Only You, Jaeyun | JAKEHOON

Chapter 11

– “He lets you nap on his shoulder?”

By Wednesday, Jake was running on vibes and iced coffee.

The week had been long for no reason. Assignments piling up, PE drills too early, a literature quiz he swore wasn’t on the syllabus — and now his brain was fogged up like a window in winter.

He yawned his way into homeroom, hair still wet from his rushed shower, hoodie sleeves falling over his fingers.

Heeseung took one look at him and said, “You look like you got stepped on.”

Jake flopped into his seat. “I’m okay.”

“You sure?”

“…Maybe slightly stepped on.”

Jay walked in, balancing three triangle kimbaps like they were sacred scrolls. “Breakfast of champions. Who wants to trade for coffee milk?”

Jake raised his hand weakly. “Me. Please.”

Jay tossed him a bottle like a grenade. “You sound like you got emotionally beaten by the Korean school system.”

Jake took a sip. “I did.”

By lunch, he’d perked up just enough to follow the boys to the library for “study group,” which was really just code for: Jay talking too loud, Heeseung doodling in margins, and Sunghoon actually doing work.

Jake sat beside Sunghoon automatically. The sun was filtering through the high windows, warm and golden on their table.

Jay was flipping through flashcards at lightning speed. “Okay, vocab review: what’s the Korean word for betrayal?”

“Jongseong,” Heeseung answered.

Jake laughed softly and leaned forward to write in his planner. Or he tried to.

His hand cramped halfway through the sentence.

Then he yawned.

A long, sleepy, full-body yawn.

Sunghoon glanced over.

“You should rest your eyes,” he murmured.

Jake blinked blearily. “But I still have—”

Sunghoon pulled Jake’s pen from his hand and closed the notebook.

“Five minutes.”

Jake stared. “You’re bossy.”

“Sleep.”

Heeseung and Jay both watched as Jake, protesting only a little, leaned back in his chair — only to tip sideways, eyelids fluttering, until his head gently hit something solid.

Something… firm. Warm.

Sunghoon.

Sunghoon, who didn’t move.

Didn’t flinch.

Didn’t even stop highlighting his notes.

Jay’s mouth dropped open.

Heeseung looked like he’d witnessed a miracle.

Jay leaned in, whisper-hissing, “Is that his head on Sunghoon’s shoulder?”

Heeseung nodded, reverently. “He’s out cold.”

“Dude,” Jay said, eyes wide. “If that was anyone else, he’d have karate-chopped their soul out.”

Heeseung smiled slowly. “He’s so whipped.”

Jake murmured something in his sleep. His hand curled around the edge of Sunghoon’s sleeve.

Sunghoon let him.

Jay looked like he might explode.

“I need to take a picture. For the archive.”

Heeseung grabbed his phone. “Already done.”

Fifteen minutes later, Jake stirred.

He blinked, confused, and slowly sat up. “Did I… fall asleep?”

Sunghoon didn’t look at him. “A little.”

Jake rubbed his eyes, cheeks flushed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

Sunghoon held out a water bottle without a word.

Jake blinked again, smile tugging at his lips. He took it.

“Thanks, Hoonie.”

Sunghoon’s ears turned just the slightest bit pink.

Jay made a high-pitched eungghhh sound and sank into his seat like he couldn’t take it anymore.

When they left the library, Jay threw an arm around Jake’s shoulder. “You’re unbelievable.”

Jake blinked. “What did I do?”

“You took a nap on Park Sunghoon. And he let you. Willingly. Happily.”

“I wasn’t happy,” Sunghoon muttered.

Heeseung: “You didn’t move for fifteen minutes.”

Jay: “You changed your breathing pattern so it wouldn’t wake him.”

Sunghoon turned around. “Do you want to fight?”

Jake laughed, eyes crinkling. “You guys are so dramatic.”

Jay grinned. “We’re not dramatic. You’re just a real-life K-drama, and we’re living for it.”

Jake, flustered: “It wasn’t that serious!”

Heeseung raised an eyebrow. “He gave you water.”

Jake shut up.

Sunghoon said nothing.

But when they walked down the hallway and Jake’s hand brushed his sleeve again — he didn’t move away.

end of chapter