eclipsed | sim jaeyun

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The salty breeze brushed against my skin as I leaned on the balcony railing, gazing out at the ocean. Jeju's sapphire waters sparkled under the late afternoon sun, a postcard-perfect backdrop to the laughter echoing from the pool below. The third day at Jungwon and my vacation home was in full swing, and everyone seemed to be having the time of their lives.

Below, the sound of laughter and splashing water carried up from the pool, where Jungwon and his friends were wreaking havoc with a volleyball. The sight was idyllic—friends and family gathered at our Jeju vacation home for an unforgettable week. But I couldn't shake the knot twisting in my stomach.

Jake was down there too.

He was sitting at the edge of the pool, his legs dangling in the water, his hair glinting under the sun. A small smirk tugged at his lips as he said something that made everyone burst out laughing. My gaze lingered longer than it should have. I quickly turned away before anyone noticed, silently scolding myself for being so obvious.

"Haeri! You coming or what?" Yunjin's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. She was leaning against the sliding door to the balcony, her sunglasses perched on top of her head. Behind her, Giselle was sprawled on the couch, flipping through her phone.

"Yeah, just a second," I said, pasting on a smile.

I couldn't let them know. Not yet, anyway. My crush on Jake wasn't just embarrassing—it was dangerous. Jungwon would blow a gasket if he ever found out. Jake was off-limits, no matter how charming his smile was or how annoyingly perfect he looked sitting by the pool.

"Stop staring, by the way," Yunjin teased, her voice dropping to a whisper as she joined me on the balcony.

"I wasn't staring," I lied, crossing my arms.

"You so were," she shot back with a grin. "But it's okay. He's hot. I get it."

I groaned and shoved her lightly. "Shut up."

Yunjin only laughed, retreating inside with a knowing look.

---

Downstairs, the energy was buzzing. Jungwon had somehow roped everyone into a pool volleyball match, and the game had devolved into chaos. I watched from a shaded lounge chair, sipping on a lemonade and pretending not to notice Jake.

"Haeri, join us!" Jungwon called, waving me over.

"I'm good right here," I replied, holding up my drink.

"Come on! You're no fun," he teased.

I rolled my eyes but stayed put. I wasn't about to risk being dunked into the pool by my overly enthusiastic brother or, worse, end up awkwardly close to Jake.

The game ended with Sunghoon belly-flopping into the pool, sending a tidal wave over everyone else. As the group dispersed to dry off or grab snacks, I retreated to the kitchen, grateful for a moment alone.

But of course, I wasn't alone for long.

Jake walked in a few minutes later, his hair damp and his t-shirt clinging to his chest. My heart rate spiked.

"Hey," he said casually, heading to the fridge.

"Hey," I replied, focusing way too hard on slicing a lemon.

The room felt smaller with him in it. I could feel his presence like a magnet, pulling at my attention. He poured himself a glass of water and leaned against the counter, watching me.

"What are you making?" he asked.

"Lemonade," I mumbled, keeping my eyes on the cutting board.

"Classic," he said with a small chuckle.

I glanced up at him, unable to help myself. He was smirking again, that infuriatingly charming expression that made it impossible to tell if he was joking or being serious.

"You're kind of quiet today," he said after a beat, tilting his head. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, just tired," I lied.

"Hmm." He stepped closer, close enough that I could see the flecks of gold in his brown eyes. "You sure that's all it is?"

I swallowed hard. "What else would it be?"

Jake's smile deepened, but he didn't answer. Instead, he reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, his touch so gentle it sent a shiver down my spine.

Then, just like that, he stepped back, his expression casual again. "You should come back out. It's not the same without you."

His eyes lingered on me for a moment longer. Then, just as quickly as the tension had built, he straightened up and drained his water.

"Alright. Guess I'll see you outside," he said, his tone light again.

And just like that, he was gone, leaving me reeling.

---

Later that evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, we gathered around a bonfire on the beach. The flames crackled, and the warm glow lit up everyone's faces. Someone had brought a Bluetooth speaker, and Sunoo was enthusiastically singing along to a K-pop song while Niki and Giselle roasted marshmallows.

I sat between Yunjin and Jungwon, trying to act normal. Jake was across from me, his face partially obscured by the shadows. Every so often, I caught him glancing in my direction, and my stomach did a little flip.

"You're being weird," Yunjin whispered, nudging me with her elbow.

"Am not," I hissed back.

She raised an eyebrow but didn't push it.

As the night went on, the group started reminiscing about past summers, sharing embarrassing stories and laughing until our sides hurt. For a moment, I let myself relax, soaking in the warmth of the fire and the sound of my friends' laughter.

But even as I laughed along, I couldn't shake the feeling that Jake's eyes were still on me.

And worse, I couldn't deny that I kind of liked it.

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AHHHH NEW BOOK!!!
i absolutely love this first chapter
lmk what you guys think about it so far!

genuinely so excited for you guys to read this😝
i have most of the chapters done at the time im posting this and it's turning out SO GOOD🥹

anyways— thank you for reading 'eclipsed' and i hope you enjoy!!