when the stars align | sim jaeyun

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The next day, the group spent the morning at a famous historical site, and in the afternoon, we had some free time to explore Jeju Island on our own. I tried to keep my distance from Jake, even though I could feel his presence like a shadow lingering just behind me. 

It was hard not to be affected by him. Every time our eyes met, even for a split second, something twisted in my stomach. But I refused to acknowledge it. Not yet, anyway. 

After an afternoon of wandering through a local market with Yuna and Yunjin, I found myself standing by a small cliffside near the beach, watching the waves crash against the rocks below. The wind had picked up, making the air feel cool and fresh, and for the first time since we arrived, I felt somewhat at peace. 

"Jisun?" 

I turned to see Jake standing a few feet away, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his hoodie. He looked like he was debating whether or not to come closer. 

"What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to keep my voice casual. 

"Same thing as you, I guess. Thinking." He stepped closer, then added, "About everything." 

I could feel my pulse quicken. "What is there to think about?" 

Jake paused, his gaze drifting toward the ocean. "I don't know." He let out a long breath. "It's just... this whole thing between us." 

I crossed my arms, my heart pounding as I met his eyes. "You could just talk to me, you know. It's not that hard." 

He didn't respond immediately, and for a moment, the only sound between us was the crash of the waves. Then, after a long pause, Jake said, "You're right. It's not that hard. But it is. I don't know how to explain it." 

I shook my head. "Jake, if you don't tell me what's going on, I won't be able to do anything. I can't just keep pretending like everything's fine." 

He looked at me, his expression a mixture of frustration and something else I couldn't quite name. "I don't know how to make this right, Jisun. I never wanted to hurt you." 

For a moment, I felt a flicker of hope that maybe—just maybe—Jake wasn't as indifferent as he seemed. "Then why did you pull away?" 

Jake swallowed hard, then shrugged. "Sometimes things just get complicated. People change, and... I guess I was scared." 

"Scared of what?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. 

He looked down at the ground, avoiding my gaze. "Scared of how much I cared about you." 

The words hung in the air like a heavy weight, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe. I wanted to say something, but nothing came out. 

"Anyway," Jake said, pushing his hands deeper into his pockets, "it doesn't matter. We're both here, right? We don't need to talk about it now." 

I wanted to argue, to force him to confront the truth, but part of me understood that we were both trying to figure this out. Slowly, I nodded. "Okay. But I'm not going to just let this go." 

Jake gave me a half-smile. "We'll see." 

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The final day in Jeju arrived too quickly. The trip had gone by in a blur of conversations, sightseeing, and quiet moments with Jake. Though we hadn't reached any clear understanding, something had shifted. I could feel it in the way we interacted, in the stolen glances and the small, almost imperceptible gestures. 

As we boarded the bus to head back to the airport, Jake sat a few rows ahead of me, his face angled toward the window. I wondered if he had been as affected by the trip as I had. 

"Jisun," Yunjin whispered from beside me. "You good?" 

I nodded, but I wasn't sure if I was lying to her or to myself. "I think so." 

Yuna leaned forward, her expression teasing. "Jake's not so bad, right? You're not as mad at him as you were." 

I hesitated, feeling the weight of the truth pressing on me. "I don't know, Yuna. It's just... confusing." 

Before either of them could respond, the bus jerked to a stop, signaling that we were nearing the airport. I glanced at Jake one last time, but this time, he wasn't looking at me. Instead, he was staring out the window with a thoughtful expression, his jaw clenched as if he was battling something deep inside. 

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