#choi yeonjun sims 4 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

hinaaspanda · 2 years

Text

test me! | j.s

pairing: soccer player! Jake Sim x nerd, fem! reader

warnings: swearing

genre: fluff, angst, crack, childhood friends to lovers, sports

wc: 8,785

Jake Sim knew that Choi Yeonjun, the soccer team's bad boy, was bad news. So naturally, he felt uneasy the moment you revealed your crush on him to your friends. Jake never knew why, but something in him was telling him to stop you, to save you from him. So, what was this almighty, unfailing plan? Pretending to fail at math just so you could tutor him, of course!

a/n; hi again! i'm back with my second enhypen member fic! i'll try my best to regulate my writing schedule in some way but school's starting soon so that plan might just backfire at me hsndhsgja anyways enjoy!

...

Was it so weird to have a crush?

You swear, just two minutes ago, that having a crush wasn’t groundbreaking news. The concept of having feelings for someone wouldn’t stir up an explosion of gasps and illicit noises. Crushes were mundane in your young adult, college life. They never summoned a stupefied face, or a mouth gaping open in shock.

So why was it so much different for you?

“You have a crush on Choi Yeonjun!?” The 4 friends surrounding your frame all leap forward from the couch, scanning your face. Trying to confirm if you were, in fact, not lying. The buzz of the TV static echoed in Jay’s basement, the TV program growing dry and bland in contrast to the juicy new information. Sunghoon and Nabi—the most eye roll inducing couple in the world—stole repeated glances at you, then at each other, like the audience of a ping pong game watching the ball soar through the air.

Jay, meanwhile, couldn’t feel his eyes pop out of their sockets, the shock stunning his nerves too much. You sat in the middle of the dim lit basement, your shoulders hunching forward at the spotlight you were so hastily thrust upon. How would you have known about the literal shockwaves of feedback from sharing something with your beloved friends. Your brows furrow, throwing up your hands in defense. “Yeah? What’s so wrong with that?”

“Nothing, it’s just…” A hand lifted to Jay’s temple. The silence had scared you shitless as you waited for him to continue. “This is Choi Yeonjun we’re talking about. Don’t you think it’s a little risky?”

You bite at your lip, fingers fumbling with each other as you keep an eye on the ground. You grew silent. Jay definitely wasn’t lying. Choi Yeonjun was an untouchable on your college campus—his entire friend group was. Him and his five friends stood under the spotlight even before you and your friends enrolled two years later. Girls toppled over one another, tripped on their own faces just to get one chance with him. You could admit that falling for Yeonjun was a bit of a reckless move. Your head hung low as you felt an arm wrap around your shoulders.

“I guess–”

“Don’t worry guys! Y/n can take care of herself just fine!” Nabi chirped, finally ripping herself away from her boyfriend's side, just to latch onto you. She looks at you with a smile. “I got your full support, and I’ll fight anyone who doesn’t!” She stuck her tongue out at Jay’s direction.

A smile bloomed on your lips, at least someone was supportive. However, that smile quickly faded as you noticed something odd about the room. Jake Sim, the last of the friend group who was oddly quiet, was sitting off to the side, alone.

You knew Jake Sim. Probably longer than anyone else in the room did. Jake Sim was your best friend, characterized best by his cheerful, loud demeanor. His bright nature and even brighter smile could light up a sea of darkness. Not to mention, his talkative habit could uncover him in a crowd in mere seconds. It reminded you of a golden retriever of sorts.

Which made this current Jake all the more confusing.

Jake sat a few spaces away from your spot on the couch, his back resting on the plump leather arm rest and feet sprawled across the surface. A lamp dimly lit on top of him, the almost orange glow casting onto his figure, highlighting his features. The snack bowl, which once resided on the communal coffee table, rested in the middle of his lap as he haphazardly popped chips into his mouth. You assumed he quickly snatched it whilst the rest of your friends went into cardiac arrest after you mentioned your apparently controversial crush. That was what confused you the most: the lack of a reaction from him.

Jake Sim was quiet for the rest of the night. Odd, considering how much more normal he had been when you guys first started the night. It was as if his voice was snatched away from him. Held captive against his will. Your eyes tried to search for his as the commotion between your three other friends began to rise again. His eyes finally meet yours, but ripped away from your grasp in mere seconds. Your brows furrowed, stomach growing queasy.

Was Jake that mad about it?

You wanted to get Jake’s attention, but Sunghoon beat you to the punch. “Hey Jake? You good man?”

All eyes were on the golden retriever, who sat spaced out. He jolted back to reality, throwing on his iconic big grin almost instantly. He shrugged, sending another chip flying into his lips. “Yeah! Why wouldn’t I be?”

Sunghoon sent a playful nudge to Jake’s shoulder, and the rest of the group finally let their guards down. You let yourself calm down, too. With your mission for the night being relatively successful. Hungry for more snacks, you scanned the living room for the snack bowl that had just vanished from the coffee table, your eyes meeting something much more confusing.

Jake was looking at you.

He didn’t look away this time, his eyes were planted on you. Burning through your skin. Your shoulders hunch over once again, eyes looking back at him. The noisy friends, the world around you, it all faded away, leaving the two of you alone. You gulped, a part of you not able to even glance away.

What was going on in Jake’s mind?

You cock your head to the snack bowl sitting on his lap, and he regains consciousness once again. Jolting, he nods, handing you the snack bowl before rising up from his seat on the couch. Your eyes follow his escaping figure as he slides past your boisterous friends, who moved onto a completely different topic of conversation. You huff one last sigh before turning your attention back to your friends. Though, you still couldn’t help but glance back at the kitchen—where Jake disappeared— every now and then.

That was weird.

…

The sky was painted pitch black as you drove home from Jay’s house that night. You had only two light sources available; the street lamps you sped past, and the blue light of the radio in Jake Sim’s car.

It was a normal occurrence for Jake to drive you home on most nights. It was one of the many perks with being best friends with the golden retriever. You’ve known him for all of your life, it was only natural. It saved gas, money, time and energy. It was a convenient option, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Well, except this time.

The air between you and your driver was stark dry. You felt as if you couldn’t move a limb under the pressure of the silence. Your breaths grew shallow as you tried to focus on the flying streetlights. Key word: trying.

Jake was still fairly quiet, mumbling a few words here and there about the weather and how pretty the sky looked. However, this current Jake was nothing like the one you knew and loved. There was something different. Something odd about him. Frankly, you didn’t really enjoy this new, quiet version of Jake Sim.

“Be honest.” You huffed, catching your driver’s attention. “You hate him, don’t you?”

“Hate who?” He chirped back, cocking an eyebrow.

“Yeonjun! The guy I like.”

You took notice of his initial pause. Gulping, you look back out the window of the passenger seat. A bus drives by your view, and you’ve never wanted to hop on the back of one so bad in your life.

“I don’t hate Yeonjun, what are you talking about? Yeonjun and I are chill, though I’ve only talked to him a few times at practice.” His voice peaked behind you, his tone returning to his cheeky, upbeat default. You felt your chest deflate in relief. However, your brows still furrowed as you shot back with another question. “So why were you acting so weird tonight? You were, like, oddly quiet. It wasn’t like you.”

“Oh…” Jake trailed off. With one hand on the steering wheel, he placed his free arm on the ledge of the window, his hand lifting up to his lips. You watched his neck bob up and down in a gulp. “I was probably just surprised, you know? I never thought you’d go for someone like him.”

You dip your head down, flustered.

Jake glanced back at you, eyebrows raised as he shines a playful grin. “Yeonjun’s a bit of a bad boy, y/n. You think you can handle it?”

“Piss off!” You whined.

His teasing words earned himself a punch to the shoulder, courtesy of your fist. Jake whined like a child before making eye contact with you again. The two of you throw yourselves into a fit of laughter. You smile. You were glad to have your golden retriever back.

The two of you fall back into silence as he pulls up to your driveway. Although it wasn’t a tense silence, but rather a comfortable cloud, where the two of you could enjoy your midnight ride without any words. It was the type of silence you had been praying for since the car ride from Jay’s house started. You couldn’t help but smile. Jake parks the car and you latch your fingers onto the door handle, but Jake’s voice stops you frozen.

“Wait, I have an idea!”

You slowly plop back into your position on the car seat, turning your head to listen to him. You tilt your head to the side, as Jake throws his hands in the air in excitement.

“What if I help you get with Yeonjun, if you help tutor me for my math exam?”

You froze, confusion lacing your body. Since when did Jake Sim of all people need help with a math exam? You knew him for all 20 years of his life, and not once did he need help in school. Jake had always been at the top of his class, scoring perfect marks and doing so without so much as breaking a sweat. Even as you moved into high school—and later on in college—despite balancing school and his beloved soccer team, Jake never got caught with anything lower than a B+ on his exam paper.

He was what everyone dreamed of being: the perfect student.

So what was he doing here, asking you for help with math?

“You want my help?”

“I’ve… uh, been out of my game lately. I think it’s from practice, Coach is going way too hard on us.” Jake scratched the nape of his neck. He glances back at you, who hasn’t stopped shooting confused glances at him since.

“Trust me, you’re my best bet, y/n. You’re smart, probably the smartest one out of all of us. Jay and Sunghoon are kinda hopeless with this kind of stuff. Plus, I can tell you all about Yeonjun during our sessions! Sounds like a sweet deal, right?”

You lean back in the car seat, pursing your lips in thought. Jake was correct about everything. As much as you loved the other two, they were useless when it came to their studies. And, if Jake was right about his claim, his deal didn’t seem that bad at all. Your stomach flips in itself in excitement as you watch Jake hold out a hand.

“Deal?”

You latch your hand onto his, shaking it firmly.

“Alright, fine.”

…

Jake Sim, you absolute idiot.

That’s what he told himself, over and over again the minute he got back from driving you home.

He laid down in the dim blue light of his room, his back seeping into the surface of the mattress as he tossed the soccer ball in the air. He watched mindlessly as the ball floated for a second, before soaring back down to the palm of his hand. All without a thought in his mind, due to the fact that his mind was overwhelmed with the thought of you.

Why did you have to start liking Choi Yeonjun of all people? Everyone, especially the guys on his soccer team knew he—and the rest of his group—were nothing but a bunch of players. Were you just slow to the news? Or did the fact that Yeonjun was a little more suave than the others, pique your interest? It didn’t matter. Either way, you were bound to wind up with a broken heart. And the thought of that happening made Jake’s chest rumble. He never wanted that to happen to his best friend.

Even so, why did he have to lose his cool?

His mind wandered back to Jay’s kitchen, where him and the man of the house stood before the sink.

Jay gulped down the last bit of his glass, worry laced in his face. Jake tapped his fingers on the glass, teeth nipping at his lips.

“How are we gonna convince her that Yeonjun isn’t the right guy?” Jake only hummed, irritation popping on his skin at the mention of his senior’s name. It was weird. He never had a problem with the guy before. So why was tonight any different?

Was it because of you?

“You think you could come up with something?” Jay’s voice chirped in Jake’s ears. He huffed as Jake touched his glass to his lips. “I don’t think she’s going to listen to me, but she might listen to you.”

“I’ll try.” He kept his words to a minimum, nodding before the two of them joined the main group back in the living room.

And what was this all powerful, altruistic plan? Asking you to help him with a subject he needed no assistance in, all while giving you the false promise of dating the guy you needed to avoid.

Talk about progress.

It wasn’t all bad news, though. At least with all time the two of you spend together, Jake could try and convince you that Yeonjun wasn’t a guy you wanted to mess with. Jake stopped tossing the soccer ball in the air, plopping it on the carpet floor before shooting out of the bed. He trudged to his bathroom towel, picking it up and throwing it over his shoulder, all while scratching his head.

Why did Yeonjun’s name leave such an ugly taste in his mouth?

Especially when it had to do with you?

Jake heaved a sigh. He could do this. He could survive his mission for the next few weeks.

Right?

…

“Why can’t we just study at your place?” The golden retriever groaned as you took his hand and yanked him into the vast space of the college library. You hastily dragged him towards one of the room's large tables, plopping your school bag on the seat beside you. “‘Cause it’s harder to focus when you study at your own place. Too many distractions. Now sit.”

Jake picked up your bag, discarding it on the floor before claiming its former spot—right beside you. Your eyes roll in disappointment, bending down to get your notebooks. You purse your lips. “And besides… we might run into him.”

“Bruh,” Jake became dumbfounded by your actual reason for staying at the campus after class. It wasn’t to strengthen his actual academic potential, no. It was so you could see stupid Choi Yeonjun. He cocked a judging eyebrow at you. “Yeah, you’re sounding real focused right now.”

A punch was sent to the poor man’s shoulder. “Shut up!”

“What!? You’re the one being totally shameless right now!” Jake snorts.

Your face crinkles in irritation. You hated how he was right. “Let’s just get this over with, god.”

After a bit more bickering, the two of you fall swiftly into your study session. The two of you took and rewrote notes together, you threw questions his way, and he always bounced back with the answers. This study session was growing quite successful.

Hours flew by, and you finally granted your eyes a well deserved break as you leaned back on the chair. Like magic, a handful of chip bags plopped onto the surface before you. All of them, your favorite flavours, too. You were in heaven. Your eyes glistened in excitement, hands flying to the pile like opposite ends of a magnet. Jake huffs proudly, sinking into his seat with a puffed up chest. “You’re welcome, by the way. I got those just for you.”

You hum. So that was why he was gone on his bathroom break for so long. Your fingers rip open the flimsy plastic, shoving a few down the bag and fishing for your first catch of the day. Mouth full of puffed up oil, potatoes and flavouring, you turn your head to him. “How’d you know what flavours I like?”

A big grin pulls at his cheeks. He sends a finger to your forehead, placing a small flick on the center.

“I’ve known you for all my life, y/n. I think I would know your favourite chip flavours, dummy.”

Your eyes lingered on his dumb, big smile a little more than you’d like to admit.

You blink, shoving more chips into your mouth. For a split second, you could feel your heart flutter at Jake’s words and soothing voice. Your wandering eyes couldn’t help but gawk at him. His sharpened jaw line, his sculpted features- he had definitely changed since your days at highschool. Your eyes reach up to his: have they always been so bright? A gulp shoots down your throat. You almost forgot about the fact that he had just flicked your forehead. You bite the inside of your cheek, throwing yourself back to reality. What’s wrong with you?

“Well, thanks.” You clear your throat, straightening your spine as you turn away from the puppy you dubbed your best friend. You were probably just going mental, right? Like ‘someone please throw her into a hospital, ASAP’ type of insane. Get those thoughts out of your head!

You throw your frame before your books, burying your nose between the pages of your notes. Anything to distract yourself. To pull yourself out of Jake’s mesmerizing stare.

“Okay then–”

“Wait, you got a little something–”

Suddenly, the pads of Jake’s thumb grazed ever so gently against your chin. His touch reaches up to the corner of your lips, catching you off guard; throwing your sanity off the edge. Your eyes widen, your breath stuck in your throat. Shivers shoot down your spine, your eyes watching as Jake inches closer to your face. Your skin grows hot, the area of your cheeks specifically bursting into flames. In two swift movements, Jake’s thumb sweeps across your lips. After what felt like an eternity, however, his touch pulled away from your skin. His thumb carried with it a few crumbs which had been stuck on the corner of your mouth. You gulp. Since when was his touch so warm?

“There we go,” Jake huffed, stifling a chuckle. “You’ve got crumbs all over your mouth.”

Your heartbeat was drumming in your ears, ringing in your head. You bit your lip, the skin there turning white. You muttered a poor excuse for a response before turning back to your notes. Your saving grace.

Just then, a confusing series of shuffling and noise perks in your ears, catching your and Jake’s attention. Two towering figures emerge from thin air: two boys. One was loud and, frankly, annoying. The other had the innate ability to make your heart stop. After looking at each other, you and Jake glance up. Standing before you were two of the five hotshots of the campus: Choi Beomgyu and Choi Yeonjun.

You choked on a potato chip.

…

“Jakeyyyyy!!” The shorter, relatively at least, of the two yells out. These two were both giants—one, Beomgyu, yelled in a voice most definitely inappropriate for a library. It earned more than a few irked glares. Beomgyu skipped towards the boy, ruffling his hair in a swift, but tormenting noogie, all while holding down Jake’s squirming figure with a tense arm. “Whatcha’ doing over here!?”

As the two fall into a rabbit hole of squabbling, Yeonjun inches closer to you, and all hell breaks loose in your mind. You froze, anxiety shooting down your spine like the end of a roller coaster. A mountain of butterflies erupt from the pit of your stomach as Yeonjun dips his head down, shining a smile at you.

Beomgyu’s booming voice shoots at your ears once again. “And who might this be?”

“I’m–”

“Her name’s y/n,” Yeonjun interrupted, his eyes never leaving yours. “Did I get that right?”

Your head was spinning. “Uh… yeah!”

“Glad we could finally meet! Jakey’s only told me nice things about you!”

Beomgyu extends a hand to you, and you take it timidly. As chic as a model on a runway, Yeonjun combed a hand through his hair, and you felt your cheeks flush in heat. At least Jake held up his part of the bargain.

After greeting you with a simple smile and nod, Beomgyu tilts his head, visibly confused. “You two studying together?”

“I’m actually tutoring him,” You barely managed to stutter out. You jolt, realizing you had been staring off into space—or Yeonjun—for a little longer than you would’ve liked to admit. “We’re preparing for an exam next week.”

“Woah, so you’re like, smart smart!” Beomgyu gawked. “Jakey’s like the smartest on the soccer team!”

A figure suddenly ghosted behind your back, shooting chills down your spine. You froze like a deer in headlights. Under his breath, Yeonjun was reading your notes out loud before blinding you with another eye smile. “Looks like you really know your stuff! Maybe you can tutor me sometime?”

His tone made your stomach flutter. Did Yeonjun have this effect on everyone?

“Hey guys? Sorry to interrupt, but y/n and I are kinda busy right now.” After a century of silence, Jake’s voice peaked in your ears. You look back to see that he’s been much more than quiet since his to senior’s came to visit. A glint of bitterness switched in his eyes, and his jaw looked tense. His grip looked rather firm, too. The force milking the colour away from his knuckles. You could practically feel the steam puffing from his ears. “Could you maybe bug us later?”

Beomgyu looked stunned, throwing up his hands in defense. “Oh, yeah, of course. Sorry to bother you, little man. We’ll, uh, see you later.” His words faltered towards the end as he and Yeonjun inched away from the table.

“See you around, y/n!” Yeonjun waved before turning back to follow his teammate.

You flip back to face your desk partner, a million questions running through your mind. However, those questions would be left unsolved due to that desk partner shooting out of his seat, with minimal eye contact towards you.

“I, uh, bathroom.”

You couldn’t utter a word before he disappeared from your sight.

What was going on with Jake Sim?

…

The rush of the water clouded Jake’s ears as he gazed upon his reflection on the mirror. He did everything he could; slap himself back to reality, splash his face with water so cold it almost burned. Nevertheless, it was no use. He couldn’t get rid of that ugly feeling crawling beneath his skin.

He knew what his job was. He knew he had to protect you from Yeonjun, from his dangerous reputation. He knew he had to keep you safe as your best friend.

But why did it feel so wrong seeing you so close to him?

A groan escapes Jake’s lips. He leans forwards, sending all of his weight onto the bathroom counter. The breath of his anguish was so dense, it clouded the washroom mirror. Another image of you clouding your mind in the same way.

Jake Sim was going crazy.

…

If your brain wasn’t already fried, it certainly was now. It had to be, with the 20 different directions it split itself into that morning. It juggled multiple things at once; how you were going to have breakfast—since your fridge was as barren as a dessert; to what outfit you were going to wear today. However, your brain was overwhelmingly focused on the events of yesterday. The very confusing events of the college library.

Jake Sim sent your heart on a rollercoaster. His actions ripped your heart out of your chest, shaking it like theres no tomorrow. You thought about the little stunt he pulled; wiping your face with his thumb. You thought about how much it tourmented your being, how much it stained your mind. You thought back to Jake’s smile.

His dumb, big smile.

Thinking about him almost made you forget about Yeonjun entirely. You slapped yourself in the face. What the hell was going on with your mind?

Currently, you stood before an ocean of clothes; the unfortunate result of your efforts to find an outfit for the day. You couldn’t pintpoint why you were so stressed, but you had a feeling Jake Sim had something to do with it. You were going over to his place to study after all.

With her hair tousled and still dawning her pyjamas, your roommate Nabi attempts, and fails to stifle a yawn. “So you need an outfit just for Jake’s place?”

You wiggled your head out of a shirt neckline. “Yeah, and none of these outfits are working!”

After just two seconds of glancing at the mirror, you rip off the shirt in anguish. It wasn’t anywhere near what you were looking for. You slip on another outfit—a pair of shorts with a simple t-shirt. It didn’t fit right. You ripped it off, too. Again and again, you slipped on and ripped off clothes. Your hands worked like clockwork, the pile of clothes behind you growing up to your hip. You almost lost all hope until your hands grazed over some eye catching floral print. You threw the maxi skirt on in seconds, matching it with a cute top before spinning around to face your resident outfit inspector. Nabi’s expression lightened, a smile clinging on her previously tired face.

“Woah! Someone’s looking cute!”

A sigh of relief huffs from your chest, a weight lifting from your shoulders. Thank god you found an outfit that made you look halfway decent. You shuffled over to your desk, picking up various accessories to decorate your outfit with. You watched Nabi through the mirror, tilting her head to the side.

“Why are you getting all dressed up, though? It’s just Jake.”

Your heart dropped. Right. You were so wrapped up in your stress you barely even realized why you were getting dressed. All you were doing was going over to Jake’s house. It was something you’ve done a million times before. And every other time, you weren’t so roped up in an ocean of stress.

What made this time so much different?

Nabi stifles a grin, pulling you by the shoulders and sending you out the door with your things. “You wouldn’t wanna be late now, right? Have fun!”

…

“I still don’t get it,” Sunghoon’s eyebrows squished together in confusion. He hastily threw on a shirt, covering his once bare back after drying off from his after-practice shower. Jake was already miles ahead; fully clothed and drying off his dripping wet hair with a small towel. Sunghoon’s voice shot through the practically empty “You don’t even need y/n’s help with math, so why bother?”

Swinging open his locker, Jake pursed his lips. Ever since Sunghoon and Jay decided that the topic for today’s locker room conversation was Jake’s study sessions with you, Jake didn’t have a clue on what to say. After all, not much thought went into this stupid idea. Rustles from the shower rooms echoed through the hall, revealing a freshly washed Jay Park; hair drenched and a towel hanging from his hips. After chucking his belongings into his gym bag and zipping it up without a care in the world, Jake turned to the other two.

“I’m not actually getting tutored,” Jake’s eyes wandered the shower room walls. “Think of it as like—a cover up, yeah.”

Jay and Sunghoon look at each other, and then back at Jake.

“I’m asking her to tutor me so she can spend less time thinking about Yeonjun, make her forget about him” Jake eyes glossed over his friend’s before meeting the ground in defeat. “It, uh, made more sense in my head.”

“I guess I could see it working?” Hesitation lined Jay’s voice as he finally threw his shirt on. He wiggled through the cut out. “Why not just tell her, though? I figured she’d listen to you more than me, that’s why I passed it onto you.”

Jake cleared his throat. Tell you about Yeonjun. Why didn’t he just do that? Why was he so set on seeing you all the time?

A ping! jumps from Jake’s phone. Your name spreads across the top of the device’s screen, and a bolt of energy serges through Jake’s veins.

y/n, the big fat nerd /j [4:47pm]: i’m here at the parking lot!

With this newfound energy, Jake gathers up his things and slams his locker shut; all at the speed of light. He couldn’t quite pinpoint it—hell, he couldn’t pinpoint anything these days—but he grew quite energetic at the thought of you. Like a child moments before a rollercoaster ride, he almost felt ecstatic. He told himself it was just for the plan.

As he reached his own locker, Sunghoon kept his eyes on the golden retriever so full of energy. A smirk lined his lips. “Someone looks excited to see her.”

“Piss off!” Jake defended before dashing out of the locker room.

Maybe Sunghoon was right.

…

Jake Sim’s heart was racing.

Odd, considering he gauged himself to be fairly fit in the physical department, being a college athlete and all. A quick jog from the campus doors to the campus parking lot shouldn’t have been that physically draining for him. And yet, here he was, with his heart beating out of his chest as he stood in front of you.

He couldn’t keep his eyes off of you as you rambled on and on about being late. Jake didn’t seem to notice what it was you exactly said, not with his head practically spinning at the sight of you. You in your floral maxi skirt and mini cardigan. Hair pinned up and dawning those glasses Jake always nagged you to wear more often. The golden retriever also took much notice of the makeup you wore today; the cherry red lip gloss staining an image in his mind for longer than he anticipated.

You looked stunning.

“—Are you even listening?” Your words finally managed to peak in his ear drums. Jake cleared his throat, panic rising in him. Adjusting his backpack straps, he caught a glimpse of your frustrated pout, his chest pounding with a feeling he couldn’t quite describe. What was going on with him?

“If we just agreed to meet before my practice, I wouldn’t be late!” Jake retorted playfully. A feeling his heart wasn’t quite reciprocating.

You inched forward, the gap between your two figures closing. You crossed your arms, face squishing in as you shot him an accusatory glare. Jake however, wasn’t scared of the faces you were making, but rather the effect you had on him. The very strong effect, nonetheless.

“Don’t give me that, I know you just wanna get out of practice!” Your eyes dipped to the ground, your tone shifting to more of a timid hue. “And besides, getting ready took longer than I thought. I’m not used to getting all dressed up.”

Curiosity switched in the golden boy’s brain. “You tried dressing up for me?”

Your face displayed about four different facial expressions before balling up a fist to send straight to Jake’s shoulder. “As if! I dressed up for myself, thank you very much!”

Jake stood frozen, nipping at his lips. He still couldn’t stop staring at you, now could he?

“What? What’s so wrong with trying something new?”

Only then did Jake Sim notice that his heart was still racing the same way it did when he first ran to the parking lot.

“Nothing.” He uttered casually before walking over to his driver’s side of the car.

You look amazing, he thought to himself, maybe not so casually.

…

“You want me to go to the soccer game?” A pencil spun effortlessly between your fingers as you looked behind your shoulder. It was the only way to face the golden retriever, who was currently laying down on his bed, completely giving up on your study session for the day. You huff a sigh. You might as well give up, too. Your eyes needed the break, anyway. You shot from Jake’s desk seat, gesturing for Jake to make room for you on his bed. “Scoot over.”

“Yeah, I figured since you don’t have as many exams this year, you’d have time to actually come for once.” Jake tilted his head as you sat beside him.

Your chest cringed with guilt. Jake was right. As much as you wanted to attend his home games, they always managed to line right up with your schedule for exams; everyone knew better than to bother you during exam week, so Jake never tried asking you to watch. However, this year seemed to be a lucky one; your final exam for the term just a day before the game. Which meant one thing; you were finally free to go. You whipped out your phone, swiping over to the calendar app.

“I’ll check if I’m—”

“Oh no you don’t.”

As fast as a strike of lightning, your phone leaps out of your hands. Currently, it swung over your head. Just above your measly, small reach. The culprit? None other than Jake Sim, acting childish as ever. You watch him smirk above you, his reach growing further and further from yours. “You don’t get a choice this time, dummy. You’re going to that game!”

“Hey! Give that back, asshole!”

His arm reached further and you climbed up to your knees. Like a fish out of water, you leaped up to snatch your phone out of his hands, but it was no use. Your precious device was still out of your reach. You prop a hand on his shoulder, your face mere centimeters before his. Jake flashes another grin, making your blood boil.

“Not a chance, sweets. You’re only getting this back once you say you can go.”

You gulp at the new nickname. Where'd he learn how to talk like that? Heat began to creep up onto your cheeks. You clear your throat. “You’re serious?”

“When am I not?”

“Jake Sim, I am going to kill you.”

You groan, latching onto his shoulder once again. You weren’t the type to give in without a fight. You were going to get your phone back. Your eyes grew dark as you shot up to the stars, finally closing in on his stubborn hand—the kidnapper to your poor, innocent phone. You jumped again, the sheets below your two figures shifting. However, you couldn’t care less about the world around you at that moment; the only thing that mattered was getting your phone back.

“Wait—y/n!”

Thud. That was the noise Jake’s head made as it plummeted through the feathers of his pillow. It was also the noise that electrified through your jaw as you pounded onto the rather tense surface of his chest. You felt a pair of hands snake and latch onto the sides of your waist, their grip laced with all the worry in the world. With all your might, you propped yourself up, maybe about a pinky worth space hanging between yours and Jake Sim’s.

Your panicked eyes finally lock onto his, and the two of you lay frozen on his bed. You were terrified to make a wrong move. Yet, there was this voice inside of you, telling you to do anything but move, to just stay right where you are. Instinctively, your eyes trail down, examining the rest of his face—seeing him this close definitely wasn’t an everyday occurrence, and a part of you felt the need to take advantage of that. Only now—with only a couple of centimeters dancing between you—did you notice Jake’s honey skin; unblunted jaw. Eyelashes that could fan a forrestfire to sleep. Not once did you ever look at Jake like this. So why on earth couldn’t you stop?

This needed to stop. You like Yeonjun, you reminded yourself.

Your eyes trail down further. The way he licked his lips, the way his adam’s apple bobbed up and down. Why couldn’t you look away?

You like Yeonjun. Not Jake.

“You okay?” Jake finally spoke, shaking you to your core. His playful demeanour was thrown out the window; a suitable reaction to almost falling to your death via his stupid prank. While you were okay in a physical sense, your heart couldn’t stop racing. Ever since you face planted on his stupidly buff chest, the pounds of your heartbeat had grown rampant, unbearable. Your stomach was fluttering, turning in on itself. Nothing made sense anymore. You had to run.

You pushed yourself from Jake’s chest, bolting from his bed. Lightspeed, you bundled all of your things in your hands and zoomed through the door, making sure to hide your flushed face from the golden retriever in the room. The only golden retriever who could turn your world upside down, apparently.

You didn’t like Jake.

Right?

…

“You’re paying me back. Big time.” You grumbled as Nabi hopped out of the passenger’s seat. A big grin lining her face, she dashed to your side of the car before enveloping you in a big hug. “I know, I know, thank you, really!”

What was this big favour Nabi had asked you for? And what was the sole reason for your sour mood? Being forced to attend the college soccer game, of course!

You see, after that absurd moment back at Jake’s house, you visibly panic at the thought of him. Jake Sim has staked his claim on your mind, and your life as you knew it was starting to distort slowly into madness. You only knew one solution to this problem; run away. You couldn’t develop feelings for your best friend, are you mad? It all needed to end. Now. So after your final exam of the season, you decided to stay home with warm coffee and a book, instead of attending the soccer game. After all, it was best to avoid Jake Sim at all costs.

You wouldn’t know how much your heart could handle, otherwise.

But alas, your best friend, Nabi, had different plans. Due to a slip up in her and Sunghoon’s schedules, Nabi was left without a ride. Not to mention, she miraculously forgot to return one of the two tickets to the soccer game. Safe to say, you weren’t exactly thrilled when you opened your bedroom door, only to find Nabi dawning a nervous smile, two tickets in her hand.

You and Nabi make your way to the bleachers while you physically strain yourself to not look in the golden retriever’s direction. Through your peripheral vision you were already able to spot his team, running small laps around their half of the field. Warming up for the big event. Sitting down, you close your eyes. No. You were not going to try and find Jake. You will not cave in.

Slowly, your eyes open up to the world once again. There he was, dawning a sweatband and jogging with all of his might. Mr. #5. You hated how easily you remembered his number.

Replays of the past few days reel back through your mind. Why couldn’t you forget them already? What was Jake doing to you?

“y/n?” A voice peaked in your ears. A familiar one. You glance up to see Choi Yeonjun in his sports uniform, a towel hanging from his neck. “What are you doing here?”

Sure, you were shocked to see him, but something had changed. Changed since the last time you ran into him—back at the library. There was a lack of a spark popping on your skin, a lack of flutters emitting from your stomach. Everything in your body stood flat, dormant. Yeonjun shined a smile at you, and you mirrored him. “Oh, just watching.”

“That’s good, that’s good.” A twinge of stiffness lined his voice, a hint of awkwardness. Yeonjun shoots a wink. “Make sure to cheer for me from the stands, yeah?”

Still dormant. No stomachs fluttering or faces flushing. You fake a giggle, eyes wandering. “We’ll see!”

You didn’t even notice when Yeonjun left.

Boy, did your eyes ever wander. They wandered right into the figure of Jake Sim. Your eyes watched as Jake continued to practice, effortlessly sending the ball into the air with a swift kick, his knackered appearance catching you off guard. Your body shot from its dormant state, firing up at the sight of your best friend. Your stomach fluttering; your heart racing. All of the reactions you should’ve been having with Yeonjun, were all happening in the presence of Jake Sim.

You had a crush on Jake Sim. Your best friend.

…

The golden boy should’ve been happy when he saw you walk through the bleachers, claiming a seat amidst the audience waiting to watch the soccer game. Jake was sure you were going to ditch his invitation entirely, especially after the incident in his bedroom. Hell, he wasn’t even sure if you’d speak to him ever again, not with the way you stormed out of the house. He let himself get carried away with you, it only seemed fair. Jake stole one last glance at you before resuming his warm up. The athlete ran up to the ball, sending the inflated prop flying with a swift kick before running back to the end of the line.

Jake Sim should’ve been happy to see you. So why was he so ticked off?

Choi Yeonjun. That’s why.

The beloved captain was slacking off and ditching team warm ups. All in an effort to talk to you. Jake couldn’t help but stare at the two of you, your figure now conveniently hidden behind Yeonjun’s ginormous one. The boy felt his skin light in flames, the blood just beneath boiling hot. His knuckles popped white as he tightened his fists. His jaw tightened, a vein appearing on his neck. He watched as you and Yeonjun laughed along to some stupid joke Yeonjun must’ve said.

Why the hell were you up there, and not with him.

Jake slaps both of his cheeks with his hands; a call back to reality. Who was he kidding? You probably wanted nothing to do with him anymore. The events of that afternoon said it all. Jake stood no chance with you.

After what felt like an eternity, the beloved captain finally made his way down to the field. The team coach only grumbles at the sight of this slacking captain, rolling his eyes at the behavior he's seen countless times before. In an (very poor) effort to lighten the somber mood, Yeonjun only boasts a laugh, throwing an (unwanted) arm around Jake’s shoulders. “Why the sour mood?”

“Where the hell have you been? We’ve been waiting for almost an hour!” Jake grits.

“Okay, chill out, man! I was just talking to some friends.” Yeonjun waved his hand in defense. Crossing his arms, Jake’s jaw tightened more as Yeonjun (regretfully) continued to talk. “Jesus, what’s gotten you so worked up, little man?”

Jake gritted his teeth. He never liked that nickname. Instinctively, Jake’s eyes trail up to you, sitting beside Nabi on the bleachers, paying no mind to him. Yeonjun’s curious eyes follow, an epiphany dropping onto him. “Oh I get it, you’re pissed that I made a move on y/n before you.”

Steam puffed from Jake’s ears. “Buzz off, Yeonjun.”

“So you wouldn’t mind if I just… asked y/n out after the game, right?”

The bomb finally ticked off. Within seconds, Jake grasped the soccer player by the collar, his knuckles whitening from the pressure. Jake stared Yeonjun down, a fire glinting in his eyes. A fire he’s never felt before, until it was about you. Jake practically hissed as he spoke to his senior. “Don’t even think about asking her out, asshole.”

“Oh yeah? And why should I?”

Jake couldn’t even process the whistle blowing; the indication to start the game.

“‘Cause I’m in love with her.”

…

I need to find him.

That’s what replayed in your brain as you ran down the campus hallway. Thankfully, the building was mainly empty—time had passed from the end of the game and most people had left by now, but you never saw Jake Sim leave as you waited from the stands. A quick glance through the school parking lot confirmed your suspicions too; Jake’s car was the only one still parked in its usual spot. And while you weren’t any different from most people, you were unique in the sense that you witnessed your ex-crush and current crush almost fight to the death before the game. You didn't want to jump to any conclusions, but one thing was for sure; you needed to know if Jake Sim was okay.

You run up to the boy’s locker room, finally stopping to catch your breath. Almost immediately, you hear the rush of water; the only thing uttering a sound within a 10 meter radius. You hesitate, but remember that, with Jake’s car being the only one in the barren parking lot, you were at high odds of finding him. Still, fear lines each of your steps as you tippy-toe into the tiled floor.

Fully emerging yourself into the room, your ears que into the rush of water finally stopping. After a series of rustles, with a few pauses here and there, you hear the metal clanks of a curtain being pushed. You freeze, fear churning in your core. This was anything but a good idea. Quickly, you turn around, opting to text him instead.

“y/n?”

Fuck.

You turn around, gulping at the sight of a certain shirtless figure. A towel draped over his head and a pair of joggers hugged his waist. He lifted a hand and tossed the towel around, drying his hair as he trudged to his locker. You couldn’t help but stare like a deer in headlights. Jake Sim sure knew how to make an entrance.

“Are you even allowed to be here?”

“Uh… no one caught me?”

Silence befell the two of you as Jake threw a shirt on, calming your heart down just a little bit. You clear your throat. “I, uh, saw what happened down there. Before the game.”

Jake shined a somber grin. “Yeah, figured everyone did.”

“Are you okay?”

Jake refused to look you in the eyes. “Yeah, don’t worry about it.” The athlete gathered his belongings, throwing his bag over his shoulders. “And good luck with Yeonjun. I tried my best.”

“What are you talking about?”

Jake pursed his lips. He paused before huffing a sigh, his silence holding your attention firm in its grasp. “I, uh—for the past few weeks, I’ve been trying to make you avoid him. Distract you from him so you’d lose feelings. But apparently he likes you back, so I’ll just back off. Sorry for lying to you all this time.”

You gape at the golden retriever. It all made sense now. Tutoring for math class was just a cover up. As you reach your epiphany, you notice Jake was already halfway out of the locker room, and your body dashes towards him. It was as if Jake was your puppet master, and you were a puppet pulled by his string. “Wait! Jake!”

Jake turned his head back to you, sadness pulling his frame further and further into the ground.

“I don’t like Yeonjun anymore!” You blurt out, a rush squabbling your mind. You weren’t tired from your run anymore, but you noticed how fast your heart was beating. How shallow your breaths became. How hot your skin felt, despite the cloudy weather. Only Jake Sim made you feel this way. “I-I actually like someone else, now.”

Jake cocked an eyebrow. “Who?”

“Well…” You inch forward, the gap between the two of you shrinking. You fiddle with your fingers, heat rising to your cheeks. Your stomach began to flutter the closer you got to him. “He’s very good at soccer, pretends he’s bad at math, and has the dumbest smile, ever.”

Jake’s jaw was practically grazing the ground. His limbs; frozen beyond repair. It was as if you were speaking French to him, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. You dipped your head, eyes meeting the floor. “I like you, Jake.”

The cruel hit of reality crushed your shoulders; you sounded insane. Your eyes spilled from their sockets, your airways collapsing before you could take a breath. Why on earth did you say that!? Your heartbeat was pounding in your ears, your head spinning. Fear shot down your spine as your temple sweated bullets. Instinctively, you throw up your hands and wave around like a maniac. Fanning away your lunacy as if it were smoke from a charred grill. You wince, not even bearing to watch Jake’s most definite disgusted reaction.

“Fuck—wait—did I say that out loud? I didn’t mean it in that way—or I did but—okay, uh, just pretend I didn’t say anything—”

“Shut up, dummy.”

3 words. Only 3 words were said before Jake kissed you.

It was swift; the act of slinging your figure closer to him, an arm cupping your waist tightly. Jake used his other hand to cup your face, his eyebrows furrowing in a sense of impatience. He leaned into your figure, practically dipping you like two dancers in the night. Your stomach was flipping in on itself, turning inside out each second of that breathtaking kiss. With your body practically stunned to its core, all you could do was grab onto the collar of his shirt. And did you ever grip; your knuckles growing white from the pressure. Your heart was beating rampantly, you could practically see stars spinning above you. Were you dreaming?

“I-I like you, too.” Jake barely reached a whisper as the two of you finally pulled away. It was funny, it was as if he didn’t just kiss your brain into pieces. His head dipped down, turning red and timid. “I think I liked you for a while now, I just too dumb to admit it.”

You send him a swift peck on the cheek, your grin never leaving your face. “I guess we’re just a couple of dummies, huh.”

Jake kisses you back, his grin now growing bigger and bigger. It was good to have your golden retriever back. “I guess so.”

…

“y/n I swear to god,” Jake mutters through his teeth as he stands before you, and the glaring elephant in the room; you were wearing his soccer jersey, and he had a game in T-minus 4 hours. The very stressed athlete rubbed his temples as he watched you, doing everything in your power to not give it back. Jake was swimming in a sea of frustration, and it certainly didn’t help that you looked absolutely adorable in the oversized article of clothing. “Please, just give it back?”

Like a stubborn child, you ran behind the couch, keeping your distance from your stressed boyfriend. You hugged your chest, sticking your tongue out at him before running off again. “You’re gonna have to come and get it yourself, big boy!”

“You’re really gonna test me?” Jake laid a hand on his hip, watching you run off into the kitchen.

“Come and catch me!!” You taunted him, not ready for what your boyfriend had in store.

Jake chased you further into the kitchen, cornering you between the two sides of the kitchen counter. You froze in fear, the only thing you were capable of doing was hug your chest further; hiding the jersey from Jake’s grasp. But it was no use. Jake pried open your shield in a matter of seconds, enveloping you in a tight—maybe too tight—hug. Jake snuggled into you, his face delving deep into the crevice of your neck. You were helpless, defeated. Jake sighe, the warmth of his breath clouding on the skin of your neck.

“What am I gonna do with you, sweets?”

…