✓ READY TO LOVE | JAKE

6 - A Small World

"The party was so amazing, thank you so much, guys," Jay said as he smiled.

"It's been a while since we last reunited like this," Niki spoke as everyone nodded.

"You're always in Japan, you barely come to Korea," Sunghoon muttered. "Can't you just start a business in here and leave Japan?"

"My father is too old to run the family's business and my sister is too busy with her family. So I'm the only one who can help." He explained.

"I'm also thinking of expanding my business in Korea," Jay said. "I miss everything in here. My family, my friends, and the way we meet like this. I'd never trade it with anything in this world."

"This is all thanks to Jake for letting us throw the party in his house. It's the biggest among ours so it's definitely the best for meetings like this." Heeseung said as he nudged Jake's side.

"Of course, you are always welcome." He said as he smiled and eyed Heeseung who was smirking at him.

"As expected from you, Sim Jake, always so generous," Jungwon said and Soo Yun started coughing after choking on a piece of meat she was eating.

"Hey, slow down," Sunghoon said as he handed her a cup of water.

"Thank y-you..." She muttered as she drank some water and looked away from them, especially him. "I... I don't feel good."

"What's wrong?" Jay stood up before he rushed to her side. "Do you want me to drive you home?"

"No, n-no. It's okay, I'll go by myself." She said, but when she was about to excuse herself, Jake stood up.

"I'll drive you home. You can't go back alone, it's late." He spoke, making everyone look at him in confusion.

"You don't even know where she lives." Jungwon laughed, making Jake sink in realization.

"It's fine, she can just tell me." He looked at her. "If that's okay with her, of course."

"I... yes." She nodded.

"Are you worried about Soo Yun, Jake?" Heeseung teased, making Jake slightly blush.

"Of c-course, she's Sunghoon's sister."

"Alright, just drive her home safely," Sunghoon said. "I'm trusting you with my sister, Jake."

"I'm not a kid." Soo Yun scoffed.

"I'll be back in a while. Let's go." Jake said as Soo Yun waved goodbye to everyone before she followed him into his car, and then, the awkward ride started. She had always loved silence, but the silence with Jake was just too unbearable.

"So... your name is Sim Jake?" She asked out of the blue and Jake nodded, focusing on the road since the last thing he wanted was for them to get into an accident. Sunghoon would literally kill him if he ever survives that.

"Yes."

"The world is so small..." Soo Yun's words went unheard by Jake, or so she thought. However, he didn't question it and focused on driving safely. He looked at the map from time to time and just kept silent.

When they arrived in front of her apartment, she took off her seatbelt before she thanked him. "Thank you for driving me home..."

"Of course, you're welcome." He smiled softly. "We should hang out more... everyone but me seems to know you well."

Soo Yun stared at him for a while before she looked away. "Would y-you like to come with me...?"

"Excuse me?" Jake stared at her in surprise, noticing her slightly red cheeks.

"I'd like to offer you some coffee if you don't mind." She said and Jake's eyes softened as if he indeed wanted to spend more time with her. And perhaps that's why, a few minutes later, he was sitting on her couch as he sipped on his warm coffee.

"Thank you for the coffee." He said when she sat in front of him. "This place is very beautiful... as expected from a florist."

Soo Yun chuckled at his comment and looked around her. "I try to make it less boring with flowers. They're always pretty to look at."

"Right," Jake said as he stared at her with a smile on his lips. "It's so pretty."

"When did you meet Sunghoon?" She asked after a minute of silence.

"We were both in our second year of university. He was the class president and seemed intimidating at first, but then I needed help with something and he was so helpful. And after that, he stuck with me until now." Jake explained as he smiled at the memories.

"I can imagine that." She smiled before drinking her coffee. "He's such a considerate person, and I'm not saying that just because he's my brother. Because he might be annoying at times, but he's still a really good person."

"Trust me, he is." Jake smiled as he put down his cup. "I think I'll-"

However, when he started talking, his gaze landed on the papers put on a table nearby, and he could feel his heart drop. Soo Yun followed where he was staring, and her eyes widened for a moment.

"That's..." Standing up, he walked toward the table before he grabbed one piece of paper and stared at it for a minute. 

"I had to bring it to the shop but f-forgot..." She quickly explained. "They're for customers who like to write letters along with the bouquets of flowers."

Grabbing the papers from the table, Soo Yun was about to walk away toward her room when Jake's words made her stop in her tracks. 

"Do you perhaps know anyone by the name... Yu Nabi?" 

"Yes." She admitted. "She's a regular customer..."

When she raised her head to stare at Jake, he was already staring at her with sad eyes. "That's why the name petite rose was so familiar... she got me all those bouquets and letters from your shop." 

"Yes..."

"So you know me..." He said and she looked at him in surprise before she shook her head.

"No... I didn't know you, I only k-knew your name." She said and he nodded. "She usually wrote letters for a certain Sim Jake, so your name was familiar..."

So Nabi wrote the letters, after all.

The thought made Jake a little happy, knowing that she was at least genuine about her feelings for a moment. Even if she ended up deceiving him.

It was funny how the two were in each other's lives without even realizing it. Was it fate? Or was the world playing games with the two of them?

They didn't know, they just knew that it was indeed such a small world.