Echoes of Forever - psh

Chapter8

Sunghoon's heart skipped a beat as he saw Nabi step out of his bathroom, wearing his oversized shirt and a pair of shorts. She looked effortlessly beautiful, her hair still slightly damp from the rain, and Sunghoon couldn't help but stare, feeling his face heat up as he took in the sight of her in his clothes. It was a simple thing, really, but something about her looking so at home in his things made his chest ache in a way he couldn't explain.

Noticing his gaze, Nabi raised an eyebrow and gave him a teasing smile. "What's up, Mr. Cool? Do I look that weird in your clothes?"

Sunghoon quickly snapped out of his trance, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to keep his cool. "Uh, no, no—you look fine! I mean... good," he stumbled, trying to keep his voice steady.

She laughed, watching as he turned redder by the second, and then her eyes started to wander around his room. "I didn't expect you to have this many books, though," she mused, running her fingers along the spines of a few well-worn novels on his shelf. "Guess there's a whole side of you I don't know about, huh?"

Sunghoon shrugged, still feeling flustered. "Yeah, well... people have layers, right?" He tried to sound casual, but the thought of her finding out about the smaller, quieter parts of him only made his heart race more.

She picked up one of his books, flipping through the pages with curiosity. "I'll give it to you—you're full of surprises, Sunghoon."

Before he could respond, his mom's voice drifted up from the kitchen. "Sunghoon, Nabi! Dinner's ready!"

Nabi looked over at him, raising her eyebrows. "Your mom made dinner for us?"

He nodded, grateful for the change in topic. "Yeah, she's... she's really nice like that. You'll love her cooking."

They made their way to the dining room, and as soon as they entered, his mom gave Nabi a warm smile. "Oh, I'm so glad you could join us for dinner, Nabi," she said, pulling out a chair for her. "It's not often Sunghoon brings friends over."

Nabi grinned, taking the seat with a small, grateful bow. "Thank you so much for having me, Mrs. Park! This looks amazing."

Sunghoon watched as his mom gave him a look—a knowing, almost mischievous look that said I know exactly what's going on here. She wasn't about to say it out loud, but he knew his mom had figured out his feelings. Still, she kept quiet, simply smiling as she served them.

The dinner was warm and lively, with Nabi and his mom chatting about everything from school to hobbies to Sunghoon's embarrassing childhood stories. Sunghoon could only sit there, helplessly red as his mom revealed little things he thought he'd buried, like the time he tried to impress his kindergarten crush by stuffing a whole cookie in his mouth—only to choke.

"I cannot believe you did that!" Nabi laughed, covering her mouth as she giggled. "You really are something, Park Sunghoon."

Sunghoon groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Mom, you're supposed to be on my side..."

His mom only laughed, reaching over to pat his shoulder. "I'm always on your side, sweetheart," she teased before turning back to Nabi. "But, Nabi, thank you for being here. It's lovely to see Sunghoon around someone he's so close to. He doesn't bring just anyone over, you know."

Nabi smiled, glancing at Sunghoon, who looked about ready to disappear into the floor. "Well, I'm glad to be here. Sunghoon's been a great friend."

After dinner, Sunghoon walked Nabi to the door, feeling a strange sadness settle over him as they stepped outside. The evening air was cool, the stars barely visible in the dim glow of the streetlights. Nabi looked up, the night reflecting in her eyes as she took a deep breath.

"This was really nice," she said softly, glancing at him. "Thanks for everything, Sunghoon."

He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly feeling shy. "Yeah, of course. Any time." Then, gathering his courage, he added, "And, you know... if anything's ever bothering you again, you can talk to me. Really. I'm here for you."

Nabi looked at him, her expression softening. For a moment, she just stared at him, as if taking in his sincerity, and then she nodded. "Thank you, Sunghoon. I really appreciate that."

They stood there for a moment, just smiling at each other, before she finally turned to leave. But before she went, she paused and looked back at him. "Goodnight, Sunghoon. And... I'll take you up on that offer, okay?"

He nodded, watching as she walked up the steps to her door. "Goodnight, Nabi."

As he headed home, he couldn't shake the feeling of warmth and happiness that lingered from their evening together. It was in the small things—the way she'd laughed at his stories, the way she'd made his usually quiet home feel alive, the way she'd looked at him with a trust he rarely saw from others.

Sunghoon knew then, more than ever, that he wanted to be there for her. Whatever it took, however long it took, he was willing to wait.