Ineffable 𓇢𓆸 || Jakehoon

🌸 Chapter 17 🌸

Sunghoon's POV

It had been a week since the war began, and the weight of it pressed down on us like the heavy clouds outside. Each day felt longer than the last, filled with uncertainty and fear. As I lay on the makeshift bed next to Jake, I could hear the distant sounds of chaos-sirens, explosions, the unsettling echo of a world unraveling.

Jake had been unusually quiet lately, his mind clearly elsewhere. I wanted to reach out, to tell him everything would be okay, but how could I when I wasn't sure myself? I turned to face him, studying his profile in the dim light filtering through the curtains.

"Hey, Jake" I whispered, trying to break through his thoughts.

He turned to me, those wide eyes filled with worry. "Yeah?"

"Just checking on you. You've been pretty distant," I replied, keeping my voice low. "You okay?"

He sighed, rubbing his temples. "I don't know, Sunghoon. It feels like we're just waiting for something worse to happen. It's hard to focus on anything else."

I wanted to take away that weight, to shield him from all of it. "I get it. But we can't let fear control us. We have to stay strong for each other."

He nodded, but the unease didn't leave his expression. It gnawed at me. I couldn't stand seeing him like this, vulnerable and afraid. I reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "Remember the plan. We'll move on together. We'll stick close to each other."

"Yeah, I know," he said, a hint of gratitude in his voice. "It just feels like every moment could be our last."

"Then let's make the most of what we have now," I suggested, trying to lighten the mood. "How about we brainstorm what we'll do once we get out of here? We can't let this define us."

He hesitated, a flicker of a smile crossing his face. "Like what? Run away to an island and forget about all this?"

"Mmm..... I don't know maybe it will work" I said, leaning in closer.

"Yeah...." Jake replied, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.

"They're coming for us," Jungwon said, running to us.

He sat up, panic flashing across his face. "What do we do?"

"Stay calm. We need to gather everyone and make a plan. We can't panic." I felt the gravity of my words. We had to be smart; we had to be united.

As we hurried to get dressed, my thoughts were a whirlwind. I wanted to protect him, all of them to keep him safe. I couldn't lose him-not now, not ever.

We gathered in the living room, the others' faces reflecting the same anxiety we all felt. Heeseung spoke first, his voice steady. "We need to leave soon. It's getting worse out there. We can't stay here much longer."

"Do we have a destination?" Niki asked, looking between us.

"Maybe the outskirts? We can find a safer place," Eunhee suggested, her voice firm.

I glanced at Jake, who was biting his lip, clearly worried. "What if they find us before we can escape?" he asked, his voice trembling.

"Then we fight back," I said, my tone more forceful than I intended. I squeezed his arm, willing strength into him. "We'll face it together. Just like always."

As the planning continued, I kept stealing glances at Jake. He was my anchor, my reason to push forward. I could feel the unspoken bond between us, stronger than anything else we were facing.

When the moment came to leave, I found myself at Jake's side, ready to face whatever awaited us outside. With each step, I felt the weight of my feelings for him grow heavier, but for now, I pushed it aside. We had a fight ahead, and together, we would make it through.

And when the dust settled, when we found a moment of peace again, I promised myself I would finally tell him.