afterglow ‣ s.jy

022

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JAKE

It was ironic to think that over a year ago when Jake had first met Siyeon, he would've never thought that a time will come where he'd be pining for her, where he'd find it in him to actually like her.

The memory of their first meeting remained vivid in his mind, her first ever hostile glare towards him and his first ever eye roll towards her. How they started has not been the most ideal one, and if he were to share a conversation with anyone who thought they would end up where they were now, only his friends would believe that he'd like her. As graduation drew near, he never knew he'd find himself feeling ever so nostalgic while he stared back at the almost empty room, still occupied by Siyeon who was busily fixing her bag alone.

Why was he waiting for her, one may ask, the answer to that question had been simple enough.

She needed company.

For what, he wondered earlier when she had asked him, and the reply he got should've been expected.

She was ditching again for one last time before they turn a new leaf and step forward just a tad bit closer to adulthood. It would have been incredibly foolish of him to refuse such an offer, always seemingly reducing himself into a simpleton whenever Siyeon was involved in the equation.

Another question may arose, and Jake quickly knew it pertained to the abrupt change in the nature of their friendship. Merely a day ago they barely talked— glanced, even, at each other, now there they were planning to run away from the towering walls of the school and into the real world.

Jake personally had no idea. He remembered arguing with Siyeon earlier because she had accidentally tripped on his bag, resulting to a slight long argument as to who really was at fault. His annoyance from earlier only rooted from the fact that she barely talked to him and whenever she does, it just had to be in a heated debate. But really, that fight with her had made him realize that after the time he gave her a ride to the hospital, she became less tense around him, and avoiding him had stopped becoming her priority. In some way, that was better, though it was still far from what they used to have, the fact that she no longer treated him like the plague was enough for him.

"I'm going to leave you in ten seconds." He hollers to her, just in time she had her bag on her shoulder already, walking forward to him with a scowl on her face.

"If you're going to lie, at least say something believable." Siyeon rolled her eyes, grabbing unto the ends of Jake's sleeve before pulling him with her as they make their way to the back of the school.

Siyeon walked a little ahead of him, allowing him a glimpse of how she looked as she stride forward with their hands grazing each other as she kept her hold on the sleeves of his jacket. From another perspective, their hands almost seemed like it was touching and if it had been any person, Jake wouldn't have thought deeper about it but this was another level of intimacy, especially for someone like the two of them. Both arrived at the back of the school, eyeing the familiar stack of boxes before returning his gaze to Siyeon, who had just let go of his sleeve.

"I'll go first." He suggests, and she complied.

Climbing over to the boxes, Jake swiftly jumps over the wall, landing on his own two feet and dusting his uniform afterward, which slightly messed itself earlier. His gaze traveled upwards, waiting for Siyeon to appear and not a minute after, her head appeared and her once loose hair had now been tied into a ponytail. Suddenly, a wave of deja vu had hit him when the sunlight met her. He remembered the first time they had done this, and by that time, he still refused to admit that the so-called attraction he felt had not been anything remotely closer to what he felt for Hyejin. Now, he stood there, fully admitting that the person looking at him from above was the object of his desire. His dream personified.