once
they were
at enha's
studio
"tell me one thing"
"what?", she asked.
"is that girl always like that to you?"
y/n tore her gaze away from the decorations of the studio and just stared at jake's face.
he had his jaw clenched like he was not really for the answer. like it's the most baddest thing someone could do and she was scared he would ask more.
"not always. the mentors is always there to keep an eye out", she said, looking away from him again.
"you should -"
"jake", y/n stopped from speaking, while staring at his face, "you must know better than anyone i'm forced to be compliant, to be polite to her because of korean customs and that is to respect my elders"
jake froze for a moment before closing his eyes and cursing himself, "i'm sorry"
y/n knew that jake was angry. she understood that because she had been there too, but he should really know how to control it especially with how strict their culture are.
that's why sometimes it scared her for being a foreigner. what if what had happened to the scandals of some veteran groups could face her?
the one where they had hidden for years where one younger member is actually bullied by the elder?
y/n had an idea as well of how rachel yoo must be feeling. she is the sister of one of the famous singer and an actress in the country. it must be so pressuring to not be the best as the people would like her to be.
so in spite of all the bullying towards her, y/n could not help but feel sorry for the insecure girl that everyone saw as a bully.
"you know, i can tell what you're thinking", jake spoke, making her look at him again.
"how?"
"when i saw you with that girl earlier, you looked scared but doesn't want to fight her because you feel her frustrations. you feel sorry for her, am i right?"
"is that so wrong?", she asked and looked away again. it was pathetic but she could see, rachel could be nice if you'll remove the jealousy out of the way.
"but that doesn't mean you can let her do anything. i thank the agency for removing her too soon"
"i won't"
"promise?"
"i promise"
"well then, let's go"
"where are you taking me anyways?", y/n asked again as jake returned them back to the elevator.
"it's just a place i found to be the most peaceful in this building. i was planning to go there alone but then decided to bring you along"
"so you're basically risking being seen with me here?", she couldn't help but point out. they were still in hybe building, after all.
jake sighed, "it couldn't hurt to be like this just for one day and it's you, so what's the problem with it?"
y/n looked at the boy beside her and wanted to tell him that everything is wrong between them. who could tell if belift will remove her next after rachel?
she decided to keep silent after that, not meaning to make her thoughts unpleasant now. after exactly five minutes, they stepped out into the elevator and into the garden-like place of the building.
now that it was empty, the rays of the sun entered through the mirrored walls and giving the place along the plants a magnificent glow.
it was beautiful.
"why here?", y/n asked when they stopped in front of the calming scene before them.
"i fell in love with this place at the first time we came here", jake smiled nostalgically, "they did not include it in our one of our contents but only in pictures and since then, if i want to rest from all the practices, i came here to get a breather"
"and when bad things happened"
"when was the last time you came here?"
"the day before i accidentally called you"
y/n looked at jake when she felt the weight of his words. he was looking at her with a variety of emotions, making her heartbeat a little too wildly, a little too loudly.
he smiled and fully turned towards her, taking both of her hands in his. it felt nothing but right at this moment.
"i heard you that night from your dorm"
y/n's eyes widened at what he said. he heard her telling him that she liked him back? she got embarassed but was more overtake by the instant shock.
"y- you heard what?", she decided to be dumb even though she knew what he meant.
"in the night i slept there with you and i told you i would wait for you to like me back. i was actually anticipating it from the day i sent niki to send a stuff toy to you. and i'm really thankful to the nights that i'm so tired that you were there to bring a smile to my face"
jake paused and looked down for a while before looking up at her with eyes so beautiful, it felt it was sparkling like the stars.
"the day when i asked you to meet me for the first time, the members were actually having a fight especially the maknaes because of what we had read from some of the fans. how could they sexualise us? i mean, i could forget about it but not what they were saying about the maknaes"
"so while they were discussing about how to avoid reading too much, i thought about you so much that i found myself wanting to see you and that scared me"
y/n sucked in a shaky breath as his words pierce through her one by one and jake looked like he was almost close to tears.
"i was scared that you would end up in the same situation as theirs. the one who wanted to be appreciated for music but why were they imagined as something esle instead? i was scared that you would not tell me how you feel about it. i was scared that you will hide it and tried to be okay, like what if you become molded into something that's not who you are anymore? i was scared that -"
"that maybe i will try to be like you, to hide it really well but is actually hurt by it inside?", y/n finished for him.
"because that's how i felt. from my i-land days to the now, i'm usually complimented by my looks alone"
jake looked up at her, his face so heartbreaking that a tear fell down from y/n's eyes at how hurt it looked.
"jake, you have to know that is not the majority of your fans. you will never be just a visual for them. they loved you more for who you are", she comforted him, "if only you know how a lot of them was ready to shout at how amazing you are for just being you"
she didn't know how much those words comforted jake because it was coming from her.
"that night, i didn't welcome you because you were jake of enhypen. i welcomed you because i look to you as one of my friends. and everyone has faults. no one can deny that even to the lives of the idols. even you and me in what we have in between"
"and if the fans were real, they have to accept that. we're all just humans after all. you're not a doll who can entertain all the time. and maybe i haven't reached the point where i can love you unconditionally. but i do know that i like you so much, that i will reach it in time. slowly but surely"
a tear fell down on jake's cheek, so y/n softly smiled at him and wiped it gently away, gently caressing his cheek, not understanding why he still look etherial even in such a vulnerable expression.
"do you like me, sim jaeyun?", she bravely asked this time.
"No.. I love you", jake confessed and y/n's heart skipped a beat but she held her composure, keeping her smile up to him.
"do you believe that i could love you back?"
"more than you could imagine"
"then believe me when i say this, you were so much more than a visual, jake. because you are an amazing person who gives out a lot of love and care to his co-members and fans. but they have to learn how to take care of you too. you are the best person i know and don't you ever forget that, okay?"
jake sniffed as his eyes filled with tears for the girl who can't help but pulled him in her embarace. for y/n, he is the quirky, always smiling guy who broke down in front of her and it broke her heart.
but people have to learn that not everyone is perfect, even idols have their own needs to be reminded more of their importance, and they were full of flaws even when they looked so perfect.
"thank you, y/n", jake said, leaning his head on her shoulder and returning the hug.
"thank you as well", she said, caressing his head gently, telling him she would be there as long as he wanted.
"thank you for coming into my life"
maybe there will be so many times when jake would overthink some of the questionable opinions of their fans.
there will be so many times when he would doubt himself again.
there will be times where he will cry quietly to himself that the people would never know. but he knew that y/n would be there, like his six friends in enhypen. they would be there, ready to bring him back on the right track again.
heeseung would be there with his helpful advises. jay willing to be funny to make him laugh. sunghoon to remind him that they were nothing but soul brothers.
sunoo to cheer him up with his sassiness. jungwon with his leadership and natural cuteness in his appearance.
niki with his never ending surprises of how he loved him so much to be his younger brother.
and the last, y/n was his pill to sanity and he would always believe her words.
y/n knew that the boy in front of him were just so many people, with so many imperfections and doubts and insecurites about himself. but she also knew he have more to offer that she will learn to love along those flaws.
she will always make him believe that he is different and is precious and loved no matter what he thought.
fate was such a funny thing. who would've thought that just a wrong number and it would bring jake to his life?
and it brought y/n the one who would she give her heart to one day. maybe she didn't love him for now. maybe they needed to wait and yet, she knew she could love him.
he is the risk she'd love to take, to be happy because she deserved it and they both deserved it.
love at this age is a mysterious thing and though it is felt by all, only some can truly live by it.
maybe now they were just getting to know each other, but someday they will be more.
☏ The End ☏
And my first book for Jake has finally come to an end today.
I'm sorry I had taken so long into finishing this one and I even changed it from the original plot. I loved writing for the two of them and I like the way it was just soft and not too problematic with what I planned at first.
So what are your thoughts at the ending?
please do comment, love solivagante.. xoxo