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NEVER REVEALING THEIR DEPTH ━━━━━━━━━━━━
Park Sunghoon stopped at a far distance just enough to see who the person was.
And to his surprise, it was a slender young man about his age perhaps? or maybe a bit older? He was wearing a helmet so he wasn't so sure how old he was, but by the way, he skidded his way through the ice so gracefully it made him think that he was a figure skater.
Sunghoon checked his surroundings to see if he had any company, there was no one so far, so it was only him and the young ice skater.
Why was I here again? Sunghoon asked himself, it was like he was processing his senses that he was out of his house not even wearing any warm clothes unless you consider only the gloves and fuzzy slippers if that counts.
But here he was out of the open.
He slowly, slowly wanted to turn back but his eyes were captured at the young male attempting to do an axel. It was one of the hardest tricks to do in figure skating. Even Park Sunghoon himself took him a year or two to do such a stunt. Yet that young skater, that skater despite that he failed to do the axel, the way he twirled was so perfect.
Should he—? No Sunghoon, stay where you are and just go back inside. "Look for the right moment...," he said to the young skater, which he had hoped he didn't hear but the young skater caught him off guard, his voice echoed through the vast lake and of course, it had to be noticed.
The young male cast his hues at his surroundings which met Sunghoon's gaze but he paid no attention and continued what he was doing, kicking and gliding across the satisfied ice lake.
He tried again — kicking his legs as he started, once more he leaped hoping that he would land on his feet but then again it was a total failure.
"Start to pick up momentum and speed, it will seize you to the right moment to jump, and once you do strengthen your ankle to land on your foot." Park Sunghoon said he had no idea why he was advising this stranger but he felt like he needed to.
The young skater picked himself up and darted his eyes at him. "Yeah, the right moment doesn't need to be exactly the right moment... Old man," the male replied along with a small shrug stretching a small smirk across his feature.
Sunghoon raised an eyebrow at him, what did he just call him? Old? "Sorry if I was just trying to help. . . " he replied rather sarcastic in tone. The skater didn't listen and just continued his business yet he took Sunghoon's advice, taking on pace, and then took a leap of faith — landing on his foot though he almost stumbled, he manages to keep his balance.
"Whoaaa —Did you see that? I did that. . . " said the skater in excitement smiling at Sunghoon, the ice knight scoffed at the young man's reaction, turning his back at him and proceeding to make his way back inside his house. "I've been trying to do the axel for a couple of years and this is the first time I did it right." said the skater again.
Of course, it was his first time, it takes a month or more to perfect an axel. Sunghoon had learned it the hard way. "You need to practice more," said Sunghoon, his voice cold. The young ice skater stopped at the edge of the littoral land. "How do you know the axel old man?" the young skater exclaimed, calling out to Sunghoon.
Sunghoon, feeling a bit irritated, just ignored him and continued. "Ahhhh — yikes so cold, I thought the winter was the only one that felt cold, yet this old man on a wheelchair as well."
"First of all —. . ." Sunghoon stopped to face him eyeing the other with his sharp stare. "I'm not old, you must be way too older than me..."
"I'm 2001 for your information. . ."
"Well, I'm 2002. . ." Sunghoon immediately replied, smirking. That made the other shut up. Sunghoon arches an eyebrow with pride, so he indeed was older than him but that wasn't important. "Second, I'm a fan of ice skating..." he said, hoping he doesn't figure out who he was. The last thing he wanted to was find out that he was a former professional figure skater and then spread rumors about him, he had enough gossip for a whole six months turning seven.
"Me too! I'm a fan — I mean, not a fan, fan. I don't know any figure skaters. But when I'm on the ice it just feels so, so —. . ."
"Free?" Sunghoon inserted, while the other just nodded his head.
"Yeah, Free. . ." he smiled at Sunghoon, a smile so hopeful and so happy.
It reminds him of a time when he too felt the excitement of being on the ice, where the wind touched his cheek and it felt so free. "I can show you a trick or two that I learned all by myself." said the skater as he slides against the ice lake picking up to speed. He twirled, slowly – slowly lifting his right foot, then making his way to squat down while still swiveling at a fast speed then back up again, and then he halts.
Sunghoon felt a bit amazed that he wasn't able to lose his balance after that rapid twirl. What did he say again? A couple of years of practicing ice skating? How long was his couple of years?
"Surprise huh?" He winked at him, Sunghoon lifted a single brow but it was true he was a bit surprised. "You could do better. . ." replied Sunghoon with a little more sarcasm. "Rude. As if you could do any better."
And what if I told you I did? He said in thought, spending his whole life on that ice, that's what he has always been, he was better – more than better, he was excellent. He has been called an ice knight for nothing. He did not just perform in a grand arena to be called nothing!
But that was it, wasn't it? He can't go to the arena or the finals. With broken bones and legs, this is where he ends up in a wheelchair being called old by someone older than him, and there was nothing he could do.
"So, you are telling me that I can't? Since I'm in —. . . " Sunghoon pointed to every part of him, his frame, his legs, and even his wheelchair.
The young skater must have realized what he had said and quickly he shook both of his hands in shame, he felt awful. "I didn't mean it that way, I'm sorry — I... " He facepalms sometimes he needs to watch his words, he takes a deep breath before trying to speak again but Sunghoon cut him off. "Just continue what you were doing and I'll be off — I'm sorry to disturb you."
"No, you didn't disturb me, I should be the one to say sorry and Thank you for teaching me that axel."
Sunghoon was about to speak when he heard a beep of a car right in front of his house, he turned to see his little sister and his father already home. When he looked back, he saw the young skater skidding off at fuller speed, he was skating away from him.
"Meet me here tomorrow! Same time!!" the young man yelled at Sunghoon.
What? Tomorrow? No way he was going to see him tomorrow, once is enough and once is all it takes.
"I'm Heeseung! Lee Heeseung!" the ice skater yelled again, his voice echoing and fading before he reached the other side — running deep into the woods.
Heeseung, like it was a name he'd remember forever.
