✓ | cool for the summer, sim jaeyun

𝟏𝟒. ( a blackout. )

IT HAD BEEN four days since Isabel Park cleaned Jake Sim's wounds, and to say the tension between the two was thick would be a massive understatement.

Neither of them had spoken about that night even though it was constantly on both of their minds. What had Jake meant by something being wrong with him? And why did Jake always have Issy on his mind?

Isabel and Jungwon had kept in contact (Issy having apologized for leaving so suddenly at the party) and things were going well for them.

Currently, she and her best friend, Niki were sitting on her bed, locked away from the gloomy weather outside. Despite it being the middle of summer — a time when the sun should be blaring all the time — the clouds still managed to turn a dull grey and swarm the once, clear blue sky, causing everyone to remain in doors.

The older girl mindlessly drew in her sketch book whilst Niki laid beside her, dipping his hand into the family share bag of crisps every now and then as he spoke about whatever was on his mind.

"Did I tell you about the girl I met at the party?" He asked with a raised brow and Isabel shook her head, her eyebrows furrowed as she concentrated on a detail in her work.

"I'm sure I've found my soulmate." The Nishimura boy stated rather seriously whilst sitting up. All Issy could do was chuckle and nod her head, not quite believing the words leaving her best friends mouth. It wasn't rare that Niki thought an attractive girl was the love of his life.

"Really? And her name is...?"

"Miso — Choi Miso." Niki announced. "She really is pretty — she's one of a kind-"

"Did you get her number?" Issy asked, a playful smirk on her lips as she turned her head to look down at her friend, who grew silent at her question, which quickly made the Park girl let out a laugh. "Typical..." She uttered.

Suddenly, disturbing the two best friends was a knock at Issy's bedroom door, which immediately grabbed their attentions as the mystery person walked in.

"Heeseung's inviting us over," Her brother, Jay, informed the duo. "And Jungwon is gonna be there." He added before quickly leaving her room so that he could put his shoes on.

The younger boy beside Issy nudged her arm jokingly, as he stood up from the bed, disregarding the crisp packet that was now empty and slipping his shoes on.

"Come on," Niki bobbed his head, motioning for Isabel to move. "We're going."

✿

After arriving at Heeseung's holiday home and the group had gotten themselves comfortable in the Lee boys living room (each of them dotted on the sofa), Jungwon, Jake, Heeseung, and Niki had all decided to play a video game on the console.

"When I come back to Korea sometime, we should definitely go and get our nails done together." Niah suggested with a wide smile on her pink lips. The two girls had decided to sit beside one another, stating that they didn't want to get involved within the chaos of video game rage.

Nodding her head in agreement, Issy turned her head away from the large television and looked at the girl next to her, mirroring her smile. "That'd be nice, I could also introduce you to some of my friends, I'm sure you'd get along with them well."

Just as Niah parted her lips to add on to Isabel's suggestion, the Park girls attention was pulled away from the conversation as Jungwon turned to her, nudging her arm gently.

"Do you wanna play?" He asked, holding out the controller for her to take. Issy couldn't help but smile at his gesture and nod her head — even though she had no idea what to press and how to play the game.

"Do you know how to play?" Jungwon softly chuckled out once noticing her hesitation to press anything. Lifting her head up from the controller and looking at the Yang boy, an embarrassed laugh quietly passed her lips.

"Not really." She shook her head — which instantly earned knowing giggles from her best friend and Niah.

"That's okay, I'll teach you." Jungwon shrugged and inched his body closer to Isabel's body, before he placed his hands on top of the girls, showing her what button and stick does what.

As Jungwon's warm breath fanned her exposed neck causing multiple goosebumps to form on her skin, Isabel Park hadn't realized she was holding her breath — no, not until a gasp left Issy's mouth in shock as her screen turned black and the words 'DECEASED' appeared in bold, red writing.

"What the hell, Jake?" Jungwon huffed out in confusion, visibly irritated with the older boy for murdering his character. "We're on the same team."

Glancing over at the raven haired boy, who had refused to look at her and Jungwon, Isabel was quick to notice Jake's clenched jaw and his bottom lip tightly tucked between his teeth — and when the Sim boy turned his head to look over at Isabel, the annoyance in his eyes became as obvious as ever as they met Issy's ones.

"My bad." Jake brushed the matter off, sending a glare at Jungwon before turning back to the video game, which only made Issy roll her eyes.

Suddenly, the sound of thunder echoed throughout the neighborhood and lightning struck brightly in the air and rain soon began to angrily fall from the clouds. The sky had turned miserable with the dark clouds taking over the setting sun.

"So much for summer." Heeseung scoffed, running a hand through his black hair before going back to the game — however, the plans of continuing the video game was abruptly ended as the television and all of the lights in the home switched off.

"A blackout?" Jay groaned and Isabel let out a sigh. What were they going to do now? It wasn't like they could go home because the street lights weren't working, so Jay (who'd driven in their parents' car) wouldn't be able to see clearly with not only the darkness, but also the pouring rain. It'd be dangerous.

As time passed, and conversations about what to do changed into jokes being made in the dark and then to 'horror stories with Niki', boredom soon fell upon the group as huffs were thrown about. There were no signs of the electricity being turned on as minutes soon turned to hours.

"Hey," Niki spoke up, a playful grin displayed on his lips that could be seen due to the flash from his phone being shone on his face on his lips. His tone was filled with excitement and it quickly grasped everyone's attention as they turned to look at the youngest, waiting to hear his idea.

"Let's play hide and seek."

✿