Echoes of Forever - psh

Chapter6

It was clear something was wrong with Nabi that day. She was unusually quiet, her gaze drifting off during class and her usual bright smile replaced by a slight frown. Sunghoon noticed every detail, how she forced a smile whenever he asked if she was alright, her eyes giving away the truth even if her words didn't. He wanted to ask, to comfort her somehow, but he held back, not wanting to push her into saying anything she wasn't ready to share. So he stayed close, silently offering his presence and hoping that, if she wanted, she'd open up.

The day dragged on, with each bell marking the end of one more silent class, and Sunghoon's worry grew. He caught her staring blankly out the window during lunch, a far-off look in her eyes that tugged at his heart. He wanted nothing more than to make that look go away, to bring back her usual brightness.

As the last bell rang and students flooded the halls, Sunghoon stayed by her side, walking with her toward the school gate. Just when he was about to suggest something to cheer her up, she surprised him by turning to him, her voice quiet yet hopeful.

"Do you... want to go to the beach again?" she asked, her gaze meeting his for the first time that day.

Sunghoon's face lit up. "Of course! I'll meet you there in a few?"

She nodded, and they walked out together, falling into a comfortable silence as they headed toward the beach. The sky was a soft orange as the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the quiet shore. They found a spot close to the water, both sitting down and stretching their legs out in the sand, their shoulders just barely touching.

Neither of them spoke, but the silence wasn't awkward; it was a gentle, reassuring quiet that felt right. They simply sat there, watching the waves roll in, the world slowly fading into the colors of dusk.

After a while, Sunghoon finally broke the silence. "Hey, would you want to watch my hockey game sometime?"

Nabi looked at him, a small question mark in her eyes. "You play hockey?"

He chuckled, nodding. "Yeah, I'm on the school team. It's kind of my thing, I guess."

She looked intrigued, a smile slowly spreading across her face. "I had no idea! Since when?"

"Since the day I joined this school. I got in through my hockey skills," he said, unable to hide the hint of pride in his voice. It felt good to share this side of himself with her, a part of his world he hadn't talked about much.

Nabi's smile grew, her eyes lighting up just a bit. "Then, yeah, I'd love to watch."

"Great," he said, grinning. "The game's in two weeks. But, you know, if you want, I could give you a sneak peek of my skills before then. We could go to the ice rink sometime."

She nodded, her smile returning to its usual warmth. "I'd like that."

They sat for a few more minutes, letting the last bits of sunlight disappear over the horizon, and Sunghoon felt his heart beating a little faster, the soft glow of the evening making this moment feel almost dreamlike. Eventually, they both stood up, and he walked with her down the quiet street toward her home.

When they reached her front door, Sunghoon hesitated, not wanting the evening to end. He looked at her, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Thanks for asking me to go to the beach with you today."

She looked down, her cheeks a faint pink. "Thanks for coming with me."

He took a deep breath, gathering his courage. "I'd go anywhere with you, you know?"

Her gaze met his, a flicker of something warm and gentle in her eyes that made his heart skip. She was quiet for a moment, then gave a soft nod. "Goodnight, Sunghoon."

"Goodnight, Nabi," he replied, his voice soft, lingering in the air as she went inside.

As he walked back home, Sunghoon couldn't help but smile, feeling like the luckiest person in the world.

The next day, Sunghoon found himself practically bouncing with energy as he walked to the hockey rink. It was a huge favor to ask, but he was determined. He went up to Coach Sim , who raised an eyebrow at Sunghoon's obvious excitement.

"Coach," he started, a bit breathless, "do you think I could rent the rink for an hour or two on Thursday? Just... it's kind of important."

Coach Sim gave him a knowing smirk. "Got a big date, Park?"

Sunghoon's ears went red. "Not... exactly. I just want to show someone what hockey means to me."

After some persuasion, Coach Sim finally agreed, clapping Sunghoon on the shoulder with a teasing smile. Sunghoon thanked him profusely, relief and excitement buzzing through him as he left.

With the rink sorted, there was one last thing he needed to make the evening perfect. He wanted Nabi to have a great first time on the ice, so he decided to go a little out of his way. He made his way to a small sports shop across town that specialized in skating gear, his heart racing at the thought of picking out something just for her. He wandered through the aisles, running his fingers over the skates, trying to imagine which ones she'd like best.

Finally, he spotted a pair that caught his eye—sleek, white skates with a small floral design etched near the ankles. They were simple, with just a hint of elegance, and he could almost picture her lacing them up with that bright smile of hers. He carefully chose a size that he thought would fit, hoping he remembered her shoe size correctly.

It was silly, really, but he felt a strange warmth spread through him as he made his way to the register, clutching the skates like they were the most important thing in the world. He'd never put this much thought into a gesture before, but he couldn't stop imagining her reaction—how her face might light up when she saw them, how she'd hopefully feel that someone was truly paying attention to the little details about her.

On his way home, Sunghoon kept glancing at the skates in the bag, a soft smile on his face. In his mind, he ran through how he'd give them to her, maybe say something clever. But the truth was, he mostly hoped she'd feel as special as she made him feel, as if the whole world got just a little brighter whenever she was around.

That night, lying in bed, he stared at the ceiling, thinking about how they'd have the rink to themselves, away from everything and everyone. Just him and her. It was so simple yet felt so important, like every small step was leading him somewhere he was meant to be. And that somewhere, he realized, was right beside her.