Our Secret • Niki

XI.

W.c.: 0.8k.

Y/n's POV

"Hajoon, you didn't need to buy me all this..." I said while holding my phone in front of me, and she showed me everything she had bought for me in Spain. She still was in Spain. She's coming back in a week though, thank God. I don't think I'll manage to live this peacefully with Jake for another day though.

We haven't talked since the conversation in the kitchen three days ago. Jake tried making some small talk but I ignored him, I tried avoiding him too.

And Niki. Well, I tried meeting up with him but Jake doesn't let me out of his sight so the meeting didn't happen. Jake has been checking my phone too, in case I text him something.

Thank goodness we never texted anything regarding our relationship. Or any romantic text in general. If we did, I deleted them before Jake could get a glance at them.

Niki knows about what Jake and I talked about in the kitchen that day. I told him over the phone call we had a few days ago.

"You're my friend. Best friend to be more specific. I was about to buy you a Prada bag if my father wasn't there to pull me away from the shop." Both of us giggled.

I have told Hajoon about Jake and she already knew about me and Niki so I could freely talk to her and not worry about anything.

"Y/n, I made pancakes if you're hungry," Jake said as he walked into my room after knocking three times.

The smile faded from my lips when I heard him behind me. Hajoon went silent before smiling and saying hello to Jake.

"Hi, Hajoon. Still in Spain?" Jake started talking with Hajoon as my blood continued freezing in my veins.

"Yes. But I'm coming back in a week..."

"Hajoon, I'll call you later. Bye." I interrupted her and before she could respond I already had hung up. I turn to look at Jake only to find him already looking at me.

"I'm not hungry." My tone wasn't sweet like usual. It hasn't been like that for the past few days.

Jake sighed as he sat down on my bed next to me. "Y/n... I know you're upset with me, but I did this for you. Right now Niki is like... like a ticking bomb. His parents can go after you and me to get back at our parents..."

"They didn't do anything. Neither did we. And neither did Niki, and you know it. So now tell me the real reason why you don't let me meet him." I said as I stared him in the eyes, waiting for him to speak up.

Jake stared back at me, as if not knowing what to tell me. Eventually, he closed his eyes and turned his head away from me. I noticed him taking a deep breath before he started talking.

"I know. I know he didn't do anything. But I... I noticed him and you being close. Too close to my liking as your older brother. I... heard how you two talked in your room back when Niki came to our home soaking wet from the rain..." Jake paused and my breath sharpened as I remembered the night. Jake continued. "I was frustrated. You, my only sister, were hiding the fact that you were dating someone. And I was mad at Niki for going behind my back to be with my sister, even after I told all of them to not even think about romantically flirting with you... Can you imagine how I felt when I overheard Niki saying "We need to talk about our relationship"?! I want you to be happy but are you sure Niki is the right guy? He's full of bad charm. He always gets in trouble..." 

"Maybe to you, he's a walking death, but to me... he's like the north star — he shines for me and always shows me the path at night... He always takes care of me, when you and I fight, Niki is the one who talks me out of running away from you. He was the one who helped me overcome my depressive episodes. He is the one for me, Jake. You can control my life but you can't control my heart and feelings, whether you like it or not." I said firmly, leaving Jake silent. I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that Jake, my older brother, the one who I said I would never let find out about Niki and me, knew about my relationship with Niki.

Jake kept silent, looking at me, searching for any sign of regret in my eyes. He found none. "Do you really love him?" 

"Yes."

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Don't ask me where I was. I was here the whole time, just can't write like I used to.

(Also, two different book chapters in less than an hour? I'm slaying tonight.)