my favorite stalker | heehoon

scared to say it

The next day, as sunlight filtered through the apartment, casting soft shadows across the floor, Heeseung found himself alone.

Sunghoon had left for work earlier, his usual lingering kiss on Heeseung's forehead, along with a promise to return early.

The apartment felt different without Sunghoon’s presence.

Quieter, but not lonely.

Heeseung felt an eagerness stirring in him, a sense of freedom he hadn’t felt in a long time.

He sat by the window, fingers tapping the table in a rhythmic pattern.

His gaze drifted to his streaming setup, neatly arranged on the desk. It had been so long since he had gone live, interacted with his audience, and shared his world with them.

The thought of reconnecting excited and terrified him in equal measure. But today, he wanted to reclaim that part of himself.

With a deep breath, Heeseung moved to his desk and powered up his computer.

The familiar hum brought a smile to his lips as the screen flickered to life. He checked his camera, ensuring it was angled perfectly, and glanced at the chat window that would soon be filled with messages.

Taking a final breath to calm his nerves, he clicked the button to start streaming.

The screen transitioned from his "Starting Soon" screen to a live view of him, sitting in his familiar chair.

For a brief moment, Heeseung just looked at the camera, his heart pounding in his chest.

Then, the chat began to flood with messages.

"Heeseung! You’re back!"
"OMG, we missed you!"
"It’s been so long, are you okay?"

Heeseung couldn’t help but smile at the outpouring of affection.

It warmed him to see his viewers again, to feel that connection he'd been missing.

“Hey, guys.” Heeseung’s voice was soft but steady, his familiar warmth returning.
“I’m so sorry for taking such a long time off. I really missed all of you, and streaming in general. Things have just been... complicated.”

The chat exploded with questions, but also with supportive messages.

"You don’t need to explain! We’re just happy you’re back!"
"Take all the time you need, we’re here for you!"
"Glad to see you doing well, Heeseung!"

Heeseung felt a lump form in his throat at the kindness his audience showed him.

They didn’t press for details, didn’t demand answers.

They were simply happy to see him, and that made his heart swell with gratitude.

“Thank you, really.” Heeseung’s voice wavered with emotion, but he quickly steadied himself.
“It means the world to me that you’re all still here.”

He eased into the stream, talking to his audience as if no time had passed.

The awkwardness he had anticipated faded as he slipped back into his natural rhythm.

After catching up with his viewers, he launched a game.

Something simple, yet nostalgic, to ease himself back into the routine.

As the familiar music filled the room, Heeseung's fingers found their rhythm on the keyboard and mouse, the stress of the past weeks melting away with each move he made in the game.

The chat flowed with playful banter and inside jokes, just like it used to. Heeseung responded with smiles and laughter, his spirits lifted by the easygoing nature of the stream.