candid clicks | lee heeseung

08: subtle hint of jealousy?

YESEUL AND Sunghoon walked side by side as they made their way back to the apartment building, the evening air now cooler with the sun completely set. The lights from the surrounding  buildings cast a soft glow on the streets, creating a quiet, almost serene atmosphere. Yeseul held the small bag from the cosmetic shop, her thoughts still lingering on the unexpected yet pleasant moments she'd shared with Sunghoon.

As they approached the apartment complex, Yeseul noticed a familiar figure leaning against the entrance gate. Her heart skipped a beat when she recognized Heeseung, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable in the dim light. He was staring straight at them, and the intensity of made her instinctively slow her pace.

Sunghoon noticed her hesitation and followed her gaze, his own expression shifting slightly when he saw Heeseung waiting for them. His usual easygoing demeanor seemed to tense, the relaxed atmosphere of the day suddenly charged with an undercurrent of tension.

Heeseung's eyes flicked to Sunghoon, then back to Yeseul before finally settling on his brother. "Sunghoon," he started, his voice steady but carrying  an edge that Yeseul hadn't heard before. "You were hanging out with her?"

Sunghoon straightened, his earlier lightness replaced with a more serious tone. "Yeah," he replies, his voice firm yet calm. "Why does it matter?"

Heeseung's gaze hardened, and though his posture remained casual, the tension between the two was palpable. "Just didn't expect to see you with her," he said quietly, his words carrying a weight that made Yeseul shift uncomfortably. She felt like an outsider in their silent exchange, the air thick with unspoken words.

Sensing that things were quickly becoming awkward, Yeseul cleared her throat softly. "I think I should go...good night," she murmured more to herself than to either of them. The tension was suffocating, and the last thing she wanted was to be caught in the middle of whatever was brewing between Sunghoon and Heeseung.

She offered a small, awkward smile before turning to leave, clutching the bag tighter as she walked past Heeseung. She could feel his eyes on her, but she didn't dare look back. The last thing she saw as she hurried into the building was Sunghoon standing his ground, facing his brother with a determined look.

Once Yeseul was out of sight, the silence between the two men deepened. Sunghoon was the first to break it, his voice low but laced with irritation. "Why do you even hate her so much?"

Heeseung's jaw tightened at the question. He kept his gaze fixed on the spot where Yeseul had disappeared, his thoughts clearly somewhere else. When he finally spoke, there was a hint of something- maybe frustration, maybe regret- beneath his cool exterior. "It's not that I hate her," he said slowly, his tone measured. "She just...gets under my skin."

Sunghoon raised an eyebrow, not entirely convinced. "That's not a good enough reason to treat her the way you do," he shot back. His voice held a protective edge, surprising even himself.

Heeseung shifted slightly, finally meeting his brother's gaze. "Maybe it isn't," he admitted, his voice softening just a fraction. There was something else in his eyes now, something that hinted at emotions he wasn't ready to fully acknowledge. "But seeing you with her..."

Sunghoon noticed the way Heeseung's words trailed off, the way his eyes flickered with a brief, almost imperceptible hint of jealousy. It was subtle, but it was there- enough for Sunghoon to catch it.

Heeseung shook his head, trying to brush off the feelings he didn't want to admit to, even to himself. "Just be careful, Sunghoon. That's all I'm saying."

Sunghoon frowned, not quite understanding the warning but sensing the underlying concern in his tone. "What are you trying to even imply?," he said, his voice steady. "She's not as fragile as you think of her to be."

Heeseung didn't respond immediately, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. When he finally spoke, his voice was quieter, almost resigned. "Nevermind, forget what I just said."

With that, the tension seemed to ease slightly, though it didn't fully disappear. The air between them remained charged with the unsaid, the unacknowledged. Without another word, Heeseung turned and walked away, leaving Sunghoon standing alone outside the building.

Sunghoon watched him go, his mind racing with questions. He didn't fully understand that what was going on with Heeseung, but one thing was clear- there was more to his brother's feelings towards Yeseul than he was letting on.

🎞˙✧˖°📷 ༘ ⋆｡˚

(a/n: not very demure, not very careful, heeseung. dw guys, just wait for heeseung and yeseul's moments too)