jake's aunt gets sick-the summer after his freshman year at college, he moves in to take care of her. she still lives in the same small town his mother left when she was 18.
jake is prepared for an uneventful summer, but then he meets heeseung.
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Jake is careful as he steps onto the rocky edge of the overlook. Heeseung is right behind him, hand gently resting on Jake's back. He bites his lip as he looks down at the water—Jake still can't believe he agreed to do this today.
Truly, he had been bluffing at first. But of course, Jiwon called him on it.
Heeseung, Jungwon, Jiwon, and Jake had been laying in the back of Heeseung's truck, debating what they should do today. They didn't have any set plans, so Jiwon suggested swimming. Jungwon said he didn't feel like swimming and Jake had joked that it was a shame Jungwon said no because he would have been willing to jump off the overlook this time.
He should have known Jiwon would call him on it.
And now they are here. Or rather, Jake and Heeseung are here while Jiwon and Jungwon are down by the swimming area, ready to film their jump. Jake can feel the butterflies in his stomach as he looks down again. He glances over at Heeseung, who is smiling at him gently.
"We don't have to jump today if you don't want to, Jake." Heeseung says, patting Jake's back gently. "It doesn't make you any less brave."
Jake takes a deep breath and nods. He knows that. He knows that none of his friends will judge him if he doesn't jump. But Jake wants to jump. He wants to embrace the rush that comes with falling. He just needs to get out of his own head.
"I can do it." Jake says, resolutely. "I want to do it." Heeseung nods, removing his hand from Jake's back.
"Ready?" Jake asks him. Heeseung nods again.
"Three...two...one..." Jake says and then jumps, t-shirt inflating with wind as he falls. His stomach wooshes, but the he tries to embrace the freeing feeling—letting out a whoop—as he plummets toward the water.
When he finally breaks the surface with his body, it hurts a bit—there is definitely more of a sting here than there is when he jumps off a high-dive into a pool. But nothing feels injured, so he takes a moment to swim underwater before he kicks his feet to get back to the top. He doesn't see Heeseung at first, but then Jake spots him treading water few feet away.
He's frowning and clutching his left wrist.
"You all right?" Jake calls out.
Heeseung shakes his head. "I landed on my wrist wrong."
Jake bites his lip, worried. "Is it broken?" He asks before swimming to Heeseung to get a closer look. Heeseung shakes his head again.
"I think it's just sprained." He says, holding it out for Jake to inspect. Jake grabs the wrist gingerly. His whole hand is bright red, so it looks like he must have hit the water with his wrist first.
Heeseung winces as Jake rolls the wrist in his hand. "Do you have a bandage?" Jake asks.
Heeseung tilts his head in the direction of his truck. "I have a first aide kit in my truck."
