Archive of Our Own ^beta

1. The Time Jake Said ‘I’m In Love With You’ and Jay Thought He Was Being Emotionally Hazed

One thing you must understand is that Jay and Jake have always been close.
Not just in the “sat-next-to-each-other-in-Charms” kind of way, or the “my owl accidentally stole your essay once” way. No. Their proximity was cosmic .

It started with their mothers. Two perfectly unhinged witches who met at Beauxbatons, bonded over a shared loathing of mediocrity and a love of French pastries, and promptly decided their future children would be best friends. Possibly soulmates. Probably married.

When Jake’s family moved back to Korea from Australia after first year, they didn’t just buy a home in the country. They bought the estate next to the Parks' .
The kind of “next to” that meant Jake could fly over for breakfast in exactly 1.3 minutes. (He timed it.)

Now, it was the summer before seventh year. The sky was blue. The grass was aggressively green. Jay was lying under the shade of an apricot tree in their garden, reading a book he wasn’t processing, and trying very, very hard not to look at the boy across from him.

Jake Sim. Shirt too big, hair too golden, lying on his back like he owned the universe and maybe a little bit of Jay’s sanity.

“Hey,” Jake said, voice lazy but clear. “So I think it’s a great time to tell you that I’m in love with you. Want to go on a date?”

Jay’s heart didn’t skip a beat. It launched itself off a cliff.

He blinked. Slowly. Twice.

Jake was smiling at him—bright, casual, like he’d just asked for the time, not detonated Jay’s soul.

Jay sat up. “That’s not funny.”

Jake tilted his head. “I wasn’t trying to be.”

“No,” Jay snapped, heart pounding so hard it echoed in his skull. “No. You don’t get to say that. That’s not—” He stood abruptly, book forgotten in the grass. “That’s not funny, Sim Jaeyun.”

Jake froze. Jay never called him that unless he was genuinely about to kill him. Or when he was impossibly flustered. Both were deeply hot.

“Okay,” Jake said, eyes gleaming, “first of all—rude. Second of all, say my name again .”

Jay glared. “I am not joking. I—Jake, I’ve been—” He dragged a hand through his hair, pacing now. “You can’t say stuff like that. I’ve been—” His voice cracked. “I’ve been in love with you for years. And if this is some kind of joke or social experiment or—Merlin forbid—a dare from Ni-ki, I swear to god—”

Jake stood too. He looked stunned for a breath. Then delighted.

“That’s amazing,” he said. “You love me. I love you. Let’s date.”

Jay gaped. “Did you even hear what I just said?”

Jake beamed. “Yup. You’re in love with me. That’s literally the best thing anyone has ever said to me. Ever.”

Jay groaned. “Please stop.”

“I’ll stop once I get to make out with you and cuddle you every single night for the rest of our lives.”

Jay let out a strangled noise and turned away, muttering something about how he was moving to a cave in Albania.

Jake, unfazed, followed him like a golden retriever with a vendetta. “You know what this means, right?” he said, practically skipping. “It means I was right. You do have a crush on me. I knew it.”

Jay whirled on him. “Oh my god.”

“Sim Jaeyun,” Jake said, imitating his earlier tone with mock-seriousness. “You are so in love with me.”

Jay looked five seconds from combusting. “That’s it. I’m obliviating myself.”

“Too late,” Jake sing-songed. “You already confessed. I’m framing this memory in my family’s pensieve.”

Jay made a noise that sounded somewhere between a scream and a whimper, turned on his heel, and bolted .

“Hey—Jay!” Jake shouted, already giving chase.

But Jay was faster. Years of pride, getting flustered and repressed feelings had trained him well. He took the stairs two at a time, yanked open the door to his room, and slammed it shut behind him with a muttered locking charm.

Jake reached the top landing five seconds later, breathless, knocking once—then twice—then full-on pounding. “Jay. Jay-ah. I swear, if you don’t open this door and start dating me right now—”

“Go away,” came Jay’s muffled voice. “Go flirt with Sunghoon or something.”

Jake blinked. “What the fuck?”

“You’re always teasing me with him,” Jay snapped. “You’re always—touching him and laughing and acting like you want him. You’ve never looked at me like that. Ever.”

Jake’s jaw dropped. “Be fucking for real right now.”

Silence.

Jake pressed his forehead to the door, exhaling. “Okay. Okay. You want proof? I’ll get proof. Wait for me.”

“Why would I wait for someone who doesn’t even like me?”

“Because I’m going to come back with evidence , Park Jongseong. So don’t you dare disappear on me.”

He turned and marched back down the hallway, determined.

And then—he nearly collided with Jay’s mother, who was standing frozen at the end of the corridor like she’d just seen a Kneazle give birth.

“Oh—hi, eomonim,” Jake said cheerfully. “I’m a little frustrated. Your son won’t believe we’re destined to get married.”

Her mouth opened.

And stayed open.

Jake patted her shoulder as he passed. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”

He disappeared down the stairs.

Jay’s mother, Mrs. Park Chaeyoung, stood there for a full ten seconds before gasping—loudly—and sprinting back toward the Floo.

—

In the elegant, glass-lined sitting room of the Sim estate, the fireplace flared to life with a whoosh of green flame and a shriek of, “ MINJI! ”

Sim Minji, matriarch of the Sim family and master planner of society events no one ever dared miss, dropped her cup of tea so violently it shattered.

She spun around. “Chaeyoung?”

Chaeyoung practically exploded from the hearth, hair askew, expression deranged with triumph.

“ It’s happening! ” she yelled.

Minji grabbed her shoulders. “What?”

“Our sons! Jaeyun just told me he’s in love with Jongseong! He said they’re destined !”

Minji screamed. The chandelier rattled.

“I told you they would fall in love before seventh year!” Minji shrieked. “You owe me a bottle of that fancy muggle champagne I like!”

Chaeyoung was already spinning in a frantic circle. “Where is the guest list? Where is the binder? We are doing the wedding at Château Lune even if it kills me.”

“Do we want floating lanterns or enchanted fireflies? Never mind. Both. ”

A sharp clink interrupted the madness.

They turned toward the dining room.

Mr. Sim, Jaeyun’s long-suffering father, stood in the doorway with a whiskey glass in hand, observing the chaos with the calm resignation of a man who had seen this coming since the boys were three years old.

He sighed.

“They’re at it again,” he muttered, and took a sip.

2. The Time Jake Showed Up With Flowers and a PowerPoint

It had been three days.

Jay knew because he was absolutely not counting , and also definitely hadn’t been watching the front gates like a Victorian widow waiting for a letter.

Three days. No owls. No floo calls. No half-baked speeches delivered from brooms to his balcony.

Which could only mean one thing: it had been a joke.

Jay lay on his bed, one hand dramatically over his face, the other curled around a book he’d been reading for an hour without absorbing a single word. His brain kept replaying the moment: I’m in love with you. Want to go on a date?
The worst part? It had sounded real. And Jay—idiot that he was—had believed it. For ten full seconds .

Ten seconds too long.

He rolled onto his side and glared at the door. “Stupid Sim Jaeyun. Teasing me for years, flirting with Sunghoon like it's his job, and then pulling that—”

The door burst open.

Jay shot up so fast he nearly fell off the bed. “What the—”

Jake Sim stood in the doorway, windblown, wand tucked behind one ear, arms full of pink and white tulips , and a wide, manic smile on his face.

“Hi darling,” Jake said cheerfully. “Sorry I took so long. The PowerPoint took forever to animate.”

He marched across the room like he owned it (which he basically did), dumped the flowers into Jay’s arms without asking, waved his wand toward the far wall, and conjured a glowing, floating screen into existence.

Bold, sparkly letters bloomed across it like fireworks:
“Reasons Why I Am Genuinely In Love With Jay Park: A Presentation by Jake Sim”

Jay stared at the screen. Then at the tulips. Then at Jake.

“…I beg your entire soul,” he said flatly.

Jake ignored him and clicked the wand like a remote.

Slide One: A photo of Jay rolling his eyes in class. Caption:
“You have the hottest annoyed face in the world.”

Jay: “What is wrong with you.”
Jake: “Hold your questions till the end, please.”

Slide Two: A blurry image of Jay handing Jake the last piece of honey cake in the Great Hall.
Caption: “You always save me the last piece, even when you pretend you hate me.”

Jay: “You’re projecting.”
Jake: “You’re adorable.”

Slide Three: A scribbled note from one of Jay’s study guides, complete with color-coded footnotes.
Caption: “You let me steal your notes and never hex me. That’s basically marriage.”

Jay: “I was going to hex you. I just got distracted.”
Jake: “Even your threats are hot. Moving on.”

Slide Four: A photo of Jay in the garden last summer, hair messy, half-asleep in a lawn chair, holding a book upside down.
Caption: “You try to look composed even when you’re dead tired and it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Jay blinked. “Where did you even get that?”
Jake smirked. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

Slide Five: No photo—just a soft, glowing quote.
“You always make room for me, even when you’re mad. And you never let me leave without knowing I’m loved. Even when you think I don’t notice.”

Jay’s breath hitched.

Jake cleared his throat. “I notice.”

Silence.

Jay stared at the floor. “You’re so annoying.”

Jake grinned. “You’re smiling.”

“I’m scowling.”

“That’s your smiling face. I know because I studied all six of them. Want me to list them in a new slide?”

Jay looked up, eyes narrow. “Sim Jaeyun.”

Jake wobbled. “Okay. Wow. Say it slower.”

“You’re unhinged .”

“You love it.”

“I hate it.”

“You keep the flowers though.”

Jay looked at the tulips in his lap. They were his favorite color. His exact favorite color. No one else knew that.

Jake stepped closer, dropping the wand and crouching beside the bed. His voice dropped.

“I wasn’t joking, Jay. And I wasn’t pranking you. I’ve been in love with you since fourth year and I didn’t realize it until I nearly punched a fifth-year for flirting with you in the library.”

Jay blinked. “What.”

Jake held up a finger. “There were eyelash twirls , Jay. Eyelash twirls. I saw red.”

Jay’s mouth opened. Closed. “So… this is real?”

Jake raised a hand solemnly. “Cross my heart. Hope to die. Would let Sunghoon steal my broom for a week if I’m lying.”

Jay stared at him.

Then down at the flowers.

Then at the ridiculous presentation still glowing on the wall.

“…I’m not saying I believe you,” he said quietly. “But I’m not locking the door again.”

Jake beamed. “Progress.”

Jay sighed and flopped back onto the bed. “You’re exhausting.”

Jake climbed up beside him. “I’m yours.”

Jay smacked him with a pillow.

Jake laughed.

The screen flickered softly, looping the final slide:
“In Conclusion: I Literally Love You. Please Believe Me.”

Jay stared at it. Then, without meaning to, he smiled.

Just a little. Just enough.

Jake saw it.

And decided:
Slide Show Part II — “Reasons Why Jay Is Smiling at Me and It’s the Best Day of My Life” — coming soon.

3. The Time Jake Asked For Permission To Date Jay (At Dinner. In Front of Everyone.)

The dining room at the Park estate looked like it belonged in a glossy pureblood lifestyle magazine: enchanted candles drifting lazily above the table, porcelain from some French wizarding duchess’s collection, centerpieces that definitely had their own Gringotts vault. But to them it was just another weekly dinner between the families.

Jay, sitting stiffly beside Jake, felt like he might die.

His father, Park Jungho, was at the head of the table looking regal and vaguely judgmental, while Jake’s father, Sim Daejin, sipped red wine across from him like they were at a diplomatic summit. Their wives were already on their third glass of champagne and vibrating with joy.

“So,” Mrs. Sim — Minji — said brightly, slicing into her steak with precision, “what are you boys planning to do after NEWTs?”

“I was thinking curse breaking,” Jay offered quickly, desperate for normal conversation.

Jake leaned back in his chair, casually tossing an arm across the back of Jay’s. “I was thinking lifelong romantic commitment.”

Jay choked on his water.

Everyone paused.

Then Jake turned, utterly unbothered, and smiled across the table at Jay’s dad. “Actually, sir—” he said, sitting up straighter, “—I’d like to formally request your permission to date your son.”

Jay’s fork clattered.

Minji made a squealing noise like a boiling kettle. Chaeyoung clapped both hands over her mouth, eyes wide.

Jay looked like he was witnessing a slow-motion broom crash. “We are not dating.”

Jake, still smiling, waved a hand. “Right, right. Let me rephrase.” He turned back to Mr. Park. “I would like to formally request your permission to date your son once your beautiful, emotionally stunted son pulls his head out of his arse and realizes I’m in love with him.”

Chaeyoung let out a full-on whisper - screamed .

“HE SAID HE’S IN LOVE—”

“—Chaeyoung, breathe,” Minji gasped, grabbing her champagne and clinking it against her friend’s glass like they were toasting the second coming of Merlin. “I KNEW IT.”

Jay was red. Full Weasley red. Atomic tomato red. “Jaeyun—”

Mr. Park raised one eyebrow and looked at Mr. Sim. “They are absolutely taking my surname.”

Daejin snorted. “Not a chance. Sim is rarer, classier, and looks better on stationary.”

“My surname is historically tied to royal bloodlines.”

“Your surname is tied to overpriced tea and being emotionally repressed—”

“ Gentlemen, ” Minji interrupted, raising her glass. “Let’s hyphenate . Sim-Park. That sounds perfect.”

Chaeyoung nodded furiously. “Done. But I’m paying for the wedding. I already booked the chateau. Just in case.”

Daejin gaped. “You what —”

“ Two years ago. It was on sale. We have the solstice weekend and everything.”

Jay buried his face in his hands.

Jake looked like he’d just won the Triwizard Tournament and kissed Jay under mistletoe in the same day. He leaned closer, grinning like the cat who stole every single fucking canary in the coop.

“You look adorable when you’re spiraling,” he whispered, voice low and amused.

Jay didn’t respond.

So Jake leaned in further, lips brushing his ear.

“I meant it, you know. Every word. I’m not going to stop until you believe me. And when you do…” his fingers brushed Jay’s knee under the table, light and possessive, “I’m going to make you so ridiculously happy, you won’t remember what it felt like to doubt it.”

He kissed Jay’s cheek.

Jay turned so red he looked medically compromised.

Across the table, Chaeyoung squealed again. Minji cried. Mr. Park poured more wine. Mr. Sim asked if they could use Korean peonies instead of French hydrangeas.

Jay tried to slide under the table and disappear forever.

Jake just smirked.

It was, without a doubt, the best dinner he’d ever attended.

4. The Time Jake Asked Him on a Date (and Jay Forgot They Weren’t Dating)

It was a Wednesday. An aggressively normal, humid summer Wednesday. Jay was in the library room of his family’s estate, flipping through an old potions manual and trying very hard not to think about Jake Sim.

Which was unfortunate, because Jake Sim was currently standing in the doorway.

Wearing an obnoxiously fitted button-up. With flowers. Again.

Jay didn’t look up. “If this is another slideshow presentation, I’m setting the screen on fire.”

“No slideshow,” Jake said, breezing in like he owned the air. “Just me. And a proposal.”

Jay sighed. “If it involves marriage—”

“ Date. ” Jake cut in, dropping the flowers onto the nearest table. “Just one. Go on a date with me.”

Jay finally glanced up. Jake looked... unfair. Shirt rolled at the sleeves, wand tucked behind one ear, that boyish, overconfident smile that made Jay want to throw him into a fountain. And kiss him. And then throw him again.

“Jake,” Jay said, warning already in his tone.

Jake held up both hands. “No, for real. Just one date. Let me take you out. You’ll have fun, I promise.”

Jay stared at him.

Jake took a step closer. “If you go on this date, you’ll see. You’ll get it. You’ll understand how much I want to be with you. You’ll see how compatible we are.”

Jay narrowed his eyes. “Is this some elaborate ploy to trap me into calling you my boyfriend in public again?”

Jake grinned. “I mean. That would be a bonus.”

Jay groaned.

Jake leaned closer, voice softer. “Please?”

Jay looked at him. Really looked at him.

And exhaled. “Fine. One date.”

Jake fist-pumped like he’d just won the Quidditch World Cup.

—

Jay regretted saying yes for exactly ten minutes—until they arrived in wizarding Seoul and Jake led him straight into the Potion Emporium of Itaemul, a hidden rooftop greenhouse-market filled with rare herbs and charmed reagents.

Jay blinked. “How did you even know about this place?”

“You mentioned it once last winter. I wrote it down.” Jake shrugged, then handed him a pouch of galleons. “Pick what you want.”

Jay nearly passed out on the spot.

“You’re bribing me with potion ingredients,” he muttered.

Jake smirked. “I’m bribing you with happiness , Park.”

Jay tried to protest. He really did.

But thirty minutes later, he was practically glowing, bouncing from table to table, muttering excitedly about gillymint extractions and whispering things like, “I haven’t seen this root outside of restricted archives.” Jake followed him the whole time, carrying baskets, asking stupid questions just to keep Jay talking, and smiling like he was watching the sun rise in real time.

“You’re staring,” Jay said, not looking up from a bundle of frost-capped wolfsbane.

Jake leaned on the table. “You’re adorable when you nerd out. I’m just documenting the moment.”

Jay tried to glare at him. Failed. “Shut up.”

“You smiled again.”

“ Shut. Up. ”

—

Their second stop was a magical creature awareness exhibit at an enchanted conservatory. Jay had read about it in The Prophet months ago and had casually mentioned it in passing once. Jake remembered.

They walked through bioluminescent habitats, watched rescued Hippogriff foals being fed by gentle handlers, and stood silently in front of a memorial for trafficked Moon Foxes.

At one point, Jay gasped and grabbed Jake’s hand—pulling him across the garden to the shelter for Moke nests.

Jake’s brain short-circuited.

Jay didn’t let go.

He didn’t even notice, too busy babbling about sustainable spell-weaving and habitat expansion charms. And Jake just… followed. Letting his hand be held. Grinning like an idiot.

“Merlin, I’ve missed this kind of thing,” Jay said, practically glowing. “I love when people actually give a shit about creatures instead of just using them for potions and—wait— is that a runespoor egg shell? ”

He dragged Jake again. The handholding continued. Jake did not complain.

“I’m learning so much,” Jake said, eyes glued to their hands. “Mostly about how stupidly hot you are when you talk about magical creatures.”

Jay shoved him. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Right? And yet you’re still holding my hand.”

Jay paused.

Then glanced down.

He let go like he’d been burned. “I—it was an accident.”

Jake raised an eyebrow. “For twenty-five minutes?”

Jay muttered something incoherent and turned away.

Jake let him stew in silence for a moment, then leaned in with a lazy grin. “So. Date review?”

Jay crossed his arms. “I’m not saying it wasn’t... decent.”

Jake gasped, put a hand over his chest dramatically. “That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

“Don’t push it.”

Jake nudged his arm. “You had fun.”

Jay didn’t respond.

But his ears were pink. His shoulders had relaxed. And he hadn’t stopped smiling for two hours straight.

Jake bumped their shoulders together again, quieter this time. “I meant it, you know. I’m not doing this to impress you. I’m doing it because I already love you. I just want you to see what it’s like. What we’re like. When it’s real.”

Jay glanced at him.

His heart did something unhelpful.

And he didn’t pull away.

—

Later that night, Jay lay in bed with the lights off and the covers pulled up to his chin, staring at the ceiling like it had betrayed him.

His heart was still doing that fluttery, traitorous thing. He blamed the stupid magical fox cub that had licked Jake’s hand. Or the way Jake had looked when he was explaining that one display plaque out loud like Jay couldn’t already read. Or—Merlin help him—the way Jake had said, “You’re still holding my hand.”

Jay groaned and rolled onto his side, burying his face in the pillow.

It had been a perfect day. Sweet, thoughtful, easy. He hadn’t had to fake anything. Hadn’t had to try. He’d just… smiled. Laughed. Talked too much. Dragged Jake around like he belonged at his side.

And Jake had . He’d fit right in. Not just with Jay’s day, but with him.

Jay blinked into the dark, heart thudding.

That’s the problem.

Jake hadn’t acted. He hadn’t pushed. He hadn’t flirted for show or tried to get a reaction. He’d just been there , completely and sincerely in love, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Jay pulled the covers tighter.

I forgot we’re not actually dating.

That scared him more than anything.

Because for a moment today—maybe a few long moments—he hadn’t wanted it to be pretend.

He’d just wanted Jake.

And that, he knew, was dangerous.

Dangerous.
And maybe—just maybe—inevitable.

5. The Time Jake Nearly Committed Murder (and Jay Finally Kissed Him for It)

The Summer Ball was everything you’d expect from two old-money wizarding families trying to outdo each other in hospitality and champagne.

The garden had been enchanted to glow in soft moonlight, the string quartet floated above the hedges on translucent platforms, and the charmed lanterns pulsed gently in time with the music. Guests wore couture. Toasts were made. Minji cried at least twice from sheer aesthetic overload.

Jay had to admit—against all instincts—it was nice. Comfortable, even. He wasn’t avoiding Jake tonight. They’d danced once. Shared a drink. Argued briefly about cravat styles. Jake had looked devastating in his all-black suit with green lining. Jay had tried not to stare.

It was going fine.

Until it wasn’t.

Jake had just accepted a second glass of rosé from a floating tray when Park Jungho—Jay’s very composed, very stoic father—stepped up beside him, eyes narrowed toward the far end of the terrace.

Jake turned to follow his gaze.

And promptly felt his blood run cold.

Jay. In that perfect dark-blue suit. Hair swept back. Laughing.

With a man. A Choi .

Jake’s eye twitched.

Jungho’s voice was calm. “That’s Choi Jihoon. Son of a cocky congressman. Thinks he’s charming. I don’t like him.”

Jake didn’t move.

Jungho sipped his whiskey. “Go claim my son, Jaeyun. I will not have him dating a Choi.”

Jake didn’t answer. Just turned, handed his untouched wine to a house-elf, and made his way across the terrace.

The thing about Jake Sim was this: Ninety-nine percent of the time, he was all golden retriever, dimples, and sunshine.
But that other one percent?

You did not want to be on the receiving end of it.

Jihoon was just reaching out—touching Jay’s sleeve, leaning a little too close—when Jake appeared beside them.

“Jay,” he said, voice low, calm, and lethal . “Can I steal you for a moment?”

Jihoon blinked. “Oh, I was just—”

Jake turned his head. Smiled. A slow, dangerous thing. “I know exactly what you were just doing.”

Jihoon swallowed.

Jay blinked. “Jake—”

Jake didn’t look at him. He looked at Jihoon. “Run along.”

Jihoon stared at him, then at Jay—who looked somewhere between confused and scandalized—and took a step back.

“Good talk,” Jake said coolly.

He grabbed Jay’s wrist—not roughly, but firmly—and guided him down the steps and out into the glowing gardens, past roses and floating firefly lights and enchanted fountains until they were alone, hidden from view under a flowering archway.

Then Jake let go.

And exploded.

“Okay,” he said, pacing. “I know we’re not dating. I know you don’t believe me when I say I’m in love with you. But please, Jay— please be gentle with my heart. ”

Jay blinked.

Jake kept going. “Don’t flirt with other men in front of me. I’m literally begging. I am one bad Tuesday away from Azkaban , and if another guy touches your arm like that again, I swear I will commit a crime so heinous Hogwarts will write a curriculum around it.”

Jay stared at him.

Jake ran a hand through his hair. “I’m serious. I know it’s not fair. I know I said I’d wait. But I’m in love with you, and it’s not going away, so please don’t make me watch you smile at someone else like that. It kills me.”

Jay didn’t say anything for a long moment.

Then, slowly, he stepped forward.

Jake froze.

Jay reached up. Gently, he took hold of Jake’s lapels.

“You done ranting?”

Jake stared at him, eyes wide. “Not even slightly—”

Jay kissed him.

It was slow. Intentional. Deep.

Jake made a sound in the back of his throat and melted into it instantly, hands coming to Jay’s waist, pulling him close . The world narrowed to just lips and breath and the soft rustle of fabric. Jay tasted like spiced champagne and fury and something heartbreakingly familiar.

When they finally pulled apart, Jake rested his forehead against Jay’s, panting.

Jay smiled, eyes fluttering open. “If you go to Azkaban,” he whispered, “you won’t be able to marry me, Sim Jaeyun.”

Jake shattered .

“Fuck,” he breathed, and kissed him again.

Harder. Desperate. Relieved.

In the distance, their mothers were definitely weeping into tissues and toasting the stars.

Jay didn’t care.

He had Jake. He had this.

And this time, he believed it.

+ 1 The Time Jay Called Him ‘Boyfriend’ and Jake Forgot How to Function

The Park estate’s summer kitchen was bathed in warm afternoon light, windows wide open, letting in the breeze and the soft hum of garden magic. A bowl of flour hovered mid-air. Eggs cracked themselves politely. A lemon tart filling stirred with a wand charm in the background, while Jay stood at the center island, sleeves rolled up, concentrating very hard on cutting butter into the cake mix by hand.

Jake sat on the edge of the counter, shamelessly watching him like he was studying for an exam titled The Art of Being Obsessed with Park Jongseong .

“You’re staring,” Jay muttered without looking up.

“I’m in love,” Jake said, as if that explained everything. “It’s legally allowed.”

Jay pressed his lips together to keep from smiling. “You’re going to get powdered sugar on your trousers.”

Jake jumped off the counter and sidled up behind him, arms slipping around Jay’s waist. “Guess you’ll have to clean me up, babe.”

Jay sighed. “That’s not how cleaning charms work.”

Jake pressed a kiss to the back of his neck. “Then kiss it better.”

“You’re insufferable .”

“And you’re making a lemon cake for me from scratch,” Jake said, grinning against his skin. “So who’s really winning?”

Jay turned slightly to glare at him, but Jake was already leaning in—soft, warm lips brushing his cheek, then the corner of his mouth.

“Stop distracting me,” Jay said, failing completely to sound annoyed.

Jake kissed him again, just because he could. “No.”

Jay huffed, clearly fighting a smile. “Merlin help me.”

“I would, but I’m too busy being helplessly in love with my boyfriend in a kitchen that smells like heaven.”

Jay’s ears turned pink. “You’re so dramatic.”

Jake just smiled wider and snuck a cherry from the garnish bowl. “You love it.”

—

An hour later, they were curled up in the sunroom, barefoot and cozy, the enchanted windows open to let in the scent of peonies and the distant tinkle of wind chimes.

The cake sat prettily on the table, half-eaten between them, beside a pitcher of sparkling lemonade. Jake had one arm draped over the back of the couch, and Jay sat nestled against his side, relaxed and quiet in a way he rarely let himself be.

Without a word, Jay shifted, got up, and climbed into Jake’s lap, settling there like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Jake blinked.

Jay leaned in and pressed a slow, deliberate kiss to his lips.

Then, pulling back just enough to smirk, he said softly, “So, boyfriend …”

Jake short-circuited.

“Okay,” he said breathlessly, “that just healed my soul. Say it again.”

Jay raised an eyebrow. “You’re ridiculous.”

Jake pulled him closer, eyes gleaming. “I’m putting a ring on your finger. Immediately.”

Jay laughed. “You don’t even know my ring size.”

Jake kissed him again. “I’ll find out.”

Jay grinned against his mouth, then rested their foreheads together. “So. How are we going to tell the guys?”

Jake hummed. “We just tell them. Obvious, direct. Maybe while holding hands and kissing in front of Sunghoon.”

Jay snorted. “Sunoo’s going to lose it. They’re no longer the cutest couple in the group.”

Jake feigned shock. “You mean we are?”

Jay gave him a look. “You’ve been campaigning for that title since fourth year.”

Jake shrugged. “And now I have you, so I win.”

Jay rolled his eyes but didn’t move. “Don’t tease them. They take being Hogwarts’ power couple very seriously.”

Jake’s gaze softened.

“I don’t need to be the power couple,” he murmured. “I just want to be yours.”

Jay blinked.

And then Jake was kissing him again—deep and warm and certain—and when they finally broke apart, Jake started placing tiny kisses across his cheeks, his jaw, the tip of his nose.

Jay giggled.

Jake looked at him like he’d bottled starlight. “That sound is going to be my Patronus now.”

Jay melted. “You’re such a sap.”

Jake smiled into the next kiss. “And you’re mine.”

+0.5 The Time Sunoo Felt a Disturbance in the Force (and Heeseung Just Wanted to Make Out)

At the same time, somewhere in wizarding Italy, nestled among enchanted vineyards and lazy golden hills, the Lee family summer estate sprawled like a magazine spread. Marble terraces. Floating parasols. A pool that sparkled with Veela-blessed enchantments. And in the middle of it all, perched delicately on the edge of said pool, was Kim Sunoo.

Legs wrapped around his boyfriend’s waist.
Lips locked in a kiss that could probably short-circuit the nearest Floo line.

Lee Heeseung had exactly zero complaints.

His hands were warm on Sunoo’s waist, mouth moving eagerly against Sunoo’s, utterly focused on the task at hand: kissing his beautiful, radiant, perfect boyfriend into blissful distraction.

Until, suddenly—Sunoo froze .

Heeseung leaned back slightly, dazed and frowning. “What—?”

Sunoo pulled away, gaze distant, frown forming. “I feel a disturbance in the force.”

Heeseung blinked. “I’m sorry?”

Sunoo’s eyes narrowed, dramatic and glowing with intent. “Something is… wrong.”

“Okay,” Heeseung said slowly, “but I’m trying to make out with you, love.”

Sunoo was already twisting to look toward the distance, like he could see across magical ley lines.

“It’s like…” he whispered. “A challenge has been made.”

Heeseung, still half-drenched, slid his hands up Sunoo’s sides and tried to kiss him again. “You’re so sexy when you’re ominous.”

Sunoo didn’t budge.

Heeseung pouted. “ My love. ”

Sunoo turned back to him slowly. “Someone’s trying to dethrone us.”

Heeseung blinked again. “Is this because Ni-ki said we weren’t the hottest couple in Hogwarts?”

“No.” Sunoo shook his head. “It’s something else. Bigger. More annoying.”

Heeseung, utterly in love and utterly done, started trailing kisses down Sunoo’s neck. “Who would dare challenge you, love?” he murmured. “No one can win against your pretty face.”

Sunoo stilled.

Then smiled.

“You’re so right, baby.”

And he pulled Heeseung back into a kiss with a flourish so graceful it made the enchanted pool ripple in approval.

The magical wind picked up.

Somewhere—miles and miles away—Jake sneezed in the Park sunroom.

Jay looked up. “Are you sick?”

Jake, dazed: “No… I think we’ve triggered a cosmic rivalry. ”

Jay rolled his eyes. “Please don’t start drama with Sunoo.”

Jake smirked. “Can’t promise anything.”