𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 - 𝘚. 𝘑𝘢𝘦𝘺𝘶𝘯

Banana Milk

The next day, Yeri was seated at her desk, head down, writing down the last of her homework in the morning before the first bell. Her damp hair from yesterday had dried into soft, messy waves, and she seemed oblivious to the buzz around her—until she heard a throat clearing nearby.

She glanced up, and there was Jake, standing next to her desk with a small, familiar carton of banana milk in his hand. His expression was unreadable, but he held it out with a slight smirk, looking everywhere but at her.

"You said you wanted some yesterday but we didn't get a chance" he said casually, though the tips of his ears were a little red.

Yeri blinked in surprise. "Uh... thanks?" She reached out hesitantly, half-expecting him to take it back or say it was a joke. Instead, he just stuffed his hands into his pockets and shrugged.

"Don't mention it. You just looked like you could use it" he said, as if that explained everything. But his eyes lingered on her for a moment longer before he turned away, walking back toward his seat, seemingly unaffected.

Except, the room was now filled with a dozen curious glances.

Jake's friends, seated a few desks away, had been watching the whole thing. Sunghoon immediately leaned over with a grin, whispering loud enough for just him to hear, "Banana milk, huh? Going all out, aren't you, Jake?"

Jake rolled his eyes, trying to brush it off, but Sunoo chimed in, laughing, "So you're just passing out banana milk to anyone now, or is this, like, a special delivery?"

Jake gave them both a shove. "Shut up. It's not that big of a deal."

Jay raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Not a big deal? You dropped banana milk on her desk like it was some grand romantic gesture."

"Stop making it such a big deal" Jake muttered, but he was fighting a grin. He knew his friends were enjoying every second of this, and he could already feel the back of his neck heating up. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Yeri, who seemed to be studying the carton of milk like it was a foreign artifact.

In the midst of his friends' teasing, Yeri quietly sipped the drink, a soft smile breaking on her lips as the sweetness hit her. She tried to keep her head down, but she was aware of a few of her classmates sneaking glances at her. Jake Sim wasn't known for his quiet gestures. If anything, he was known for his easy confidence, a guy who got along with nearly everyone and wasn't shy about it. So a guy like him casually bringing banana milk to someone's desk? It couldn't be anything special.

"Come on, admit it, Jake." Jay goaded, poking him. "You've got a crush on her. Don't even try to deny it."

Jake tried to shrug them off, but the grin gave him away. "Maybe I just think she deserves a little more sweetness in her day" he shot back, his tone casual but with a hint of sincerity. It was a line he wouldn't have dared to say aloud before, but today, he didn't seem to mind. His friends' laughter drowned it out anyway.

Meanwhile, Yeri kept her head down, hiding the warmth in her cheeks. She had no idea what to make of the gesture—or of Jake. The banana milk was a small thing, but it felt like a bridge between them, maybe a new friendship?