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sxie-txt · 1 month ago

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CATALYST | S.JY

Jake/Jaeyun x reader

+ft. Wonbin from Riize cause he's my baby

SUMMARY Getting paired with your crush for a chemistry group project would seem nerve-wracking to most. For you, it felt like the perfect chance to prove your skills and maybe something more.

But things don't go as planned, especially when someone else is determined to see you fail.

GENRE romance, angst, highschool au, slight fluff

WARNINGS swearing, chemistry inaccuracies, use of korean names, also Da-eun is just an oc. sorry if i missed anything. Not proofread

□ hi guys! This is my first ever story debut here in tumblr! I hope you enjoy my writing.

wc. 816 (ithink?)

It all started with a clipboard and a randomly assigned group list. Your Chemistry teacher pinned the paper on the bulletin board with a bit too much enthusiasm, as if she hadn’t just sealed everyone’s academic fate for the next two weeks. You scanned the list with half-lidded eyes, expecting the usual — people you barely talked to, the quiet kid who did all the work, the loud one who never did any. But then you saw it.

Group 3: Jaeyun Sim, Da-eun Lee, Wonbin Park, and [Y/N].

Your heart did this embarrassing little flutter thing. You weren’t proud of it, but you couldn’t help it. Jaeyun — or Jake, as everyone called him, was the kind of boy who made classrooms feel just a little warmer. He wasn’t just good-looking; he was kind in this casual, effortless way, the kind that made you pay attention when he spoke. You’d had a quiet crush on him since mid-semester. And now, you were going to spend the next two weeks in his orbit.

You looked around the classroom to find your group mates. And you saw him already looking at you. He gave you a small little smile before turning away to the front. You were too moonstrucked to even smile back. A blush appeared on your cheeks.

You turned to look a Da-eun.

She wasn’t thrilled. You caught the way her eyes narrowed when she saw the list. She masked it well, with that polite smile she wore like perfume, visible but never quite sincere. You hadn’t done anything to her, not really, but you could feel it every time she looked at you. Like she was sizing you up. Measuring your threat level.

You thought maybe it was all in your head.

The first group meeting was awkward. Wonbin was chill and mostly just let everyone talk, nodding and taking notes when necessary. Jake, as expected, tried to bring everyone together, suggesting ideas, cracking a few jokes to break the ice. He was the smartest in the class, and it showed. He had this easy confidence when he spoke, like he already saw the solution five steps ahead. You contributed too, offering to work on the experiment plan. But Da-eun… she was quiet. Not unfriendly, just calculated. She always sat a little closer to Jake than necessary, always offered to partner with him when it came to mixing chemicals or running tests.

You noticed. She noticed you noticing.

And Jake? He didn’t seem to notice at all.

Still, you tried not to let it bother you. You stayed focused, especially when the experiment wasn’t working. Your goal was to find the correct chemical ratio that would create a stable reaction, a glowing solution that represented a perfect molecular balance. It was supposed to be simple in theory, but in practice, it kept failing.

So one afternoon, with the deadline looming and everyone too frustrated to care anymore, you stayed behind to work on it. You researched formulas, reviewed notes, and finally, you thought you had it.

“I think I found the right compound,” you said, your voice a mix of excitement and nerves. “It has to be potassium iodide. It balances out the reaction when mixed slowly with hydrogen peroxide —”

“You sure?” Jake asked, stepping closer to the lab bench. His sleeves were rolled up, his hands smudged with graphite. He looked at you like he wanted to believe you.

You nodded, heart hammering. “I double-checked. This should work.”

But when you ran the experiment… it didn’t.

Instead of glowing blue, the solution turned murky and began to smoke faintly. You had to scramble to turn on the fume hood. Everyone panicked, and the entire test had to be scrapped. The solution was ruined. The materials were wasted.

Da-eun was the first to speak, voice like honey laced with something sharp. “Well… that was a choice.”

“I know I got the chemical right,” you said quickly, turning to Jake. “I think someone might’ve—look, I double-checked the labels before I added anything, but when I turned around, it looked like the bottle had been moved. I swear it wasn’t potassium iodide anymore. It felt like—”

“What are you saying?” Da-eun asked, her smile stretching a little too tight.

You hesitated. “I think you switched the chemical.”

Jake’s eyes widened. “You think Da-eun sabotaged the experiment?”

You turned to him, your chest tight. “I know it sounds crazy, but I was careful, Jake. I swear. It was working until—until someone messed with it.”

He looked at you for a long time. But then he shook his head. “Come on… Da-eun wouldn’t do that.”

“But—”

“It’s just a project,” he said, softer now. “Let’s not turn it into drama, okay?”

That was the part that stung the most? the way he dismissed you. Not angrily. Just like he didn’t believe you. Like he couldn’t imagine that Da-eun, perfect, sweet Da-eun — would ever do something so petty.

And maybe that was the moment you realized: having a crush on someone doesn’t mean they’ll take your side.

Especially not when someone else is better at playing the part.

Maybe he was right.

As much as it hurt to admit, the words stuck with you as you cleaned up the mess in silence. The murky solution, the wasted time, the panic. Maybe you had made a mistake. Maybe you had been too tired or distracted, too eager to prove yourself. And accusing Da-eun like that… it felt so far from who you were. You weren’t the kind of person who pointed fingers.

But in that moment, you had.

So you kept your head down and said nothing more, even as Da-eun lingered behind a little too long, organizing bottles and giving Jake a soft laugh when he helped her straighten the labels.

The next day, Da-eun showed up to class with a fresh page of calculations and a neat little proposal written in her handwriting. She handed it to the group with a casual shrug.

“I think I figured it out last night,” she said, not looking at you. “It’s probably better if we just move forward with this formula. We don’t really have time to waste experimenting again.”

Jake skimmed the paper, nodding slowly. “This actually makes sense…”

You didn’t say anything. You just stared at the paper, the neat columns of data, the highlighted reaction sequence. It wasn’t far off from the research you had been working on, just tweaked. Cleaned up. Framed like it was hers all along.

And maybe it was. Maybe she had figured it out after all.

But then Da-eun added, “I mean, not everyone’s cut out for lab work. It’s fine. We all have different strengths.”

You blinked. It wasn’t what she said, it was how she said it. With that sugary voice and a glance that didn’t linger long enough to be obvious, but just long enough to land.

Jake glanced between you two, brows drawing together slightly.

You tried to smile, to laugh it off like it didn’t get under your skin. Like her words didn’t feel like a slap dressed up in politeness. But it must not have been very convincing, because Jake hesitated before speaking again.

“You okay?” he asked later, when the others were packing up.

You shrugged, not meeting his eyes. “Yeah. Just tired.”

There was a pause, just long enough to feel like he didn’t believe you.

“You know…” he started, then stopped. “If something’s bothering you, you can talk to me.”

You looked at him, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes. “It’s nothing.”

Jake didn’t push. He just gave a small nod, but his expression lingered a little longer, as if trying to read between the lines.

And as he turned to go, you couldn’t help but wonder... if he’d noticed earlier, would he have believed you?

Or were you always meant to play the part of the girl who almost got it right, only to be quietly outshined?

You didn’t stop contributing. You still showed up, still researched, still stayed late to refine the data. Next to Jake, you probably did the most. But somehow, it never looked like that from the outside. Da-eun always managed to say the right thing at the right time, always delivered her ideas with this polished confidence that made people listen. And when something worked, the credit tilted her way like it was natural.

You didn’t fight it. You didn’t see the point.

They were wrapping up another late session in the lab. Da-eun was packing her bag, chatting easily with Jake about how they should format the results, and you were hunched over the data logs, organizing the numbers that didn’t want to stay in line.

“That part’s from [Y/N]’s notes, right?” Wonbin asked, pointing to the graph Da-eun had just handed to Jake.

She froze for half a second—just long enough.

Jake looked down. “Oh? I thought you said you ran these tests last night.”

Da-eun smiled, brushing hair behind her ear. “I mean, I did. I just, uh, referenced her notes for comparison.”

Wonbin didn’t look up from his phone. “That’s weird. [Y/N] ran those results with me during our last session. You weren’t even there.”

There was a pause.

Small. Sharp. Almost forgettable.

Jake didn’t say anything at first. But something shifted in his face. A crack in the ease.

Later, after Da-eun left with a quick excuse, Jake lingered by the bench, pretending to sort through supplies. You were already halfway out the door when he called your name.

“Hey,” he said, quietly. “Can I ask you something?”

You turned, slowly. “Sure.”

“That day. When the experiment failed.” He scratched the back of his neck. “You really think she switched the chemical?”

You didn’t answer right away. You just looked at him, tired and worn down.

Jake let out a breath. “I think you were right.”

You blinked. “What changed?”

“I noticed some of the labels in the cabinet were moved,” he said, voice low. “Not just that day. A few times, actually. And Da-eun always insisted on prepping things ‘just to be safe.’”

He hesitated, eyes meeting yours.

“I didn’t want to believe she’d do something like that. But the more I looked at the work we’ve done… the more I realized most of it—was yours.”

You stared at him. It didn’t feel satisfying, or even relieving. It just felt late.

“I’ve been an idiot,” he added. “I should’ve seen it sooner.”

“No,” you said, voice calm but distant. “You just didn’t want to.”

He flinched a little. And for once, he didn’t have a clever comeback. Just silence.

Wonbin walked by then, raising an eyebrow at the two of you.

“Guess we’re finally having that conversation,” he muttered, before heading out.

You couldn’t help it. You laughed. Not because it was funny. Just because it was easier than being angry.

And Jake looked at you like he’d missed that sound.

Like maybe he was only just now realizing what he'd been ignoring all along.

The next day, you kept your distance.

You didn’t sit next to Jake. You didn’t speak unless someone asked you a direct question. You stuck to the background, finishing the report, double-checking calculations, highlighting errors. You didn’t even look up when Da-eun walked in like she hadn’t spent the past week rewriting your work and smiling like it was hers.

Jake kept glancing at you.

You felt it, every time. But you didn’t meet his eyes.

Not because you were being petty, but because it hurt to. Because it hurt to pretend nothing happened, to pretend you hadn't meant what you said. Jake hurt you, whether he realized it or not. And right now, you didn’t know how to make yourself smaller just to make him feel better about it.

Jake finally said something when class ended and the others filtered out.

“[Y/N]—can we talk?”

You didn’t stop packing your bag. “Is it about the project?”

“No. Not really.”

“Then maybe later.”

You walked out before he could answer.

Your steps felt heavier than you wanted to admit. But you kept walking anyway.

You were about to leave school but then you remember that you left your calculator in the locker. Your locker was not far off from the lab—it was pretty near actually.

You stuff a few books before you heard voices outside the lab. Your hand freezes midway from pushing the book inside your bag. You notcied the door was slightly ajar. You decide to go nearer to listen.

Da-eun’s tone was light, but there was an edge to it, like sugar over glass.

“I don’t know why you’re suddenly so obsessed with her.”

You didn’t move. Just froze where you stood, still behind the cracked door.

“She made one good guess and now she’s the backbone of the project?”

Jake didn’t answer immediately. But when he did, his voice was low and clear.

“No. She’s always been the backbone. I was just too blind to see it.”

Silence.

Then Da-eun laughed, sharp and defensive. “Come on. She’s average at best. She only shines because you let her.”

There was a pause.

“No,” Jake said, sharper this time. “She shines because she’s actually good. Better than you. Smarter than me, even.”

You blinked.

Da-eun’s voice dropped, venom just beneath the surface. “So what now? You think defending her makes you the good guy?”

“No,” he said. “It doesn't justify that I didn't believe her.”

You hurriedly closed your bag and completely forgot about your calculator.

Jake looked up first, eyes wide when he saw you through the glass door. Da-eun turned, her expression falling for a split second before she pulled it back together.

You just brushed past them, and you heard Jake say, quieter this time, but loud enough for you to hear, “She deserved better than both of us.”

You didn’t say anything.

Didn’t need to.

Da-eun’s silence followed you all the way down the hall.

The next day in class, Da-eun tried to act like nothing happened. She sat next to Jake again, placed her notebook between them, leaned over to ask questions that didn’t need answers. She smiled, soft and calculated.

But Jake wasn’t playing along anymore.

He barely glanced at her. Answered with short nods. Moved his chair half a step away without even realizing it.

Wonbin noticed.

He gave you a look across the room, a small, satisfied smirk that didn’t say I told you so, but definitely meant it.

And then, during the final presentation review, the teacher pulled up the group’s documentation on the projector. The parts with names attached to each segment of the experiment.

Every page.

Every test.

Every formula.

Almost all of them had your name on them.

The rest were Jake’s and Wonbin’s.

Da-eun’s name appeared once — and only because you had included her in a group summary early on.

The room was quiet. You weren’t looking around, but you could feel the shift. The glances. The whispers. The realization.

Even the teacher paused. “Is this correct?” she asked, brows raised.

Jake spoke first.

“It is.”

Then Wonbin replied casually, “Yeah. We double-checked everything last night.”

The teacher gave a small nod and moved on, but the silence stayed heavy around Da-eun. She didn’t say a word for the rest of class. Her smile was gone. Her hands didn’t touch her notebook once.

You kept your eyes on your desk.

But you didn’t have to say anything.

The truth was loud enough.

It was over. The grades came in a week later. Your group got the highest mark in the class. The project had been a success, technically. But no one really talked about it.

Da-eun stopped sitting near Jake. Actually, she stopped talking altogether in Chemistry, her usual sharp presence dulled into silence. She avoided your eyes in the hallway. Not that you were looking for hers anymore.

You thought it would feel better. But it didn’t. Not really.

Jake hadn’t tried to talk to you since the day outside the lab. You figured maybe that was his version of an apology, letting it all die quietly. No more damage. You tried to move on too. Buried yourself in other assignments, laughed a little louder with your friends, acted like Jake Sim hadn’t made something twist in your chest every time he looked at you.

It didn’t work. Not really.

You stayed behind one afternoon to wipe down your station. Everyone else had left, except for Wonbin, who gave you a lazy salute on his way out and mumbled something like “later, genius.”

You almost smiled.

Then you heard footsteps stop behind you.

“You don’t have to clean everything, you know,” Jake said.

You didn’t turn around. “I like clean things.”

“I know,” he said softly. He sounded like he’d always known. Like he hadn’t stopped knowing even after everything.

You kept wiping the counter, focusing on the smudges even though your hands were still. Your heart was not.

“I wanted to say I’m sorry,” he said.

You didn’t look at him, didn’t trust yourself to. “You said that already.”

“Not properly,” he replied. “Not like this.”

You stayed quiet, watching your reflection blur in the polished surface.

“I should’ve believed you,” he said. “I did. Deep down. I just didn’t want to admit I was wrong about her. And I hate that it hurt you.”

You nodded slowly. “Yeah. It did.”

He exhaled, like he’d been holding his breath since the day everything fell apart. “You were the best part of that group. Always were. You carried us.”

You let out a soft laugh, tired and a little bitter. “Not that it mattered.”

“It did,” he said. “I noticed. I always noticed. Before the project, too. I just... never knew how to say it.”

That made you look up.

He looked nervous. But more than that, he looked at you like he meant every word. Like it physically hurt him not to.

“I liked working with you,” you said quietly. “Even when I hated it. Even when I hated you.”

“I deserved that.”

“You did.”

Another breath, and then, “But you were still the only part I looked forward to.”

He froze at that. Just a flicker, but it was enough.

Then he stepped closer, carefully. “Are we okay?”

You paused, searching his face. The part of you that wanted to stay mad was tired. The part of you that still liked him, that never really stopped, was louder.

“You’re still annoying,” you said.

“But...?”

You didn’t answer. Not with words.

Instead, before you could overthink it, you leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

It was quick. Just a brush of your lips against skin, warm and barely there. But he went completely still, like the whole world had just paused to catch its breath.

You stepped back, eyes meeting his.

“But I’m glad it was you,” you said.

Jake stared at you like he couldn’t believe what just happened. Then he smiled. Really smiled. The kind that reached his eyes and made your stomach flutter.

You grabbed your bag and brushed past him, sleeve grazing his. He didn’t stop you.

But at the door, you turned back.

He was still watching you. Not like he was waiting. More like he just couldn’t help it. Like if you took one more step, he'd follow.

And truthfully?

You hoped he would.

□ you made it to the enddd!!! Thank you so much dear reader for reading >.< I hope you enjoy and stay tuned for the other stories im gonna publish soon hehe. I hope you like this little fic i made for jake cause i love him sm. 💜 reblog and like if you liked it <3

#enhypen #enhypen ff #fanfic #kpop #sim jaeyun #enhypen jake #jake #jake sim #wonbin #enhypen angst #romance #fluff #enhypen romance #jake angst

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