ROAD RAGE | Jaywon

Chapter 6: stare

JUNGWON

I woke up feeling the weight of my decision from the previous night. My stomach tightened at the thought of Mom moving in, but deep down, I knew I had made the right choice for Haewon's sake. The memory of her anxious face as we discussed it still lingered in my mind. She needed the support, this was the best way to provide it.

I had to stay strong, for my sister's sake. It wasn't about me anymore, it was about what was best for her. And if having Mom around could give her a sense of security, then I had to put my own feelings aside.

Later, I found myself in the cafeteria, surrounded by the hum of conversations and the clatter of trays. The smell of food mingled with the faint aroma of coffee, but I barely noticed. I was lost in my thoughts, replaying the conversation with my sister over and over in my mind. The way her eyes had widened with a mix of hope and fear made my heart ache.

"You know, Won, staring at your food isn't a good thing," Sunoo said, snapping me out of my reverie. I blinked, realizing I had been absentmindedly stirring my soup without taking a single bite.

"Sorry" I mumbled, glancing at him, he placed a few pieces of kimchi on my tray. I didn't have the energy to stop him, so I let him be.

"Eat a lot, Won" he urged, his voice gentle yet firm. He gave me an encouraging smile, the kind that made me feel like maybe, everything would be alright.

I nodded, picking up my spoon again. The warmth of the soup spread through me as I took a bite, the flavors bringing a momentary sense of peace. Sunoo watched me with a mix of concern and affection, his presence a silent support.

suddenly, I felt a sudden jolt in my head, causing me to drop the spoonful of hot soup just before it reached my lips. Surprisingly, there was no pain, just a disorienting rush.

"Opss, my bad" a familiar voice chimed in front of me. I looked up and saw Jay, his tall frame towering over the table, a mischievous grin playing on his lips. Instantly, anger surged within me.

"What the fuck is your problem!?" I snapped, my hand shooting out to grab his collar, yanking him closer. His grin widened, as if enjoying my reaction, and I felt the heat of frustration rising.

Our faces were inches apart now, and I could smell his minty breath mixed with a faint scent of cologne. His eyes, a shade of deep brown, locked onto mine. The din of the cafeteria faded into the background, leaving only the intensity of our confrontation.

His close presence was infuriating yet strangely compelling, making me aware of every detail, his tousled hair, his jawline, the faint scar near his eyebrow.

I tightened my grip on his collar. "You think this is funny!?" I hissed through gritted teeth, my voice barely above a whisper but laced with anger.

His grin faltered slightly, his gaze flickering with a hint of something unreadable before settling back into playful defiance.

"Come on, you know I couldn't resist," he replied casually, as if my reaction was exactly what he had expected .

Before the tension could escalate further, Heeseung suddenly burst into the room with a man, firmly gripping Jay's shoulder and guiding him away.

Heeseung positioned himself protectively between us, his expression a mix of concern.

Heeseung laid a calming hand on my shoulder. "Easy, guys. Jake wouldn't like this," he reasoned.

I turned my gaze back to Jay, finding his eyes still locked with mine. The earlier smirk had vanished, replaced by a mix of irritation and defiance.

With a simmering anger, I shot him a death stare, followed swiftly by raising my middle finger. He scoffed, and muttered something under his breath that I couldn't quite catch.

Sunoo stood awkwardly behind me, flashing an apologetic smile towards Heeseung. "I'm sorry, Heeseung hyung, I couldn't stop them."

"It's fine," he replied calmly, his voice tinged with understanding. "And I apologize for my friend here. He can be a bit childish."

I glanced over at Jay one last time. His eyes rolled in response to Heeseung's remark as he yanked the man's hand away and walked out casually, hands nonchalantly tucked into his pockets.

What's his deal, that scumbag? What's his problem? Does he want another beating? Or is he not afraid, knowing I'm a taekwondo player? Thoughts of him churned irritation within me, his mischievous grin begging for a punch, his annoying stares, and his foul mouth. Fuck you, Jay

After the earlier incident, Sunoo said his farewell to Heeseung as I made my way out of the cafeteria. Sunoo caught up to me, and now we sat together in our last class of the day.

I stared blankly at the classroom walls, the teacher's voice droning on, the muted rustling of pages turning. Sunoo slouched on his desk, head resting on folded arms, already half asleep.

My thoughts kept replaying the scene earlier, making me want to punch Jay one last time, ensuring he never recovers.

I sat at my usual spot in the library, surrounded by books and notes, trying to concentrate on my school tasks. The quiet hum of students studying provided the perfect backdrop, or so I thought.

Suddenly, Sunoo and Jake appeared, their voices carrying across the library as they approached me and took the seats in front of me, and began telling that happened earlier in the cafeteria.

"Really? Heeseung hasn't told me," Jake exclaimed, his confusion palpable.

Sunoo had mentioned once that Jake had a childhood trauma related to physical fights, but he never told the details, and frankly, I wasn't interested.

One thing for sure is that I don't like anyone meddling in my problems, and I don't like meddling in anyone else's problems either. My burdens are heavy enough for me to carry on my own.

"They were about to kiss, faces inches apart like this," Sunoo demonstrated dramatically, his hands mimicking the closeness and making kissing noises. His grin widened, and he chuckled, clearly amused by the earlier incident.

Jake laughed too, his amusement evident as he held his stomach, doubling over as if on the verge of falling out of his chair.

Sunoo didn't stop, he even clasped his hands and began clapping, making an unpleasant sound that indicated something inappropriate, which only caused Jake to laugh harder.

I sat there, feeling increasingly annoyed and uncomfortable with their noise. I fixed them with a stern stare, hoping they would notice my disapproval and change the subject.

"Guys, maybe keep it down" I interrupt, my voice firm but calm, trying to caught their attention away from the inappropriate humor.

Sunoo and Jake finally caught my expression, realizing they had gone too far. They exchanged sheepish glances before Sunoo cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Sorry, didn't mean to disturb your study vibe" Sunoo said, his tone apologetic as they both settled down.

I nodded back, silently grateful that they had taken the hint. Turning back to my books, I tried to refocus.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Jake leaning over to me, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "you know Jay could be your enemy to lover" he teased, his voice low but playful.

"Seems like it," Sunoo added with a smirk, glancing at me.