eclipsed | sim jaeyun

-

Jake didn't say anything else as we continued walking, the silence heavy but not uncomfortable. His hand brushed against mine a few times, subtle enough to make me wonder if it was intentional.

Every so often, I'd glance at him, catching the furrow of his brow or the way his lips pressed into a thin line. He looked like he was waging a war in his head, and I didn't know if I should wait for him to speak or pull it out of him.

When we reached the park's edge, he finally broke the silence. "Why me?"

I blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

Jake turned to face me fully, his expression unreadable. "Why me, Haeri? You could have anyone. Guys practically trip over themselves for you. So why are you... here? With me?"

My breath caught in my throat. I hadn't expected him to ask that, especially not so directly.

"Why not you?" I countered, my voice softer than I intended.

His laugh was short, almost bitter. "Because I'm a mess. Because I'm your brother's best friend. Because this—whatever this is—could ruin everything."

I took a step closer, closing the space between us. "Jake, you're not a mess. You're scared. And I get it, okay? I'm scared too. But I'm not going to let fear stop me from being honest about how I feel."

He looked at me for a long time, his eyes searching mine like he was trying to find something. "And how do you feel?"

I hesitated, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure he could hear it. But I'd come this far—I couldn't back out now.

"I like you," I said, my voice steady despite the nerves swirling in my chest. "I have for a long time."

Jake's shoulders tensed, and for a moment, I thought he might walk away. But then he exhaled, his breath visible in the cool air.

"Haeri..." He trailed off, his voice strained. "I don't know if I can give you what you deserve."

"You don't get to decide that," I said, surprising even myself with the conviction in my tone. "Let me make that choice."

He stared at me, his expression torn between vulnerability and something else—something I couldn't quite place.

"I wish it were that simple," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It is," I said. "You're just making it complicated."

---

The next day, I couldn't stop replaying our conversation in my head. Jake hadn't said much after that, but the way he looked at me before we parted lingered in my mind. It was like he wanted to say more but didn't know how.

Yunjin and Giselle were thrilled when I told them about the talk.

"Progress," Yunjin declared, clapping her hands.

"Slow progress," Giselle corrected, sipping her coffee. "But progress is progress."

"Do you think he'll come around?" I asked, my doubts creeping in again.

Yunjin shrugged. "He will. He just needs time to get out of his own head. Guys are stubborn like that."

---

By Monday, I was starting to feel restless. Jake hadn't reached out since our talk, and I didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Jungwon didn't seem to notice anything different, which was a relief. He was still busy with school and late-night study sessions, leaving little time for him to pick up on the tension simmering beneath the surface.

After dinner, I decided to text Jake.

jake🧍

haeriii
hey

He responded almost immediately.

jake🧍
hey

haeriii
are you free this weekend?

jake🧍
i think so
why?

haeriii
i wanna see you

The dots indicating he was typing appeared, then disappeared, then reappeared again.

jake🧍
haeri...

haeriii
don't overthink it
just say yes or no

Another pause.

jake🧍
yes

I smiled to myself, my heart fluttering.

---

When Saturday rolled around, I found myself pacing nervously in my room. Yunjin had insisted on helping me pick out an outfit, declaring that I needed to "look effortlessly stunning."

Jake showed up at my house around noon, leaning casually against the doorframe when I opened the door.

"Hey," he said, his lips curling into a small smile.

"Hey," I replied, stepping outside and closing the door behind me.

We decided to walk to a nearby café, the crisp autumn air making the stroll surprisingly pleasant.

"So," Jake said after we ordered our drinks, "what's the plan for today?"

I shrugged. "No plan. I just wanted to spend time with you."

He raised an eyebrow. "Dangerous territory, Haeri."

I rolled my eyes. "Relax. It's not a date."

"Could've fooled me," he teased, though his tone was lighter than usual.

We found a spot by the window, and for the next hour, we talked about everything and nothing. It felt easy, natural, like we were just two friends hanging out. But beneath the surface, there was a tension I couldn't ignore—a tension I wasn't sure I wanted to ignore.

When we left the café, Jake walked me home, his hands stuffed into his pockets as we strolled down the quiet street.

"Thanks for today," I said when we reached my house.

Jake smiled, the kind of smile that made my heart skip a beat. "Anytime."

For a moment, neither of us moved, the air between us charged with unspoken words.

"Goodnight, Jake," I said finally, stepping back toward the door.

"Goodnight, Haeri," he replied, his voice soft.

As I closed the door behind me, I couldn't help but feel like something had shifted between us. Slowly, but surely, the space between us was starting to close.

———————————————————————————

idk if i wanna be haeri or be with her🤤