when the stars align | sim jaeyun

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Jake's warning lingered in my mind all afternoon. I told myself it didn't matter—whatever dumb game he and his friends were playing had nothing to do with me. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shake the unease that crept over me. Was Sunghoon really planning to target me for their bet? And if so, why would Jake bother to warn me?

By the time school ended, my thoughts were a tangled mess. I shoved my books into my bag and headed toward the school gates, hoping some fresh air would help clear my mind. 

"Jisun!" Yuna's voice called from behind me. I turned to see her and Yunjin jogging to catch up. Ni-ki followed a few steps behind, his earbuds dangling around his neck. 

"Want to grab bubble tea?" Yunjin asked. "I need something sweet to make up for that train wreck of a day." 

I hesitated, but before I could answer, someone else spoke. 

"Jisun, wait up." 

The voice sent a shiver down my spine. I turned to see Jake striding toward us, his hands shoved into his jacket pockets. Yunjin stepped in front of me instinctively, her eyes narrowing. 

"What do you want, Jake?" she demanded. 

He ignored her, his gaze locked on me. "Can I talk to you? Just for a minute." 

Yunjin opened her mouth to protest, but I held up a hand. "It's fine," I said, surprising even myself. 

Yunjin looked skeptical, but she didn't argue. "We'll wait for you by the gates," she said, shooting Jake a glare before walking away with the others. 

Once we were alone, Jake leaned against the fence, his expression unusually serious. "I wasn't kidding earlier," he said. "Sunghoon's set on choosing you for the bet." 

I crossed my arms. "And why should I believe you?" 

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I know you don't trust me, and I don't blame you. But this... this isn't just some harmless game. If he picks you, he'll do whatever it takes to win. And I know how much you hate losing." 

Something about the way he said it—like he actually knew me—made my chest tighten. "Why do you care?" I asked quietly. 

Jake didn't answer right away. Instead, he looked away, his jaw tightening. "Maybe I don't want to see you get hurt," he said finally. 

I stared at him, searching for any hint of deception in his expression. But for once, he looked sincere. 

"Thanks for the warning," I said, my voice softer now. "But like I said, I can handle myself." 

He nodded, pushing off the fence. "Yeah. I know." 

For a moment, it felt like the old Jake was standing in front of me—the boy who used to wait for me after school, who knew my favorite snacks and laughed at all my dumb jokes. But then he turned and walked away, and the moment was gone. 

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The next day, the rumors about the bet seemed to be everywhere. Whispers followed me through the hallways, and I couldn't help but feel like all eyes were on me. 

During lunch, I tried to brush it off, focusing on my friends' conversation instead. Yunjin was ranting about her math teacher, and Yuna was scrolling through her phone, showing us pictures of outfits she was planning to buy. 

But even as I laughed along with them, I couldn't ignore the knot of tension in my stomach. 

"Park Jisun!" 

The loud voice startled me, and I looked up to see Sunghoon standing a few feet away, a confident grin on his face. Jake and the rest of their group—Heeseung, Jay, Sunoo, and Jungwon—were lounging nearby, watching the scene unfold. 

"What do you want?" I asked, my voice steady despite the nerves bubbling inside me. 

Sunghoon held up a single red rose, his grin widening. "I was wondering if you'd do me the honor of going out with me this weekend." 

The cafeteria went silent. All around us, heads turned, and I could feel the weight of everyone's stares. 

I glanced at Jake, whose expression was unreadable. He was leaning back in his chair, his arms crossed as he watched the scene unfold. 

"Sorry, but I'm not interested," I said firmly, turning back to Sunghoon. 

The grin faltered for a split second before he recovered, shrugging like it was no big deal. "Your loss," he said, tossing the rose onto the table before walking away. 

As soon as he was gone, the noise in the cafeteria resumed, but my friends were staring at me like I'd just performed some kind of miracle. 

"Did you just reject Sunghoon?" Yuna asked, her eyes wide. 

"Yes," I said simply, picking up the rose and tossing it into the trash. 

"Legendary," Ni-ki muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. 

But as I glanced back toward Jake, I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't over—not by a long shot. 

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