??? ???? ???? ? sim jaeyun ?

Later that evening, Jake found himself at his desk, staring at the Seoul trip form. His room was dimly lit, the soft glow of his desk lamp casting shadows across the paper. He had all the information he needed to fill out: name, emergency contacts, allergies—simple things. 

But the decision to actually sign his name felt heavier than it should.

He twirled his pen between his fingers, tapping it rhythmically on the edge of his notebook. Normally, he'd have already decided, shrugged off the trip, and dismissed it as just another obligation he didn't need to deal with. But Minjae's words from earlier echoed in his mind.

He sighed, rolling his eyes at himself as he muttered, "Why am I even considering this?"

His mind drifted back to their walk home, the way Minjae had looked at him with such genuine excitement. She hadn't seemed like she was just trying to drag him along for company—there was something else in her expression, something that made him feel... important. 

"But they're not you," she'd said. He'd brushed it off then, but now, sitting alone in his room, it lingered.

Then there was the hug. He could still feel the warmth of it, quick and unexpected, but... comforting. It wasn't like he'd never been hugged before, but something about the way Minjae had embraced him had thrown him off balance. 

She didn't make a big deal out of it, and she hadn't lingered—just a quick squeeze and that bright smile of hers.

Weird.

Jake huffed, running a hand through his hair. He tapped the pen against the form again, feeling oddly nervous. He usually didn't let people get close, didn't let anyone disrupt the careful distance he kept between himself and the world.

 Yet, with Minjae, he found himself almost wanting to let her in, even if he didn't fully understand why.

He glanced over the form once more, his gaze lingering on the empty signature line. He could picture Minjae's expression if she found out he'd filled it out, her face lighting up in that way she always did, the same way she'd looked when he told her he'd "think about it." 

He smirked to himself, imagining the excitement in her eyes, her endless chatter about all the places they'd go. Maybe she'd even start planning his outfits if he gave her the chance.

Just as he leaned back in his chair, a voice pierced the quiet night.

"Jake!"

His head snapped toward the open window. Sure enough, there was Minjae, leaning out of her window across the small alley between their homes. The moonlight reflected off her face as she waved both arms wildly to get his attention.

"What do you want, Minjae?" Jake called back, trying to sound annoyed but failing to hide the small smile tugging at his lips.

"Did you fill out the form yet?" she yelled, her voice echoing down the street.