𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 - 𝘚. 𝘑𝘢𝘦𝘺𝘶𝘯

Interrupted

Yeri had officially had enough.

Between her brother tailing her every step like a guard dog and Ningning refusing to let her breathe for more than five minutes without asking if she was "okay" in a voice that suggested she wasn't, Yeri had no choice but to pull the oldest trick in the book.

She slipped away when Ningning got distracted by the cotton candy stand. Classic move. Wouldn't hold for long, but she needed just a moment—a moment to breathe, to not feel like her life was being narrated by everyone except her.

She walked aimlessly at first, weaving through the crowds of students, parents, and staff, the noise of the school festival fading as she turned the corner toward the side courtyard. It was one of the more secluded parts of the campus, somewhere the gardening club had taken way too seriously, with rows of flowers and a few old benches nestled under trees.

And there he was.

Sitting alone on one of those benches, his elbows resting on his knees, head tilted toward the sky like he was trying to memorize the shape of the clouds. Jake. She stopped in her tracks, heart skipping a beat. Her fingers gripped the edge of her sleeves. She could turn back. Or—

She didn't.

She moved forward slowly, almost unsure if her legs were actually listening to her brain. Jake didn't notice her at first—not until she sat down on the opposite side of the bench, a soft sigh escaping her lips. He turned, eyebrows lifting in surprise, and she swore his expression changed a little too fast.

"Hey," he said, almost breathless.

Yeri looked down at her lap, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. The golden sun painted her face in warm tones, making her look like something out of a movie. "Hey," she said back, voice light.

A beat of silence passed before Jake shifted toward her, resting an arm on the bench's back.

"I, uh—about that," he began, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. "I was a total idiot. I didn't know that guy was your brother. I seriously thought he was your—" He stopped himself, groaning. "Never mind. I'm just... sorry."

Yeri turned her head, biting the inside of her cheek before a small laugh escaped. "You thought I was dating my own brother?"

Jake groaned again, leaning back and covering his face. "Please don't say it like that. I already want to dig a hole and disappear."

She giggled, and the sound melted something in him.

"You're kind of cute when you're flustered," she said, teasing softly.

He turned to look at her, eyes wide. "Did you just—was that—did you just call me cute?"

She shrugged, cheeks blooming pink. "Maybe." Her eyes avoided his, as if he was the one who'd called her cute and not her.

Another silence passed, this one warmer, more comfortable. Then a breeze rolled through the courtyard, and Yeri instinctively shivered.

Jake noticed instantly. He didn't say anything—just moved without thinking, slipping off his jacket and draping it gently across her lap. His fingers brushed against her knee for a moment too long. She froze. So did he.

And then their eyes met.

His eyes were soft, kind, a little nervous—but they looked at her like she was something worth staying for. Yeri felt like time slowed, like maybe she could stay in this moment a little longer. Maybe she didn't want to fight it.

Maybe she didn't want to keep pretending she didn't care.

"Jake..." she whispered, but her thought was interrupted before she could finish.

"Jake!"

The sharp, high pitched voice tore through the air like nails on a chalkboard.

They both blinked, turning toward the sound. Soojin.

She stood near the edge of the courtyard, arms crossed, eyes narrowing in on the two of them like a hawk. Her gaze bounced between Jake's jacket on Yeri's lap, the way they were sitting too close, and Jake's hand still halfway in Yeri's direction.

Yeri instinctively pulled away, her spine straightening like she'd been caught doing something wrong.

Jake sighed, rubbing his temple as Soojin began walking over.

"Yeri," he started, turning toward her. "I—"

"It's fine," Yeri said quickly, standing up and handing him back his jacket without looking at him.

"Yeri, wait—"

But she was already walking away, heart pounding, her brother's voice echoing in her head from earlier.

"I don't like the look of that guy. Don't go near him, you hear me?"

Too late.

She already had.

Jake blinked, still slightly dazed from whatever moment had just happened—Yeri's smile, her laugh, the way her fingers had brushed his when he gave her his jacket. His gaze lingered on the spot where she'd stood, heart thudding embarrassingly loud in his chest.

And then—

"Jake," Soojin said, snapping her fingers in front of his face, her voice sickeningly sweet but her eyes sharp as blades. "Hello? Earth to Jake? Are you just gonna sit there like a love struck loser?"

He blinked again, finally tearing his gaze away and turning to face her. "What?"

"I've been calling you," she huffed, arms crossed. Her gaze flicked to the bench beside him, where his jacket still lay in a messy heap, Yeri's warmth not yet faded. "What were you doing with her?"

Jake rubbed the back of his neck. "Talking?"

"Looked like more than talking to me," she muttered, eyes narrowing. "Did she guilt trip you into giving her your jacket or something? That's... kinda desperate, honestly."

He stared at her. "Soojin."

"What?" she said with a laugh, brushing imaginary lint off her blazer. "I'm just saying. Girls like her—they're quiet for a reason, y'know? You don't really know her."

Jake stood up, jaw clenched. "And you do?"

That caught her off guard. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean—" he paused, trying not to blow up in front of the entire school courtyard, "—maybe don't talk about people you don't actually know, Soojin."

For a split second, her mask cracked. Something bitter flashed across her face, then vanished as quickly as it came. "Wow. I didn't know we were picking sides now."

Jake grabbed his jacket from the bench and slung it over his arm. "I'm not picking sides. I'm just not a fan of fake concern."

And with that, he walked off, ignoring the way her heels clicked against the pavement behind him or how she called out, "Seriously? You're choosing her?" For the first time in ten years, Sim Jaeyun had called Soojin out in her bullshit.

He didn't answer. He didn't have to. His heart already had.