𝙲𝚘𝚜𝚖𝚘𝚜|JakeHoon

☆34☆

Sunoo peers at the cage, cooing at the puppy inside. "What's this for?" He asks Jake who carries the cage and is already making his way to the car.

"It's for Sunghoon's birthday." Jake says with a wide grin. After Sunoo closes the door on his side, he starts the car and drives off.

Jake hesitates to ask him about what he had heard. His grin drops as he holds the wheel tighter. Coughing, he gives Sunoo a side glance. "Sooo" He trails off, Sunoo looks at him with confusion.

"What is it hyung?"

"You finally confessed?" Jake waits for a reaction, he expects Sunoo to react negatively but it was opposite. He sees Sunoo smiling. "Why are you smiling like that?"

"Honestly, I was scared but as the days went by, I realized it felt so good, you know? Like I just let go of a year long stone I've been carrying."

Jake returns the smile, he is proud. For a year, he'd watch Sunoo stare at Ni-ki from afar. Every time Jake wondered about what could he be thinking towards his colleague. Whatever it is, it must have pained him pondering and reflecting on an imaginary world for the both of them. "See? I told you it'd be better."

Sunoo nods, fumbling with his fingers. "Have you heard about Jay-hyung and Jungwon?"

"Oh yeah. It's not even a surprise." Then, they enter back to the mountainous side of the city. Back to the trees swaying and creatures chirping or howling. Just like everyday. During Jake's first trips to the center, he'd always get cheery crossing the path. As days passed and after crossing this for a hundred times, he's gotten used to it.

The spark of seeing nature never left him though, it was always there; deep inside his heart. And that spark seemed to come back as they drive through. It's the astronaut's final training, after months of practice and guidance finally. Also, it's the first crew he is going to be leading for his first mission too.

"Hyung." Sunoo speaks up.

"Yes?" Jake only heard silence for the next seconds. He looks at the younger, he can feel hesitance laced with the one word he told him.

"After this mission, I plan on going back to Korea."

"Really? Go and take the break, you really deserve it." Jake tells him, wondering what Sunoo's about to say.

"No. I-I thought of resigning." Sunoo stutters.

Jake doesn't reply, heck he can't even think of what to say. Sunoo was with him since the 5th month he started working for NASA. Sunoo was a trainee and Jake was typing on his work computer compiling files beside other people doing the same work.

"Please say something." Sunoo pleads, seeing that Jake seemed to have his words dropped. Jake thinks for another minute before he nods and sighs.

"I understand." He brings his smile back. Today is supposed to be a good day since it's an important day for his boyfriend and is the last of their training sessions. He sees a positive side on Sunoo's departure.

His long time friend would get to have and spend time for himself too. It must be a way for him to cope and move on. Away from Jake and from their other friends. "Have you told them about this already?"

"Actually, you're the first one. I will tell them as soon as I can. Especially now that we're more busier preparing for your first mission." Jake notes a change of tone when Sunoo said the word 'them'.

"You know you'd have to tell him too, right? He's still a friend." Jake answers a thought voiced inside Sunoo's head.

. . .

Jake excitedly enters the center. First, he checks what the astronauts' are up to. He knew what they did during the past months. Familiarization of the spacecraft's engineering systems, physical training and virtual reality simulations.

A lot of people were in the room aside from them, staff needed for the set-up and the flight controllers who shall work with them during the mission; that includes Jake, the Flight Director.

Despite the amount of people inside, he manages to find Sunghoon's eyes who spotted him earlier and is already looking at him. When they met eyes, his boyfriend winks at him and he returns it of course.

When Sunghoon broke eye contact, Jake continued glancing at him. He bears in mind the look he receives from him. A look full of this emotion he had long been craving for, love. As their relationship blossomed and the moments they connect stares kept adding up, the more emotions Jake identify in those eyes.

Shock, when they first met.

Interest, when they ate those pancakes together.

Awe, when Jake returns the stare he feels from Sunghoon every time he works.

Pride, when he was healing Sunghoon's black eye from the ruckus with Morris.

Hope, when he was greeting him for his birthday.

Perhaps Jake have really met his soulmate. Who would make him laugh if he notices Jake feeling down. Who was always there to stand up for him. Who, right from the start, had him all read; Jake once even thought of him as a mind reader. Who never let him go despite his often changing attitude. Lastly, who somehow finds incredible ways to always make his heart flutter.

"Jake, the training starts now. What the heck are you doing there?" Jake hears Heeseung shout at him from a distance.

. . .

"I'm exhausted. I'm so glad the training's over." Sunghoon complains, groaning as he sat on the car seat. He fans himself with his hands, sweat continue trickling down his forehead. "Is it just me, or do you also feel how hot it is here in Arizona?"

"Oh, I haven't figured that out." Jake replies sarcastically, turning the car's aircon on. "Are you going to my apartment or to your hotel room?"

"Bring me to your castle, Prince Jake." Right after Sunghoon's reply, a tiny bark emerges from behind. Jake sees Sunghoon stop from fanning himself. "Did you hear that?"

"I don't think so." Jake says, waiting for his boyfriend to realize the dog he got for his birthday. Sunghoon looks back and sees the cage.

"What the fuck?" He asks excitedly. Sunghoon looks into Jake's eyes before reaching out to the dog. Sunghoon ruffles the puppy's head and it barks in reply. "You got a puppy."

"Happy Birthday." Jake states in a wide smile.

"I got you a bracelet and you got me a dog?"

"And a blanket with those glowing constellations." Jake corrects, also ruffling the puppy' head.

"So when I'm not around, something reminds you of me." He continues, driving off.

Sunghoon plays with the puppy lovingly. "Jake, honey. Everything reminds me of you already." He wittingly replies, unaware of the blush that had crept up on Jake's cheeks. Jake glances at Sunghoon and the Golden Retriever.

He remembers the look he got after Sunghoon discovers the puppy. Another one on the list.

Gratitude.