Now jake and sunghoon we're alone in their project room....

The classroom was quiet - too quiet. The kind of silence that made every scribble of pen, every shifting chair, echo against the walls.

Only two people were left inside: Jake and Sunghoon.

Jake's palms were sweaty as he spread the notes across the bench. He couldn't believe it. For the first time, it was just him and Sunghoon... no Eito, no Yuma, no buffer. Just the two of them, side by side.

"Where are the other two?" Sunghoon asked, his chin resting lazily on his hand.

Jake blinked, pushing up his glasses. "E-Eito went home... and Yuma said he wasn't feeling well."

Sunghoon exhaled slowly, clicking his tongue. "Figures. So it's just you and me then."

Jake's heart skipped. He nodded quickly, almost too eagerly. "Y-yeah!"

Sunghoon gave him a side glance, smirking faintly. "You sound happy about it."

Jake flinched. "N-no! I mean... I don't mind... it's okay."

They settled into their seats. Jake leaned forward, pointing at the notes. "Um... we should probably start with the first reaction..."

Sunghoon leaned closer too, more out of boredom than interest. Their shoulders almost brushed. Jake's breath hitched, but he kept writing, pretending to stay focused.

"You always stutter when you talk to me," Sunghoon suddenly said.

Jake froze, pen hovering over the page. "...I do?"

"Yeah." Sunghoon tilted his head, watching him closely. "And you keep staring at me like I've got something on my face."

Jake's lips curved up in the faintest smile. He didn't even try to deny it. "...Maybe you do."

Sunghoon narrowed his eyes. "Tch. Gross."

To his surprise, Jake's face lit up slightly, almost as if he had been complimented. His smile deepened, shy but genuine. "If you say so..."

Sunghoon blinked, caught off guard. "What kind of reaction is that? Most people would be offended."

"I'm not most people," Jake said softly, his eyes meeting Sunghoon's for a brief, unflinching second before darting back down to the notes.

The air between them shifted. Sunghoon felt something unfamiliar crawl under his skin - discomfort, but not the bad kind. It was... something else.

He clicked his tongue, turning away. "You're weird."

Jake's smile lingered as he carefully balanced the equation. "I know."

For some reason, that answer made Sunghoon's chest tighten.

The silence stretched on, only broken by the sound of Jake's pen scratching against the paper. But every few minutes, Sunghoon caught Jake's eyes flicking up to him again - steady, calm, unashamed.

And every time, Sunghoon felt that strange uneasiness grow.

What's with those eyes? he thought. Why do they feel so different...?

Sunghoon leaned back in his chair, watching Jake scribble in the notebook. The quiet was suffocating, and for some reason, he couldn't stop himself.

"Hey," he called lazily.

Jake immediately looked up, almost like a soldier called by his commander. "Y-yes?"

Sunghoon smirked faintly. "Why do you always bow your head when you talk?"

Jake blinked, tilting his head. "...Habit."

"What kind of habit?"

Jake smiled faintly. "The kind you get when... you're used to people not wanting to see your face."

Sunghoon frowned at the answer, thrown off. "...Weird. You're not that ugly."

Jake's ears turned red. "Th-thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment," Sunghoon scoffed, leaning back again.

Jake lowered his gaze but didn't stop smiling. "...Still feels like one."

Sunghoon clicked his tongue, annoyed at himself for even starting this. But his curiosity didn't stop.

"Do you always eat alone?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"...I don't like noisy places. And I don't... really have anyone to sit with."

Sunghoon stared at him for a moment. "You sound pitiful."

Jake shook his head quickly. "I'm not. I like being alone." His lips twitched into the smallest smile. "...Except right now."

That made Sunghoon freeze for a second. He looked away, scratching the back of his neck. "Tch... you're gross."

Jake only nodded softly, like he accepted it. "I know."

Sunghoon's gaze drifted back to him, catching Jake's eyes again - those strange, quiet eyes. They weren't desperate like his fans, not greedy or fake. Just steady. Always steady.

It made Sunghoon feel restless.

"...Why do you keep staring at me?" Sunghoon finally asked, his voice lower, almost serious.

Jake blinked, lips parting, but he didn't look away this time. Instead, he gave a small, shy laugh. "...Because I can't believe you're real."

Sunghoon's chest tightened. He hated how his heartbeat picked up, hated the weird warmth spreading through him.

He quickly stood up, shoving his hands in his pockets. "You're seriously messed up."

Jake only looked down at the notebook, smiling softly to himself. "Maybe."

The silence returned, but it wasn't the same anymore.