unsend ; jake

fifty nine: birthday party

Yunhyo and Suyoung grinned at each other from the couch, where they had thrown their bodies out of exhaustion. 

"I think we did a pretty good job, didn't we?" Suyoung asked to which the younger hummed and nodded. 

Balloons, foil curtains, colourful confetti and posters filled Jungwon's house. 

"I'm so tempted to skip the party and just go straight to sleep." Yunhyo said, lying back on the cushions and closing her eyes.

"You're gonna sleep? That's a bummer cause look, Jake is at the door-"

"Jake is at the door!" she sprang up to her feet and ran to the door, leaving Suyoung who chuckled at her antics, along with Jay.

"The guests will start coming in now, want a drink, Jay-ah?" she too got up, going to the kitchen to quench her thirst.

"Sure. I'll go see if Jungwon got ready yet. Just bring it upstairs."

When Jay did enter Jungwon's room, he saw a bunch of clothes and lots of accessories lying around. 

"Why aren't you ready yet? People have started coming in?" he asked while he unconsciously started cleaning up the room.

"Well initially, Sunoo was gonna help me get ready but he's been avoiding since that day so now I'm all confused- I shouldn't wear these earrings, right?" 

Jay felt pity as he nervously laughed at the younger boy. Leaving the stuff in his hands, he rushed over to him, browsing through the little box of jewellery. 

Soon Suyoung joined in, handing them both a glass of soda. They both helped him pick accessories and then do his hair, not leaving one chance to baby the youngest.

"Wait, where's Yun?"

"She's with Jake."

"Oh he's here? And where's Sunoo?"

"He's here too. Looking at the music system."

"I thought he wouldn't come." Jungwon said in a small voice.

"Are you crazy? Won. He's literally your best friend."

"Well I'm happy. Would it be too much to hope that Riki would be here too?" he asked with big eyes that sparkled comically.

Suyoung sighed at that. "Yes it would be. He's not here and I'm sure he won't come either. He must be pretty embarrassed." 

"Jungwon-ah... cheer up okay? You can think about him later. For now, just enjoy your birthday." Jay said, petting his head. 

With that the trio left to go downstairs.

Jungwon felt all the nerves, he was about to experience a party for the first time. He put on his nicest smile, showing off his charming dimples as he greeted all of his classmates and friends he had invited. 

They all wished him a happy birthday, some gave him gifts and some gave him hugs. 

His heartbeat eventually calmed down as he found himself enjoying, sharing laughter with his friends as they all danced to their favourite songs. 

He rather felt ecstatic, knowing all of this was happening for him. 

Yang Jungwon is seventeen years old. 

He saw Yunhyo sitting on the couch with Jake, Suyoung and Jay playing games in the kitchen with their other friends. He knew Riki wasn't coming so he tried his best to ignore the slight disappointment he felt. What he did feel bad about was that he knew Sunoo was there and he hadn't seen him all day. 

Putting his plate of cake down, he excused himself to go to the washroom as faint music still invaded his ears and the thought of his best friend filled his mind. 

He was sure happy about everything.

But he missed Sunoo. 

He realised the lights in the hallway outside the washroom were off so he slowly guided himself back to the crowd while gliding his hand on the walls.

"Yang Jungwon." 

He stopped in his tracks hearing the all too familiar voice. The voice that he missed.

"I was waiting for you."

Jungwon turned around in the half lit place, watching his best friend approach him slowly.

"Is this how you're going to be? Didn't we decide that our friendship comes before any other guy?" Sunoo asked, to which Jungwon only gulped in response, "Answer me, Jungwon." 

It was moments like these where Jungwon always found himself admiring the other; when he gets all serious and his eyes turn sharp and his voice drops an octave or two. 

"I k-know. It just got too overwhelming you know? Like how does it even work? What am I supposed to do? You like him, I like him and he... he likes us both..." 

"Wow... are you really that stupid?" Sunoo huffed while rolling his eyes. 

"I'm not!" Jungwon frowned in response, taking it personally.

"Seems like you are." Sunoo walked towards him as Jungwon walked back until his back hit the wall and the former stopped walking, leaving not a lot of space between them. "You didn't miss me." 

"I actually... did. A lot." Jungwon felt a weird twisting feeling in his stomach as he looked at Sunoo who was not more than a couple centimeters taller than him. He looked so pretty with half his hair slicked back and shadows dancing on his face with the lights from the living room only partly reaching the hallway they were standing in.

Jungwon's heart beat fast but he wasn't sure if it was because of their proximity and those newfound emotions in him or the fear that anyone out of the hundred people in his house could walk in on them any second. 

He saw the corner of Sunoo's mouth lift to form a smirk. "Then, I'm glad. Happy birthday, Jungwon-ah." 

Jungwon could only give him a half hearted smile, sensing something more was coming.

"Can I ask you something? Would you mind if I tried something right now?"

Jungwon furrowed his eyebrows, why was he asking for permission? 

For as long as they knew each other, or had been friends, they've done a lot of things together. Experienced things they've never before. Tried things they were scared to. 

Sounds a bit dramatic, but he trusted Sunoo with his life. Or the rest of his best friends too. 

So without hesitation he nodded and he saw how fast but swiftly Sunoo reached his hands towards his neck and only a second later, he felt the latter's lips on his own. 

He indulged in the euphoric feeling as both nervousness and excitement rushed over him. 

By the time he processed everything and kissed back, Sunoo had already stepped back and put some distance between them.

Driving his hands into his pockets, he smiled at Jungwon, "So... what do you think?"