ENHA++BXB

☀️Trailing behind You!(HeeJake)

Lee Heeseung
X
Jake Sim
————————————-

Jake didn't bother hiding his crush. He never had. From the first day he saw Heeseung leaning lazily against his locker, hair falling perfectly into his eyes, Jake's heart had been lost. Everyone else admired Heeseung from afar; Jake did it from two feet behind, trailing after him like an unshakable shadow.

"Here," Jake said one morning, shoving a small pack of strawberry candies into Heeseung's hand. "You like these, right?"

Heeseung blinked, his long fingers curling loosely around the candy. "...Sure," he muttered before sliding it into his pocket without another glance, as if people gave him things every day. Maybe they did.

Jake puffed out his cheeks, stomping a little as they walked. "You could at least say thank you, y'know."

Heeseung only hummed, expression unreadable.

It wasn't that Jake didn't notice. He knew Heeseung barely acknowledged him, knew his little gifts and cheerful greetings probably bounced right off the taller boy like raindrops on an umbrella. But Jake's crush was stubborn — messy, loud, and impossible to smother.

Between classes, Jake was always there. Sitting a row over, laughing a little too brightly when Heeseung cracked a rare joke, rushing ahead to hold the door open with a dramatic bow. Sometimes Heeseung's friends teased, "You've got a puppy, Heeseung."

And Jake never denied it.

The thing was, Jake wasn't just cute and bubbly — he had a bit of a temper. So when he caught someone whispering about how pathetic he looked trailing after Heeseung, Jake snapped. "Mind your own damn business!" he barked, cheeks hot. "At least I'm brave enough to show how I feel!"

He stormed away before realizing Heeseung had been there, leaning against the wall with that same unreadable look.

Jake froze. "I—uh..." He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly small under the weight of Heeseung's gaze.

Heeseung finally pushed off the wall, taking a slow step closer. "You're loud, you know that?"

Jake bristled. "And what about it?"

For the first time, Heeseung's lips curved — just a hint of a smile.

The silence stretched, and Jake's chest ached with the weight of it. He was ready for Heeseung to walk away again, to leave him hanging like always.

But instead, Heeseung's voice came low, almost careless: "...Thanks. For the candy."

Jake's breath hitched. It was such a simple word, but it was the first time Heeseung had acknowledged anything.

"You're— you're welcome," Jake stammered, cheeks burning. He wanted to laugh, cry, maybe throw himself down the hallway in relief.

Heeseung shifted his bag higher on his shoulder, already walking, but after a few steps, he glanced back over his shoulder. "You're loud and annoying. But... I don't mind it."

Jake froze, his heart slamming against his ribs. "Wait—what?"

"Walk me home," Heeseung said, like it was the most ordinary request in the world.

For a second, Jake just stood there, mouth open. Then a grin split across his face so wide it hurt, and he rushed to catch up, practically bouncing at Heeseung's side.

"You're so weird," Jake babbled, tugging at the strap of Heeseung's bag with playful fingers. "First you ignore me for weeks, and now you're telling me to walk you home like we're—" He stopped himself, his cheeks going even redder.

Heeseung shot him a sideways look, eyes glinting with something unreadable. "Like we're what?"

Jake spluttered, waving his hands. "Like we're, uh—like we're friends! Yeah, friends. Totally normal. Nothing weird about it. Nope."

Heeseung's lips twitched, like he was fighting back a smile. "You talk too much."

Jake huffed, nudging his elbow against Heeseung's arm. "And you talk too little. Balance, y'know? We're perfect together."

Heeseung didn't answer, but when Jake looked up, he caught the faintest curve at the corner of his mouth. Not much, but enough to make Jake's stomach flip.

They walked the rest of the way like that — Jake filling the air with chatter, Heeseung's quiet presence grounding it. It wasn't a confession. It wasn't a promise.

But it was something.

And for Jake, that tiny smile was enough to keep him trailing after Heeseung forever.