Chapter Text
“
You know I had a dream about you too. It was so funny ‘cause in that dream we had 2 sons, their names were Jungwon and Riki, and we were very rich too.” Jake reveals nonchalantly as if he did not just confess having a dream of starting a family with his best friend.
“I don’t mind making that come true.” Jay answers, a slight smirk on his lips.
“Wait, WHAT?” Jake yells, the chattering noises inside the cafe stops and suddenly they’re the main dessert in the cafe. Jay notices the eyes on them so he apologizes on behalf of his friend.
“I was kidding.” Jay said half whispering.
“Dude, you scared me right there.” He felt a pang on his chest from Jake’s reply but didn’t want to pay attention to it.
“What do you mean scared? I am offended, Jakey. Do you not see a future with me? Ouch!” He held both of his hands out to his chest, clenching his fists and closing his eyes. Just like he always does whenever he teases his friend. “If my heart breaks in two, I will hold you accountable.”
“That’s technically impossible.” Jake rolls his eyes. “...and maybe you should consider enrolling in an acting class. You’re doing a terrible job, no one smiles while getting their heart broken.”
He playfully pushed Jay’s chest while glaring his eyes, the other just continued giggling.
“You’re mean. What if my heart was actually broken?” He jokingly said,
or
at least attempted to,
Jake is too oblivious to catch a clue anyway.
You see, he liked Jake since god knows when.
He doesn’t know if it started when the two of them got into heated competitions to be called “the smartest one” in the class when they were in highschool.
Or
maybe when they settled their differences and accepted the fact that Jay was more of a history and a literature guy while Jake excelled a bit more in sciences and math.
Or
maybe it’s when he met him, a different Jake, in his tuxedo at a dinner party that both of them shared no cares about.
But one thing he knew for sure, is that he liked Jake when he impulsively asked him to study back in their home country, in South Korea just after they graduated.
It took a lot of convincing to make him agree, using student loans and the cost of studying there as an excuse even though he knows both their families were well off. He remembers Jake complaining about how they’re gonna live off of instant ramen noodles (which they partially did) if they start living alone together and him promising to learn how to cook just so they have decent meals.
Jay would never put that much effort just for anyone, but if it’s for this boy, then he’s more than willing to do so.
Now living together with Jake, it was quite easier than he expected. He cleaned and maintained the house well although he nags a bit on Jay for keeping the wrappers of his snacks on the bedside table (he refuses to talk about that).
Jay, as he promised, learned how to cook; he’s surprised how he liked it more than he intended to. Seeing Jake eat them with a smile is rewarding.
There were some misunderstandings here and there but it was not something that they couldn’t agree over. They get along together, it’s like a preview of what a married life with Jake is like. Although sometimes he thinks of what it would be like if he confessed to him.
Boyfriends.
Husbands.
It’s something that will just stay inside his mind, a dream, an imagination.
But he’s just Jay. That it’s all he’s gonna be– Jake’s roommate, best friend, nothing more than that.
-
“No, no. NO! SUNGHOON NO!” Jake jolts up from his sleep. He tries to catch his quick-paced breaths and feels the sweat all over his body.
“Jake?” His door opens and reveals a worried looking Jay on the other side.
Jake looks up at him and he sees the glistening eyes of the younger. He quickly pulled a few pieces of kitchen towels and wiped his eyes and forehead.
“Shh, I’m here. It’s only a dream. Take a deep breath Jakey.”
Jake took a deep breath as Jay instructed him, copying his actions before hugging the taller and uttering a ‘thank you’ under his breath.
Jay continuously rubbed his back, whispered assurances to the other until he calmed down.
“Do you wanna talk about it?”The older one asks, worry laced in his voice.
“Jay…” Jake starts. “If we ever get into a war, you should always just stay with me ok?”
A
war?
Jay was confused but answered him anyway. “I will always stay with you, no matter what happens.”
“Good. Never leave me ok?” He feels Jake’s grip on his arm tighten.
He hugs him. Completely engulfing the boy in his arms, patting his head that’s leaning on his shoulders repeatedly.
“Do you want to have some snacks? I just bought ramyeon again.” Jay offers, loosening his hold on the other to take a look at his face and Jake nods.
They both stood up from Jake’s bed and went to their small kitchen. Jay makes Jake sit in the dining area while he prepares everything. It’s 1:30am, Seoul was quiet or at least where their apartment is located. Jake looks at their patio–the moon and the stars completely visible in the city, which was unusual considering the air quality index of Seoul. Nonetheless, he took it as a good sign and just enjoyed the lights that are, for once, not from the buildings in the neighborhood.
“It smells good.” Jake tells Jay, and it earns him a chuckle.
“Can you smell the flavors from the preservatives?”
“Yeah, actually I can already feel the ramyeon noodles swelling in my stomach.” He laughs. It’s true, instant ramyeon: pre-prepared, processed, he can even taste it in his tongue without even trying to remember it, the preset flavors already too familiar to him– makes him puffy in the face and in his tummy but he still eats it anyway.
Jay was going to attempt a joke about something else like having an indigestion when they hear the doorbell ring.
“Did you order a take out?”
“No? Why would I cook then?”
“Any of your friends texting you that they will visit?” Jake asks, looking for a conclusion but Jay only answers ‘no’ for the second time.
“Jay, look at the peephole, I’ll take over what you’re cooking.” He said, taking the pot holder from the older and pushing him towards their door.
“You’re being a scaredy cat again.”
“It’s way past midnight, I don’t really want to know what’s outside.”
Jay does as Jake requested and looks at the peephole, slightly nervous. He doesn’t know what to expect on the other side but it surely wasn’t two kids standing in their front door. He runs back to Jake, scared shitless. Why does it have to be kids? And at this hour?
Jay was not religious but he thinks he prayed to most of the gods in different religions in a span of 5 seconds.
“Jesus christ. Jake, there are two kids outside.” The doorbell continues to ring and both of their eyes widen from fear.
Jay grabs a frypan from their counter.
“You open the door and I’ll hit them.” Jay said, raising the frypan with his two hands like a tennis racket.
“Why do you get a weapon and I don’t?”
“You have the door.”
“The door isn’t a weapon!”
“So is a frypan, Jake. Anything can be a weapon if you treat it as one.” Jay pointed it out as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
Jake just muttered a ‘whatever’ before leading the way to their door.
“Ok, I’ll open the door at the count of three.”
“One” the doorbell rings again, making both of them startled.
Jake almost screams from his fear, he thinks his adrenaline has never been this high except for that one time he went to a horror house.
“Reset. I’ll count to three again.”
“Just open the door at go, I’ll just swing this frypan on them.”
“Go!” Jake opens the door and Jay gets into his position, ready to swing the frypan like a baseball bat into the two kids.
“Good evening, sir.” The older kid greets them, bowing 90 degrees while the other is half awake.
“Jungwon? Riki?” Jake asks as he tries to remember their faces, but it’s really hard to tell with the dim lights in their hallway.
"Papa?" The younger boy rubs his eye. "PAPA! IT'S YOU PAPA!"
“Riki! My boy!” Jake opens his arms while the said boy takes little strides and hugs him back.
Jay puts his frypan down trying to figure out the scene unfolding in front of him.
-
“Let me get this clear. You…” Jay pointed his finger to Jake. “are they the children in your dream?”
“Mhhm.” Jake nods, smiling and still patting the youngest’s head who is now sleeping on his lap.
“How old are you right now, wonie?”
Jungwon raises his fingers, looking at it as he starts counting them one-by-one. “One… two… three… four. I’m four, papa. Riki is this.” He puts one of his fingers back and shows it to him. Jake almost squeals out loud looking at his ‘eldest son.’ His cheeks were full, lips gathered on a pout showcasing his dimple and eyes droopy.
“Papa, can I go to sleep? My eyes feel heavy.” Jungwon said, this time looking at a confused Jay. He points to himself and looks at the child who only yawns.
“Alright, let’s go to sleep.” It’s 2am, he turns to Jake. “You have classes at 9am tomorrow, I’ll take care of the kids in the morning. You take over in the afternoon, then let’s talk at night.”
“Riki, let’s go to sleep.”
“Wan’ sleep with Papa Yun.” Riki drowsily requested, not letting go of his papa.
“Riki, no! Papa Seong loves sleeping with Papa Yun.” Both of them blushed at the kid's comment, Jay feeling a bit exposed.
“Come on.” He takes Riki’s hand. “Papa, don’t worry about us. We’re big boys now.”
“Wonie, where are you going?” Jungwon must've been so tired that he couldn’t even answer him, he just entered Jake’s room and both kids plopped on his bed.
“I’ll take the couch. You have to sleep properly.” Jay says and pushes him towards his room.
“But it’s your room.”
“I’m alright with the couch.”
“No, your bed is big enough for the two of us. Now wait for me, I’ll just check on the kids.”
The two servings of ramyeon on the table already forgotten.