The Boy From The Bridge - Jakehoon

Chapter 62: A Ghost Walks Among Us 3/9

Jake seemed distant. As he had alluded to on Saturday night, Sunghoon didn't see him throughout the rest of the weekend. When they had walked to school on Monday morning Jake was still pretty silent, even if his mood did alter when Jay performed his morning ambush.

That puzzled Sunghoon. If Jake was made more comfortable by Jay's arrival was it he who was causing a problem? This spark of self-doubt permeated every thought that Sunghoon had that day.

At lunch it was more of the same. Jake spoke relatively normally to Heeseung as well as Jay but he always averted his gaze whenever Sunghoon spoke and always failed to laugh when Sunghoon told a joke.

Sunghoon tried to get some kind of response from Jake, but by avoiding eye contact Jake never saw the pleading in Sunghoon's eyes. In only a few hours things had grown so obscure between them, that Sunghoon had to take the opportunity presented by having separate afternoon lessons to have a reason to text Jake when otherwise they could just have spoken.

It felt weird to have to resort to texting but Sunghoon felt if he just confronted Jake it would be signalling that something was wrong - which in turn was liable to manifest into something bad.

S: Hi Jake - because of the competition on Saturday I don't have Figure Skating Practice today - so you can come earlier today

S: Like straight from rehearsals?

Sunghoon put down his phone and turned his gaze to the front of the class he was sat in. He could feel the doubt and worry spread throughout parts of his body. That sense of foreboding or dread that comes from an unanswered text, even if it was only sent seconds ago. Text messages usually are so casual and easy, emojis so asinine and free that applying much weight to a text felt peculiar and unnatural.

Sunghoon bit his nails in anticipation of a text he believed would never come. Dejected and defeated he was unable to concentrate on his lessons. Any attempt at applying himself to classwork was thrown out of the window as his heart tied itself into knot after knot.

Such was his state that when Jake finally did reply, at the end of the afternoon's second period, Sunghoon was almost sent to the moon with waves of relief.

J: That sounds cool.

'Three words' Sunghoon thought 'so simple, so easy.' Holding his phone tightly he read them again several times. 'At least I'll have an opportunity to talk to him one on one' Sunghoon thought. Pressing his phone against his heart. 

______

Rehearsals had gone successfully and as a cast, they were beginning to look ready for Opening Night. The cast and crew were in positive spirits as they headed home that late afternoon, exiting the auditorium through its two principal doorways. Jake saw Sunghoon already standing alone by the left exit, waiting for him.

Jake gulped at the sight of him. He had avoided conversation with Sunghoon all day. It was hard, he liked Sunghoon but he had so many things to communicate that had he tried any earlier to have a conversation they might have found themselves cut off and with that anything that Jake might have tried to say could have being misinterpreted or misunderstood. Jake knew that if he got his words wrong it would spell oblivion for their relationship.

What had been really difficult is their days are spent in such close proximity that the cold shoulder Jake had presented had almost certainly thrown Sunghoon completely off.

With this in mind Jake made his way tentatively towards the exit. Feeling Sunghoon's eyes fix on him the moment he begun his approach. Looking from left to right in order to make sure that neither Sunoo nor Yun surprised them, Jake wondered what he was going to open with.