afterglow ‣ s.jy

016

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

JAKE

The evening of Hyejin's recital was a busy one for Jake's family with everyone struggling to find a suitable outfit to wear as if it was their first time attending one. It has always been their utmost goal to look presentable, especially in attending the event tailored for a person close enough to be called family.

"Are you finished, Jake?" His father knocked on the door while he was still busily staring at himself in the mirror while repeatedly fixing his tuxedo jacket until he was finally satisfied. "We're leaving in ten minutes, just reminding you!"

"I'm done!" Jake hollers back, brushing his hair with his fingers one last time before opening the door and following his father, who stopped walking for a second to look back at him. "Is mom done?"

"Just final touches." His father replied while the two began walking to the living room, both waiting for his mother to finish getting ready which took no more than six minutes.

As he waited for the car to be ready, Jake looked down at his phone, only to see Hana incessantly nagging him to arrive at the venue so people would stop asking her about his whereabouts since according to the rumors in their inner circle, Hyejin and Jake were officially engaged despite the blatant refusal of both parties. Once informed that the car was already outside, he shoved his phone and wallet in his pockets and made his way to where it was, smiling kindly after to the guard who opened the door for him.

During the drive, his parents were engaged in a small discussion about their plans of buying Jake a car. It was a sign that his mother was no longer upset by his actions or more specifically, him disobeying by taking her precious sports car out on a ride. It was a chat Jake couldn't find the heart to be interested in, knowing too well that he was going to be satisfied with whatever car his parents decided to buy him, even if it was some knockoff or perhaps another second-hand. Being picky was never his personality to begin with anyway.

With his head pressed on the window, staring at the raindrops that chose to stay at the glass pensively, their car suddenly stopped nearby the bus stop where a familiar girl sat, her head leaning on the bus shelter while swaying her feet. It bewildered him how often he was starting to see Siyeon these days in places he least expected.

"It's been raining quite a lot, don't you think?" Even his father's voice didn't seem to tear Jake's attention away from Siyeon, who much to his surprise and concern, was wearing pajamas similar to the ones you wear in a hospital.

"I-I have to do something first, can you tell Hyejin or Hana I'll be late?" Jake looked at both his parents, whose immediate reaction was confusion. And before either of them could give their son a nod or even a 'yes', he was already outside the car with an umbrella protecting him from the rainfall.

Jake walked towards Siyeon, thoughtlessly allowing his worry for her to take over his inhibitions, not even thinking about what he was going to say once he was standing in front of her. Finally reaching where she was, he shielded her from the rain with his body and umbrella as he cast his shadow at her, which instantly prompted the girl to look up at the sudden person that now stood in front of where she was sitting. Though at first there were noticeable hints of panic in her eyes, the moment it sunk into her who it was, she relaxed.

"It's like Beetlejuice, you say their name three times and they suddenly appear out of nowhere," Siyeon spoke with her dreamy voice, eyes blinking heavily as if she was on the verge of falling asleep.

He rolled his eyes. "Only you would compare me to a demon. Go back to the hospital, you can't stay here. It's freezing!"

"Who would if not me?" She even managed to tug the side of her lips upward. "Why should I go back there? And why the hell are you dressed up? A debutante ball perhaps? Or a soiree to find a future wife?"