are we still enemies? | JAKEHOON

Days turned into weeks, and their interactions continued to grow more comfortable and natural. Their initial animosity had gradually morphed into a sort of playful banter, their words still sharp but lacking any real malice. They found themselves seeking each other out, their verbal sparring sessions becoming something they both looked forward to.

Jake was chatting with his friends, Sunoo and Jungwon, about football practice when he felt the now familiar gaze of Sunghoon on him. He tried to ignore the slight flutter in his chest and continued his conversation, but couldn't help but notice how the other boy's eyes followed his every movement.

Sunoo raised an eyebrow, noticing the way Jake was distracted.

"You seem a bit distracted, Jake," he said, poking him playfully. "I wonder what could be drawing your attention away from our riveting conversation."

Jake shrugged nonchalantly, trying to act like he hadn't noticed Sunghoon's gaze.

"Just thinking about the game coming up, that's all," he said, hoping to steer the conversation away from the real reason for his distraction.

Jungwon smirked, seeing right through him.

"Yeah, sure," he drawled sarcastically, a knowing glint in his eye. "Because you were definitely zoning out thinking about the game's complex strategies."

Jake shot him a glare, trying to play it cool.

"What else would I be thinking about, huh?" he retorted, his tone a mix of defensiveness and denial. "I'm just focused on the game, that's all."

Sunoo and Jungwon exchanged amused glances, clearly unconvinced.

"You know we know you better than that, Jake," Sunoo said, a smirk playing on his lips. "We can tell when something - or should I say someone - is distracting you."

Jake tried to brush it off, feigning indifference.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, attempting to sound casual. "There's nothing - or should I say no one - distracting me. I'm just preoccupied with football, that's all."

Jungwon raised an eyebrow, his smirk growing wider.

"Okay, if you say so," he said skeptically. "But just so you know, we're not blind. We noticed how your eyes keep drifting away every time a certain someone is nearby..."

Jake's cheeks flushed involuntarily at Jungwon's observation, and he quickly tried to regain his composure.

"That's ridiculous," he protested weakly. "My eyes aren't drifting anywhere. I'm just...aware of my surroundings, that's all."

Sunoo stifled a laugh, obviously amused.

"Yeah, of course, you're being aware of your surroundings...and that just happens to include a certain someone who has a habit of staring at you like a hawk, huh?"

Jake huffed, his attempts at denial growing weaker by the minute.

"You're reading too much into it," he said, his cheeks turning a darker shade of red. "He's just...observant, that's all. It doesn't mean anything."

Sunoo and Jungwon exchanged a look, trying not to laugh aloud at Jake's flustered reactions.

"Just observant, huh?" Sunoo repeated, a smirk still playing on his lips. "And he just happens to be extremely observant of you in particular, right? Totally coincidental."

Jake's mind raced, trying to come up with a convincing response, but his tongue tied in knots.

"Coincidence, yeah," he mumbled weakly, struggling to maintain his composure. "It doesn't mean anything, okay? He's just...curious, that's all."

Jungwon chuckled, shaking his head.

"Curiosity, huh? And here I thought he was just being creepily possessive," he said, a teasing glint in his eyes. "You know, you're not fooling anyone here, Jake."

Jake's heart pounded in his chest at the insinuation, but he tried to pretend like it didn't affect him.

"Possessive? That's...that's a bit of a stretch," he said, his voice faltering slightly. "He's just, uh... protective, that's all."

Sunoo couldn't hold back his laughter any longer, bursting into a fit of cackles.

"Protective, huh? Sounds more like jealousy to me," he teased, wiping away a tear from his eye.

Jungwon joined in the laughter, clearly enjoying Jake's predicament.

"Jealousy, definitely." he agreed, nodding. "The way he stares at you, it's like he's trying to claim you as his own."

Jake rolled his eyes at their teases, trying to act nonchalant even as his heart skipped a beat at the insinuation.

"Claim me as his own? That's absurd," he said, waving them off with a dismissive gesture. "You're both reading too much into it."

Sunoo raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk on his face.

"Reading too much into it? Or maybe we're just observant, just like your 'observant' friend," he said. "I mean, the way he looks at you when you're not paying attention... it's like he's got his own personal Jake detector or something."

Jake couldn't help but feel a shiver run down his spine at the description, but he quickly brushed it off.

"Personal Jake detector, huh? Now you're just being ridiculous," he said, rolling his eyes, though his heart was pounding with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.

Jungwon nodded, his smirk growing wider.

"Ridiculous? Maybe. But we seem to have hit a nerve that says otherwise," he said, his tone suggestive.

Jake huffed, trying to regain his composure.

"You haven't hit anything," he said defensively. "I'm just tired of listening to your ridiculous theories, that's all."