Yunnie X jay park | Between the Beats

Chapter 6: Fractured Trust and Unspoken Intentions

The tension that Jake had been suppressing threatened to boil over as he stood in the studio, surrounded by the relentless energy of his bandmates. Yunnie's laughter, bright and carefree as she chatted with Ni-ki, reverberated in his mind, mixing with the echo of Bianca's words. Each glance, each sound amplified his doubts until he felt the weight pressing down on his chest.

"I'll be right back," Jake muttered to no one in particular, turning swiftly and heading down the hallway. The sterile light of the bathroom cast an unforgiving reflection in the mirror as he splashed cold water onto his face. The icy shock was supposed to snap him back to reality, but his pulse still raced, thoughts spiraling out of control.

The sound of the bathroom door creaking open made Jake's muscles tense. Heeseung stepped inside, eyes narrowing with concern as he caught sight of Jake's clenched jaw and wet face.

"Hey, you good?" Heeseung's tone was soft but probing.

Jake drew in a shaky breath, avoiding Heeseung's eyes. "Yeah, just... needed a moment."

Heeseung leaned against the counter, arms crossed, studying his friend with a knowing gaze. "Come on, Jake. You've been acting off all morning. What's going on?"

A pause stretched between them, the silence filled only by the faint thump of music filtering in from the studio. Jake's hands tightened around the edge of the sink as he tried to form words, any explanation that wouldn't make him sound irrational.

"It's nothing," Jake finally said, forcing a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I just need some air."

Heeseung frowned, but before he could press further, Jake pushed past him, the door swinging shut behind him. The hallway blurred as Jake moved, his heartbeat thundering louder than the music. He needed space, distance—anything to clear his head.

Within minutes, he was out of the building, his feet carrying him to his car. The drive felt like an eternity, each stoplight giving him too much time to think, to replay every interaction that festered in his mind. When he finally arrived.

Bianca opened the door, her eyes widening in surprise before softening with a calculated sympathy.

"Jake? What's wrong?" she asked, her voice a careful blend of concern and curiosity.

He stepped inside, the familiar scent of vanilla and citrus wrapping around him. "I just needed to get out of there," he admitted, dropping onto the couch and running a hand through his hair.

Bianca sat beside him, her posture attentive, eyes glistening with unspoken intent. "You know you can talk to me," she said, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. "I'm here for you, Jake. Always."

The words, simple as they were, felt like a lifeline. Jake sighed, leaning back as the exhaustion settled into his bones. "I don't know what's real anymore," he whispered, eyes staring at a spot on the floor. "Ni-ki, Yunnie... it's all getting to me."

Bianca's eyes flickered with something he didn't catch. "Maybe you're seeing things clearly for the first time," she said, voice low and persuasive. "Maybe it's time to think about what's best for you."

Jake didn't respond. The silence spoke for him, filling the room with unspoken doubts and lingering questions.

As the evening stretched on, Bianca did her best to soothe his frayed nerves, offering half-truths disguised as comfort. And when Jake finally reached for his phone, the hesitation before he typed each word felt like an eternity.

"I need some time to myself."

The message was sent before he could second-guess it, the screen dimming as if to signal that a decision had been made. Bianca watched him with a small, unseen smile, the gears of her mind turning with quiet satisfaction.

~

NEVER WRITING ANGST EVER AGAIN

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