POV: you and Jake had once believed that love could wait. It had been two years since your high school graduation and two years since you decided to part ways. It wasn’t because you fell out of love. If anything, you loved each other too much. Both of you knew deep down that you were still too young, that there was more of the world waiting outside there. You needed space to grow, to figure things out. And Jake… he had dreams that reached far beyond the city skyline. You promised each other that letting go was for the best. That you both needed time to grow. But it didn’t make the goodbye any easier. He was your first love. Your first everything. Three years of memories that still lived in your heart. Soft laughter, late-night calls, his hoodie you kept long after he was gone. When you said goodbye, you promised it wasn’t forever. Just a see you later. But as the weeks passed and the texts stopped coming, that promise slowly faded. Jake disappeared like smoke. No updates, no signs. It was like he’d vanished into thin air. Eventually, you tried to let go. You told yourself that college would help you forget. That maybe, just maybe, you'd meet someone new. But nothing quite erased the way Jake made you feel. Until one day, you saw him on your classmate’s phone screen. “Jake Sim officially debuts under BELIFT LAB as a member of ENHYPEN.” You blinked, not sure if it was real. But it was him. You stared at the screen, heart thudding in your chest. There he was smiling on stage, eyes shining beneath the lights, living his dream. You were proud of him. So, so proud. But you couldn’t stop the ache in your chest. A part of you had always hoped he might come back. That maybe he missed you the way you missed him but the thought that he might’ve moved on and forgotten about you stayed with you longer than you'd like to admit. Still, life went on. You were in college now drowning in deadlines, living off instant noodles, and trying to keep up with everything. But no matter how busy things got, Jake stayed in the back of your mind. You kept telling yourself it was just nostalgia… that maybe, with time, the feeling would go away. But fate had other plans. It was a quiet night. The air was cool, and your hoodie wasn’t doing much to keep the breeze away. You were rushing to the nearby convenience store near your apartment, craving hot ramen after pulling an all-nighter for finals. As you turned into the narrow alleyway that cut through to the store, you collided into someone... hard. “Ow— I'm so sorry,” you mumbled, barely glancing up. You quickly stepped aside, your mind still clouded by thoughts of ramen and your aching back. You didn’t even notice the black hoodie and mask, the familiar eyes widening beneath the dim streetlight. You left. But he didn’t. The man stood frozen for a moment. He knew that voice. That face. Even in the half-second you looked up, he recognized you. His heart stuttered. Without thinking, he followed you, keeping a careful distance. And when you stepped into the convenience store, he finally pulled down his mask. You were bent over the cup noodles aisle, still deciding between chicken or spicy when you heard a voice behind you. “Hi.” You froze. That voice. You turned, slowly. There he was, hoodie pulled low over a cap, mask now hanging beneath his chin. But even with half his face hidden… you knew. “…Jake?” He gave a small, sheepish smile. “Hey.” Your heart dropped into your stomach and flew straight back up again. “W-What… How…?” “I followed you,” he admitted, scratching the back of his neck. “You bumped into me outside. I recognized you right away, but… you didn’t look back.” You blinked, still trying to process the moment. “I… I had no idea. I didn’t think— I didn’t expect—” Jake stepped a little closer, careful, and soft. “I’ve actually been trying to find you,” he said gently. “For a while now.” Your breath hitched, shocked by the confession. “What?” ( + comment ) #enhypen - @ikeurxhive