eclipsed | sim jaeyun

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The next morning, we packed up the bikes and headed to a quieter part of the island. It was the kind of beach you'd expect to see on a postcard—white sand, turquoise water, and rocky cliffs that seemed to stretch into the clouds.

Jungwon had planned a day of relaxation: sunbathing, swimming, maybe a hike up one of the trails nearby. Everyone was excited, but I was on edge. Jake had been quieter since our conversation the night before, and I couldn't stop replaying his words in my head.

"I know you can."

It wasn't just what he said, but how he said it—like he knew more than he was letting on. Like he wasn't just talking about me handling Jungwon's protectiveness but something else entirely.

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By mid-afternoon, the group had split up. Niki, Heeseung and Sunoo were snorkeling, Yunjin and Giselle were sunbathing, and Jungwon was perched on a rock, sketching something in his notebook. The rest were somewhere along the beach.

Jake had disappeared somewhere up the trail, and I found myself wandering in that direction, my curiosity getting the better of me.

The path was steep but manageable, and I followed it until I found him sitting on the edge of a cliff, his legs dangling over the side.

"You're braver than you look," I said, announcing my presence.

He turned, startled, but then smiled. "Didn't think you'd find me up here."

"You're not exactly subtle," I said, gesturing to the obvious path.

He laughed, and for a moment, the tension eased.

"Mind if I join you?" I asked.

"Be my guest," he said, scooting over to make room.

I sat down carefully, keeping a safe distance from the edge. The view was breathtaking—the ocean stretched out endlessly, the waves crashing against the rocks below.

"It's nice up here," I said after a while.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Gives you time to think."

"About what?"

He hesitated, then said, "Everything. Life, school... Jungwon."

I turned to look at him, surprised. "Jungwon?"

He nodded, his expression unreadable. "He's been my best friend since we were kids. I owe him a lot."

The weight of his words settled between us, and I realized this wasn't just about loyalty. This was guilt—guilt for feeling something he thought he shouldn't.

"Jake..." I started, but he cut me off.

"I know what you're going to say," he said, his voice quiet. "And you don't have to. I've been trying to figure it out myself."

"Figure what out?" I asked, my heart pounding.

He looked at me then, his eyes searching mine. "How to stop feeling this way about you."

---

The words hung in the air, heavier than anything I'd ever heard. For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.

"Jake," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "You can't just say that."

"I know," he said, running a hand through his hair. "I know I shouldn't have. But it's the truth."

I didn't know what to say. My mind was racing, but my heart was louder, pounding in my chest like it was trying to escape.

"You're Jungwon's best friend," I said finally, my voice shaking. "You're practically family."

"Believe me, I remind myself of that every day," he said, his tone bitter.

We sat in silence for a long time, the only sound the crashing of the waves below.

Finally, he stood up, brushing the sand off his hands. "We should head back before they start wondering where we are."

I nodded, following him back down the trail. But as we walked, I couldn't stop thinking about his words, replaying them over and over.

How to stop feeling this way about you.

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Dinner that night was awkward, at least for me. Jake acted like nothing had happened, laughing and joking with the group as usual. But every time his gaze met mine, I felt like I was going to burst.

Yunjin noticed, of course. She pulled me aside after dinner, her eyes narrowing.

"Spill," she said, crossing her arms.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, feigning innocence.

"Don't play dumb," she said. "You've been acting weird all day, and Jake keeps looking at you like you hung the moon. Something's going on."

I hesitated, debating whether to tell her. But I needed to talk to someone, and Yunjin was the only one I trusted.

"Okay," I said finally. "But you have to promise not to freak out."

Her eyes lit up with curiosity. "I'm listening."

I took a deep breath, then told her everything—Jake's words, the cliff, the way he'd looked at me.

By the time I finished, her mouth was hanging open.

"Holy crap," she said, her voice hushed. "Jake likes you?"

"I don't know," I said, feeling the weight of it all over again. "Maybe... But he's fighting it because of Jungwon."

"Of course he is," she said, rolling her eyes. "But that doesn't mean he doesn't like you."

Her words didn't help as much as I'd hoped. If anything, they made things worse. Because if Jake really did like me, then this was only going to get more complicated.

And I wasn't sure I was ready for that.

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