THE TROUBLE WITH LOVE | JAKE SIM

The moment Seojun left, Haein exhaled sharply, stepping away from Jake's hold.

"Never do that again," she muttered, still feeling the ghost of his lips on her temple.

Jake smirked. "Oh? You mean this?"

Before she could react, he leaned in ever so slightly-just enough to make her heart stutter.

Haein shoved him back. "I swear, if you-"

"Relax," he chuckled, straightening his suit. "You started it."

She glared. "Only because Seojun was watching."

Jake's smirk didn't fade. "Mmm. Keep telling yourself that."

She opened her mouth to argue, but her phone buzzed. A text from her mother.

Mom: Your father wants a dinner with Jake's family this weekend. Be ready.

Haein groaned. "Great. Now we have to suffer through another family dinner."

Jake's brows raised. "Did you just say 'we'? Wow, you're finally accepting we're in this together."

She gave him a withering look. "You are unbearable."

He grinned. "And yet, here we are."

She had never wanted to throw something at someone more in her life.

The weekend arrived too fast.

Haein found herself seated at an obscenely fancy dining table, her parents on one side, Jake's parents on the other, and Jake himself sitting right beside her.

Her father spoke first. "So, Jake. Tell me-how do you plan to take care of my daughter?"

Haein nearly choked on her drink. Take care of me?

Jake, however, remained unfazed. "With everything I have."

The table fell silent. Even Haein blinked in surprise.

He said it so seriously, so convincingly, that for a moment, even she believed him.

Her mother smiled approvingly. "That's wonderful to hear."

Haein shot Jake a sideways glance. What game is he playing now?

He met her gaze briefly, and-strangely-there was no teasing in his eyes.

Just something... unreadable.

Before she could process it, her father spoke again. "Good. Because if you hurt her, I'll make sure you regret it."

Jake grinned. "Understood, sir."

Haein groaned internally. Of course he found this amusing.

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