Banned and stuck

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Jake's hands shook as he fumbled with P of safety in the chaos.

"Come on, Jungwon, pick up," he muttered, pressing the call button repeatedly. Each time, the call went straight to voicemail. Panic began to set in as he imagined the worst scenarios. What if something had happened to Jungwon? What if he was in danger?

His phone buzzed with a new message. Jake's heart skipped a beat as he opened it, hoping it was Jungwon. But it was from an unknown number-the same one that had been messaging him before.

"Don't go to the university. Come to Jungwon's house. Now."

Jake's blood ran cold. The urgency of the message, combined with the eerie events of the night, left no room for hesitation. He grabbed his jacket and rushed out of the house, his mind racing. He had to get to Jungwon's house and make sure he was safe.

The drive to Jungwon's place felt agonizingly slow. Every red light, every moment stuck in traffic, only heightened his anxiety. When he finally reached the house, he didn't even bother to park properly, leaving the car haphazardly in the driveway as he sprinted to the door.

Jake banged on the door, calling out for Jungwon. "Jungwon! Are you in there? It's Jake!"

There was no response. Jake's heart pounded as he fumbled for the spare key Jungwon had given him. His hands trembled as he unlocked the door and burst inside.

The house was eerily quiet, the only sound his own ragged breathing. He moved through the rooms quickly, searching for any sign of Jungwon. When he reached the living room, he found it empty, but his phone buzzed again with another message from the unknown number.

"In his room."

Jake took the stairs two at a time, racing to Jungwon's room. He threw open the door and found Jungwon lying on his bed, his face pale and eyes closed. Panic surged through Jake as he rushed to his friend's side, shaking him gently.

"Jungwon, wake up! Please, wake up!"

To his immense relief, Jungwon stirred, blinking groggily. "Jake? What are you doing here?"

"I got a message... I thought you were in trouble," Jake said, his voice shaky. "Are you okay?"

Jungwon nodded slowly, sitting up. "Yeah, I just... I didn't hear my phone. What's going on?"

Jake took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "We need to talk. But first, let's get out of here. Something isn't right."

As Jake and Jungwon emerged from the room, they froze at the sight of Jay standing right in front of the stairs leading down. Jay's presence was imposing, and the smirk on his face only added to the tension in the air.

"Well, well, look who decided to show up," Jay sneered, his eyes darting between Jake and Jungwon. "Sneaking around again, are we?"

Jake's fists clenched at his sides, but he forced himself to stay calm. "We're just leaving, Jay. Move out of the way."

Jay chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't think so. You remember what Dad said last night, don't you, Jungwon? You're not supposed to leave the house until your next schedule. Or did you conveniently forget?"

Jungwon's face paled, and he glanced at Jake nervously. "Jay, please. We just need to..."

Jay cut him off, stepping closer with a mocking tone. "Need to what? Run away? Hide? You know Dad won't be happy if he finds out. And trust me, I won't keep this little outing a secret."

Jake stepped forward, putting himself between Jay and Jungwon. "Back off, Jay. We're not looking for trouble."

Jay's smirk widened, clearly enjoying the power he held over them. "Oh, but trouble always seems to find you, doesn't it? Better get back to your room before things get worse."

Jungwon swallowed hard, his eyes pleading with Jake. "Let's just go back, Jake. We'll figure something out later."

Jake nodded reluctantly, his anger simmering just below the surface. "Fine. But this isn't over, Jay."

Jay watched them with a satisfied grin as they turned back towards Jungwon's room, his mocking laughter echoing in their ears.

Once back in Jungwon's room, Jake closed the door behind them, ensuring they had some privacy. The tension was thick, and both of them were still shaken by Jay's confrontation.

Jungwon slumped onto his bed, running a hand through his hair. "I can't believe this is happening. He's never going to let us be."

Jake sat beside him, concern etched on his face. "What happened last night? Why is Jay so dead set on keeping you here?"

Jungwon sighed heavily, leaning back against the wall. "After you left, Dad called me downstairs. Jay was there too. Dad said he wanted to talk about my schedule and how I've been neglecting my duties. He was angry, Jake. He told me I wasn't allowed to leave the house until I caught up on everything."

Jake frowned. "But you're not a prisoner. You should be able to go where you want."

Jungwon shook his head. "You don't understand. Dad's very controlling, especially with Jay backing him up. He's got this idea that if I don't follow his plan exactly, I'll ruin my career."

Jake's jaw clenched. "And Jay? What's his role in all this?"

"Jay just loves having power over me. He enjoys seeing me suffer. Last night, he was smug, like always. After Dad left, Jay made sure to remind me that I'm under his thumb. He's always watching, always waiting for me to slip up."

Jake's expression darkened. "Last night, after I got home, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I tried calling, but you didn't answer. I got this horrible feeling, like something was really wrong."

Jungwon nodded, looking down at his hands. "I didn't hear my phone. I was too busy dealing with Jay and Dad. After they left, I was locked in my room. I couldn't even leave to get a drink of water."

Jake's eyes widened in shock. "That's insane, Jungwon. You shouldn't have to live like this."

Jungwon looked up, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know, but what can I do? They control everything. And now, with Jay constantly watching, it's like I'm in a cage."

Jake reached out, taking Jungwon's hand in his. "We'll figure something out. You don't have to face this alone. I promise, I'll be here for you."

Jungwon squeezed Jake's hand, finding a small measure of comfort in his friend's presence. "Thank you, Jake. I don't know what I'd do without you."

They sat there in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. The reality of their situation weighed heavily on them, but they knew they had to stay strong for each other. Together, they would find a way to break free from the chains that bound them.

Jake looked at Jungwon with a serious expression, his voice trembling slightly as he spoke. "Jungwon, there's something important I need to talk to you about. I have this unsettling feeling that someone's stalking me."

Jungwon's eyes widened with concern. "Stalking? Are you serious? What makes you think that?"

Jake nodded, trying to keep his voice steady. "After I left the club last night and got home, things started feeling off. I kept hearing noises-footsteps, creaking doors-like someone was moving around in my house, but I never saw anyone."

Jungwon's brow furrowed in worry. "Did you see anything suspicious?"

Jake shook his head. "No, not really. I was too freaked out to check thoroughly. But it didn't stop there. I also started receiving messages from an unknown number. At first, I thought it was just a fan being weird, but it felt different. The messages were oddly personal, almost like someone knew me intimately."

Jungwon listened intently, his concern growing. "That sounds terrifying. Have you reported this to anyone, or taken any steps to protect yourself?"

Jake sighed, looking distressed. "Not yet. I'm not sure who to trust right now. I just needed to tell you because you're the only one who might understand what I'm going through. I don't want to be alone in this."

Jungwon placed a reassuring hand on Jake's shoulder. "You're not alone, Jake. We'll figure this out together. Let's make sure you're safe and see if we can find out who's behind all this."

Jake nodded, grateful for Jungwon's support. "Thanks, Jungwon. I really appreciate it."

They shared a moment of silent understanding, their friendship deepening as they prepared to face the troubling situation together.

After a little while, their conversation shifted to lighter topics, and Jake decided to excuse himself to use the bathroom. He left Jungwon in the living room and made his way down the hallway. As he turned the corner, he was startled to see Jay standing there, arms folded across his chest, eyes narrowing at Jake.

Jake hesitated for a moment but then gathered his courage. "Hey, Jay," he started, trying to sound casual, "Can we talk for a second?"

Jay raised an eyebrow but didn't move. "What do you want?"

Jake took a deep breath. "I've been wondering... why do you hate Jungwon so much? I mean, it can't just be because he's gay. That doesn't make sense."

Jay's expression darkened. "You don't know anything," he snapped, his voice low and dangerous.

Jake stood his ground, refusing to be intimidated. "I know enough to see that your hatred goes deeper than that. Whatever it is, you're not just mad because of his sexuality."

Jay's face flushed with anger, his eyes flashing with a mix of emotions that Jake couldn't quite decipher. "Shut up, Jake. You don't know what you're talking about."

Jake shook his head, frustration evident in his voice. "I'm just trying to understand. Jungwon doesn't deserve the way you treat him. If there's something more, you need to let it out instead of lashing out at him."

Jay took a step closer, his fists clenched at his sides. "I said shut up. You think you're so smart, but you don't know a damn thing about our family or what goes on."

Before Jake could respond, Riki appeared at the end of the hallway. "Jay, we need you for a moment," he called out, his tone authoritative.

Jay shot Jake a final glare, his jaw tight with barely restrained anger. "This isn't over," he muttered as he walked past Riki, his shoulders tense.

Jake let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and quickly went into the bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face, trying to calm his racing thoughts. Something about Jay's anger felt deeply personal, but Jake couldn't quite put his finger on it. It was clear that there were layers to Jay's hostility that he hadn't yet uncovered.

As he dried his face and stared at his reflection in the mirror, Jake resolved to stay close to Jungwon and be there for him, no matter what. He couldn't shake the feeling that Jay's hatred was masking something else, something more complicated and painful. But for now, all he could do was support Jungwon and protect him from whatever shadows Jay cast over their lives.

Jake exited the bathroom, his mind still buzzing with the encounter. He returned to the living room, finding Jungwon where he had left him. Jungwon looked up, concern etched on his face.

"What took you so long?" Jungwon asked, trying to read Jake's expression.

Jake forced a reassuring smile. "Just ran into Jay. Nothing to worry about."

Jungwon's brow furrowed, but he didn't press further. Jake could see the worry in his eyes, and it made him even more determined to figure out what was going on with Jay. For now, though, they had to focus on getting through the day, one step at a time.