Our Story | HaJeongwoo

Our Beginning | Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Shift

The first official day of summer was a harmony of sunlight, laughter, and the sweet scent of chlorine.

Haruto and Jeongwoo had claimed their usual spots on the rickety wooden bench overlooking the town pool. The water shimmered invitingly, a turquoise oasis in the heart of the bustling neighborhood.

Haruto was the first to dive in, his body cutting through the water with graceful precision. Jeongwoo followed, the cold water shocking his system but invigorating his senses. They spent hours swimming, racing, and splashing each other, their laughter echoing through the humid air.

As the sun began its descent, casting long shadows across the pool, they sprawled out on their towels, the warmth of the day still lingering on their skin. Haruto couldn't shake the feeling of something different between them. It was as if an invisible current was pulling them closer, and he was both excited and terrified by the prospect.

"Remember that old oak tree by the creek?" Jeongwoo asked, his voice barely audible over the gentle lapping of the water.

Haruto nodded, a smile curving his lips. "How could I forget? We spent hours up there, pretending to be pirates."

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, the memories of their childhood flooding back.

Haruto found himself studying Jeongwoo's profile. The sunlight caught his hair, turning it into a halo of gold. His eyes were closed, his face serene.

At that moment, Haruto felt a surge of something he couldn't quite name. It was a mix of admiration, longing, and a strange sense of familiarity.

A playful splash from Jeongwoo broke the spell. Haruto laughed, the sound echoing through the quiet evening.

"Falling for me now, aren't you?" Jeongwoo playfully said.

Oh. But Haruto froze and his breath hitched for a second.

"That's just weird. Right?" Jeongwoo continued, earning a push from Haruto.

"Pfft. Me," Haruto pointed at himself. "..falling for you? Dream on." He scoffed before starting to get up.

Jeongwoo held onto his left arm, stopping him. "Dont get up yet. I'm comfortable like this. Let's stay like this for a while."

Haruto stared at him as Jeongwoo gazed back.

There it is again.

Haruto started to feel the heat on his cheeks and immediately looked away and pulled his hand out of Jeongwoo's hand.

"Alright, no need to grab me." He stammered.

Jeongwoo laughed and reached for Haruto's hair, playing with it.

"You can touch my hair but don't mess it up!" Haruto said, pushing Jeongwoo's hand out of his hair.

"Ssh! Stop fussing! I'm just braiding your hair."

"Sing for me then." Haruto pointed a finger on him, closing their distance. But Jeongwoo shakes his head.

"But I want to hear you sing." Haruto cooed.

"How about a kiss for a song?" Jeongwoo suggested.

Haruto scoffed at him. "I let you mess my hair up. And now, you want an exchange for your song?"

"Yah! Singing can tire my voice, you know. Plus, you're having a VIP private concert of Park Jeongwoo." Jeongwoo replied.

Haruto faces the front. His heart was beating loud. Jeongwoo had always been a flirt and scarily he's now flustered with his words.

"Are you... blushing?" Jeongwoo asked, going in front of Haruto to see his face.

"Get off!" Haruto pushed him but Jeongwoo hugged him from behind.

"You're blushing!"

"I'm not!"

"Yes you are!"

As they banter, the conversation flowed easily, punctuated by bursts of laughter. But beneath the surface, a new layer of complexity was emerging. Every touch, every glance, was charged with a subtle electricity.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the world in soft hues of pink and orange, Haruto and Jeongwoo walked home together. The air was cool and refreshing, the night sky filled with twinkling stars.

"I had fun today," Jeongwoo said, his voice soft.

Haruto nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. "Me too."

They walked in silence for a moment, the only sound the crunch of gravel beneath their feet.

"The sky looked really pretty." Jeongwoo muttered as he looked up in awe.

Haruto followed but it eventually landed on Jeongwoo. "You're prettier though." He whispered.

Jeongwoo smacked him.

"What was that for?" Haruto hissed.

"You're being weird." Jeongwoo said, turning his back on him.

"Me? When I'm doing it it's weird but if you do, it's witty?" Haruto argued, huffing and earning a nod from Jeongwoo.

"Unbelievable" Haruto muttered.

Jeongwoo was about to open his mouth when a phone call erupted.

"Who is it?" Haruto asked and Jeongwoo mouthed 'Mom'.

"Mom?" Jeongwoo asked on the phone, looking at Haruto who's playing with the hem of his shirt.

"Yeah, I'm with Harut- Hana?"

Haruto glanced at him. He hasn't met Hana but he knew she had some kind of connection with Jeongwoo. Haruto never really had the chance to ask since he thought waiting for his friend to say it himself was better.

Oh, but how his heart clenched with an unfamiliar feeling just by hearing Hana's name.

"Alright, I'll be right there." Jeongwoo said before ending the call.

"So..?"

"I need to go home quickly, Haru. Mom wanted me there like right now. I'll send a message later!" Jeongwoo hurriedly said, leaving the nodding Haruto alone.

As they parted ways at the corner of their streets, Haruto turned to look at Jeongwoo one last time. In the fading light, Jeongwoo's silhouette was etched against the sky, a solitary figure that held the promise of endless possibilities.

As Haruto walked home, he couldn't shake the feeling that something extraordinary was about to happen. And for the first time, he was both excited and terrified by the unknown.