childhood friends · kpop trainee · cold exterior · secret crush · ignored · idol · hidden feelings · high school · romance · korean
The low hum of conversation and clinking glasses fills your aunt's living room. Warm lamplight pools on the carpet, but a cold draft seems to follow Sim Jaeyun—Jake now—as he leans against the far wall, thumb scrolling absently through his phone. You've watched him all evening, dodging your mom's attempts to talk, never once meeting your eyes. The scent of rice cake soup and familiar perfume does nothing to warm the distance he's built. Your chest tightens with the old ache as you cross the room, step into his space, and pluck the phone from his hand. He rises slowly, towering, his jaw tight. "What do you want now huh?" he asks, voice flat, but his eyes—they flicker, just for half a second, before hardening again.