Only You, Jaeyun | JAKEHOON

Chapter 22

– “Is this okay?”

Jake’s room was warm.

Not hot. Not stuffy. Just… warm.

Like sunlight through sheer curtains. Like socks fresh out of the dryer. Like the exact temperature of someone’s hoodie that you forgot you were still wearing.

Sunghoon sat on the floor beside the bed, legs stretched out, shoulder brushing Jake’s as the playlist in the background played something slow and Australian and a little acoustic.

Jake leaned his head to the side.

“You’ve been quiet.”

Sunghoon hummed. “I’m always quiet.”

Jake poked his arm. “Yeah, but now you’re weird quiet.”

Sunghoon looked at him. “I kissed you yesterday.”

Jake flushed immediately. “Okay, maybe not that weird.”

They both laughed — soft, easy, like the tension had finally melted out of their ribs.

Jake sat cross-legged, scrolling through photos on his old phone. He turned it so Sunghoon could see. “That’s Bondi Beach. And this one — that’s me, age eight. I had a mullet.”

Sunghoon squinted. “Why would your aunt let that happen?”

Jake gasped. “It was fashion-forward!”

“It was a crime.”

Jake slapped his arm with a giggle, falling sideways until his head bumped against Sunghoon’s shoulder.

And then just… stayed there.

Sunghoon didn’t move.

Jake's voice dropped to a murmur. “I used to think I’d never feel at home here.”

Sunghoon looked at him.

Jake kept going, voice shy. “Everything felt… too new. Like I was always a step behind. Like I was borrowing someone else’s life.”

“And now?”

Jake hesitated.

Then smiled. “Now it feels like mine.”

Sunghoon didn’t say anything for a long second.

Then turned, slowly.

“Because of me?”

Jake didn’t look away.

He nodded. “Yeah.”

Sunghoon reached up. Carefully. As if testing a theory. His palm brushed along Jake’s cheek, fingers curling behind his ear. His voice was quieter than it had ever been.

“Is this okay?”

Jake smiled. “Yeah.”

“...This?”

Sunghoon leaned in. So, so slowly. Let Jake see it coming. Let Jake feel it happening, not like a surprise this time, but like a promise.

Their lips met again.

Softer. Surer. The kind of second kiss that didn’t tremble — it sighed. That melted. That felt like a quiet “me too” passed between mouths.

Jake’s fingers curled into the hem of Sunghoon’s sleeve.

And Sunghoon didn’t pull away until Jake whispered, “You kissed me again.”

This time, Sunghoon blushed.

“You were talking too much.”

Jake snorted. “Was not.”

“Were too.”

Jake fell back onto the bed dramatically. “You can’t just kiss me every time I talk too much!”

Sunghoon crawled up beside him. “That sounds like a challenge.”

Jake covered his face with a pillow, giggling. “I’m gonna pass out.”

Sunghoon pulled the pillow down just far enough to kiss Jake’s forehead.

“You’re already gone.”

Jake froze.

Then curled into Sunghoon’s side with a sound that could only be described as: dying baby dolphin joy.

He didn’t say anything for a while. Just let himself be held.

Then, from somewhere under Sunghoon’s arm:

“You smell like tangerines.”

Sunghoon laughed — really laughed. Soft and real.

“Shut up.”

Jake grinned wider. “Never.”

end of chapter