“ in my defence, you were supposed to be a hot, mysterious transfer student. “ he’ll pause. ” i mean, you still were, but it wasn’t my fault you were a liar. ” he’ll tut thrice, shaking his head like he has reason to shun her. of course it’s more the opposite. jae would let eva consume him, wants her to, wants to find out every little detail he can about her. every little quirk or tick, habits and hobbies. she’s never the girl he thinks she is. and even now, while he thinks he knows everything, thinks he’s managed to make his way into her mind like she has for him, the fact she’s still a mystery is all too inviting — a book you can’t put down, even if the pages are never ending. " mi casa e su casa, as long as you want, or need. “ a small shrug briefly raises his shoulders, not entirely certain the two go in tandem. his want for her evolved into a need; between sharing secrets and sheets, stealing final kisses in the dark… the only dissatisfaction he knows is when she leaves him. it’s the only time he feels regret or starts to overthink the difference between want and need.
” no— no, no, no. i didn’t mean it like that, “ palms will raise in a quick cease fire. of course he did, just now he’s aware it didn’t get him what he wanted so he’ll fall back instead, assume no fault in his intentions at all, the quick shake of his head as if to confirm it. ” i did offer, and i meant it. i’m just being nosy. “ and that’s all he’ll say, or admit to anyways. if curiosity killed the cat then jae is next in line. but it’s not just that. he wants to know because it’s her, because he feels as though he should. he has no right to be insulted by the fact that she doesn’t trust him. it just reminds him how stupid he is for trusting her, even while knowing he shouldn’t. still… ” you don’t trust me ? “ he scoffs, dramatic and playing it up like he’s not bothered by the reality of it as his hand will reach for his chest. he doesn’t know why he’s surprised, really. he’s notoriously untrustworthy, irresponsible, and loud. she’s smart to keep herself to herself. it doesn’t keep him from wanting to find out more, though. “
there’s a twist of his lips that soon forms a smirk from her reaction. he’s fond of her word choice; stale and impersonal — definitely not the vibe jae is ever going for. still, there’s no change in his gaze as she’ll look around, no falter of his smile while he watches her. ” sorry to disappoint, you could’ve made some requests, but hey, you didn’t even tell me you were coming. “ a small shrug of his shoulders again, because clearly he’s not bothered that his point that he needs to know everything proven once again. ” i respect that, “ jae nods. and he knows which of the family homes would be more her style, knows which rooms he’d want to drag her to see first." i’d take you home to seoul, but… probably better you don’t. safety and everything ” he’s says, dismissing it as quickly as he brings it up. it would be safer for her, maybe, and definitely more up to her apparent taste, but jae isn’t prepared to go home with someone; especially not a girl, and especially not one he actually likes. “ i’m sure your solution is do-able. ” he adds, moving on from himself.
“ i always come prepared. ” jae retorts, clearly finding the positive in anything she’ll throw at him. the tug at his shirt is just foul play, his lip between his teeth briefly as he conceals his amusement. “ you want me to pretend like i don’t enjoy your company ? ” because that’s all this is. that’s how he’s here with her now. this inexplicable energy she lights in him, the way he’s quite literally paused everything in his life to ensure he’d be here. his brows furrow at her suggestion. jae’s not even considered having someone over, even if he expects eva to play hard to get. “ the place is yours, so… don’t worry about it. ” he’d rather she feel comfortable, and he’s sure if it came to it, he has places he could go instead, girls in his phone that answer every time and a million other people in the city to meet, even if he knows they won’t come close. “ besides, i wouldn’t want you getting jealous. ” jae says knowingly, a glint in his gaze as he looks to her, hoping she’ll take the bait.
– JAE INTRIGUES HER SO MUCH. the way that he can be guarded and clever one second, but walls so easily lowered by a pretty face – or at least lowered by hers, she thinks. maybe he just thinks too much of his own cleverness, but eva thinks there's more to it than that. " but, see, that was where you went wrong, " she circles him, oxfords clicking on the wooden floors until she's craning her neck a little to look up at him, " you should never trust a hot, mysterious transfer student. you should've seen that coming. " eva can't help the slight smirk that tugs at the corners of her lips, just a little too happy to be settling into their back and forth again. " but i guess i'll pat myself on the back for having you fooled. i'd prefer to think that i tricked someone with intelligence. " fingers play lightly with the lapel on his jacket, as if the action is idle, but as always, the tension between them is palatable and she's more than happy to continue walking that line – even, occasionally, at her own expense. she has no idea if she's putting herself in danger with this little song and dance with him, but he continues to be too inviting, too familiar to resist.
jae looks at her like he wants to know her, which is all that she's ever really wanted in her life. it's become increasingly harder to run from that.
eyebrows arch upward as he doubles back quickly, immediately giving way that he was trying to make her jealous more than anything else. he should know better – she's not stupid enough to fall for that. maybe he's played games like this with other conquests, but it'd take more than that to get her to fall into bed with him again. " don't take it personal, jae, i don't trust anyone, " she rolls her eyes, " i think you have some idea what my life has been like at this point. " the smallest inkling, at least, from whatever caledonia briefs gallagher academy sent out to its students – about the school that took in kids that desperately needed a home, offered them dreams in exchange for their loyalty and used them. eva's aware how her desires were taken advantage of now, how her hunger for ambition was exploited and the home that she'd thought she'd found had never really wanted to house her at all. that has little to do with jae, of course, but it's why that every second she's in his apartment, she'll have her guard up. even if the minimalist space is affectionately his, even if he's looking over at her with a measure of vulnerability and adoration, offering her yet another home when she continues to desperately want one. can she even trust that again ? can she ever be comfortable anywhere ? not likely. " but i do appreciate you. i'm sorry. i just have to be careful, i don't . . . i have no idea who could be coming for me. "
fire dances in her eyes, a reflection of the past that she just left behind, the old home with the creaky floors, bookcases full of memories, stories that she could get lost in. jae's place is like a clean slate, minimalist and clean, not a single cobweb in sight. she can almost see a flash of recognition in his eyes, the idea that he knows her, what she'd like. it occurs to her that maybe he does, to some extent, and she's not sure whether to be touched or scared that he would pay attention to her. " maybe someday, " she offers, " i'd love . . . " to go to seoul, " to see more of the world. everything i've known . . . it's not enough. " the admission is soft, voice slightly faraway. she wonders if he can feel it, her hunger for more, for more of everything, to be even more entrenched in all there is.
breath hitches slightly at his words, and god, that smirk of his again. she wishes that she didn't know what his lips felt like, or his hands. crossing the line in their relationship at gallagher was never intentional, she was always flirting to hold his interest, but now that she has . . . it's hard to wipe something like that from her mind, especially when he holds her gaze with such serious intention. she cannot compartmentalize it like she wants to, familiar desire racing through her veins, permeating her bloodstream. he's so stupid for letting her come here, but she's just as stupid for arriving. " do what you want, " eva rolls her eyes, turning away from him. tongue swipes across her teeth, amused smile tugging at the corners of her lips, " don't worry about me, i don't get jealous. "
she’s lying, of course. eva is nothing if not jealous, she always has been, and she wants his obsession in the same way he has hers. but it’s not like she’s going to talk about that.