Misunderstood || Park Sunghoon

3

I woke up, sunlight spilling into the room. For a moment, I was disoriented. Where am I? What time is it? Then it hit me. I was at Mrs. Sim's house. I turned towards the bedside table, where a simple clock rested. 7:00 AM. Still early.

I slid out of bed, feeling the chill of the wooden floor against my feet, and rummaged through the small pile of clothes I had brought. Not much to choose from, as always. I sighed, settling on a soft jumper and a pair of my favorite jeans. After getting dressed, I made my way downstairs. A rich, mouth-watering scent hit me halfway down, pulling me toward the kitchen like a magnet.

There he was, Jake, standing by the stove, flipping pancakes. He turned as I entered, a grin lighting up his face. "Oh, you're up. Breakfast's ready," he said, sliding a plate of pancakes toward me.

I picked up my fork, taking a bite. The warm, buttery flavor hit my senses like a symphony, making me close my eyes in delight. Jake chuckled. "I'm guessing that means you like it?"

"Like it?" I responded quickly, already going for another bite. "It's amazing."

"I'm glad," he said, beaming. His smile was infectious. How can someone be this perfect? I thought, sneaking a glance at him.

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The walk later became... awkward. We had run out of small talk, and the silence was heavy. That's when the memory of the guy from yesterday popped into my head. "Who was that guy you were with yesterday?" I asked, breaking the silence.

Jake's brow furrowed for a second before realization hit. "Oh, you mean Sunghoon? He's my best friend." Then, with a teasing smirk, he added, "What, do you like him or something?"

I glared at him. "What? No way!" I huffed, crossing my arms.

He laughed, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm just messing with you." His grin softened, but there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You'll be seeing more of him at school, by the way."

My heart dropped. Did I hear that right? "Wait, he goes to the same school as us?"

Jake nodded. Oh no. Please don't let him remember me from yesterday.

"That's... nice," I muttered, trying to sound casual despite the panic bubbling inside me. He probably won't even recognize me. Right?

"OH MY GOSH, LOOK AT THAT LEGO TOWER!" Jake suddenly exclaimed, grabbing my wrist and dragging me toward a towering sculpture of colorful blocks. His excitement was contagious, even if it caught me off guard.

"Take a picture of me," he said, handing me his phone without waiting for a response.

I laughed, snapping a few shots as he struck some ridiculous poses. Despite the goofiness, he still managed to look cute. How does he do that?

After the mini photo shoot, he checked the pictures, practically bouncing on his toes with excitement. "Are you hungry?" he asked, nodding toward a food stand nearby.

I nodded, and we wandered over, where Jake bought some cookies. As he handed one to me, he glanced around, looking distracted. "Hey, I'll be right back. Don't move from here, okay?"