#from author.

[vmpiricou]

﹕﹒★﹒ SCHOLARSHIP HEART.  심재윤 001

synopsis: When your scholarship at Decelis Academy was at risk, your already slipping grade only made things worse. Desperate to hold onto everything you've worked hard for, you're assigned to a tutor—Sim Jaeyun. However, in exchange for saving your scholarship, you have to be his fake girlfriend, to please his parents. You agreed and the longer you pretend, the harder it becomes to ignore what is real and what is fake.

series masterlist | part two

pairing: sim jaeyun x fem! reader.

content: classmates to lovers, fake dating, rich kids academy au, family issues, angst with comfort, explicit mature content, unprotected sex, mild breeding kink, cunninglingus, misconceptions, financial differences, rich people problems, happy ending. lmk if i miss anything

word count: 22.4k.

mini playlist: unravel me - sabrina claudio, snap out of it - arctic monkeys, pretty boy - the neighbourhood, fuck it i love you - lana da rey.

perm taglist: (perm taglist is always open!) @lolliloopsy, @hoonguin, @heesroses, @aliyahlovesjakr, @bitemhoon, @byshens, @justpassingdontworry, @ellushic, @hoonlvrrz.

decelis diaries taglist: @vixialuvs, @ikeumuses, @kemkem33, @yashiehehehe, @gordazepam, @hyyhwriter, @sievenderz, @simpikeu, @i4tzy, @kjunebuggie, @tyunningism, @narnianqueen28.

from author: first jake fic, kinda nervous... i have to split this into 2 parts because of stupid blr's character limit wtf.

This can't be happening.

Those four words kept repeating itself, over and over again as you stared at the letter held in your hands. You had came back from a long day of lectures scheduled back-to-back, thrilled at the prospect of returning to your dorm to wind down and enjoy the short weekend, only to find a letter with the Board's seal stamped on it.

Your roommate who's also your childhood friend—Ningning, popped her head out of the kitchen doorway, an eyebrow raised with curiosity written across her face.

"What's wrong? You looked like you've seen a ghost," she asked, stepping away from the stove, pausing her task of preparing dinner for the two of you as she approached you, shoulders comfortably bumping against one another.

You wordlessly handed the letter to her, not wanting to look at it a second longer. Ningning accepted it and if it was any other situation, you would've laughed at how her eyes widened as she read what was written on the letter.

"Dear (Full Name),

I hope this letter finds you well. It is with deep regret that we inform you of a recent decision made by the Decelis Academy Board. Due to certain sudden and unforeseen circumstances, the Scholarship Advancement Program will be discontinued, effective at the end of this academic term.

While we understand that the program had supported exceptional and bright students like yourself, the Board was determined that its continuation no longer aligns with the academy's evolving standards and social structure. Additionally, your scholarship benefits, including tuition coverage and accommodation privileges, will be revoked at the end of the term.

You are, of course, welcome to continue your studies at Decelis under a full-paying student status should you wish to do so. We seek your understanding and wish you success in your future endeavors.

Warm Regards, Decelis Academy Board.

Ningning's hands trembled visibly as she finished reading, lips parted in disbelief and the color draining from her face at every word. "They can't do this. This is stupid and—"

You sighed, plopping down onto the couch as you leaned back, running a hand through your hair. "Ningning, I appreciate your words but face it. It's only a matter of time before something like this happens. I'm just unlucky enough to be caught in it."

Your friend's face fell at your response. She hurried over, sitting on your left side and clutched your hands with her own.

"Don't say that! Look, we can figure something out. Maybe we can talk to the board. Or I can ask my father. I'm sure he's willing to pay for your fees!"

Hearing that, your head snapped up at breakneck speed. "No, we've talked about this. I'm not letting your dad pay for my fees."

"But—"

"No means no. The last thing I want is to feel bad and spend the rest of my life paying him back. Do you know how expensive it is?" You cut her off.

Your friend puffed her cheeks. "It's not like those are big numbers to him. You know how rich he is."

Yeah, you do know how rich Ningning's family are.

Her father is a extremely wealthy businessman in the hotel and tourism industry. Her mother, on the other hand, is an infamous model who is constantly sought out by multiple brands and thanks to her, the brands often find themselves having a major increase of sales. Ningning, on the other hand, is expected to follow her father's footsteps once she had graduated.

But, she wanted something different.

Which was why she's here now—in Decelis Academy and a student majoring in Biochemistry.

If there's one thing you secretly envied her about, it's the fact that she has supporting and loving parents. Parents who wouldn't forced or give her unnecessary pressure to live up to their expectations. Parents who are willing to let their child shaped their own future and without locking them in a cage, slicing their wings off.

You sighed again but this time, your voice and eyes softened.

"It's fine, really. I appreciate your help but this is something I have to do myself. I'll find a way. I'm not leaving you here with all these useless and ugly guys roaming around the campus."

You joked, the weight on your shoulders lightening when she let out a breathless, airy laugh at your light-hearted joke.

"Alright girl, I believe you. Now let's put that aside and let's have dinner. But you're helping me with the cooking."

"When do I not?"

◟‿୨୧‿◞

The weekend passed in a blink of an eye and it felt like a slap to your face when you arrived at campus, your bag slung over your left shoulder, pretending like your life wasn't already flipped upside down.

You clutched onto the strap of your bag as the cheerful laughter echoed in your ears, oblivious to the dilemma you're facing. Despite what you had told Ningning, you were lost. You didn't know what to do now. Sure, you are working part-time but the measly pay was barely enough for you to scrape by.

You arrived at your first lecture for the day and took your seat in the middle, pulling out your laptop, notebook and stationery. Being a Computer Science major means you have to deal with one of your worst nightmares—numbers.

You didn't know why you picked this major.

Maybe it's because you were told that it will secure your future, giving you a job with a mouthwatering, too good to be true salary. Maybe it's because of the pressure you were getting. The pressure of constantly compared with your cousins, who are doing way better than you.

Sure, you're a student at the prestigious Decelis Academy but not for long. Not when you have four months left before the term ends and you will be officially kicked out. Just the thought of it made you sighed as you slumped forward, knocking your head against the table with your eyes closed.

"Uh, you alright?"

You raised your head and your body stiffened when you saw a familiar face looking right at you. A face that belonged to a popular clique known in Decelis Academy—Sim Jaeyun, or Jake. You have heard of him before, his name slipping from people's lips here and there. You knew he's from a wealthy family but comparing him with your friend, Jake was more well-off as compared to your friend.

As far as you were aware, his father is the owner of a multi-chain hospital that had became successful where he had even opened it in different countries, making his business surpassed what many thought it was impossible. His mother is an event manager who loved her job with her entire heart. It was said that she had the golden touch—always creating successful events that never failed to gather the public's interests.

Jake was dressed in luxurious clothes—every article of clothing costing way more than what your yearly salary from your part-time job could pay you. His bag slung carelessly over his right shoulder with his laptop sandwiched on his left side. And of course, his signature accessory—a pair of black-framed glasses rested perfectly on the bridge of his nose was enough to gather muffled whispers and giggles in the lecture room.

You blinked, straightening yourself when you realized you had been openly checking him out for the past five minutes or so and how he was waiting for your response.

"Oh, fine. Just not really looking forward to this module first thing in the morning," you replied, scratching the back of your neck.

The next thing you knew, Jake sat on your right as he placed his laptop down on the long table. You stared at him in disbelief and he noticed it, arching an eyebrow. If you were to look closer, you would be able to see something akin to amusement in his eyes.

"What?"

You shook your head. "N-Nothing, it's just that.. I didn't expect you to sit here when there are plenty of seats around," you replied.

Jake did a quick scan of his surroundings, humming and nodding his head. "Yea, but I think sitting here has the best view."

"H-Huh?" Your cheeks turned red and he chuckled, amused with your reaction.

"I meant the best view of the screen. Don't want you to think I'm hitting on you or something," he clarified and you weren't sure why, but his words made your heart sank.

Nonetheless, you flashed him in what you hoped was an reassuring smile. "Right."

At that moment, the lecturer had came in and everyone settled down, ready to pay attention to the module. You went silent, eyes focused ahead as he begin speaking, the slides coming to life while trying your best to ignore the boy seated beside you.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

The lecture ended with you not understanding anything that was taught for the past two hours. Although, this was a regular occurrence for you and honestly, you were quite amazed with how you haven't failed this module yet. You finished packing your things and was about to leave through the backdoor when the lecturer called out to you, stopping you in your tracks.

"(Name), could you come over for a second? And Jake, you too," he called out from where he stood, behind the desk situated in the middle front of the room.

The two of you were confused with the sudden call-outs but obliged, stopping before the table as you stood side by side. The lecturer turned to you first, letting out a long, exhausted sigh and you already knew where this was heading.

"(Name), I know you're a bright and talented student but I've been noticing that your grades are dropping. If this continue, you'll be at the risk of being failing and retaking the module, which I'm sure you don't want that to happen," he started and you nodded, averting your eyes to a random spot of the table, embarrassed to even utter a single word.

He then turned to Jake, who had been silent the entire time. "Jake, I need you to tutor (Name) for the next four months, before your finals start."

Your eyes widened, mouth dropping. "But, sir, I—"

Jake, on the other hand, was quick to agree, nodding along. "Alright, sir. I'll do my best to guide her."

You turned to him, shooting him an incredulous look before facing your lecturer again. "Wait, there's no need for this. I'm perfectly fi—"

"—fine on your own? Well, your grades say otherwise and if I were you, I'll take this chance to buck up and focus on it. Chances like this don't come that often, (Name)," he cut you off and you tightened your grip on the strap of your bag.

"..Yes, sir. I understand," you mumbled.

"Good. Then the both of you are dismissed."

You were the first to leave, your pace fast and quick but you didn't took more than five steps before Jake called out your name. You stopped for the second time, rolling your eyes before you fully turned to face him.

"What?" You snapped, the tone used making you sound meaner than you anticipated. You felt bad when you saw the way Jake flinched at your tone but he straightened himself, determination glowing in his eyes.

"Give me your number," he stated.

"For?"

He blinked. "For our tutoring sessions, what else? Or else how am I supposed to contact you?"

You sighed, stretching out your hand and Jake easily placed his phone on your palm, allowing you to type in your number before you handed it back to him.

"Just saying, I'm not free every Wednesdays and Fridays. Other than that, I'm free."

"Alright, I'll text you for our first session. See you," He concluded, flashing you a polite smile before turning to walk away, leaving you standing by the hallway.

You rolled your eyes, adjusting your bag and headed in the opposite direction, going to the cafeteria—where Ningning was already waiting for you. She waved her hand, easily catching your attention as you entered and made a beeline towards her.

"What happened? You looked stressed," she asked, concern as she slid your tray of food over, having bought your lunch on your behalf.

"My lecturer asked Jake to be my tutor," you replied, exasperation seeping into your voice.

Ningning gasped, checking left and right before leaning forward, voice lowering to a whisper. "Jake? As in that Jake? The one who's friends with Heeseung, Sunghoon and Jay? That Jake?"

You nodded, shoving a large mouthful of food into your mouth, only speaking after you had properly swallowed. "Yup, him. I'm guessing it's because he's the best student in the class."

Your friend whistled, impressed. "Best is an understatement. His name is always at the top of the board whenever results are out. You know those glasses he wear? It makes him look like a nerd," she paused for dramatic effect and you sent her a pointed look—to which she ignored.

"A very hot and fine nerd, if I do say so my—ow!" She continued with a proud look on her face, only for her to yelp in pain when you kicked her in the shins.

"Not helping!" You hissed under your breath.

Ningning waved off your words with a dismissive flick of her wrist. "You need to loosen up once in a while. The more stress you are, the higher the chance of you getting wrinkles at your early age."

"Sounds like a win to me."

"…There is truly something wrong with you."

"Love you too."

The rest of the day passed with you attending your lectures which lasted until three in the afternoon. When the final lecture was over, you stretched your arms above your head, groaning at the way your joints cracked with how stiff they were.

You packed your things, slinging your bag over your shoulder and was about to head back to your dorm when your phone went off, ringing and vibrating in your pants' pocket. You pulled out the device, accepted the call without checking the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Are you still on campus?" An unfamiliar male voice was heard on the other line.

"Who is this and how did you get my number?" You asked, hostility seeping into your voice.

You heard a sigh. "It's me, Jake. You know, your tutor?"

Your cheeks flushed red, embarrassed. "..Oh, sorry. But yea, I'm still here, why?"

"Can you come over to the library, if you're free? We can start today. I won't be free for the rest of the week."

"Yeah? Busy with what? Fooling around with girls and flaunting your wealth?"

Silence.

The words had slipped before you could stopped yourself. You stopped in the middle of the empty hallways, fingers unconsciously tightening around your phone at the prolonged silence. A wave of remorse hit you when Jake didn't say anything. At first, you thought he had hung up but when you check the screen, the call was still ongoing. That only made you felt even worse. You parted your lips, about to apologize when you heard shuffling on the other line.

"Right, I don't know where you get that idea from but doesn't matter. Just come to the library in the south building. I'm already here," Jake replied and hung up without waiting for your response.

You pulled your phone away, staring at the bank screen that shows your reflection with an incredulous and offended look on your face. You were taken aback at the audacity he had—calling and demanding you to find him, like you're some sort of pet.

Ever since you were granted a scholarship, you weren't blind to the constant whispers and demeaning giggling from students around you.

It's not your fault that you're born in a middle-class family, how you had to work hard to get to where you are today and how you managed to land a scholarship to the prestigious Decelis Academy, the very same academy that's known for having an acceptance rate less than five percent.

"Whatever, he's the same as everyone else here," you murmured under your breath, like you're convincing yourself than anyone else. You turned, heading in the opposite direction and made your way to the library, mentally preparing yourself for your first tutoring session with Jake.

Hopefully you can make it out alive without losing your mind or committing a crime…

◟‿୨୧‿◞

"What took you so long? I've been waiting for the past ten minutes," Jake asked, frowning with evident disapproval written all over his face when you entered his vision.

You rolled your eyes, not bothering to hide your annoyance and placed your bag down on the table while sitting opposite of him. "Oh, I'm sorry. Am I delaying one of your many dates with a girl?"

He owlishly blinked his eyes, confused. "Seriously, what's with you? You're acting like I've done something wrong to offend you."

Alright, he has a point or points actually. He's been nothing but polite and nice to you while you kept bristling, hissing and snarling at him, like a cat baring its teeth at its owner. If there's one thing about you, it's the fact you're a prideful person and you'd rather do anything than apologize or admit you're in the wrong.

That's one of your red flags but hey, who can blame you? You're human, after all and humans aren't perfect. You're just a student trying to live a low, peaceful life while ignoring the major issue that comes in the form of you on the verge of losing your scholarship. Even though you're very much in the wrong, you didn't apologize. Instead, you leaned back into your seat and crossed your arms, meeting his eyes with an unimpressed look.

"My problem with you people is how you think money is everything," you started, venom evident in your voice, "how you only care about yourself. You're nothing but a walking wallet."

You're well-aware this isn't the kind of place nor time for you to be picking a fight, especially with someone who's supposed to be your tutor in a library, out of all places. But you couldn't help it, not when your first instinct was to defend yourself, whether you're right or wrong. Jake remained silent with an unreadable expression on his face.

You considered yourself an expert in reading people's emotions through their body languages or expressions but when it comes to Jake? You got nothing. And you didn't like that at all. But that doesn't mean your opinion of him and nearly ninety-percent of the cohort will change.

Your tutor let out an exasperated sigh, shoulders sagging slightly from the action. "If you're done yapping away, let's get started."

"…What?"

"You'll work on some practice questions and from there, I'll get a better understanding of how to help you," he continued, ignoring your stunned and incredulous expression.

You scoffed. "Are you fucking with me or something?"

Jake paused. "What are you talking about? If I didn't know better, you're the one that's fucking with me, (Name)."

Shivers ran down your spine at the particular way your name rolled off his tongue. It's different from everyone else and you weren't sure what to feel about it. You pointedly ignored how your palms were growing sweaty and how your clothes was sticking onto your body from the thin layer of sweat. .

"I don't need your help," you snarled and if looks could kill, he would've died on the spot.

Instead of being annoyed or angered at your rudeness and brattiness, Jake was calm and composed, letting you make a fool of yourself. You were aware of how some students were glancing your way from the tables around you, no doubt eavesdropping on your conversation.

Your ears and face burned with embarrassment and not wanting to gather more unwanted attention, you have no choice but to do what he told. He slides a sheet of paper over towards you. One look at it made your mind blanked out. You couldn't understand most—all of it, not that you're planning to admit it out loud. Swallowing down your cry of help, you pulled out your stationery and began working on it.

Well, try to work on it would be a more specific description.

Thirty to forty-five minutes passed with you finishing the last question. Jake was working on his assignment, typing away on his laptop when he saw you were done. He finished typing before pushing it aside, giving you his fullest attention. He pushed his glasses further up his nose when it's sliding down. The small, subtle and mindless action somehow made your stomach tightened but you shoved it out immediately.

The sooner you were done with this, the faster you can leave.

You slid the paper back to Jake, chewing on your bottom lip while fiddling with your pen as you observed his reaction—how he furrowed his eyebrows with faint wrinkles seen on his forehead, how he pursed his lips in a thin line, like he's suppressing the words itching to leave his throat and how he absentmindedly spun his pen with his right index and middle fingers.

He huffed, amused. "Damn, I know you're bad at this but I didn't think it's this bad."

Your eyebrow twitched. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Simple," he leaned back into his seat, placing the paper down on the table, "it means you're gonna flunk this module. Whether you like it or not."

Surely it's not a crime for me to kill someone out of hatred, right?

He even had the audacity to chuckle, like your suffering is hilarious, even though it's far from that. There's nothing funny about this and you loathed being viewed as a laughing stock, especially when it's from people like him. You scowled, giving him the nastiest glare you can mustered while boring holes into his head.

"Isn't it your job to tutor and help me pass this module?" You asked through gritted teeth. God, you knew he's annoying but you didn't expect him to be this infuriating, to the point where he's getting under your skin.

"Woah. First of all, I'm not getting paid for this and I accepted this for free. Nothing more and nothing less. Secondly, this is a group work, where you and I need to work together so you can learn and if possible, pass the module."

"You—"

"Thirdly, if you keep acting like someone shoved a stick up your ass every time we see one another, you're just making a fool of yourself," he finished, cutting you off.

You were rendered speechless, unable to utter a single word to defend yourself as you uselessly gawked at him, like he had spoken in a different language. Jake faintly smirked, swiftly packing his things and stood, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"Since you're out of words, let's stop here for today. I'll see you next week and hopefully you've learned to cool that temper of yours," he said, not waiting for your response before turning to walk away, leaving you sitting there, silently fuming in rage.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

"Welcome home, Young Master. Dinner will be ready soon."

"Mm."

Jake hummed, not bothering with a proper, verbal response. He walked past the head butler, making a beeline to the flight of curved stairs to his bedroom. However, he wasn't fast enough. He barely made it to the stairs when someone called out his name, forcing him to stop in his tracks. It took all of him to not make a face or sighed out loud. He mentally counted to three before turning around on the spot.

"Yes, Father?" He asked, faint sarcasm seeping into his voice.

"Your mother and I have something important to discuss with you over dinner. Come to the dining room when you've washed up," his father informed him, speaking to him like he's one of his staff, one of his employees rather than his biological son. His son that shares and carries the heavy surname of Sim.

In the medical world, everyone knows who the Sims are. How could they not, when their—his father's name was plastered on every possible surface. When his father was the one who built a hospital from scratch, with nothing but hopes and dreams. When the entire world was against him, only for him to end up successful, earning more than everyone else, to the point where he's listed in the Top Ten Richest Man list.

It goes without saying that the expectations on his one and only son was incredibly high and stressful. The moment Jake gained the ability to read and write, his parents wasted no time in sending him to tuition, forcing him to learn everything and anything at once. It's fortunate for them but unfortunate for him, that he was able to pick up things fast, quickly adapting to whatever was thrown his way.

His father constantly bragged about him, showing him off like a trophy to the world, proclaiming that he will be the one leading the family business in the future. Jake was forced to attend every formal event, walking around, forcing fake smiles that doesn't meet his eyes to people who he could care less about while listening to them bragging about things he doesn't want to know.

Jake didn't acknowledge his father, turning to resume ascending up the flight of stairs. He headed to his room—the closest door on his right, opening and closing it behind him. It's only when he's finally alone was he able to heave a sigh of relief. He placed his bag near his desk, heading to take a quick but refreshing shower.

When he was done, he threw on whatever comfortable clothes he have—clothes that costed more than what a regular student can afford before stepping out. He flinched, startled to see the head butler already waiting for him outside and rested a hand on his chest to calm his rapidly pounding heart.

"Oh Jesus, you scared me," he breathed out but the other paid his words and reaction no mind.

The older man bowed at waist level, a sharp ninety-degrees with one arm placed before him. "Please follow me, Young Master."

Jake obliged, not that he has a choice in the first place, walking a few steps behind the head butler, who promptly led him to the dining room. He knocked twice, informing his parents about his arrival and the doors opened from the inside. The last time he stepped foot into this very room was when he was eighteen—four years ago.

Four years ago when he made the decision to forgo following his father's footsteps and to take over the family's business. Four years ago when he boldly told them no, I refuse to continue being a pawn in your chess game. I want to create and write my own path. Needless to say, his parents didn't take it well and the entire Sims estate was filled with the loud, aggressive and furious yelling from all three family members.

And since that night, Jake refused to talk to his parents.

Until today, that is.

The son took his rightful seat, pointedly staring down at a random spot of the long, rectangle-shaped table that's covered with a wide variety of dishes. No one said a thing or began eating. The air was thick and filled with tension, the kind of of tension that symbolized the calm before the storm, before something big happens.

And Jake's instincts was never wrong.

"Jake, you will be flying to Australia at the end of the semester," his father announced, dropping the bombshell on him without warning, like it's something as minor as the weather itself when it's far from that. Not when it will be playing a huge, crucial role in his current life and future.

Silence.

"What."

Jake asked—said, disbelief seeping into his voice. "What the hell are you talking about, Father? What do you mean I'm flying back to Australia? I still have my final year left."

The older man sternly narrowed his eyes—a clear sign of his displeasure at his son's lack of respect. "Sim Jaeyun, the moment you refused to handle the family's business is the moment you have determined that you have no say in what happens. Your… major you're currently studying in. It brings you no future. "

He paused briefly before resuming.

"Not to mention, you're still single. Do you know how that looks to the public when you're a Sim?"

Jake's shoulders trembled, seething with rage. "With all due respect Father, my relationship status is none of your concern. In fact, I don't see the correlation of how it will affect the future and the business."

At this, his mother chimed in from her seat situated across of Jake's.

"Darling, we're doing this for your own good. You wouldn't have much time left to find someone to be your partner. If you want, I can set you up on some blind dates. I have a few friends whose daughters are just like you."

He sighed. "Mother, please. We've been through this already."

"Jaeyun-ah, why can't you understand that as your parents, we just want the best for you."

Baam!

Slamming his hands down on the table with enough force to shake the utensils and cutlery, Jake shoved his chair back. His action drew a loud, ear-piercing scratching sound as the four legs of the chair dragged against the smooth, polished and marbled floor. His eyes hardened, no other emotions found other than pure, raw and unfiltered anger, vividly burning in his diluted pupils.

Jake rarely gets angry for he's a patient person. But when he's around his parents, it's like they knew which and where to poke at, to make him lose his mind and blow a fuse too.

"Going with what you're saying, then why can't you understand that as your son, I don't want anything to do with the business nor am I interested in finding a partner."

His father too, rose from his seat and pointed at him, a thunderous and stormy expression settling on his face. "You will not speak to us in that tone. We are your parents and—"

He couldn't hold back the sarcastic snort he lets out, cutting his father off. "Oh, so now you're acknowledging yourselves as my parents? How ironic, considering how you've never acted like one to begin with."

"Sim Jaeyun!"

"Whatever, I'm done with this conversation. It's clear both of you aren't willing to listen," he retorted, throwing sharp glares to both his mother and father's faces before leaving the dining room in nothing but pure fury, ignoring the loud yelling of his father—demanding him to return.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

"Dude, what's wrong with you? You looked constipated. Didn't shit before leaving?"

Jake shot one of his friends—Lee Heeseung—the captain and the ace of the basketball team, a nasty and judgemental look. It's times like these when Heeseung doesn't act like the oldest in his friendgroup.

They were seated by one of the many tables and long wooden benches, waiting for the other two idiots to arrive. It's currently lunchtime and the campus was filled with students walking back and forth. Some were finding places to sit and eat while some were just standing around and chatting among themselves.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He bite back without hesitation.

Heeseung raised his hands in mock surrender. "Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

"Hyung, just shut up, please."

"What's going on here?"

They turned upon hearing a familiar, confused voice heading their way. The source belonged to none other than Park Jongseong—a guitarist who's apart of the music club in the day and a songwriter in the night, when the city is asleep was when he truly thrived, writing songs that comes from the bottom of his heart and soul, only for him to never let them see the light. He sat opposite of Heeseung after doing their customary handshake with another student quickly joining them, sitting opposite of Jake.

"How did your first tutoring session went?" Park Sunghoon—a figure skater who will be representing Seoul during the Olympics, asked, placing his takeaway box on the table.

His question gained his other two friends' attention, causing them to stop their conversation. "What? Since when you became a tutor?"

Jake rolled his eyes, sending the younger boy a pointed look but he simply flashed him an innocent smile. "Since yesterday. Apparently she's been failing and is on the verge of retaking it if she doesn't do well in the finals. Wait, how do you even know about this?"

He directed his question to Sunghoon with an raised eyebrow. The figure skater blinked, speaking once he swallowed his mouthful of food.

"Don't worry about it, I have my ways."

The other three shared a look among themselves and Jay spoke up. "That doesn't make it sound any better."

Sunghoon shrugged his shoulders, unbothered. "Like I said, don't worry about it. I just heard it from students and you know how everyone is once they find something new to gossip about."

Oh. Well, Jake couldn't really blamed them since he too, will act the same way. He lets out a defeated sigh as he slumped into his chair. "That was our first time meeting one another and she's acting like I've killed her family in front of her."

Jay whistled, resting his elbows on the table. "What did you do to piss her off?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" Heeseung echoed.

Jake nodded. "Yup, nothing. All I did was to agree to the professor's request of tutoring her and she started spiraling, acting like a chihuahua, all barking and snarling at me."

Sunghoon hummed, deep in thought. "Did she tell you why?"

"She did. Mentioned something about having a problem with people like us, where we think money is everything and how we're a walking wallet," he rephrased your words, replaying the scene in his mind.

His three friends shared another look among themselves, as if they were able to communicate with one another via telepathy. Jake however, wasn't amused with their antics.

"Spit it out already," he demanded, delivering a rough, sharp kick to Jay's shins, because why not?

"Sounds like she has something against you," Heeseung replied on behalf of the other two Parks, who nodded in unison.

"Oh really? I didn't know that, thanks for pointing it out," Jake deadpanned.

"God forbid a guy from helping his friend."

"You're not even being helpful," he pointed out.

"I tried to be helpful. There's a difference."

"That doesn't even make any sense."

Jay pointedly cleared his throat, quickly stepping in before they end up arguing. "Alright, that's enough from you two. I'm guessing this isn't just about her, right?"

Jake blinked, trying to play dumb. "What do you mean?"

Sunghoon snorted, having finished his food. "Don't lie, Jaeyun. It's all over your face, so just spill it. Tell us what's been bothering you."

Jake groaned, running a hand through his hair. "My parents are at it again."

"You mean pushing you to find a girlfriend?" Heeseung inquired.

He nodded glumly. "Yeah, what else? They said how it's time for me to find someone and guess what? That's not all."

"Don't tell me you got someone pregnant," Sunghoon joked, only to flinch when Jake kicked him under the table.

"No, you dumbass. They're planning to send me to Australia."

Silence.

"What!?"

"What the-! Why?"

"That's fucking insane, what about your education?"

Jake shrugged his shoulders, speaking once his friends calmed down. "I don't know, I guess I won't be graduating since I'm flying once the current term ends. I know they're doing this because I refuse to "

Jay's eyes widened in realization. "Once it ends? It ends in six months."

Heeseung stilled, reaching the same conclusion as the guitarist. "Wait, that means—"

"Yup, I'm leaving in six months. If everything goes their way, that is."

Everyone went silent for a while, letting the newly-gathered pieces of information sink into their minds. Just when they thought all hope was gone, Sunghoon spoke up, face lighting up with that look in his eyes. The kind of look that screams he has an idea and Jake is one-hundred percent sure he's not going to like it.

"How about you find a fake girlfriend?"

"…"

"…"

"Do you ever think twice before speaking or is that brain of yours filled with nothing but just pure protein and muscles?"

"Fuck you."

◟‿୨୧‿◞

The rest of the week passed in a blink of an eye with you floating through your classes and drowning in a never-ending pile of assignments—all of it fighting among themselves, demanding to be the first in line to have your attention. You stepped out of your lecture room, heaving a sigh of relief once you're free and ready to head back to your dorm when you saw a familiar face—Sim Jaeyun, waiting outside, his presence gaining the nearby students' attention.

You rolled your eyes at how some giggled, twirling their hair around their fingers while batting their eyelashes at him, no doubt trying to flirt with him. But, he paid them no mind, shuffling his feet on the spot and looking unusually… nervous.

Well, that's a first.

You blinked when you made eye contact with him. When he pushed himself off the wall, you took that as your cue to continue walking, not wanting to see his face or talked to him. You assumed he was waiting for someone else, only for it to brutally crushed when he called out your name. You quickened your pace, intending to lose him in the crowd but that only made him started chasing after you, resulting in a wild goose chase.

It was only when you made a sharp turn around a corner was when Jake managed to catch up to you. He shot out his hand to grab your wrist, halting you in your tracks. You turned, already scowling at him with your eyes narrowed.

"What do you want? Gonna make fun of me again?" You snapped, venom and pure hostility evident in your tone.

Jake furrowed his eyebrows. "No, I'm not here to make fun of you. I need your help."

You blinked once. And twice before barking out a loud laugh. "Oh? You need my help? Since when does the Sim Jaeyun needs help from a girl like me?"

He sighed at your aggression towards him. "Just hear me out? If you don't want to, then we can forget this conversation happened. Just give me five minutes, please."

You could detect something akin to desperation in his voice, catching you off-guard. After all, someone like Jake—who has everything and anything in the world handed to him on a silver plate, was crumbling around the edges. And you hated how he looked at you with wide, pleading eyes, making him resemblance a crestfallen puppy. If you looked closer, you would be able to see the dog ears on top of his head.

"…Fine, but it better be five minutes. Any longer than that and I'm leaving," you warned him.

His face lit up, looking at you like you've saved his entire bloodline or you're an angel sent from Heavens at your words. He wasted no time in dragging you along, ignoring the curious stares you were getting as everyone watched from where they stood. Honestly, you could understand them. After all, you weren't rich like them and yet, here you are—walking with Jake's hand wrapped around your wrist.

You pointedly ignored how warm his fingers felt as it's clasped around your wrist, easily touching and how your heart skipped a beat when your eyes lingered on the back of his head. If it wasn't for his annoying attitude, you wouldn't mind having a crush on him.

At least, that's what you told yourself—using his attitude as an excuse for you to dislike him.

Jake ended up bringing you out in the open, stopping by a vacant table was when he finally released his grip on your wrist, almost like he had forgotten he was the one who dragged you out here. You crossed your arms, tilted your head to the side and tapped your right shoe on the ground.

"Go on. I'm waiting," you said, opening the floor to him.

He bit down on his bottom lip, fiddling with the hem of his black leather jacket, the jacket that looks absolutely sinful on his shoulders and back. Your eyes flicked down to the rings he worn, decorating his hands in a mesmerizing shade of silver.

You were quick to roundhouse the… indecent thoughts out of your mind before you could let it sink in. After what felt like centuries, Jake plucked up his courage, inhaling and exhaling before locking eyes with you, determination written all over his face.

"I need you to date me."

Silence.

You made a sound that's similar to a dying animal, unable to believe what you were hearing. "W-What? You're joking, right? If this is a silly little prank you and your friends thought of, then it's not funny."

Instead of doing anything—laughing and mocking you or doing anything that someone like him would do, Jake did nothing. He merely stared at you, with a rare solemn look on his face, like he too doesn't liked how it had come to this. Your expression faltered once you realized he's not fooling around.

"…Oh, you're not kidding," you said, more to yourself rather than him.

Realization flickered across his face. "Wait, before you get any wrong ideas, let me rephrase my sentence: I need you to fake date me."

"Fake date?" You echoed.

He nodded. "Yeah, to get my parents off my back so I can live without them breathing down my neck."

You hummed and crossed your arms. "Right, so what's in it for me? Surely you can't be the only one who benefits from this."

"I'll continue to tutor you for the module," he answered and his lack of hesitation made you narrowed your eyes.

"Did you plan this? Because you sound awfully prepared for someone who's desperate to stoop this low," you asked.

Jake blinked, genuine confusion flickered in his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Never mind, but why me? Why not pick a random girl who's part of your fanclub?"

He scratched the back of his neck, looking a bit embarrassed with his eyes averted to the side. "You're the first person I thought of and you're different from the rest. You don't act like them, all shy, self-centered and only want me for my money or popularity."

You slowly nodded your head. "Right… I honestly can't tell if you're still joking or not though. It's hard to believe this."

The boy shot you an exasperated look. "Alright, then what do you want in return? Apart from me tutoring you."

If it was anyone else, they would've jumped at the rare, golden opportunity of Jake offering something to you. But you weren't anyone else. You were… well, you. You preferred to get things done your way and achieve it through the efforts of your blood, sweat and tears. You didn't like asking for help either, being the type of person to bottle it down. Ningning have told your countless times that this coping mechanism isn't healthy but it takes a while to get rid of bad habits.

"There's nothing I want from you, don't worry. Just tutor me and I'm good with that," you answered, waving off the invisible golden ticket.

If you looked closer, you would be able to see the cogs turning above his head as he connects the dots. "You.. don't want anything? Are you sure? You do know this is a once in a lifetime offer, right?"

"Yes, I'm aware and one-hundred percent sure," you answered firmly.

"Alright, if you say so. But my offer still stands until we're done with this whole…thing," he gestured to the space around you.

"Woah slow down, you're acting like I've said yes to it," you stopped him and this time, he's the one who faltered at your words. Seeing his bemused expression—how his lips parted, how there's faint wrinkles on his forehead and how he looked conflicted.

You snorted, amused. "I'm kidding, I'll do this fake relationship or whatever. Are there any rules or things I should take note of?"

Jake raised his right hand with one finger up. "Yeah, there is. Firstly, we have to act like a couple on campus and outside of campus."

"Wait—"

"Secondly, PDA will be involved, like hand-holding and kisses will be limited to the cheeks only. We might need to use pet names to make it more convincing too."

"Now hold on—"

"Thirdly, we need to keep this up for six months."

Your eyes widened, nearly popping out of its sockets. "Six months!? I thought it will be a few weeks!"

"It doesn't make sense for a relationship to last that short. It's more believable if it's six months," he deadpanned, stating it like it's a fact and common sense.

"I don't appreciate you treating me like I'm an idiot."

"Oh really? Your results say otherwise," he retorted without missing a beat, reminding you again why you disliked him and find him annoying.

You threw him a sharp glare and made the wiser choice of walking away, not wanting to breathe in the same air as him for a second longer.

"I'll call you soon!" Jake shouted to you and you responded by flipping him off, practically stomping away.

The moment you returned to your dorm with a glum, gloomy expression on your face, Ningning looked up where she sat by the dining table, hair messy from her constantly running her hand through or tugging at with her laptop facing her. She stopped what she was doing, tossing it tot he side and rushed up to you, placing her hands on your shoulders.

"What's wrong? You looked like you got ran over," she asked, directing you to sit on the couch. You practically melted into it, going boneless while she sat beside you, her hands now above yours.

The scene looked straight out of a drama, with the female lead being comforted by her friend after finding out she was cheated on. If it wasn't for your current situation, you would've find your dilemma funny but you didn't have the heart to laugh at anything. You ran a hand through your hair, messing it up in the process and stared at the wall with a tired look on your face.

"…I'm dating Jake now," you said, getting straight to the point.

She gasped, jaw dropping and eyes widening, utterly dumbfounded, like you've told her you're pregnant instead. "You're what!? Since when? Wait, hold on. I'm confused! I remembered you telling me you hate his guts! How did one tutoring session led to you dating him?"

You freed your right hand, quickly stopping her before she could get carried away. Ningning took that as her cue to seal her lips shut.

"Before you get any wrong idea, we're fake dating—"

"Fake dating?"

You glared at her for interrupting you and she made a motion of zipping her mouth. "As I was saying, we're gonna fake date. He wants me to be his fake girlfriend to get his parents off his back and in return, he'll continue to tutor me until finals are over. It's a win-win situation."

"Win-win situation? You mean a ticket straight to hell. You're gonna get your feelings played," she said and you couldn't help but flinched, knowing she's right.

"What are you talking about? There's no feelings involved in the first place. It's a mutual and beneficial agreement," you scoffed.

Your friend shot you a pointed look, not believing you but didn't prod further and changed the conversation as she moved to a lighter topic. "Did he told you the reason why he chose you?"

"Yeah, said something about how I'm different than the other girls and things like that."

Ningning raised an eyebrow and playfully nudged you with her elbow. "Look at you go, having that main character energy," she paused when something hits her and she sat up, "wait, does that mean he's gonna be paying for everything?"

You groaned. "Ningning—"

"You can ask him to pay for your fees! That way you wouldn't be kicked out!" She exclaimed, shooting up from the couch, obviously thrilled with the idea.

You, on the other hand, have the opposite reaction, rubbing the space between your eyes. "I didn't tell him."

She paused, owlishly blinking her eyes. "What? Why not?"

You dropped your hand and threw her the most unimpressed stare you can mustered. "Because I know guys like him are gonna laugh at me. They act like they're better than me, just because they're rich! Besides, why should I tell him about my problem?"

At this, Ningning's features softened. You were able to see something akin to pity swirling in her eyes as she sat back down, her knees gently nudging against yours. You instinctively looked to the side, not wanting her pity. If there's another thing about you, it's the fact you disliked being seen as weak or vulnerable, especially when it's from people who had it better than you.

They've never understood what you had to go through nor have they been in your shoes before. And to make matters worse, the words they used to comfort you felt empty, like they said it just for saying it, making them and their words sound performative.

But Ningning is different.

She was there for you since the start, stood by your side through thick and thin. She never made fun of you despite your background and upbringing differences. And for that, you are eternally grateful to her. But that doesn't mean people like her exist everywhere. She sighed when you went silent while making yourself smaller on the couch.

Leaning over, she draped her arm around your shoulders to pull you close until your head's resting on her chest, able to hear her steady and consistent heartbeat—the sound of it enough to ease your troubled mine and soul.

"You know I'm always here for you, right? You're like a sister to me, (Name)," she murmured, resting her chin on your head.

You didn't verbally reply, choosing to hum in acknowledgment instead. "I know, Ningning, I know."

"Good. If you ever need someone to talk to, you can come to me anytime and anywhere. It doesn't matter if you're in another country or you're on a boat. Just call me."

Your throat tightened and something warm pricked your eyes but you were quick to blink them away, not wanting her to see you like this, despite how she doesn't mind it one bit. You shuffled closer, not wanting to be separated from your friend. She didn't say anything. She never need to, simply pulling you closer so you could be more comfortable, letting you leaned on her until you were completely at peace.

"..Do you wanna eat fried chicken and talk about stupid things?" She asked softly twenty minutes later.

"Sure, if boys is included in said stupid things," you croaked out.

Ningning chuckled. "Oh, it is definitely included. Don't worry about that."

◟‿୨୧‿◞

The weekend was the calm before the storm. Two days wasn't enough for you to mentally recover and prepare yourself for what's to come. It was currently eight in the morning and your first class starts at nine, leaving you one hour to get ready and walked to campus. The dorm you stayed in wasn't far by any means but the distance still does require you to travel by foot, which takes roughly twenty to thirty minutes with various conditions taken into considerations.

You were in the middle of getting ready when your phone screen lit up from its spot on the vanity table. You accepted the call without checking the number, putting it on speaker mode and went back to packing your bag.

"Hello?"

"(Name)? I'm driving you to campus. Come out when you're done," Jake's voice echoed through the four walls of your room, making you froze on the spot, nearly dropping your notebook.

"Why? I can walk by myself," you replied, robotically sliding your notebook into your bag, only zipping it once you've checked you didn't forget anything.

"…Don't tell me you've forgotten what I told you."

Right. The fake relationship and how we need to make it look real.

"Fine, I'm coming out," you curtly replied, ending the call, not giving him even a second to formulate his response.

You were glad that Ningning had left before you, saving you from the second-hand embarrassment of her laughing at you or even worse, bombarding Jake with an endless round of questions that you'd rather avoid at all costs. You spotted a sleek, black Mercedes-AMG GT 63 parked outside, its glossy exterior reflecting your dorm building, expensive in a way that didn't need any announcing.

Of course it belongs to Jake. Of course he drives an expensive car like a Mercedes.

Even with the tinted windows, you were able to feel his heavy gaze on you, tracking you visually as you walked round the front until you got into the passenger seat, closing the door beside you. The strong smell of his cologne washed over you the moment the door was closed—clean, expensive and annoyingly familiar.

Everything inside the car screamed luxurious in the most effortless way possible. Black leather seats stitched with silver detailing, dim ambient lights glowing along the doors and a polished console that looked more high-tech than the academy's classrooms. Even the dashboard screens gleamed flawlessly beneath the natural sunlight.

It's warm, quiet and far too comfortable for you.

Jake glanced at you from the corner of his eyes, his lips tugging upward in a faint sly, knowing smile, like he knew what kind of thoughts are running through your mind.

"Seatbelt," he murmured, voice soft, gentle and too dangerous for your heart.

You didn't speak, not trusting your own voice as you pulled the seatbelt over with borderline quivering hands. You nearly heaved a sigh of relief when you managed to buckle it and readjusted your bag that's placed on your lap. Jake made a satisfied sound, like he's pleased at your obedience or something else. For the sake of your sanity and how it's still early, you chose to believe it's the latter.

He pulled away from the roadside, now driving down the street with the engine reduced to a soft, consistent purring sound. At first, none of you spoke a word—with Jake's eyes focused on the road and you looking out of the window, watching as everything moved pass you in a blur. However, the silence didn't last long, much to your disappointment.

"I was thinking—"

"What a shocker" you muttered under your breath but he brushed your words aside.

"—I can tutor you today and tomorrow after class. What time does your last class ends?" He continued, unfazed.

"Three in the afternoon."

He nodded but you didn't see it. "Perfect, I'll meet you by the main entrance once you're done."

Hearing this, you turned your head to him. "We're not gonna study in the library?"

He shifted, resting one hand on top of the steering wheel while the other rested on his lap. You dryly swallowed until you felt the stinging pain from it. You couldn't tear your eyes away from his side profile—his tense but relaxed jawline, his fingers lazily tapping against the steering wheel in rhythm to whatever music playing in his mind.

You hated how calm and effortlessly attractive he looked. It's no wonder how he's able to capture the girls' hearts and attentions without lifting a finger. The sunlight kissed his skin every few seconds, illuminating his features—the curve and plumpness of his lips and the strands of his dark hair falling slightly over his forehead. Heck, even the way he drove was irritatingly smooth, one hand on the steering wheel like he had done this a thousand times before.

Your stare lingered longer than it should have until you weren't being subtle at all and until your mind blanked out.

"Did you hear what I said or were you too busy staring at me to hear anything?" He suddenly asked, amusement lacing his voice.

Your eyes widened instantly, heat crawling up the back of your neck with you feeling unusually warm, even though the air-conditioner was blowing at you directly.

"I-I wasn't staring!" You protested, rushing to add another sentence, "Who would want to stare at you in the first place."

He lets out a low, quiet laugh that's both sinful and even more dangerous for your poor heart. "Right, if that's what you believed. As I was saying, we're gonna to to a cafe and study there. I find it more easier to study when there's drinks and food around."

You snorted before you could stopped yourself. "You sure you're not saying that because you'll be hungry?"

He pointed at you with his hand that's resting on his lap, eyes never leaving the road, even for a split second. "You're acting like you won't be hungry when classes is over."

"I won't be. I know myself best," you retorted.

Jake chuckled and didn't prod further, dropping it, much to your relief. Soon, you arrived at campus and after he parked his car in the parking lot, you got out. Everyone's eyes was immediately on you. Some were dumbfounded. Some stopped in their tracks, watching you like you're a new face when that's far from the truth.

No, what's new is the fact you've stepped out of Jake's car.

You pointedly ignored the hushed whispers and murmurs from students around you. From how they were pointing at you. You sworn you saw some even pulled their phones out to record and to add fuel to the burning flames, Jake took that as his chance to quickly stood by your side and then—

He grabbed your hand.

Not wrist. Not shoulder and not anywhere else. It was your hand.

Your head snapped to him at breakneck speed that it's a miracle you didn't snap your neck. You stared at him in disbelief, unable to hide your composure with nothing but utter shock written all over your face.

Your heart stopped beating when he intertwined your fingers together—the motion smooth and fluid, like he had practiced this before. Jake raised an questioning eyebrow when he noticed your prolonged staring and stupefied expression.

"What's wrong? Can't a guy hold his girlfriend's hand in public?" He asked, ensuring that his words was clearly heard by the students around him.

A series of gasps echoed throughout the crowd.

"Did you hear that? He called her his girlfriend!"

"What? Are you sure? Does that mean they're dating?"

"No way, since when did it happen?"

"Somehow, they look good together…"

Heat crept up the back of your neck with your ears and cheeks dusted in the lightest shade of red. You attempted to free your hand from his but he merely locked his fingers with yours. Goosebumps broke out of your body at the lightest, fleeting sensation of him running his calloused index finger along your knuckles. You were able to feel the cool, smooth metal surface of his ring touching your hand too.

Jake scooted closer until your shoulders were brushing, angling his head slightly to whisper into your right ear. At this point, you were well-aware that everyone is looking at you.

"Just smile and everything will be alright, baby," he murmured in a soft, gentle tone. The kind of tone used for actual lovers and couples.

Whatever you have with him is fake. At least, that's what you're telling yourself for now.

But god, maybe it's the tone he used. Maybe it's how he confidently handled the situation, giving the public what they truly want to see. Maybe it's something else—something you refused to acknowledge. Whatever it was, your heart fluttered, much to your horror. You didn't dare to look at him, not wanting to show how affected you were by his words.

To distract your mind, you shifted the strap of your bag as you dragged him away from the scene, making a beeline to the North building where your first class is. The voices from other students trailed after you like a whisper. Every step you took only garnered more and more attention and at this point, you're certain you and Jake's relationship have became a hot topic.

When you arrived at the lecture room, you were about to enter when Jake lightly tugged you back. You stopped and shot him a confused look, only to see he was already staring at you with an intense, unreadable look on his face. You moved away from the door, not wanting to block anyone's way before turning back to him.

"What's wro—!"

You didn't get to finish your sentence, not when he stepped closer, closing the distance with one step. Your voice died in your throat when he reached out, using both hands to cup your head. Your breath audibly stuttered, mind reeling at the feeling of his long, slender and oh so sinful fingers clasped around your chin. You couldn't moved, dumbly standing there as you let him tilt your head back slightly.

Invisible alarm bells went off in your mind when you saw him getting closer and closer. You instinctively squeezed your eyes shut, mentally bracing yourself for what's to come. Out of the list of things you expect him to do, what you didn't expect was to feel something soft and warm to touch your forehead.

Your eyes flew opened but Jake had already moved back. Your hands twitched and you fought against the sudden urge to pull him back in, ignoring how your heart ached at the sudden unnecessary distance between you. You opened and closed your mouth, resembling a gaping fish out of the sea.

"Y-You can't just—!" You spluttered, making a fool of yourself.

Jake looked downright amused than anything else. "Sorry, I can't help it when you're this cute," he apologized but his light-hearted and carefree tone said otherwise.

You scowled, throwing him a glare and entered the lecture room, not wanting to face him any longer. You were able to feel the weight of his gaze boring holes into the back of your head as you managed to find a seat for yourself. After sitting down, you glanced towards the opened door without warning and you hated yourself for feeling disappointed to see he had left, only for you to shake your head to get rid of it.

Stupid. This isn't a real relationship. Don't fall for snobby guys like him.

Despite the words you told yourself, a small, traitorous part of you however, knew you had dug a grave and how you have committed a sin. The sin of slowly but gradually, falling for Sim Jaeyun.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

Unlike before, when students paid you no mind or made fun of you behind your back, things were different now. You were surprised when a group of girls—who takes the same few modules with you, approached you out of nowhere.

Gone was their usual disdain and mocking expressions, only for it to be replaced with warmth and friendliness. You didn't say a thing, eyeing them warily while remaining on high alert for what they intend to say.

"Hey, we just wanna apologize for making fun of you in the past. We didn't mean any harm and it's just a joke," one of the girls spoke up, on behalf of her friends and they nodded in unison.

You blinked, not really knowing what to say as you slipped your bag onto your left shoulder while standing from your seat. "Oh… right, that's fine. I didn't take it to heart anyway."

The girls seemed relieved at your words, nodding once more before stepping out of the room while chatting among themselves. You lingered behind, feeling a storm of emotions residing deep in your stomach as it coiled around you like a snake. Your grip tightened on the strap of your bag, with the girl's sentence and pathetic apology echoing in your mind.

"Whatever, it doesn't matter anymore," you mumbled to yourself, leaving the room as you pulled your phone out, ready to text Jake that you were on your way to meet him.

It's easy to spot him in the parking lot—him casually leaning against the driver's door of his car. But he wasn't alone. You stopped a few feet away, hesitant as you're unsure if you're granted permission to march up to him, like how a girlfriend will do when she reunite with her boyfriend.

From where you stood, you're able to see his side profile—how he cocked his head to the side when the boy on his right—who you recognized as Lee Heeseung, said something to him that made him threw his head back to let out a loud and carefree laugh, revealing the expanse of his neck and collarbones. The sight made your throat dry up, for certain reasons you knew but didn't want to put a name on it.

"Hey, isn't that your girlfriend right there? She's been staring at you," one of Jake's friends asked while pointing at you, not caring about being subtle or whatever.

Your face flushed, shoulders tensing at the words 'your girlfriend'. Before you could say anything, Jake rolled his eyes at his friend's words, squeezing his way through them to get to you, stopping before you. Something tugged at your heart at how his hair moved when a gentle gust of wind blew past, sending it flying in all directions.

Honestly, he looks more like a puppy than a human.

"You ready to go?"

He asked, eyes trained on your face and even though there are other students around, even though how some were clearly trying to get his attention, he didn't spare them a second glance. You swallowed, shuffling your feet on the spot, feeling unusually timid and small while being on the receiving end of his firm, unwavering gaze.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" You asked.

"Like what?"

Like I'm your actual girlfriend. Aren't we supposed to be acting?

"Nothing, never mind. What about your friends? They've been watching us," you jutted your head towards the three boys who were heading your way.

"So, mind introducing us to your girlfriend?" Heeseung asked, his voice light and teasing with his doe-like eyes darting between you and Jake's faces.

Jake sighed, moving to stand beside you with one arm casually draped around your shoulders. "Right guys, this is my girlfriend, (Name). Babe, this are my friends—Heeseung, Jay and Sunghoon, unfortunately."

You snorted at the last word while ignoring the offended looks his friends threw his way. "It's nice meeting all of you. Now if you excuse us, we have some studying to do."

You grabbed his wrist and pulled him to where his car was. His friends made loud, enthusiastic cheering sounds behind you, acting very much like young, immature boys rather than young adults that are in their early twenties, much to Jake's embarrassment.

"Good luck studying or whatever!" Heeseung called out and just to poke his buttons, Jay added another sentence that made you two froze, looking like two deer caught in headlight.

"Yeah, remember to use protection!"

What the fuck.

For a few seconds, none of you moved an inch—Jake's hands awkwardly hanging in mir-air with you looking terribly caught off-guard. He ended up being the first to regain his composure, awkwardly clearing his throat and quickly pulled out of his lot, pretending he didn't hear what his friends said, even though it was loud and crystal clear to everyone near them. It was only when you were fully out of campus was when you couldn't hold back your laughter.

"Oh my god, your friends are really embarrassing," you wheezed through your laughter, clutching the sides of your stomach with your shoulders shaking vigorously.

He sighed but the sound itself was full of fondness. "Tell me about it. I'm sorry about them though. They're nice, I swear."

"I'm sure they are, thanks to their little fan clubs they have going on," you answered.

"Oh? So who do you think looks the best?" He inquired, glancing at you here and there with the road gradually stretching wider until you're now on the highway.

You watched as the speedometer rises until he's now driving nearly at a hundred kilometers per hour before replying. "Why? So you can get an ego boost?"

"Oh, come on! I'm just really curious to know what you think!" He protested, sounding mildly offended at your words.

You snickered, leaning back in your seat with your arms loosely crossed, fingers tapping against your skin. "Hm… I think Sunghoon looks the best among the four of you."

"What!? Betrayed by my own girlfriend!" He squawked, shooting you an incredulous look and if it wasn't for the fact you're on the highway, you're certain he would've slammed his foot down on the brakes.

You didn't reply immediately, not when your heart does the funny thing again—skipping a beat at his words 'my own girlfriend'. You can only prayed the chuckle you let out sounds convincing enough and he won't questioned it.

"Right well, I consider myself as a woman with standards and taste."

"Are you implying that I'm not able to meet them?" He huffed, akin to a child sulking with his lips curling down.

You blinked, unable to believe what you were seeing. "A..Are you actually sulking?"

"Of course I am! This is damaging my self-confidence. And besides, if I hear it from anyone else, I would've been upset too," he retorted, getting off the highway as he took an exit on his left.

Something in you tightened and ached at his words, at the thought of finding someone else in the future but as always, you quickly pushed it aside.

"Right. But for what it's worth, I think you're a decent guy, Jake. Whoever gets to have you as her future boyfriend is a lucky girl."

The car came to a stop at a red light and he took that to turn towards you, surprised by your sudden honesty. "Oh, thanks. You're not so bad yourself either, as long as you're not in a foul mood. You should laugh and smile more. It makes you look cuter."

Beep!

Both of you flinched when the car behind you beeped at you. Jake was quick to change gear and continued driving, unaware of how red your face had turned, how your heart pounded against your chest rapidly and most importantly, how a series of tingles went down your body.

Another fifteen minutes passed and you arrived at your destination. At first glance, it's a simple and aesthetic-looking cafe. Nothing out of the ordinary. However, it's like you've stepped into a whole different world the moment you entered—with Jake holding the door open for you. The strong aroma of freshly-brewed coffee beans washed over your senses, along with the faint mixture of scents—handmade pasta along with dough being baked in the oven.

The interior of the cafe seemed to have a theme to it—the colors being a mixture of brown and beige. Nothing too outstanding and nothing too dull either. There were some hang and framed pictures placed on the walls in strategist positions. Customers scattered across the cafe. Some sat alone—clearly students, judging from how their tables was covered in papers and either their laptops or iPads. Some were either with their friends or partners.

You followed Jake, feeling out of place due to how expensive everything looks around you. You even clutched onto your bag with a vice-like grip, not wanting to knock any of the decorations down. He led you to an vacant table located at the back, in a rather secluded corner and you sat down, picking up the menu to look at it.

"Holy shit, these are so expensive," you gasped, jaw dropping with how ridiculously over-priced the food and drinks are.

Jake, on the other hand, didn't bat an eye to it. "Really? Just get whatever you want. It's on me."

"Oh, but—"

"No buts. This is the least I can do," he cut you off with a pointed look, leaving you no choice but with a resigned sigh.

You ended up telling him your order and he's quick to head to the register to order. From where you sat, you were able to see the starstruck look the staff had when she saw Jake, clumsily recording his order in the system, bowing with a evident blush on her cheeks once he paid. He returned to the table, raising an eyebrow at you when you shot him a teasing look.

"What?"

"Oh nothing. Just think that you're such a charmer," you pointed out.

He puffed his cheeks, looking rather proud. "Aw, thanks."

"I was being sarcastic, you dumbass."

"Oh."

◟‿୨୧‿◞

"So, how is it going?"

"What do you mean?" You asked, words slightly muffled with how you're practically shoving food down your throat, acting like a famished woman who haven't eaten for three weeks straight.

Ningning rolled her eyes, leaning back into her chair with her drumming her left fingers on the table's surface. It's a Saturday, finally and as per weekly tradition, it's only right for you and your best friend to unwind and relax by eating unhealthy but sinful food while talking about everything and anything. However, it seemed like she's showing more interest in a topic that revolves around a certain boy.

"Don't play dumb. I'm talking about your relationship with Jake. Any cute moments yet?" She placed her fork down, pressing her fingers against both sides of her faces and cutely batted her eyelashes at you, making you gagged at her antics, "Has he called you baby? Angel maybe? Has he kissed you yet?"

"…He has already done all of that," you murmured under your breath but the words were audible enough for her to hear.

She let out a scandalous gasp, acting like you've done something as nasty as having your virginity taken. "Really!? How does it feel? Did you have the butterflies? Did your heart skip a beat? Did you have sweaty hands?"

"Alright, slow down there, missy. First of all, I didn't have any of that. Secondly, what are you even saying? It sounds like English but doesn't at the same time," you stopped her before she gets carried away.

Ningning puffed her cheeks, body going limp as she raised her right leg to place it on her chair and draped her right wrist on her knee. "Boo, party pooper. What do you think though?"

"Think about what?"

She groaned. "Ugh, I'm talking about being the Sim Jaeyun's girlfriend experience! Do you know how many girls will kill to be in your spot? Not to mention, your face is all over the news too and—"

"Wait. What do you mean all over the news?" You interrupted.

Unfazed with your sudden reaction, she swiped her phone off the table, unlocked it and searched for something. When she found it, she turned it around to show you the screen. You leaned forward slightly and what you saw made your heart dropped.

SIM JAEYUN OF THE SIM FAMILY SPOTTED WITH A MYSTERIOUS GIRLFRIEND?

Beneath the bold, striking headline was an image of you and Jake, standing by his car. Your face was painfully clear in the picture, caught mid-laughing while he looked at you with such a fond, loving expression that only sold the meaning better to the world. The meaning that he's in a happy relationship with you.

Bile rose in your throat but you swallowed it down, reaching out to scroll down, curiosity getting the better of you. And you wished you didn't do that.

The article rambled on about Jake being the heir to the Sim Family's medical empire, briefly mentioning his parents' high-ranking statues in their respective industries before diving straight into speculations about you. The more you read, the more your stomach churned with something unfamiliar.

It's clear whoever wrote the article have zero idea and respect about you. They mentioned you're someone who's nothing but a gold-digger, dating Jake purely for his money and family background. It disgusts you—the fact that you're being reduced to nothing more than a simple girl who wants nothing more than money and the fact that you're being lumped in the same group as the other girls in the academy.

Your blood boiled, nails digging into your palm with your teeth grinding down. To make matters worse, the comment section wasn't helping at all.

Pause. Isn't that (Name) from Decelis?

I'm surprised a nobody like her is able to charm her way into Jake's heart.

Nah, this gotta be a joke. Didn't know April's Fool is here LOL.

Your heart pounded so loud that it drowned out your surroundings. You stared at it, like the comments section and article will vanish if you stared hard enough. And then—

Your phone rang.

Both of you flinched, two pairs of eyes darting towards the screen. Your breath caught when you saw Jake's name flashing across it.

"Speak of the devil," your best friend murmured but you paid her no mind, passing her phone back to her and picked yours up, ignoring how your hand was shaking as you accepted the call, placing it against your left ear.

"Hello?"

There was a brief pause on the other line before Jake sighed. "We need to talk."

Ten minutes later, he knocked on your door. You opened it to him dressed casually—a long gray hoodie with the hood up, a pair of black sweatpants with the strings untied. Judging from his attire, he must've drove straight to your dorm after he hung up. Or maybe, he was already in his car. You moved aside, letting him in and closed the door behind you. Ningning chose to head to her room to give you two privacy so you can talked in the living room.

"Do you want anything to drink?" You offered but he shook his head.

"It's fine, it'll be quick," he answered, politely waving off your offer.

You nodded, gesturing for him to sit on the couch and he obliged, with you sitting on the other end, leaving some distance between the two of you. The moment Jake sat down, he pushed the hood off his head, revealing his smooth, fluffy black hair. You watched from the corner of your eyes as he ran a hand through it, seemingly frustrated and hesitant, like he's hiding something.

But you didn't push him, giving him the time and room to speak whenever he's ready. It turns out you didn't have to wait long, for he inhaled and exhaled.

"Everyone saw the news, including my parents and they want to meet you," he said, hands fiddling with the ends of the strings of his sweatpants.

"Oh."

"Oh? That's all you gotta say?" He repeated.

You squirmed about on the couch. "Well, yeah? What else do you want me to say? I'm guessing meeting your fake boyfriend's parents is part of the agreement, right? Besides, it's just a simple family gathering. How hard can it be?"

Jake grimaced, now fiddling with the ring snugly wrapped around his right index finger. "Well, my parents aren't really the… best parents in the world. They aren't like those loving and warm parents out there."

You waved off his words. "I'll be fine, trust me. Besides, you're not the only one who has that too."

He nodded. "Right, so we'll be meeting them tomorrow evening and—"

"What? Tomorrow!?" You exclaimed and he flinched, startled by your sudden outburst.

"Oh Jesus, don't shout! You're gonna give me a heart attack! What happened to you saying you'll be fine?"

"That was before I find out it's happening tomorrow! Wait, don't you rich people have a dress code!? Are we going to a Michelin-Star restaurant? I swear my table manners are fine but I don't know if it's up to your standards and—"

Jake shifted closer, placing both hands on your shoulders. The mere contact from his calloused fingers was enough to silence you mid-rambling. "Slow down, (Name). You'll be fine, just trust me. And you won't be alone in this. I'll be with you the entire time."

You paused, locking eyes with him. With the close proximity, you're able to see his long eyelashes and the deadly, sharp and slight curve of his nose. None of you dared to look away, seemingly getting lost in the moment. You sworn you saw how his eyes flicked down to your parted lips before back up. It's fast and fleeting but you saw it.

Thud!

"Oh, for fuck's sake!"

Something heavy was dropped on the floor followed by Ningning cursing at the top of her lungs, causing the two of you to flinch, moving away from one another. Jake sank his teeth onto his bottom lip and rose to his full height.

"I, uh, should get going. We'll go shopping tomorrow morning for your outfit. I'll text you when I reach," he said, voice steady.

You nodded, the motion itself stiff and robotic. "R-Right. Urm, how does ten in the morning sounds?"

"Yeah, sounds good to me."

You see him out, bidding him farewell and good night before closing the door. Your shoulders sagged with relief as you leaned against it, gently knocking your head against the cool surface while staring at the ceiling, trying to regain your bearings. You rested a hand over your chest—right where your heart was, able to feel it beating rapidly against your ribcage.

Fuck, I really don't like this feeling at all. Sim Jaeyun, you are truly a dangerous person to be with.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

The next day came sooner than your liking, giving you roughly ten to eleven hours to mentally prepare yourself. You got ready in the nick of time, sneaking out of the dorm after seeing Jake's message while Ningning was still blissfully asleep, all cooped up in her comfortable bed. You got into the passenger seat, closing the door beside you and he pulled away from the roadside, driving off to wherever your destination is.

"Where are we going?" You inquired.

"To get you a outfit for tonight's dinner," he curtly replied, eyes focused on the road ahead of him.

You blinked. "What's wrong with my own clothes?"

"Nothing's wrong, it's just…" His voice trailed off before he continued, "take this as an apology gift for dragging you into my personal problem."

You raised an eyebrow. "Since when the Sim Jaeyun do apology gifts?" You teased him, voice light-hearted and mischievous.

The boy groaned and sent you a glare that contrasts the playful glint in his eyes. "Haha, very funny. Just so you know, you're the only person I've done this to."

"Right, and I'm the president of Seoul," he deadpanned.

"…You're really not funny."

"Whatever floats your boat."

Ten to fifteen minutes later, you arrived at your destination—a mall. It's not the malls you've been to. This was different. Heck, the moment you stepped in, it doesn't even feel like a mall. Your jaw dropped, nearly hitting the marbled, polished floor as you take in your surroundings with wide eyes and obvious awe written all over your face.

Jake, on the other hand, entered like he owns the place. He didn't pause to look around, already walking towards one of the shops that's situated directly in front of him, leaving you to stumble after him, not wanting to be left behind. The staff's postures straightened at the sight of him, bowing at a sharp ninety-degrees with hands positioned before them.

"Good morning, Jake-ssi. Is there anything we can help you with?" One of them asked, her voice professional and polite.

He gestured to you, moving to sit on one of the many couches. "Help her find a dress for tonight's dinner. I don't care about the price, just put it on my card."

You hated how those words along with how casual he was made your heart fluttered. The staff didn't react, merely nodding before leading you further into the shop. They brought you to a few display racks that has a wide variety of dresses hanging on it. It's colorful—pastel, dull, muted and other colors were seen.

"Do you have any color preferences?" She asked.

You distractedly shook your head, unable to look away from the unlimited options you can choose from. "Uh, not really. As long as it fits the dress code for a formal dinner."

The staff nodded, already getting to work—swiftly snatching dresses off the racks with impressive speed. In a blink of an eye, she thrusted three dresses into your arms before directing you to one of the changing rooms. Thankfully, she didn't enter with you or you would've been utterly embarrassed, not wanting to be seen as a naive clueless girl who doesn't know how to change.

You changed into the first dress you grabbed, checking yourself in the body-length mirror in the changing room. The dress was a champagne-colored satin that awkwardly clung around your waist while the neckline dipped far lower than you were comfortable with. Sure, it's pretty but it doesn't feel like you.

Despite that, you stepped out of the changing room hesitantly, smoothing down the fabric as your eyes found Jake, who had moved to sit on a velvet couch nearer to the changing room. He was on his phone, seemingly scrolling through social media before he raised his head, sensing your presence. All it took was one sweep of you from head to toe before he clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.

"No."

You blinked. "No?"

"You look like you're attending a red carpet event after-party. My mother will love it, which is exactly why I hate it," he vaguely gestured at the dress.

You shot him a flat look, spinning to disappear into the changing room. This time, the second dress was softer—a dark navy dress with lace sleeves and a fitted silhouette. It's so fitted that it's hard to breathe properly. It's on the safer route too—more conservative but again, it's not you. When you stepped out, Jake actually took a few moments to examine you before he frowned.

You sighed and crossed your arms. "What now?"

"It's too… formal. You look like you're about to attend a corporate charity gala."

"That's kinda specific."

"It is, from personal experience."

You resist the urge to flip him off or throw a shoe at his face. For the third time, you went back to the changing room and slipped on the final dress, while sending thoughts and prayers to the heavens, praying the sooner you're done with this, the sooner you can go home.

The moment you worn it, you knew this is the one. The fabric was a deep black, elegant and simple in the best way possible. It hugged you perfectly without being excessive, the silky material falling effortlessly to your legs with subtle details along the neckline and back, making it looked expensive without trying too hard.

You stared at your reflection, mesmerized before stepping out. This time, Jake wasn't looking at his phone anymore, patiently waiting for you with the device set aside.

He froze. For the first time for the past thirty minutes or so, he have nothing to say—no teasing remarks or sarcastic comments. His gaze lingered on you silently, eyes trailing down—from the dress to the way the fabric rested against your figure before returning to your face. Your breath hitched under the sheer intensity of his gaze, goosebumps forming and your body feeling unusually warm.

He didn't move an muscle, like he's permanently glued to the couch. You can tell he's trying to keep himself together, trying not to lose his mind but the faint look of disbelief lingering across his features gave him away.

You shifted awkwardly on the spot. "So… what do you think?"

He didn't answer immediately, which only made it worse. Then, he let out a quiet, soft exhale before the corners of his lips curled up slightly.

"…I like it," he said, voice noticeably lower than before.

Your heart—the one and true traitor of the century—betrayed you once again with an embarrassing skip. Jake's eyes flickered over you one more time, like he's trying to capture your current state and keep it in his mind before he added softly, almost to himself, even though he's not the only one in the room.

"A lot."

True to his words, the purchase was placed on his card and he paid without batting an eye at the ridiculous figure. You sworn you've never seen that many zeroes in your entire life. The staff thank you as they showed you out of the shop, with you holding the shopping bag as Jake walked beside you. You were about to say something when your stomach chose that moment to humiliate you, by grumbling out loud.

He stopped and shot you an amused look. "Sounds like someone's hungry."

Your face and cheeks flushed red. "It's not my fault I didn't eat breakfast before leaving."

He snorted, turning to lead you somewhere and you followed, easily matching his pace. By now, there were more people roaming about in the mall as compared to before. "If I remember correctly, you were the one who suggested meeting at ten. So don't blame me."

"Oh how mature of you, putting the blame on a woman."

Woah, Imma stop you right there, missy. You're making me sound like I hate women. I'm all in for women's rights," he pointed at you, like you've said something scandalous.

You snickered and the next thing you knew, you found yourself seated in an expensive restaurant with a menu that could cost you an organ to afford one dish. Jake placed your order on your behalf and when the waitress finally left you alone, you turned to him, arms resting on the table surface.

"So, is there anything I should take note of when I'm meeting your parents tonight?" You inquired.

Jake pursed his lips, busy in unfolding the napkin to place it on his lap. "Not really. Just be yourself and if something happens, leave it to me."

"Sure, but what if they ask how do we meet? What do we tell them?" You prod further.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Simple, just say you need my help to tutor you for one of the modules and from there, we kept talking, found out we have lots of common interests and ended up dating. It's easy and foolproof. No one will doubt that."

You nodded in silent approval. "Yeah, that sounds good to me too. Do I need to say or do anything to impress your father? Since he's part of the Richest Man list."

Something cold and sharp flickered across his face at the mention of his father. It was quick and anyone would have missed it. But you didn't and it was gone when he blinked, that brief moment shoved aside.

"No need, he doesn't care about anything unless it benefits him," he replied.

You frowned, finding his response vague and strange, like he's hiding something. Before you could ask another question, the same waitress from before stopped by your table, placing your food down before walking away again. The question was washed down the drain the moment your eyes landed on your dish, mouth nearly watering at the amazing presentation.

You wasted no time in digging in, feeling a bunch of flavors exploding in your mouth with every bite you took. You couldn't hold back the gleeful noises you let out, acting like a little girl. Jake, on the other hand, haven't touched his food and was simply staring at you. He chuckled at your reaction, picking his own set of cutlery up.

"That good huh," he commented.

You eagerly nodded your head. "Yeah, I don't think I'll be able to afford this. It must be nice being rich. You can solve all of your problems with money."

You meant it as a light jab and a joke. Nothing more and nothing less. However, Jake didn't feel the same way as you. Instead of his usual responses—a teasing remark or a sarcastic retort, he was silent. He didn't say a thing but there were a few things you saw. How his jaw muscles twitched, how he tongued the inner-side of his cheek and how he tightened his grip on his fork and knife.

The silence stretched for the next few seconds, until it's borderline suffocating. You didn't dare to say anything else, not wanting to be the cause of him losing his temper. From where you sat, you can tell he's seething with rage and how he's obviously doing his best to not snap in public, not in front of everyone.

All it takes is for someone to snap a picture or record a short clip, upload it onto the Internet and all hell will break loose. This silent treatment—it's ironic enough for you to nearly snort out loud but you held it back, went on even when you returned to the car and even until he dropped you off at your dorm. You were ready to alight when Jake finally spoke up, one hand loosely grabbing the steering wheel while the other rested on the console.

"I'll pick you up at seven tonight," he said and you felt a pang of disappointment but was quick to shrug it aside.

"Great, see you later," you answered and he wordlessly nodded, turning to face the front again. Your hand was already on the door handle, ready to open it when you stopped to look over your shoulder.

"Jake, I just want to say, even if tonight goes horribly, I don't think you have to try so hard to impress them," you said quietly.

He stilled at your words. You took that as your chance to continue. "You're already enough as you are."

For a few moments, the only sound inside the car was the faint hum of the engine. Jake didn't move, didn't joke or smirk. He simply stared ahead before finally looking at you and the look of his face shocked you. There's no teasing laced in his expression. Instead, it's just something unreadable—quiet and almost vulnerable, like he had torn down all of his walls to reveal his true, raw self to you.

"You really love saying things like that so casually, huh," he murmured.

You frowned. "What?"

He lets out a small breath of laughter, the sound more nervous than amused. He shook his head lightly and glanced away, eyes averted to the side to stare out of the window.

"Nothing, forget it," he softly said, "Just… thanks. That's all."

◟‿୨୧‿◞

You felt more and more nervous once every hour passed and when it was six-thirty in the evening, you were already a walking bundle of nerves. You were almost done getting ready—taking a shower, using the best-smelling shampoo you have, ensuring that every part and everything about you looked up to what you supposed, a rich family's expectations is, when Ningning burst into your room without warning.

"Damn, where you going dressed like that?" She asked, leaning against the doorframe, watching as you finished applying your make-up.

You sighed, closing the cushion puff with a soft 'click' sound. "Jake's bringing me to meet his parents. They saw the news and they want to meet me."

Your friend made a face at that. "Eugh, that sounds complicated and boring. But alas, this is the fate of rich people like them."

You absentmindedly hummed, checking yourself in the mirror before rising. You have changed into the dress Jake bought for you before doing your make-up. Speaking of the dress…

Ningning whistled, pushing herself off the doorframe and entered your room. "Wait, I've never seen this dress before. When did you get this?"

You coughed, patting down the fabric of the dress. "Jake bought it for me. He took me out this morning to buy an outfit for the dinner tonight."

Silent.

Your friend was rendered speechless, gaping at you, like you've spoken in a different language. She then grabbed your shoulders with both hands, nails faintly digging into your skin.

"(Name), do you know what that means?" She asked, voice creepily low.

"Uh, you're kinda scaring me here."

She ignored your words, a maniac-like glint twinkled in her eyes. "You do know Jake doesn't do this for anyone, right?"

You glanced at the digital clock resting on your study table and it's six-forty five, fifteen more minutes before he reaches. "What are you trying to say, Ningning? Seriously, I don't have time for this. I still need to wear my heels."

She let out a loud and heavy sigh, like she's talking to a toddler who's still too young to comprehend how the world works. "I'm saying, Miss (Full Name), Jake likes you."

You stilled, staring at her blankly. For a second, your mind short-circulated.

Jake likes you.

Those three words kept echoing in your mind, over and over on a broken, endless and repetitive cycle. It sends an unfamiliar warmth blooming straight in your chest, making you feel all giddy and if you were anyone else, they would've been giggling, twirling and kicking their feet.

But you, on the other hand, felt like a pail of freezing, cold water was dumped on you without warning. Despite that, the way your heart reacted differently said otherwise.

You forced out a laugh that shook at the end and it sounded way less convincing than you intended. "No, he doesn't. He's only doing this to appease to his parents and it just so happens that I'm meeting his parents. It's part of the act."

Ningning gave you a pitiful and judgmental look. "Right. Because billionaires regularly buy custom dresses, personally pick girls up and stare at them like they're their entire world."

You scowled, ignoring the sudden heat rushing up your face. "He doesn't like me. You're being dramatic and delusional."

"I'm being observant. Anyone with eyes and nose can see and smell the tension. You need to get laid too."

"Ningning!"

Beep beep!

Before she could continue her interrogation, the loud beeping sound interrupted your conversation. Never in your life have you felt so relieved for him to be your knight in shining armor.

"He's here," you blurted out, swiftly making your escape before she could say another word.

"Come back here, young lady! We're not done yet!" She yelled after you but it was too late.

You fled out of the dorm building after clumsily slipping on your heels. Every step you took echoed against the rough pavement before you slowed down when your eyes landed on him. Unlike the usual, Jake was standing outside of his car, casually leaning against it. And somehow, he looks even better than he did.

A tailored black suit fits him perfectly, further accentuating his broad shoulders while the crisp white dress shirt underneath greatly contrast the dark fabric. His tie that was loosened slightly—like he wanted to look formal without appearing too stiff, and the soft evening lights only made him looked unfairly more handsome.

Your eyes drifted down, breath stuttering when you saw he's holding a bouquet of flowers. White roses neatly wrapped in black paper rested on his hands. You caught the way his posture straightened slightly when he saw your figure as he pushed himself off the car.

For a brief moment, none of you spoke. You were too distracted by the amount of effort he clearly put in for tonight. Jake, on the other hand, was staring at you like he forgot how to breathe again. He didn't move, staring at you with wide eyes, awestruck as you continued walking until you stood before him.

"You.. wow, you look… gorgeous," he breathed out, tongue darting out to wet his lips, like he has forgotten how to speak.

You smiled shyly, raising a hand to tuck some stray strands of hair behind your left ear but Jake was faster. Your breath hitched when he took one large stride towards you, shifting the bouquet of flowers to his left hand and he tucked it behind your ear. His fingers grazed against the shell of your ear, sending shivers down your spine.

And then, the dorm building's doors burst open behind you, startling the living lights out of you and Jake. Ningning stepped out, took one look at the close proximity of you and Jake, another look at the bouquet of flowers he held and gasped so loud it's a miracle she didn't choke on air.

"Oh my god, and you call this fake dating!?" She exclaimed dramatically while pointing at you.

Jake immediately coughed into his fist while suppressing the urge to laugh or chuckle. You, on the other hand, whirled around on the spot and shot her your best glare. But the effect wasn't futile with how your cheeks were flushed in a light shade of reddish-pink.

"Ningning!" You shouted, face turning as red as a tomato.

Your friend merely cackled, ready to leave when she stopped, remembering something. She fully turned on the spot and pointed at Jake from where she stood. The boy was confused, looking left and right before pointing at himself, with a wide-eyed, puppy-like expression on his face.

"You better bring her home in one piece, Sim Jaeyun, or I won't forgive you," she warned him.

Jake involuntarily shivered and nodded. "You can count on me. I'll stick to her side the entire time."

She nodded, pleased with his response, bid you farewell and returned to the dorm building, leaving the two of you standing outside, minds reeling from what just happened. You looked at one another before bursting out into a fit of laughter.

"Your friend's really scary," he commented, moving to open the passenger door for you.

"Scary? She cries whenever we watched movies. I don't think she's scary," you retorted, sliding in and placed your small purse on your lap.

Jake chuckled before handing the bouquet to you. "This is for you."

"Oh, thank you," you thanked him as you accepted the flowers, bringing it to your nose to smell the fresh fragrance of the flowers.

Jake closed the passenger door on your behalf, walked round the car and got into the driver's seat. Both of you buckled your seatbelts and he switched the radio on, some pop music playing in the background and off you go. The ride was filled with non-stop chattering and laughter from you and Jake. Never in your life would you find yourself in your current position—sitting in Jake's car, talking and treating him like he's a long-term friend.

With how you were enjoying yourself, the ride felt short. The once familiar streets and glowing storefronts had long disappeared, now replaced with quieter roads lined with towering trees, expensive architecture and estated hidden behind massive gates. Even though you're in the car, you knew the air is different—cleaner, calmer and richer.

You sat up straighter as the car turned onto a private road.

"Jake, where the hell does your parents live?" You asked, staring out of the window.

He merely smiled. "You'll see."

That answer did absolutely nothing to ease your nerves. A few minutes later, the car slowed in front of a pair of enormous black iron gates. It was guarded by a security post that's stationed at the entrance. The guards immediately recognized Jake's car and opened the gates without hesitation, granting him entrance.

Your eyes widened at the sight before you.

The driveway alone was longer than the entire road leading to your dorm building. Soft, golden lights illuminated the path ahead while fountains decorated the center of the estate grounds with water glimmering beneath the evening sky. The deeper you drove in, the more unreal everything became. Perfectly manicured gardens stretched endlessly across the private land, expensive luxury cars parked near another section of the estate. And the mansion itself—

You nearly forgot how to breathe and blink.

The house looked less like a home and more like something straight out of a billionaire magazine spread. Massive floor-to-ceiling windows glowed warmly from inside while elegant stone architecture towered over the grounds. Balconies wrapped around the upper floors and somewhere off to the side, you sworn you spotted what looked like a guest house.

The entire estate was secluded enough that you couldn't even see any other properties nearby. It's private and untouchable, the kind of place built for families powerful enough to avoid the outside world completely.

And more importantly, a place that isn't suitable for you. You felt like you're standing out like a sore thumb, already feeling nervous. The feeling only intensified once Jake parked the car near the entrance, who noticed the slight uncomfortable expression on your face.

"You alright?" He asked, unbuckling his seatbelt but made no move to alight.

"I'm fine, just trying to wrap my head around the fact that your house is bigger than the academy. This isn't something I see quite often."

He laughed, amused. "Take it in, princess. 'Cause we won't be here long."

The moment you stepped inside the estate, your nervousness only grew stronger. The interior was just as overwhelming as the exterior—towering ceilings, marbled and polished floors, crystal chandeliers hanging overhead. A man wearing a butler suit standing in the middle of the room greeted you and Jake with a respectful bow as you stopped before him.

"Welcome, Young Master. It's good to see you again," he greeted, "your parents and guests are waiting for you in the South building."

Your head snapped to him at lightning speed, eyes widening in disbelief. You saw how he frowned, confused with what he was told.

"South building? I was told this will be a simple family dinner," he said and you remained silent.

The butler too, was confused with the boy's words, his composure slipping for a brief moment. "No, Young Master. Your parents have held a celebration for you and your girlfriend. I was informed that you will be aware of this."

Jake went silent, but the way he clenched his jaw said otherwise, giving you a sneak peak of his true, unspoken feelings—anger, frustration and betrayal. "…I see, then in that case, we'll head there now. Thank you for letting us know."

"Of course, Young Master. Please, follow me," the man said, bowing with one hand stretched out before him as he took the lead, bringing you to the South building of the estate.

Jake extended his left arm and you hooked your right hand through the gap, resting your fingers on his upper shoulder. While walking, you shifted closer so you can whisper to him without anyone else overhearing your hushed conversation.

"Young Master?" You echoed, disbelief seeping into your voice, "What else are you hiding from me? You're the next President of Seoul?"

"Maybe."

You shot him an unamused look and jabbed your elbow into his side, snickering at how he visibly flinched and jumped on the spot. The man eventually brought you over to your destination—the South building, as promised. A pair of closed, wooden doors greeted you. Even when you're standing outside, you were able to hear muffled laughter, chattering and music from the other end. You swallowed, raising your free hand to pat down your hair and smoothed your dress.

"Ready to experience a rich man's world?" He murmured, leaning in to whisper into your ear, his hot breath grazing against your skin, leaving a light and fleeting sensation behind.

"Born ready. The sooner we get this done and over with, the sooner we can leave," you replied, staring ahead.

"Atta girl."

◟‿୨୧‿◞

The room fell silent once the doors was opened from inside. Everyone's eyes landed on you and Jake, observing from where they stood as you entered. The scene was straight out of a Kdrama—with the main leads stepping into the room. You're fully aware of how some recognized you—which confused you and how some whispered and murmured among themselves.

You're also aware of how some were shamelessly judging you with their chins tilted toward the ceiling, no doubt trying to flex their superiority towards you. Jake led you over to where a man and woman are standing together. One look at their features was enough to tell you they are his parents.

The man—his father, has the same eye shape as Jake, wearing a tailored-made suit that hugged him well. Just his presence alone felt intimidating, truly fitting for someone who started the business of a hospital chain.

The woman—his mother, on the other hand, worn a midnight blue silk dress. It glimmered at every move she made, enough to capture people's attention without commanding for it. Her posture is excellent and model-worthy, like she couldn't bear to let herself relax even in the comfort of her own home. She's the first to acknowledge your presence, scanning you from head to toe with a sharp, assessing gaze. It took all of you to not squirmed about on the spot.

"So, this must be the girl from the article," his father remarked, holding a glass of white champagne in his left hand.

You took that as your cue to bow slightly with one hand on your chest. "Good evening, Sir. I'm (Name), it's a pleasure meeting you."

He nodded, taking a sip of his champagne. "Tell me something about yourself, (Name)."

You blinked, momentarily caught off-guard with the abrupt question. You shared a glance with Jake, who gave you an encouraging nod and smile. You straightened yourself, letting a natural and professional smile appear on your face as you maintained eye contact with his father while occasionally glancing at his wife, ensuring she wasn't left out by the conversation.

"I'm a student in Decelis Academy, just like your son and I major in biochemistry. I also—"

You started off, about to continue when this time, his mother chimed in. It's like she doesn't care about you as a person but rather, the value you bring to the family.

"What does your parents do for a living?" She inquired.

You felt Jake stiffened beside you and you knew there's a ulterior motive behind her seemingly harmless question. You knew what she's trying to do—wanting to find ways to humiliate you in front of everyone. You assumed that's partly the reason for the sudden, unannounced celebration for Jake finding himself a partner.

Instead of giving her the ideal response, you switched tactics.

You flashed her a polite, closed-eye smile that's all sharp and deadly. "I believe what my parents work as is not related to my life or studies. I'm an independent person and I've gotten here purely on my own effort."

Jake coughed into his fist, suppressing the urge to grin outwardly at your sharp, pointed words. Anyone with common sense will be able to read between the lines, to decipher the meaning behind them. Something unreadable flickered across his father's eyes—impressed or something else you didn't know. His mother, however, was livid.

She didn't have to say it out loud, not when her strained smile barely does anything to hide her real feelings, how there's flames of hot, blinding fury burning deep in her stomach. The smile doesn't meet the look in her eyes and you saw how her fingers twitched, like she's tempted to just reach out to either slap you or grabbed you by the hair.

But she couldn't do any of that, not when all of you were in public, where everyone was watching you conversed the entire time.

After what felt like forever, she pointedly cleared her throat—the sound loud enough to pierce through the air in the room. "Right! I'm sure your parents must be very proud of you."

Then, almost immediately, she turned towards Jake, like the conversation regarding you no longer deserved her attention. "Speaking of academics, your father informed me you're still taking that… what is it called again?"

"Biochemistry," he replied calmly, way too calm for someone whose parents doesn't know what their son is studying.

She nodded. "Ah yes, that. Honestly, I've talked to a few of my friends and they mentioned the same thing. They believed that should you continue with this useless major of yours, it won't do you any good in the future."

You furrowed your eyebrows while Jake's expression didn't change.

His father hummed in agreement. "Your mother's right, Jaeyun. It doesn't matter if you're on top of your cohort every time. Recognition from your professors means very little outside university walls."

"Nonetheless, I think it's a great achievement for being able to excel in his academics," you couldn't help but pointed out, defending him.

He shifted beside you, like he knew where this was heading and how he had been through this numerous times. But unlike before, he wasn't alone anymore. Not when he has you.

His mother smiled thinly. "You're very kind to think that way."

The condescension behind her words was impossible to miss. Just hearing it was enough to make your blood boiled and she continued, launching another round of arrows to her son.

"Jaeyun has always been… difficult when it comes to expectations. My husband I have tried many times, trying to make him change his mind but apparently he's too stubborn for his own good," she ended her sentence with a soft chuckle, like it's funny to insult her own son in front of his girlfriend.

Her husband sighed under his breath. "He has inherited my wife's tendency to romanticize independence. Which I don't know if I should be proud of or not."

Jake lets out a quiet breath through his nose, like he's amused. You, however, was starting to see things from a different perspective. That maybe, just maybe, you might be wrong about him. Wrong about how you perceived him. Wrong about your assumptions about him.

His father delivered the final blow with a disappointed huff. "Most children will be grateful for the opportunities handed to them. And yet, my son insists on pursuing his futile dreams instead of preparing for future responsibilities that a Sim should be handling in the future."

The atmosphere surrounding you grew heavier and heavier after each sentence, until you felt like you're walking on a tightrope hanging in the air. Jake simply swiped a glass of red champagne off a tray from a passing waiter and took a sip from it. That's when you realized something—the lack of response from him. How he did nothing to defend or protect himself. How he simply lets them insult him in front of his face.

You knew the reason for his avoidant behavior—how he had went through this many times to realize there's no point in saying anything that could get them to listen to him. And somehow, that hurts more than to watch him fought back. Your shoulders trembled, your free hand clenched into fist as it rested by your side. It's the kind of anger that kept burning and rising in temperature the longer you listened to them tearing Jake apart so casually, like criticizing their own son in front of strangers is a regular thing.

"With all due respect, I think it's honestly unbelievable how both of you kept talking about Jake like he's some sort of disappointment when he has probably accomplished more than most people ever will," you started, voice trembling from the overwhelming frustration.

Silence.

You pressed on without giving them a second to formulate a response. "He's one of the top students in the academy. He's respected by professors. He's tutoring me in my studies and he's also pursuing something he genuinely cares about instead of replying on your family name to hand him a position. Do you know how difficult that is?"

The more you spoke, the louder your voice became until you were practically shouting at the top of your lungs. Jake stared at you openly, speechless and utterly dumbfounded with your behavior and how you're standing up for him.

His mother's expression hardened immediately. "Excuse me?"

"No, because from the way you spoke to him, it sounds like none of that matters unless he becomes exactly who you want him to be. He's not a tool for you to use. He's your son. Someone who you raised and carried for nine months. You're not a good mother," you pressed on, unable to stop the words from tumbling out, one after another.

At this point, the room have gone so quiet that should someone dropped a pin, the sound will echo crystal clear among the four walls. Even the music playing was paused as well. Every single guest observed from where they stood, getting a front-row seat of the scene unfolding by itself.

"You kept calling him stubborn. But to me, that's not stubbornness. That's courage. The courage to keep choosing his own path when the people around him constantly make him feel like shit. And honestly? If your son can sit here respectfully after years of being treated like this, then I think that says a lot about his character. That alone puts him above you," you breathed out.

"YOU—!"

His mother snapped, unable to control herself anymore as she screamed at you but you didn't flinch or back down. His father was quiet the entire time but something unreadable glimmered in his eyes. And Jake? You turned to him and your breath was punched out of your lungs when you saw the unfiltered, raw expression on his face.

The expression of someone who's starting to realize you meant something to him.

Before anyone else can react, Jake moved. He slammed the barely-touched glass down on a nearby table with enough force for some people to flinch. He turned to his parents and smiled, the kind of smile that's nothing but mockery happiness and faint arrogance. But at the same time, it's lighter too, like your words have lifted a heavy, intolerable burden off his shoulders.

"Sorry, Father and Mother, we will be taking our leave now," he said, his voice leaving no room for any objections.

"Jaeyun, wait—"

His mother called out but he turned a deaf ear, already grabbing you by your hand and dragged you out of the room with everyone's eyes tracking your movements and intertwined hands. No one said a thing, walking in silence and it was only when both of you reached his car and got in was when you burst out laughing. At first, it was a simple laugh before it evolved into a mixture of half-disbelief and half adrenaline-fueled hysteria.

"Oh my god," you gasped out, running a hand through your hair, not caring that you're messing it up in the process, "I think I just started a war with your parents."

Jake stared at you for a second and then, he laughed too. It's an actual laugh—warm, breathless and genuine. You blinked, surprised with the sight before you as he leaned back into the driver's seat, shaking his head fondly while still laughing under his breath.

"You should've seen your face. You looked like you saw a ghost," he wheezed out between laughs, struggling to speak and breathe.

"My face?" You repeated. "Your mother looked like she's about to rip my hair off. I can't go bald when I'm still in my twenties!"

"I'll pay good money to see that."

That only made both of you laughed harder, until you're clutching the sides of your stomachs with tears brimming your eyes, blurring your vision and until you're practically wheezing and gasping for breathe. The tension from the dinner was slowly fading, now replaced with nothing but laughter and honestly, if you were to think about it, the whole situation sounds insane, from the start to the end.

"You basically just told one of the richest families in the country that they are terrible people," he said after calming down, his mind still reeling from what he just witnessed with his own eyes.

"You made it sound worse if you word it like that."

"I'm just saying the truth."

You let out another laugh, body going pliant as you slumped against the seat, exhausted after laughing to your hearts' content. Silence was quick to follow suit but it wasn't the uncomfortable silence. But rather, it's warm and comfortable. He turned slightly in his seat to properly look at you, the faint glow from the entrance lights illuminating his features softly. Without the tension from earlier, he looks different now.

More calmer and at peace. And the way he looked at you made you feel dangerously unstable, sending warmth down the length of your spine.

"You know, many people would've stayed silent back there," he murmured.

You awkwardly shrugged, eyes drifting down to stare at your hands resting on your lap. "Well, I was angry that they dared to talk about you like that. Like you're invisible."

He smirked. "Nah, you were livid."

You shot him a glare and he chuckled, features softening. "But I'm serious. You never fail to impress me, you know?"

Your heart skipped a beat, nearly jumping out of your throat.

"You weren't scared of them at all."

"That's because they weren't being fair to you," you answered without hesitation, like it's been resting on the tip of your tongue.

He stilled upon hearing your words. For a brief and split second, something vulnerable crossed his face before he looked down, quietly exhaling through his nose. He shifted, resting one elbow against the window while the other was on the console between you and him.

"…Thank you, really," he murmured, his voice filled with nothing but sincerity.

Hearing it was enough to make your chest ache. You raised your head, only to realize how close the two of you are. Somewhere during the conversation, Jake had leaned closer without you noticing. He's so close—close enough for you to see every detail in his eyes and close enough that the air in the cramped, still space feels heavier.

Your breath hitched, watching as his eyes flickered down to your parted lips before back to your eyes. What nearly made you risked it all however, was the look on his face, like he wants to do something reckless and dangerous. Your heart hammered violently against your ribcage when he lifted his right hand, fingers brushing against a few stray strands of hair near your face before gingerly tucking it behind your left ear with such gentleness that it's enough to make you swoon.

Instead of pulling his hand back, he lets it lingered near your head, a few seconds longer than usual. If it was anyone else, they probably wouldn't have noticed it. But when it comes to you, you noticed everything about him, whether you knew it or not.

For one terrifying second, you genuinely thought he was about to kiss you. And judging from the conflicted look in his eyes—how he's fighting his own inner battle, he thought about it too. Thought about kissing you until you're breathless, until you're trembling in his arms and until the only thing you can say was his name, over and over.

And then he pulled away.

He dropped his hand, reaching to buckle his seatbelt with his hands borderline shaking—from the amount of sheer will and self-discipline it took for him to pull back. His jaw tightened, like he's forcing himself to do this—turning the car's engine on while trying to grasp onto the final few shreds of his self-restraint.

You did the same as well and no other word was exchanged for the rest of the ride. You avoided looking at him the entire time, choosing to stare out of the window. Even when he dropped you off, you barely managed to utter out a soft, weak "good night" before scurrying back into the dorm building. Ningning was already asleep in her room, saving you the chances of being ambushed by her.

You placed a hand on your chest, able to feel your heart still racing uncontrollably in your chest. What your friend told you echoed in your mind, crystal clear and loud as day.

"Win-win situation? You mean a ticket straight to hell. You're gonna get your feelings played."

Except in this case, you weren't sure if he's playing with your feelings or not but alas, only time can tell.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

After that day, something shifted between you and Jake. Both of you weren't like before—you constantly arguing with him while Jake didn't bother reacting to your outbursts or complaints. But rather, he treated you like you're his actual girlfriend. And that's a huge problem on his own. You're always spending time with him—from morning for your first class to the end of the day—with him tutoring you during your many little tutor sessions.

With the time spent together, you were starting to notice the little things about him—how he fiddled with the rings on his fingers whenever he's deep in thought, how he chewed on his bottom lip with his eyebrows furrowed while trying to come up with an idea to explain it to you in a way you could understand, how he pushed his glasses up whenever it's slipping down the sharp, slightly curved edge of his nose and so on.

Heck, you even found yourself often staring at him while turning a blind eye to the people and your surroundings. You also found yourself constantly thinking about him the moment you're separated, wondering what he was doing, wondering if he's even eating and taking care of himself and—

"Holy shit, you're fucking whipped," Ningning told you once you were done rambling to her, confiding in her.

And like the true and amazing friend she was, she let you rant your feelings out before summarizing everything with five simple words. You groaned, leaning forward to lightly knock your head against the table in your dorm. Today marked the last day of classes and students will be having a one month break before classes resumed. Before the final semester begin and after that, you and Ningning will be entering your final year in the academy before graduating.

That is, if you managed to find a way to pay your school fees in one go. Until now, you still couldn't figured out a solution to your greatest dilemma of your life. Every day slipping through your fingers meant you're one day closer to getting expelled from Decelis Academy.

"I can't believe you're right," you bemoaned, words muffled with your face squashed against the table surface.

Ningning sighed, reaching over to lightly whack your shoulders. "Get your face off the table. It's dirty and I told you so, didn't I? You need to listen to me more. Like for example, when are you gonna tell him?"

You lifted your face, leaning back into your seat. "Tell him what?"

Your friend rolled her eyes at your pathetic attempt of playing dumb. "Telling Jake that you're gonna get kicked out in like, what? Five months' time?"

You flinched at the sudden mention of your expulsion, even though you were just thinking about it a few seconds ago. You didn't grace her with an immediate answer, choosing to down the remaining of your canned fizzy drink, swallowing it before replying.

"I don't think he cares. Besides, he's not gonna find out anyway and even if he did, what is he gonna do?" You barked out a laugh but the sound itself was void of any form of warmth.

Ningning frowned. "(Name)—"

Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzt.

Both of you turned your heads to where your phone was lying—on the lower left of the table with the screen lit up. Sighing, you picked it up and accepted the call to press your phone against your left ear without checking the caller ID, which proved to be a horrible mistake.

"Hello?"

"(Name)?"

Your blood turned cold. Your heart stopped beating, falling to the depth of your stomach when you recognized the female voice from the other line. Heck, even if you wanted to, there's no way you could forget about her. Not when she's the woman who had raised you for nine months straight. Not when she's the woman who made it her responsibility to keep embarrassing you in front of your relatives—her siblings and everyone else.

"…Mom? Did something happen?" You answered a few seconds later, noting how Ningning stiffened at your words. As someone who had visited your family many times, she had witnessed how… horrible your relationship with your mother was and still is.

"Oh, nothing serious happen, don't worry. I was wondering if you're coming home during the break, along with that boyfriend of yours."

Your fingers curled tighter around your phone. "..I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have a boyfriend."

She clicked her tongue. "Don't lie to me. I saw the article and imagine how shock I was to find out that's none other than my daughter. To think she has the ability to find herself a boyfriend and a Sim too!"

You closed your eyes and let out a resigned sigh. You knew better than to reject her, knowing how persistent she can be, how she will keep calling and bugging you until you have no choice but to give in. You rubbed the bridge of your nose, eyes still closed and you were able to feel your friend's unwavering gaze on you.

"…Fine, I'll come home and bring him along," you relented.

She made a pleased sound. "Good, make sure to be on your best behavior, (Name). You're not a child anymore."

And just like that, she hung up, not bothering to bid you farewell or wait for your response, leaving you to stare at your blank phone screen instead. Once the call ended, Ningning wasted no time in pouncing on you.

"Seriously!? Why did you say yes? You could've told her you're coming with me to visit my family during the break and she won't bother you anymore," she exclaimed.

You shrugged your shoulders. "It's fine, I can handle her. I'm not that helpless girl anymore."

Ningning pursed her lips, disappointed and frustrated with how she couldn't help you any further. She reached across the table to place her hand above yours. "..Alright, if anything happens, call me. I don't care if it's big or small. Just call me, please."

You smiled and gave her hand a light, assuring squeeze. "Got it."

"Good, now go call that soon-to-be husband of yours and tell him about your plan."

"Ningning!"

Thirty minutes later, after you've showered and cleaned the table with Ningning, you were in your room, seated on the chair as you idly spin about in a slow circle. You called Jake, who answered immediately after the second ring and you placed it on speaker mode.

"(Name)? What's up? Need help with studies again?" He teased.

You rolled your eyes even though he couldn't see it. "No, you dumbass. I need a favor from you."

"Sounds serious, hit me with it."

You fiddled with the hem of your shorts. "My mom wants me to go home during the break and she wants to meet you. We'll be there for one week."

Silence.

Jake didn't say a thing and you assumed he wasn't interested, already rushing to get the words out of your mouth. "Look, you can choose to say no and I won't be mad. It's just that, she saw the article and thinks we're dating and—"

"I'll do it."

You stilled. "…What?"

"I said, I'll do it. I'll go with you to visit your mother. Is there anything I should bring?" He casually asked, like this is something as minor as the weather's forecast itself.

You owlishly blinked and even stopped spinning, thinking you were mishearing things. "Wait… you'll do it? Really?"

"Yeah," he sounds amused and you could imagined the amused look on his face, "why do you sound so surprised?"

"I don't know," you threw your hands up and gestured wildly to the space around you, "don't you have like, family business to tend to? Maybe follow your father to the company or something?"

"…You're truly a unique human being," he mused, sounding far too amused for someone who just agreed to meet your parents.

You sit up straighter in your chair. "Hey, what is that supposed to mean? You know what, don't bother answering. Just pick me up tomorrow at eleven and we'll drive from here."

"Eugh, seriously? How long is the drive gonna be?"

"Six to seven hours."

"I'm gonna kill you."

[kikidoul]

ahem, ive noticed a trend of people asking for part 2/sequel for my fics (twin riki, vampire jay and swipe right), and i wanna address this because i don’t wanna give the wrong idea to anyone out there.

some of my fics was written with open endings on purpose, which means you can imagine what kind of ending it will be and its up to your interpretation. i will not be doing part two unless i want to. and frankly speaking, the more someone ask for part two, the more unwilling i become to write it (if i ever planned to do a part two).

for me personally, i consider the fics to be done and dusted once i finished them so i can move on to work on my other fics. kindly stop asking for part twos even though you don’t mean any harm.

[vmpiricou]

﹕﹒★﹒ SCHOLARSHIP HEART.  심재윤 002

synopsis: When your scholarship at Decelis Academy was at risk, your already slipping grade only made things worse. Desperate to hold onto everything you've worked hard for, you're assigned to a tutor—Sim Jaeyun. However, in exchange for saving your scholarship, you have to be his fake girlfriend, to please his parents. You agreed and the longer you pretend, the harder it becomes to ignore what is real and what is fake.

series masterlist | part one

pairing: sim jaeyun x fem! reader.

content: classmates to lovers, fake dating, rich kids academy au, family issues, angst with comfort, explicit mature content, unprotected sex, mild breeding kink, cunninglingus, misconceptions, financial differences, rich people problems, happy ending. lmk if i miss anything

word count: 10.4k.

mini playlist: unravel me - sabrina claudio, snap out of it - arctic monkeys, pretty boy - the neighbourhood, fuck it i love you - lana da rey.

perm taglist: (perm taglist is always open!) @lolliloopsy, @hoonguin, @heesroses, @aliyahlovesjakr, @bitemhoon, @byshens, @justpassingdontworry, @ellushic, @hoonlvrrz.

decelis diaries taglist: @vixialuvs, @ikeumuses, @kemkem33, @yashiehehehe, @gordazepam, @hyyhwriter, @sievenderz, @simpikeu, @i4tzy, @kjunebuggie, @tyunningism, @narnianqueen28.

from author: first jake fic, kinda nervous... somehow, i actually enjoyed writing this fic (shocking, i know) and hopefully this is up to your expectations <3. stupid tumblr word limitations and i have to post this in 2 parts bruh.

The very next day, Jake was outside your dorm building at eleven sharp. He took your singular suitcase and placed it in the boot of his car. Even with the sunglasses on, you could feel him scanning your figure from head to toe. It's clear you weren't dressed like your usual—wearing something simple and short, short enough to reveal way more skin to your liking.

You worn a simple, white and loose crop top that reveals a silver of your waist if you moved your hands about, along with a pair of shorts that covers just enough, showing off the rest of your legs.

Jake, on the other hand, went for the casual boyfriend fit—a oversized, plain black shirt and a three-quarters jorts, showing off his oh so muscular thighs that definitely isn't drool-worthy.

The journey was smooth-sailing, with him making a few pitstops to refill his gas, giving you chances for a quick toilet break and buy some light snacks. Eventually, you arrived at your destination.

The neighborhood was nothing like the one Jake came from. Instead of towering gates and endless private roads, your home sat in a quiet and cozy neighborhood lined with small houses, potted plants and warm porch lights glowing softly against the evening sky. There were some kids riding bicycles on the streets along with some families gathering by the front yard, having a barbecue party.

He parked his car along the curb when you directed him to your home, the sleek black Mercedes standing out almost comically among the modest family vehicles situated nearby.

Unlike Jake—whose house or estate, is on a private property, yours was simply a homey-looking two-floored building. There's a balcony located on the second floor as well.

You unbuckled your seatbelt, stepping out to retrieve your luggage from behind. Jake followed after, effortlessly grabbing the heavier suitcase before you could protest.

"I can carry that myself," you said.

"I know, but I want to," he replied simply, even placing the luggage on the curb so you didn't have to lift it up.

Your heart did the thing again, much to your dismay. The porch light flickered softly above the front door, like it's both announcing your return and welcoming you back as you climbed up the small steps, adjusting your grip on your bag before knocking, with Jake standing beside you.

Knock knock.

A few seconds later, the door swung opened from the inside and your mother's face lit up instantly at the sight of you—her precious daughter.

"There you are! You should've told me you were arriving earlier—" She exclaimed, already pulling you into a hug before you could articulate a word, only for her to pause when her eyes landed on the boy standing behind you.

"Oh," she blinked before smiling politely, "and you must be Jake. My daughter's boyfriend, right?"

He nodded and respectfully bowed his head. "Yes, it's nice to meet you, Ma'am."

The woman immediately ushered the both of you inside while she fussed over everything and anything—the shoes, luggage and the long drive. But beneath the seemingly concerned warmth in her voice, you were able to detect something else. Something you've been used to for a long, long time.

"You've gotten thinner. Are you eating properly at school?" Your mother commented, eyes looking over you briefly.

"I'm fine, Mom."

"You always say that."

"And yet you still ask the same question."

It was quiet for a few seconds before she smiled, like nothing happened and turned to Jake instead. "Thank you for driving all the way here. She didn't give you any trouble, did she?"

He glanced at you but you didn't look at him before answering. "No, not at all. Your daughter's really helpful."

She skeptically raised an eyebrow, sending you a brief fleeting glance before back to Jake. "Is that so? Well, I'm glad to hear that. I'll let you two settle down while I make dinner. It's almost ready. (Name), could you show him to our guest room?"

"Sure, Mom."

The woman nodded before returning to the kitchen, leaving you alone with Jake. You sighed, gestured for him to follow you and he obliged, lifting the luggages up with ease as he climbed up the flight of stairs.

You brought him to the only door located on your left, opening it to reveal a simple bedroom—a bed with new sheets, a cupboard situated in the right corner, a small round table and a chair placed near the window and a vanity table.

"I know it doesn't compare to what you're used to, sorry if it's not up to your standards," you spoke up, watching from the doorway as Jake entered the room, doing a slow scan of the room.

"It's fine, I'm good as long as it serves its purpose. I'm not picky," he replied, placing his luggage against the wall.

You nodded, pushing yourself off the doorway you were leaning against. "Great. I'll be in my room which is opposite of yours, so let me know if you need anything. I'll let you unpack."

Jake hummed in acknowledgment and you turned, closing the door behind you. With your own luggage being dragged with you, you pushed the your room's door opened, lingering by the doorway, like you're hesitant on entering. But then again, the last time you were here was two years ago and even though two years have passed, your room was still the same.

Nothing have changed.

Soft cream-colored walls, shelves lined with old books and tiny trinkets you used to collect, fairy lights still pinned along the headboard of your bed even though half of them no longer worked. Your desk remained tucked beside the window with stacks of notebooks left untouched, while framed photos from your high school and younger years were still displayed on the shelves.

It felt like time hasn't passed, like you were still in the past—the day before you received the letter from Decelis Academy, offering you a scholarship.

After setting your luggage down and opening it, you quickly buised yourself in unpacking to avoid overthinking. Clothes were folded into drawers, skincare messily arranged on the vanity table and you spent a solid ten minutes struggling to untangle your chargers with growing frustration.

Knock knock.

"(Name)? Mind if I come in?" Jake asked.

You looked up. "Sure, door's unlocked."

The door opened on the other end, revealing Jake, leaning against the doorway with one hand tucked into his pocket. But the second his eyes does a sweep across your room, a grin slowly stretched across his face.

"Oh my god, behind those nasty scowls and bratty attitude of yours, I never expect your room to be this cute," he commented, clearly entertained with this newfound discovery.

Your eyes widened in horror and heat crept up the back of your neck. "Every other girls' rooms is like this too."

He ignored your weak protest, venturing further into your room and his gaze landed on the faded stuffed animal sitting near the foot of your bed. "Right. And what about the teddy bear?"

"It was a gift."

"Fairy lights?"

"…For decorative purposes."

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? I bet it doesn't even work anymore."

You didn't answer him as he's right and he laughed, the sound warm enough to make your stomach and heart flip. "Aigo, you're so cute," he teased.

You glared at him—a huge contrast to how your heart fluttered at the sound of his laugh. "I'm glad someone's having fun," you retorted.

Jake hummed, eyes aimlessly drifting around your room as he takes in everything until they landed on a certain picture placed on your desk. He walked towards it and picked it up. With his back facing you, you couldn't see his expression. A few seconds later, he turned and showed the framed picture to you with a soft smile on his face.

"You looked really happy here," he pointed out.

It was an old picture of you from years ago, back when you were still a young girl. A young girl who hasn't encountered the harsh, ruthless reality of the world. The younger you was grinning from ear to ear at the camera, with you holding your favorite soft toy—the very same soft toy that's currently sitting on the edge of your bed. Compared to the current you, there was no eyebags residing under your eyes and zero signs of exhaustion on your face.

You weren't sure what it was. Maybe it's the softness in his voice. Maybe it's the way he looked at you, all soft and gooey. Maybe it's the air in the atmosphere that shifted slightly. What you do know however, was how it's giving you a sense of deja vu as it's reminding you of the close to kissing little moment you experienced back in his car.

Somehow, he had shifted closer—the exact same move he pulled before. He's close enough for your shoulders to touch, close enough for you to smell the faint scent of his cologne that wasted no time in engulfing you and close enough for your heart to start racing like a cheetah.

Your first mistake was moving backward and Jake took it upon himself to follow you. He copied every step you took but in the opposite direction. You moved away and he moved closer. This impulsive game of push-and-pull went on until your back gently collided with a smooth, cool surface behind you. Your second mistake was glancing behind you. The short window gave him the chance to make his move.

Jake wasted no time in holding—pinning you there, one hand braced against the right side of your head while he placed the framed picture he was still holding down on the desk beside you, without breaking eye contact. You swallowed, suppressing the wince threatening to leave your lips at how dry your throat was.

None of you said anything, like both of you knew fully well that whatever this is, something big will happen. You noticed how his eyes weren't on yours anymore.

But rather, they were trailing down your face—visually tracing every features. Your eyes, eyelashes, cheekbones and nose. Your heart nearly leaped out of your throat when you saw his eyes lingering longer than usual on your lips.

To test something and definitely not to push him to his limits, you slowly and teasingly licked your lips with your tongue, wetting it until it's glowing under the lights.

You nearly smirked at how his breath audibly stuttered and how his eyes darkened a shade, clouded with nothing but desire. You didn't know who moved first. It could be you, him or it was the both of you, heads getting closer like there's an invisible string pulling you together.

You were so close for your noses to graze against one another—

"(Name)? Jake? Dinner's ready!" Your mom shouted.

Both of you violently jerked away, like you were struck by a bolt of lightning. Something akin to frustration glimmered in his eyes, annoyed at the interruption but he quickly masked it up. He ran a hand through his hair and stepped back, finally giving you room to breathe without feeling suffocated. You pointedly ignored how a part of you yearned for him to come back, to feel his body pressed against yours and to feel his warmth.

"We should go or she'll get suspicious. I won't wanna get kick out two hours in," he remarked, sending you a cheeky grin that made your heart somersaulted like a professional acrobat.

He ended up stepping out of your room, leaving you still standing in the very same spot you were in, now leaning against the wall to support yourself with your legs shaking and heat pooling in your stomach. You didn't have to look in the mirror to know your face was as red as a tomato along with the all too-familiar feeling of pent-up arousal.

Your mother went all out with dinner—something she rarely does, even when your relatives or her friends came over. You didn't say anything, not that words were needed in the first place.

Words was replaced with thoughts and you filed that aside, keeping your guard up. If there's one thing about your mother, it's that everything she does has a reason behind it.

Both you and Jake sat together while your mother sat opposite of you. He take in the wide display of food spread out on the table before him, making an impressed sound and turned to the older woman.

"Wow Ma'am, all of these look really good," he complimented her.

She chuckled. "Oh please, you're too kind. Go on and eat, I'm sure the long drive must've tired the both of you out."

At her words, the three of you started eating in silence. The only brief sounds was the occasional clink and clank from your utensils knocking or scraping against your respective plates.

And alas, the silence doesn't last long, not when your mother started interrogating him. It's nothing at first, just a simple questioning process that any regular family will do when they find out their child is in a relationship.

But you knew better than that.

"So Jake, how did the two of you met?" She started.

You shifted but didn't look up from your plate.

"At Decelis Academy. We share a few classes together," he replied politely.

"Ah, Decelis," your mother nodded slowly, seemingly proud of the name alone, "that school is unbelievable competitive. I still remember how shocked I was when she showed me the offer letter."

You stilled, hand frozen in mid-air of bringing your fork to your mouth. Jake caught it, noting the slight shift in your expression and how your eyes hardened. Your mother, on the other hand, continued casually. Every word she spoke felt like you were being stabbed with a sharp knife, one after another.

"She was on cloud nine and barely slept during the entrance examination period. I honestly thought she'd fail," she laughed lightly, the sound sharp, brittle and all the more condescending.

"She worked hard for it," Jake replied calmly.

Your mother hummed, not really hearing him out. "She had to. Unlike some students, she's never been good with her studies."

The words were delivered so casually that they almost sounded harmless. You pointedly kept your eyes lowered, no longer having the appetite to eat as you placed your fork down, pretending the tightness in your chest and throat doesn't exist.

"She always need to put in twice the effort compared to everyone else. Even as a child too. If she scored second place instead of first, her cousins will never stop making fun of her," she continued while sipping her drink.

You didn't say a word with your lips sealed shut. After all, you've been through this before—the typical, humiliating routine of your mother embarrassing you in front of your relatives. How no one bothered standing up for you. How no one appreciated the hard work you put in. To them, it doesn't matter if you're a student of Decelis Academy.

To them, your entire life doesn't matter. You're simply just a laughing stock and a punching bag of the family. Nothing more and nothing less.

Jake stayed silent, watching and observing everything with an unreadable look now settling on his face. Your mother smiled again—either oblivious or uncaring about the growing and thickening tension around the table.

"She has a short-temper too. Even now, I still worry she might do reckless things if she doesn't control herself," she sighed.

You swallowed the bile rising in your throat, rapidly blinking back tears brimming in your eyes as it blurred your vision. The last thing you wanted was to shed tears in front of someone like her—someone who doesn't give a damn of your feelings.

Your mother paused, like she remembered something and what she said next made your heart dropped.

"Oh, did you know that she's on a scholarship offered from Decelis? I was recently informed that the board will be removing the scholarship program and students who are taking it too?" She asked, dropping the bombshell and the secret you've been harboring for a long time.

Jake blinked, eyes darting to you before back to your mother as he straightened himself. "What do you mean?"

Your mother paused, like she realized something—how you didn't tell him and something dark and twisted glimmered in her eyes. Her lips curled upward in a smug, knowing smirk. The sight of it sent shivers down your spine in a chilling, unsettling way.

"Oh dear, did she not tell you?" She asked and when Jake shook his head in his signature puppy-like manner, she clicked her tongue and paid you no mind, springing into action the moment she's given a chance to talk about it.

"According to what I was told, if students who are under the scholarship program don't pay the full fees by the end of this semester, they won't be able to continue their studies in Decelis," she explained.

Jake's eyes widened in horror and disbelief. "Wait, then that means—"

Your mother nodded solemnly, having the audacity to act like she's deeply saddened when you know deep well, she's probably having the time of her life laughing at you.

"Yes, it means (Name) won't be able to finish her studies in Decelis and she will be kicked out."

You couldn't take it anymore, shooting up from your chair with the legs loudly scratching against the wooden floor. Your sudden move gathered their attention but you didn't look at them, not having the courage to do so.

"Oh no, is everything alright?" Your mother asked in a faux sweet tone. Hearing it was enough to make you sick to the core.

"I'm going back to my room. I'm not hungry anymore," you murmured under your breath, stomping up the stairs.

If you spent the rest of the night hiding under your blankets while letting out muffled sobbing sounds into your pillow, soaking it with your tears, then that was no one's business but yours.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

The very next day, you woke up to hearing many muffled voices from downstairs. You slowly pushed yourself up, groaning at how dry and no doubt puffy your eyes was after your private crying session from last night.

You shifted towards the window located near your bed, pulling the curtains back slightly to look out of it and to your dismay and horror, your front yard was occupied with people.

People who you recognized too well—your relatives.

Knock knock.

"(Name)? Are you up yet? Your mom wants me to let you know your relatives are here," Jake said.

You closed your eyes, sending thoughts and prayers to the heavens and to whoever is watching you from above before getting out of bed. You didn't think twice, opening the door without hesitation, startling Jake, who got startled.

You didn't see the way his eyes flicked down to your appearance—how you're wearing nothing but an oversized shirt with a pair of shorts that's barely visible or covering anything. You didn't see how he nervously swallowed, moving to fiddle with the rings on his fingers—trying to keep his hands busy.

"Thanks, I already know when I heard their voices," you deadpanned.

Jake nodded, unfazed with your crude response. "Alright, I'll leave you to get ready then. Come down whenever you're done so we can have breakfast together."

You hummed and he took that as his sign to leave, letting you do your morning routine. You didn't bother dressing up, since you're at home. You threw on whatever was available and comfortable—a faded graphics shirt that's haphazardly tucked into a pair of shorts with decent length.

Once you were done, you headed downstairs, already feeling overstimulated with the sheer amount of people in your living room.

To say it's chaos is an understatement.

Voices overlapped one another from every direction—loud laughter, children running across the floor. aunties shamelessly gossiping from the couches while uncles argued over something sports-related near the television. The scent of food drifted heavily through the air from the kitchen where several relatives had apparently decided your house was now a communal cooking station.

Your entire living room had practically disappeared beneath the sheer amount of people occupying it. Extra chairs was dragged out from storage, bags and shoes cluttering the entrance and someone's toddler was wailing near the staircase while another child sprinted past everyone, holding a slice of half-eaten bread in their hands.

You looked around and immediately spotted Jake. He's standing near the kitchen entrance, engaged in a conversation with two of your older cousins. Even in the middle of what seemed to be an impulsive and chaotic family gathering, he still managed to pull off a neat look—simple black shirt, gray sweatpants with slightly messy hair.

One of your older cousins noticed you standing by the staircase. "Hey! Get your ass here and stop gawking around!"

Your eye twitched at how several heads turned toward you immediately. You forced a smile onto your face as you made your way toward Jake, carefully stepping around children and random bags scattered across the floor. The second you reached him, he glanced at your outfit and shifted closer to you.

"You look cute and you're driving me crazy here," he murmured in a low voice that only you could hear.

Your face heated up immediately and you glared at him but he merely grinned in response. Your cousins, who were watching the brief conversation shared a look among themselves.

"Look at them, already sticking close and whispering to each other."

"Ah, young love," one of the aunts nearby let out a dramatic gasp.

Out of instinct, you lightly grabbed onto his right arm with your hand while pressing yourself against him, feeling him stiffened at the feeling of your chest against his arm.

"If you could excuse us for a second, I need to talk to him," you said sweetly, proceeding to drag him away without waiting for anyone's response. You pointedly ignored the loud cheering and whistling sounds from your relatives.

You brought him up to your room—which was the only few places left that's not swarmed with humans. You closed the door, running a hand through your hair as you leaned against it, letting out a frustrated exhale.

"I should've known she'll pull something like this," you muttered under your breath.

"What do you mean? Has she done this before?" He asked.

You started pacing back and forth. "Oh, believe me, she always does this. Every single time relatives come over, she suddenly acts like we're one big happy family. She invites people over without telling me, constantly compare me to my cousins, making comments disguised as jokes and then acts surprised when I get upset about it."

Jake stayed quiet, listening and giving you his fullest attention.

"She'll smile while saying the most unprovoked things one can imagine. And then it's my fault for reacting negatively," you continued in a bitter tone with you still pacing back and forth.

You choked out a watery, humorless laugh. "It's exhausting. I was foolish for thinking she has changed and guess what? Nothing changed. I came home after two years and she's still the same as ever. It's always about appearances with her. What other people think. About my grades. About my personality. About my life—"

"Hey—"

"And the worst fucking part is that she genuinely thinks she's helping me. Like sure Mom, constantly criticizing your own daughter is supposed to magically make me into someone better—"

"(Name)—"

"Honestly, sometimes I wonder if she even likes me as a person or if she just likes the version of me that makes her look like a successful mother because—"

"(Name)."

You made a frustrated noise at his constant interruption, spinning around on the spot. "What is—!?"

Your voice died in your throat when Jake stepped closer, close enough for him to hook his fingers through the belt loop of your shorts and tugged you towards him. The execution itself was smooth and fluid. It happened too fast for your mind to catch up. Heck, you could feel your brain malfunctioning with the bold move he just pulled.

Amusement twinkled in his eyes. "What's wrong, pretty? I believe you were saying something, weren't you?"

Your cheeks turned into a shade of reddish-pink. "Jake, you… You're so…"

"So what? Go on," he coaxed you and gods, the utter gentleness is what truly undone you.

You said nothing, letting your eyes do the talking as it unconsciously drifted down to his lips. Lips that you've been thinking about ever since the day in the car. Lips you've been wondering how it'll feel pressed against yours. Jake saw everything, how you're fighting a battle in your mind and how you're gradually losing, in a conflict with yourself.

Which was why he made the decision for you.

His free hand cupped the back of your neck to support your head while his other hand—the very same hand with his fingers still hooking onto the belt loop, pulled you towards him until you're pressed chest-to-chest without any space left in between. Your mouths meet in the middle, heads tilted on opposite sides to avoid knocking your foreheads together.

His lips was soft and warm, enough for your mind to blank out. You made a small, muffled sound at the back of your throat and Jake groaned, the sound low and deep. You could practically feel the vibrations traveling down your body. His mouth moved and you're hit with the realization that he's fucking kissing you, in your bedroom.

His grip on your neck tightened slightly, the cold surfaces of his rings digging into your warm skin drew a surprised gasp from you at the temperature difference. A gasp that he swallowed without hesitation. He shifted, further pinning you against the door until there's no room for you to escape.

Not that the thought has crossed your mind in the first place.

"God, you've been driving me crazy since meeting my parents," he murmured against your lips, like he couldn't bear the thought of separating from you.

"Jake—"

"Shhh, don't talk. Just let me kiss you, baby."

True to his words, Jake kissed you again. Again and again. Each kiss grew more desperate and heated than the previous kiss, as both of you let out your pent-up feelings that had been building deep in your chests, the storm of emotions both of you had been harboring and hiding from one another.

This time, you parted your lips, granting him entrance and your legs buckled, nearly giving way as he ran his tongue along the seam of your bottom lip.

Sure, you've kissed a few people before—a mixture of stupid, childish dares and drunken mistakes but this?

This is different, in a good way.

You let out a whimper, one hand fisting the front of his shirt while the other surged up to grab a fistful of his hair blindly, threading your fingers through the smooth, silky pitch-black strands.

You lightly tugged on it, your action drawing a moan from him. Hearing it and the thought of you being the reason why he moaned made your stomach flipped. The slow slide of his tongue against yours drew another sound from you. A sound you never thought you were capable of making—a small, muffled and needy mmpfh that Jake swallowed, like he doesn't want anyone else to hear it, even though it's only the two of you in the room.

Your legs ended up giving way, body slumping forward slightly but Jake was faster. He caught you, both hands now on your waist as he held you up against the door effortlessly, like you weighed nothing. The thought of him manhandling you made you keened, all high-pitched and whiny.

Jake chuckled. "What's in that pretty mind of yours, hm?"

You nipped at his lip, purposely sinking your teeth into the soft flesh. "Less talking. More kissing."

"You're awfully bossy for someone who yapped non-stop but as you wished."

Both of you couldn't keep your hands stuck in one place, greedily touching and tracing every inch of one another's bodies without hesitation. You sighed into his mouth when he bypassed your shirt, calloused and rough fingers splayed across your stomach.

You shivered in his arms when he moved back to trace the outline of your spine, wordlessly commanding you to arch your back as he leave goosebumps and heat behind in his wake.

"Jake—"

"Yes, princess? Need something?"

You whined against his mouth, angling your hips to a certain angle to rock against his, savoring the way his body stilled at the mere contact of your clothed cores.

"Please. Please, just.. do something, anything. Touch me, please."

You felt it even with your eyes closed, how his lips curled up in a smug smirk. "Yeah? Want me to touch you? Where? Use your words and tell me."

God, you wished you can kill him right there and then.

Knock knock knock.

Both of you stopped, hearts dropping in unison at the sound of someone banging on the door impatiently. You didn't dare to move, straining your ears to try to hear as much as possible.

"(Name)? Are you there? Your mother wants you to come down and join us at the front yard," one of your cousin called out.

You groaned under your breath at the sudden interruption. "I'll be down in a minute."

Your cousin made a noise of acknowledgement. You waited until his footsteps was completely gone before turning back to Jake, startled when he's still looking at you the entire time, even when your cousin interrupted you.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" You whispered, voice soft and hushed.

"You're really pretty," he confessed, the utmost sincerity in his voice made your heart fluttered.

"Oh, so now you've become a sap," you deadpanned, earning a chuckle from him.

"As much as I wanna keep kissing you, we should probably head down before they come up again," he pointed out, making you huffed in disappointment. Jake cooed, reaching out to pinch your cheeks, eliciting a pained yelp from you.

"Not to ruin the mood too, but we need to have a serious talk about what your mom said too," he continued, stepping back and ran a hand through his messed up hair.

You stilled but tried to act dumb. "What did she say?"

He shot you a pointed look. "About the scholarship. Don't try to push this away, (Name). I'm not letting you play the avoidant route."

You sighed, shoulders slumping in defeat. "Ugh, fine. We can talk about it later."

"Good girl."

"Do not."

◟‿୨୧‿◞

Time slipped past your fingers with you spending the remaining six days of your one-week trip slacking at home. There were times when you brought Jake out of your house, showing him around your neighborhood, acting as his personal tour guide.

Ever since he kissed you, both of you didn't talk about it but deep down, you knew you've come to the same conclusion—that this is no longer a fake relationship and that your feelings are mutual to both parties.

Dating him isn't any different from what you've experienced so far. He's still the same charming, slightly awkward, funny and teasing boy from before. He's still respectful to your mother but you were able to detect him being protective of you whenever he hears her making certain remarks about you, which was something you're grateful for.

However, there is a certain change that was more obvious than anything else. It's the need to be near you, at all times. And it's not only that. It's the fact he's touchy too, like he couldn't hold himself back from not touching you.

Not to mention, Jake's severely addicted to coaxing those sweet, sinful but angelic sounds from you. It doesn't matter where he is but the moment he's alone with you, he'll pounce on you.

"W-Wait-hngh," you tried to stop him but your effort was futile.

Your breath was punched out of your lungs when he—your official boyfriend, quickly dropped to his knees, creating a muffled 'thud' sound at how it roughly knocked against the floor. You gripped onto the kitchen counter behind you with both hands, watching while biting your lips as Jake moved his hands up and down along your legs, leaving goosebumps behind.

You let him pulled your shorts down, leaving it pooling around your ankles without taking it off. He groaned at the visible wet patch on your underwear, reaching out to press down on your cunt through the soaked fabric, watching as you instinctively jerked your hips forward.

"You say wait but your body's more honest than you, baby," he remarked, glancing up at you before diving in, not giving you time to react.

You barely managed to slap a hand over your mouth in the nick of time, muffling the moan you let out as he licked a long, wide stripe up your cunt, tracing it with his tongue. Jake wasn't patient enough, hooking two fingers into your underwear, tugging it aside before practically burying his face between your legs.

If there's one thing about him, it's the fact you've learned he's a incredibly good pussy eater.

He eats you out like a man on a mission, like you're running short of time—which couldn't be far from the truth, considering how your mom will be home any minute from doing grocery shopping. He ran his tongue along your puffy, dripping folds, making a pleased sound at the sweet, intoxicating taste staining his tongue.

You whimpered, squeezing your eyes shut—mostly because you couldn't find it in yourself to continue watching the lewd, pornographic sight of him kneeling between your legs as his tongue circled your clit in a slow, teasing clockwise motion. Jake didn't warn you, pushing two fingers into your entrance, easily locating that one spongy spot hidden between your walls.

"Oh god—d-don't stop—" You moaned, dropping your hand to grip onto the counter again, gripping onto it so hard that your knuckles were turning white.

Spurred by your words, he wrapped his lips around your clit, sucking on it like a newborn baby sucking from their bottle of lukewarm milk. You cried out at the harsh simulation, throwing your head back with your legs trembling like fallen leaves.

Seeing this, Jake threw your right leg over his shoulder, helping you to steady yourself. You simply tightened your right leg around his head, sloppily rutting into his skillful mouth.

"Jake," you let out a shaky, broken gasp, "J-Jake— c-close, please—"

"Yeah? Cum for me, baby. Wanna taste you," he murmured, voice muffled and every word he spoke sent vibrations down your spine.

All it took was him curling his fingers expertly before you cum while chanting his name like a sacred prayer. Your pussy violently convulsed around his tongue and Jake? Jake was on cloud nine, tongue-fucking you through your orgasm as he slurped everything up, not wanting to waste a single drop.

When you came back to reality, your legs buckled and he caught you in his arms. The bottom half of his face was covered in your slick, glistening under the kitchen lights with his pupils completely blown. He's about to say something when you registered the sounds of keys rattling.

It's enough for the both of you to scramble into action—you pulling your shorts back on and Jake quickly grabbing some pieces of tissue papers to wipe the evidence away.

You made your escape, leaving the kitchen to help your mother bring in bags of groceries, half-listening to her complaining about how an old lady cut her queue when she was in the supermarket. When your mother wasn't watching, Jake made eye contact with you and he sent you a teasing, flirty wink.

Your cheeks flushed when you remembered where his mouth was a few minutes ago, leaving you feeling hopelessly empty and craving for more.

Eventually, the day of your one-week trip came to an end. It's close to ten in the morning and you had finished packing your luggage. You took one last look around your room, drinking all of it in before closing the door behind you and headed down the stairs without looking back.

You stopped at the foot of the staircase when you realized Jake was talking to your mother and whatever they were talking about, it seemed serious, judging from the grim expression on her face.

"Hey, I'm done packing and ready to go," you announced your entrance, releasing your grip on your luggage, automatically moving to Jake to kiss him on his cheek as a form of greeting.

He smiled, taking it from you without hesitation and you let him. "Great, I think your mother has something to say to you, so I'll leave you two to it. Take your time and come out whenever you're done."

You frowned. "What? Jake, wait—"

He didn't listen, already leaving your house with the door closing—an unspoken sign that he was being serious. You sighed, turning to face your mom with your arms crossed, fingers drumming against your bare skin.

"Well, what is it?" You asked impatiently.

She didn't say anything at first, fiddling with her fingers with her eyes averted to the side. She inhaled slowly and then exhaled. When she finally spoke, her voice came out smaller than you'd ever heard in your life.

"I owe you an apology."

You blinked, surprised. Out of everything you expected, this wasn't what you thought it will be.

"…What?"

She lowered her gaze, still refusing to look at you. "I should've said this a long time ago. But I didn't know how to."

You stared at her, confusion gradually melting into impatience. Since young, your mother was never good with emotional conversations. As far as you remembered, she showed her affection through small, considerate acts—sliced fruits left in the fridge, reminders to bring an umbrella and extra money quietly transferred into your account during exam seasons.

But verbally?

You couldn't remember the last time she had these kind of conversations with you.

"I know I've said lots of hurtful things to you over the years. About your grades, your personality and… basically everything about you."

You nearly let out a bitter laugh but kept your lips firmly sealed shut. You didn't want to show any form of emotions toward her—to the woman who thought constantly belittling you will bring you some good. Your mother noticed the change in your expression and somehow, that seemed to pain her even more.

"When you were younger, I thought if I pushed you harder, you'd become stronger. I thought criticizing and comparing you to your cousins will motivate you to keep improving," she murmured.

You looked away, nails digging into your skin, hard enough to leave marks behind. Because you knew that already. You spent years convincing yourself that was simply her way of caring. That she's not used to saying it oud loud.

"But I didn't realize that I was slowly teaching you love only comes when you perform well enough to deserve it," she whispered, her voice cracking halfway through with her eyes turning glossy.

You stilled completely, not expecting those kind of words to leave her mouth. Silence stretched between both of you and then, she mentioned him.

"That night at dinner, when you arrived. Jake talked to me after you walked away," she started quietly.

Your breath caught in your throat at the mention of him.

"At first, I thought he was about to apologize for your behavior. But imagine how surprised I was when he confronted me," your mother recalled with a weak laugh, "he was respectful. Very respectful, actually but he was furious."

Heck, you couldn't even imagine Jake seething with rage.

"He asked me if I realized how often I belittled my own daughter in front of other people. I told him I was only joking and he told me, 'Jokes are supposed to make people laugh. Your daughter looked like she was trying not to cry and making herself small.'"

Your vision blurred slightly as you bit down on your bottom lip, stiffing the sobs threatening to leave your tongue. Your mother looked down briefly, clearly struggling to continue telling you the past event.

"He told me you work harder than anyone he knows. That during your tutoring sessions, you kept putting in effort, asking him questions and actually paid attention to what he taught you. That you're doing well in your classes as well."

You stared at her wordlessly, your chest and throat burning painfully now.

"He said even with your temper, he finds you cute and lovable and how he'll stick by your side, no matter what. He even asked me why it was so easy for me to praise strangers but difficult to say something kind to my own daughter," she continued, her voice softening further.

Your feet was rooted to the ground, unable to move an inch. You knew Jake is an attentive person but for him to notice this much, it rendered you speechless. Your mother quickly wiped away the tears that were already falling before she continued.

"I need you to know this, I've always been proud of you," she said in a firm tone despite her trembling voice.

You felt your breath hitched and how tears were trickling down your cheeks. "When you got accepted into Decelis, I bragged about it to everyone for months. When your professors mentioned your name in articles, I printed them out and kept them in my drawer. Even your high school teachers still asked about you whenever I see them," she let out a watery laugh.

Your eyes widened and your lips parted slightly in shock.

"I was proud. So proud that I forgot children need to hear those things out loud too," she finished and that sentence destroyed you completely.

You sniffled, practically threw yourself at her and tightly wrapped your arms around her. For a brief moment, she froze in surprise, her mind lagging behind. And then, she returned the embrace, hugging you back just as tightly. The moment you felt her arms around you—exactly how it was back when you were a child, tears couldn't stopped rolling down your face.

All those years of pent-up exhaustion, resentment, longing and hurt came crashing down on you at once, like a tidal wave crashing into you without warning. Your mother gently stroked your hair—the exact same way she used to do when you were little, when you tripped over a rock at a playground in a park, only for you to start wailing at the top of your lungs—

You finally let yourself cry in her arms without feeling ashamed of it. And this time, when she held you, it finally felt like you were being loved instead of evaluated.

When you calmed down, stepping back from your mother with puffy eyes, she cupped your face and ran her thumbs along your cheekbones. You leaned into her touch like a touch-starved cat and sighed softly. Your mother's features softened.

"You're really lucky to find someone like Jake. Make sure he treats you well or I'll have a serious talk with him," she said, kissing your forehead once you decided to not keep him waiting any longer.

You smiled, her words making you feel all warm and giddy. "Yeah, I really am."

Your mother walked you out of your house and Jake, who had been scrolling through his phone the entire time, raised his head at your approaching footsteps. He got out at the sight of you, eyes darting between you and your mother's faces and that was enough to tell him.

He didn't say anything, merely nodding towards the older woman while opening the passenger door for you, closing it once you got in.

"Thank you for hosting us, Ma'am," he thanked her with a respectful bow, ready to walk away when she called out to him.

"Jake, wait."

He turned to her. "Yes?"

Your mother smiled—all warm, loving and mother-like. Seeing her smiled like that shook your heart. "Feel free to come over anytime you want and bring my daughter along too."

He paused, letting her words sink in and when the underlying meaning hits him, his eyes widened slightly in realization.

"Oh," he said dazedly and your mother huffed in amusement.

"You're welcome in my house, Jake. I hope you treat her well. Go along now, you have a long drive ahead of you," she waved him off.

He bowed once more, bidding her farewell before sliding into driver's seat. You looked out of the window, waving goodbye to her as he drove off. You watched via the mirror as her figure and your house gradually get smaller and smaller until they were out of your sight. You sighed, leaning into your seat with a forlorn look on your face.

Jake glanced at you as he drove. "What's wrong? Did the talk not go well?"

You shook your head. "Nah, it was fine. I didn't expect her to apologize. Like after this long?" You turned to him, watching his side profile, "She told me you talked to her on the first night. Right after I walked away from the table. Why? You didn't have to do that. We were faking it back then."

"I did it because I was in your shoes and I know perfectly well how it feels," he calmly answered, steering to the right to make an exit and the road stretched wider until you're now on the highway, allowing him to increase the speed, "And besides, whether it's fake or real, I couldn't just sit there and watch your mother tear you down, piece by piece."

His sincere words and tone made your heart flipped. "Jake… what are we?"

"What do you want us to be? As far as everyone's concerned, they believed we're already dating," he answered without hesitation, readjusting his position with one hand on top of the steering wheel.

You chewed on your bottom lip as you turned to face the front. "Then, in that case, let's date. For real."

He snorted. "That's probably the most unromantic way I've heard to make a relationship official."

You chuckled but it died when something hits you—

"Wait, you've dated other people?"

"Oh my god. Women and their tendency to misunderstand things."

"Hey!"

◟‿୨୧‿◞

Things were going fine and dandy—with you and Jake doing regular couple activities and whatnot. Until one day, Jake sat you down on the couch in the living room. He had a rare, solemn and grim expression on his face—the sight was enough for you to nervously fiddle with your fingers.

"We need to talk about your scholarship," he started.

You stiffened. "…I was going to handle it," you murmured almost to yourself.

Jake stared at you with an eyebrow raised. "And how are you planning on doing that? Unless you're loaded with money, then that's fine."

You curled your fingers as you placed them on your lap, refusing to meet his gaze. "They said if I can't make the full payment before the next semester ends, I'll be expelled."

Even though Ningning knew about this and how you've talked to her about to it, saying those words out loud sounded even more horrifying than anything you've faced before. Jake sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"This is really stupid of them. I cannot believed the board dares to pull a shitty stunt like this. Why didn't you tell me back then? I could've paid for it," he muttered.

You stubbornly shook your head. "No, you don't have to."

Jake went silent before shifting closer until his knees touched yours. He reached out to one hand above yours while the other slid under your chin. He tilted your head up, forcing you to look at him and his features softened when he locked eyes with you.

"I know what you're thinking, baby. You don't have to pay me back or anything," he started but those words of him only set off invisible alarm bells in your mind.

You jerked your head away from his grasp, the overwhelming feelings of both frustration and embarrassment came crashing down on you.

"No, Jake. You can't do this! That's your family's money. And I'm not… some fucking charity case you can just throw money at just because you feel bad for me."

Jake didn't raise his voice at you, still speaking in that infuriatingly calm, patient voice. "I don't feel bad for you."

"Then why?" You asked, voice cracking at the end.

"Because you deserve to stay."

The conviction in his voice and the lack of hesitation silenced you instantly. When you didn't say a word, he took that as his sign to scoot closer, now intertwining your fingers together. Your eyes flicked down before back at him.

"I told your mother this before but I'll say it again. You're the most hardworking person I've known. You belong here, in Decelis, with me and your friends," he started, reaching out to tuck a few stray strands of hair behind your ear, his fingers brushing against your cheekbone.

"But still…" You protested but it's weak.

Jake silenced you by pulling you into his arms. The hug was warm and safe, with one hand on the back of your head while the other was securely wrapped around your waist. He held you close to him as he pulled you onto his lap, like he's shielding you from the rest of the world.

"No buts. No nothings. I want you to take it, finish your studies and graduate with me," he murmured, resting his chin on top of your head.

You nodded, burying your face in his chest with your fingers gripping onto the front of his shirt for dear life. "..Alright, I'll make you proud."

What you didn't see is the smile on his face when he heard your words. "Oh baby, you already make me so fucking proud."

◟‿୨୧‿◞

Needless to say, Ningning and Jake's small friend group were informed about your official relationship. You proposed to announce it to them, using the chance to introduce your friend to his at the same time. Two birds with one stone. When you walked into a cafe everyone agreed on, hand-in-hand, the four of them went silent, eyes locking in on your intertwined hands.

"I knew this will happen," Heeseung declared, acting all smug and arrogant like he had foreseen this a long time ago.

Jay elbowed him from his side. "No, you didn't. Stop trying to act smart. It's not a good look on you."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

Ignoring his two friends who started arguing like an old married couple, Sunghoon turned to you and gave you a warm, friendly smile. "Congrats, the two of you."

Jake owlishly blinked as you and him sat down. "Why do you make it sound like we're getting married?"

"It doesn't hurt to prepare for the future."

You choked on your drink and Ningning made a strangled noise on your left. She turned to Jake and narrowed her eyes at him, watching with a sick fascination at how he nervously gulped at the glimmer in her eyes.

"If you value your life and dick, you better treat (Name) like the princess she is," she warned him.

"Ningning!"

"Yes, Ma'am."

You groaned, rubbing the space between your eyes. "God, maybe this was a bad idea."

In conclusion, the reveal of your official relationship went well. To the public, nothing changed. It's still a common sight to see you and Jake walking together on campus. Except now you and Ningning were accepted by your boyfriend's friend group too. As the saying goes, the more the merrier.

Right now, you were in the your room, trying to look through your notes with Jake doing anything but helping. Ningning was away for the day, stating she will be heading out but you suspect she's simply giving you some couple time, whatever that means. You were seated by your desk, frowning at your diligently taken notes while Jake sighed for the unknown time.

Your left eyebrow twitched, placing your pen down and spin around in your chair. "What's wrong with you? You've been moping around for the past thirty minutes."

He didn't answer you, laying with his arms and legs spread out on your bed as he stared at the ceiling. "I'm bored. Why are you even studying in the first place? We're on a break! A break means no studying!" He whined and sulked like a child.

You rolled your eyes. "I just want to have my memory refreshed before class resume."

He groaned, rolling onto his side to bury his face in your pillow, shamelessly inhaling the lingering scent of your hair shampoo. "Ugh, you're so smarty pants that it's kinda hot."

"…Don't tell me you're hard," you deadpanned, already knowing where this was going, especially with his prolonged silence and how he sheepishly smiled.

"Jake!"

He threw his hands up. "I can't help it! It's not my fault that you're all smart and diligent!"

You ran a hand through your hair, glancing back at your notes. "…I guess I can afford to take a break but—"

You didn't get the chance to finish your sentence, letting out a startled yelp when you were abruptly tugged out of your chair. You let out an "oof" when your back landed on the soft, wrinkled sheets of your bed. The last thing you saw was Jake hovering over you before he crashed his lips against yours. The kiss was sloppy, wet and loud. You could barely breathed, feeling like you were being devoured from inside and outside.

Spit trailed down your chin and Jake ducked his head, licking it up, leaving an uncomfortable stickiness behind. You arched your back, pressing your chest against his and he took that as his permission to remove the shirt you're wearing. Only for him to curse at the sight before him.

"Fuck, no bra? Dirty girl, you've been waiting for this, haven't you?" He murmured, appreciation glazing over his eyes at your bare breasts.

"Jake, you—oh!"

You gasped out his name, only to cry out when he lowered his head to wrap his lips around your right hardened nipple. Your hands shot out—one tangling your fingers into his hair while the other clutched and twisted the sheets in your palm.

A series of moans and mewls endlessly spilled from your lips as he used his thumb to move your other nipple in an anti-clockwise motion while alternating between licking, nipping and sucking on it, giving equal attention to your chest.

You lifted your hips off the bed, rutting yourself against the outline of his cock that's straining against his sweatpants.

"O-Off, hurry," you whined.

"My girl's so needy," he cooed, detaching his lips from your nipple, leaving it covered in a layer of his saliva, "gotta give her what she wants, right?"

The needy sound you made was enough to serve as an answer. Jake made quick work of his clothes, tossing them onto the floor while aiding you in removing yours too, letting them join the same fate—carelessly discarded without a care in the world. He placed a pillow under your hips for better support and he shifted down until his elbows, wanting to put his mouth on you but you stopped him.

"Just.. fuck me already. I've already.. prepped myself in the shower," you croaked out, ears flushed red as you're embarrassed with how desperate you are.

Jake sworn under his breath, shifting himself onto his knees and aligned himself against your entrance. He glanced at you, only pushing in when you gave him the green light. You dug your hands into the sheets, frowning while forcing yourself to relax as you felt yourself being stretched as wide as possible to fit the width and grith of his cock.

He eventually bottomed out after what felt like centuries, both of you moaning in unison at the feeling of being connected at a deeper level. Jake ducked his head, running his nose along your cheekbone and you gave him what he wanted, letting him kissed you.

You wrapped your arms around his neck, feeling him pulling out until his mushroomy tip was still nestled inside you and sheathed himself back in again.

He repeated this, starting off with a reasonable pace. The bedroom was filled with the loud, lewd sound of skin slapping against skin along with your pleasured moans smoothly blending into it. You could feel his heavy balls slapping against your inner thighs at every thrust.

"M-More—fuck," you moaned and who was Jake to say no to his pretty girlfriend?

Gritting his teeth, he increased the pace until he's practically ramming into you with enough force to jostle you up and down on the bed. Your mouth dropped open, forming a silent "O" shape with your eyes rolling to the back of your head.

"Shit, feel so good for me, baby. So fuckin' tight," he groaned, resting his forehead against yours with you sharing the same air space, "gonna let me breed this pussy, won't you? Gonna let me fuck you until your insides are shaped to take my cock."

You tightened around him at his words and he noticed. Of course he did. He smirked, capturing your lips in a kiss, if it could be considered one, with how you're moaning his name against his lips. Jake snaked one hand down to rub your clit with furious circles, timing it with every snap of his hips. You felt the familiar tightening sensation in your stomach, how your breathing was growing heavier and unsteady.

"Jake—close—gonna cum, please."

"Cum for me, princess."

At his words, he plunged and buried himself deep in your walls, which was what tipped you over the edge. You cum, your gummy walls violently convulsing around his cock as your thighs trembled from the sheer intensity of your climax. Jake was quick to follow suit, spilling inside you as he painted your walls in the shade of his cum.

You went boneless, body covered in a thin layer of sweat as you stared at the ceiling, trying to catch your breath. However, Jake wasn't done with you yet. The only form of warning you got was him flipping you over, forcing you to be on your hands and knees.

"Jake, wha—!?"

He draped himself over you and you whimpered at how he's still inside you, able to feel his cock hardening. He rested his chin on your left shoulder, lips brushing against the shell of your ear.

"Don't think I'm done with you just yet, baby. Gonna make good use of the time we have."

Well, it looks like you're in for a long, long night.

◟‿୨୧‿◞

Graduation day arrived far quicker than you expected.

The campus of Decelis Academy was once filled with groups of students heading to their respective destinations, only for it now to be overflowing with the very same batch of students now dressed in formal uniforms and graduation robes. Families were seen crowding the pathways with bouquets of flowers and many cameras flashing endlessly beneath the warm, blinding afternoon sun.

It felt surreal, for you to be able to graduate, considering how you were on the verge of expulsion.

You adjusted the sleeve of your robe while standing near the edge of the crowd, scanning the sea of faces for a certain person. Your mother, who stood beside you, let out a knowing giggle and you turned to her, ready to tell her off but she beat you to it.

"Go on, sweetheart. Go and find your boyfriend before he gets snatched away. I'll be here," she assured you.

"Thanks, mom," you gave her a quick hug before diving into the crowd. It didn't take you long to find him.

He stood near the front, under one of the large trees that lined the academy courtyard. Just like the boys in the academy, he's dressed in a black suit with his graduation sash loosely hanging around his shoulders. Even when you're surrounded by many people, your eyes found his effortlessly and to no one's surprise, he was already looking at you.

Ningning appeared out of nowhere before you could reached him. You yelped when she aggressively shoved a bouquet of flowers into your arms as she threw a hand around your shoulders, causing you to stagger backwards at the sudden and additional weight.

"You better thank me later. I stopped three aunties from trying to set their nieces up with your boyfriend," she whispered and you snorted at her words, managing to shoo her away as she went to regroup with Jake's friends.

You finally reached him and for a few seconds, none of you spoke a word. Jake simply looked at you, eyes scanning you from head to toe—taking in your graduation robe, the medal resting around your neck as it glowed when it caught the light and how you're poorly hiding the smile that managed to stretch across your face.

"See? I told you you did it," he started.

You scoffed and rolled your eyes. "Alright, Smarty Pants. Thank you for believing in me. Whatever shall I do without you?"

He chuckled, the sound soft but it's audible enough for your ears to pick up. He reached out to fix your crooked graduation cap gently, letting his hand hover in the air before returning to his side.

"So, got anything to say to your boyfriend slash tutor?" He asked with an expectant look on his face.

"Yeah. I love you."

He stilled, clearly not expecting you to say the three magic words in a public place. On your graduation day and in a place where everyone can hear you. But no one was paying you any mind. Everyone was busy taking pictures, talking and boasting about their certificates they received from the principal.

Jake grinned from ear to ear, his eyes warm with unmistakable affection. He stepped closer, casually slipping an arm around your waist. You met him in the middle, kissing him right there and then—under the big tree and bright summer sky of Decelis Academy.

"For what it's worth, I love you too," he murmured when you broke apart.

You laughed, the sound genuine and warm as you nuzzled your nose against his. "Good, or else I'm telling the entire academy that you snore and drool in your sleep."

[vmpiricou]

currently working on a lawyer! sunghoon fic. not sure when i’ll be done (but hopefully within the next two-three weeks). let me know if you wish to be tag once the full fic drops. here’s a sneak peak to a random scene

as this contains mature content, please have your age visible on your profile. no age = no tag.

[vmpiricou]

riki fic will be on hold for now while i work on this heeseung fic. will be out within may. comment if you wish to be tag when the full fic drops. (those in my perm taglist will automatically be tagged) as this contains mature content, please have your age visible on your profile. no age = no tag. here's a sneak peak to a scene:

[vmpiricou]

have a sneak peak to a random scene in jake's fic of the decelis dairies series heh ;)

perm taglist: (perm taglist is always open!) @lolliloopsy, @hoonguin, @heesroses, @aliyahlovesjakr, @bitemhoon, @byshens, @jaylaxies, @justpassingdontworry, @ellushic, @hoonlvrrz,

decelis diaries taglist (still open): @vixialuvs, @ikeumuses, @kemkem33, @yashiehehehe, @gordazepam, @hyyhwriter, @sievenderz, @simpikeu, @i4tzy, @kjunebuggie,

[vmpiricou]

working on jay's fic next for decelis dairies so here's a sneak peak to whatever this is... ft me dumping the asian sterotype onto jay because why the fuck not!