when the stars align | sim jaeyun

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Jake's words hung in the air between us, thick with meaning and unspoken tension. My heart raced in my chest, each beat louder than the last as I stood there, staring at him. His eyes, usually filled with teasing confidence, were now searching mine for something I couldn't quite name. There was a vulnerability in the way he looked at me, something raw and unguarded that I hadn't seen before.

"I'm not pretending anymore," Jake repeated, his voice lower this time, like he was admitting something to himself.

I swallowed, feeling the weight of his words settle in my chest. The world around us seemed to fade as the silence stretched, and for the first time, I wondered if maybe he wasn't just talking about whatever was between us—it felt like he was talking about something deeper.

"I don't know what this is," I said, my voice shaky despite my attempt to keep calm. "But I... I can't keep pretending either, Jake."

The air between us seemed to thrum with unspoken emotion, the kind that was too big to say aloud. The moments we shared in silence only seemed to pull us closer, and I knew—I could feel it—that something was about to change.

Before I could even process what was happening, Jake's hand was reaching for mine. His fingers brushed lightly against my skin, and I froze for a moment, the contact sending a jolt of electricity through me. He didn't let go.

"I don't want to pretend anymore either, Jisun," he murmured, his voice a mix of determination and uncertainty. "I can't keep doing this... pretending like we're not something. Something more than this,"

"I like you, Jisun."

And with that, he closed the gap between us. His lips met mine in a kiss that was hesitant at first, as if we were both testing the waters, unsure if it was really happening. But once our lips touched, something inside me broke free, and I found myself kissing him back, the pent-up tension of months, of years even, spilling over.

It wasn't a gentle kiss. It wasn't the kind of kiss you'd expect after all the tension between us—it was desperate, urgent, like we both needed it more than we'd ever admitted. His hand cupped the side of my face, pulling me closer, and I let him, wrapping my arms around his waist, surrendering to the moment.

When we finally pulled away, breathless and wide-eyed, I could barely find the words to speak. My mind was racing, still trying to process what had just happened. Jake's gaze was intense, his lips still tingling from the kiss, and his hand remained on mine, as if he didn't want to let go.

"I like you too, Jake," my voice barely above a whisper.

Jake smirked, but there was something softer in the way he looked at me now.

I glanced up at him, my heart still pounding in my chest.

'"But..."

"I don't know if I can just let go of everything," I confessed, my voice low. "The things we've said, the things we've done..."

Jake stepped closer, gently brushing a strand of hair from my face, his eyes never leaving mine. "We'll figure it out. But I'm done pretending, Jisun. I'm done pretending you're just some girl I can hate."

I looked up at him, my heart beating a little faster as I realized what he was saying. It wasn't just about the kiss—it was about everything that had come before it. About all the years we'd spent avoiding each other, the pain of a friendship lost, and the complicated mess of feelings that had been building for so long.

Jake's lips curled into a small, tentative smile, and for the first time in ages, I didn't feel like we were just the same two people trapped in a cycle of hostility. We were something else now—something different, something new.

And maybe that was okay.

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AHHH THEY FINALLY KISSED
it's been a very frustrating and confusing journey for them but they finally did it🥲🥲
i'm sorry it took so long but i kind of wanted it to be more realistic and not rush anything

what's gonna happen now??🫢