Jay lingered near the door for a moment, seeming almost nervous. His hand stayed on the handle as if he might bolt any second, but finally, he released it, taking a few steps closer.
He cleared his throat again, shoving his hands into his pockets as he looked at Jake with an awkward smile.
“What now?”
Jay asked, his voice softer than usual.
A question with no easy answer.
Jake sighed, sitting down on his bed, letting his shoulders relax a bit.
"I don't know..What should we do?"
He replied, his voice barely above a murmur.
The reality of this moment, the tension of so much unsaid and unresolved, felt almost surreal.
Jay scratched his neck, frowning as he looked down.
"Well, maybe we should just..I don’t know..start over?"
He laughed a little, more to himself, shaking his head.
"I mean, if that's even possible."
Jake raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile creeping onto his lips.
"Start over? Like, just pretend none of this happened?"
Jay sat down with him, looking at his hands.
"Not like it didn’t happen. I don’t want to erase anything."
He met Jake’s eyes.
“I just..I think maybe I never really knew how to be a friend to you. And I want to be better. So..maybe we try this time, for real.”
Jake took a deep breath, absorbing the weight of Jay's words.
There was a part of him, guarded and reluctant, that wanted to doubt, to question everything.
But then there was that other part.
The one that had been waiting for so long to hear this, hoping he hadn’t been foolish to care.
“Okay.”
Jake finally said.
“But it can’t just be words. I need to know you mean it.”
Jay nodded, his eyes not wavering. "I do. And..I know I have to prove it. So, what do you say? Maybe..start small?”
He leaned forward, looking almost hopeful.
“Like..maybe we hang out? Talk about something that doesn’t end in us fighting?”
Jake chuckled softly, the sound a little rusty, like he hadn’t laughed with Jay in ages.
“Sounds..normal. Alright.”
He looked around, eyes settling on Jay.
“So, where do we even start?”
Jay thought for a moment, a small smile breaking through as he shrugged.
“I don’t know. You tell me something real about you. Not like..something I already know.” He looked up, almost playful.
“Or at least something you’re not embarrassed to share.”
Jake smirked, finally feeling a bit of the old ease returning.
“Alright, fine. But only if you promise to do the same.”
Jay grinned, leaning back with his arms crossed, an eyebrow raised. “Deal. So, lay it on me, Jake. What’s the mystery?”
Jake looked up at the ceiling, as if searching for something to say.
“Alright..here goes nothing. Um, well- I’m actually terrified of swimming. Like, genuinely hate it. I’ll wade, but if I can’t feel the ground under me, I’m out.”
Jay blinked in surprise, then laughed, his face lighting up. “Seriously? I’d have never guessed that. You always seem like the fearless one.”
Jake chuckled, shaking his head. “Yeah, well, fear doesn’t exactly come with a warning label.”
He leaned forward, a spark in his eyes.
“Alright, your turn, Jay. Spill.”
YOU ARE READING
Love & War | heehoon
Fanfiction//@heeficlover request¡ Cut me through my skin. Through the heart, you went right in. I fell for every word you said. I come here but I can't stay. I don't know why some things have to be this way. We build it up to break it down And then we're...
