solace | heejake.

029.

"hey, ethan, you're not really going?" beomgyu askesd, as he stood before the door frame of his room. 

ethan wasn't expecting that his friend would come, but even if he did, he still wouldn't change his mind. why would he go if he doesn't have any reason to? he hated how he didn't do anything to change the situation he's in. but it's been done, it's too late.

"you should go, you're gonna be late." ethan paused to face beomgyu. "you'll still pick taehyun up, he'd be mad if you're late. he'll probably gonna think you dumped him--"

beomgyu chucked, "woah, stop there, gab. do you think i didn't tell him about this? besides, there's still half an hour, you're fvcking exaggerating." 

"just get the hell out of here, i already told you i'm not going." he replied as he closed the door only to be stopped by beomgyu. 

"stop being so gloomy and all. i'm telling you this might be your last chance or whatever, we both know he'll be there. so i don't understand why you don't want to go." 

ethan turned his back, and plopped onto his bed, "and i don't get why you're still persuading me to go if you know that i don't want to--"

"you're telling me you'd let it all go to waste? man, i thought you've been dying for this? that thing you told me... was that just a lie?" beomgyu grinned to himself, before closing the door with a soft thud, letting the captain know that he left. 

great, his job is now done. all he have to do is wait for ethan to show up at the ball, without a doubt. he then went back to his house and prepare, he still have a date to take to the ball. 

time went by and everyone were already having fun at the ball, the dinner just got started and yet everyone's singing and dancing their hearts out, making the most out of the moment. at the varsity table, only the captain was missing, and lorenzo who sat with the student council. 

"he's still not here, what did you even told him dean?" sunghoon initiated the conversation, just before the ball started they made a bet whether ethan will come or not. 

they all doubted that he'll come, except beomgyu, who strongly believed with the words he told the captain that will push him to go. 

"yeah." soobin interfered. "i don't think he's gonna show up, the party's almost over."

beomgyu just chuckled, "trust me, the party is just about to start." he then pointed at the entrance, it may be dark but the neon lights helped him confirm that it was indeed ethan who just entered at the entrance. 

they just watched as he walked to them silently, yeonjun whistled as ethan finally arrived, "guess who's here."

"see? i told you, he will come. i won." beomgyu proudly said with a smug look on his face. "now, please excuse me, i have to go make my move too." 

"fvck, i just lost my allowance for the whole week." soobin sighed, pertaining to the bet.

yeonjun shook his head, "that moron tricked us." 

ethan took the seat where beomgyu left, "what?" he asked, weirded by the kind of looks they were giving him.

"what did dean told you?" sunghoon badly wanted to deny just he lost a bet with that beomgyu who's now sitting beside taehyun, doing whatever.

the captain shook his head, "nothing, and what the hell are y'all talking about?" 

yeonjun and soobin stood up in unison, saying something about looking for their partners, sunoo and kai. now, he's left with sunghoon alone, "anyway, good thing you showed up." he said before leaving him alone too. 

that is what happened before ethan met jake at the rest room, now, they sat in silence at the back porch of the venue. the latter still couldn't wrap his head about just what happened, he felt like it went too fast and slow at the same time. 

at last, everything was finally alright. 

it feels like he found the peace he was seeking for a long time, in ethan's presence. amidst their silence, ethan was the first one to speak, "do you want to know a story?"

jake hummed as a response but you can see in his eyes that he was eager to know what ethan has to tell. there was something today that made him shy about looking at the captain in the eyes, if he did he'll be able to hold for about couple of seconds.

ethan smiled as he reminisced, "when i was in my second year, i saw this guy, and i instantly thought 'can someone this be handsome and pretty at the same time?' in all honesty, he looked really fine."

jake felt sadness wash over him, he didn't expect the story would be about ethan and someone else. but he didn't complain and still listened.

"i didn't know god can create such beauty and i felt blessed to be able to see that creation of His. i was stunned that moment, beomgyu even told me he was calling me multiple times but i wasn't responding and that my eyes were glued to that person." ethan continued, oblivious to jake's emotions.

"seeing him up there in front of the crowd, many people would've thought that he's right where he belongs. at the top, where all people can see him. i was almost fooled too, who would even doubt a guy that is screaming with much determination and desire for something. he stood there as if he knew that he's gonna win it. but then even with our distance, i clearly saw he was nervous, shaking almost. everyone maybe was just too blinded with his beauty or the aura that he has in him that they overlooked that he was nervous at some point. and since that day, i've always admired his braveness."

that guy must be perfect for the captain to compliment him like that, how jake wished it was him.

of course, he is intrigued who that guy is but he remained silent, debating whether he should ask or let ethan continue.

his silence lead to ethan asking him, "aren't you gonna ask who was that guy?"

it took jake couple of seconds to respond, "i probably don't know him."

honestly, he couldn't think of a person that high and mighty as what ethan had said.

ethan took jake's hand and played with his fingers while starring at the latter, "it was you jake. that's how this all started. i've mistaken my feelings at first for just a simple admiration but when i first met you again at jay's party my feelings came back, and even bigger."

jake was dumbfounded, "m-me?"

"of course it's you. there's no one like you, babe. no one like you."