Dear "J" | Sim Jake

Chapter 31

Jiwon glanced at her watch, her brows knitting together. The convenience store wasn’t that far—just a short walk down the street. Yet, it had been over twenty minutes. She shifted on the bench, her fingers gripping the fabric of her coat as the cold air nipped at her skin.

"Why is he taking so long…?" she murmured, a frown settling on her lips. Maybe he ran into someone? Or got distracted? But still—twenty minutes?

The unease growing in her chest refused to settle. With a deep breath, she got up, brushing off her coat as she made her way toward the store. Her boots tapped against the pavement, the quiet hum of the city filling the silence around her.

As she neared the store, her steps slowed. A familiar figure was crouched near the entrance, his head lowered, hands tangled in his hair. The plastic bag with the ice cream sat untouched beside him.

"Jake?"

Her voice was gentle but edged with concern. He didn’t react.

She hesitated before kneeling down beside him, reaching out to place a hesitant hand on his shoulder. His body was tense beneath her touch.

"Jake," she called again, firmer this time. "What’s wrong?"

The moment her warmth met his skin, he flinched slightly, his fingers gripping his hair tighter. His breathing was uneven, his shoulders trembling—not from the cold, but from something else entirely.

Jiwon’s heart clenched. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

Jiwon’s breath hitched as she saw Jake’s hands tremble against his head, his chest rising and falling in erratic, uneven breaths.

"Jake…?" Her voice wavered now, the cold air suddenly feeling sharper against her skin.

He didn't answer, only squeezed his eyes shut, fingers gripping his hair as if trying to hold onto something slipping away.

"Jake, talk to me!" She shook his shoulder gently, her pulse quickening. His skin felt cold under her touch, his body stiff with tension.

His breathing grew heavier, each inhale shakier than the last. Then, barely above a whisper—

"I… I can't remember…"

His voice was strained, hoarse, filled with something she couldn’t quite place—fear? Confusion?

"What do you mean?" she pressed, leaning in closer.

"It’s… it’s all… gone," he muttered, his breath hitching between words. "I don’t know what I was doing here. I don’t… I don’t remember why I came. I was—" His words cut off as he clutched his head tighter, his body tensing further. "Why can’t I remember?"

Jiwon felt her stomach twist in dread.

"Jake, slow down," she urged, her hands now gripping his arms. "Breathe. Just breathe, okay? You came to get ice cream. You were with me. We were at the park—"