when the stars align | sim jaeyun

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Being with Jake wasn't as strange as I thought it would be. Maybe it was because, deep down, this didn't feel new. It felt like we were simply rediscovering something we'd lost a long time ago.

At school, we didn't make any grand announcements about our relationship. It wasn't really anyone else's business, but the subtle changes were hard to miss. He didn't call me "Park" anymore, except when he was joking, and his teasing carried a softer edge.

There was still some tension—adjusting to the new normal wasn't easy, especially with Jake being Jake. He wasn't one for excessive affection, but he had his ways of showing he cared. Like slipping me a carton of chocolate milk when he saw me sulking over a test or brushing my shoulder when no one else was looking.

And then there were the moments no one else saw.

One Friday evening, Jake convinced me to go to the park with him after school. The autumn air was crisp, and the leaves crunched under our feet as we strolled along the path. He reached for my hand without hesitation, intertwining our fingers.

"Do you remember when we used to come here after school?" he asked, his tone unusually nostalgic.

"Of course I do," I said with a small smile. "You used to push me so high on the swings I thought I'd fly off."

"You always dared me to push you higher," he shot back, grinning. "You were fearless back then."

"And now?"

He stopped walking, pulling me to face him. His gaze softened, and he reached up to brush a strand of hair from my face.

"Now, you're still fearless," he said quietly. "But you don't have to be, not with me."

My breath caught at the sincerity in his voice. Jake had a way of making my heart race and slow down all at once, and in moments like this, I wondered how we ever hated each other in the first place.

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The following week, we had a study session at my house. Finals were creeping closer, and I couldn't afford to let my grades slip. Jake, surprisingly, was more serious about studying than I expected.

"You're actually doing the problems?" I teased, peeking at his notebook.

He looked up, smirking. "I'm not just a pretty face, you know."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't hide my smile. "Sure, Jake. Whatever you say."

As we worked through the problems, Jake's focus started to waver. He leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms above his head.

"Okay, I'm done," he declared, tossing his pencil onto the table. "Let's do something else."

"Like what?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand as he stared at me. "Like this."

Before I could respond, he leaned across the table, his lips capturing mine in a kiss that was both gentle and insistent. My initial surprise melted away as I leaned into him, my hands finding their way to his shoulders.

When he finally pulled back, his grin was nothing short of smug.

"You're impossible," I muttered, trying to hide the way my face flushed.

"And yet, you love me," he said with a wink.

I didn't bother denying it.

---

The next day, I met up with Yunjin, Yuna, and Niki at a café downtown. I'd been so caught up with Jake that I realized I hadn't spent much time with my friends lately.

"So, how's lover boy?" Yunjin teased the moment I sat down.

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "Can we not make this a thing?"

"Oh, it's already a thing," Yuna said with a smirk. "You two are the talk of the school."

"What do you mean?" I asked, frowning.

"People noticed, Jisun," Niki chimed in, sipping his drink. "You and Jake aren't exactly subtle."

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "Great. That's exactly what I needed—school gossip."

"Don't worry about it," Yunjin said, patting my hand. "Honestly, I think it's cute. Besides, everyone's too busy freaking out about finals to care for long."

Her words were comforting, but I couldn't shake the feeling that Jake and I were under a spotlight. Still, as the conversation shifted to other topics, I felt a sense of relief. Spending time with my friends reminded me that, no matter what, I wasn't facing this new chapter of my life alone.

And as much as Jake had become an important part of my world, these moments with Yunjin, Yuna, and Niki were just as precious.

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