Edge of the Rink: Where Pride Meets Passion | jakehoon

31

Third Person Pov

Jake knew it was coming. Jay had been talking about his hockey game for weeks, and the whole friend group was excited to go. It was all anyone could talk about, but all Jake could think about was that it meant he would have to see Sunghoon. After a month of avoidance and pretending that everything was fine, he would have to sit there, just a few feet away from the person he'd been trying so hard to forget.

But Jake wasn't going to let his emotions ruin Jay's big day. He owed it to his friend to show up, cheer him on, and act like everything was okay. So, he put on his best brave face and joined the group as they arrived at the rink, taking their seats in the front row bleachers.

As they settled in, Jake noticed Sunghoon sitting two seats away from them, his expression calm and relaxed. Jake was sandwiched between Jungwon and Heeseung, the latter chatting excitedly about the game. Jake tried to focus on the conversation, but his mind kept drifting back to Sunghoon. He found himself glancing over at him, feeling a wave of frustration rising in his chest.

How could Sunghoon look so indifferent? So unfazed by the fact that they were seeing each other again after a month of silence? The thought gnawed at Jake, making it harder to focus on the game as it unfolded in front of them.

Jake tried to push it all aside, focusing instead on Jay and the excitement of the game. Jay was in his element, skating with precision and power, and it was hard not to get caught up in the energy of it all. But every time Jake's gaze wandered, it found its way back to Sunghoon. And every time, the frustration built.

Sunghoon, for his part, seemed completely unbothered, his eyes trained on the game. Jake wanted to scream at him, to demand to know how he could be so calm, so detached. Did Sunghoon not feel any of the tension that was suffocating Jake? Or was he just better at hiding it?

As the game went on, Jake's emotions swirled inside him, a chaotic mix of anger, sadness, and longing. But then, Jay's team scored the winning goal, and the rink erupted into cheers. Jake stood up with the rest of the crowd, clapping and cheering for his friend. For a moment, the noise and excitement drowned out everything else.

And then, amidst the chaos, Jake's eyes met Sunghoon's. The world seemed to slow down, the noise fading into the background as they locked eyes. It was just a brief moment, but in that instant, it felt like the rest of the rink disappeared, leaving only the two of them. Jake's heart pounded in his chest, a mix of emotions flooding through him.

But then, the moment was over. Jungwon tapped Jake on the shoulder, pulling him back to reality. "Come on, let's go congratulate Jay," he said, a smile on his face.

Jake nodded, tearing his gaze away from Sunghoon. He forced himself to focus on his friends as they made their way to the edge of the rink where Jay was waiting, his face lit up with the glow of victory. Jungwon wasted no time in pulling Jay into a kiss, leaving the rest of the group feigning disgust.

Sunoo and Niki were nearby, talking happily as they congratulated Jay. Heeseung, always the observant one, noticed the tension still lingering between Jake and Sunghoon. He leaned in close to Jake, his voice low. "You okay?" he asked, his tone gentle.

Jake nodded, though the knot in his stomach remained. "Yeah," he said, forcing a smile. "I'm fine."

Heeseung didn't push further, but the concern in his eyes was clear. Jake appreciated it, even if he didn't want to talk about it. Instead, he focused on the moment, on Jay's happiness, and tried to ignore the way his heart ached every time he caught sight of Sunghoon.

Sunghoon, meanwhile, was going through his own internal battle. Seeing Jake again after so long had stirred up emotions he'd been trying to bury. He'd thought he could handle it, that he could be cool and composed, but that brief moment of eye contact had thrown him off balance.

As they all stood together, celebrating Jay's victory, Sunghoon couldn't help but steal glances at Jake. He looked just as conflicted as Sunghoon felt, and it made Sunghoon's chest tighten with a mix of guilt and longing. Heeseung's hand on his back brought him out of his thoughts, a silent nudge to join the group.

Sunghoon took a deep breath and stepped forward, trying to push down the emotions that threatened to spill over. He forced a smile as he congratulated Jay, pulling him into a hug, doing his best to ignore the tension that still hung between him and Jake.

But as they both stood there, surrounded by their friends, it was clear that neither of them could completely ignore what was between them. No matter how hard they tried, the unresolved feelings lingered, a constant reminder that things between them were far from over.