It was almost embarrassing how obvious it was to everyone except the one person who mattered.
Jake had been down bad from the very beginning—from the moment training had thrown them together in that fluorescent-lit practice room on day one of I-LAND. Sometimes he swore he could pinpoint the exact second it happened:
“the day i met—you. i started dreaming.”
And you was her.
It always had been.
Live Stream — Jake & Jungwon
Jungwon was reading comments while Jake leaned back in his chair, Layla curled in his lap.
“Someone said: ‘first impressions of members?’” Jungwon read.
Jake blinked, and immediately, his smile softened. Just a little. The kind of shift only people who knew him well would notice.
“Ah… well,” he started. “When I-LAND first began, I think Jiji was one of the first people I met.”
Jungwon’s eyebrows jumped. Of course.
“I remember how sweet she was,” Jake continued, voice softer now. “Even from the beginning. She was really shy and quiet though… but cute. She still is…”
He gave a tiny laugh, like he was trying to make light of it.
Jungwon pounced. “Still cute? Or still shy??”
Jake met his eyes—laughing but definitely panicking.
“I think it’s best if I don’t say.”
They both cracked up, Jungwon wheezing.
The comments were losing their minds.
Another Live, Weeks Earlier
Jake held up a small silver ring he’d been fidgeting with.
“Should I wear this?” he asked.
Chat spammed YESSSS.
He paused. Looked right at the camera. Smiled—slow. Warm.
“Just kidding, Engenes,” he said. “I’d only give it to Jiji.”
He tossed it into his pocket.
Filming Day
Jiji held the camera, recording Jake’s new haircut for behind-the-scenes.
The light caught the soft brown strands just right. She hummed approvingly.
“Yeah, you should keep it,” she said. “It suits you.”
Jake looked right at her. No hesitation.
“I think everything suits you,” he said. Like it was fact. “You’re a really pretty girl.”
She blinked, face heating. “This is about you, not me.”
Jake deadpanned, staring directly into her soul.
“Do you not agree?”
She almost dropped the camera.
Always
It was Jake who laughed first at every joke she made. Jake who always waited for her to finish talking. Jake who brought her an extra snack “just in case.” Jake who never missed when she was tired.
So of course when a fan on live asked:
“Jake, can I be Layla’s mom??”
He didn’t even hesitate.
“Hm… I don’t think so, sorry,” he answered. “That spot’s reserved for Jiji.”
Comments exploded.
“HAS JIJI AGREED TO THIS?!?!?!?!”
Jake smiled—soft but certain.
“No, not yet,” he admitted. “But she will… I’ll win her over soon.”
And Jiji?
She just thought Jake was being friendly. Jake was friendly with everyone.
Right?
Right?
Except—
Her pulse always did something strange when he said her name.
And sometimes, when he laughed at her jokes, she could feel it. Warm. Close. Too much.
Maybe she’d understand eventually.
Maybe she already did.