It was Jake! The same Jake she had thought of only a while ago.
The same Jake who had saved her on the night of Sophia's party. The jerk who had disappeared after prom without a word.
He had disappeared like a ghost into thin air, yet here he was, right when she needed help the most. He had once again saved her. Had he not caught the purse thief, she wasn't sure she would have been able to recover her purse.
"You!" They both said simultaneously.
Seeing as they were both lost in thoughts, the thief quickly rolled to his feet and ran off, but as Jake attempted to run after him, Haewon stopped him.
"Let him go," Haewon said as she grabbed his hand.
Jake paused and looked at her, "He stole from you. He should be…"
"I got back my purse, thanks to you. It's fine," Haewon assured him, and Jake looked hesitantly in the direction the purse thief had taken before looking down at Haewon's hand on his.
Immediately, she let go of his hands, "Sorry," she said with an awkward smile, "And thank you. For saving me once again," She added with an embarrassed smile.
Jake studied her for a moment. Her face still looked flushed from the run, and she was still sweating really much, "I think you need to sit down. Let's find you somewhere to sit," Jake said, and Haewon looked at him, slightly surprised.
She had half expected him to walk away without another word to her since that was what he seemed to do best. Disappearing was his talent.
Without waiting for her to say a word, Jake turned, "Come with me," He said as he led her away, and as though she was in a trance, Haewon followed him.
Neither of them said a word as Jake led her into a cafe and held out a seat for her, once again surprising her with his manners.
Although he had held out their seats at prom, but she had assumed he had done so because it was prom and was being extra polite. But seeing him do it now when he didn't have to, surprised her.
Once she was seated, Jake walked over to the counter to get them cold cans of drinks, and as he stood there placing his order, Haewon watched him.
She noticed that he looked more mature now than he had looked back in high school. He also seemed even more handsome as well, she observed.
Jake caught her staring at him and flashed her a smile which made her heart skip as she quickly looked away.
Why was he smiling? She mused as Jake joined her with two cans of coke. He sat down and opened one can, which he placed in front of her before opening his.
"That was quite an exercise, wasn't it?" He asked before taking a long sip from his can.
Haewon swallowed as she watched his bobbing Adam apple as he gulped his drink.
Why was she feeling so tongue-tied right now? She had always been bold and outspoken, but looking at him, she only seemed to be at a loss for what to say.
"Are you alright? You seem to always be in trouble whenever I'm around," He said with a teasing smile.
"I'm fine. You seem to always be around whenever I need help. Thank you for saving me once again," She managed to say.
"It's nothing as long as you're okay," He said, and Haewon nodded before taking a sip from her drink.
Unlike Haewon, who tried to observe him discreetly, Jake had no problems staring at her.
Haewon looked away when she noticed his gaze, but that didn't deter Jake from gazing at her.
It had been a while since he watched her this closely. All the times he had seen her in the last two years had been from afar, and he wasn't surprised to see that she looked even more beautiful up close than she had looked from a distance.
She had been a beauty in high school, but she was even more beautiful now. Just as he was about to tell her that, Haewon spoke.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, wanting to break the silence when it had dragged on for long enough.
"Drinking with you," Jake said, and Haewon giggled.
"No, I meant…"
"I know what you meant. I was pulling your legs. I school here. What about you?" He asked, and Haewon's eyes widened in surprise.
"You do? I school here too," She said, and Jake smiled.
"Wow! What a coincidence," Jake said, and Haewon smiled back.
Perhaps it was fate, and they were destined to meet. How else could she explain the way her heart raced when he looked at her or smiled at her?
"Indeed. I never imagined I would see you again after you disappeared," Haewon said before she could stop herself, and Jake shrugged.
"Me too. I guess fate has different plans for us," Jake said as he glanced at his wristwatch. A movement which Haewon followed with her eyes.
"I need to get going," Jake said, watching her to see if she would make the first move or if he should.
"How about I buy you a drink sometime to thank you for today, and maybe we can catch up?" She asked, even though a part of her expected him to say no. She wouldn't be surprised if he did. He was Jake, after all.
She had a feeling he would disappear on her again, and she didn't want him to. She didn't understand why she felt the way she did around him, but she wasn't going to let him disappear this time without finding out.
Jake smiled, "That sounds great," He said to her surprise, and she smiled back.
Someone seemed to have changed in the last two years, they both thought to themselves.
"Is tomorrow fine?" Jake asked, even though he already knew the answer to that.
"Oh, no! I'm sorry. My sisters are coming over for the weekend, and I'm spending it with them. You remember them? Selena and Ivy?" She asked, and Jake gave her a nod.
"Sure, I do."
"How about Monday?" Haewon asked, and Jake shook his head.
"I will be really busy this week," Jake said apologetically.
"And you're in a hurry to go somewhere right now?" Haewon asked, not wanting him to leave yet without getting some answers from him since she had no idea when she would see him again
Jake glanced at his wristwatch, "I believe I still have an hour. Why?" He asked, and Haewon flashed him a smile.
"Well, since I don't know when next I might see you or in what mood you might be in, I think I should make best use of this time," Haewon said, and he chuckled, a low sound that made her insides tickle.
"If you say so. But I don't think you can buy me a drink today. I've had one already," Jake said, raising his now empty can, and Haewon smiled, thankful that he was in such an agreeable mood.
"We can leave the drink for another time then and catch up today," Haewon said, and Jake's lips twitched in amusement.
He hadn't expected her to be so curious about him or eager to even speak with him. He was curious to know what she wanted to know.