HEEJAKE • HAVING YOU NEAR ME

iv

Until it’s time to go,
Then I’m leaving it up to you

///~~///

“What in the world is your problem?” Heeseung asked, clearly annoyed. He stopped walking as soon as Jake looked back at him.

“What are those looks for? You asked me to have dinner with you right after you left my house last week without any notice! I came to meet you and now you’re running away?” Heeseung shouted.

“Because you’re showing up with a friend! Did I ask you to bring a friend? I did not!” Jake shouted back before turning away with heavy shoulders and an angry pout.

“I just thought you should meet Sunoo-” a calm explanation came from the older but Jake isn’t buying it.

“I don’t care about your stupid crush who you always mention because he never returned your feelings,” Jake absentmindedly said in a voice of a toddler fighting with another toddler.

“Jake,” Heeseung’s warning voice came, scaring Jake a little bit.

Jake looked back and found Heeseung glaring angrily at him, unpleased with what he had just said.

“Sunoo is my friend,” Heeseung stated firmly but Jake still won’t buy it.

Friend.

Sunoo is Heeseung’s childhood friend whom he fell in love with. The reason why Heeseung thinks that everyone doesn’t like him, adding to the trauma his parents have given him. The reason why Heeseung is always drunk, the reason why he met Jake.

The reason why Heeseung couldn’t move on from his feelings and used Jake as an escape. The reason why Heeseung could never return the feelings Jake is having for the older.

The reason why Jake’s pillows were always drenched in tears every night, the reason for him waking up with his cheeks stained with dry tears every morning.

Sunoo, Heeseung’s unrequited love is the reason for Jake being in a one-sided love.

Heeseung’s friend.

“If you’re friends with him, why don’t you fuck him like what you’re doing with me?” Jake voiced out before he quickly turned around and walked as fast as he could away from Heeseung, scared of what would be the older boy’s reaction.

Sunghoon has been pestering him all week to sue Heeseung for what he did. Jake had to leave for work for two straight days before he got an e-mail saying he was relieved from work. Sunghoon blamed Heeseung for it.

Jake couldn’t believe he’d follow Sunghoon to a police station, stopping his best friend from filing a case against Heeseung. Jake lived in hell for a week trying to defend Heeseung from Sunghoon’s accusations.

And to make Sunghoon feel better, Jake lied about Heeseung asking him to have dinner together outside as an apology. Just eating together and then get back home right after, no liquors involved.

Jake lied and Sunghoon thankfully believed him after so much effort of convincing him with fake evidence. After Sunghoon agreed that he’ll never go into the police again and file a case against Heeseung, Jake called the older man and asked him to meet outside for dinner together.

It is Jake who asked, not the other way around. It was far from an apology dinner and just a simple dinner in a fancy restaurant. But then, Heeseung shows up with another boy whom Jake recognized as Kim Sunoo.

How could Jake not know?

Heeseung showed him some pictures long ago while telling the repetitive story of his unrequited love with him.

He learned that Heeseung admitted and confessed his feelings for Sunoo when they were in high school but the other boy simply doesn’t feel the same towards him. He rejected Heeseung’s confession but remained friends, which was the reason why Heeseung can’t move on. Every day he spent with Sunoo, he fell in love deeper.

After their college, Heeseung confessed again but Sunoo rejected him right away. Sunoo then left the country right away, chasing his dreams of becoming a worldwide-known model. Sunoo reached the peak of his dreams and his name became famous, but then he decided to back down.

He resigned from the company he was working at and went back to South Korea, chasing the person he liked and then having a happy ending. While Heeseung remained in love with Sunoo, his feelings never faded and never returned.

Jake knew that much about Heeseung’s unrequited love with Sunoo, he heard it every single time from Heeseung’s rants when he’s drunk.

One question crossed Jake’s mind, if he confesses to Heeseung, will the older return it back?

Jake laughed mockingly at himself. He will never dare confess like that. He was scared the same thing would happen to him, like what happened between Heeseung and Sunoo.

He should just leave everything to Heeseung’s decision. Heeseung can do everything that he pleases and Jake will never say a word. Jake was fine with anything as long as he can remain by Heeseung’s side.

Now, though, Jake has to eat dinner alone somewhere in the busy street so that Sunghoon would not get suspicious.