WILD HEART | SEOJUN X SUHO | TRUE BEAUTY

CH7

SuHo watched as the sun bid farewell to the city, tinting the sky with warm hues that contrasted with the cool breeze coming through the window. From his seat by the window, everything seemed calm, but inside him, a storm lingered, refusing to dissipate. He had assumed that, with time, things would improve, that the void he felt would be filled with the sweet experiences shared with JuKyung. And, in many respects, yes, everything was going well. His relationship with her was stable, full of tender moments and genuine laughter, but behind that apparent stability, something was amiss.

He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to dispel the sensation, but it was futile. That emptiness remained, and every time he tried to name it, the same image invaded his mind: Han SeoJun.

SuHo frowned and moved away from the window, walking towards the table where a cup of tea had long since gone cold. He couldn't remember exactly when he had stopped seeing SeoJun regularly, but since the boy had distanced himself, something had changed in his life, something that troubled him. Why? The question echoed in his mind, and although he tried to ignore it, it always returned, like a persistent melody he couldn't forget.

He recalled how easy it had been to get angry with SeoJun, with his sharp comments and constant presence that seemed to seek out reasons to provoke him. Sometimes he found him exasperating, other times simply irritating. However, now, in his absence, everything seemed less colourful. The routine, once peppered with unexpected encounters and confrontations, now felt empty and flat.

He placed his hands on the edge of the table and sighed. Why was he thinking so much about SeoJun? Shouldn't he be more focused on his relationship with JuKyung? Things were going well with her, yet every time they were together, that feeling of emptiness accompanied him. It was as if something was missing from his life, something that had once been there, and now, in its absence, became more noticeable. And that "something" had a name and a face: Han SeoJun.

He collapsed into one of the kitchen chairs and recalled one of the last encounters he had with SeoJun. It had been as always: filled with sharp comments, with that spark in his eyes that SuHo found annoying yet intriguing. Why did he always make him feel so... unsettled? At that moment, he hadn't thought much of it. He assumed it was simply part of their natural rivalry, a matter of opposing personalities. But now, in the distance, those moments took on new significance.

What was it that bothered him so much? Or was it really annoyance he felt? Since SeoJun had left, everything had been quieter, yet that emptiness gnawed at him. It was as if life had lost a bit of its flavour.

He ran a hand through his hair, trying to clear his thoughts. It made no sense. It was absurd that someone like SeoJun, who always seemed intent on making him uncomfortable, had become a kind of ghostly presence in his life. He should feel relieved, but he didn't.

He remembered another moment, one in which, without meaning to, their gazes had crossed for longer than was comfortable. There had been something in the way SeoJun looked at him, as if he knew something he did not. In that instant, he had taken it as a challenging gesture, as part of the game of provocations that always seemed to be in play between them. But now, in hindsight, that look took on another meaning. What had SeoJun meant with that gaze?

SuHo abruptly stood up, as if the mere act of remembering were a burden too heavy to bear. He walked to the window, seeking fresh air, but the knot in his chest did not disappear. Why, when everything was fine with JuKyung, did he still think of SeoJun? It made no sense.

That night, like so many others, he had dinner with JuKyung. They spoke of the usual: daily life, the trivial matters that composed their lives. She smiled, and he responded with a smile that, to any observer, would seem genuine. But inside him, there was a distance he didn't know how to bridge. Every time she laughed, every time she took his hand, the emptiness in his chest grew larger. And it wasn't due to a lack of love. He knew he cared for JuKyung, but there was something more he couldn't deny.