The Boy From The Bridge - Jakehoon

Chapter 63: A Praetorian's Duty 4/9

Everything shattered in Jake - that much was apparent to anyone, Sunghoon included, who might have being watching. 

Jake was staring forward, in stark fear. Following his gaze Sunghoon saw the two adults staring straight back at him. They looked familiar, like they knew Jake - almost like they were Jake. 

Turning back to his friend, Sunghoon could sense the relationship that existed between them even before the man spoke - they were Jake's parents. "Jake Sim" his voice was stern and forceful in its tone. 

Sunghoon turned to the man in surprise at the situation when the woman took a small step forward "J... Jake?" her voice was quiet, nervous and soft. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Sunghoon saw Jake take a fraction of a step backwards before freezing again. Sunghoon however kept his eyes on Jake's parents. 

"What are you doing Jake?" Jake's father asked in English, his posture was changing, growing in its size into something more imperious and authoritative. 

"Jake, please say something?" His mother asked, she also spoke in English although did so with a more delicate accent than her husband. She took another small step forward. 

Sunghoon heard Jake audibly gulp. Sunghoon had come around so he stood parallel to Jake, though two metres now separated them as he had instinctively withdrawn himself slightly from the evolving scene. 

Jake shook his head and after a long pause answered "No."

The tension in the room was palpable. The scene between Jake and his parents sucked in the sounds of the Ice Rink. The music playing through the speakers had faded into the background and any distant conversations sounded as if they had ceased. Part of Sunghoon wanted to reach out to Jake, to grab his hand and reassure him that he was with him every step of the way but, like Jake, he was frozen by the unfolding situation. 

The emotions and sentiments passing between the three of them, with their eye contact and composures made Sunghoon feel uneasy - it was such an unpleasant confrontation. That alone made him want to defend Jake and he felt his hands curl unconsciously into fists in his coat pocket. 

Looking at Jake, Sunghoon wondered what was going through his mind. A moment ago he had been trying to explain what had happened with Namil but now, despite the severity of that situation it appeared small by comparison to this. 

Jake had told him that his parents thought he was dead - but, if they were here then it meant the opposite. 

"Jake stop this act, this isn't a game" Jake's father spoke once more, his tone the same scolding one as before. He was angry, apoplectically so. Sunghoon was surprised that having just found his son was alive that was his first response. 

"I'm not playing a game" Jake fired back across the void between them - he was robust and standoffish now, solidifying his own position and his tone.

"Jake, please. We love you - let us just talk?" His mother asked. Sunghoon saw tears in her eyes. They were genuine and a far cry from the emotions on display from her husband. Those were the tears of a mother who had lost her child, who now had the opportunity to get him back but was aware enough of the situation that all of her desires hinged on the outcome of the ferocious and charged masculine confrontation between her husband and her son. Sunghoon sensed how she must feel powerless in this most important of situations and he felt his heart quietly weep for her. 

For all the English Jake had taught Sunghoon, he didn't really understand the words they were saying. Their actions and demeanours however told him all he thought he needed to know about the sorry situation he was baring witness to. 

"No - you don't. You might have thought you did, but loving Taehyung so much that you want me to be his clone isn't love!" Jake barked back at his mother. His tone was incredulous towards his mother's plight - he doubted the sincerity of her emotions. 

Jake's mother responded by trying to double-down on her case. "Jake, that's not true - we love who you are. We love who you are becoming. We have always loved you. When you were little and when..."

"...Enough!" Jake father interrupted, "This isn't the place for that conversation. Jake, we're not asking you - I'm telling you. You're in this country illegally and as your legal guardian I have a responsibility to remove you" He moved forward, in one movement that was as quick as it was aggressive - the hunter was pouncing on his prey. 

In just as quick a movement, Jake jumped back. In a flash he pushed against the door that he had been standing in front of and ran. 

While Jake's father continued his movements Sunghoon learned that when the heart wants to, it can think a hell of a lot faster than the brain. Before his mind had so much as digested the situation or even attempted to rationalise any course of action, Sunghoon felt his body move forward. 

His intervention caught Jake's father off-guard. Sunghoon got between the man and the door before it had swung shut. "Who the hell are you?" The man said before moving to swipe Sunghoon out of the way. 

Sunghoon said nothing, he merely made himself as big as he could and withstood the swipes coming his way. The man was significantly bigger than Sunghoon, taller, broader and bulkier but despite this, Sunghoon was not phased. 

This man wanted to take Jake away, however legitimate their reasons Sunghoon couldn't let that happen. Even as he grappled, Sunghoon's heart supplied the brain with its rational: Jake had made Sunghoon's life worth living, he'd given him a reason to get up in the morning, a reason to smile. In that moment Sunghoon knew he loved Jake and that wasn't something you just gave up without a fight.

Seconds later Sunghoon felt himself be slammed into the door opening it to the street, but despite the shock of pain he didn't give up. Out in the cold and darkening evening he fought on. He'd never really being in a fight before so had no real idea of how to do it. Not knowing any manoeuvres or punches, the first thing that came to mind was to knee him in the genitals. 

Even as Jake's father groaned in pain Jake's mother, who came out into the street with them asked, "Where did he go?". Sunghoon pushed himself away from the man and took a moment to glance at the receptionist. He knew Jake's parents were looking up and down the street rather than at him so he took the opportunity to put a finger to his lips and plead for the receptionist to keep quiet. 

She looked at him and after a small moment gave the slightest of nods and with that, Sunghoon ran.

"WAIT! GET BACK!" Jake's father shouted first in English before following up in Korean. "WHO ARE YOU?"

Running, in the opposite direction of the school and their home, Sunghoon muttered under his breath, "Your future son-in-law."

Presuming Jake to have ran home, Sunghoon decided the best course of action was to try and keep Jake's parents as blind as possible. He knew there was a likely chance that Jake had run off in other direction entirely but that was fine. As far as Sunghoon was concerned, the most important thing was that Jake was away from his parents. 

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Jakehoon fanfic 10.4