It's Hee's Lift Now | An ENHA + TXT Fic

28: Bonus 8 [Jay]: Losing Game

TW: suicide, death

"Jay, how do you know if someone likes you?"

Jay glanced up from the stove. "They smile at you. They try to spend time with you. They look for you when you're not there. Why?"

Jake fiddled nervously with a spoon. "I dunno."

"Oh my god, you like Kai? I was just joking about you two flirting earlier!"

"No, I don't- I don't like him."

"Oh." Jay crossed the kitchen to open the fridge. "Well, help me cut up some fruit."

A minute passed as Jake quietly sliced a pear.

"Jay... how do you know if you like someone?"

"If you're thinking about him this much, you like him."

Jake set his knife down, staring at the pot on the stove. "You're making pasta for your date with Jungwon?"

"Technically, I'm making it for everybody, but yeah." Jay stirred the pasta while trying to close a cabinet with his foot. "Are you just going to stand there or...?"

Jake shut the cabinet door. "Hypothetically, if Kai had a crush on someone in the group, who'd you think-"

"Agh!" Daniel ran into the kitchen, flopping miserably to the floor. "I've just seen something no kid should ever have to see."

Jay sighed, taking off his apron. "What was it?"

"Nothing!" Soobin blushed, entering the room with a towel draped over his shoulders. "It was just me and Yeonjun in the hot tub."

"Doing what?" Jay questioned.

Soobin didn't answer.

"Doing what, hyung?" Jake whispered.

"He was teaching me how to swim!" Soobin finally answered, glancing at Yeonjun as he joined them in the kitchen. "I can't swim, Jake! Please, let the whole world know!"

"The whole world does know," Sunoo commented, poking his head through the patio door. "It's all over YouTube."

Daniel rolled his eyes, sitting up on the tile floor. "I'm pretty sure your tongues didn't have to be down each other's throats for him to teach you how to swim."

"We were just kissing," Yeonjun grumbled. "And I guarantee you, Taehyun and Beomgyu have done much worse in your shared bedroom."

Daniel's mouth fell open. "Where's Heeseung hyung?"

"Outside, collecting shells." Jake pointed at the beach. "Why?"

"I want a room switch." Daniel shook his head disapprovingly at Soobin and Yeonjun before disappearing out the patio door.

"He's grown up so fast," Soobin sighed wistfully.

"Yeah, well, now that he's gone, let's continue our... swim lessons." Yeonjun grabbed the boy's hand, eagerly towing him away.

Jay glanced at Jake. "Thank god you're too much in denial to make a move on Kai. I don't think I can handle another PDA couple."

"We wouldn't be a PDA couple," Jake scoffed.

Kai strolled into the kitchen carrying a pack of juice boxes. "Who'd be a PDA couple?"

Jake froze, turning to face the newcomer. "No."

"...body," Jay finished, trying to save Jake from himself.

Kai stared at them, bewildered.

"Have a pear," Jake giggled, nervously popping a slice into Kai's mouth. "Okay, bye!"