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( 15 ) . you like me anyway

Jake's teasing smile faded, replaced by something gentler. "Yeah," he admitted, looking down at his plate. "Me neither."

They fell into a comfortable silence again, the kind that didn't need to be filled. The morning sunlight continued to stream into the room, casting a warm glow over everything. For a moment, it felt like the rest of the world didn't exist—just the two of them in their little bubble.

"Jake?" Minjae spoke again, breaking the comfortable silence, her voice soft but curious.

"Yeah?" he replied, turning his head slightly to glance at her, catching the way her lips curled into a small smile as she hesitated for a moment.

"Do you always take care of people like this?" she asked, her tone teasing but genuine. "Or am I special?"

Jake grinned, his eyes narrowing playfully. "Maybe you're just lucky."

Minjae laughed, her shoulders shaking lightly against him. "Lucky, huh?"

"Yep," he said, glancing down at her. "Not everyone gets my human-pillow services."

Minjae's eyes sparkled as she tilted her head to look up at him. "Oh, so I'm one of the few?"

"One of the very few," Jake confirmed, a smirk tugging at his lips.

Minjae hummed, clearly amused. "I feel honored."

After they finished eating, Minjae stretched her arms above her head, letting out a content sigh. "I guess I should get up and get ready for the day," she said, though she made no move to leave the bed.

Jake smirked. "You're not fooling anyone. You're about to fall back asleep, aren't you?"

Minjae grinned sheepishly. "Maybe."

Jake shook his head, leaning over to collect the empty plates. "I'll clean this up. You can rest a bit longer."

Minjae blinked at him in surprise. "You don't have to do that, Jake."

He shrugged, standing up with the tray in his hands. "I know. But I want to."

Minjae watched him as he walked away, a soft smile playing on her lips. Jake wasn't the kind of guy who showed his feelings easily, but moments like this—when he went out of his way to take care of her—spoke louder than words ever could.

When Jake returned a few minutes later, he found Minjae lying sideways on the bed, her head resting on her folded arms. Her eyes were open, and she was staring at him with a look he couldn't quite place.

"What?" he asked, self-conscious under her gaze.

Minjae shook her head, her smile widening. "Nothing. Just thinking how lucky I am."

Jake felt his ears burn, and he looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're ridiculous," he muttered, though his voice lacked any real bite.

"And yet," Minjae began, her grin mischievous.

Jake groaned, flopping down on the bed beside her. "Minjae, you're becoming annoying."

Minjae giggled, scooting closer until her head was resting on his shoulder. "But you like me anyway," she teased, her voice soft.

Jake didn't respond right away, but the small smile on his lips said it all. "Yeah," he finally admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I... guess I do."

Minjae's grin softened into something warmer, and she closed her eyes, letting herself relax against him. Jake stayed still, his arm naturally wrapping around her shoulders as if it belonged there.

The morning passed slowly, the world outside their little sanctuary moving on without them. But for Jake and Minjae, time didn't matter.

All that did was the warmth they shared, the quiet moments that spoke louder than words, and the unspoken promise that this—whatever this was—was only the beginning.