Veil Of Shadows //Sunki FF

Chapter Sixteen: Shadows and Secrets

The afternoon was peaceful, but Sunoo's mind was anything but. He walked alongside Niki down a quiet street lined with cherry blossoms, the delicate petals drifting down around them like a whisper of innocence-something Sunoo feared he'd lost long ago. Their arms brushed now and then as they walked, and each gentle touch sent a jolt through him, reminding him just how much he wanted Niki to see him as something other than... what he really was.

Niki looked over, a small smile tugging at his lips as he caught Sunoo glancing away. "You're a mystery, you know that?" he murmured, voice warm and inviting.

Sunoo felt his heart twist with an ache he couldn't quite name. "Maybe it's better that way," he replied softly, attempting to keep the dark thoughts at bay. But Niki's gaze was unrelenting, his eyes steady and sincere.

"Is it, though?" Niki asked, studying him closely. "I like getting to know you."

Sunoo's chest tightened, a conflict brewing within him. He longed for this-the connection, the warmth, the trust-but he knew the risks. Just a few days ago, he'd been following another man down these streets, setting the trap that would lead to the man's demise, a man who saw him only as a face, a body, and nothing more.

He could still feel the ghost of his actions like a stain he couldn't wash off.

"Sometimes I think you're just playing games with me," Niki said, breaking the silence, his tone teasing but his eyes carrying a flicker of something deeper.

"What do you mean?" Sunoo asked, attempting a smile, though it felt forced.

"You pull me in," Niki said, his gaze intense. "But then you hold back, like you're afraid of something."

Sunoo's smile faltered. Niki's words cut too close to the truth, and he felt exposed, vulnerable in a way he hadn't expected. "Maybe you're just seeing what you want to see," he replied, trying to deflect.

But Niki was relentless. "Or maybe I'm seeing more than you realize."

They stopped walking, the quiet of the street enveloping them as they faced each other. Sunoo's heart pounded, the weight of his secret pressing down on him. He wanted to tell Niki everything, to confide in him, to believe that he could be accepted, even loved, for who he was beneath the mask. But he couldn't. How could he reveal that he was the one responsible for the black roses, for the fear gripping the city?

"You don't know me as well as you think," Sunoo said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.

Niki took a step closer, closing the space between them until they were inches apart. "Then show me," he challenged, his gaze unwavering. "Show me who you really are."

Sunoo's pulse raced, and for a moment, he felt a surge of recklessness, a desire to abandon the walls he'd built around himself. He felt Niki's hand touch his cheek, warm and grounding, pulling him closer to a reality he thought he could never have.

In a single, swift movement, Niki leaned in, his lips brushing against Sunoo's in a tentative kiss. Sunoo's mind spun, his resolve crumbling as he melted into the warmth, the softness, the trust in Niki's touch.

But the moment shattered too soon. Images of the men he'd killed, the dark deeds he'd hidden, flooded his mind, snapping him back to reality. He pulled away, eyes wide and breathing shallow.

"I... I'm sorry," he stammered, stepping back. "I can't... I can't do this."

Niki's expression softened, but there was confusion and hurt in his eyes. "Sunoo... whatever it is, you don't have to face it alone."

But he couldn't. He couldn't drag Niki into the darkness that clung to him like a shadow. Sunoo took another step back, the pain of leaving nearly unbearable. "I don't deserve that," he whispered, voice breaking. "I don't deserve you."

Before Niki could say another word, Sunoo turned and walked away, each step feeling like a knife twisting in his chest. He kept his face blank, his posture calm, but inside, he was crumbling.

---

Later That Night

Sunoo sat in his dimly lit apartment, the shadows creeping in from every corner. His phone buzzed beside him, and he saw Niki's name flash on the screen. He wanted to pick it up, to explain, to say everything he'd been holding back. But he couldn't risk it.

Instead, he scrolled through the photos on his phone, lingering on a picture they'd taken together just days ago, laughing in the sun. The image was a reminder of the light he could never truly have.

The next message that came through wasn't from Niki-it was from an unknown number.

> "More will come. You know what to do."

The words sent a chill down his spine. He knew what they meant, the silent demand hidden within them. He was to find the next target, the next shallow man whose intentions went no further than appearances. And for a moment, Sunoo's anger flared, memories of his father flashing through his mind-the man who had only seen his mother's beauty, who had discarded her and abandoned them.

But as he thought of Niki, he felt a painful clarity. The idea of being seen, of being loved, of breaking free from the cycle of violence-it felt more tempting than ever. The pull between his desire to rid the world of men who saw others as objects, and his own desperate need for connection, threatened to tear him apart.

Taking a deep breath, he typed out a quick message.

> "Tomorrow. Same place."

With that, he put his phone away and sank back into the shadows, wondering if there was still any chance to find his way back into the light.