ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ꜱᴇɴᴅ ┆|| ┆ni-ki

~sixty eight~

It was around 7 PM, the sky painted in shades of orange and pink, casting a warm glow over the river.

Eunha's hand felt small in Niki's, but there was something comforting about the way his fingers intertwined with hers.

They walked in sync, the silence between them soft and familiar, broken only by the occasional sound of water lapping against the riverbank.

As they approached the railing, Niki leaned forward, resting his elbows on the cool metal. Eunha did the same, letting out a relaxed sigh as she looked out over the water.

Things were different now, better, like the chaos of her life had finally settled into something she could understand.

Her mom was in prison, paying for everything she'd done. It wasn't easy, and the process had been messy, but Eunha finally felt free. Her dad was better, too. He was healthier, more present, and for once, their house felt like a home.

She graduated high school with Hana and Eunji just a few weeks ago, and now the three of them were gearing up to start university.

The best part? They were going to the same university as the boys. It still felt surreal. Sunghoon wouldn't stop making snide comments about how "he's stuck seeing Eunji every day," but even Eunha could tell he secretly didn't mind. She caught him smiling at her once, not that he'd ever admit it.

Her friendships with everyone felt stronger, too. Six months ago, everything had been a mess. Now, it was like she finally had people she could rely on, people she could laugh with, yell at, and just be herself around.

Eunha looked up from her thoughts, blinking as Niki waved a hand in front of her face. "Hello? Earth to Eunha?"

She frowned, swatting his hand away. "What?"

"I was saying that it is nice," Niki said as he turned his face to look at the river, his voice low and thoughtful.

She glanced over at him, catching the way the fading sunlight lit up his face, highlighting his sharp features and soft smile. "Yeah, it is," she replied. "It's... peaceful."

They stood in companionable silence for a while, just watching the ripples on the water. The air was crisp but not cold, and Eunha pulled her cardigan tighter around herself, leaning slightly closer to Niki for warmth.

"Honestly, though," he said suddenly, breaking the quiet, "it's way too peaceful without Sunghoon and Eunji here to bicker. I mean, aren't you kind of expecting one of them to jump out from behind a tree, yelling at each other?"

Eunha snorted, rolling her eyes. "You're not wrong. I swear, those two can't go five minutes without arguing. It's like they're married, but in the 'I can't stand you' kind of way."

Niki laughed, nodding in agreement. "One day they'll probably end up together just to spite each other. Imagine the chaos."

"Oh, I'm imagining it, and it's terrifying," she said, a grin spreading across her face.

They both laughed, the sound echoing softly across the river. For a moment, it felt like they were the only two people in the world, wrapped up in their own little bubble. But then, out of nowhere, Niki turned to her with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"What are you up to?" Eunha asked, narrowing her eyes, already suspicious.

Without warning, he took a deep breath, cupped his hands around his mouth, and yelled at the top of his lungs, "I LOVE YOU, EUNHA!"

Her face turned crimson as she scrambled to cover his mouth, horrified. "Niki, stop! People can hear you!" she whisper-yelled, glancing around to see if anyone was watching.

"Oh, come on!" he laughed, his voice even louder. "I LOVE YOUUUUU, EUNHA!"

At this point, she was beyond mortified. "You're insane!" she muttered, raising her hands to lightly smack him in protest. Each slap was meant to shut him up, but he just laughed, dodging her half-hearted attempts to hit him.

As she continued to playfully swat at him, Niki suddenly stopped laughing and turned to face her.

His hands caught hers mid-air, pulling her closer, and before she had a chance to react, he dropped one hand to cup her face. The playful glint in his eyes softened, and for a moment, everything else faded away.

And then, with a small, knowing smile, he closed the distance between them and kissed her. It was soft, warm, and so completely unexpected that her hands froze in his, her mind going blank. All the teasing, the yelling, the laughter, it all melted into this one perfect moment.

When he finally pulled back, just a little, he was still close, his forehead resting lightly against hers. A soft smile played at the corners of his mouth as he looked at her, his eyes warm and full of something that made her heart flutter.

As he lifted a hand to gently brush a stray strand of hair from her face, he gazed at her with a tenderness that made her breath catch. Then, pulling her into a warm embrace, he whispered softly, "I love you, Eunha."

Eunha felt a warmth bloom in her chest, her heart pounding as his words sank in. She wrapped her arms around him, her face buried against his shoulder, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breaths. She hadn't realized just how much she'd needed to hear those words, how deeply they resonated.

Niki pulled back just enough to look at her again, his smile soft and full of affection. "I mean it," he said. "I love you. Probably more than I know how to put into words."

She laughed softly, feeling her cheeks flush. "You're such an idiot," she murmured, but there was no hiding the happiness in her eyes.

"And yet, you're still here," he teased, his fingers tracing gentle patterns along her back.

And with one last, lingering kiss, Niki pulled back, a soft smile still on his lips as he looked down at her. He placed one hand gently on her shoulder, pulling her close to him until there was no space between them. Her hand naturally found its way to his shoulder, leaning on him for support as she looked up at him, her heart still racing.

"Guess now everyone here knows how much I love you," he murmured, his thumb gently rubbing her shoulder.

Eunha rolled her eyes, a playful smile tugging at her lips, but she couldn't hide the warmth in her gaze. "You're impossible," she whispered, a soft laugh escaping her, and he chuckled in response, pulling her just a little closer.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the river, they stood there, lost in each other. Her head rested against his shoulder, his arm wrapped securely around her. In that moment, with the world around them fading into dusk, Eunha knew there was nowhere else she'd rather be.

THE END.

✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦

Thanks for reading!
Don't forget to comment and vote ✨