#jake sim ff

[ptolemaeiia]

RUINED 𓊆ྀི sim. jake𓊇ྀི

RUINED ─ snippet of ‘nettles’ going solo was never part of the plan— neither was jake sim, your younger brother’s best friend.

❪ 6102 ❫ ｡ jake 𝗑 𝖿!𝗋 𝑖𝑛 brother’s best friend ✿

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT ! ʚɞ : smut - sub!jake, nerd jake, soft dom reader, use of “noona”, semi public sexual interaction (gym), whimpering, teasing, sexual tension, handjob (thru clothes), reader is just a tease, ruined orgasm, cum in pants. 𓏻

NETTLES ON WATTPAD ( this is a snippet of my book- context lacks but it doesn’t impact anything. ) ♯ younger brother’s best friend ♯forbidden love ♯ idol x idol

▬▬ THE GYM IS in the basement.

Three floors down from the break room, which sounds simple enough except the Hybe building has the elevator logic of a fever dream- you press B1 and it takes you to B1- but through a route that involves stopping at 2 for no goddamn reason.

You stand in the elevator with your bag and your water bottle- in the mirror you check your figure, it's true that you've lost a bit of weight, which is probably not the healthiest motivation but is at least— a motivation.

The doors open at 2 and nobody gets on. You stare at the gap for a bit before it closes back again.

You arrive at B1 forty-five seconds later, walk down the corridor, badge your way through the frosted glass door and push into the gym.

It's mostly empty at this hour, which is what you'd counted on— a few pieces of equipment running, one staff member at the far end getting ready to leave.

So you drop your bag on the bench by the entrance, pull your hair up, put your earphones in.

And then you see him.

Jake is on the treadmill at the far end— earphones in, eyes forward, moving at a pace that tells he's been here for a while already— his jacket is off and draped over the handle.

Of course he's here.

Of fucking course.

You stand by the bench for approximately three seconds doing a very quick internal calculation: 'leave', which would be weird and noticeable; or 'stay', which is fine— this is a company gym, you're allowed to be here, you're a professional.

You stay.

You pick a treadmill four machines down from his, set your water bottle in the holder, and start your warmup without looking in his direction.

For about six minutes, this works just fine.

You find your pace, settle into it, and stare at the wall in front of you, trying to focus on a true crime podcast that honestly— doesn't even go past your ears.

Then the aircon kicks up a gear.

The basement gym is always cooler than the rest of the building but right now it tips from cool into 'actually kind of cold' —getting into your shoulders when you're not moving hard enough to compensate for it. You're in a short-sleeved training top— arms covered in goosebumps— which is a deeply unpleasant sensation.

You slow the treadmill, step off, and rummage in your bag for a jacket.

Which you don't have, because you left it in the break room earlier and apparently Nishimura Riki is too focused on being a dork to notice your black jacket splayed on the couch.

Fantastic, you think. Fucking great.

You stand there for a second weighing your options— get back on the treadmill and just suffer through it, go back upstairs for the jacket which defeats the entire purpose, or—

"Here."

You look up.

Jake is beside you, which —you hadn't heard him approach over your earphones, and your heart does one involuntary loud beat. He's holding out his zip-up— the Nike one that had been on the treadmill handle — already extended toward you, not quite meeting your eyes.

"I'm done with it," he says. "I run hot."

You look at the jacket.

He's looking at a point somewhere near your left shoulder, expression neutral, his hair is messy, beads of sweat running down his neck to his sharp collarbone.

"I'm fine," you shake your head.

"You're freezing," he insists, to your left shoulder.

"I'm not—"

"Na-ri." He says it quietly, just your name. Not noona.

You take the jacket— partly because you don't want to argue but also because you're terribly freezing at the moment. Like 'about to die' freezing.

"Thank you," you test the fabric in your hands.

It's a a grey Nike tech fleece— when you put it on, it's warm like it's been worn recently, and it's big on you— Jake is considerably broader than you, which you are not going to think about.

You zip it up to the collar and get back on the treadmill. It has a specific smell of laundry detergent- the kind that reminds you of your childhood soap, comforting in a way— a little bit like Jake.

You work out in silence for the next twenty minutes. Jake moves to the weights- you move to the mat for stretching.

At some point you're both just existing in the same space, doing separate things, and it's almost normal except for the awareness that is always, always present when Jake is within thirty feet of you.

You’re busy stretching your sore limbs when the podcast you were totally focused on instantly cuts. You think it's your phone at first- but it's sitting on the floor, untouched, so you reach for your earphones instead.

You pull them out, look at them uselessly when you see the little red light flicking — and cast around for somewhere to put the devices while you finish the cooldown stretch.

Your pockets— your own pockets, the ones in your training sweats—  are too small, just the tiny decorative kind that fit approximately one airpod, not the whole box.

The jacket pockets, though.

You push the earphones into the left pocket of Jake's zip-up but the second you do, your fingers brush something.

You pause, wrapping your digits around the foreign object and pull your hand back out slowly.

When you look down at your palm, it's a small flower that you see.

Yellow.

Then another one, slightly crushed, same color. Small and bright and definitely not yours —you hadn't packed any, and they're not from the pink and white batch in your bag, they're a completely different color.

They're the kind that— you know for a fact had been in the photoshoot mix, the ones that had been left out of the box at reception.

Left out deliberately.

Because someone had sorted through the box and separated them. The yellow ones on one side and the pink and white ones on the other.

Jay, you'd thought, when the box arrived. Obviously Jay.

Jay who doesn't even know your favorite colors— if you're being completely honest. Jay who would've grabbed the whole box without opening it.

You look up slowly.

Jake is at the weights bench, back partially to you, and you watch the exact moment he registers the silence- and the shift in the room's energy, which makes him glance over.

The second he sees what's in your hand, everything about him goes very still.

The flush starts immediately, the one that begins at his neck and moves upward with absolutely no chill, he sets the weight down with slightly more care than necessary.

"Was it you?" your voice comes out a little breathless.

He doesn't answer— which is also an answer.

You stand up from the mat, the little yellow flowers still in your palm, and cross the gym toward him. Jake tracks your approach in his peripheral vision and does absolutely nothing about it— doesn't move, doesn't deflect, just stands there.

You stop in front of him and he looks at you for a second, then back at the wall.

Then you drop your head forward with a long, slow exhale through your nose— you're not angry exactly, you're something more complicated than angry — and when you look back up your voice comes out quiet and a little tired.

"The magazine," you say. "And now this." You hold the flowers up slightly. "What's going on with you, Jake."

It comes out condescending. You know it does- not cruel, but with an edge to it.

Jake's jaw tightens slightly— still he doesn't look at you properly.

"It's just flowers," he mutters, quietly.

"It's not just flowers and you know that."

Jake doesn't answer right away. He just stands there in front of the weight bench, chest still rising and falling from his set, sweat making his hair stick to his forehead. His eyes flick from the little yellow flowers in your palm to your face, then back down again like he can't decide which is safer to look at.

Finally, he speaks, voice low and careful.

"I saw them when they were sorting the photoshoot leftovers," he says, almost like he's confessing to a crime. "The yellow ones... they reminded me of that one stage outfit you wore for Coachella. The one with the pink accents on the sleeves. You looked really happy that day. And so— since it's your favorite color, i thought i'd just leave the pink ones. And- well... the white ones are because I remember you said you couldn't find white flowers."

The words land softly, but they hit like a fucking truck.

He remembered. Not just the colors. Not just the flowers.

He remembered a specific stage outfit from years ago and the offhand comment you made once about liking white flowers.

You feel something dangerous twist in your chest.

This is not good.

"Jaeyun," you say, voice quieter now.

He straightens a little at the way you say his full name, eyes wide and attentive— almost endearingly like a puppy waiting for instruction.

You take one step closer. Then another. Until you're standing right in front of him, close enough that you can see the way his pulse jumps in his throat.

Jake doesn't move, he just looks down at you, breathing shallow, waiting. His hands are clenched at his sides like he's physically stopping himself from reaching out.

Then you lift your hand slowly and press the yellow flowers against his chest, right over his heart.

He inhales sharply at the contact— like it pains him.

"You keep doing things like this," you murmur, voice low. "Bringing me food at 3 AM. Sorting flowers for me. Showing up when I'm falling apart. What am I supposed to do with you, huh?"

"I know... i know i shouldn't have... but I couldn't stop thinking about how happy you looked wearing that color. I just wanted you to have something that made you feel that way again."

The words hit somewhere deep and tender and extremely inconvenient.

Sim Jaeyun needs to stop making you feel these things.

You stare at him, the small yellow flowers still warm from your palm against his chest- his heart is hammering so hard you can feel it through the thin, damp fabric of his shirt.

You're close- too close. But you still take one step closer because too much is never enough.

There's almost no space left between your bodies now, your hand stays pressed to his chest for a second longer before it slides slowly upward, fingers tracing the line of his collarbone.

Jake's breath catches sharply at the contact-  his skin is fever-hot, slightly damp, and you feel the rapid flutter of his pulse when your fingertips reach the side of his neck.

And before you can stop yourself, the words slip out, low and rough:

"If you weren't Jay's best friend ... I'd really want you, Jaeyun."

For a second he just stares at you, stunned, lips parted. Then, in that soft, nerdy, slightly rambling tone he gets when he's nervous, he starts:

"Well...technically Jay isn't my best friend. I'm-  closer to Heeseung-hyung these days. We've been rooming together longer— we have more overlapping schedules and we talk about music production stuff more... and we share the same skincare routine now and—"

Sim Jaeyun is quite literally trying to distract himself with words— typical. Maybe he thinks that his explanation is magically going to bypass every single moral you have- maybe he thinks that— just because he's technically closer to Heeseung, it's gonna make it all okay.

"Stop with the scientific reasoning," you cut him off, voice husky.

Jake shuts his mouth instantly, looking down at you like he'd do anything you told him to.

The silence stretches between you thickly and you can quite literally feel the heat pouring off his body in waves.

You don't kiss his mouth. You won't. His mouth feels too intimate— like the door to his soul.

So you just lean in, tilting your head until your lips are hovering barely an inch from the side of his throat. You breathe there —slow and warm. The air from your mouth ghosts over his skin, raising goosebumps instantly.

Jake shifts desperately.

You stay right there, breathing against his neck, letting the heat of your exhale drag slowly over his pulse point.

Jake makes a soft, broken sound in the back of his throat -barely audible, but it vibrates against your lips and sends heat rushing through you.

He shifts again, hips twitching forward once, helplessly, before he forces them still. You can feel the tension in every muscle, the way he's fighting so hard to stay good for you even while falling apart.

You move your mouth a fraction closer, lips brushing his skin without quite kissing him yet— just breathing torturously slow.

Jake's head tilts back slightly, offering more of his neck without a single word— and you enjoy every second of it- dragging it out like seeing him undone is your favorite thing in the world.

His breathing has turned ragged now, warm puffs of air brushing the top of your head with every shaky exhale.

Only then do you press your lips to his neck —open-mouthed and agonizingly slow.

Jake whimpers quietly, the sound vibrating against your mouth; skin tastes like salt and faint cologne as you kiss lower, dragging your lips down the column of his throat, savoring every tiny tremor that runs through him.

His hands finally settle on your waist — light, respectful, barely holding on, like he's terrified of gripping too tight; his fingers flex helplessly against the fabric of his own jacket that you're still wearing.

"You're not allowed to touch me more than that. Understand?" you whisper against his skin.

Jake nods frantically, fingers flexing against your waist but not tightening. He can't even get the words out.

When you suck gently at the sensitive spot where his neck meets his shoulder— his whole body jolts, a soft, needy sound escaping him before he bites his lip hard to contain it.

You feel the way his thighs tremble, the way his hips twitch forward again, seeking any kind of friction before he forces himself still.

You slide one hand under the hem of his shirt, palm flat against his stomach and his muscles tense and tremble violently under your touch, skin scorching hot and slightly slick with sweat.

You drag your nails lightly downward, stopping just above the waistband of his sweats— and his forehead drops until it almost rests against yours.

"Breathe, Jaeyun," you murmur against him, voice low and teasing. "I can hear how fast your heart is going."

His mouth is so close- lips brushing the corner of yours with every ragged exhale - but you turn your head at the last second and kiss the sharp line of his jaw instead.

Your thigh slides lightly between his legs, and that's when you feel it - the hard, throbbing heat of him pressing insistently against your thigh through his sweats.

He's so hard it has to be aching.

His hands stay exactly where you told him- resting lightly on your waist, trembling with the effort of not gripping harder.

You can feel every tiny twitch of his fingers, every shaky breath, every helpless roll of his hips as he tries (and obviously fails) to stay still against your thigh.

You bite down gently on his collarbone and Jake moans— soft, needy, and so fucking pretty it makes heat pool low in your stomach.

You soothe the spot with your tongue, then move higher, sucking a slow, deliberate mark just under his ear.

Your hand— slides lower, fingertips brushing just above the waistband of his sweats.

Jake's breath hitches, his whole body shuddering- as you press your palm flat against his lower stomach, feeling the way his muscles clench and tremble under your touch.

Then, slowly, you drag your hand down and cup him through his pants.

Jake's knees nearly buckle.

A broken, needy whimper escapes him as your hand presses against the hard, throbbing outline of his cock. He's burning hot even through the fabric, thick and straining desperately against your palm.

You rub him slowly, firmly, feeling every twitch and throb as he jerks into your touch.

"Noona-" His voice cracks, hoarse and wrecked. His forehead drops fully against your shoulder now, breathing hot and fast against your neck. "Please... I- fuck-"

You squeeze him gently through his sweats, stroking the full length of him with slow, deliberate pressure. Jake's hips stutter forward, chasing your hand, but he catches himself and forces them still again, whimpering softly into your shoulder.

"What's wrong puppy?" you look up at him doe-eyed.

His hands are still on your waist, fingers digging in just a little harder now, but he doesn't move them any further.

He's trying so hard to be good.

Jake lets out another shaky, mortified sound at the pet name, his forehead pressing harder against your shoulder like he needs the support to stay upright. You can feel the heat of his breath soaking through the fabric of your hoodie, warm and uneven, each exhale trembling.

"I— I can't... it's too much," he whispers, voice muffled against you. "Fuck i can't..." He trails off into a quiet whimper as you stroke him again, slower this time, dragging your palm from base to tip with firm pressure.

You feel everything. The way his cock throbs heavily against your hand, the faint damp spot growing under your palm where he's leaking for you, the way his thighs tremble every time you squeeze him.

"But you’re being so good for me already, Jaeyun."

You don't even know what possesses you to say these things, but you're so consumed with need that it doesn't even matter.

You feel every tremor that runs through his body, the way his stomach muscles clench under your other hand, the way his thighs shake as he fights the urge to rut against your palm.

You press your thigh a little firmer between his legs, giving him more pressure while your hand keeps stroking him slowly, torturously. Jake's head drops lower, lips brushing the side of your neck as he pants against your skin.

He doesn't kiss you.

He just breathes there, warm and shaky, completely overwhelmed.

"Noona... please," he whispers, voice hoarse and broken. "It feels so good... I— I'm trying so hard not to—"

Every stroke pulls another broken whimper out of him. His cock twitches hard against your hand, leaking steadily now, the damp spot under your palm growing warmer and slicker with every pass.

You can feel how close he already is— the way he throbs, the way his hips keep stuttering forward in tiny, helpless movements before he forces them still again.

"You're so close already, Jaeyun, look at you," you murmur against his neck, lips brushing his heated skin. "Just from my hand"

Jake lets out a mortified, needy sound, his fingers digging harder into your waist. "I— I can't help it... Noona, please— it feels too good..."

The gym is completely silent except for the wet drag of your hand over his clothed cock and his ragged, desperate breathing. The risk of someone walking in makes everything feel dangerous.

Jake's thighs are shaking now, his whole body trembling against yours as he fights to hold back.

"I'm- I'm sorry," he whimpers into your shoulder, voice cracking. "I'm trying not to- but you keep— fuck, Noona, I can't—"

The friction of your palm is relentless, a heavy, rhythmic pressure that has Jake completely unmoored— his breath coming in short, broken stabs that sound like he's sobbing without the tears.

He's so close, so painfully close, that you can feel the frantic, rhythmic pulsing of him against your hand, the heat of him almost searing through the fabric.

Just as you feel the tension in his thighs reach a breaking point; just as his hips begin to lurch upward in a final surge—

The heavy sound of a door swinging open echoes from the far end of the hallway.

The sound of approaching footsteps, casual and rhythmic, cuts through the heavy air of the gym like a blade.

You freeze. Your eyes snap toward the entrance, your heart leaping into your throat. You immediately pull your hand away, the sudden loss of contact making Jake's entire body lurch as if he's been dropped from a great height.

"Ah—" The sound is caught in his throat, a stifled, strangled noise that he desperately tries to swallow.

Because you let go right at the precipice, his orgasm doesn't come with a release; it comes as a frantic, uncoordinated spasm.

Without your hand to guide the friction or your body to absorb the impact, Jake's hips jerk once, twice, a violent, helpless twitching. He bites his lip so hard his knuckles turn white, his eyes squeezed shut, his face contorting in a mix of intense pleasure and frustration.

He cums in his sweats, the sensation sudden and jarringly incomplete— it's a ruined, messy release a heavy, pulsing throb that has nowhere to go, leaving him feeling hollow and achingly sensitive.

He shudders violently, a silent, body wracking tremor that leaves him limp and trembling against you, his forehead dropping heavily onto your shoulder as he tries to regulate his breathing before the footsteps get any closer.

The dampness is immediate, a warm, spreading weight in his pants that feels humiliatingly obvious in the sudden quiet of the room.

"Jake?" a voice calls out from the hallway, muffled but approaching. It sounds like one of the staff members.

"I'm sorry," he breathes, the words barely a ghost of a sound, thick with the shame of how much he needed you to finish what you started.

He looks like a puppy that's been scolded, yet there's a dark, lingering hunger in his gaze that tells you— he'd let you do it all over again just to feel you near him.

It takes you about 40 seconds to regain your consciousness, it's almost like you were under artificial drugs— shame incapable of entering the fortress of your mind.

"Thank you for the flowers Jaeyun." you take off the jacket and hand it to him— as if you pressed a switch all of a sudden. "Forget this happened, yeah?"

And you leave.

▬▬ taglist : @jakeycakeys @justpassingdontworry @crypticscarrift @ja4hyvn @taelvvrzz @heejakexx68 @kienhawon @jinniepilled @eczlipse @wxnizz @cupcakeangel9 @yuudaiinhs @xysza. @lcvemonth @acaibowl37 @jjujjukeukeu @sinmiedoalamor @jjuhoonn @inadazeee @naiasayo @boundlesselixirflux @miles4eva @cinnamon-koo @theyluvcece00 @boxofchocolatessss

[rikiiholic]

your rosy eyes - s.jy

May your absence never be there, so stay close to me

Pairing: mafia member Jake! x reader

synopsis: A forgotten ID at a midnight convenience store run felt like a careless mistake—until it brought Rebekah right to his front door. Struck dumb by the beautiful stranger holding his lost card, Jake manages to scramble together enough courage to ask her out. What starts as a simple, late-night café meetup to say thank you quickly turns into something much more. But as the coffee drains and the conversation deepens, Jake is left with one burning question: was it just a thank-you... or was it the perfect first date?

genre: fluff, angst, love at first sight, mafia au

warnings: Jake is so down bad for her, mentions of trauma, kissing, awkward moments, ateez makes an appearance I think that's all

part 1 part 3

The foyer of the estate was a chaotic mess of high-stakes tension and absolute teenage energy. Jake was still sitting on the floor, holding his phone tightly in his hand like a prized trophy, as a bright, smitten smile broke across his face.

"Can you guys believe it? I got a girl's number!" Jake exclaimed, looking up at his syndicate brothers with pure, unadulterated pride. His mind was completely replaying the image of Rebekah—the girl who had just turned up on their high-security doorstep just to return a lost convenience store ID.

"Don't embarrass yourself in front of her though, Jake," Sunghoon warned, leaning against the doorframe with a judgmental eyebrow raised. "We all know your tracking skills are flawless, but your flirting skills are historically tragic."

"Hey! I can be smooth!" Jake protested, though his frantic thumbs hovering over his keyboard betrayed his panic.

"Smooth? Jake, you literally vibrated when she handed you the phone," Sunoo giggles, entirely enjoying the spectacle. He plopped down on the arm of the sofa, trying to peek over Jake's shoulder. "If you text her 'Hey' with three y's, I am personally deleting her contact info."

Jay sighed from the kitchen, rubbing his temples. "Just keep it casual, Jake. Ask her if she made it back safely and thank her again for dropping off the card. Don't overthink it."

Jake looked over like Jay had just handed him the holy grail of text blueprints. "Casual. Right. Made it back safely. Thank you. Got it."

He began aggressively tapping away at the screen, biting his lower lip in deep concentration, looking as intense as if he were defusing a bomb.

Meanwhile, a few blocks away, Rebekah was walking down the quiet sidewalk, her phone clutched in her hand. Her heart was still beating a little too fast. She had only meant to do a good deed by returning the ID card to the address listed, but she hadn't expected to meet someone like Jake—someone so strikingly handsome, completely flustered, and totally out of place in that massive, intimidating estate.

Her phone buzzed in her palm, a text lighting up the screen from an unknown number:

Jake: Hey Rebekah! It’s Jake, just wanted to make sure you got home safely? And thanks again for the ID, seriously. I’d love to buy you a coffee tonight to properly thank you, if you’re free?

Rebekah stopped under the glow of a streetlamp, a soft smile tugging at her lips. She bit her lip, typing out her reply.

Back at the estate, Jake’s phone chimed. The entire room went dead silent as he unlocked it.

Rebekah: I made it back safe. And I'd love that. There's a 24-hour café on 4th street. Meet me there in twenty?

Jake leaped to his feet so fast he nearly tripped over the rug. "She said yes! Boys, she said yes! I need a jacket. Where is my leather jacket?!"

"Oh, no you don't," Riki’s girlfriend said, stepping into the foyer and immediately cutting off his path to the coat rack. She crossed her arms, giving him a thorough, disapproving look down. "Don't wear some lousy leather jacket to see her at a café. You look like you're going on a raid, not a date. Wear something nice."

"A date?!" Jake’s voice cracked slightly, his eyes widening. "Wait, is it a date? She said it was just a coffee to say thank you. Right? Guys?"

"It’s definitely a date," Sunoo cheered from the couch, kicking his feet back. "And she's right. The 'intimidating syndicate enforcer' look is going to scare her off. You need boy-next-door vibes."

"But the leather jacket is my lucky jacket!" Jake whined, looking around the room for an ally.

He looked to Riki, but Riki just shrugged, completely checked out of Jake's romantic crisis and focused entirely on pulling his girlfriend closer to his side. He leaned his chin on her shoulder, murmuring a quiet, "Listen to her, Jake. She knows how to dress a lost puppy."

"I am not a lost puppy!" Jake protested, though his messy hair and frantic energy weren't helping his case.

"Go change, Jake," Jay ordered, waving a hand toward the stairs. "You have exactly fifteen minutes before you need to leave. Put on a knit sweater or something. Hurry up."

With a dramatic groan, Jake turned on his heel and bounded up the stairs two at a time, determined to find an outfit that yelled 'approachable civilian' rather than 'underground mafia.'

Ten minutes later, he practically flew back down the stairs, adjusting the collar of a soft, cream-colored crewneck sweater over a collared shirt. He had quickly brushed his hair, and the nervous, boyish grin was back on his face.

"Better?" Jake asked breathlessly, checking his reflection in the foyer mirror.

Riki’s girlfriend nodded approvingly. "Much better. Now go. And remember: do not talk about your weapon collection, do not mention the mafia, and try to actually listen to her."

"Got it. No weapons, no mafia, just coffee," Jake repeated like a mantra, grabbing his car keys. "Wish me luck!"

As the front door slammed shut behind him, the rest of the house fell into a rare, quiet stillness. Sunghoon shook his head, a smirk on his face. "Place your bets now. Five hundred says he accidentally brings up the logistics of body disposal before the lattes arrive."

Meanwhile, in a cramped but cozy apartment a few blocks away, Rebekah was experiencing her own minor crisis.

She stood in front of her open closet, staring at her clothes as if they were written in a foreign language. Her heart was still doing that strange, fluttery dance against her ribs.

"Twenty minutes," she muttered to herself, glancing at the glowing clock on her nightstand. "Why did I say twenty minutes?"

She had only gone to that massive, intimidating estate to return a lost card. She hadn't expected the boy who lost it to look like that—all dark eyes, sharp jawline, and a flustered, clumsy charm that completely contrasted with the looming, fortress-like house he lived in. And now she was going to a 24-hour café with him in the middle of the night.

"Casual," she whispered, pulling a hanger from the rack. "It’s just a late-night coffee."

She kicked off her oversized sweatpants and quickly pulled on a pair of high-waisted denim jeans, pairing them with a soft, oversized forest-green knit sweater. It was comfortable, simple, and perfect for a chilly midnight run to a coffee shop.

Rebekah sprinted to the bathroom mirror. She didn't have time for a full face of makeup, so she quickly brushed through her hair, letting it fall naturally around her shoulders, and applied a quick swipe of tinted lip balm. She took a deep breath, looking at her reflection. Her cheeks were already slightly flushed.

"He's just a guy," she told her reflection, trying to ignore the memory of how intensely he had looked at her when she handed him his ID. "A very handsome, slightly chaotic guy."

Grabbing her canvas tote bag, her keys, and her phone, she slipped on a pair of white sneakers and checked the screen. She had five minutes to walk the two blocks to the café.

As she locked her apartment door and stepped out into the cool night air, she couldn't shake the feeling that her quiet, predictable life was about to get a whole lot more complicated.

The 24-hour café on 4th Street was quiet, illuminated by warm, low hanging amber lights and the soft hum of an espresso machine. A few college students were scattered at corner tables, buried in textbooks, but otherwise, the place was empty.

Rebekah pushed the glass door open, the little brass bell chiming above her head.

She scanned the room, and her eyes instantly locked onto a table by the window.

There sat Jake. He had actually made it before her. He was wearing a cream-colored sweater that made him look completely approachable, his fingers nervously tapping against the wooden table. The moment the bell chimed, his head snapped up.

When his eyes met hers, his entire face lit up, a brilliant, breathtaking smile erasing all his nerves. He immediately stood up, nearly knocking his chair back in the process.

"Rebekah!" he called out, his voice a little too loud for the quiet café before he quickly caught himself, clearing his throat with a sheepish grin. "Hey. You made it."

"Wouldn't miss it," she said, giving him a small smile.

The exact millisecond the words left her mouth, Rebekah mentally cursed herself. Wouldn't miss it? Really? Who says that? She sounded like a character in a cheesy hallmark movie, or worse, someone who had been sitting by the window counting down the seconds until he texted. She braced herself for the internal cringe to show on her face.

Thankfully, Jake was far too busy having his own internal crisis to notice hers. "Great! Awesome. Perfect," Jake stammered, pulling out the chair opposite him with a level of enthusiasm usually reserved for saving lives.

He flashed her a bright, slightly relieved grin. "I already got us a table, obviously. And, uh, I didn't know what you liked, so I didn't order yet. Because ordering for someone on a first... uh, first hangout... might be creepy."

Rebekah let out a soft laugh, her shoulders dropping as the tension broke. His clumsy energy was honestly adorable, completely erasing her own embarrassment. "Good call. I’m usually a vanilla latte person anyway."

"Vanilla latte. Got it. On it," Jake said, nodding like a soldier receiving high-level orders. "I'll go grab them. Don't move. Not that you would move, you just got here. I'll be right back."

He offered one last sheepish smile before turning on his heel and walking up to the counter.

Rebekah watched him go, a genuine smile tugging at her lips. He was wearing the soft cream sweater his housemates had clearly forced him into, and it worked. He looked like the boy-next-door archetype, completely harmless.

She took a seat, her eyes tracking him as he talked to the barista. Even from behind, there was something undeniable about his posture—the broad set of his shoulders, the quiet, effortless way he carried himself despite his nervous rambling. He didn't look like an ordinary college student, no matter how hard that sweater was trying to convince her otherwise.

Within a couple of minutes, Jake returned, carefully balancing two steaming mugs. He set hers down in front of her with a proud look. "One vanilla latte. And I got an americano. Heavy on the espresso."

"Thank you," Rebekah smiled, wrapping her hands around the warm mug, letting the heat chase away the midnight chill. She looked up at him through her lashes. "So, Jake. Do you always lose your ID in the middle of convenience stores, or was today a special occasion?"

Jake bit his tongue so hard he was pretty sure he tasted copper. He could practically hear Riki’s girlfriend’s voice echoing in his head: Do NOT mention the mafia. If he told Rebekah the truth—that he dropped his ID because he was too busy tracking a rival gang's weapon shipment on his burner phone while buying a bag of gummy worms—she would probably sprint out of this café and never look back.

"I was in a rush," he finished quickly, giving her a slightly strained but completely charming smile. He took a hasty sip of his scalding hot americano to cover his tracks, instantly regretting it as his eyes went wide from the burn. He swallowed it down like a champion, clearing his throat. "Yeah. Just a busy day. Lots of... studying. And errands."

Rebekah raised an eyebrow, leaning her chin on her hand as she watched his eyes dart around for a split second. "In a rush? At three in the morning?"

"Hey, the life of a... student... never sleeps," Jake countered smoothly, leaning forward and resting his forearms on the table. The initial panic was fading, replaced by that natural, magnetic confidence he usually reserved for high-stakes missions. He looked directly into her eyes, his gaze softening. "But honestly? I'm kind of glad I was careless. Otherwise, I wouldn't be sitting here with you right now."

Rebekah felt her cheeks instantly heat up under his intense gaze. Smooth, she thought, her heart doing a dangerous little flip. For a guy who had just tripped over his own feet five minutes ago, he certainly knew how to dial up the charm when he wanted to.

"Is that your way of saying thank you for not keeping your wallet?" she teased, taking a sip of her latte to hide her growing blush.

"Maybe," Jake murmured, a boyish, devastating smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "But I'd say the coffee is the thank you. This part? This is just me enjoying your company."

"You're quite the flirt, aren't you?" She laughed a little, taking another slow sip of her drink to hide the smile pressing against the rim of her mug.

Jake blinked, a sudden, bright flush creeping up his neck and dusting his cheeks. The smooth, confident facade he’d just managed to pull off evaporated in a fraction of a second. He gripped his americano a little tighter, suddenly looking very defensive.

"I am not a flirt!" he protested, his voice dropping into a hushed, panicked whisper so the barista wouldn't hear him. "I'm being completely sincere. Ask anyone, I am historically terrible at this."

Rebekah set her mug down, thoroughly amused by how easily she could throw him off balance. "Oh, really? So the whole 'glad I lost my ID so I could sit here with you' line wasn't rehearsed in the mirror before you left?"

"No! Absolutely not," Jake groaned, burying his face in his hands for a brief second before looking back at her, his dark eyes wide and pleading. "If I had rehearsed anything, it would have sounded a lot less cheesy, I promise. My friends actually threatened to lock me in the house if I wore my favorite jacket because they said I’d scare you off. I’m operating entirely on survival instincts right now."

Rebekah chuckled, the last remnants of her own awkward nerves completely vanishing. There was something incredibly endearing about how transparent he was. He was gorgeous, effortlessly athletic, and lived in a house that looked like a fortress, yet he was sitting across from her getting entirely flustered over a compliment.

"Well," she said softly, tracing the rim of her coffee cup with her thumb. "For someone operating on survival instincts, you're doing just fine. And for the record, the sweater was a good choice."

Jake’s entire face lit up again, that brilliant, boyish smile returning in full force. He leaned back in his chair, looking immensely proud of himself. "Yeah? I'll be sure to pass that along to the fashion police at home. They'll be thrilled their intervention worked."

He paused, his gaze settling back on her, warmer and more curious this time. "But enough about my tragic social skills. Tell me about you, Rebekah."

"Well, I'm a university student... studying law," she said, giving a small, self-deprecating shrug. "There's not really much to say about myself."

"Law?" Jake repeated, his eyebrows shooting up in genuine impression. "Wow. Okay, note to self: never get on your bad side. You're going to be arguing in courtrooms, and I can barely argue my way out of a parking ticket."

Rebekah laughed, shaking her head. "It's mostly just endless reading, grueling case files, and drinking way too much caffeine at ungodly hours. It's really not that exciting."

"Don't sell yourself short," Jake said, leaning his chin in his hand, his dark eyes locked onto hers with absolute, undivided attention. "Studying how to defend people, breaking down complex rules, staying up all night to find the truth... that takes a lot of guts. And brains."

A subtle, ironic smile crossed his face for a split second. A law student and a mafia tracker—if his brothers could see him now, Jay would probably pass out from the sheer legal hazard of it all. But looking at Rebekah, Jake couldn't find it in himself to care.

"Besides," he murmured, his voice dropping into that softer, warmer tone that made her pulse quicken. "I highly doubt there's 'not much to say' about you. You walked up to a creepy, dark estate in the middle of the night just to do a stranger a favor. That tells me you're either incredibly brave, or dangerously stubborn."

"Maybe a little bit of both," Rebekah admitted, a playful glint in her eyes. "What about you? What do you do when you're not losing your wallet or getting fashion advice from your roommates?"

"I uh... I'm..."

Fuck, what do I tell her? Jake's brain violently short-circuited. He couldn't exactly tell a future lawyer that his main occupation involved tracking high-profile fugitives, analyzing encrypted mafia databases, and handling untraceable firearms.

"I'm also a student," he blurted out, his voice a little higher than usual. He scrambled for the first academic subject that sounded intelligent enough to match her law degree. "Studying... physics."

Rebekah blinked, looking properly impressed. "Physics? Wow. That's intense. Quantum mechanics, astrophysics, all of that?"

"Yeah! Exactly. Total physics guy. Big fan of... gravity. And space," Jake nodded aggressively, mentally praying she wouldn't ask him to explain a single formula. The only thing he knew about physics was calculating the trajectory of a bullet, and somehow he didn't think that would slide in casual conversation. "It’s mostly just numbers, formulas, and... sitting in front of a computer screen for twelve hours a day."

Well, that last part isn't a total lie, he comforted himself. He did stare at a computer screen for twelve hours a day—he was just usually tracking burner phones through the city's main grid while doing it.

"I get that. We both seem trapped by our screens and textbooks," Rebekah smiled, taking a sip of her latte. "No wonder you were at the convenience store at three in the morning. Midnight snack run to fuel the brain?"

"Exactly. Gummy worms are essential for proper brain function. It’s a scientifically proven fact," Jake said, leaning forward, utterly relieved he had successfully dodged the bullet.

The conversation began to flow effortlessly after that. As the clock ticked past 1:00 AM, the initial awkwardness completely dissolved. They talked about the worst professors they had ever encountered, their favorite late-night spots in the city, and the absolute chaos of living with multiple guys (though Jake heavily filtered his stories to make his brothers sound like normal, albeit slightly intense, roommates).

Rebekah found herself leaning in closer, completely captivated by the way his eyes lit up whenever he laughed, and how genuinely he listened to every word she said. For a 'physics student,' he had a magnetic, protective energy that made her feel incredibly safe, despite the late hour and the quiet streets outside.

"So," Rebekah said softly, swirling the last bit of foam in her mug. "Does the physics prodigy have any other hidden talents I should know about?"

Jake opened his mouth to reply, a cocky joke on the tip of his tongue, when his phone vibrated violently against the wooden table.

The screen lit up with an encrypted notification. It was a secure text from Jay, but the preview banner was fully visible:

JAY: Heads up. A rival scout car just turned onto 4th Street. Wrap it up and get her out of there now.

"I think we should start heading back," Jake said.

The boyish, flustered charm vanished from his face in a fraction of a second. His jaw tightened, and his dark eyes went razor-sharp as his mafia instincts instantly locked in. Through the reflection of the café window, his trained eyes picked up the slow, deliberate movement of a blacked-out sedan cruising down 4th Street. A rival scout car.

"Like, right now," he added, his voice dropping into a low, deadly serious register that sent a sudden shiver down Rebekah's spine.

Rebekah blinked, caught completely off guard by the sudden, freezing shift in his demeanor. "Jake? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. Fine. Just remembered I left something... running at the house," he lied smoothly, though his eyes never stopped tracking the vehicle outside. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a stack of cash without even counting it, and slammed it onto the table.

Before Rebekah could even process what was happening, Jake was on his feet. He caught her by the hand, his grip firm, warm, and entirely unyielding as he gently but urgently guided her out of the booth.

"Hey, wait, my tote bag—"

"I got it," Jake murmured, snatching her bag off the chair with his free hand. He pulled her close to his side, his broad shoulders naturally shifting to position himself between her and the street view outside.

As they stepped out of the café into the cool night air, the little brass bell chimed overhead, sounding incredibly loud in the quiet street. The headlights of the black sedan caught them in their beam, the engine idling heavily just half a block away.

Jake didn't run—running would provoke a chase—but his pace was fast and commanding as he led her down the sidewalk, his thumb subconsciously rubbing reassuring circles over the back of her hand.

"Jake, you're kind of scaring me," Rebekah whispered, her heart hammering against her ribs as she tried to match his long strides. "What's going on?"

"Don't look back, Rebekah," Jake ordered softly, his voice a calm, protective anchor amidst the sudden spike of adrenaline. "Just keep walking with me. I've got you. I promise."

Jake looked out toward the mouth of the alley, watching the slow creep of headlights bouncing off the wet asphalt. He let out a heavy, frustrated sigh, running a hand through his hair. He knew he shouldn't be saying this. He knew Jay would absolutely skin him alive for breaking protocol, and Riki's girlfriend would never let him hear the end of it. But looking at the genuine terror in Rebekah's eyes, there was no way he could lie to her anymore. Not when her life was on the line.

"Look, I lied—I'm not a student and I'm definitely not studying physics," he said quickly, his voice a frantic, low murmur as he stepped closer, shielding her body with his own. "I'm actually 24 and... I'm a part of a mafia gang. The car I saw outside is from a rival scout. If they see you with me, you're a target, and I don't want to risk that."

Rebekah froze, her breath catching in her throat. A mafia gang? Her brain, trained on logical law case files, completely jammed. She wanted to laugh, to tell him his joke was sick, but the deadly, unblinking seriousness in his dark eyes told her everything she needed to know. He wasn't joking. The massive estate, the intense 'roommates,' the sudden military-like precision—it all violently clicked into place.

"You're... you're a criminal?" she breathed, her back pressing harder against the brick.

"I'm a tracker. I keep people safe," Jake corrected urgently, his grip tightening just a fraction on her hand, desperately trying to anchor her. "And right now, my only priority is keeping you safe. I am so sorry I dragged you into this, Rebekah. I never should have asked you out."

Before she could respond, the low, rumbling hum of the black sedan vibrated through the pavement. The car had stopped right at the entrance of the alley. The headlights cut through the darkness, illuminating the trash cans just a few yards away from where they stood.

Jake didn't hesitate. He pulled her flush against his chest, tucking her head under his chin into the soft fabric of his cream sweater, using his broad frame to completely obscure her from view. He reached behind his back, his hand slipping beneath the hem of his sweater to grip the cold, concealed grip of his firearm.

"Stay completely still," he whispered into her hair, his heart hammering violently against her cheek—not from fear of the rival gang, but from the terrifying realization of what he would do to them if they even dared to look at her.

The heavy crunch of boots on gravel echoed dangerously close. Jake could hear the scouts getting out of their car, their footsteps approaching the mouth of the alley. Down in his arms, he could feel the frantic, rapid rise and fall of Rebekah’s chest. He looked down at her, his expression turning entirely dark and calculating. From her view, looking up at him in the shadows, his sudden, ruthless intensity was terrifying—but God, it was undeniably attractive.

"He went this way," a rough voice barked from the street.

They were turning the corner. In three seconds, they’d be fully in the alley. Jake had to think fast. There was no time to draw a weapon without sparking a full-blown war right in front of her.

Before Rebekah could even gasp, Jake leaned down, caught her chin with his free hand, and kissed her.

He didn't just kiss her—he pinned her firmly against the brick wall, his broad shoulders completely blocking her face and body from the street, casting her entirely in his shadow. His lips were warm, urgent, and possessive, sending a massive shockwave of adrenaline crashing through her system.

The group of scouts rounded the corner, flashlights ready, only to halt dead in their tracks at the sight of a couple aggressively making out in the dark.

"You idiot! How could you do that?!" the scout leader hissed, smacking the guy next to him upside the head.

"S-sorry, I thought that was him," the other one stuttered, quickly lowering his flashlight away from Jake's back, completely embarrassed to have stumbled onto what looked like a heated midnight hookup.

"Move, let's check the next block before the syndicate catches us lingering," the leader growled. Within seconds, the boots scrambled back toward the pavement, car doors slammed shut, and the tires screeched as the sedan sped away into the night.

Slowly, Jake broke the kiss. His thumb was still resting against her jawline, his breath coming out in short, ragged puffs against her lips. He didn't pull away immediately; his dark eyes searched hers, checking for any signs of injury or pure terror.

"They're gone," he whispered, his voice incredibly low, a dark hint of roughness tracing his words. His hand slowly slid down from the wall, but he remained close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off him. "I'm sorry. I had to make them look away."

"It's okay... I... I get it," she stuttered, her voice breathless and trembling as she looked up at him.

God, this guy was an absolute mystery. Just an hour ago, he was a clumsy, blushing mess who couldn't even order coffee without panicking. Now, he was a dangerous, calculating shadow who had just successfully fooled a group of armed men using nothing but a split-second instinct and a devastatingly intense kiss. Her lips were still tingling, and her heart was beating so loud she was certain he could hear it.

Jake let out a long, slow breath, the tension finally draining from his broad shoulders. The ruthless, cold look in his eyes instantly melted away, replaced by that familiar, deeply apologetic boyish expression.

"You're shaking," he murmured softly. Before she could protest, he gently reached down and took her hands, rubbing his warm palms against her cold fingers. "Come on. We need to get out of the open. My car is parked just around the next block. I'm taking you home."

Rebekah didn't argue. Her logical law-student brain was still trying to process the words mafia gang, but her survival instincts told her that staying attached to Jake’s side was her safest bet right now.

He kept his arm securely wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against his side as they quickly maneuvered through the shadows of the city streets. He kept his eyes moving, scanning every alleyway and passing vehicle until they finally reached a sleek, blacked-out SUV. He unlocked it, practically ushering her into the passenger seat before she could even blink, closing the door firmly behind her.

As he hopped into the driver's seat and started the engine, the warm air of the heater kicked in, cutting through the midnight chill. Jake quickly put the car in drive, steering them away from the café district.

The silence inside the car was heavy, filled only with the soft hum of the engine. Jake kept gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were white. He was terrified he had completely ruined everything—that she would hate him, fear him, and never want to see him again.

Finally, he spoke up, his voice cracking slightly in the quiet vehicle. "Rebekah... I am so, so sorry. I know you probably think I'm a monster right now. If you want me to drop you off and never contact you again, I'll do it. I just... I needed to make sure you were safe first."

"No, no. Thank you, actually, for saving my life," Rebekah said, her voice steadier now as she looked back at him. She offered a small, brave smile, despite the lingering adrenaline. "I do want to keep talking."

Jake’s grip on the steering wheel instantly loosened. He blinked, staring ahead at the empty road for a second as if he couldn't quite believe what he had just heard. He slowly turned his head to look at her, his dark eyes wide with a mixture of shock and sheer relief.

"Really?" he asked, his voice full of genuine, boyish wonder. "I mean—wow. Okay. You're... you're definitely braver than I thought. Most people would have jumped out of the moving car by now."

Rebekah let out a soft laugh, leaning her head back against the leather headrest. "Don't get me wrong, I have a million questions, and my law professors would probably have a stroke if they knew I was riding in a car with a mafia member. But you protected me. You could have just run and left me there, but you didn't."

"I would never leave you," Jake said, his tone instantly shifting into something deeply sincere and fiercely protective. He looked back at the road, a soft smirk playing on his lips. "Besides, if anything happened to you, Riki's girlfriend would actually murder me. She really liked you."

Rebekah chuckled, the tension in the car completely evaporating. "So, does this mean I finally get to hear the real story about you? No quantum physics allowed."

"Deal," Jake laughed, navigating the SUV down her street. "From now on, absolute truth. But only if you promise not to cross-examine me like you're already in a courtroom."

The moment Jake stepped through the heavy oak doors of the estate, the silence of the foyer vanished. The entire room was up in arms.

"Did they see you?" Jay demanded, immediately stepping forward from the kitchen island with his laptop still open to the city's traffic grid.

"We saw the scout car tailing toward 4th on the monitors," Sunghoon said, crossing his arms as he leaned against the staircase. "Tell me you didn't do something stupid, Jake."

"He definitely did something stupid, look at his face," Riki smirked, lounging on the couch while his girlfriend sat beside him, watching Jake with an amused but critical eye. "He looks like he just survived a minor cardiac arrest."

"I didn't do anything stupid! I handled it," Jake protested, throwing his hands up defensively as he kicked off his shoes. He walked into the living room, completely exhausted but still riding the high of the night. "The scouts pulled into the alley we were hiding in. I had to think fast."

Riki’s girlfriend sat up, narrowing her eyes. "Define 'thinking fast.' You didn't pull a weapon on a rival gang in front of a civilian law student, did you?"

"No! Worse," Sunoo gasped, popping up from behind the sofa like an excited puppy. "Did you tell her you're a physics major who specializes in tactical evasion?"

"I actually told her the truth," Jake admitted quietly, rubbing the back of his neck.

The entire room went dead silent. Jay froze, his fingers hovering over his keyboard. Sunghoon slowly straightened up.

"You did what?" Jay hissed, his voice dropping into a dangerous, older-brother register. "Jake, protocol clearly states—"

"I had to, Jay! She was terrified, and they were right there," Jake cut him off, his expression turning serious. "But that's not how I got rid of them. To make the scouts look away, I... well, I pinned her to the wall and kissed her. They thought we were just some random couple hooking up in the dark and they left."

A collective gasp echoed through the room. Sunoo literally squealed, covering his mouth with both hands. Riki burst out laughing, clapping his hands together, while his girlfriend just shook her head with a proud, impressed smile.

"Wow," Riki’s girlfriend said, leaning back. "Maybe that knit sweater gave you some actual game. Look at you go, lost puppy."

"And she didn't run away screaming after you confessed to being in the mafia?" Sunghoon asked, a cynical smirk playing on his lips, though his tone was undeniably impressed.

"No," Jake said, a soft, incredibly whipped smile spreading across his face as he looked down at his phone. "She actually thanked me for saving her life. And... she wants to keep talking to me."

Jay let out a long, defeated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward. "Unbelievable. Only you could break three major mafia rules on a first date and somehow secure a second one."

"Why are you all surprised? Am I that bad?" Jake asked, looking around the room, genuinely offended.

Without a single second of hesitation, everyone in the room nodded in perfect, synchronized unison. Even Riki’s girlfriend didn't hesitate.

"Ouch," Jake muttered, clutching his chest dramatically. "The disrespect in this house is unreal. I am a catch! I'm charming! I'm athletic!"

"Jake, you panicked and told her you were a physics major who loves gravity," Sunghoon pointed out ruthlessly, leaning back against the stairs with a smirk. "You're lucky she didn't call a mental health hotline right then and there."

"And you broke the golden rule of the mafia within two hours of meeting a civilian," Jay added, crossing his arms, though the strict older-brother edge in his voice was completely betrayed by the amused glint in his eyes. "If leadership found out you used a tactical romance maneuver to evade a scout car, you'd never hear the end of it."

"Hey, it worked!" Jake defended himself, a stubborn pout forming on his lips. "And for the record, she said the kiss was fine. Well, she said 'it's okay, I get it,' but her eyes said it was fine."

"Oh, his ego is flying now," Riki groaned, rolling his eyes and tossing a couch cushion straight at Jake's head. Jake caught it effortlessly, throwing it back with a grin.

Riki’s girlfriend stood up, stretching her arms before giving Jake a final, encouraging pat on the shoulder. "Alright, alright, leave him alone. He managed to save the girl and get a second date without causing a shootout. I call that a massive win for him. Now, go to sleep, physics boy. You have a law student to text tomorrow."

"Thanks, at least she gets it! You all have no hope for me," Jake pouted, crossing his arms and throwing himself onto the empty armchair, looking entirely like a kicked puppy despite his broad stature.

"We have hope, Jake," Sunoo said, offering a sweet, entirely fake smile as he tilted his head. "We just also have eyes and ears. We know what you're like when you're nervous."

"I was not nervous," Jake mumbled, though his burning ears completely gave him away.

"Right, and I'm a pacifist," Jay retorted smoothly, finally shutting his laptop with a definitive click. He stood up, giving Jake a look that was a mix of exasperation and genuine fondness. "Look, rules aside... I'm glad you both got out of there safe. But now that she knows what we do, you need to be twice as careful. A law student with mafia ties isn't exactly standard procedure."

"She's smart, Jay. She's not going to go running to the cops. She understands the risk now," Jake said, his tone instantly dropping into that fierce, protective seriousness again. He looked down at his phone, his thumb hovering over her contact name.

"We know," Riki's girlfriend said gently, walking toward the hallway. "Just don't mess it up, okay? If you ghost her because you're scared of your own shadow, I'll let Sunghoon give you a makeover next time."

"Hey! My style is impeccable," Sunghoon called out.

Jake just laughed, ignoring them as the house slowly began to quiet down for the night. He sank back into the chair, the chaos of his brothers fading into the background as he opened his messages.

Jake: Just got back. Wanted to make sure you made it inside safely? And... thanks for not running away tonight.

Rebekah looked at the message, her reflection in the dark bedroom window showing a helpless, genuine smile. Her heart gave a familiar, dangerous little flutter as she typed out her response.

Rebekah: I got back safely, thank you for today Jake :))

Across town, Jake was still sitting in the armchair, staring intently at his phone like it was an explosive device he was trying to defuse. The second the screen lit up with her reply, a massive, unpreventable grin broke across his face.

"Look at him," Riki muttered from the kitchen, pouring a glass of water. "He's literally kicking his feet mentally."

"Shut up, Riki," Jake shot back without looking up, his thumbs already flying across the keyboard.

Jake: Good. I was worried. And you don't have to thank me. I'm just sorry our discussion got so derailed.

Jake: Are you free this weekend? I promise a normal dinner. No scouts, no alleyways, and I'll even let you cross-examine me about anything you want to know.

He hit send, holding his breath all over again as he watched the typing bubbles appear.

Rebekah: I am free but I have a bit of work in the morning, I'm free all afternoon

Rebekah hit send, her breath catching slightly as she stared at the glowing screen. She curled her knees up to her chest, her nerves instantly tensing. No guy had ever made her this nervous before. It wasn't just the fact that he was in the mafia—though that was a massive, mind-boggling detail—it was the dizzying contrast of him. He was a dangerous protector one second, and a sweet, utterly transparent dork the next.

Jake didn't even give the typing bubbles a chance to fade. The moment her message popped up, he practically vibrated with excitement.

Jake: Afternoon is perfect. Take all the time you need with work, I don't mind waiting at all.

Jake: How about I pick you up around 2:00 PM? I know a really quiet place by the waterfront. No crowded cafés, just good food and a view.

Jake: And I promise I'll check the perimeter before we sit down. Old habits die hard lol

Rebekah let out a soft breath she didn't realize she was holding, a small laugh bubbling up at his last text. The lingering fear from the alleyway completely melted, replaced by a warm, intoxicating rush of anticipation. He was terrifyingly dangerous to the rest of the world, but to her, he was just Jake.

Rebekah: sounds good :)

Jake stared at the screen, a breathless, triumphant laugh escaping him. He practically melted back into the armchair, throwing an arm over his face to hide the ridiculously wide grin he couldn't shake.

Jake: Awesome. It's a date. Get some rest, Rebekah. Don't let those law textbooks keep you up all night.

Jake: good night :)

He finally locked his phone and tossed it onto the coffee table, letting his head fall back against the cushion.

"Alright, loverboy, wrap it up," Jay's voice called out from the kitchen doorway. He was leaning against the frame, holding a mug of coffee, a knowing smirk on his face. "You're radiating sheer joy, and frankly, it's making the rest of us uncomfortable. Go to bed."

"I'm going, I'm going," Jake laughed, standing up and stretching his broad frame. He felt entirely light on his feet, the exhaustion of the night completely forgotten.

As he walked past Jay toward the stairs, his older brother clapped a heavy, reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Just keep your head on a swivel this weekend, Jake. Enjoy yourself, but remember—you brought her into our world tonight. Keep her safe."

Jake’s smile softened, his jaw tightening slightly with absolute resolve. "I will, Jay. With my life."

But of course, mafia life isn’t a joke. Once you have rivals, they don’t play by the rules, and they will do anything in their power to exploit a weakness.

And in this case, Jake’s greatest, most beautiful weakness was Rebekah.

The girl who had once been a terrified law student in a dark alleyway had become his entire world. Within four months of knowing her, Jake had completely fallen. He didn't want to hide her, and he certainly didn't want to lose her. So, he had flown her out to France, determined to give her the world.

It was a perfect, breathless night in Paris. He had rented out a private rooftop, beautifully decorated with glowing candle arrangements, overlooking the city lights. With the majestic Eiffel Tower sparkling like a thousand diamonds in the background, Jake had asked Rebekah to be his girlfriend. He had promised her, over that quiet, romantic dinner, that no matter how chaotic his life was, he would always protect her.

And she had said yes.

But back in the gritty, unforgiving reality of the city streets, that beautiful memory became a dangerous target.

"You're getting careless, Jake," Jay warned him one night in the syndicate's basement briefing room, tossing a set of surveillance photographs onto the metal table.

Jake walked over, his eyes scanning the glossy prints. His heart violently dropped into his stomach. They weren't photos of him. They were photos of Rebekah. Walking to her law lectures, buying groceries, looking at her phone while waiting for the bus—all taken from a distance through a telescopic lens.

"The rival family's scouts didn't forget that night in the alley," Sunghoon added gravely, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "They connected the dots. They know she’s yours now."

Jake’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the edge of the table, a cold, terrifying fury washing over him. The boyish, whipped smile he always wore around Rebekah instantly vanished, replaced by the deadly, lethal gaze of a syndicate tracker.

"If they even touch a hair on her head," Jake whispered, his voice dangerously low, vibrating with absolute malice, "I will burn their entire faction to the ground."

"It's not easy, Jake," Sunghoon said, his voice flat but heavy. "Riki may be able to do it, but you know yourself. And you know me and Jay, too."

Sunghoon looked down at the floor, his shoulders tightening. It was the first time anyone in the room had seen him look so incredibly vulnerable. The usual cold, unbothered facade he wore like armor completely cracked.

"You know what happened to Hana," Sunghoon muttered softly.

The basement went completely, suffocatingly quiet. Jay stiffened at the mention of the name, his jaw clenching so hard a muscle twitched in his cheek. Jake's furious expression faltered, a sudden, sobering wave of grief and harsh reality crashing over him.

Riki’s girlfriend looked between the tense faces of the older guys, completely lost. The temperature in the room had just dropped below freezing.

"Who's Hana?" she asked, her voice quiet and genuinely confused.

Riki didn't answer right away. He reached out, his hand wrapping around his girlfriend's arm, pulling her just a little bit closer to his side as if a ghost had just walked into the room.

"Hana was..." Riki swallowed hard, looking over at Sunghoon to see if he should even say it.

"She was my girlfriend," Sunghoon stated, his voice devoid of emotion now, though his eyes remained fixed on the floor. "Two years ago. Before you met Riki. Before we tightened our perimeter protocols."

He finally raised his eyes, locking them onto Jake with a fierce, haunting intensity. "The rivals found out about her, too. They used her to get to me. To get to us. I thought I could protect her. I thought I was fast enough, smart enough, dangerous enough to keep her safe."

Sunghoon swallowed back the bitterness coating his throat. "I wasn't. And by the time we found her... it was too late. This life doesn't just make you a target, Jake. It turns the people you love into collateral damage."

Jake’s grip on the table slowly loosened, his hands trembling slightly as the heavy, suffocating weight of Sunghoon’s words settled over him. He stared at the surveillance photos of Rebekah. He knew that. He knew the history, he knew the blood, and he desperately, fiercely did not want to make the same mistake his brother did.

But he also knew himself.

He knew how he operated. He wasn't like Jay, who could compartmentalize and look at a situation with detached, calculating logic. He wasn't like Riki, who could unleash ruthless, chaotic violence without a second thought to secure a perimeter. Jake was a tracker—he was deeply instinctual, fiercely emotional, and entirely consumed by the people he chose to protect.

If the rivals moved on Rebekah, he wouldn't just defend her; he would blind himself with panic. He’d get so caught up in rewriting the past, so desperate to make things right and keep her sheltered from the blood on his hands, that he’d make a fatal miscalculation. He would pull too hard, suffocating her in his frantic need to shield her, until he eventually lost her anyway. Either to a bullet, or to the sheer terror of his world.

"I'm not going to let that happen," Jake said, though his voice lacked the furious bravado from before. It was quieter now, hollowed out by a sudden, sickening realization of his own limitations.

"Jake," Jay said softly, stepping closer and placing a heavy, grounding hand on his shoulder. "We're not telling you this to break you. We're telling you this because if you're going to keep her, you can't do it alone. You can't hide her in a bubble, and you can't fight a ghost faction by yourself."

Jake looked up, his dark eyes brimming with a vulnerability he usually hid behind boyish smiles and pouts. He looked over at Sunghoon, whose eyes still carried the faint, haunted shadow of a girl named Hana.

"What do I do?" Jake whispered, the confession tearing out of his throat, raw and desperate. "She's supposed to graduate next month. She's studying for the bar. She's supposed to be in courtrooms, not... hiding in safehouses because of me."

"Teach her, Jake," Riki's girlfriend spoke up, breaking the heavy silence that had settled over the basement.

Jake looked up, his eyes wide with surprise as she stepped forward, completely unfazed by the grim history that had just been laid out. She looked at him with an expression that was fiercely practical and entirely devoid of pity.

"Riki trained me," she continued, gesturing slightly to the younger boy beside her, who gave a firm, quiet nod of agreement. "He taught me how to shoot, how to spot a tail, and how to defend myself if I ever got cornered. You can do the same for Rebekah."

"She's a law student," Jake said quickly, his voice tight with a mixture of protectiveness and hesitation. "She handles books and legal briefs, not—"

"She’s smart, Jake. If she can memorize entire law books, she can learn how to handle a firearm and break a wrist lock," Riki's girlfriend countered smoothly, crossing her arms. "You think keeping her in the dark is protecting her, but it's not. It makes her a sitting duck. If the rivals come for her, she needs to be able to fight back long enough for you to get to her."

Jay let out a low hum, leaning back against the briefing table as he seriously considered the idea. "She has a point, Jake. We can't put a 24-hour detail on her without drawing even more attention from the rival faction. But if she knows how to spot a scout and how to react in an ambush, her chances of survival skyrocket."

Sunghoon slowly raised his head, his dark eyes locking onto Jake. The pain of Hana's memory was still there, but it was overridden by a stark, pragmatic realization. "I kept Hana completely shielded because I thought innocence would keep her safe. It didn't. Teach her, Jake. Don't make her rely entirely on your ability to be there in time."

Jake looked back down at the surveillance photos of Rebekah. He pictured her bright, beautiful smile under the lights of the Eiffel Tower, and then imagined her with her hands up in a sparring ring, or holding the heavy weight of a compact pistol. It physically pained him to think about dragging her deeper into the mud of his reality.

But Sunghoon was right. Relying on luck and his own speed wasn't a strategy—it was a gamble with her life.

"Okay," Jake breathed, a sharp, decisive spark finally returning to his eyes as he looked up at his brothers. "Okay. I'll teach her."

"Jake, where are we going?" Rebekah asked, her voice echoing slightly as he led her down the concrete steps of a secluded warehouse on the edge of the city. Her hand was tucked firmly into his, but she could feel the unusual, rigid tension in his grip.

He pushed open a heavy, reinforced steel door, revealing a sprawling, brightly lit underground training unit. The room was a stark contrast to the romantic Paris rooftops or the cozy dates they usually shared. It was lined with heavy mats, tactical gear, a shooting range at the far end, and a wall of carefully secured weaponry.

Jake stopped in the center of the mats and finally turned to face her. The boyish, affectionate look she was so used to was entirely gone, replaced by a gravity that made her breath hitch.

"I didn't want to do this to you, Rebekah... but you know what I do," Jake said, his voice quiet, carrying a weight that made the air feel thick. He reached up, gently cupping her face with both hands, his thumbs tracing her cheekbones with a fierce, almost desperate tenderness. "And I can't risk you being in danger when I'm not there."

Rebekah looked around the sterile, intimidating room, then back at his dark eyes. "Jake... what is this? Did something happen?"

"The rival families... they've been watching you," he admitted, the truth tearing out of him like a confession. "They know about us. My brothers and I can watch the perimeters, we can track their movements, but I can't be by your side every single second of the day. And if someone ever corners you..." He swallowed hard, his jaw tightening as the haunting image of Sunghoon's past flashed behind his eyes. "I need to know you can fight back. I need to know you can survive long enough for me to get to you."

He let his hands slide down to her shoulders, holding her firmly, his gaze unwavering.

"I'm going to teach you how to defend yourself," Jake said, his tone striking a perfect, deadly serious balance between her loving boyfriend and a seasoned syndicate tracker. "How to spot a tail, how to break a hold, and how to shoot. I hate that I have to drag you into this side of my life, Rebekah. I really do. But I love you too much to leave you defenseless."

Rebekah’s words seemed to cut right through the thick, suffocating tension in the room. Jake froze, his hands still resting on her shoulders, his dark eyes wide as he processed what she had just said.

"Stop apologizing, Jake," she said, her voice steady and entirely devoid of the fear he had been dreading. She stepped closer, closing the small distance between them, and placed her hands over his chest, right above his racing heart. "I love you too. That's why I'm willing to be by your side no matter what."

The heavy, lethal armor Jake had tried so hard to put on for this session completely shattered. A breathless, disbelieving laugh escaped his lips, and before she could say another word, he pulled her into his arms. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, holding her so tightly it was as if he were trying to fuse her to his very bones.

"God, you have no idea what that does to me," he murmured against her skin, his voice thick with a sudden rush of emotion. The terrifying weight that had been crushing his chest ever since he saw those surveillance photos finally lifted, replaced by a fierce, burning resolve.

He pulled back just enough to look down at her, his hands framing her face again. The vulnerability in his eyes was raw, but beneath it was a profound sense of awe. "I don't deserve you. I really don't. But I promise you, Rebekah, I will never let anyone hurt you. We're going to make sure of it."

He gave her a soft, lingering kiss—a silent vow between them—before stepping back onto the training mats. A trace of his familiar, charming smirk finally returned to his face, though his eyes remained sharp.

"Alright," Jake said, clapping his hands together as he took a proper defensive stance. "If you're going to be a mafia members girlfriend, we need to start with the basics. Let's see how fast you can learn to break a wrist lock, future counselor."

After learning everything she needed to know, Jake was confident she could handle a situation on her own—at least until he got to her.

"Guys everyone sit down" Riki's girlfriend says, Jake and Rebekah stop what they're doing and they all head to the sofa.

"What is it? Did Riki *finally* agree to take you to that dream vacation" Sunoo says, getting his hopes up.

"Actually... yes and no" they all looked confused. She doesn't continue until Riki makes it to the sofa too "we have an announcement"

The entire room went completely still. Jake, who had just been wiping sweat from his forehead with a towel, lowered his hands, his eyes darting between Riki and his girlfriend. Sunghoon slowly sat up straighter on the opposite end of the sofa, while Jay leaned back, crossing his arms with a knowing, observant eyebrow raised.

"An announcement?" Sunoo gasped, his eyes going wide as his mind immediately went into overdrive. "Wait, is it a vacation or isn't it? Don't leave me hanging like this!"

Riki finally walked over, looking uncharacteristically nervous. He rubbed the back of his neck, a faint flush creeping up his collar, before he sat down right next to his girlfriend. He reached out and slid his hand into hers, interlocking their fingers.

"Go ahead," Riki muttered softly, looking at her with a rare, incredibly soft smile that he usually only reserved for her when the doors were locked and the rest of the mafia wasn't looking.

She took a deep breath, looking around at the circle of faces—Jake, Rebekah, Jay, Sunghoon, and an practically vibrating Sunoo.

"We're leaving the mafia," she announced clearly, her voice echoing in the sudden, sharp silence of the room. "Permanently. We're taking that vacation... but we aren't coming back."

Sunoo’s jaw literally dropped. Jay didn't even blink, though his chest fell with a slow, heavy breath, as if he had already anticipated this day would come. Jake stood frozen, the towel slipping slightly from his shoulder as he looked at Riki—the youngest of them, the one they had raised and fought alongside for years.

"Riki..." Jake started, his voice a mix of shock and a sudden, protective ache. "What do you mean, leaving? You know how the board handles people trying to walk away."

"I already talked to the higher-ups. Jay helped me negotiate the terms weeks ago," Riki said, his voice firming up as he looked his brothers in the eye. He squeezed his girlfriend's hand. "I love you guys. You're my family. But I've spent my entire life looking over my shoulder, and I don't want that for her. I don't want us to live in the shadows forever. We're moving to the coast. Starting over. Somewhere clean."

"But why?" They ask "this is your life Riki, you grew up with us—heeseung—" Riki cuts Jake off.

"I know this is my life and I know Heeseung sacrificed everything for me and us but I'm not leaving because I don't enjoy being with you guys"

He takes a deep breath before letting his girlfriend speak "we're leaving because I'm pregnant"

The silence that followed was absolute. It was the kind of quiet where you could hear the faint hum of the warehouse lights overhead.

Jake froze mid-sentence, the name of their eldest brother dying on his tongue. Jay’s arms slowly uncrossed, his calculating eyes widening in genuine, rare shock. Sunghoon looked up sharply, his jaw slightly slack, while Sunoo looked like he had completely forgotten how to breathe. Beside Jake, Rebekah gasped softly, her hands flying to her mouth as she looked at Riki’s girlfriend.

"You're... what?" Sunoo whispered, breaking the paralysis in the room.

"I'm pregnant," she repeated, a soft, protective smile spreading across her face as she placed her free hand over her stomach. Riki’s grip on her hand tightened, his shoulders squaring as he looked around at his brothers, a fierce, newly awakened protective instinct burning in his eyes.

"A baby," Jake breathed, the shock finally giving way to a massive, overwhelmed rush of emotion. He looked at Riki—the kid they had watched grow up, the youngest, deadliest tracker among them—and realized he wasn't a kid anymore. He was going to be a father.

"That's why," Riki said, his voice dropping into a quiet, unwavering register. "I can live with the targets on my back. I can handle the scouts and the rivals. But I am not raising my kid in a safehouse, Jake. I’m not letting them grow up waiting for a bullet to come through the window. Heeseung sacrificed everything so we could survive. I’m doing this so my kid can actually live."

Jay was the first to stand up. He walked over to the couch, the heavy, stoic mafia boss completely melting away. He reached down, grabbing Riki by the shoulder and pulling him into a fierce, brotherly hug.

"You made the right choice," Jay muttered against his shoulder, his voice thick. "I'll handle the board. If anyone tries to contest your retirement, they'll have to go through me."

Sunghoon stood up next, a genuine, bittersweet smile on his face as he looked at the couple. "Looks like you really are getting out, kid. Congratulations."

Jake didn't wait. He practically lunged across the space, pulling both Riki and his girlfriend into a massive, suffocating bear hug, his eyes bright with unshed tears. "A niece or nephew. Oh my god. I'm going to be the coolest uncle. I'm teaching them physics."

"Please don't," Riki groaned, though he was laughing, burying his face in Jake’s shoulder.

Rebekah stepped forward, her eyes shining as she hugged Riki's girlfriend tightly. "I am so, so happy for you both. You're going to be amazing parents."

The room that had been filled with the grim shadows of their dangerous reality just an hour ago was suddenly overflowing with warmth, hope, and the promise of a future completely free from the mafia's chains.

"One last thing" Riki says as the group stops hugging. He takes off his leader badge and approaches Jake.

"I know I've said mean things to you, I know I've went hard on all of you ever since I became leader but I want someone capable to take the stand too"

He hands the badge to Jake "you'll be a great leader Hyung"

The silence that fell over the room this time was different. It wasn't shocked or heavy with grief; it was profound, filled with a passing of the guard that none of them had seen coming.

Jake looked down at the heavy, silver-and-onyx badge resting in Riki’s palm. The leadership insignia of their faction. It was scratched and worn from the sheer amount of weight Riki had carried on his young shoulders ever since Heeseung had stepped down.

"Riki..." Jake whispered, his hands freezing at his sides. "I can't take this. Jay is the strategist. Sunghoon is—"

"Jay and Sunghoon agreed with me before I even brought it out," Riki cut him off smoothly, looking back at the two older brothers.

Jay gave a slow, respectful nod, a proud smile on his face. "A leader isn't just the guy who makes the plans, Jake. It's the guy who keeps the family together. It's the heart. That's you."

"And you're the one who actually listens to people, physics boy," Sunghoon added, his smirk softening into something deeply sincere. "You're fierce when you need to be, but you care more than any of us. You're ready."

Riki took Jake’s hand, forcing his fingers to close around the cold metal of the badge. He looked up at his older brother, the harsh, rigid demeanor he had forced himself to wear as leader completely evaporating, leaving just the kid who loved his family.

"I went hard on you guys because I was terrified of losing you," Riki said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "But you... you showed me that you can love someone and still protect them fiercely. Look at what you're doing for Rebekah. You'll be a great leader, Hyung. Because you fight for a future, not just survival."

Jake stared at the badge in his hand, the weight of the entire syndicate suddenly settling onto his shoulders. He looked over at Rebekah. She was watching him, her eyes bright with a mixture of pride and complete, unwavering faith in him. She gave him a small, encouraging nod.

Jake swallowed the lump in his throat, his jaw squaring as he looked back at Riki. The boyish pout was entirely gone, replaced by the steady, commanding presence of a man who finally knew his worth.

"I'll take care of them, Riki," Jake promised, his voice ringing clear and steady through the training unit. "I'll keep our family safe. Go build your life. We've got the perimeter covered here."

"Also" Riki brings out some cards "now that she's pregnant it's about time we get married right?"

The room erupted all over again, the sheer whiplash of announcements throwing everyone into a frenzy.

"Oh, you did not just casually slide a wedding invitation into this!" Sunoo shrieked, snatching one of the cards right out of Riki's hand to inspect the elegant script. "A baby and a wedding? My heart cannot take this much content in one night!"

Jake stood there, the heavy leadership badge in one hand and his mouth hanging open as he stared at the thick, cream-colored envelopes in Riki's other hand. "You... you already printed the invitations? Man, you really had this entire escape plan mapped out, didn't you?"

"When Riki decides to move, he moves fast," Jay laughed, shaking his head in absolute disbelief. He stepped forward to take his own invitation, tapping the edge against his chin. "A beach wedding, I assume? Somewhere far away from city limits?"

"Exactly," Riki's girlfriend said, leaning her head against Riki's shoulder with a bright, radiant smile. "We're keeping it small. Just the family. No weapons, no security details, no scanning the crowds for rival scouts. Just us."

Rebekah leaned over Sunoo's shoulder to look at the card, her eyes shining. "It's beautiful, guys. Seriously. You deserve a perfect day." She nudged Jake playfully with her elbow. "See? Your training paid off. You have to keep the perimeter clear so they can actually enjoy their wedding."

"Hey, I am the Leader now," Jake said, puffing out his chest dramatically, though he carefully slipped the badge into his pocket so he could grab Riki in a headlock. "Which means my first official decree is that I get to be the Best Man. No arguments!"

"Get off me, Hyung!" Riki groaned, laughing as he tried to swat Jake away. "Jay already secured the Best Man slot weeks ago when he helped me sign the house deed!"

"What?! Betrayal in my first five minutes!" Jake cried out, looking completely scandalized.

As the boys devolved into their usual chaotic bickering, the underlying tension that had haunted the syndicate for years finally seemed to vanish. A new chapter was starting—for Riki and his new family, and for Jake, who was finally stepping up to protect the people he loved, with Rebekah right by his side.

Riki's girlfriend looks at Rebekah "Jake may not get to be the best man but... would you like to be my maid of honor?"

Rebekah’s jaw dropped slightly, her hand instinctively flying to her chest. She looked from Riki's girlfriend to the elegant wedding invitation, completely caught off guard.

"Me?" Rebekah breathed, a wave of warmth rushing over her. "Are you serious?"

"Completely serious," Riki’s girlfriend said, stepping away from the couch to take Rebekah’s hands in hers. She gave them a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Look, I know we haven't known each other for years, but you’re the only other girl who truly understands what it’s like trying to navigate this crazy world. You stood your ground tonight, you’re willing to fight for Jake, and honestly... I’d really love to have you standing up there with me."

Jake immediately stopped his dramatic bickering with Riki, his eyes lighting up as he looked at Rebekah. A huge, proud grin spread across his face, his chest swelling at how easily his girl was being welcomed into the very heart of his family.

"Say yes, Rebekah!" Sunoo practically chanted from the sofa, clapping his hands. "Think of the mood boards we can make! The dress coordination! We are going to make you look like a legal goddess."

Rebekah laughed, a tear of pure happiness blurring her vision as she looked back at the expectant face of the bride-to-be.

"I would absolutely love to," Rebekah said softly, pulling her into a warm, genuine hug. "It would be an honor."

"Yes!" Jake cheered, throwing his arms up in victory as if he had won the lottery. He looped an arm around Rebekah’s waist the second she pulled away from the hug, pulling her flush against his side. "Hear that, Riki? I might not be the best man, but my girl is running the show. You still have to answer to me!"

"Don't let it go to your head, Leader," Riki scoffed with a smirk, though the immense relief and happiness in his eyes were impossible to hide.

With the badges passed, a baby on the way, and a wedding to plan, the dark warehouse training unit felt less like a fortress of survival and more like a home. They were still in a dangerous world, but looking at Rebekah smiling beside him, Jake knew they weren't just surviving anymore. They were finally building a future.

Meanwhile...

The dimly lit office smelled faintly of expensive leather and lingering cigar smoke. San spun a heavy gold pen between his fingers, his eyes locked onto the stolen surveillance files and itinerary copies strewn across his mahogany desk.

"A wedding?" he murmured to himself, the words dropping like a slow drip of poison in the quiet room.

A dark, dangerous smirk carved its way onto his face as he picked up a printed copy of the beach venue schematics. His eyes narrowed, focusing on the names neatly typed at the top of the guest list.

"And why wasn't I invited to my own sister's wedding?"

Mingi stood by the doorway, his hands clasped firmly behind his back, his expression unreadable. "It appears they are keeping the circle exceptionally tight, sir. No mafia presence, no security details outside of their own. They think they’re slipping away under the radar. They think they’re safe."

San let out a low, humorless laugh, tossing the pen onto the desk. He leaned back in his leather chair, tapping a rhythm against the armrest. The pieces were finally falling into place. For months, he had been looking for a crack in the Shim syndicate's armor—a weak point to exploit.

He had targeted the law student, Rebekah, hoping to break Jake. But this? A rogue tracker trying to start a family, a defenseless beach wedding, and his own blood line completely intertwined with the enemy? It was better than anything he could have planned.

"Riki thinks he can just drop his badge and walk into the sunset with my sister," San said, his voice dropping into a chilling, lethal register. He stood up, smoothing down the lapels of his tailored suit jacket. "He thinks he can raise a child completely free of the debt he owes this city."

He walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out over the glittering, rainy skyline.

"Prepare the men, Mingi," San commanded softly, his reflection showing a cold, calculating gaze. "We’re going to pay my sister a visit. It’s only polite to bring a wedding gift."

The weeks leading up to the wedding were a blur of contrast. By day, Rebekah buried her face in dense legal briefs, preparing for her bar exam. By night, she sat at the kitchen island with Riki’s girlfriend, buried under fabric swatches, seating charts, and pastel-colored mood boards.

"Sunoo suggested we do a full floral archway, but I’m worried a coastal breeze will knock it over," Riki’s girlfriend said, leaning her head on her hand, a soft glow radiating from her features as her pregnancy finally began to show.

"We’ll anchor it," Rebekah smiled, marking a check on her clipboard. "Jake and Jay can use tactical stakes. If they can secure a perimeter in a dead-zone, they can secure a bunch of hydrangeas."

Across the room, Jake watched them, a rare, peaceful smile on his face. He wore his silver-and-onyx leader badge pinned to the inside of his jacket—a constant reminder of the weight he now carried. He had spent the last month tightening their operations, pushing the rival factions back into the shadows to ensure this specific weekend would go off without a hitch.

"Everything is clear," Jay reported, stepping into the room and tossing a tablet onto the counter. "I’ve personally cleared the local radar. The coastal town is a dead zone for the city syndicates. They have no idea Riki is even there."

"Good," Jake said, his eyes drifting back to Rebekah. He walked over, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder. "Because my Maid of Honor has been working too hard. You ready for a weekend off, future lawyer?"

Rebekah leaned back into his warmth, closing her eyes. "More than ready, Leader."

the wedding day

The ocean air was crisp, carrying the salty tang of the tide as it crashed against the secluded cliffs. The wedding was small, intimate, and breathtakingly ordinary. There were no black SUVs, no earpieces, and no hidden holsters.

Riki stood at the altar under the anchored floral arch, looking sharper than he ever had in a classic white tuxedo. When his bride walked down the sand, glowing in a simple, elegant lace gown, a collective breath left the small group. Tears blinked in Sunoo’s eyes, and even the stoic Jay had a soft smile on his face.

Rebekah stood proudly as the Maid of Honor, her pastel dress catching the ocean breeze. Every few seconds, her eyes would drift to Jake, who was standing on the opposite side as a guest, his gaze fiercely locked onto her with absolute devotion.

"I promise to protect you, our future, and the life we are building," Riki’s voice echoed over the sound of the waves, his hands holding hers tightly. "No matter what."

The minister smiled. "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you—"

Thud.

The sound was heavy, unnatural, and echoed sharply against the cliffside.

Jake’s posture shifted instantly. The relaxed, smiling boyfriend vanished, replaced in a fraction of a second by the lethal syndicate leader. His eyes darted to the ridge of the cliff overlooking the beach.

From the shadows of the tree line, figures began to emerge. They weren't wearing the standard tactical gear of the city factions. They wore dark, tailored, utilitarian coats, moving with a synchronized, brutal grace.

At the front of the pack walked Mingi, his towering frame casting a long shadow over the sand, his eyes cold and fixed on the altar.

And right beside him was San.

San walked down the wooden steps leading to the beach, lazily brushing a speck of dust off his shoulder. A terrifying, brilliant smirk split across his face as he looked at the terrified guests and the frozen bride.

"Stop the music," San called out, his voice cutting through the ocean wind like a blade. "Did I miss the vows? Oh, I really hope I didn't miss the vows."

"San," Riki’s bride gasped, her face draining of all color as she instinctively stepped behind Riki. Riki immediately threw his arm out, shielding her, his knuckles turning white as his eyes burned with a chaotic fury.

"What is the meaning of this?" Jay stepped forward, his voice a low, dangerous rumble, his hand instinctively reaching for his waistband—only to realize he was unarmed. None of them were. It was a rule for the wedding.

"Jay, please. Relax. It’s a family affair," San chuckled, stopping just a few yards away on the sand. His eyes swept over the group, finally landing on his sister, and then shifting over to Rebekah, noting the way Jake had immediately stepped in front of her.

"You didn't think you could just steal my blood away, did you, Riki?" San asked, his voice dropping into a chilling, soft register. He tilted his head, his smirk widening as the rest of ATEEZ moved into flanking positions around the perimeter of the beach, completely cutting off the exits. "A baby on the way, a beautiful wedding... and you forgot to invite the brother of the bride. How tragic."

"Oppa..." Riki's girlfriend said, her voice cracking as pure shock and terror laced her words.

"Hello, sister," San smiled, the expression completely empty of warmth. He took a few slow, deliberate steps forward, the expensive leather of his shoes sinking slightly into the pristine white sand. "You already killed Dad, and now you're getting married to his rival without your brother? I'm hurt."

His tone was deeply mocking, a cruel cat-and-mouse game dripping from every syllable.

"That's a lie!" she shouted back, her voice trembling but fierce as she gripped Riki's arm. "You know exactly what Dad was doing, San! He was going to eventually sell me off! Riki saved me!"

"Saved you?" San laughed, a sharp, humorless sound that seemed to cut right through the howling ocean wind. He looked over at Riki, his eyes turning into slits of pure malice. "He didn't save you, little sister. He stole you. And in our world, when someone takes what belongs to the Choi family, they pay in blood."

Mingi stepped up right behind San, his towering frame casting a dark shadow over the sand as his hand drifted toward the inside of his coat. The rest of the ATEEZ members tightened the circle, their faces expressionless, completely blocking the path back up the cliff.

Jake shifted his weight on the sand, his mind racing at a million miles per hour. They were completely unarmed. No guns, no knives, no tactical gear—just fine silk and tailored suits. But he was the Leader now. He looked back at Rebekah, giving her hand one tight, reassuring squeeze.

Remember your training, his eyes told her. Stay behind me.

"San," Jake spoke up, his voice carrying the calm, absolute authority of a man who had officially taken the mantle. He stepped forward, putting himself directly between ATEEZ and the bride and groom. "You’re breaking code. This is neutral ground. No syndicates operate on this coast. Turn your men around and walk away."

San’s eyes slowly drifted from Riki to Jake, his smirk returning, sharper and more lethal than before.

"And who exactly are you to tell me what to do?" San purred, tilting his head.

"I'm Jake Shim," Jake replied, his jaw squaring as he drew himself up to his full height, his dark eyes burning with an intense, protective fire. "Leader of this mafia. And if you take one more step toward my family, I will make sure you never leave this beach alive."

Riki’s head snapped toward his girlfriend, the protective rage in his eyes momentarily eclipsed by sheer, blindsiding confusion. The pieces of the puzzle weren't fitting together.

"What is going on?" Riki asked, his voice a strained, hushed whisper as he looked down at her. "I thought Ryan said you were the only daughter."

His girlfriend’s eyes welled with tears, a mixture of guilt and old, buried terror twisting her features. She looked up at Riki, her grip on his arm so tight her knuckles were white. "I—I am the only daughter, Riki. But Ryan didn't know everything. San... San was wiped from our family records years ago. Dad disowned him when he started his own faction. I thought he was dead. I swear, Riki, I thought he was gone!"

San let out a dramatic, deeply amused sigh, clapping his hands together in a slow, mocking rhythm.

"Oh, sibling estrangement. It’s such a tragic thing, isn't it?" San scoffed, taking another step forward. The men of ATEEZ behind him shifted in unison, the subtle rustle of their coats revealing the heavy hardware they were packing beneath the fabric. "Dad tried to erase me because I wouldn't play by his pathetic, outdated rules. But look who's standing, and look who's buried under six feet of dirt."

San’s eyes flashed with a sudden, erratic lightning as he locked his gaze onto Riki. "Ryan only knew what a dead man wanted him to know, kid. You thought you dug her out of a simple family debt. You didn't realize you were stealing the princess of the Choi lineage."

Jake didn't look back, but his mind was calculating every variable. Unarmed. Encircled. A pregnant bride. Rebekah flanking his left.

He caught Jay's eye across the sand. Jay gave a microscopic nod, his weight shifting onto the balls of his feet. They were outgunned, but they weren't outmatched in a brawl. If they could create a distraction, Jake could get Rebekah, Riki, and the bride up the cliff path.

"It doesn't matter whose lineage she is," Jake barked, his voice ringing out like a gunshot over the crashing waves, drawing San's attention back to him. He took half a step forward, his shadow falling over Rebekah to keep her completely shielded from Mingi's line of sight. "She’s a Nishimura now. By extension of Riki. You want a war over a family tree, San? You come to the city and face the board. You don't ambush a wedding like a coward."

The word "coward" had barely left Jake’s lips when San’s smirk vanished, replaced by a cold, twitching rage. San raised a single finger, and in a split second, all hell broke loose.

"Kill the groomsmen," San commanded. "Bring me my sister."

The sound of metal racking tore through the ocean wind. Mingi pulled a heavy submachine gun from beneath his coat, opening fire on the altar. The pristine white floral arch shattered into a storm of splinters and petals.

"Get down!" Riki roared, throwing his entire body over his pregnant bride as bullets ripped through the sand where they had stood a second before.

They were completely outgunned, but years of survival instinct kicked into overdrive. Jay lunged forward, throwing sand directly into the eyes of a flanking ATEEZ gunman, tackling him to the ground, and instantly fighting to rip the firearm from his grip. Sunghoon caught another by the throat, using the man’s own momentum to slam him into the wooden stairs of the cliffside, a brutal crack echoing over the gunfire.

"Rebekah, move!" Jake yelled, his voice raw. An ATEEZ soldier lunged at them, a combat knife flashing in the sunset. Jake intercepted him, parrying the blade with his bare forearms, his tracker reflexes saving his life. He slammed his elbow into the attacker's jaw, but another moved in from the blind spot.

Rebekah didn't panic. The weeks in the underground warehouse flashed through her mind—break the lock, shift the weight. As the second gunman reached for Jake's shoulder, Rebekah sidestepped, grabbed his extended wrist, ducked underneath his arm, and put her entire body weight into a brutal, snapping twist. The man screamed as his wrist fractured, dropping his pistol.

"Good girl!" Jake roared, snatching the dropped pistol from the sand in a fluid motion. He fired three blind shots, forcing Mingi to dive for cover behind the overturned reception tables.

The beach was no longer a wedding; it was a slaughterhouse. Blood splattered across the white linen tablecloths and stained the sand a horrific, deep crimson. Sunoo was dragging a wounded caterer behind a rock formation, his hands covered in red, while Riki fought like a feral animal, using a captured blade to cut through anyone who got within five feet of his crying, terrified wife.

"San!" Riki screamed through the chaos, his white tuxedo drenched in the blood of ATEEZ foot soldiers. "Come face me!"

San stood near the waves, completely untouched by the carnage, watching the bloodshed with an erratic, dark amusement. "Why would I dirty my hands, brother in law? You're already dead."

Jake fired the last round from his captured clip, checking the perimeter. He had to get them out. The cliff path was crawling with San's men, and they were running out of time.

"Jay! Sunghoon!" Jake yelled, his new authority bleeding through the panic. "Fall back to the tree line! Protect the bride! We're breaking through the north ridge!"

The north ridge was a steep, jagged wall of rock and loose gravel, but it was their only blind spot.

Jay fired a captured assault rifle in short, disciplined bursts, keeping Mingi pinned down behind the wreckage of the bar. "Sunghoon, take Sunoo and the caterer! Go!" Jay roared over the deafening noise.

Sunghoon didn't hesitate. Blood dripped from a cut on his forehead, but his eyes were laser-focused. He grabbed a trembling Sunoo by the collar and shoved him toward the narrow, rocky incline, using his own body as a shield against the stray bullets chipping away at the stones around them.

"Jake, we can't clear the ridge without cover!" Riki yelled. He was practically carrying his bride now, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist as she clutched her stomach, her white dress ruined by sand and sea spray.

"I've got the cover," Jake said, his voice deadly calm. He looked down at Rebekah, his hands gripping her shoulders one last time. "You stay right on Riki’s flank. If anyone comes down that ridge, you use the wrist lock, you take the gun, and you shoot to kill. Do you hear me?"

Rebekah’s chest heaved, her breath coming in ragged gasps, but she looked into Jake's dark eyes and nodded. The terror was there, but beneath it was the fierce, unyielding resolve she had promised him in the training unit. "I hear you. Don't die, Jake."

"Never," he whispered, kissing her forehead fiercely before turning back to the beach.

With a loud, guttural roar, Jake lunged out from behind the rock formation. He fired his remaining rounds with pinpoint tracker accuracy, dropping two ATEEZ soldiers who were advancing on Riki’s position. Beside him, Jay moved like a shadow, orchestrating a brutal rearguard defense that bought the group precious seconds to scramble up the steep gravel of the north ridge.

Down by the shoreline, San’s smirk finally began to fade as he saw his sister disappearing into the brush of the upper cliffs. The amusement in his eyes turned into a cold, terrifying vacuum.

"Mingi," San spoke into his earpiece, his voice dangerously low. "They are escaping. Bring them down. I don't care if my sister is bleeding when you bring her to me."

Mingi broke cover, his massive frame barreling forward as he racked a fresh magazine into his weapon. "Advance!" he ordered the remaining ATEEZ members. "Flank the ridge! Don't let the Leader block the path!"

Above the beach, entering the dense canopy of the coastal woods, Rebekah looked back through the trees. Down on the blood-soaked sand, Jake was completely surrounded, fighting hand-to-hand against a swarm of dark coats, his silver-and-onyx badge gleaming under the dying rays of the sunset.

The room was a chaotic blur of motion, the heavy thud of blows and the sharp crack of adrenaline-fueled combat filling the air. It didn't take long to see the tide turning—the more the fight went on, the more ENHYPEN was winning, their coordination and sharp reflexes cutting through the opposition.

But chaos always hides a shadow.

As they all fought, Rebekah’s eyes scanned the room, tracking the moving pieces. That's when she saw him: one of the remaining guys, completely ignored in the fray, slipping through the blind spots. He was moving fast, a wicked glint of silver held low in his hand, heading straight toward Jake while Jake was distracted defending his flank.

She didn't even think twice.

There was no time to shout a warning, no time for strategy. It was pure, unfiltered instinct. Pushing off the ground, Rebekah sprinted across the distance separating them. She threw herself into his space just as the blade lunged forward, blocking the knife and taking the hit instead.

The sharp, sudden gasp that tore from her throat was cut short as the impact slammed into her, anchoring them both to the moment as the chaos around them seemed to momentarily freeze.

A deafening crack shattered the remaining noise in the room.

Out of sheer anger and absolute shock at what he had just witnessed, Jungwon didn’t hesitate. His eyes went dark, his reflexes taking over as he raised his gun and fired, a lethal, precise shot that dropped the attacker instantly. The threat was neutralized, but the victory meant absolutely nothing now.

Jungwon dropped his weapon, sprinting across the floor before the body even hit the ground. He caught Rebekah just as her knees gave out, pulling her tightly into his arms and sinking to the floor.

"Noona—hey, hey, look at me, it's okay," he panicked, his hands shaking as he tried to apply pressure to the wound, his usual calm demeanor completely shattered.

Right beside them, Jake stood frozen, staring down at her with wide, terrified eyes. The breath was knocked right out of him, the realization crashing down that she had just taken a blade meant for him. "Rebekah..." he choked out, his voice barely a whisper against the sudden, heavy silence of the room.

The heavy silence of the room was broken only by the sound of uneven breathing. Through the haze, a pair of steps approached, slow and trembling.

Despite being very much pregnant and nursing her own minor injuries from the chaos, Riki’s girlfriend forced herself to walk over to the small, devastated huddle on the floor. Her hands shook, one resting instinctively over her stomach while the other reached out toward them.

"No..." she breathed, her voice cracking as she took in the sight of Jungwon holding Rebekah and the look of sheer horror on Jake's face.

She collapsed to her knees beside them, ignoring her own pain, her eyes wide with shock. Riki was instantly there, his arms wrapping around her to support her weight, his expression a mix of terrifying intensity and deep worry for both his girl and the scene unfolding in front of them.

"Press down harder," Jungwon demanded, his voice fracturing as he looked up at the others, his hands still stained red. "Someone help me stop the bleeding!"

The room erupted into frantic motion. Shouted orders blurred together as the boys ran in every direction, tearing through the space to grab first-aid kits, clean cloths, and anything they could find to stop the blood from flowing.

Amid the chaos, Rebekah’s focus narrowed. Her hand, cold and trembling, sought out Jake's. When her fingers found his, she squeezed it with whatever strength she had left.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the panic in the room.

Jake dropped to his knees beside her, his hand instantly wrapping around hers, gripping it back so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"What are you saying sorry for?" he choked out, tears finally breaking through as he looked down at her. "Don't say that. Look at me, Rebekah, just keep your eyes on me. You're going to be fine, okay? Don't you dare close your eyes."

Months had a way of blurring the sharp edges of a bad memory. The sterile smell of the hospital, the frantic rush of adrenaline, and the terrifying sight of the blade were all firmly in the past now.

Life looked completely different.

Riki and his now-wife were happier than they had ever been. The chaotic wedding day was a distant echo, replaced by the quiet, eager anticipation of their new chapter—she was supposed to be giving birth soon, and the nursery was already waiting.

Seeing how close they had all come to losing everything that night changed things for the rest of the boys, too. One by one, they made the collective choice to step away. They officially quit the group, finally leaving the dangerous, shadow-filled life behind them for good. No more weapons, no more lookouts, no more looking over their shoulders.

Jake and Rebekah had a chance to breathe, their bond unbreakable after what they’d survived.

"I'm proud of you, Jake," Rebekah said, her voice warm and steady as she watched him from across the room.

The weight of her words settled over him, bringing a deep sense of peace. For so long, "pride" in their old world had been measured by survival, by territory, or by who won the fight. But looking around at their quiet, sunlit apartment—completely free of the shadows they used to run from—he knew exactly what she meant. He had built a normal life, a safe life, for the two of them.

Jake walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close against him. He buried his face into the crook of her neck, just holding her for a long moment, his thumb lightly brushing against the faint, healed scar beneath her clothes—the permanent reminder of the day she almost lost her life to save his.

"I couldn't have done any of this without you," he murmured softly, leaning back just enough to look into her eyes, his expression full of unspoken devotion. "Thank you for being by my side through all of it. I love you."

Rebekah leaned into his touch, her eyes softening as she looked up at him. "I love you too," she murmured, a genuine smile breaking across her face.

"Alright, lovebirds, snap out of it."

The teasing voice shattered the quiet moment as Jungwon walked out of the spare room, entirely weighed down by overnight bags and a car seat. He gave them a pointed, though completely affectionate, look. "We need to head to the hospital."

The realization hit them all at once. The baby was coming.

Jake instantly let go of Rebekah’s waist, a mix of excitement and sudden panic taking over as he grabbed his keys off the counter. "Right, right! Is Riki already there?"

"He's been there for an hour, losing his mind," Jungwon laughed, tossing Jake one of the smaller bags. "Let's go; we can't keep the new parents waiting."

end

Okay lwk ignore how bad this is, I've had a long day and didn't know what new parts to put, nonetheless I hope you enjoyed it!

@buttersoob @kristynaaah @flowermoonmay

[jakeyzzz]

loved the ocean

fluff ! - jake x f!reader oneshot

masterlist!

( a/n : it's been such a long time since i posted ... I missed y'all a lot ! )

warnings! - { alcohol, partying, jake getting a tiny bit drunk, kissing, making out, clingy jake, jake and reader being very much in love with each other ) not proofread!

let me know If i missed anything !!

english is NOT! my first language so please be nice !!

1.7k words! ♡

°°°

Music was blasting from the speakers, as you tried fighting yourself through a crowd of dancing people. You and your boyfriend Jake were forced to go on a beach party thrown by some frat boys, who happened to be some of Jake's best friends. It's been a while since you got there. People started getting very drunk, some boys tried seducing you with their flirting skills, you were slowly starting to feel uncomfortable and you had no idea where your boyfriend was. You tried calling him several times but he didn't answer his phone. Your eyes were scanning the whole room looking for Jake until you felt someone's hand gently touching your shoulder. 

''Hi beautiful...'' You heard a familiar voice whisper into your ear. 

A wave of relief rushed through your body as soon as you heard your boyfriend's voice. 

'' I've been trying to find you for like an hour, Jakey where the hell have you been ?''

''I was with my friends ... we played a few rounds of beerpong'' He answered hugging you from behind, leaving a few soft kisses on your temple.

You giggled at his clingy behaviour. 

''Are you drunk ?'' You curiously asked before quickly pecking his puffy lips. 

''Well ... I watched all those guys hit on my girlfriend so now i gotta show them who you belong to. But i may be a little drunk as well'' He admitted, giggling into your ear. 

You knew exactly he was drunk. You could tell by the way he clung onto you. He always turned into a clingy mess whenever he had alcohol. 

''Do you wanna leave ? The music is getting kinda bad and i'd rather spend some alone time with my girl'' 

''I thought you'd never ask'' You smiled with all teeth before taking Jake's hand, guiding him out of the huge beach house. 

Jake let out a satisfied sigh as soon as the fresh air hit his face. Before you could take another step forward your boyfriend picked you up bridal style, and quickly took off your high heels. You gasped loudly, making Jake chuckle. He immediately put you back down after he was done, and gently intertwined your hands. You smiled looking at Jake, feeling the sand under your feet. 

'' You look beautiful today by the way ... did I tell you that already ? ''

You laughed quietly.

'' Yeah you did ... like a hundred times. But thank you, Jake. You look quite handsome as well '' You said, feeling your cheeks heat up. 

You were wearing a flowy white dress, while Jake was wearing a black leather jacket, a black shirt and some baggy ripped jeans. You walked hand in hand, listening to the ocean waves hitting the shore. You were so caught up in the moment, you didn't even realize you were walking into the wrong direction the whole time. You immediately stopped in your tracks as soon as you realized, looking at Jake with a confused look on your face. 

'' We've been walking into the wrong direction the whole time and none of us noticed ... ''

Jake looked at you with a suspicious smile on his lips...

'' No, angel this is the right direction. Don't worry ''

'' What do you mean this is the right direction ? Our apartment is literally on the other side, Jake '' You said, letting go of his hand.

Jake giggled quietly, leaving you even more confused than before.

'' Well we're not going home tonight '' He explained. 

'' Jake wha- ''

'' It's a surprise. ''

Jake knew you weren't the biggest fan of surprises. But by the way he was smirking, you could tell this one was gonna be amazing . He looked excited, which made you feel nervous but somehow optimistic at the same time. Whenever Jake surprised you, he had this one specific smile on his face. It was adorable how he always tried to contain his smile but miserably failed whenever he looked at your impatient state. 

Jake carefully took your hand into his again, and guided you towards a huge house, located directly by the ocean. 

You've never seen anything like this. It was beautiful. The house was surrounded by palm trees, the stairway was decorated with lights, and you spotted a huge balcony which was also decorated with a bunch of fairy lights. The windows of the house were huge, which gave you the opportunity to take a glimpse of the inside of the building. And the more you looked at it, the more your jaw dropped. 

'' What are we doing here ? '' You asked nervously , not believing your eyes. 

Jake smiled softly, hugging you from behind as he rested his head on your shoulder. 

'' I talked to Jay earlier ... he owns this house. And since he'll be out of town for the next few days he asked me if we wanna stay here until he's back. And of course I said yes ...'' Jake explained as he reached into his pocket, pulling out the keys Jay gave him earlier. 

'' Would you like that, Y/N ? '' 

You quickly turned around in Jake's hold, tears threatening to fall from your eyes. Before even saying anything, you pulled Jake into a gentle kiss. You felt him smile into the kiss, as he caressed your cheeks softly. You slowly pulled away, looking directly into his sparkly eyes. 

'' Oh I would love that '' You answered, making him smile happily.

'' I knew you would '' He said, before leaving a quick kiss on your forehead. 

'' But how did you kn-''

'' When we first started talking you always told me about how much you love the ocean ... So I knew this would be perfect for you '' He interrupted your question, leaving you speechless.

 You were currently smiling like an idiot. You had no idea you could fall even harder for that man. Before you could pull him into another kiss, he threw you over his shoulder and walked towards the door. He used his free hand to open it, and quickly stepped inside. He let your high heels fall onto the floor, walked over to the huge couch and carefully laid you down. 

You were both giggling quietly but as soon as Jake hovered over you, your laughter slowly died down. You only stared at each other for a while, no words being exchanged. 

'' God, you make me feel so alive '' You whispered, making Jake's mouth curve into a heartwarming smile. Your fingers were gently tracing his jawline, before you finally pulled him into another kiss. That kiss was a bit more passionate than the one before. It felt much more eager. As if you had to prove how much you love each other. You put your arms around Jake's neck when you felt his tongue tracing your bottom lip. He rested his one hand on your cheek while the other one was gently grabbing your waist. His touch caused you to pull him even closer to your body, until you felt his whole body weight against your chest. He carefully put one leg between your legs without breaking the kiss, causing you to quietly moan into his mouth.

''I love you so goddamn much'' Jake whispered against your lips, making you feel millions of butterflies in your stomach. 

'' I love you '' You answered, softly breaking the kiss.

 Jake's lips were still gently brushing over yours when you felt him smile again. You took the opportunity to place another chaste kiss on his now slightly swollen lips. 

'' Should we go explore the house ? '' Your boyfriend asked, still smiling lightly. 

'' We should do that tomorrow. Finding the bedroom might be the best idea right now because i'm starting to get very tired '' 

'' Your wish is my command m'lady '' Jake said, making you giggle. 

He helped you to get up from the couch, before you both started heading upstairs. It didn't take you long to find the bedroom, since it was one of the biggest rooms of the entire house. The bedroom was connected to the huge balcony you already saw earlier, it had a king sized bed, a walk-in closet, a big bathroom with a jacuzzi in it, and the most beautiful view you could ever even imagine. 

'' This is crazy. Jay is officially the luckiest man alive '' You stated, walking around the room with widened eyes. 

'' Not true. I'm the luckiest man alive '' Jake corrected you, letting himself fall onto the bed. You giggled before sitting down next to your boyfriend, pulling him into your arms. 

'' I'm the luckiest man alive because I have the most beautiful woman by my side '' He said, making you blush. You helped Jake to take off his jacket and his uncomfortable jeans, before carefully pulling the soft blanket over his body. The sound of the ocean waves made Jake feel incredibly sleepy. And since he couldn't sleep without having you in his arms, he quickly pulled you close to his chest. 

'' Jake i need to get ready for b-''

'' No. I really need you to stay here with me right now '' 

You sighed against your boyfriend's chest, immediately giving in. You were way too tired anyway. 

Jake gently lifted your chin to give you another kiss, thanking you in his very own way. 

'' I'm gonna marry you one day. I mean it '' He whispered sleepily. 

You felt your heart skip a beat. 

'' I know you do ''

Jake kissed your forehead one last time, before slowly drifting off to sleep. You softly caressed the bridge of his nose as you watched him with love filled eyes. 

'' I love you '' You whispered. 

'' I love you even more than i love the ocean, my beautiful boy ''

taglist : { @aleiouvre , @wonbie ... } ♡