YOU'RE A FIGURE SKATER!!! | SunSun

IX. Different

It feels awkward, and he cringes, feeling like an outlander or a lost child going up to a door and banging it due to fear but Sunghoon can't ignore the bubbling memories and nostalgia that he drags along as he approaches the large double doors once again - but this time he's alone and perhaps that's why he feels so out of place.

Sunghoon never usually came to the skating rink alone - it was the only place where he felt important enough to carry a group of friends - well more like a friend - but he digresses. This time coming up to these double doors reminds him of the time he hung up his coat and hit the road rather than the elation he experienced last, he feels a wave of sadness and anger. The last time he showed someone the beauty and art that scratching blades on ice truly was they became the reason he saw the sport as just that - a sport. A sport that wasn't worth playing anymore.

He shivers and sneers his lip at the horrible thought - he quit on his terms. That song played in his ears day in and day out until even he couldn't deny the words and he thought he did believe the lie; he thought he had been blitzed into a different reality or dimension that these words were true and when he thought that rein of torture was over-

Suddenly, Sunghoon pierces his skin with the edges of his sharp nails so deeply that even holding them for five seconds was enough to create deep red marks on his pale skin. He wished to press them down long enough to draw blood, but he was too weak and too afraid of the sting and pain, no matter how much he wanted to forget he was still a coward.

But this time, it had to be different - it must be different. Sunghoon didn't know why but it just was or maybe that was just another lie he was telling himself to avoid the questioning behind his dicey feelings and the way he couldn't stop finding himself back to the ice rink he thought he had driven away from. Was it his face, his eyes or maybe it was just him longing for this passion he was forced away from?

He sighs and swears under his breath, taking a second to look around at the inconspicuous strangers darting to and fro from the bleak and barren streets. Sunghoon shudders when the sun finally hits his face and skin and bends to the darting rays, he forces his head down and stares at the elongated shadow that they created. He stares at the way it moulds and bends and breaks and for some reason, Sunghoon can't help but dig into the ground to find its eyes and ask - is it different this time?

"Here goes nothing," Sunghoon peels his eyes away from the shadow and a smile finds its way onto his lips when he knocks on door, only to remember there's also a doorbell.

"Sunghoon!" Coach Lee almost immediately opens the doors for him before he can look around and ponder on life once again. "It's so good to see you again so soon - I'm so glad you picked up my call, I can't believe you didn't change your number after all these years," He pats his back softly with a hearty laugh and Sunghoon nods along, feeling like a teenager once again.

"So, what do you need me to do?" He looks around Coach Lee's office and tries to suppress the weird waft of sadness that fills his lungs once again, the heat-pressed smile does him well enough though.

He laughs and smiles widely, getting out of his chair just after sitting in it simply to place his hands on both Sunghoon's shoulders, "You've already helped me so much!"

"What-"

"The contract, you left it for me when I was teaching my toddler class," Coach Lee opened his draw and took out the contract, pointing at the signature on each of the three pages, and Sunghoon noticed how the note he had written at the edge of the last paper was scribbled clean, "who else would've known that perfect timing?"

At that, Sunghoon can't help but laugh and a flicker of a real smile finally sparks the fluttering and tingling feeling that emerges from his chest when thinking about Sunoo managing to slip by unnoticed by Coach Lee out of pure coincidence.