People Watching ★ 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐒𝐮𝐧

11: The obligatory over-dramatic chapter

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Memories can be persistent, like shadows that cling to your mind, refusing to leave. Sunoo was caught in one of those shadows—Sunghoon's teary eyes. It had been two days, but the image wouldn't fade. It stayed with him, an unwelcome guest lodged deep in his thoughts.

Frustrated, Sunoo sat up abruptly and hit the side of his head, as if the motion could somehow dislodge the memory. "Why am I still thinking about him?" he muttered under his breath. But he knew. Tears are hard to forget, especially when they don't belong to you.

Kicking his legs beneath the blanket, the frustration in his chest tightened. "I can't take this anymore!" he shouted into the void of his room, the sound bouncing off the walls, but offering no relief. He lay back down, staring blankly at the ceiling, knowing that the feeling wasn't going anywhere. It clung to him, thick like the night air.

Was it pity? Guilt? Something else entirely? He couldn't pin it down.

A voice broke through his thoughts, drawing him back to the present. His younger brother, Niki, stood at the door, a smirk on his face. "Can't do what?" he asked with an innocence that didn't match his mischievous grin.

Sunoo's irritation flared. Without thinking, he threw a pillow at Niki, but his brother easily dodged it. Of course he did. Agility ran in their family. Niki laughed, strolling over to the bed and plopping down beside him as if nothing had happened.

"Why are you here?" Sunoo grumbled, his voice echoing through the quiet house.

Niki shrugged, leaning back on his elbows. "I live here too, remember? And whatever you're yelling about, I can hear it all the way downstairs." His head tilted to the side, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Sunoo groaned, his head drooping. Niki's grin widened as he nudged him playfully. "Let me guess... the 'bad boy' didn't fall for you?"

That was the final straw. Sunoo shoved Niki hard, sending him tumbling off the bed with a loud thud and a yelp of surprise.

"Alright, alright, I'll stop!" Niki said, rubbing his side as he climbed back to his feet. "But seriously, you can talk to me, you know. I'm your brother." He paused, his usual teasing replaced by a rare flicker of sincerity. "I don't like seeing you like this."

Sunoo sat up, the weight of his thoughts tugging at him. He slid off the bed to sit on the floor beside Niki. "So you do love me," he teased, reaching for a hug.

Niki quickly pushed him away, holding up a hand. "Hey, stop with the mushy stuff! Just tell me what's wrong."

Sunoo hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. "What would you do if someone you hated took the blame for you, and now you feel guilty because they got in trouble?"

Niki raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching into a smirk. "Wow. Uh..." He flipped his hair with exaggerated flair, crossing his arms as if deep in thought. "Why don't you just ask them why they did it? Might be the easiest way to figure things out."

Sunoo frowned, clearly unimpressed. "Did you not hear me? I hate him! I can't just walk up to him and say, 'Hey man, why'd you cry for me?'" He shook his head, as if the absurdity of the idea should have been obvious.

Niki leaned back, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "You're right, that sounds insane." He paused for dramatic effect, then added, "But hey, sometimes the crazy stuff pays off."

Sunoo blinked, caught off guard by the response. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Niki only shrugged as he stood, walking toward the door. "I don't know. You figure it out." With that, he left, leaving Sunoo alone in the dimly lit room, the weight of his brother's words hanging in the air.

Sunoo groaned, stomping his foot like a child. "What does that even mean?" he yelled after him, but deep down, he knew Niki's suggestion wasn't completely ridiculous. He hated that it made sense.

Checking his phone, he saw it was Sunday afternoon—the perfect time to find Sunghoon. The suspense was driving him mad, and he needed answers.

Without another thought, he grabbed his coat and dashed downstairs. As he reached for the door, his mother called out from the kitchen, "Sunoo! Come eat!"

"Later, Mom!" he shouted back, throwing on his shoes and bolting out the door. He didn't have time for anything else.

As he sprinted through the cold evening air, the wind bit at his skin, and the dimming light cast long shadows over the streets. His breath came out in sharp bursts, the cold settling into his bones, but he didn't care. The faster he ran, the more determined he became.

Suddenly, a splash of cold water hit his shoulder. Startled, Sunoo looked up to see an old woman standing at her window, a bucket in her hand. "Oh dear! I'm so sorry!" she called out, her voice filled with concern. Sunoo offered a weak smile, brushing the water off his coat as best he could, and kept running.

Despite everything, one thought clung to him like a second skin—why had Sunghoon taken the blame? He had to know.

When he finally reached the park, the quiet was almost suffocating, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves. Sunoo's eyes scanned the area until they landed on a figure sitting on a swing, hood pulled low, shoulders hunched. The air around him was thick with stillness, and something about the way Sunghoon sat there felt... eternal, like he was trapped in time.

Sunoo didn't hesitate. He marched forward, calling out, "Hey, emo!" The words echoed in the empty park, but Sunghoon didn't look up.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

For the lazy, by yours truly 11 ʚ(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )ɞ

Chapter summary: Feeling frustrated, Sunoo talked to Niki about what happened with Sunghoon. Niki, being the icon he is, suggested that Sunoo confront Sunghoon. So, Sunoo did just that.