𝐌𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐌𝐄 𝐀𝐓 𝟏𝟏:𝟓𝟗! .𐬻 𝐒.𝐉𝐘 | 𝐩𝐭.𝟐
𐬿 . goldenboy!jake x dinerworker!femreader
synopsis: senior year isn’t magical for y/n—stuck between school, diner shifts, and her stepsisters’ teasing, she feels invisible to everyone except the anonymous boy she messages every night. at school, jake is the popular golden boy hiding behind expectations, only truly himself with the girl who signs off at 11:59. when they agree to meet at the winter formal, one perfect dance feels like fate—until y/n disappears before midnight, leaving jake searching for the girl who’s been right in front of him all along.
genre: romcom, fluff, angst
back to masterlist | next part
inspired by ‘a cinderella story’ (we cheered)
no plagiarizing pls | hate = blocked
reblog 4 a kiss ! ( ˘ ³˘)♥︎
contains: based in the 2000s, mild suggestive scenes (kissing, making out, skinship), cursing, adult jokes, jake is a YEARNER, reader has a bitchy stepmom + snarky stepsisters, sunoo as readers bff, basically all of enha mentioned (duh), mutual pining, angst, reader IS DOWNBAD for jake, highschool setting, mentions of character death, RAIN CONFESSIONS, happy ending !!
now playing: kiss me - sixpence none the richer, transform - daniel caesar (ft. charlotte day wilson), she will be loved - maroon 5, hear you me - jimmy eat world, dance with me - bruno mars, raindance - dave (ft. tems), letter home - childish gambino, come back - the five stairsteps, every breath you take - the police, cinderella - mac miller (ft. ty dolla $ign), any yearner song tbh
The second your bedroom door shut behind you, everything hit at once.
Not loudly, or dramatically. Just slowly, all at once, like something heavy finally collapsing after being held together for too long.
You dropped your backpack onto the floor near your desk without even bothering to unzip it. The books inside landed with a dull thud, papers crumpling somewhere between the mess of homework and loose pens stuffed into the bag.
Normally, you would’ve picked it up immediately. Jiwon hated clutter. She hated when your things were left around the house like evidence that somebody else lived there.
But right now, you didn’t care.
You barely even kicked your shoes off before collapsing face-first onto your bed.
The mattress dipped beneath you as you buried your face into the pillow, your chest tightening painfully. Your room smelled faintly like detergent and the vanilla lotion Giselle had bought you months ago because she said your room “looked like sadness.” The string lights above your desk glowed dimly against the darkening evening sky outside your window, casting soft gold across your walls.
Usually, your room was the one place you could breathe. Tonight, even that felt difficult. You groaned softly into the pillow, gripping the sheets beneath your fingers.
It was so stupid. The whole fucking thing was stupid. You were upset over a stupid high school dance. But deep down, you knew it wasn’t really about the formal.
It was about the fact that every single time you tried to ask for something for yourself, it somehow became an argument. Somehow became selfish. Somehow turned into another reminder that your life wasn’t really yours yet.
Jiwon always knew exactly what to say too. The moment you started wanting something, she found a way to make you feel guilty for it.
The diner’s understaffed.
Nobody wants someone like you there anyway.
Do you still wanna go to Columbia?
The words replayed in your head over and over until your stomach twisted. You squeezed your eyes shut tighter. Part of you hated how easily she got inside your head. Because now, even after standing your ground for the first time in your life, you still felt selfish for wanting to go.
You rolled onto your side slowly, staring blankly at the wall beside your bed. Maybe Jiwon was right. Maybe there really was no point in going.
You could already picture it too clearly. Everyone dressed beautifully. Everyone laughing with their friends while you stood awkwardly near the wall pretending you belonged there.
You could also picture Hyeji whispering something cruel to Mina and Yeseo. People staring and laughing.
You pictured Hera and Haneul cackling about how pathetic you would look, or other people who found it funny that the diner girl trying to play dress up for one night.
And now you had to tell Sunoo. That part hurt the most. Because Sunoo had been so excited about it all week. He’d practically begged you to go with him. Not because he needed a date, but because he genuinely wanted you there.
He wanted you to have fun—and that made it worse. Because now you were going to disappoint him too.
You sighed shakily and pressed your face back into the pillow. For a second, you genuinely thought you might cry.
The sound of your cellphone cut cleanly through the silence of your room.
You stayed still for a moment. Another beep followed.
Slowly, you lifted your head from the pillow and reached toward your nightstand. Your flip phone rested beside a stack of unfinished homework and a cup you forgot to bring downstairs three days ago.
You flipped the phone open tiredly.
And immediately, your expression softened.
soccerlvrr1115:
how was ur day stargirl
A quiet laugh escaped you before you could stop it. Of course it was him. It was strange how consistent he’d become in your life. No matter how horrible your day was, he always seemed to text at exactly the right moment.
You rolled onto your back, staring up at the ceiling while your fingers moved carefully across the keypad.
stargirl_0327:
it was horrible lol
soccerlvrr1115:
oh
soccerlvrr1115:
what happened ?
stargirl_0327:
my stepmoms been giving me a hard time :(( im okay though
soccerlvrr1115:
oh
soccerlvrr1115:
im sorry stargirl i rly wish there was sumthing i could do to help
soccerlvrr1115:
look on the bright side though !
soccerlvrr1115:
the formal’s tomorrow :)
You looked away from the screen for a second before typing slower this time.
stargirl_0327:
ya... i guess
You didn't know if you should tell him. The typing bubbles popped up almost immediately. Then stopped. Then appeared again.
You frowned slightly, and when his next message finally came through, your chest tightened unexpectedly.
soccerlvrr1115:
this is random but do you ever wonder what itd be like if we met
soccerlvrr1115:
like actually met
soccerlvrr1115:
maybe even at the dance
You stared at the words for a second too long.
Another message followed quickly after.
soccerlvrr1115:
i really wanna see you stargirl
soccerlvrr1115:
ur kinda been the only girl on my mind for the past few months
Your breath caught softly. Warmth spread through your chest, melting against all the heaviness that had been sitting there moments ago.
You smiled before you could stop yourself. It was ridiculous. You didn’t even know what he looked like. You didn’t know his real name.
You only knew him as soccerlvrr1115 — the mysterious boy you started telling everything to over the past several months. But even then, talking to him had become the safest part of your day.
You rolled onto your stomach again, hugging your pillow beneath your arms as you typed carefully.
stargirl_0327:
flattery only gets u so far soccer boy
stargirl_0327:
idrk if i can make it tomorrow
His response came quicker this time.
soccerlvrr1115:
aw its okay no worries
soccerlvrr1115:
we'll meet one day anyway
soccerlvrr1115:
i know it :)
You stared at the screen quietly. Something about the confidence in his words made your chest uneasy.
He genuinely believed you two would cross paths. And maybe, part of you wanted to believe it too. Your fingers hovered over the keypad for a moment before you typed again.
stargirl_0327:
what are u even dressing up as if u go
You waited only a few seconds before your phone beeped again.
soccerlvrr1115:
my friends wanted to be musketeers
soccerlvrr1115:
they told me i should be their prince apparently
soccerlvrr1115:
their idea sounds silly :/
A laugh escaped you immediately. You could practically picture him rolling his eyes while typing it.
stargirl_0327:
u probably do look exactly like a prince tho lol
There was a long pause after that one, long enough that you started smiling to yourself.
soccerlvrr1115:
being bold now, r we ?
You buried your face into the pillow with a quiet groan. Why was this making your stomach flutter?
Another message came through almost immediately.
soccerlvrr1115:
what would u wear if u happened to show up
You paused. You hadn’t even thought that far ahead, because up until now, going never felt real.
stargirl_0327:
cuz i dont even know if i can go
The typing bubbles appeared instantly.
soccerlvrr1115:
yeah but it would mean a lot if u tried
Your chest tightened softly, and you bit your lip before replying.
stargirl_0327:
i really wanna see you too
stargirl_0327:
i wanna know who soccerlvrr1115 actually is
The typing bubbles appeared again.
soccerlvrr1115:
u know, ive been thinking 4 a while
soccerlvrr1115:
and i need to get this off my chest
soccerlvrr1115:
check your email, stargirl
Slowly, you sat up from your bed and glanced toward your laptop sitting on your desk. Your stomach fluttered nervously as you walked over and flipped it open.
The old machine hummed loudly while loading. You logged into your email quickly.
You refreshed your emails for a few minutes, seeing that he sent nothing at all. But then, there it was.
From: soccerlvrr1115
Subject: for stargirl
stargirl,
i know this is probably weird because we literally talk every day already, but i wanted to write this properly instead of sending fifty tiny messages like i always do.
i think you should know that talking to you has become my favorite part of every day, seriously.
even on days where everything feels annoying or exhausting or fake, i still catch myself waiting for your messages. sometimes i log on pretending i dont care if youre online, but then you show up and suddenly my entire mood changes. its embarrassing actually. i dont think ive ever met someone who understands me the way you do. which is funny considering we technically havent even met yet.
but somehow you still know me better than most people around me in real life.
i dont know if that sounds pathetic or romantic. maybe both.
i think the first time i realized i really liked you was when we stayed online until almost three in the morning talking about constellations and terrible cafeteria food.
i remember staring at my computer screen smiling like an idiot because i didnt want the conversation to end. and ever since then, youve kinda just stayed on my mind constantly. sometimes ill see something during the day and immediately think “i need to tell stargirl about this later.”
i know we joke around a lot, but i mean this seriously: youre important to me. more important than you probably realize. i dont even care that i dont know exactly what you look like anymore.
obviously i still wanna see you eventually, but somewhere along the way, i think i just started liking you. your mind. your humor. the way you always try to act okay even when i know youre not. the way you notice things nobody else does.
you feel real. and i know this sounds insane considering we only know each other through screens and usernames, but sometimes talking to you feels more honest than talking to anyone else in my actual life.
i really wanna meet you tomorrow. i think if i saw you, id recognize you immediately somehow. i dont know how to explain it. i just would. and if you do show up, i promise i’ll find you. even if it takes the whole night. so please try to come, okay? i really want to finally meet my stargirl.
— soccerlvrr1115
Your heart suddenly sped up. And the moment you started reading, your chest tightened. Because it wasn’t just a message. It was a love letter. A real one.
Long paragraphs filled with thoughts he’d apparently been holding onto for months.
You stared at the screen for a long moment after finishing. Your room was quiet again. But everything inside you felt different now.
The hopeless feeling from earlier had started fading slowly, replaced with something warmer, something... stronger. You looked toward your closet across the room.
Then toward your phone sitting beside the laptop. Toward his messages. Toward the letter still glowing softly on the screen.
And for the first time—you didn’t care what Jiwon said anymore. For the first time in a long time, you wanted something badly enough to fight for it. It gave you a motivation you've never felt before.
Now you had to go to that formal. You just had to.
Saturday felt strange from the moment you woke up.
The kind of strange where everything felt too quiet, too tense, like the entire day was balancing on the edge of something important. Even the sunlight pouring through your bedroom curtains looked softer than usual, pale gold spilling across your blankets and illuminating the mess scattered around your room.
Your school sweater hung over your desk chair. Loose homework papers sat untouched near your laptop. The email from soccerlvrr1115 was still open on the screen from the night before, because you reread it at least six times before falling asleep.
And that made everything worse—because now the formal didn’t just feel like some silly high school event anymore. It wasn’t just about Sunoo begging you to go or finally getting one night to feel normal.
Now there was a person waiting for you there. Somebody who genuinely wanted to meet you. Somebody who had surprisingly become one of the most important parts of your life without ever seeing your face.
Your chest tightened at the thought.
You rolled over in bed and stared at your ceiling for a long moment, exhaustion sitting heavily in your bones despite the fact that you’d technically slept. Downstairs, you could faintly hear cabinets opening and closing in the kitchen. Jiwon was already awake.
Immediately, the dread returned. Because reality always came back eventually. The formal was tonight. And as far as Jiwon was concerned, you weren’t going.
You pressed the heels of your palms against your eyes and let out a slow breath.
Maybe it was better not to think about it. Maybe if you stopped imagining the dance, stopped imagining what soccerlvrr1115 looked like, stopped imagining what it would feel like to finally meet him, it wouldn’t hurt so much.
But even as you tried convincing yourself of that, your flip phone beeped beside you.
giselle:
hey biotch im kidnapping you today
giselle:
be ready in 20 ;)
A laugh escaped you before you could stop it. That was the thing about Giselle. Even on your worst days, she somehow found a way to make things feel lighter.
An hour later, you sat curled into the corner of Giselle’s couch while soft music played quietly from somewhere deeper in the house.
Her home always felt warm in a way yours never did.
People actually laughed here. People could talk without walking on eggshells. There were blankets thrown carelessly over couches, candles burning in random corners of rooms, half-finished mugs of coffee abandoned on countertops because nobody was scared of leaving things around.
You sat with your knees tucked against your chest while Sunoo occupied the other end of the couch dramatically, one leg hanging over the armrest while he flipped through television channels with zero interest in any of them.
Giselle emerged from the kitchen balancing three iced coffees in her hands. “There,” she sighed while handing one to you. “temporary emotional support.”
You laughed softly and accepted it.
Sunoo took his drink immediately. “Oh my god,” he said after one sip. “I would actually die for you.”
“I know,” Giselle replied casually. “Everybody does.”
You smiled faintly into your cup. For a little while, things felt normal. The three of you sat together while some random movie played in the background, sunlight spilling lazily across the hardwood floors while the smell of vanilla candles lingered softly through the house.
It almost made you forget about tonight. Almost. Then Giselle suddenly looked over at you. “So,” she said. “give me a life update.”
You groaned immediately. “No.”
“Yes,” she replied firmly. “you disappeared into your own thoughts again. I can literally see it happening.”
Sunoo pointed at you dramatically. “She gets this look.”
“You do,” both of them said at the same time.
You rolled your eyes and sank deeper into the couch cushions. “There’s nothing to update you guys on,” you muttered. “It’s the same stuff.”
You sighed. “School, work. Oh, and don't forget about Jiwon or the twins, who do their usual bullshits to make things harder for me.”
Giselle scoffed loudly. “That hag needs psychological evaluation.”
“Better yet, prison time,” Sunoo added.
You laughed despite yourself. And for a second, things felt easy again.
Until Sunoo suddenly sat upright. “Oh my god, I almost forgot!” Sunoo looked directly at you. “We literally have the formal tonight.”
The room went silent. Your grip tightened slightly around your coffee cup. Because somehow, despite all the stress and disappointment and trying not to think about it, you still hadn’t told him. You hadn’t told Sunoo you weren’t allowed to go.
The excitement slowly disappeared from his face when he noticed your expression. “…Hold on.”
Giselle immediately looked between both of you. “What?” she asked slowly. “Why do you guys suddenly look like somebody died?”
You stared down at your drink. Sunoo already knew. You could tell.
He leaned forward slightly. “Y/N,” he said carefully.
You sighed quietly. “Jiwon's making me work tonight.”
Sunoo blinked. “For the diner?”
You nodded slowly. “And she basically told me I’m not allowed to go.”
The silence afterward felt heavy. Giselle’s expression flattened almost instantly. “You’re joking.”
You shook your head weakly. “She said the diner’s understaffed,” you muttered. “And that there’s no point in me going anyway.”
Sunoo stared at you like he genuinely couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “And you just.. what? Accepted that?”
Your chest tightened. “What am I supposed to do?” you asked quietly. The frustration in your own voice surprised even you. Because the truth was, you didn’t know anymore. You were tired, so unbelievably tired.
Tired of fighting Jiwon over every little thing. Tired of feeling guilty every time you wanted something for yourself. Tired of being reminded that your dreams somehow always came second to everybody else’s needs.
Giselle suddenly sat forward on the couch. “You know what? Hell no,” she said firmly.
You looked up at her incredulously.. “No?”
“Hell. No.” she repeated. “Absolutely not!”
Something in her expression had changed now. She looked angry, like she was the one who had been affected.
“That bitch,” she muttered under her breath.
“No,” she interrupted sharply. “this is getting ridiculous.” She stood up from the couch so abruptly that Sunoo jumped slightly. “You cannot keep letting Jiwon walk all over you like this!”
You immediately looked away. Because hearing somebody else say it out loud made you shift uncomfortably.
Sunoo nodded beside you. “She’s definitely right.”
You sighed softly. “No one wins with Jiwon anyway.”
You looked at him tiredly.
Sunoo’s expression softened immediately. “Y/N,” he said gently, “you’ve always dreamed about something bigger than this.”
Your throat tightened at his words.
“You talk about Columbia like it’s your escape plan,” he continued. “You wanna leave this town. You wanna actually live your life.”
He frowned. “So why won’t you fight for it?”
You stared down at your hands.
Because in all honesty? You didn’t know. Maybe after years of Jiwon controlling everything, fighting back stopped feeling possible. Somewhere along the way, you’d convinced yourself that surviving was the same thing as living.
“I don’t know what to do,” you admitted quietly.
The room went silent for a moment.
Then—Giselle suddenly smirked. “I know exactly what to do,” Giselle announced proudly.
You blinked at her. “What?”
She pointed directly at you. “You go to that dance.”
You shook your head immediately. “Giselle—”
“Nope,” she interrupted. Then she turned toward Sunoo. “It’s a Halloween dance, right?”
Sunoo nodded slowly. “…Yeah?”
Giselle snapped her fingers. “Perfect.”
Before either of you could ask what she meant, she disappeared down the hallway. You exchanged a confused glance with Sunoo.
“What is she doing?” you whispered.
Sunoo shrugged. “She either found a solution,” he said carefully, “or we’re about to do something extremely stupid.”
A few minutes later, Giselle returned. Dragging a massive white box in her arms.
Your eyebrows lifted immediately. “What is that?”
Giselle dropped it dramatically onto the coffee table before brushing hair from her face. “Your costume, duhh,” she said, as if the answer wasn't already obvious.
Sunoo gasped, walking over to where Giselle was. “Oh my...”
You stared at both of them suspiciously, eyes narrowed. “You guys are being sketchy.”
Giselle ignored you entirely and slowly lifted the lid off the box. And the moment you saw what was inside—your breath caught.
A dress. A beautiful, white dress, folded carefully between layers of tissue paper.
It looked unreal. Soft satin fabric spilled elegantly over the sides of the box while delicate lace detailing shimmered faintly beneath the living room light. The dress looked expensive in a way that made your stomach twist immediately.
Like something rich girls wore in movies. Like something somebody like you wasn’t supposed to touch. Giselle carefully lifted it from the box.
The skirt flowed beautifully as she held it up. And for a moment, you genuinely forgot how to speak.
Sunoo’s jaw literally dropped open. “Okay wait,” he breathed. “That is insane.”
You stared wide-eyed. “Giselle…”
Her expression softened. “It’ll look prettier on you.”
Immediately, you shook your head. “No,” you said quickly. “no, no, I can't take this.”
Giselle frowned. “Why not?”
“Because look at it,” you said helplessly. “Where did you even get something like this?”
Something flickered briefly across Giselle’s face then. Not sadness exactly. Something quieter.
She looked down at the dress for a moment before shrugging lightly. “I guess I was saving it,” she admitted softly, “for what was supposed to be a happily ever after.”
The room quieted. Even Sunoo stopped joking.
Then Giselle sighed dramatically and waved the moment away. “Anyway,” she said quickly. “turns out men are annoying, so now the dress belongs to you.”
You laughed softly despite yourself.
Sunoo nodded seriously. “She’s right. The dress deserves a better love story.”
Then all of a sudden, Sunoo reached into the bag sitting beside him. “And,” he announced proudly, “if you’re gonna be my friend-date—”
He pulled out a white masquerade mask trimmed delicately with lace. It matched the dress quite perfectly.
Your eyes widened. “Sunoo…”
He grinned. “I’m doing masquerade prince vibes,” he explained proudly. “So obviously we have to match!”
You stared between the mask and the dress. And for the first time all day—hope flickered inside your chest.
Then reality hit again. “Wait, but what about Jiwon?”
Giselle rolled her eyes so hard it was almost impressive. “Oh my god. Leave that bitch Jiwon to me.”
Giselle sat beside you now, her voice gentler. “I’ll handle her,” she promised. “I can cover your shift long enough to get you out of the house, and by the time she notices, you’ll already be gone.”
You stared at her. “She’ll freak out.”
“She freaks out recreationally,” Sunoo muttered.
You snorted. But your hesitation still lingered. Because this felt impossible.. too good to be real.
“But eventually she’ll notice,” you said quietly. “What if she calls the diner?”
Giselle waved a dismissive hand immediately. “She won’t.”
“Because Jiwon’s lazy,” Giselle replied bluntly. “She likes controlling people, not actually checking up on things herself.”
But Giselle leaned forward again, her tone gentler now. “Listen carefully, okay?” she said. “You just need to be smart about it.”
You looked at her nervously. Giselle pointed toward you dramatically like she was outlining a heist plan. “You go to the formal. You stay until before midnight. Then you leave, head back to the diner, and clock in for the rest of the shift.”
Your eyebrows lifted slightly. “What?”
“That way,” Giselle explained, “if Jiwon checks later, you’d already be there working, like nothing happened.”
Sunoo’s eyes widened. “Oh wait,” he said. “That’s actually genius.”
Giselle flipped her hair proudly. “I know.”
You stared at her for a moment, processing the plan slowly. “So… it’ll look like I worked the whole night?”
“Exactly,” Giselle said. “You won’t get caught sneaking around, and Jiwon won’t suspect anything.”
Your stomach fluttered nervously. The plan sounded possible, actually possible. And that made everything feel even scarier—because now you didn’t really have an excuse anymore.
You looked down at the white dress spread carefully across your lap, fingers brushing lightly over the satin fabric. It was so soft it barely felt real beneath your fingertips. You couldn’t imagine yourself wearing something this beautiful. Couldn’t imagine walking into a room full of people and not immediately wanting to disappear.
And yet—part of you wanted it so badly your chest hurt.
Giselle reached over and squeezed your hand gently. “You’ve done so much for everybody else,” she said softly. “Let us help you for once.”
Your chest tightened so painfully. Because nobody had ever said that to you. No one had ever looked at you like your happiness mattered too. You looked between your to bestest friends, with hopeful looks on their face. Then, you bring them both in for a hug, clutching onto them tightly. They hugged back instantly.
"Thank you," you whispered.
And slowly—the hopeless feeling inside your chest began fading away.
Maybe Jiwon wasn’t impossible after all. Maybe for once—
You could choose yourself.
now playing: kiss me by sixpence none the richer
By the time you and Sunoo finally arrived at the formal, the sky outside had already gone completely dark.
Everything had gone wrong trying to get there. First, sneaking out of the house had been nearly impossible.
Giselle had managed to distract Jiwon downstairs long enough for you to slip into the guest bathroom and change, but the second you stepped into the white dress, panic hit you immediately.
The thing was huge. Beautiful, but huge. Layers of satin and soft fabric spilled around your legs every time you moved, making it nearly impossible to walk quietly through the house.
You’d nearly fallen down the stairs.
Sunoo, meanwhile, had taken an absurd amount of time getting ready. Apparently the “masquerade prince” costume he had prepared for himself required an unhealthy amount of hair product.
“You do realize no guy has ever took that much time to get ready, right?” you’d whispered aggressively while hiding behind the front door as he fixed his hair in the reflection of the hallway mirror for the tenth time.
Sunoo gasped dramatically. “That is a horrible thing to say to somebody wearing velvet.”
Now, nearly forty minutes later than everyone else, the two of you hurried across the parking lot toward the ballroom venue while cold October wind brushed against your bare shoulders.
Because somewhere between leaving the house and getting out of your car, you’d panicked and stolen his cape.
The long royal-colored fabric was wrapped around most of your figure now, hiding the dress underneath almost entirely while you clutched the edges tightly against yourself.
Sunoo looked personally offended every time he glanced at you.
“You cannot keep hiding this dress,” he complained while the two of you walked toward the entrance. “you should know, you look gorgeous, Y/N!”
You shot him a nervous look. “Do you know how terrifying this is for me?”
Sunoo softened slightly at that, the teasing expression faded from his face as he looked at you carefully. “You okay?”
You laughed nervously. “Hell no.”
That earned a small smile from him. Sunoo knew you too well to push immediately.
The music from inside the ballroom echoed faintly through the large doors ahead while groups of students laughed nearby, taking pictures underneath strings of orange lights and fake cobweb decorations.
Your breath caught, and without even checking, you already knew who it was.
Sunoo noticed your expression immediately. “Oh my gosh,” he gasped dramatically. “is that who I think it is?”
You rolled your eyes while pulling your phone from your clutch. “It’s not like that.”
“It’s exactly like that.” Sunoo says, smirking.
Ignoring him, you looked down at the screen.
soccerlvrr1115:
hey stargirl. you still coming?
Despite your nerves, you smiled. Your fingers hovered over the keypad for a second before typing back quickly.
stargirl_0327:
ya im actually going ^^
stargirl_0327:
im just a tad late
The reply came almost immediately.
soccerlvrr1115:
how am i supposed to find u ?
You paused, then slowly, you typed—
stargirl_0327:
you’ll know it when u see it :)
Sunoo peeked over your shoulder immediately. His mouth dropped open dramatically. “Oh, well that was smooth.”
You shoved your phone back into your clutch instantly. “Mind your business, will you?”
It was crazy, really. That tiny interaction between you and your online friend settled your nerves just enough to finally move toward the entrance.
The ballroom doors opened almost immediately once you stepped inside. The place was breathtaking to look at.
The entire ballroom glowed gold beneath enormous chandeliers hanging overhead. White drapery flowed elegantly along the ceilings while fake candlelight flickered softly around the room.
Halloween decorations blended surprisingly beautifully with the formal atmosphere—black roses, gold masks, strings of warm lights wrapped around pillars.
Music echoed across the polished dance floor while students crowded together laughing, dancing, and taking photos near the staircase entrance.
For a moment, you just stared, because you’d never been anywhere like this before.
But then, panic came rushing back. “Oh my god,” you whispered. “There’s so many fucking people.”
Sunoo glanced at you before immediately noticing how tightly you were still holding his cape around yourself.
“You haven’t even walked in properly yet,” Sunoo stepped in front of you suddenly. “Come on, you need to take this cape off.”
Your eyes widened immediately. “No!”
Sunoo groaned loudly. “You know normal people want to look good at dances, right?”
You swallowed nervously. You didn’t know how to explain this feeling to him. The fear of being perceived—the fear of people looking too long and realizing it was you, underneath all this satin and lace. The fear that the second they recognized you, the illusion would shatter.
You still hadn’t even put your lace mask on yet. It rested nervously between your fingers while you avoided looking directly at the crowd ahead.
Sunoo noticed immediately, and without warning, he gently took the mask from your hands.
You blinked. “What are you doing?”
Before you could protest, he carefully lifted the delicate white lace mask toward your face, tying it securely behind your head before adjusting it gently.
The soft lace rested perfectly against your skin. Sunoo stepped back proudly. “There.”
You looked at him nervously. “I still feel ridiculous.”
His expression softened almost instantly. “Look. Tonight, you aren’t the Y/N people know of because you work at the diner,” he said quietly. “you’re a beautiful girl, at a dance, looking to have a good time.”
Your chest filled with warmth. Sunoo had a way with words, and that was one of the reasons you had confided in him so much. He knew exactly what to say to calm you down. You looked away quickly before he could notice how emotional that made you.
Then reluctantly—you loosened your grip on the cape.
The cool air brushed softly against your bare shoulders as you slipped it off carefully and handed it back to Sunoo.
And the second he saw the full dress again his eyes widened. “Whoa.”
You immediately looked down. “Don’t.”
“No seriously,” he said softly. “Y/N.”
You glanced back up. Sunoo stared at you in complete admiration. The white satin hugged your figure beautifully while delicate lace traced along your neckline and sleeves. The skirt flowed elegantly around your legs, catching golden light every time you shifted.
“It really does suit you,” he admitted quietly.
Warmth quickly rushed to your ears. Before you could respond, Sunoo suddenly smiled mischievously. “Okay!” he announced. “I’m going down first.”
You blinked. “Wait—what?”
“You need a dramatic entrance, so I’m giving you one.”
Before you could argue, Sunoo had already descended the ballroom staircase confidently, prince cape flowing dramatically behind him, leaving you standing there alone at the top.
Below, the ballroom stretched endlessly beneath glowing chandeliers and moving crowds.
You suddenly couldn’t breathe properly. Then Sunoo looked back up at you from the bottom of the staircase, and smiled reassuringly.
You inhaled slowly, and took one step, then another.
The satin skirt pooled softly around your feet as you carefully lifted the front of the dress slightly to avoid tripping down the stairs.
Slowly—the room quieted. You could feel your stomach dropping instantly, because people were staring, actually staring, at you.
Whispers spread softly through the crowd.
Haneul and Hera were just by the tables, when they see you, coming in. They were both wearing a ridiculous banana costume, and you were just.. there, stealing their spotlight from them. You could feel their icy glare.
By this point, you wanted the floor to swallow you whole.
Across the ballroom, Jake had been laughing with Sunghoon, Jungwon, and Riki near the refreshment table. His prince costume made him look divine, catching everyone's eyes.
He wore a dark royal jacket. gold embroidery paired with white gloves.
Riki had spent most of the night calling him “Your Highness” just to be annoying. Jake had been mid-laugh at something Jungwon said when movement near the staircase caught his eye.
He turned absentmindedly, then froze completely. Because standing at the top of the staircase was the most gorgeous girl he’d ever seen.
White satin shimmered beneath the ballroom lights while lace framed the delicate masquerade mask covering the upper half of her face. The dress flowed around her like something straight out of a fairytale.
Jake genuinely forgot how to function for a second. Because something about her felt... familiar. He couldn't label it.
“That girl's costume is pretty,” Riki muttered beside him.
Jake barely heard him, because the second she looked up—their eyes met. And suddenly the entire ballroom disappeared around him.
Meanwhile, your heart nearly stopped the second you realized Jake Sim was staring directly at you. It wasn't casually staring either. He'd gone completely frozen, like he forgot where he was.
Heat rushed into your face and you looked away immediately, ears burning beneath your hair. Why was he looking at you like that?
You hurried toward Sunoo through the crowd, heartbeat pounding painfully against your ribs. “Oh my fucking god,” you whispered once you reached him. "I didn't expect for so many people to be staring.”
“Because you look hot,” Sunoo replied simply.
You glared at him. “Be serious, Sun.”
Before you could answer, Sunoo suddenly pointed toward the refreshment table. “I’m gonna get a drink,” he cheerfully announced.
Your eyes widened. “What? No—”
Then he disappeared into the crowd before you could stop him, leaving you awkwardly standing alone near the edge of the dance floor.
Immediately, panic returned. You stood there clutching your tiny purse nervously while slow music echoed softly across the ballroom.
You had absolutely no idea what to do. Then—a guy approached you, and you stiffened.
“Hi,” he said nervously, looking at you with awe. “You look really beautiful tonight, whoever you are.”
Your stomach sank. Please, please, please don’t let this be soccerlvrr1115.
“Um, thanks,” you answered politely.
The guy rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “So uh… do you maybe wanna dance?”
Panic immediately flooded your mind, because what the hell were you even supposed to say?
You opened your mouth awkwardly. “Oh, I—”
"Hey man, she's with me,” A voice came from beside you.
He stood beside you now, one hand shoved casually into his pocket while his eyes remained fixed on the guy in front of you. You didn't even notice he was approaching you.
Jake nodded toward him slightly. "I got it from here."
The guy looked between both of you before rolling his eyes. “Whatever,” he muttered. “she wasn’t worth it anyway.”
Your eyebrows furrowed immediately. Jake’s jaw tightened slightly as the guy walked away into the crowd.
Then, silence settled between the two of you. Your heart started pounding so violently, you could hear it in your ears. Because Jake was now looking directly at you.
Close enough that you could actually see the details of his costume. Gold embroidery traced along the edges of his jacket while his dark hair fell slightly over his forehead beneath the ballroom lights.
Jake hesitated for a second, then quietly asked—“…Stargirl?”
It takes a moment for you to register, but when you do, you feel your heart drop.
Jake Sim.. was soccerlvrr1115.
The same Jake who everyone adored and loved, the same Jake who always looked at you with pity.
Why did the hell did it have to be him?
Your thoughts spiraled. This would be dangerous, complicated, and messy if you weren't careful around him.
But then—you realized something.
Jake still didn’t recognize you.
Maybe it was the mask, or the dress, or maybe because the actual Y/N would never dare to wear something like this.
You stared at him in disbelief. “…Jake Sim,” you breathed. “you’re soccer lover??”
Jake nodded slowly. Then held his hand out toward you carefully. “Wanna go somewhere else?"
You hesitated. Every logical thought in your brain screamed no. Reluctantly—you nodded.
Jake smiled softly before taking your hand gently, and immediately, warmth spread through your chest. He led you carefully through the ballroom crowd toward the garden doors outside. While walking, your eyes briefly caught Hyeji standing near the dance floor.
And the second she saw Jake holding your hand—her expression darkened completely. She wore a simple angel costume, but she was the complete opposite of one.
The red solo cup in her hand crushed slightly beneath her grip. Your stomach twisted and you quickly looked away.
Now you had Hyeji to deal with.
Outside, the cool night air wrapped around you softly. The garden behind the ballroom was lit beautifully with hanging lanterns and tiny fairy lights woven through bushes and trees. Music from inside echoed faintly through the open doors while couples wandered quietly along stone pathways nearby.
Jake was still holding your hand, and neither of you bothered to let go. He looked over at you, smiling softly in disbelief. “You actually came.”
Your chest fluttered. “You did ask me to come.”
Jake laughed quietly. “And here I was, starting to think you weren’t gonna show.”
He tilted his head slightly, studying you. “Why the mask?”
You hesitated. “I didn’t want so much attention, I guess."
Jake looked at you for a moment longer. Then smiled softly. “Well,” he admitted, “that definitely failed. didn't it?”
Then, after a small pause, Jake asked quietly—“Would you like to dance with me?”
You nod slowly, and Jake stepped closer carefully, one hand settling gently against your waist while your hand rested lightly against his shoulder.
And as the distant music drifted softly through the night air—you realized this was the closest you’d ever been to him.
You could hear the music even from outside in the garden now, the bass muffled through the ballroom walls while laughter spilled through the open doors every few seconds.
Somewhere inside, people were screaming over some song the DJ had just switched to. The fairy lights strung across the garden trees glowed softly against the dark night sky, flickering gold whenever the wind stirred the branches.
And for some reason, standing out there beside Jake, everything felt quieter, like the world had narrowed down into this one tiny moment.
Your hand still rested against his shoulder while his hand stayed carefully at your waist, warm even through the layers of satin and lace. He was taller up close than you remembered. Taller than he looked in school hallways surrounded by soccer teammates and noisy crowds. Out here, away from everybody else, he didn’t feel like the untouchable golden boy everyone stared at.
He just felt like Jake. The boy who stayed up until two in the morning asking you what your favorite constellation was. The boy who sent you dumb messages during class about how cafeteria mashed potatoes looked radioactive. The boy who somehow listened better than anybody else in your life.
It made your chest ache in the strangest way.
Jake looked down at you carefully, almost like he still couldn’t fully believe you were real. “You know,” he said quietly, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, “I had like… fifty different ideas in my head about what you’d look like.”
"Oh god," You laughed softly before looking away.
"I'm serious," He smiled.
Jake held you carefully, almost cautiously, like he was scared this entire moment would disappear if he moved too fast. He looked unfairly beautiful tonight.
The dark prince jacket fit him perfectly, gold detailing catching softly beneath the garden lights while strands of dark hair fell messily over his forehead. Without the noise of school surrounding him, without Hyeji hanging off his arm or his teammates crowding around him, Jake felt… different.
The two of you swayed slowly beneath the lantern lights while music drifted softly from inside the ballroom. For a while, neither of you spoke. Not because it was awkward—but because somehow, the silence itself felt intimate.
Jake looked down at you carefully, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “You know,” he said softly, “I still can’t believe you’re real.”
You looked away shyly. “That sounds a little dramatic.”
“It is dramatic,” Jake admitted with a laugh. “But you have to understand something.”
He tilted his head slightly, eyes still fixed on you. “For months, you’ve basically just existed in my phone.”
A laugh escaped you quietly. “That sounds kind of creepy when you say it like that.”
Jake grinned. “Okay, fair.”
The sound of his laughter settled warmly inside your chest. It was strange. You’d imagined meeting soccerlvrr1115 so many times before, but somehow this felt nothing like you expected.
It felt quieter, more honest.
Jake’s expression softened slightly as he looked at you again. “I feel like I pictured meeting you wrong.”
Your brows lifted. “What do you mean?”
“I thought it’d be awkward.”
You laughed softly. “Well I think this is a little awkward.”
“No, no,” he said immediately. “not in like... a bad way.”
His thumb shifted slightly against your waist unconsciously. “It feels…” He hesitated for a second before laughing under his breath. “I don’t know. Familiar.”
Your chest tightened. Because you felt it too. That terrifying sense of familiarity, like you’d known him longer than you actually had.
Jake looked down briefly before speaking again. “You know what’s weird?”
“You’re quieter in person.”
You scoffed softly. “It's not like I'm loud online.”
Jake gave you a look. “You sent me fourteen messages once because you were partnered up with some weirdo in biology.”
Jake laughed again, head tilting back slightly. “Oh my god, you’re serious.”
“You don’t understand,” you defended dramatically. “that teacher definitely had it out for me when she paired me with that guy.”
Jake shook his head, still smiling. “There she is.”
Your breath caught a little bit. You couldn’t really grasp at the fact how easily Jake recognized you even without knowing who you really were.
But then that realization made your stomach twist. Because Jake didn’t know. He didn’t know the girl he spent months talking to online was the same girl people bullied in school hallways, the girl who worked herself exhausted every single day.
You weren’t sure what would happen when he found out. The thought sat heavily in your chest.
Jake must’ve noticed your expression shift because his smile faded slightly. “What?”
You blinked quickly. “Oh, it's nothing.”
You laughed nervously. “You're so observant.”
Jake’s gaze stayed on you carefully. “I kinda have to be when it comes to you.”
Your heartbeat stumbled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He smiled faintly. “I can never seem to figure you out,”
You didn't say anything about that. If only he knew. You looked away toward the glowing ballroom windows instead. Couples moved across the dance floor inside while colored lights flickered softly against the glass.
Jake’s voice softened. "You know what I like about you?" He asks.
You looked back at him slowly. “What?”
"Whenever I talk to you," he pauses. "I don't need to pretend, or anything. Talking to you made me comfortable just being myself." The sincerity in his voice nearly hurt.
You swallowed hard. You were never that type of person to someone, until Jake.
People only noticed when you were useful, or when you worked hard.
But Jake—Jake noticed the parts of you nobody else paid attention to. And that scared you more than anything.
You laughed quietly to break the tension. "You really feel that way about me?"
“Yeah,” he admitted softly. “I do.”
The honesty in his voice caught you off guard. Jake looked away briefly toward the garden fountain before speaking again. “At school, it’s like…” He exhaled slowly. “I don’t know. Everybody expects something from me all the time.”
Your brows furrowed slightly. “What do you mean?”
Jake shrugged awkwardly. “Soccer. Grades. Friends. Hyeji.” He laughed quietly, though it sounded tired this time. “Sometimes it feels like people only like the version of me that’s useful to them.”
The words hit you harder than they should have. Because you understood that feeling far too well.
Jake glanced back at you, voice quieter now. “But with you…” He hesitated. “I don’t really feel like I have to pretend.”
Your chest tightened again. The garden suddenly felt too small. Without realizing it, the two of you had stopped dancing entirely. You were just standing there now, close enough to hear each other breathe.
You looked up at him carefully. “No one’s ever understood me the way you do.” You don't even notice the words slipping out before you could stop them.
Jake froze slightly. And for a second, neither of you spoke. The cold night air brushed softly against your skin while fairy lights flickered above the two of you.
Jake looked at you like the rest of the world had disappeared. Then quietly—"Yeah,” he admitted. “I think you’re the only person that really gets me too.”
Your heart ached, because you wanted this so badly. You wanted this version of Jake to be real.
Not the popular golden boy everyone chased after. Just this—the boy standing in front of you now beneath fairy lights, looking at you like you hung the moon.
Jake smiled softly then. “You know what’s funny?”
“I thought meeting you would make things less confusing.”
You laughed quietly. “And?”
Warmth spread into your cheeks.
Jake’s eyes stayed fixed on your face. “I mean,” he muttered softly. “you’re prettier than I imagined.”
Your stomach flipped. "Jake—”
The way he looked at you made your knees weak. Not because he looked impressed. Because he looked sincere. Like he genuinely meant every word.
Jake lifted one hand slowly toward your face. You stopped breathing entirely. His fingers brushed lightly against your cheek, careful and warm beneath the lace edge of your mask.
“You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen tonight,” he said quietly.
Nobody had ever looked at you like this before, like you were something precious, something worth being gentle with.
Jake’s gaze dropped briefly toward the lace mask covering half your face. Then back to your eyes.
And softly, he asks—“Can I take it off?”
You froze, and Jake’s hand lingered carefully near your cheek.
Panic seeped into your chest, because this was it. The second the mask came off, everything would change.
A newfound fear gnawed into you, that Jake would realize who you actually were. And suddenly, this entirely beautiful moment would become very complicated.
Your mouth parted slightly as you searched desperately for something to say. But suddenly—your cellphone began beeping wildly inside your clutch. Both of you jumped, startled.
You blinked quickly before pulling away from Jake just enough to grab your phone. The screen lit up immediately.
Your heart sank. Holy shit, you thought.
You had forgotten about the plan. You had to be back at the diner before midnight, before Jiwon saw that you weren't. Your breathing immediately turned uneven as panic rushed through your body all at once.
Jake noticed instantly. “What happened?”
You looked up at him, horrified. “I have to go.”
Jake blinked in confusion. “What?”
“I have to leave.” You stepped backward quickly, already clutching the front of your dress anxiously.
Jake’s brows furrowed immediately. “Wait what?—Why?”
You shook your head desperately. “I just—I don’t have anymore time to—“ you paused, taking a shaky breath. “I’m really sorry, Jake, but I can’t stay here any longer.”
Confusion flashed across his face. “But I don't even know your real name—”
“I’m sorry,” you repeated breathlessly. Your heartbeat pounded violently now. You had maybe thirty minutes to get back to the diner before Jiwon realized anything was wrong.
Jake stepped toward you again, grasping onto your wrist carefully. “Will I see you again?”
The question nearly broke your heart. Because you didn’t have an answer to that. You don't know what will happen after tonight.
“I…” You swallowed hard. “I don’t know.”
Jake’s expression fell slightly. Staying here became dangerously tempting. But you couldn’t, you physically couldn’t.
So before you could change your mind—you pulled away from him as turned and ran.
“Wait!” Jake called immediately.
You gathered the front of your dress in both hands and rushed toward the ballroom doors as fast as possible.
Behind you, you could hear Jake following. “Stargirl!”
Your heart pounded wildly. The second you burst back inside the ballroom, noise swallowed you whole again. Music blasted through the speakers while students crowded the dance floor beneath flashing lights.
You shoved your way through the crowd desperately. “Sorry—sorry—excuse me—” Your dress snagged against someone’s costume briefly before you yanked it free.
Then suddenly—you collided directly into somebody.
Cold liquid splashed everywhere.
Red punch soaked across the front of her costume while she stared at you in absolute disbelief.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry—”
“Are you insane?” Hyeji snapped immediately.
You backed away quickly. “I didn’t mean to—”
Before you could answer, Jake suddenly pushed through the crowd behind you. “Wait!”
He accidentally bumped into Hyeji’s shoulder trying to reach you. Hyeji’s eyes widened immediately. “Jake?”
She grabbed onto his arm quickly. “What the hell is wrong with you tonight?!”
Jake looked frustrated now, eyes still searching desperately for you through the crowd. “Hyeji, not now.”
“Who even is she?” Hyeji demanded angrily.
Jake pulled his arm away immediately. “I said not now.”
The sharpness in his voice startled even you. But you didn’t stay long enough to watch the argument.
Because across the ballroom—you spotted Sunoo near the drinks table.
You rushed toward him immediately. “Sunoo!”
He turned, eyes widening instantly at your expression. “What happened?”
Sunoo quickly realized, panic forming on his face. “Shit, is it almost midnight?”
Sunoo didn’t even question it. He grabbed your hand to let you drag him through the crowd toward the ballroom exit. The cold night air hit your skin hard once you burst outside again. Your breathing felt uneven while panic still clawed violently through your chest.
Sunoo looked at you carefully while the two of you hurried toward the parking lot. “Y/N,” he said cautiously. “What happened?”
You shook your head quickly. “I’ll explain later.”
The parking lot lights reflected against your dress while your heels clicked frantically against the pavement. Behind you, the ballroom doors burst open again. It was Jake.
Your heart nearly stopped.
You immediately turned toward Sunoo and shoved your car keys into his hands. “Drive, Sunoo!”
Sunoo stared down at the car keys you shoved into his hands like he’d just been drafted into war. “What the fuck did you do?” he whisper-yelled while fumbling to unlock the car.
“You always say that before something horrible happens.”
Behind you, Jake’s voice echoed again through the parking lot. “Wait, please!”
Your pulse skyrocketed instantly. “Please just hurry the hell up!”
“I’m trying!” Sunoo nearly tripped over the edge of his prince cape while yanking the driver-side door open. The second both of you climbed inside, he jammed the key into the ignition aggressively.
The engine roared to life. You twisted around immediately in your seat. Jake had just reached the parking lot. And even from this far away, you could see the confusion written all over his face, and the hurt too.
Your chest twisted painfully. For a second, the two of you just looked at each other through the windshield.
Jake stood there breathing hard from chasing after you, dark hair messy beneath the parking lot lights while students spilled out of the ballroom behind him. His eyes searched desperately through the car windows, trying to see you properly before you disappeared again.
And of course—you hated yourself for leaving him like this.
Sunoo abruptly slammed his foot onto the gas. The car jerked forward hard enough to send you back against the seat.
“We are in escape mode right now,” Sunoo said firmly. “Seatbelts later.”
The ballroom disappeared behind you quickly as Sunoo sped out of the parking lot. For a few seconds, neither of you spoke.
Your breathing still hadn’t stabilized. Your hands shook violently in your lap while your mind replayed everything over and over again, with Jake’s face when he asked if he’d see you again.
The way he said you were beautiful like he genuinely meant it.
And worst of all—he still didn’t know it was you.
“Okay,” Sunoo said finally while gripping the steering wheel tightly. “can you explain why Jake was chasing after us?”
You leaned your head back against the seat dramatically. “He’s soccerlvrr1115.”
Sunoo nearly swerved. “WHAT?—”
“The penpal,” you whispered frantically. “It’s Jake.”
Sunoo looked at you in complete disbelief. “Jake Sim?!”
“How many Jake Sims do you know?!”
Sunoo stared at the road ahead silently for two whole seconds. Then suddenly screamed. “OH MY GOD!”
“Oh my god,” he continued dramatically. “This is actually insane. The popular soccer captain was secretly your mysterious online boyfriend this whole time?!”
“He is not my boyfriend.”
“He literally chased after your car.”
You buried your burning face in your hands. “This is actually horrible.”
“No,” Sunoo corrected immediately. “This shit is getting interesting.”
You groaned miserably. “You don’t understand.”
“No, no, I understand perfectly,” Sunoo said. “This is like, the best thing that has ever happened to you.”
Your stomach twisted. Despite everything, part of you wanted to smile remembering tonight. You danced with Jake. The memory made your chest ache.
Suddenly, Sunoo goes completely silent. Snapping out of your thoughts, you frowned slightly before lifting your head. “What?”
Sunoo’s grip tightened around the steering wheel. “Don’t panic.”
Your stomach dropped instantly. “What?”
Fear crawled violently up your spine. Slowly, Sunoo nodded toward the intersection ahead. Your eyes followed automatically.
Immediately—your blood ran cold.
Jiwon’s car. Right beside yours.
Worse, the two cars were at the stoplight. You physically stopped breathing. The glowing red stoplight reflected against the windshield while Jiwon’s car sat only a few feet away in the next lane.
You could see her clearly through the window. One hand rested against the steering wheel while the other held her cellphone near her face, completely unaware. Or maybe not unaware.
What if she looked over? What if she saw the dress? What if she realized you weren’t at the diner?
Your mind spiraled with the mere thoughts of it. “She’s gonna kill me.”
Sunoo kept his eyes locked firmly on the road ahead. “Don’t look at her.”
You could barely breathe. “What if she already saw us?”
Your hands shook harder now. “She’s literally right there.”
“Y/N.” Sunoo’s voice dropped lower now. Firmer. “Do not fucking look at her.”
You pressed yourself lower into the seat immediately, heart hammering violently against your ribs.
The white dress suddenly felt enormous, too noticeable. Your lace mask still sat against your face while the edge of your skirt spilled across the car seat dramatically, impossible to hide completely.
Your mind raced through every possible outcome at once.
Everything crashing down all because you wanted one stupid night for yourself. Sunoo glanced toward you briefly before immediately softening when he saw how terrified you looked. “Hey.”
“She’s not gonna see you.”
Your eyes stayed fixed downward. “But what if she does?”
“Because if she noticed this car already, she would’ve gotten out and dragged you through the intersection herself.”
A horrified laugh escaped you accidentally.
Sunoo nodded proudly. “Just pretend that bitch is beneath you, don't even spare her a look.”
Your breathing still felt uneven. The red stoplight suddenly felt eternal.
Outside, cars rolled slowly through nearby intersections while music from passing vehicles drifted faintly through the night air. Somewhere farther down the road, people laughed outside restaurants completely unaware that your entire life currently felt two seconds away from destruction.
You squeezed your eyes shut briefly.
Please don’t look over. Please.
Then suddenly—a ringtone sounded loudly from Jiwon’s car.
You flinched violently, and Sunoo muttered under his breath. Jiwon picked up her cellphone immediately, visibly annoyed about something. You could see her talking now through the side window.
And thankfully—she still wasn’t looking your way.
Sunoo exhaled slowly. “Good. She’s distracted.”
Your heartbeat refused to calm down. You kept imagining her head suddenly turning. Imagining her eyes widening, and the immediate realization.
Then finally, the stoplight turned green.
Sunoo hit the gas instantly as the car lurched forward so fast you nearly slammed into the dashboard.
“Free at last!” Sunoo declared dramatically.
Jiwon’s car disappeared farther behind you as Sunoo sped through the intersection.
Only then did you finally breathe properly again. Your entire body sagged against the seat in relief. “Oh my god,” you whispered shakily. “I think I just lost ten years off my life.”
Sunoo nodded. “I'm with you on that.”
You both sat there silently for a moment while adrenaline slowly wore off.
Then you feel your cell phone buzzing against your lap.
Sunoo immediately noticed your expression. “…Is it him?”
Slowly, you looked down at the glowing screen. There were multiple messages left by him.
soccerlvrr1115:
wtf was that ??
soccerlvrr1115:
why did u have to leave so fast
soccerlvrr1115:
can u pls just tell me ill see you again
Your chest ached with guilt so badly it almost hurt to breathe. Because despite the panic, despite whatever the hell had just happened with Jiwon, despite everything—
Part of you already knew tonight had changed everything forever.
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