Only You, Jaeyun | JAKEHOON

Chapter 19

— “You’re not scary.”

Heeseung noticed it first.

The way Jake lit up when Sunghoon walked into the room. The way Sunghoon softened — really softened — only when Jake was around. The stars on their wrists. The hoodie Jake still hadn’t returned.

It didn’t feel like a surprise.

It just felt like a truth he’d been avoiding.

They were back in class, third period. Rain pattered softly outside the window. Jay had fallen asleep halfway through the reading, and Jake was whispering the definitions of vocabulary words under his breath, tapping his pencil to the rhythm.

Sunghoon sat beside him. Head lowered. A subtle lean toward Jake’s desk.

Heeseung didn’t say anything. Just watched.

Jake glanced up once — like he felt it. Like he knew someone was looking.

Heeseung smiled, just barely. Jake smiled back.

It wasn’t fair, he thought, how warm Jake always looked when he smiled at you. Like sunlight through window glass. Soft. Gentle.

He never smiled at me like that.

But that was okay.

Later, during lunch, Heeseung found himself walking a little slower than usual. Jay had dragged Jake ahead — something about the snack machine eating his coins.

Sunghoon was already gone.

Heeseung turned the corner near the back hallway.

That’s when he heard it.

Voices. Loud enough to carry, quiet enough to sting.

“He’s basically Sunghoon’s puppy now.”
“Did you see that notebook? Doodles everywhere.”
“I don’t get why Sunghoon even talks to him.”
“He’s always sick, always smiling — it’s so fake.”
“And have you seen the way he follows them around? Like he doesn’t belong.”

Heeseung’s heart kicked.

He stepped into the hallway.

The voices stopped.

Two classmates looked up — startled.

“Say it again,” Heeseung said, quiet.

One of them swallowed. “It was just a—”

“Say it again,” Heeseung repeated, tone still calm, but colder now.

Silence.

Then: footsteps.

Jake.

He had a snack bag in his hands. Stopped short when he saw them.

Heeseung turned slightly, blocking the girls from view. “Hey,” he said, smiling like nothing happened. “Jay’s looking for you.”

Jake blinked. “Oh. Okay. You coming?”

“In a bit,” Heeseung said gently.

Jake nodded and wandered off.

Once he was out of earshot, Heeseung looked back at the girls.

“He’s better than you’ll ever be,” he said, still soft. “He’s kind without trying. He’s brave when it counts. And he’s ours.”

They didn’t speak again.

That afternoon, back at their desks, Heeseung leaned back in his chair and stretched.

Jake was doodling again. Quiet and focused.

Sunghoon had his cheek in his hand, clearly pretending not to watch.

Jay had stolen a pen and was trying to draw on Jake’s sleeve.

It was warm. Peaceful. Familiar.

Heeseung smiled.

He reached for his notebook.

And this time — he didn’t watch Jake too long.

He just let the warmth sit in his chest like something steady.

Something that didn’t have to hurt.

After class, as they packed up, Heeseung nudged Jake’s shoulder.

“Hey.”

Jake looked up.

Heeseung held out the little daisy keychain Jake had once given Sunghoon.

Jake blinked, then beamed. “You have that too?”

Heeseung smiled. “Jay made me take it. Said we’re a set now.”

Jake giggled. “You hate matching.”

“Not when it’s with you guys.”

Jake tilted his head. “You okay?”

“I’m good,” Heeseung said.

And he was. He really was.

Because Jake was sunshine.

And not everything beautiful needed to be yours to love it.

end of chapter