raspberries and mocha | heejake ✔

16

Heeseung had never felt this anxious about a night out in his life. He'd dressed casually—a black button up with two buttons undone, cargo pants, and his favorite sneakers—but nothing felt right. He kept glancing at the mirror, running a hand through his hair, making sure it wasn't too messy but not too styled either. Why was he even nervous? It wasn't like this was a real date. It was just two people hanging out...right?

But no matter how many times he told himself that, his heart wouldn't stop pounding.

The text had come earlier that afternoon:

sjaeyun.org

pick me up at 7?

Heeseung had stared at the message, wondering what "pick you up" even meant. Was he actually going to show up at Jake's door? As in, proper date etiquette? What had he gotten himself into?

Shit, it was past time. He had to quickly pick Jake up before it got too late. HURRY-

Heeseung hesitated before going, taking one last glance in the mirror and scolding himself for being ridiculous. He quickly burst the door open and jumped into his car before speeding to Jake's place. He'd definitely gone over at some bit, but did it look like he gave a fuck? Exactly, nope. For tonight, Jake was his only priority. 

He quickly arrived at Jake's place and hurriedly knocked on the door. And it was immediately opened, giving Heeseung no time to think.

Holy shit, the younger boy was fucking ethereal. Parted hair, a v-neck sweatshirt and regular wide leg jeans was horribly simple but it showed off every part of Jake that was sculpted too perfectly.

"Hi",  Jake greeted, his voice casual, but clearly full of excitement, making Heeseung feel a bit better now.

"Hey," Heeseung replied, trying to sound calm as he stepped outside. "Hop inside. Where do you wanna go?"

Jake shrugged with a grin. "Figured we could just walk around for a bit. Maybe grab something to eat. Nothing too fancy."

Heeseung appreciated the low-pressure vibe, but that didn't stop the butterflies from fluttering in his chest. "Sounds good."

They drove to a nearby park and started walking, falling into a comfortable silence as they strolled through the busy streets of Seoul. The city was alive with lights and people, but it felt like a bubble had formed around them, isolating them from everything else.

Jake glanced at Heeseung, his lips curving into a small smile. "So, how's work been?"

Heeseung chuckled, relieved that they were starting with something simple. "Exhausting, as always. Same old stuff. Though I have to say, seeing you at the restaurant was...unexpected."

Jake grinned wider, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Yeah? You seemed pretty surprised."

"I wasn't expecting to see you...or anyone," Heeseung admitted, feeling a bit exposed. "But, uh, it was nice. You're nice aswell."

Jake raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "I'm nice, huh? That's a solid compliment, but I expected more."

Heeseung laughed, feeling the tension ease a bit. "You'll definitely be getting more."

They continued walking, and soon enough, they found themselves in front of a small, cozy restaurant that Jake had picked out. It wasn't anything fancy—just a little spot with dim lighting and soft music playing in the background. The kind of place where you could talk without shouting, where the atmosphere was warm and intimate.

Once they were seated, the conversation started flowing more easily. They talked about everything—Jake's life as a pretty well-known friend of a famous influencer, his travels, how he dealt with the constant spotlight. Heeseung found himself fascinated by Jake's world, which was so different from his own.