Echoes of the Past || Jakehoon

Chapter 30 : Unwanted Attention

Monday morning came with the usual hustle and bustle in the Heo household. Sunghoon and Jake went about their morning routine, preparing breakfast while Heeseung enjoyed his cereal at the kitchen table.

"Hoon, do you have any big plans for today?" Jake asked, flipping a pancake.

Sunghoon shrugged, pouring a cup of coffee. "Just the usual. What about you?"

Jake smiled, placing a stack of pancakes on a plate. "There's a new guy starting at the office today. Should be interesting to see how he fits in."

With breakfast done, they kissed Heeseung goodbye and went their separate ways. Jake arrived at his workplace, a bustling engineering firm, and made his way to his office. His colleagues greeted him warmly as usual.

Around mid-morning, Jake's supervisor, Mr. Kim, introduced the new employee to the team. "Everyone, this is Junseo. He'll be joining us as a junior engineer. Please make him feel welcome."

Junseo flashed a charming smile at the group. "It's great to meet you all. I'm looking forward to working with you."

As the day progressed, Jake found himself paired with Junseo on a project. They worked well together, but Jake couldn't shake the feeling that Junseo was paying him extra attention. Unbeknownst to Jake, his colleagues had noticed too.

At lunch, Jake joined his usual group—his friends Minho, Jisoo, and Eunji. The conversation turned to Junseo.

"That new guy seems... a bit too friendly, don't you think?" Minho remarked, glancing at Jake.

Jisoo nodded. "Yeah, Jake, be careful. He looks like he's got an eye on you."

Jake laughed, waving off their concerns. "Come on, guys. He's just being nice. Besides, everyone knows I'm married to Sunghoon."

Eunji frowned. "Still, just be cautious. We've got your back."

The rest of the day passed without incident, but Jake couldn't help but wonder if his friends were right. Junseo's friendly demeanor and constant questions about his personal life felt a bit off.

As the weeks went by, Junseo's behavior became more conspicuous. He often found excuses to be around Jake, asking for help with projects or lingering after meetings. Jake remained oblivious, seeing Junseo's actions as mere enthusiasm.

However, Jake's colleagues grew increasingly uncomfortable. They had always respected Jake's professionalism and admired the love he had for Sunghoon. Minho decided it was time to take action.

One afternoon, Minho approached Junseo. "Hey, Junseo, can I talk to you for a minute?"Junseo looked up, slightly surprised. "Sure, what's up?"

Minho's expression was serious. "I don't know if you're aware, but Jake is married. He's got a beautiful family, and we all respect that. You might want to tone down the attention you're giving him."

Junseo smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Oh, I know he's married. But who's to say that marriage is perfect? Sometimes people need a little excitement in their lives."

Minho's eyes narrowed. "Listen, whatever you're thinking, drop it. Jake and Sunghoon are happy together. Don't mess with that."Junseo shrugged nonchalantly. "We'll see."

That evening, Jake arrived home, greeted by Sunghoon and Heeseung. They spent a quiet dinner together, but Jake couldn't shake the uneasy feeling from his conversation with Minho.

"Something on your mind?" Sunghoon asked, noticing Jake's distracted expression.

Jake shook his head. "Just work stuff. Nothing to worry about."