𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 - 𝘚. 𝘑𝘢𝘦𝘺𝘶𝘯

Not Quite There

The room buzzed with faint chatter as the group huddled around the large dining table in Sunoo's house. Papers, notebooks, and the faint smell of freshly baked cookies sprawled across the surface. Sunoo was enthusiastically rambling about their presentation layout, Ningning chimed in with playful words, and Jake sat quietly, occasionally nodding as his eyes drifted to Yeri.

She wasn't saying much.

Yeri sat at the corner of the table, her notebook open but untouched. She twirled her pen absentmindedly, her eyes staring down at a blank page as though lost in a world far away from the group.

Jake couldn't look away.

Her usual shy but attentive demeanor was replaced by something quieter—something fragile. Her lips were pressed together, her fingers fidgeting with the corner of her notebook. She wasn't even laughing at Ningning's usual quips, which had Sunoo dramatically rolling his eyes.

"Earth to Yeri," Ningning called out teasingly, breaking Jake's thoughts.

Yeri blinked and looked up, startled. "Huh?"

"You good?" Ningning asked, leaning forward with a raised brow. "You've been zoned out for, like, the past ten minutes."

"Yeah, sorry." Yeri forced a small smile and straightened in her seat. "I'm fine. Just tired."

Sunoo tilted his head, studying her closely. "You sure?"

"She's fine," Jake spoke before he could stop himself, his voice coming out more defensive than he intended. All three heads turned toward him, and he cleared his throat, feeling heat creep up his neck. "I mean, everyone's tired. It's just been a long day."

"Uh-huh," Ningning said, her tone dripping with suspicion, though a playful grin tugged at her lips.

Yeri glanced at Jake briefly, her eyes unreadable, before looking back down at her notebook.

The rest of the session passed in a blur of half-hearted attempts at productivity. Jake couldn't focus, not when Yeri sat so close yet seemed so far away. Every now and then, his eyes would wander to her, catching the way her shoulders slumped or how she kept chewing on the inside of her cheek.

When they finally wrapped up for the day, Yeri was the first to stand.

"Thanks for hosting, Sunoo," she said softly, her voice barely audible over the shuffle of papers being packed into bags.

"I'll walk you home," Jake offered, standing abruptly.

Yeri blinked up at him, surprised. "Oh, you don't have to—"

"It's dark," he cut in, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I'll walk you. We have to go in the same direction anwyays"

Sunoo and Ningning exchanged knowing looks but said nothing, opting instead to exchange their goodbyes.

The walk was quiet at first. The cool night air brushed against their faces, and the faint hum of streetlights filled the silence. Jake shoved his hands into his pockets, glancing at Yeri every so often.

"You seemed... off today," he said finally, his voice gentle.

Yeri's steps faltered slightly, but she quickly recovered. "Did I? I didn't mean to."

"You don't have to pretend with me," he said, his gaze steady on her.

Yeri hesitated, her fingers gripping the strap of her bag tightly. "I'm fine, really. Just... a lot on my mind."

Jake nodded, though he wasn't convinced. He wanted to press further, to ask what was bothering her, but he didn't want to push too hard.

They reached her house quicker than either of them anticipated. Yeri stopped at the gate, turning to face him.

"Thanks for walking me," she said, her voice soft.

Jake smiled faintly. "Anytime."

For a moment, neither of them moved. The faint glow of the porch light bathed Yeri's face in a warm hue, and Jake found himself studying the way her hair fell loosely over her shoulder, the way her lashes cast delicate shadows on her cheeks.

Before he could second guess himself, he reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Yeri's breath hitched, her eyes widening as she looked up at him.

Jake's lips quirked into a small, boyish grin. "Bye, pretty."

Her heart stuttered in her chest, and she was sure her cheeks were glowing as brightly as the streetlights.

"Goodnight," she managed to whisper, stepping (practically running) back toward her door.

Jake watched her go, his hand still lingering in the air before he let it fall to his side. As she disappeared inside, he turned and started walking back, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't the only one feeling something.