𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 - 𝘚. 𝘑𝘢𝘦𝘺𝘶𝘯

Dress

Lunch was peaceful—until Soojin appeared.

The air shifted the moment she approached their table, her heels clicking against the cafeteria floor with an air of confidence that Yeri could never replicate. Her red painted lips curved into a practiced smile, the kind that didn't reach her eyes. She leaned on the edge of their table like she belonged there, her gaze sweeping over the two girls as if she were sizing them up.

"Are you two going to Jay's party tomorrow night?" Soojin asked, her tone light, but the way her eyes lingered on Yeri felt heavy.

Yeri stiffened. Sunoo's words from earlier flashed in her mind—he had urged her to come, practically begging her with his signature pout. She hadn't given him a real answer, just an awkward smile. Now she glanced at Ningning, hoping her friend would help sort out this situation.

Ningning, ever the confident one, didn't even hesitate. "Yes, obviously we're coming."

Yeri's head snapped toward her friend, her eyes wide in disbelief. We? What "we"? Her stomach churned with unease, and she bit her lip nervously, feeling Soojin's sharp gaze bore into her.

"You are?" Soojin raised a perfectly arched eyebrow, her expression close to on disbelief and amusement. "Well, I'll see you there, then." She turned with a dramatic flip of her hair, her polished smile fading as she sauntered away, leaving Yeri to sink lower into her seat.

Once Soojin was out of earshot, Yeri rounded on Ningning, her voice low and urgent. "A party? Why would you say that?"

Ningning shrugged, unfazed. "Why not? You've been hiding from everyone for weeks. A party is exactly what you need to relax!"

"A party is exactly what I don't need," Yeri muttered under her breath, but Ningning only grinned, clearly ignoring her friend's reluctance.

Later that afternoon, as they walked out of class, Yeri hesitated before asking, "Do you think you could go shopping with me? I don't have anything to wear..."

"Today?" Ningning frowned apologetically. "I can't, I promised my mom I'd help her with something. But we can meet before the party to get ready together!"

Yeri sighed, nodding. That left her with no choice but to go shopping alone.

The school gate was quieter than usual when Yeri stepped out, hugging her bag close to her chest. She was lost in her thoughts, debating whether she should even bother going to the mall when a familiar voice broke through her haze.

"Yeri?"

She looked up to see Jake standing a few feet away, his backpack slung over one shoulder. His usually relaxed expression had shifted to one of pleasant surprise, and for a moment, she hesitated, unsure of what to say.

Then, she smiled—a small, shy curve of her lips that made Jake's heart stutter. She took in a sharp breath, hesitating before asking: "Are you free?"

Jake blinked, caught off guard by her question. Was she... asking him to hang out? "Of course," he said quickly, his voice almost too eager.

"Would you want to go to the mall with me?" she asked, fiddling with the strap of her bag. "I don't have anything to wear to the party tomorrow, and Ningning couldn't come with me today..." Her voice trailed off nervously.

Jake felt like he was on the verge of floating. "Sure," he managed to say, inwardly cringing at how eager he sounded. "I'll come with you."

The walk to the bus stop was quiet, filled with the sounds of passing cars and the occasional chirping bird. Yeri kept her gaze on the ground, her mind racing with thoughts. Beside her, Jake stole glances at her, his heart doing somersaults every time she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

When they boarded the bus, Jake motioned for her to take the window seat. She sat down, clutching her bag tightly, and he slid in beside her. The proximity made her palms clammy, especially when their thighs brushed. She shifted slightly, trying to create space, but Jake didn't seem to mind.

Her leg bounced nervously, a habit Jake immediately noticed. He glanced down, taking in the way her bangs framed her face, how her lips pressed together in thought. The bus ride felt shorter than usual as they arrived at the mall.

Store after store, they wandered together, but nothing seemed to catch Yeri's eye—or rather, Jake's approval. He wasn't being picky on purpose; he just wanted to spend as much time with her as possible.

Finally, Yeri found a dress. It was red, mid-thigh, and off-shoulder—nothing like what she usually wore. She hesitated in the dressing room, her heart pounding as she stepped out.

Jake was on his phone when she appeared, but the moment he looked up, his breath hitched. Yeri stood there, fidgeting nervously, her hands clasped behind her back.

"Does it... look bad?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jake's throat felt dry. He shook his head quickly, a small grin forming. "It's perfect."

Her cheeks flushed a deep pink, and she muttered something before retreating to the changing room. Jake stared at the empty space she'd left, his heart racing.

When she came out, fully dressed again, Jake was standing at the counter with the dress already bagged.

"Where's the dress?" she asked, confused.

"I bought it," he said simply, handing her the bag.

"What? Jake, you didn't have to—"

"I wanted to," he interrupted, his smile soft but insistent. "So let me, okay?"

Yeri sighed, her lips twitching upward despite herself. "Thank you."

As they walked home, Jake insisted on carrying the shopping bag. The cool evening breeze made Yeri shiver slightly, but she tried to hide it. Jake noticed anyway.

Without a word, he shrugged off his hoodie and pulled it over her head.

"I'm fine," she protested weakly, but Jake just adjusted the hood and smoothed her hair down gently, picking up the bags again.

"Now you're fine," he said softly, his voice warm.

Yeri clutched the edges of the hoodie, her heart fluttering at the quiet gesture, the faint smell of his cologne driffiting around her.

Her stomach growled suddenly, breaking the moment. She froze, mortified, as Jake bit back a laugh, saving her from further embarrassment. "Hungry?" he teased lightly.

They stopped for a quick meal before continuing their walk. By the time they reached Yeri's house, the stars were peaking out faintly in the darkening sky. Jake lingered at the gate, his hands in his pockets as Yeri turned to face him.

"Thanks for today," she said softly, her voice laced with sincerity. "I had fun."

Jake smiled, his gaze warm. "Me too." He hesitated for a moment before leaning slightly closer.

"Good night, Yeri," he murmured, his voice low and gentle.

Yeri froze, her breath catching as the word settled in her chest. Her cheeks burned as she nodded, too flustered to speak. She wished he'd called her that again. Pretty. She wanted to be pretty in his eyes.

As Jake walked away, Yeri stood at the gate, clutching his hoodie tightly around her. The warmth in her chest lingered, and for reasons she couldn't fully understand, Jake Sim was quickly becoming someone she didn't want to be without.