Admiring From Afar || SoonHoon AU

24

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as they skated around the park, hoshi and woozi couldn't stop laughing and enjoying each other's company. hoshi fell countless times, his laughter ringing through the air each time he hit the ground. woozi, on the other hand, glided effortlessly, his movements graceful and controlled.

"jihoonie, how did you not fall the whole time?!" hoshi exclaimed after he had just landed ass-first on the ground

woozi chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eye. " maybe it's because I'm just better than you at everything," he teased, skating circles around hoshi with ease.

hoshi pouted playfully, but his eyes sparkled with admiration for the talented younger boy. despite his competitive nature, he couldn't help but be impressed by woozi's skills in roller skates.

as they continued to skate, their laughter echoed through the park, drawing curious glances from passersby. for a moment, it felt like nothing else mattered except the two of them, lost in their own little world of joy and friendship.

but then, a shadow fell over them as a new figure approached. ji-ae, the new junior who had recently joined their school, stopped by the edge of the park and called out to woozi.

"woozing! hey, can i talk to you for a minute?" ji-ae said, his voice friendly but tinged with a hint of nervousness.

hoshi's mile faltered as he watched the interaction. he had never trusted ji-ae, suspecting that there was more to him than met the eye. his dislike for the new junior ran deep, because he was simply talking to the younger. hoshi a few incidents where he had tried to undermine ji-ae and get him in trouble.

trouble such as sneaking into ji-ae's bedroom while he was sleeping and getting his fingerprint, then using that to accuse him of stealing something from the bank. what a crazy guy, am i right?

woozi glanced back at hoshi with a questioning look before nodding at ji-ae. "sure, what's up?" he replied, gliding over to where ji-ae stood.

hoshi's heart clenched with a mix of jealousy, anger, and concern. what could ji-ae possibly want with woozi? was he trying to come between them or cause trouble?

as hoshi watched from a distance, unable to hear their conversation over the din of the park, he felt a surge of protectiveness towards woozi. he couldn't bear the thought of anyone hurting or manipulating his future husband, especially someone like ji-ae.

after a few minutes of talking, woozi returned to hoshi's side, a thoughtful expression on his face. hoshi couldn't help but ask, "what did he want?"

woozi hesitated for a moment before replying, "he just wanted to ask about some lecture stuff. nothing important."

but hoshi could sense that there was more to it than that. he knew woozi way too well enough to recognize when something was bothering him. despite his own reservations about ji-ae, hoshi decided to trust woozi's judgment for now and let the matter rest.

as they continued to skate around the rink, the atmosphere between them shifted slightly. there was an unspoken tension lingering in the air, overshadowing the carefree fun they had been having earlier.

hoshi tried to shake off his unease and focus on enjoying the moment with woozi. he couldn't let his suspicions about ji-ae ruin their day together. but deep down, a nagging voice in his mind warned him to stay vigilant.

hours passed as they skated and laughed together, the sun beginning to dip below the horizon. eventually, they decided to take a break and sat on a bench near the edge of the rink, catching their breath.

woozi turned to hoshi with a soft smile. "thanks for today, soonyoung. i had a lot of fun."

hoshi's eart skipped a beat at the sincerity in woozi's eyes. he wanted to tell him how much he enjoyed their time together, how much he cherished their friendship. but before he could find the words, ji-ae appeared once again, this time with a group of friends in tow.

"hey woozi, mind introducing me to your friend here?" ji-ae said casually, gesturing towards hoshi.

hoshi's jaw clenched as he forced a smile and nodded in greeting. he could feel ji-ae's eyes assessing him, a smirk playing on his lips that set hoshi on edge.

woozi hesitated for a moment before saying, "this is hoshi. he's been my best friend since primary school."

ji-ae raised an eyebrow, his gaze lingering on hoshi for a moment too long. "ah, nice to meet you, hoshi. i've heard a lot about you."

hoshi's instincts screamed at him to be cautious around ji-ae. he knew that the new junior had a way of worming his way into people's lives and causing chaos wherever he went. but he also didn't want to cause any tension between himself and woozi.

forcing himself to stay calm, hoshi replied politely, "nice to meet you too, ji-ae."

the rest of the evening passed in a blur of awkward small talk and strained smiles. hoshi tried his best to ignore ji-ae's presence and focus on enjoying the time he had with woozi. but every time he caught sight of ji-ae whispering something to woozi or exchanging knowing glances with him, a knot formed in his stomach.

as the night grew darker and the park began to empty out, hoshi knew that it was time to say goodbye. he stood up from the bench and turned to woozi with a wistful smile.

"i should probably head home now," hoshi said, trying to keep his voice light despite the heaviness in his chest.

woozi stood up as well, his expression tinged with regret. "yeah, me too. thanks again for today, youngie."

hoshi nodded, trying to push down the wave of disappointment that threatened to overwhelm him. he knew that he couldn't keep woozi all to himself and that their time together was limited. but it didn't make saying goodbye any easier.

As they walked towards the park entrance together, ji-ae suddenly stepped in front of them, blocking their path.

"hey guys, do you want to hang out with us for a bit longer?" ji-ae asked with a sly grin.

hoshi's heart sank as he realized what ji-ae was trying to do.

he was trying to insert himself into their friendship, to drive a wedge between him and woozi.

before hoshi could protest or come up with an excuse, woozi hesitated for a moment before replying, "actually, we have plans already. maybe next time."

ji-ae's smile faltered for a split second before he recovered and nodded. "sure thing. see you guys around."

as they finally managed to walk past ji-ae and make their way out of the park, hoshi felt a mix of relief and frustration swirling inside him. he knew that ji-ae wouldn't give up easily and that he would have to be on guard in the days to come.

but as he glanced at woozi walking beside him, chatting animatedly about something that had caught his interest, hoshi couldn't help but feel grateful for their friendship. no matter what challenges lay ahead, he knew that as long as they had each other, they could face anything together.

and with that thought in mind, they walked out of the park and into the night, their laughter echoing in the darkness as they headed home, hand in hand.

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