A garden for two | heehoon

first snow

In the weeks that followed, as the cold of winter crept closer, Heeseung found himself using every spare moment to be with Sunghoon.

He couldn’t bring himself to tell him about his impending departure.

It felt like saying it out loud would break whatever fragile happiness they had left.

Instead, he focused on the present, letting Sunghoon’s laughter and smiles fill the space where his own words fell silent.

They spent hours together, walking through the town, sharing quiet meals, and even watching movies late into the night.

Each moment was tinged with a bittersweet feeling for Heeseung, knowing that his time with Sunghoon was slipping through his fingers like grains of sand.

Heeseung couldn’t bring himself to disrupt the peace of Sunghoon’s world by telling him the truth.

He just wanted to see him happy, to keep that smile on his face for as long as possible.

One afternoon, they found themselves in the kitchen, sitting at the small wooden table, eating leftovers from lunch.

Sunghoon was telling a story about something funny that had happened to one of his friends at practice, his voice animated, his eyes bright with amusement.

Heeseung laughed along, but his mind was far away, weighed down by the thought of leaving.

He tried to push it aside, focusing instead on the way Sunghoon’s lips curved when he smiled, the warmth of his laughter.

Just as Sunghoon finished his story, something outside caught his eye.

He turned his head toward the window, his expression shifting from amusement to wonder.

"It’s snowing.." Sunghoon whispered, his voice soft with awe.

Heeseung followed his gaze, looking out at the gentle flakes drifting down from the sky, the first snow of the season.

It covered the ground in a thin, delicate layer, painting the world outside in a quiet, peaceful white.

Without hesitation, Sunghoon stood up, his eyes wide with excitement, and grabbed Heeseung’s hand.
"Come on!"
He said, a boyish grin spreading across his face as he tugged Heeseung out of his chair.
"Let’s go see it."

Heeseung blinked in surprise, but a smile tugged at his lips as Sunghoon pulled him toward the door.

He hurried to grab his coat, letting Sunghoon’s infectious energy wash over him as they quickly bundled up.

There was something magical about the first snow, a wonder that made everything else fade into the background.

Sunghoon was already bouncing with excitement as they stepped outside, his hand still firmly holding Heeseung’s.

The cold air hit their faces, but neither of them seemed to mind. Sunghoon tilted his head back, letting the snowflakes land on his cheeks, his laughter light and carefree.

Heeseung watched him, his heart full. For a moment, he forgot about everything.

The future, the job, the inevitable goodbye.

All he could think about was how beautiful Sunghoon looked, standing there in the snow, with his eyes shining like stars and his breath coming out in soft, misty puffs.

Sunghoon turned to Heeseung, still grinning.
"Isn’t it beautiful?"
He asked, his voice breathless with excitement.

Heeseung nodded, his chest tight with unspoken emotions.
"Yeah.."
He murmured. "It really is."