The Boy From The Bridge - Jakehoon

Chapter 12: Whatever You say 9/9

'One, two, three, four, breathe: *gasp* One, two, three, four, breathe: *gasp*' Sunghoon repeated the sequence through his head as he swam the length of the pool. After acquiring the basics Jake had instructed him to do four lengths which would wrap up their final activity of today's lesson.

Jake watched with a modicum of pride from his perch on a ladder. Sunghoon took to swimming quickly and impressively. As Sunghoon finished his final lap Jake let out a congratulatory "whoop" and an accompanying clap. Sunghoon popped his head up to receive the applause with a big smile on his face. "Alright, let's get going" Jake called, getting up and moving towards the changing room. Something made him turn back to consider Sunghoon, watching him exit from the pool Jake couldn't help but admire his back - he had recognised his friend's posture when they had first met but he wasn't fully prepared for the sight of them in action as they were used to raise him from the water.

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Sunghoon entered the changing room a little after Jake, by the time he entered he was greeted by the sound of a shower pouring. He acknowledged the shower cubicles on his left, seeing a pair of feet in one. "Jaeyun?" Sunghoon called.

"Yeah?" He heard his friend answer.

"Thank you for today", "You're welcome Hoonie". Sunghoon shook his head as he smiled picking up his towel. He decided to use the shower cubical adjacent to the one currently in use. Noticing 'Jaeyun's' shorts hanging over the door of the next door cubicle caused his heart rate to increase at the thought of what that meant. Pulling off his shorts he squeezed the water out of them whilst waiting for the water of his shower to warm up.

He couldn't understand this: why was he excited? Why was he becoming obsessed with the idea of 'Jaeyun'? Sunghoon sighed and allowed the water to fall down the front of his face. No, he concluded, he was just repressed. He needed to overcome his fears and get with Yun, that would settle and quash whatever these thoughts his subconscious was having about 'Jaeyun'.

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"I think I'm going to ask her out?" Jake heard over the barrier separating him from Sunghoon's shower. 

"Finally dude, then you can at least get rid of all the comments" he replied. 

"Do you reckon she'll say yes?" Sunghoon asked. 

"Probably, have you got a plan?" Jake asked back.

"Hmmm, have you looked at our scripts yet?"

Sunghoon's plan, Jake discovered, was actually quite fault proof, at least when it came to getting her number. He was going to ask for help in understanding his script. Owing to her fondness towards literature and her wanting their play to go as well as possible, Sunghoon presumed she would be willing to give him her number so that he would be able to ask her questions and possibly arrange a time to go through their lines.

Jake had allowed Sunghoon to go off in search of her so that he could ask her one on one. Jake wasn't really sure why he might effect things but he was wanting to check the results of his soccer tryouts and permitted Sunghoon's request that they part.

Upon reaching the board Jake was greeted with mixed emotions. He had thought he had performed well in the tryouts yesterday but he hadn't made the First Team. Instead he was going to be in the Seconds. Jake had considered himself good at the sport and back in Australia he had been one of the first names on the team sheet for each game. Furthermore, unlike in his last team where he had played as a striker his position was listed as an 'attacking midfielder' - still, the chance to play soccer again would be a relief. An opportunity to focus his mind and hone his craft rather than routinely getting lost in his thoughts over things he didn't understand.

"There you are!" Jake turned to see Jay walking towards him, "where were you this morning? I was stood in that bush for five minutes.' 

Jake laughed at the thought of his friend standing idly whilst strangers walked by, "We went swimming" Jake informed him. 

"Swimming? Sunghoon, but he can't swim?" Jay enquired.

"Yeah, I'm teaching him how to swim"

"Well aren't you great. Where is our Ice Prince anyway?"

"He went to ask Yun for her number"

"Wow, you really are a good influence on him?"

"Actually, that was his idea"

"Sure, sure - you're the only reason he does anything, theatre, swimming"

"That's like two things" Jake protested, earning only a suspicious glance from Jay, "whatever you say Jaeyun, whatever you say."

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Jakehoon fanfic 1.9