✓ cold boy next door | p.sh

26

“spring snow”

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the tension in the house was palpable. sunghoon’s mother’s words lingered like a dark cloud, and today, they were about to burst.

“sunghoon, we need to talk,” his mother began as soon as he walked into the living room. her tone was stern, leaving no room for argument.

sunghoon took a deep breath. “i know what this is about, mom.”

“then you understand why this has to stop,” she said, her voice cold. “your involvement with yeoji is a distraction. first, she pushed you to go back in figure skating! and you didn't know if that girl having a secret agenda to manipulate you! you need to focus on your studies and your responsibilities!”

“it’s not a distraction, mom,” sunghoon argued. “yeoji is my friend. she’s important to me, and she will not do your bad thoughts about her.”

his mother’s face twisted with anger. “important? you have responsibilities, sunghoon! look at what happened to your father because of you!”

the words hit him like a punch to the gut. “w-what are you talking about?”

“he had an accident because he was rushing to watch your regional competition,” she spat out. “he died because of you, sunghoon. because you insisted on competing in figure skating. remember your regional competition when you're seven?”

sunghoon’s eyes widened in shock. “that’s not fair, mom. i was a child. how could i have known?”

tears streamed down his mother’s face, but her voice remained harsh. “it’s your fault. and now, you want to go back to figure skating? jay continued it, and it’s enough. i can’t lose another family member to that sport.”

“jay’s not me!” sunghoon shouted, his own tears beginning to fall. “i love skating, mom. you know that. i'm not going to quit because of an accident that wasn’t my fault!”

“don’t you dare talk back to me!” she yelled, her voice breaking. “everything that’s happening now, the regionals, your distractions with yeoji, it’s all because of you! you’re bringing this family down!”

sunghoon couldn’t take it anymore. “i can’t live like this, being blamed for everything! i need to get out of here.”

he stormed out of the house, the door slamming shut behind him. he ran until he reached the nearest park, his tears blurring his vision. collapsing onto a bench, he buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking with sobs.

yeoji was walking home, lost in her thoughts, when she spotted a familiar figure hunched over on a park bench. her heart sank when she recognized sunghoon. without hesitation, she rushed over to him.

“sunghoon,” she called softly, sitting down beside him. “what’s wrong?”

sunghoon looked up, his eyes red and swollen. “yeoji… i can’t… i can’t go back home.”

“what happened?” yeoji asked, her voice gentle.

sunghoon took a shuddering breath. “my mom… she blames me for my dad’s death. she said it’s my fault he had the accident because he was rushing to my competition. she hates that i want to skate again, and she blames me for everything wrong in our family.”

yeoji’s heart ached for him. “sunghoon, that’s not your fault. you were a child. you couldn’t have known.”

“she doesn’t see it that way,” sunghoon whispered, his tears flowing freely now. “i feel so lost, yeoji. i don’t know what to do.”

yeoji reached out, pulling sunghoon into a tight hug. “you’re not alone, sunghoon. i’m here for you. always.”

sunghoon clung to her, his sobs quieting as he found comfort in her embrace. they stayed like that for a while, the world around them fading into the background.

back in the house, sunghoon’s mother sat alone in the living room, her hands shaking. the echoes of their argument replayed in her mind, and she was torn between her grief and her anger. she knew deep down that blaming sunghoon was unfair, but the pain of losing her husband had twisted her perceptions.

in the park, yeoji continued to hold sunghoon, her heart breaking for him. “sunghoon, tell me more. let it out.”

sunghoon took a deep breath, his voice trembling. “i’ve always felt like i was living in jay’s shadow. he’s always been the perfect son, the one who could do no wrong. and when dad died, it felt like everything i loved was taken from me. mom never wanted me to skate again, but it’s the one thing that makes me feel alive.”

“sunghoon,” yeoji said softly, her own tears welling up. “you have every right to pursue what makes you happy. your father’s accident was a tragedy, but it wasn’t your fault. your mom is hurting, but that doesn’t mean she’s right to blame you.”

sunghoon nodded, his tears falling onto yeoji’s shoulder. “i just wish she could see that. i wish she could understand.”

yeoji pulled back slightly, looking into sunghoon’s eyes. “we’ll get through this together. you don’t have to carry this burden alone.”

as they held each other, the first snowflakes of the season began to fall, despite it being spring. the unexpected snowfall was gentle and serene, covering them in a blanket of white.

yeoji looked up, her breath visible in the cold air. “look, sunghoon. the first snow in spring.”

sunghoon lifted his head, his tears mingling with the snowflakes. “it’s beautiful.”

yeoji smiled softly. “just like the new beginnings it brings. we’ll get through this, sunghoon. together.”

sunghoon’s tears continued to fall, but now there was a glimmer of hope in his eyes. “thank you, yeoji. i don’t know what i’d do without you.”

yeoji’s voice was steady and full of conviction. “you’ll never have to find out. i’m here, and i always will be.”

they stood in the falling snow, holding onto each other as if their lives depended on it. and in that moment, amid the cold and the snow, they both felt a warmth that promised a brighter future. the path ahead was still uncertain, but with yeoji by his side, sunghoon felt a strength he hadn’t known before.

but how long this attachment will last?

___

a/n:

i am having love-hate feelings to this chapter 🥲