Only You, Jaeyun | JAKEHOON

Chapter 23

Jake glanced down at them. Then back at him.

“Can I say something dumb?” he asked.

“You’ve been saying dumb things all year.”

Jake kicked his leg. “I’m being serious.”

Sunghoon grinned. Barely. Just enough to make Jake’s breath catch.

Jake looked down. Watched the way their hands curled together.

“I like liking you.”

Sunghoon blinked once. Then again.

Then he let out a breath. A real one.

He turned fully, pressing his forehead against Jake’s for just a second.

“You make it really hard not to kiss you when you say stuff like that,” he murmured.

Jake tilted his head. “Then don’t not kiss me.”

Sunghoon chuckled, voice low. “Double negative.”

Jake grinned. “Double dare.”

Sunghoon leaned in.

Their kiss — the third one, maybe fourth, depending how you counted — was familiar now. Warm. Quiet. Not rushed. The kind of kiss you fall into with someone you already know you’ll fall again for tomorrow.

Jake kissed him back. Soft and sweet and slow.

Then let his forehead rest against his.

“I’m gonna miss this place,” Jake whispered.

Sunghoon opened his eyes. “You’re not even leaving yet.”

“Still. It’s the end of something.”

Sunghoon nodded. Then whispered, “Not everything.”

Jake looked at him.

“I’ll still walk you home,” Sunghoon said. “Still bring you warm drinks when you get sick. Still send you stupid memes. Still carry an extra bandaid just in case.”

Jake swallowed.

“I’ll still like you,” Sunghoon added. “Every day. More than the last.”

Jake didn’t answer with words. Just curled his fingers tighter around Sunghoon’s.

Downstairs, the door to the rooftop slammed open.

Jay’s voice echoed up from the stairwell. “IF YOU TWO ARE MAKING OUT UP THERE, I SWEAR TO GOD—”

“SHUT UP, JAY,” Heeseung shouted from the third floor window.

Jake burst out laughing, falling into Sunghoon’s chest.

Sunghoon rolled his eyes but didn’t push him away. Instead, he kissed the top of Jake’s head.

“Remind me to kill them later.”

Jake giggled. “No murder before math class.”

They stayed like that — arms tangled, heads resting together, the tangerine long forgotten — until the last bell rang across the school grounds.

Jake sighed.

Then carefully, he tore out the doodle from his sketchbook. Folded it in half.

Slid it into the front pocket of Sunghoon’s hoodie.

Sunghoon looked down. “What’s this?”

Jake leaned forward and kissed the tip of his nose.

“A promise.”

Sunghoon looked at him for a long second. Then nodded.

Jake stood. Offered his hand.

“Come on. Let’s go. We’re gonna be late.”

Sunghoon took it.

They ran down the stairs, tripping over each other, laughing the whole way.

Only to be met by Jay holding up his camera, already mid-click.

Heeseung leaned against the wall beside him, arms crossed, pretending to look bored. “Took you long enough.”

Jay grinned wide behind the lens. “Congratulations. You are now officially the cheesiest couple in school history.”

Sunghoon groaned. “Delete that.”

Jake tugged the hood up over his head. “No, wait—send it to me.”

Jay winked. “Too late. Already framed it in my soul.”

Heeseung finally cracked a smile. “You guys are disgustingly cute.”

Jake beamed.

Sunghoon just rolled his eyes, but his hand stayed locked with Jake’s.

Jay lowered the camera and slung an arm around Heeseung’s shoulder. “Come on, we’re getting tteokbokki. My treat.”

“Why?” Heeseung asked.

“Because I’m emotionally moved and also starving.”

The four of them headed out into the sunlight together — boys growing into something bigger than a school year, a photo, or a rooftop.

They walked like they always had.

Side by side.

Too loud.

Too close.

Too full of love.

end