✓ READY TO LOVE | JAKE

8 - New Coworker

"Are you okay? Do you need anything?" Sunghoon said on the other line as Soo Yun stole a glance at Jake who was cooking dinner for her. 

"I'm fine." She said curtly.

"Is Jake still with you?" Silence. "I swear if he left you alone-"

"He's still here! He doesn't even have to do this but he's taking care of me while you're out there doing who knows what!" She snapped at her brother, making Jake turn and look at her.

"We have so much to prepare for the wedding, Soo Yun. You know I wouldn't leave you alone, but Jake is a reliable friend and I trust him, you're gonna be okay." Sunghoon sighed.

"Okay, just go. I'm doing fine so don't worry." 

"Alright, I'll see you later. Love you!" Sunghoon said before he hung up, and Soo Yun just sighed and closed her eyes.

"He's doing this on purpose... that idiot." She muttered before Jake walked toward her.

"Is everything alright?" He asked. 

"Yes..." She said before she looked away and he frowned.

"It doesn't look like it, though." His remark made her look back at him. "Tell me if anything is bothering you, I'll try to help if I can."

"Am I not bothering you? I mean you're probably so busy and I'm keeping you off your work. Is it really okay?" She asked. She was being honest because she wondered why he was going this far to take care of her when she didn't even mean anything to him-

"You're my friend, of course, I'll help. And my schedule is clear for the day, so don't worry and just rest, okay?" He smiled as he reassured her. "Oh, and I'm kind of having fun too. For the past few days, I've been going back home right after work and doing nothing. It was so boring and to be honest, I felt very lonely. But I have you now." 

"O-oh?" Her cheeks reddened.

"That's not- I meant that I can h-hang out with you now!" He quickly explained as he put his hand on the back of his neck. "I'm sorry it sounded like that..."

"No, it's okay..." She laughed awkwardly before he excused himself and rushed back to the kitchen, not noticing the smile that formed on Soo Yun's lips. He was indeed keeping her company.

After a while, dinner was ready and served, and the two started eating. "Are you going to close the shop for the time being?" Jake asked as he glanced at her and she sighed.

"Yes, I have to. I mean I can't work like this and there's no one other than me in the shop. I need to close it until I get better." Soo Yun shrugged.

"I can help." He said.

"What?" Her eyes slightly widened as she stared at him.

"I don't know what to do and I for sure don't know how to make beautiful bouquets as you do, but I can help you if you don't want to close the shop." He smiled reassuringly.

"But... how about your work?" She asked and put her chopsticks down. 

"I can just take some time off. Heeseung will take care of anything if needed." He said. "And since you trust me because I'm Sunghoon's friend, I can be your new coworker."

Soo Yun chuckled at his remark before she looked at him for a while, trying to figure out if that was a good idea. I mean, what could go wrong if he helped her? He could drive her to work and she'll just tell him what he needs to do.

"Okay?" Soo Yun said, still unsure. But then she smiled and extended her hand for him to shake. "I'm excited to work with you, Mr. Sim." 

"Thank you, boss!" Jake laughed.

"Don't call me that! It feels weird." She laughed as she waved her hands. "Soo Yun is fine-"

"Yunie." He said and she looked at him in surprise. "Jay calls you Yunie."

"Y-yes." 

"Can I call you that too?" He asked and Soo Yun wondered why he looked so serious.

"I... I don't-"

"Haha, it's okay." He shook his head before she could speak further. He knew it was stupid of him to ask her that, and he didn't want to hear her refusing that. "I was just kidding... I'll just call you Soo Yun."

Staring at him with soft eyes, she slowly nodded and started eating again. Soo Yun knew very well that Jake wasn't joking, she could see it in his eyes.

"How about Yu Nabi?" Her words made him stop in his tracks as he kept looking at the food for a while. 

"I don't know..." He said, still not looking at her. "I don't even care."

"Why?" Soo Yun frowned.

"Because she cheated on me... that's why."

Soo Yun didn't seem that surprised as she just kept eating the food that he made for her. "I see." She simply said. Yu Nabi cheating on Jake wasn't a surprise to her. "She hasn't been coming to the shop for a while."

"I haven't been receiving flowers and letters either, I figured." He said.

"My ex-boyfriend also cheated on me." This time, Jake was surprised. But Soo Yun seemed unbothered as she just shrugged. "He was my coworker. He stole my money and I realized later on that he was dating another girl behind my back."

She was too calm, and Jake was confused. She had to look at least sad, but she looked like nothing bothered her. As if it didn't mean anything to her, or it didn't hurt anymore.

"I did love him a lot, but he didn't deserve it at all... I can understand you." She smiled bitterly at him and his eyes softened. 

"I understand you too." He smiled back, almost drowning in her eyes again. He always found himself lost in them, or the way her smile made him feel happy. 

They were two people who loved a lot and hurt a lot. And as they smiled at each other, a part of their hearts healed, because they were there to understand and comfort each other.

Two people who needed love, but were too scared to love again.

The sky turned to a dark blue as Soo Yun lay on her bed, staring at Jake's back as he talked to her brother on the phone.

"It is really okay?" He asked. "You don't mind? Okay, I understand. I'll be staying with her then." 

Hanging up, he turned to her and smiled awkwardly. "What?"

"Sunghoon cannot come at the moment, so he asked me to stay with you for the night- I mean I'll just be in the living room if you ever need something. But if you're uncomfortable then I'll just leave and come back if you need any-"

"It's okay, you can stay." Her eyes softened as she nodded. "There's a pillow and a blanket over there, and... do you need anything else?"

"No, I'm fine." He smiled. "I'll be in the living room then, just call me if you need something."

"Okay. Good night, Jake."

"Good night, Soo Yun."

But Jake couldn't sleep at all, he stayed awake so that he could go to her if she ever needs something. There was silence in the house, and her room's door was open.

"Soo Yun?" He whispered, trying to see if she was still awake. But the lack of response let him know that she wasn't. 

In an attempt to slowly close her door, he spotted her sleeping with her blanket off. He didn't know if it was okay to go inside her room while she was asleep, but he couldn't just leave her like that since it was cold.

So, closing his eyes, he walked inside and quietly put the blanket over her before he was about to walk out. But Soo Yun grabbed his arm, making him stop in his tracks.

"... you can call me Yunie." She whispered.

And right then, Jake's heart skipped a beat.