Only You, Jaeyun | JAKEHOON

Chapter 15

— “It’s literally just a bandaid.”

Fifth period was a blur.

Jake couldn’t remember what the teacher said, or if he even took notes — he was too busy wincing every time he tried to write. His right palm throbbed faintly. Nothing serious. Just a scrape from where he caught himself during the fall earlier in PE, but it stung every time the pen pressed too hard.

Jay noticed first.

“Why are you writing like a squirrel holding a twig?”

Jake glanced up. “What does that even mean?”

Heeseung leaned over, eyebrows raised. “Are you hurt?”

Jake tried to hide his hand. “No. I’m fine.”

Which was exactly the wrong thing to say.

Because Sunghoon, sitting on the other side, looked up the second Jake said it. His gaze dropped to Jake’s hand — the way he was cradling it. And without a word, he reached into his bag, pulled something out, and stood.

Jake blinked. “What are you—?”

“Give me your hand,” Sunghoon said.

Jake looked around, confused. “We’re in the middle of—”

“Jaeyun.”

That quiet tone again. The one that made Jake’s chest fizz up like soda.

He held out his palm, a little hesitant.

Sunghoon crouched beside his desk like it was the most normal thing in the world, then gently wiped the scrape with a tissue first. Jake winced slightly. Sunghoon paused.

“Sorry.”

Jake whispered, “You carry tissues?”

Sunghoon didn’t answer. Instead, he peeled open a bandaid — the kind with little cartoon animals on it. A pink seal with sparkles. He paused.

“…Wrong one.”

“No, it’s fine,” Jake said quickly, laughing. “I like it.”

Sunghoon pressed it on carefully. His fingers lingered.

Jay was staring.

Heeseung coughed into his arm like he’d swallowed a cricket.

Jake just watched the top of Sunghoon’s head and felt like his whole body had been thrown into a warm bath.

“It’s just a bandaid,” Jake mumbled.

Sunghoon looked up. “You fall too much.”

Jake flushed. “It wasn’t even a bad fall.”

“You still bled.”

Jay leaned over. “Are we witnessing foreplay?”

“Jay,” Heeseung groaned.

Sunghoon stood up and returned to his seat without a word.

Jake stared at the pink seal on his palm.

Then he turned his notebook to a new page and started drawing.

By the end of the period, a tiny doodle of a grumpy seal with a speech bubble that said ‘don’t fall again, dumbass’ sat in the corner of his notes.

After school, they gathered at the convenience store again.

Jake bought strawberry milk. Jay bought seaweed chips and regret. Heeseung tried to pay and got told off by the cashier for trying to scan a lollipop as “emotional compensation.”

They sat on the curb outside, snacks between them, bags dropped behind their backs.

Sunghoon didn’t talk much. Just sat quietly, glancing at Jake every now and then.

Jake took a sip of milk, looked down at his palm, then bumped Sunghoon’s shoulder gently.

“Thanks. For earlier.”

Sunghoon didn’t look at him. “You already said that.”

“I’ll say it again, then.” Jake grinned. “Thanks, Hoonie.”

Jay fake-gagged into his seaweed.

Heeseung flicked a chip at him.

Jake leaned back on his elbows, looking up at the dimming sky.

“I kind of like this,” he said.

“Like what?” Heeseung asked.

“This,” Jake said. “Us. Sitting here like idiots. Doing nothing.”

Jay raised his juice pouch. “To doing nothing.”

Sunghoon didn’t raise anything.

But when Jake turned, he caught the faintest curve at the corner of his mouth.

Almost a smile.

And Jake thought to himself —
Maybe I’m not falling alone anymore.

end of chapter