Edge of the Rink: Where Pride Meets Passion | jakehoon

34

Third Person Pov

The sound of music pulsed through the room as Jake stood in front of his mirror, pulling on a soft, oversized sweater. He had already changed his outfit twice but eventually decided that something casual and comfortable would be best for the party. It was Jay's celebration after all, not his. The event was being held at one of Jay's hockey teammates' houses, and from the buzz around the team, it was expected to be a big one. Jake's stomach flipped, not because of the party but because Sunghoon might be there too. He saw him at the game, the dinner and now there's a good chance he'll see him at the party too. 

Jake grabbed his phone and tossed it into his pocket, standing still for a moment. His reflection stared back at him. Tonight was going to be a lot—he just knew it. He quickly ran his hands through his hair one last time, then headed out the door to meet the rest of the guys.

The car ride was lively, Heeseung driving with Sunoo in the passenger seat, and Jake squeezed between Jungwon and Ni-ki in the back. They were talking about anything and everything except the one thing Jake couldn't stop thinking about: Sunghoon.

"I hope they have good food there," Ni-ki mumbled. "I'm starving."

"You're always starving," Jungwon teased, poking him in the side.

Jake smiled faintly, trying to keep his focus on the conversation. As they arrived at the house, music spilled out into the street, and people were already milling about the front yard, drinks in hand and laughter echoing around.

"Looks like it's already packed," Heeseung said, pulling the car into a parking spot.

They all got out and made their way inside. Jay had already arrived earlier, being the man of the hour. He was somewhere in the middle of the party, but the group decided to grab drinks first. The house was filled with familiar faces from university and the hockey team, along with some people Jake didn't recognize.

As they navigated the crowded space, Jake's eyes darted around, half-expecting to see Sunghoon right away. But there was no sign of him. For a second, Jake let out a breath of relief.

"Let's find Jay," Heeseung suggested, leading the group towards the living room where the team had congregated.

Jay greeted them with a wide grin, his arm slung around Jungwon's shoulders almost immediately as he leaned in to kiss him quickly on the lips. "You guys made it!"

"Of course! We wouldn't miss it," Jungwon replied, beaming at his boyfriend.

The friends all exchanged excited greetings and began to settle into the party. Drinks were poured, laughter filled the air, and before long, the living room was a blur of people mingling, talking, and dancing.

Jake had just finished a conversation with Ni-ki when he spotted Sunghoon sitting on the couch. Alone. The sight made Jake's heart race, but he couldn't avoid it forever. They hadn't spoken since the breakup, and this was as good a time as any to finally clear the air—or at least say something.

With a deep breath, Jake made his way across the room, weaving through the crowd until he reached the couch. Sunghoon looked up just as Jake sat down at the other end of the sofa. For a moment, neither of them said a word.

The noise of the party seemed distant now, drowned out by the tension between them. Jake's fingers fidgeted in his lap as he stared at the coffee table, while Sunghoon shifted slightly, eyes glancing everywhere except directly at Jake.

"You look good," Sunghoon finally said, breaking the silence.

"Thanks," Jake replied, his voice a little more tense than he intended. "You too."

Another pause settled between them. It felt like they were both waiting for the other to speak first, to say something that could break the invisible wall between them.

"I didn't expect to see you tonight," Jake admitted softly, still not looking at Sunghoon directly.

"I wasn't sure I was gonna come," Sunghoon said, his voice quieter than usual. "But... it's Jay's night. I didn't want to miss it."

Jake nodded, feeling a knot tighten in his chest. It was the same reason he was here, after all. No matter what had happened between them, they were still part of the same friend group. They were bound to run into each other at events like this, and yet it didn't make things any easier.

"I guess we can't avoid each other forever, huh?" Jake attempted to lighten the mood, but it came out a bit awkward.

Sunghoon gave a faint smile. "No, we can't."

Before they could say anything more, Heeseung appeared in front of them with two drinks in hand. "Here, I thought you guys might need these," he said, handing one to Jake and the other to Sunghoon.

"Thanks," Jake muttered, taking the drink and raising it to his lips, even though he wasn't particularly in the mood for alcohol. Heeseung hovered for a second, eyeing the tension between the two of them, before giving a knowing nod and walking away.

"I missed this," Sunghoon said suddenly, his voice soft but sincere.

Jake blinked, confused. "Missed what?"

"Talking to you," Sunghoon clarified. His eyes finally met Jake's, and the weight of his words hung in the air between them. "Even if it's weird now... I miss it."

Jake's heart clenched at the honesty in Sunghoon's tone. He felt the same, but he wasn't ready to admit that yet. Not here, not tonight.

Before Jake could respond, Jay's voice boomed through the room as he called for everyone to gather for a celebratory toast. People crowded around, and the moment between Jake and Sunghoon was interrupted as their friends cheered, raising their glasses.

Jake forced a smile as he joined in, clinking his glass with Sunoo's and Ni-ki's. He could feel Sunghoon's presence next to him, even in the middle of the loud, chaotic room. It was like no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't escape the pull of whatever was left between them.

As the toast ended and the party picked up again, Heeseung caught Jake's arm. "You okay?"

Jake nodded quickly, not trusting his voice. Heeseung gave him a concerned look but didn't push any further. Jungwon and Jay were laughing in the corner, Ni-ki and Sunoo deep in conversation. But Jake's thoughts were elsewhere, tangled up in everything he still felt but didn't want to acknowledge.