JAKE has probably just made one of the biggest mistakes of his entire life. Confessing to someone he just met? Good fucking job, Jake. You've gone and done it now, he thinks with an eye roll. He hadn't even realized the gravity of the situation after he'd woken up by Heeseung shaking him. But what he did realize, however, was how embarrassed Heeseung had looked and acted. He was fidgety, bottom lip trapped between his teeth and picking at his fingernails. He was flushed, ears and cheeks a bright red.
("Uh, are you okay, Heeseungie?" Jake asked with a nervous smile, cupping his cheek softly. Heeseung was non-responsive, just standing in the same place. "You look like you're sick. Are you cold? Do you need—"
Jake clamped his mouth shut in surprise when Heeseung pulled away from him. His heart leapt into his throat and his eyebrows drew together in confusion. Heeseung had shuffled away from him, clutching his reading book so hard his knuckles were turning white.
"Heeseungie?" Jake whispered, too scared to raise his voice. "Is everything okay? Is it — is it because of what I said? I'm sorry for—
"—No." Heeseung interrupted, shaking his head with a frown. "I'm just tired. I'm gonna head home now."
Jake nodded, a relieved smile curling the edges of his lips upwards. "Okay then. I'll see you—"
But Heeseung was already turning away and trudging down the dirt path, totally ignoring Jake. He hadn't even bothered to turn back and say bye.)
And now, eight hours later he was sitting in an uncomfortable cafe chair with a cup of steaming hot cappuccino in front of him. Sunghoon and Jay were back to being late, just a little shy of fifteen minutes now. He sighed, cupping his hands around the cup and lifting it to his lips, taking a small sip.
"Yo," a voice called out beside him. He hummed and sat his cup back down on the table, not taking his eyes off of the steam floating into the air.
"Sorry we're late," Jay mumbles with a frown as he sits down. Sunghoon plops down into the seat next to him, practically draping himself all over Jay with a huff. "Hoonie doesn't feel too good today. I was trying to get him up 'cause I knew you wanted both of us here."
Jake frowns. "Is he okay? You didn't have to come if he wasn't. I could have waited."
Jay hums, petting his boyfriends hair softly. "It's fine, dude. I think it's just a cold. I'm sure he'll be fine soon."
Jake nods, leaning back in his chair with a frown. He watches as Jay pulls Sunghoon closer to him, almost molding into each other. He sighs, fingers curling around his cup.
"I think I really messed things up with Heeseung," he whispers.
Jay looks up at him, eyebrows furrowed. "Why? What happened?"
Jake flushes, turning his head away in embarrassment. "I kinda confessed."
At that, Jake hears Sunghoon gasp. "Jake, you absolute idiot! What were you even thinking?"
Jake turns to glare at him, a derisive sneer upturning his lips. "I already know I messed up, idiot. I don't need you to remind me of anything!"
Sunghoon snickers at him only to start coughing violently all in the same breath. He smacks at his chest and Jay rubs his back to help and calm him down.
"So," Jay starts with once Sunghoon isn't literally hacking up his lungs anymore. "what did hyung do once you confessed?"
Jake tilts his head. "He totally blew me off."
Jay and Sunghoon gape at him and he grimaces, lifting his cup to take another sip. "What do you mean 'he totally blew me off'?"
Jake hums. "He was really embarrassed, I guess. I tried to ask him if he was okay, if he was sick and needed anything but he kinda like, I don't know, closed in on himself."
Jay stares at him, expression unreadable. "Are you serious?"
Jake nods, picking at his cuticles. "I tried to take it back, to tell him that I was sorry for making him uncomfortable but he cut me off. Told me that wasn't the problem and then said he was gonna head home 'cause he was tired. I was relieved, you know? Told him I would see him tomorrow and he just walked off on me."
Sunghoon and Jay stare at him with shocked looks. He licks at his lips, his hands clasped together on the table top.
"That... doesn't sound like hyung at all," Sunghoon mumbles."Oh, Jakey. What are you going to do?"
Jake shrugs, just a tiny lift of the shoulders as he looks out the large window next to him. "I'll stay away for a couple days. Give him some time to think it through. I don't wanna force myself onto him or anything, you know?"
Jay sighs. "Is that really a good idea?"
"Does it really matter? What's best is that I don't make him uncomfortable."
His friend sighs again but nods, patting Jake on the hand twice. Jay is probably right about it not being a good idea but what else is Jake supposed to do? He can't just force himself onto Heeseung and scare him off even more.
If making sure Heeseung is comfortable means leaving him high and dry for a couple days then he'll do it. He, surprisingly, trusts Heeseung.