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“Do you think Heeseung hyung is interested in Sunoo?”
It’s a silly question, one that any person with eyes could answer, but Jake needs a second opinion. Sadly, there’s not a lot of people he could possibly ask.
He jumps when Sunghoon’s hands suddenly slap down on the table, his head whipping to the side so fast that Jake can hear his neck snap a little. He winces, leaning back just a little as Sunghoon leans forward into his space.
“What?” His best friend screeches, eyebrows furrowed. He looks like he can’t believe the words that have come out of Jake’s mouth. It makes Jake shrink in on himself as people in the cafeteria turn towards them with confusion and glaring eyes. He mentally curses himself for asking Sunghoon, especially in a setting like this.
“It was just a question,” he mumbles petulantly, pouting. “I mean look at them! You can’t tell me they’re not at least a little interested in each other.” He gestures to the two across the dining hall, crossing his arms. Sunghoon’s head turns towards them, and Jake can see as he realizes what Jake is witnessing too.
Heeseung and Sunoo are sitting close, heads tilted together and giggling about something on the older man’s phone. Probably tiktok or something. They look cozy, and it makes something ugly stir in Jake’s gut that he hardly understands. He pushes it down, picking up his juice and sipping slowly from the straw.
Sunghoon turns back to him, now frowning and nodding slowly. “I… can definitely see what you mean,” he says quietly, tapping his chin. “They do look pretty close for two people who aren’t dating.
Jake nods, sitting his now empty juice back down on the table. “Well, we don’t know if they aren’t dating, right? And how am I ever supposed to get close or talk to Heeseung if the only person he hangs out with is Sunoo? He’s scary.”
“No, he isn’t. You’re just a wimp, Jakey,” Sunghoon deadpans, and then his expression twists like he’s just eaten something sour and he wants to spit it out. “And what do you mean by ‘get close to Heeseung’? What do you need to get close to him for?”
Jake sighs, tilting his head in confusion. “What? I just want to be his friend. We’re in a lecture together but we never actually talk much.” Then Jake’s eyes narrow, and his lips purse. “What were you thinking I meant, Park Sunghoon?”
Sunghoon smiles sheepishly, rubbing at the back of his neck. His gaze jumps around, landing on anything that isn’t Jake. He clears his throat, finally looking at Jake. “Well, I thought you wanted to, like, date him, y’know?”
Jake’s eyes widen, and he picks up his juice box before chucking it at Sunghoon’s head. He jumps up, cheeks flaming, and points at Sunghoon. “Don’t ever say something like that again. You’re so dumb, Park Sunghoon.”
He huffs, snatching his bag up and walking out of the dining hall, ignoring Sunghoon’s call of his name.
He misses how Heeseung looks up to watch him go, eyes crinkling at the corner and smile fond. Sunoo snickers, and Heeseung turns to glare at him, eyebrow raised.
“Just ask him out,” the blond shrugs, going back to scrolling through Sunghoon’s instagram feed. “He’s cute.”
Heeseung hums, looking towards where Jake left again. “Maybe I will.”
⏦
Jake plops into his seat in the lecture hall with a puff of breath, laying his bag on the seat and slumping down. His cheeks are still hot, and he brings his hands up to cup them, cursing Sunghoon to hell and back. How could he even say something like that?
Jake didn’t want to date Heeseung. He just thought the guy was cool and had pretty eyes. Heeseung was simply someone he looked up to and admired. That was all.
His fingers shift inward on his face until they’re covering his eyes too. He’s embarrassed by Sunghoon’s words and he can’t stop the butterflies that erupt in his stomach and beat at his insides.
Ok.
Maybe he does have a little crush on Lee Heeseung, but it still doesn’t mean he wants to pursue a relationship with him. Especially if he’s already got a boyfriend.
Kim Sunoo is pretty, smart, and kind. It wouldn’t even make sense for Heeseung to look his way. He was nothing to look at, and much less compared to someone like Sunoo who was looked at like royalty on their campus.
It was a lose/lose situation for Jake. He couldn’t befriend Heeseung, much less be someone he saw in a romantic sense. Curse Sunghoon for putting these thoughts in his head.
“Hey. You’re Jake, right?”
He jumps at the sound of the voice next to his ear, eyes snapping over to the person next to him.
He almost screams when he sees that it’s Heeseung leaning into his space, smiling. He clears his throat, cheeks flaming even harder now. When did he even get here? Jake hadn’t heard anyone come in. Was he really that distracted?
“Um, yes,” he mutters. “that’s me. Do you—do you need something?”
Heeseung grins, and points at the seat next to him where his bag is laying. “Mind if I sit here? All the other seats got filled.”
Jake sits up, chancing a look around the lecture hall. To his dismay, Heeseung is right. All the other seats had been filled.
He smiles nervously, picking his bag up off the seat and sliding over so there was just enough room between them that Jake wouldn’t freak out too much.
Heeseung smiles at him again before sliding into the seat and pulling out his laptop.
Jake can hardly pay attention to what’s happening after that. His mind can’t accept the fact that Lee Heeseung is actually sitting next to him. His eyes trail to Heeseung no matter how much he forces them away, and he can’t help the way he flushes when he finds his gaze trailing to Heeseung once again and the man is already looking at him.
He's got one arm braced on the table and his cheek is propped on his chin, eyes crinkled at the corners in what Jake thinks might be... fondness. Heeseung smiles, chuckling softly when Jake jumps and turns away. He spends the rest of the lecture rigid in his seat, keeping his eyes trained on the professor and taking notes.
He breathes a sigh of relief when the professor dismisses them, looking over at Heeseung hesitantly. The manz is packing up, sliding his laptop back into his bag as he stands up. Jake follows, eyeing the man hesitantly when he doesn't move away to leave like everyone else. Jake stops in front of him, eyebrows furrowed.
"Are you okay?" Jake asks, clutching the strap of his bag tighter when Heeseung's eyes meet his. The hall empties around them, and Jake shrinks when a few of the students walking past give him and Heeseung weird looks.
Heeseung hums, tilting his head. "You look pretty today," he says, voice dipping just low enough that Jake almost doesn't catch the words over the sound of footsteps and laughter. His body freezes the moment they register, mouth parting slightly before he snaps it shut again. His cheeks flush.
He scrambles for a response, any response that wouldn't embarrass him more than he's already had, but all that comes out is a strangled, "Huh?"
Heeseung laughs, head tilting back slightly. It's not anything unkind, and he leans forward just enough that Jake's nose is filled with the scent of sandalwood and cardamom. He takes a deep breath, sighing softly. "Your sweater," Heeseung clarifies, gesturing at the oversized cream knit Jake had slipped on this morning before leaving for classes. "It suits you."
Jake swallows, glancing down at the sweater. "Oh," he mumbles. "Thanks." He risks a glance back up, half expecting Heeseung to be walking away already, but instead, the other man is watching him with an unreadable expression, smile soft. The silence stretches a beat too long between them, and Jake's mouth goes dry. "Would your boyfriend be okay with you calling someone else pretty?"
Heeseung's expression flickers in confusion, eyebrows furrowing slightly before he huffs a laugh. "My boyfriend?" he says, tilting his head slightly.
Jake nods slowly, blinking. "You and Sunoo. You're dating, right?"
Heeseung stares at him for a long moment. When he realizes that Jake isn't joking, his eyebrows shoot up and his mouth parts slightly before he breaks into loud laughter that makes his shoulders shake. Jake jumps, clutching his bag. Heeseung wipes at his eye, still grinning in amusement when he looks back at Jake again. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind at all," he says softly, lifting a hand to ruffle Jake's hair before dropping his hand. He takes a step back, waving. "See you around."
Jake watches as he goes, heart pounding in his chest so hard it feels like it will break out at any moment.
Lee Heeseung just called me pretty!
He can't help the giddy smile that spreads over his face or the quiet squeal he lets out.
Ok. Maybe he does have a bigger crush on Heeseung than he thought.
⏦
"He thinks we're dating," Heeseung mutters to Sunoo when he steps into the hallway. Sunoo looks up with a disgusted expression, clicking his phone off. "Don't look at me like that," Heeseung sighs.
Sunoo rolls his eyes, linking his arm with Heeseung's as they walk down the hallway. "Just tell him we aren't and then ask him out," he shrugs. "Easy, right?"
Heeseung shakes his head, sighing. "You're no help at all."
Sunoo only giggles, squeezing his arm.
⏦
For the next couple of weeks, Jake's entire life changes.
Heeseung begins popping up everywhere. At the cafe that Jake studies at, the library he frequents when the cafe is a little too loud. Even the grocery store two blocks away that Jake shops at when he's out of ramen for the week.
It surprises Jake at first, but he slowly begins to get used to it, and even goes as far to start inviting Heeseung to meet up with him. Heeseung is sweet, and he offers to walk Jake back home every single time no matter how much he protests. It makes him feel giddy that Heeseung is such a gentleman, but it also makes his gut churn when he thinks about Sunoo.
How could he be so okay with his boyfriend spending all this time with another guy?
He jumps when a hand lands on his shoulder, nearly spilling his coffee on his text books. He turns, glaring. Heeseung is standing there, hand over his mouth as he laughs silently. "Would you at least give me a warning instead of sneaking up on me next time?" he huffs, but there's no real irritation in his voice. Heeseung squeezes his shoulders, fingers lingering just a second too long before they slide away. It's a habit of his that Jake has been noticing lately, but he doesn't dwell over it.
"You were zoning out again," Heeseung says, sliding into the chair opposite him and pushing a paper bag towards him. Jake raises an eyebrow at him before peaking inside. Bagels. He looks back up at Heeseung, frowning.
"What are these for?"
Heeseung smiles, leaning back. "Had a feeling you skipped lunch," he shrugs. There's something inherently smug in the way that he says it that makes Jake's stomach churn. "You're so predictable, you know?"
The words settle somewhere deep under his ribs, and he chews slowly on one of the bagels, watching as Heeseung pulls out his laptop and taps the top three times before opening. He's learned a lot of things about Heeseung lately.
He’s learnt that Heeseung hums under his breath when he’s concentrating, knows that he wrinkles his nose when there’s an unpleasant smell, that when his knees bump against Jake’s under the table he’ll press harder and smile cheekily.
Jake’s phone buzzes, and he looks down at it. It’s a message from Sunghoon, him and Jay under some tree on campus. His cheek squished against Jay's shoulder, captioned we miss you, Jakey!
He giggles, hearting it. Heeseung looks up, watching him with furrowed eyebrows. “Who was it?”
“Just Sunghoon,” Jake hums, turning his phone off and flipping it over.
Heeseung tilts his head, tongue pushing against his cheek. He looks conflicted, twisting his fingers before he asks, “So… are you two dating?”
Jake chokes on his bagel, coughing. “What? Sunghoon?” He laughs nervously, wiping crumbs from his text book. “No, god no. He’s— he’s like,” his hands flail between them, eyes wide. “Brother-coded. Worse than brother-coded. Our parents bathed us together.”
Heeseung’s shoulders visibly relax at his words, fingers unclenching. “Oh.” He pauses. Then says quietly, “So there’s no one…?
Jake pauses, eyebrows furrowling slightly. Heeseung isn’t looking at him anymore, instead looking around the cafe and tapping his fingers on the table. “Uh, not—not really,” Jake stutters, laughing nervously. His throat feels too tight. “Why are you asking?”
Heeseung turns to look at him, the usual mirth back in his eyes. “Just curious. You seem like the type of guy who’d have someone waiting for him back at home.”
Jake’s pulse stutters at the words, and he rolls his eyes to mask it even though he knows Heeseung can see how his cheeks are tinted pink. “Yeah, well. Guess I’m full of surprises,” he chuckles.
Heeseung hums, leaning forward. His elbow brushes Jake’s arm as he props his chin on his hand. “I like surprises.”
The noise around them fades to a buzz, and Jake is suddenly aware of just how close he and Heeseung really are. He swallows, eyes roaming over Heeseung’s face. His eyelashes cast shadows over his cheeks, and Jake counts the faint freckles that dust over the bridge of his nose. Then, too quickly, Heeseung pulls back, clearing his throat. “You’re really pretty.”
“Uh.” Jake blinks, taken aback. “What?”
“Pretty,” Heeseung repeats a little louder, tilting his head. “You’re like a cute little puppy.”
Jake’s mouth hangs open for a second before he snaps it closed, heat crawling up his neck. His heart clenches in his chest and he swears he can hear it pounding in his ears. You—you can’t just say shit like that,” he stammers, frowning.
Heeseung’s eyebrows raise, lips pursed in a thin line. “Why not?” he says slowly. "It's true. You really are pretty, Jake.”
Jake groans, face dropping into his hands. All he can think about is Sunoo. How would Sunoo feel about this? Would he get angry? Would he break up with Heeseung?\
When he raises his head again, Heeseung is watching him intently, leaning back. “Because you have a boyfriend, Heeseung,” Jake cries, exasperated. His hands flail in front of them. “You don’t just say things like that to someone, especially when you’re dating someone.”
Heeseung exhales through his nose, long and slow. “Jake, just let me explain—”
“There’s nothing to explain, Heeseung,” he whispers, pushing out of his chair and slinging his bag over his shoulder. He takes a step back, folding his arms around himself. “Just—just stop it, okay? Whatever you’re doing, stop.”
Heeseung scrambles out of his seat, eyebrows pinched. “Jake—”
“Just stay away from me for a while, okay?” Jake whispers, not giving Heeseung a chance to answer as he turns on his heel. He ignores Heeseung’s call of his name, pushing the cafe door open and stepping onto the sidewalk.
He feels the first tears fall and hurriedly wipes them away.
Heeseung doesn’t follow him.
⏦
Jake spends his time holed up in his room, sulking with himself for weeks after that. He doesn’t want to risk running into Heeseung or Sunoo and have to explain to the man why his boyfriend had been hanging out with him so much.
Sunghoon tries to convince him that everything will be okay and that Sunoo won’t have his head on a stick but he can’t help himself. He curls further into his bed and yells for Sunghoon to leave him alone.
His best friend sighs, fist thudding against the door one more time before Jake hears his footsteps shuffle off down the hallway and the front door opens and closes. He falls asleep shortly after that, head buried in his pillows.
When he wakes up some hours later, someone is knocking loudly on the door. He groans, sitting up and running his hand through his hair. He slides out of bed, shuffling sleepily to his door and pulling it open.
“Just a second,” he calls loud enough for the person knocking to hear through the door. The knocking stops and Jake sighs, taking a deep breath and walking over to the door. He pulls it open, expecting to see Sunghoon.
Instead, Heeseung is standing there, panting. Jake’s eyes widen, and they stare at each other. Heeseung smiles nervously, wiping at his brow. “Hey. Can I come in?”
Jake doesn’t even get to answer before Heeseung is barrelling his way into the apartment and into the living room. He sighs, closing the door softly and following after the other man.
Heeseung is pacing, hands in his hair. Jake stops next to the couch, leaning on the armrest and crossing his arms. “What are you here for, Heeseung?”
Heeseung pauses, turning to Jake and dropping his hands. He takes a deep breath, fingers clutching the side of his pants. “Me and Sunoo aren’t dating,” he mutters.
Jake stares at him for a moment, eyebrows pinched. “What?”
Heeseung laughs nervously, scratching the back of his neck. “To be honest, we never were.”
Jake’s body freezes, eyes slowly widening. “What?” he says quieter this time, standing up straight. Heeseung smiles, though it looks strained. He looks guilty. And he should. How long had he been lying to Jake for?
Heeseung laughs again, stepping forward until he’s in Jake’s space, sandalwood and cardamom clogging his nose. “I’m sorry, Jake.”
Jake laughs, something broken. “You lied to me? But why would you—how could you—”
Heeseung surges forward at that moment, fingers curling into Jake’s shirt and tugging him forward as their lips connect. Jake gasps, hands hovering in the air.
Heeseung pulls back, eyes flickering between his own. “I didn’t lie to you,” he mumbles.
Jake makes an aborted noise, hands flying to his lips. “You kissed me,” he whispers, astonished.
Heeseung laughs for real this time, eyes crinkling. His hands make their way to Jake’s cheeks, cupping them and running his thumbs over the apple of his cheeks. “Yeah, I kissed you,” he whispers back, amused.
“Why?” Jake asks, eyebrows furrowed. “Why would you kiss me?”
“It’s simple,” Heeseung shrugs. “I like you.”
Jake’s breath catches in his throat, fingers grasping the front of Heeseung’s jacket. “Don’t you dare kid with me right now, Lee Heeseung.”
“Not kidding at all,” Heeseung hums, leaning in to peck him on the lips.
Jake groans, grabbing Heeseung and tugging him in. They tumble over the armrest with the force and Heeseung lands on top of Jake, their foreheads banging together. They stare at each other for a moment before breaking out into loud laughter.
Heeseung buries his face in Jake’s neck, shoulders shaking.
When their laughter subsides Heeseung pulls back, cupping his cheek again. “I’m sorry I made you misunderstand what was happening. I didn’t mean it at all,” he says quietly, rubbing their noses together.
“You’re an idiot, Lee Heeseung,” Jake huffs, hands wrapping around his shoulders. “But I guess you’re my idiot now, right?”
Heeseung nods in fervor, eyes sparkling. Jake laughs, squeezing his neck. “I’ll take you on the best date ever this weekend,” Heeseung whispers before diving in and kissing him senseless. Jake hums, but he knows Heeseung is too preoccupied to even register it.
As long as Heeseung keeps kissing him, Jake doesn’t really mind it at all.