Fate | Jakehoon

chapter 23: interlude: Jungwon

Love comes in many forms and we may not always recognize it, but it's there.

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2020

It hasn't been a full month since they've settled in their new apartment, which they've been calling their dorm since then. Enhypen's dorm.

As a group formed from a survival show, they're expected to get close as quick as possible, especially with their debut slated for next month and the imperative of teamwork in mind.
Being the second youngest and chosen as the leader by his teammates, Jungwon is supposed to bridge the gap between everyone and help with the bonding process. Hence why, besides the regular meetings he's established to discuss their thoughts, he's also encouraging different games to get to know each other better in a fun way.

Currently, all the members are gathered in the living room and Sunghoon's proposing a game of arm wrestling and challenging his first (and probably only) opponent, Jake, who accepts without hesitation, and they sit down at the table.

It takes them a while to start the match though, as they keep adjusting their hands over and over again.

"Here we go again," Jay releases a defeated sigh.

Jungwon, just like the rest of the members, remembers Jake and Sunghoon's never-ending arm wrestling matches from I-Land days.

"This is going to take an eternity," Sunoo throws his head back and Jungwon can't help but chuckle along with Heeseung and Ni-Ki.

"Why are you holding it so tight?" Sunghoon laughs in his attempt to complain.

"You pinched my hand," Jake whines in the same playful manner.

"Just play already," Heeseung urges them, albeit unsuccessful.

"Hey! You sneakily tried to start again."

"Hurry up," although amused by them, Jungwon says because others are waiting for their turn.

When they finally play and Jake wins, Sunghoon insists on a rematch and everyone else gives up on their hope to go next.

"Are you sure this isn't just an excuse to hold each other's hands?" Sunoo giggles, but the two are too caught up in their own game to pay him any attention.

Jungwon smiles as he looks at them. Out of everyone here, he's been closest to Jay and Sunghoon during his trainee years, Heeseung being third, behind them.

Sunghoon's always been shy and reserved and whenever the three of them would go out together, he wouldn't say much. Jay was the complete opposite of him and as for Jungwon and Heeseung, they were somewhere in the middle.

However, once they entered I-Land and Sunghoon met Jake, they seemed to click instantly. Only a week or so into the show, he'd see Sunghoon and Jake talking to each other a lot. When Jake went to the Ground, Sunghoon resumed his quiet demeanor, mostly spending time alone or with Jay, until Jake returned and the two began exactly from where they left off. From then on they were attached to the hip, always practicing, eating and even sleeping together sometimes.

It was like they had known each other for a lifetime.

Jungwon was very surprised at how Sunghoon had opened up to Jake so fast, given that it took him a while to warm up to Jay, him and Heeseung. But Sunghoon and Jake seemed to get along super well and had a lot of things in common, besides their age and mbti's.