Matching the Matchmaker | YunKi

05;; It'll be fine

05;; It'll be fine 

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"Sorry Jake for coming, I was just looking for my phone-"

Riki felt his limbs stiffen, expression numbed into a placating smile. His eyes were glued on his phone, the tension building up with each silent second and he couldn't bear it. He twitched when Jake gently set down his phone so that his case was facing the light, the clear cover decorated with a picture of them – a flash polaroid.

"I-I'm guessing you found it then," Riki's feign chuckles echo aimlessly around the room, "I um probably should've remembered it you know, before disturbing you and whatever I-" He was just about to escape the situation, phone in hand or not, he just needed to leave before Jake could let a word out.

"Wait," The words hum against his ears, Riki's hand frozen in front of the handle. He swiftly glances back at his best friend, "Don't you want your phone?" Jake hums softly.

"O-oh yeah... that," Riki clears his throat. There's no use in hiding now.

He shifts his focus to the carpet as he approaches Jake and takes a seat beside him. None of them says a word, too caught up in whatever they're trying to avoid.

"Okay I know you're mad," Riki pulls up his hands in defence, "but you've gotta understand me, Jake."

"Understand what?" Jake presses his fingers into a tight hold around his thumb, his hand now balled up into a fist.

Riki sighs and tries to plaster on a playful smile, but Jake doesn't change his own tone, "You know I don't like upsetting people-"

"Well, I thought you knew that I don't like keeping secrets – especially from each other," Jake snaps. The sudden cry almost scares Riki, there's something so terrifying about upsetting your best friend, especially one that's usually composed, "Why didn't you tell me?" He waters down his fiery tone into a mellow whisper.

"Minsong wanted to date you, Jake, he's a good guy. I thought you wouldn't mind – I was planning on telling you," Riki looks away, "after I matchmaked you two together,"

"Riki," Jake forces Riki to look up at him, "I-I just don't know what to say... Is that why you've been acting so weird?" He asks.

"I- It's hard matchmaking on your own okay," Riki wanted to yell at him but how could he, Jake be allowed to be upset, mad or whatever because he himself was hurt, "I couldn't tell you could I? I wanted to tell Minsong the truth that it would be just like any other and, and you... you'd probably say no since you didn't know who he was so how can you blame me, Jake?"

Jake purses his lips into a thin line before realising a soft sigh, "I didn't mean to get angry like that Riki," he confesses, a little guilty when he was forced to face Riki's distraught expression. He knew how much this meant to both of them, it was an escape to make them both feel like they'd done something – achieved something – helped someone. Made the world a better place, and yet he'd gotten cross over something so special to both of them.

"No, no Jake," Riki waves his hand gingerly, "Your right – I should have lied – I admit that. But why did you answer my phone?" The sudden question made Jake laugh which took the younger by surprise by his change of tone.

"Oh, I was just really tired after practice, so I thought your phone was mine," Jake rubs his nape in embarrassment, the tension finally cleared up when Riki let out a cute chuckle at the latter's expression.

Riki let his smile falter at the edges, shifting his head so that it was pointing to his lap, hands clammy from guilt, "You know Jake," Riki began with a solemn expression, yet his smile contrasted his bleak demeanour. He places his left hand gingerly on top of Jakes, still not meeting his eyes which made him worried, "I can stop the matchmaking if you want," He smiles.

"No, Riki-" Jake can't help but reject his gracious offer. Riki had school, dance, SHINee and his friends yet he prioritised his own love life (and Minsongs) only to throw all of that time and energy away just because of his own selfish reasons, "I want to say something that may just work but might sound really... strange,"

"What?" Riki swayed his head to the right.

"I could help you matchmake Minsong with myself,"

"So, this is what I've done so far," Riki drops his book full of notes onto the table before scooting his chair closer to the dining table.

Jake scratches his head, unsure of how to handle the new information. He gingerly brushes the book closer to his side and casually flips over the pages which he expects to be unorganized and a little spontaneous, "Wow, you've actually done a lot," He whispers softly more to himself than Riki, but he nods and smiles along anyways.

A sudden wave of embarrassment runs through Riki when he realises what he's written wasn't intended to be read by the likes of others but thankfully he notices Jake is only skimming through the pages, "Here," He pushes the book back to Riki before tucking his hands away.

"Do you have any ideas of how this should play out by any chance?" Riki drums his fingers on the cover.

"Hmm," Jake hums softly under his breath, "I think I have something, but I don't know how to explain it," He chuckles at the half-finished answer.

"Can you draw it?" Riki pushes a pencil to him, jokingly.

"No, it just kinda sounds mean," He chokes and looks away embarrassed but Riki just grins childishly and shakes his head.

Riki gasps, "Sim Jaeyun – being mean? No," Jake gently shoves him by his shoulder which burns his fire of laughter louder, "But seriously, what is it?" He huffs.

"Fine, I'll tell you but if it sounds weird don't you be weird." Jake points a stern finger at Riki who just giggles as usual.

"That's very contradictory but I'll try," The younger picks up the pencil and begins sketching on the piece of paper with all their ideas on.

"So, um... basically you help me more than Minsong so that I can act on Minsong instead of the other way around. Because you now, unlike Minsong, I've never dated anyone..." Jake's flushed cheeks and lowered head explains more than his mumbled words that were barely audible to Ni-Ki. To Jakes surprise, Rikii doesn't laugh just smiles and nods, still sketching out on the paper.

"You know what," Riki whispers as he leans in closer to Jake. He drags his book closer to him and flips it open to what seems like a random page, "I've already prepared for that!" Riki yells out in excitement which takes Jake by surprise, Riki moving back with his book.

"W-wow," Jake stutters out and rubs his nape shyly, "you really have everything."

His empty answer goes unnoticed by Riki, so he attempts to gain back some confidence by holding his flushed face in his cupped hands while Riki continues to draw.

"Well, aren't you gonna read it?" Riki pouts and taps his pencil on the book.

"Well, I thought-"

"Matchmaking is our business, right?" Those words seemed to have lost their meaning after the big reveal of what Riki was doing but when he heard his best friends voice bring those words back to life he felt the spark in his heart that he thought had been long forgotten. He admires Riki's childish smile that glowed with youth and couldn't help but return the sweet gesture.

He nods with a smile and swivels the book to his side, the flood of confidence taking him by surprise.

Because he knows this will be fine – it's just him and Riki – and Minsong, of course. 

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Thank you guys so much for 100 reads, I didn't expect to get so many in such a short amount of time so thank you, very, very much :]

— NISCO !!!!