_TOMORROW NEVER CAME. [jakehoon]

chapter twenty-two.

"Is it good?" Sunghoon looked up from his warm bowl of vegetable soup, immediately nodding with his mouth still full.

He quickly swallowed before answering Jiwon, "Yeah, it's delicious."

The girl laughs as she settles down next to Sunghoon, her own bowl of soup in hand, "Yeah, Sungho Oppa is pretty good at whipping up masterpieces from every possible scrap we have."

"Apart from Jake's fish, this is the best meal I've had in months," Sunghoon lifted the bowl to his mouth and gulped down the remaining broth, much to Jiwon's amusement.

"So, is he your boyfriend?"

"Why does everyone ask me that?" Sunghoon gawked, "You're the second person to ask me that in the past 30 minutes, hell, is it that obvious?"

"So you are?"

"No," Sunghoon blushes, turning away from Jiwon's teasing smirk, "we're not."

"Sooooo," she dragged out the syllables playfully, "he's free to date?"

Sunghoon felt his eyes twitch at the question, yet he tried to keep his composure, "Yes, he is."

Jiwon laughed again, shoving Sunghoon who had stiffened up like a pole, "I'm just playing with you, dude," she continued to laugh, "your face, oh man, give me a second-"

Sunghoon turned to the girl with an annoyed scowl, not enjoying how big of a kick Jiwon got out of messing with him, "Okay c'mon now, it's not that funny."

"It's hilarious, actually," She finally gathered herself and looked at Sunghoon with a sly smirk, her dimple peeking through, "it's cute to see. There's not much normality left, so something like romance is a nice reminder of what matters most."

Sunghoon couldn't help but nod in agreement, "I guess so...but I don't think he likes me like that."

"Like what?" Jiwon took a huge spoonful of her soup as she listened to Sunghoon's troubles, "Like the way you like him?"

Sunghoon flushed from embarrassment once again as he crossed his arms and leaned into the chair, "Yeah, I guess. Even though I told him multiple times, he never said it back so I'm just assuming he doesn't feel the same."

"But you're so kind and gentle with him, how could you not fall for someone who carries your unconscious body for 40 minutes in the scorching sun? Surely he feels something towards you."

"I don't know, he's been through a lot and I don't think my feelings and our personal relationship are something he has to worry about right now," Sunghoon sighed, looking up at the juvie's ceiling, "I don't want to overwhelm him more than I have."

"Do you think it has to do with the priest thing?" Jiwon leaned on her arm, genuinely interested in Sunghoon's struggles, "I mean, do you think he..."

"I don't think so," Sunghoon shook his head, "I don't think he has a problem with me being a man, but the church he came from did such fucked up things, that I don't blame him for being so reserved and scared of my feelings."

"I hope it works out," Jiwon patted his shoulder, "you both seem lovely, even though I've never talked to Jake."

Sunghoon smiled at her, "You'll like him, he's very sweet and playful - you almost remind me of him."

"Aw, is that why you like me?" Jiwon wiggled her eyebrows and Sunghoon couldn't help but playfully roll his eyes at her.

"You wish."

They fell into a comfortable silence as the base camp came alive - many people passed by and greeted Jiwon, who graciously introduced the ever-so-awkward Sunghoon. It was weird - the amount of people at the base was relatively small, considering the amount of space they had. Judging by how many people Sunghoon has seen so far, they occupy maybe around ¼ of the whole building.

Sunghoon was about to ask Jiwon why that was when Riki came sprinting into the eating pavilion, "Sunghoon Hyung!"

Sunghoon excused himself from Jiwon and made his way towards Riki, "Is Jake okay?"

"Yeah, he's awake," they started their way back to the cellblock, "and he didn't believe me when I told him I'm one of the good guys."

The two successfully made it back to Jake's "room", Jungwon and a girl already there. "Jakey," Sunghoon breathed out, walking towards Jake who immediately reached out to pull Sunghoon in for a hug, "Are you feeling okay?"

Jake nods into Sunghoon's shoulder with a shaky exhale, which causes the taller to sit down on the bed and hold him closer, "I'm sorry for not being there for you."

"Not your fault," Jake mumbles into his shirt, tightly clinging onto Sunghoon, "are you okay?"

Jake pulls back and stares at Sunghoon with such intensity that it has Sunghoon's heart racing once again. The brunette observed Sunghoon's face from every possible angle, making sure he was okay before checking his arms and hands.

"I'm fine," Sunghoon assures him with a chuckle, "you're the one who had the toughest blow."

Riki came up behind them and handed Jake the water bottle from before, "We're here to help, promise!"

Sunghoon was about to detach himself so that Jake could peacefully drink his water, but the shorter one just couldn't let go, "C'mon, it's okay now."

Yet Jake was stubborn, so Sunghoon didn't have much of a choice other than sitting right next to Jake as he sipped his water.

"I filled Jake in on as much as I could," Jungwon chimed in, "and Wonyoung brought some soup for Jake Hyung."

Jake thanked the girl and continued to drink his water diligently as if he was savouring every last drop.

"Hanie Unnie said that he should rest as much as possible right now, so I suggest finishing the soup and sleeping some more," Wonyoung smiled, taking the water bottle from Jake when he was done, "and I'll go refill this for you from the well. Jungwonie, do you want to help me with it?"

"Yes!" Jungwon jumped to his feet, following Wonyoung out of the room, Riki hot on their trail, "Me too!"

Sunghoon and Jake were left by themselves in the small cell room - the idea of being alone with Jake made Sunghoon blush for some reason, hating how nervous Jake made him ever since last night.

"Let me get you the soup," Sunghoon stood up and grabbed the metal bowl with vegetable soup, "it's good, I think the one who made it was named Sungho? But, yeah, it's really good," Sunghoon rambled, giving Jake the warm bowl.

"Thank you," Jake happily started eating his soup, his eyes lighting up when he had his first spoonful, "Woah!"

Sunghoon smiled at the sight of Jake enjoying his food, it was strangely cute.

He wonders if in another universe they could've gone out to eat together - something Jake has never had, like fast food or carnival food, maybe some other country's cuisine that neither of them could pronounce. Sunghoon would insist they order everything and Jake would happily taste test all of it because he's Jake and Sunghoon would be at his full mercy just to see him enjoying his food. They could spend the evening savouring each other's company and the flavours - good and bad. He'd laugh at Jake's animated reactions and even take pictures of it all to remember it all. Maybe it would even be a date.

"Do you want some?" Jake breaks Sunghoon out of his trance, making the taller smile softly and shake his head, "I already ate, you should finish it all."

Jake nods and continues to peacefully eat, completely oblivious to Sunghoon's daydreaming.