𝑸𝑼𝑬𝑹𝑬𝑵𝑪𝑰𝑨 || 𝐉𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐇𝐨𝐨𝐧

26

A/N: Apologies for being late 🙇🏻‍♀️

The next day arrived faster than Sunghoon had anticipated. His heart was a flutter of nerves and excitement as he prepared for the day. He still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that he had kissed Jake without any confession, without any real conversation about their feelings. The memory of that kiss made his cheeks warm, but he was determined to make things right. 

He would confess, but he wanted to do it properly—with a thoughtful gift, something special. After all, it was Jake, and Jake deserved nothing less than the best.

As he headed downstairs for breakfast at Jeongshimjae, the usual oppressive silence hung over the dining room like a heavy fog. The tension in the air was almost suffocating. 

Their grandfather, as usual, was a commanding presence at the head of the table, his expression unreadable as he savoured his soup.

Their father and his brothers seated closer to the eldest, Saejin with his ususal icy front, the other cousins eating silently and the ladies smiling but had a cold, graceful aura around them, just like the rich women they were.

But despite the usual tension, Sunghoon felt a small bubble of contentment inside him. He was going to see Jake, and that was all that mattered.

As the meal wound down and the clatter of cutlery against plates subsided, their father cleared his throat. "I'll be sending you both to university today," he announced in a tone that brooked no argument.

Jay let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his hair. "I can just take the bus, Dad. There's no need—"

But their father cut him off with a raised hand, his gaze stern. "I have a meeting in the building near your university. There's no point in going all the way there alone when I can drop off my sons. It's an honor, after all," he added, his voice taking on a rare playful note.

Jay rolled his eyes but didn't argue further. Sunghoon, on the other hand, remained silent, his thoughts drifting back to Jake. The thought of seeing him again made the corners of his mouth lift into a small, private smile. The atmosphere at jeongshimjae, usually so intimidating, was barely a blip on his radar this morning.

The ride to the university was filled with the usual silence, with their father making only occasional comments about work and the upcoming meeting. Sunghoon stared out the window, the world passing by in a blur as his thoughts remained fixed on Jake. 

He wondered if Jake was as nervous or excited as he was. He wondered if Jake had thought about the kiss as much as he had.

When they finally arrived, Sunghoon's heart skipped a beat. This was it. He was going to see Jake again, and this time, he would make things right. He would tell him how he felt, and he would give him the gift he had carefully chosen.

Jay, as usual, was the first to stride away, his mood seemingly still sour. Sunghoon followed at a more leisurely pace, his steps light. 

 Sunghoon was all excited, yeah, but he knew he wouldn't be able to see Jake until lunch, and the three classes he had before then seemed to stretch on endlessly.

When lunch finally arrived, Sunghoon's steps quickened as he made his way to the cafeteria.

His eyes instinctively scanned the room for Jake, but to his disappointment, Jake was nowhere to be found. Instead, he spotted Heeseung and Jay sitting together at a table, chatting quietly. 

He hesitated, uncertainty gnawing at him. He knew Jay wasn't too fond of having him around, and he didn't want to impose. After a moment of indecision, he decided it was better to sit elsewhere and not disturb them.