he whispered to Heeseung. “He’s feeding him dairy. This is real.”

The rooftop was unusually quiet that day.

Sunghoon sat near the edge, sipping juice. Heeseung was drawing a cat on Jay’s notes. Jay was trying to fight him with a biscuit stick.

Jake sat beside Sunghoon.

Close. Not touching. But closer than before.

“Thanks,” Jake said softly, nudging the milk bottle. “You didn’t have to.”

“I know,” Sunghoon murmured.

Jake hesitated. “You’re always saying that.”

“Saying what?”

“‘I know.’ Like, I keep saying thank you and you just…”

Sunghoon tilted his head. “Do you want me to say ‘you’re welcome’ every time?”

Jake shook his head quickly. “No, no. I just… I don’t know. I’m not used to it, I guess.”

“To what?”

Jake glanced up at him. “People like you.”

Sunghoon blinked.

Jay immediately sat up. “WHAT DID HE JUST SAY—”

Heeseung yanked him back down. “Let them have their moment, you absolute pigeon.”

Sunghoon cleared his throat. “I’m not that different.”

“You are to me.”

Sunghoon looked down at his drink.

Jake smiled again, soft and slow.

Then, like it was the most normal thing in the world, he said:

“You okay with me calling you Hoon?”

Sunghoon turned his head, eyes wide.

Jake froze. “I mean—you don’t have to say yes! It just slipped out, I’m sorry, I can totally call you Sunghoon or Park Sunghoon or like—”

Sunghoon was still staring.

Heeseung dropped his pen. “Oh my god.”

Jay’s mouth was hanging open.

Jake shrank slightly into his seat, face burning. “I’m sorry.”

Sunghoon looked away, ears red.

“…I don’t mind.”

Jake blinked. “Really?”

Sunghoon stood up.

“Come on. We’ll be late for class.”

Jake scrambled after him, still dazed.

Behind them, Jay flopped onto Heeseung’s lap like he’d just been resurrected.

“We are witnessing history,” he moaned.

Heeseung patted his head. “It’s only chapter four.”

“Exactly,” Jay whispered. “Exactly.”

end of chapter