✓ SOUR SWEETHEARTS | JAKE

38 - Second Chances

Y/N didn't want everyone to know what was happening. She glanced at her friends, who were still releasing their lanterns, completely unaware of the dangerous situation she was in. Minho's grip on her wrist made her suck in a deep breath and when Areum glanced at her, she tried faking a smile that, honestly, wasn't very much convincing.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Areum elowed Sunghoon and they approached Y/N who shook her head and gestured for them to stay back.

"It's okay, Areum. Minho and I need to talk." The words left her mouth and her friend frowned, looking at the asshole who was clearly having fun at her expense. "Okay? We're... we're just going to talk."

"Yeah. I'll take her for a while. Have fun, the two of you." The way he smiled, a twisted grin that sent shivers down her spine, was anything but reassuring. She turned her attention back to Minho who led her away, the knife still hidden in his pocket. He could, anytime, use it if she tried to escape or draw attention. "Come on, Y/N, or do you want me to sweep you off your feet and carry you like we just got married? Isn't that what you wanted? Wasn't marrying me your little fantasy?"

"Stop dragging me like this. Let's talk here." She tried to pull her hand away only for him to pull her harder, pushing her against his car. Her back collided with the cool metal of the car, and her heart pounded in her chest. "Stop-"

"We're going to talk in my place. Okay, darling? You only need to feel my love once again so you can remember how it used to be," Minho whispered, his voice dripping with twisted nostalgia. "Get inside."

"I'm not going anywhere with you, you fucking psycho," She spat, her eyes filled with a blazing fire that made him raise his eyebrow. It seemed he wasn't enjoying her defiance. 

He leaned closer, his voice dripping with venom. "Watch your mouth, Y/N. One scream and this will go right where I want it to." The subtle reveal of the knife in his pocket to make sure she got a glimpse of its glint made her sick to the stomach. 

"Kill me then." That wasn't the response Minho had expected. He tilted his head, his lips curling into a sneer. "If that's what it takes to be free of you, then do it. I don't even care anymore."

"You always were a little drama queen, Y/N. I'll give it to you," He pressed the knife against her side, enough to cut and make her gasp in pain. "I know why you're so brave all of a sudden. You think he's going to protect you? That little fucker almost broke my nose back then, but now things are different. He's no longer a part of your life, and you're going to realize that very soon-"

Y/N didn't know what happened next. She didn't realize it when someone slammed into Minho from the side, sending him crashing to the ground. Trying to recollect her thoughts while sinking to the ground, she watched his back as he got on top of Minho and pinned him down, throwing punches that could almost have killed a person.

It took her a moment to register that the person was none other than Jake. He was there, with his heart pounding and eyes filled with rage, protecting her just like he had promised. 

He didn't hold back. He rained blows down on Minho, who was now on the receiving end of the violence he had once threatened Y/N with. The campus security, alerted by the commotion, arrived to break up the fight. They restrained Minho and pulled him away while Jake was still trying to catch his breath, his fists clenched.

"You fucking bitch-" She watched as Minho spat the words, his face bruised and bloodied, but then she could hear nothing. Jake placed his hands over her ears, staring at her as if she was everything he had ever wanted to protect. Everything he had risked everything to come back for. 

Time passed in a blur and Y/N couldn't tell what was happening. Maybe she fainted. Maybe she was in shock. All she knew was that she was safe, and Jake was there, keeping his promise. They were in the hospital, she could tell from the sterile surroundings and the faint beeping of machines. Y/N was lying on a hospital bed, and Jake was sitting in a chair beside her, never once leaving her side. The events of the night replayed in her mind like a surreal nightmare.

Her body ached, and she winced as she tried to sit up but he gently placed a hand on her shoulder, urging her to lie back down. "Stay rested, Y/N," Jake said softly. "You've been through a lot." She nodded at that, swallowing a lump that had formed in her throat. It felt a little cold and a shiver ran down her spine, or maybe it was just the fact that he was there again, after months of separation, that sent chills through her. "How have you been?"

In the quiet confines of the hospital room, time seemed to slow down. His question made her wonder if it was okay to tell him about how much she had missed him during the long months of his absence. How much she thought of him and took the time to hate everything he had done. About how she could never truly forget him, no matter how hard she tried. How his absence had left a void in her life, one that she had struggled to fill. But all she did was let out a sigh and respond with a simple "okay" that barely scratched the surface of her emotions. 

She was tired, physically and emotionally drained, and for a moment, the hospital room was cloaked in silence, save for the steady rhythm of the machines monitoring her vital signs.

"I... I just had to make sure you were safe," He sighed, burying his face in the palm of his hands. "But if you don't want to see me, I'll just disappear again."

"I don't want you to disappear," She whispered, looking away while tears welled up in her eyes. "I never wanted you to disappear, Jaeyun." The way she used his real name and not just the name he had gone by for so long seemed to touch a chord deep within him. It was enough to make his heart ache. 

For a moment, it was as though time itself had frozen, and in that timeless interval, they were two souls confronting the cruel realities of their existence."It's been a while. I... I missed you, Y/N. I missed you so damn much. But all I could do was watch you from a distance, watch as you tried to move on and heal, watch as you struggled and suffered because of me. And when you were in danger, the thought of losing you made me wonder if I could ever forgive myself."

She turned her head to look at him, and in the dim hospital room, their eyes met. It felt like an eternity had passed in that silent exchange. His eyes were as deep and unfathomable as the ocean. They were still the most beautiful shade of brown, the color she could get lost in. "I've missed you too... every day, every night. I couldn't stop thinking about you yet all I could do was pretend that I was moving on. I hated myself for pushing you away when I clearly wanted you. I wanted... us-"

The next thing she knew was his lips on hers. His kiss was not a sudden storm but a gentle, lingering breeze – a reassurance, a silent apology, and a promise all rolled into one. She had never felt a kiss so full of longing, a kiss that seemed to mend the broken pieces of their hearts. 

"It's okay." Y/N's fingers tangled in Jake's hair, pulling him closer while sitting up to be closer to him. "You don't need to protect me from you, Jaeyun. I forgive you, okay? I... forgave you a long time ago, when my heart couldn't stop loving you even in your absence. I still love you, Jaeyun. I always did. And I'm sorry for making you believe that you were like your father. You're not... you're the man I fell in love with, and I know you're not him."

And that was enough to make him break into a smile through his remaining tears. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt this light, this hopeful. "Gosh... I just love you. I love you so much, angel. I love you so much it hurts."

The pain, the trauma, and the nightmares—they were all still there, but now, so was the person Y/N had longed to see. It wasn't a fairytale ending, but it was a fresh start. It was real, and it was theirs.