People Watching ★ 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐒𝐮𝐧

31: Gremlin Confessions

The walk home was quieter than Sunoo expected. Not awkward, but... soft.

Sunghoon's hands were stuffed into the pockets of his jacket, his shoulder brushing against Sunoo's every few steps. The streetlights flickered on as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the sidewalk. It was one of those moments that felt fragile—like one wrong word would shatter it completely.

"You didn't have to walk me home," Sunoo said, glancing at Sunghoon out of the corner of his eye.

Sunghoon shrugged, eyes fixed on the pavement ahead. "I wanted to."

Sunoo's heart did something. A little flip, like it was trying to tell him something he wasn't ready to hear.

They walked in silence for a few more blocks, the chill of the evening air nipping at their cheeks. Sunoo found himself hyper-aware of everything—how Sunghoon's hair fell into his eyes, how his lips curled into the tiniest smile when he kicked a stray pebble down the road, how their steps had somehow fallen into perfect sync.

"You okay?" Sunghoon asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

Sunoo blinked, startled. "Huh? Yeah. Why?"

Sunghoon gave him a look. That look. The one that always made Sunoo feel like he was being seen a little too clearly. "You've been weird lately."

Weird.

Weird because Sunghoon had rested his head on his shoulder just days ago. Weird because Sunghoon had opened up about his family, his fears, his anger. Weird because Sunoo had spent the last few nights lying awake, staring at the ceiling, wondering when helping Hanna had stopped being about Hanna and started being about him.

Weird because Sunoo didn't know what he wanted anymore.

He forced a laugh, bumping Sunghoon's arm with his own. "I'm always weird."

Sunghoon didn't smile. He just stared at Sunoo for a moment longer, like he was debating whether to push or let it go.

Finally, he sighed. "Fine. Be mysterious."

They reached Sunoo's house faster than he wanted. The warm light from the windows spilled onto the porch, and Sunoo hesitated at the bottom of the steps.

"So, uh..." Sunoo scratched the back of his neck. "See you tomorrow?"

Sunghoon nodded, but he didn't move.

And then, without warning, he stepped forward and hugged Sunoo.

It wasn't like the first time—tense, unsure, heavy with unspoken words. This hug was different. Sunghoon's arms wrapped around Sunoo like it was the most natural thing in the world, like he didn't have to think twice about it. His head dipped, forehead resting against Sunoo's shoulder, and for a second, Sunoo forgot how to breathe.

Oh.

Sunoo stood there, frozen, heart pounding in his ears. He didn't know what to do with his hands, so they hovered awkwardly in the air before finally settling on Sunghoon's back.

"Don't look so shocked," Sunghoon mumbled, voice muffled by Sunoo's jacket.

"I'm not," Sunoo lied, trying to ignore the heat rushing to his face.

Sunghoon pulled back after a moment, his usual cool expression slipping back into place, but there was something softer around the edges. "Get inside. It's cold."

Sunoo nodded, still a little dazed, and watched as Sunghoon turned and walked down the street, hands stuffed back into his pockets like nothing had happened.

Only after the door clicked shut behind him did Sunoo let out the breath he'd been holding.

What the hell is wrong with me?

—

Niki was, predictably, a menace.

"Did you get rejected?"

Sunoo groaned, throwing himself onto the couch as Niki peered over the back of it, chips in hand and a devilish grin on his face.

"No," Sunoo muttered into the cushion.

"Did you confess?"

"Also no."

"Did he confess?"

Sunoo sat up, glaring. "Why do you care?"

Niki shrugged, stuffing more chips into his mouth. "I'm invested in the drama. You come home looking like someone kicked your puppy. It's entertaining."

"You're the worst."

"Flattery will get you nowhere."

Sunoo sighed, running a hand down his face. He couldn't stop thinking about the hug, about the way Sunghoon had just fit into his arms, like he'd belonged there the whole time.

"Why did you even start this whole thing, anyway?" Niki asked, flopping onto the couch beside him.

Sunoo stiffened.

"Like, the matchmaking thing," Niki continued, oblivious to the panic brewing in Sunoo's chest. "Why were you so set on getting Hanna and Sunghoon together? You don't even like playing Cupid that much."

Sunoo swallowed. He could lie. He could brush it off, like he always did.

Or he could tell the truth.

"It wasn't about Hanna," he muttered, voice barely above a whisper.

Niki blinked. "What?"

Sunoo sighed and leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "Sunghoon found my journal."

Niki's eyes widened.

"The one with all the matchmaking stuff?"

"Yeah. But that's not why it started." Sunoo laughed bitterly. "There was... there was a page. One I didn't make. It had a picture of him. With hearts all over it."

Niki blinked, confused. "Wait. That page?"

"Yes, that page."

Niki's face twisted, like he was trying to remember something. And then it hit him.

"...Oh."

Sunoo stared at him. "Oh?"

Niki rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly looking sheepish. "Yeah, uh... that was me."

Sunoo froze. "What."

Niki shrugged, like it was no big deal. "You left your notebook on the table, and I was bored. Sunghoon's face was just... there, so I doodled some hearts around it. You never noticed, so I figured it didn't matter."

Sunoo's jaw dropped. "YOU'RE the reason this entire disaster started?!"

Niki held up his hands defensively. "How was I supposed to know Sunghoon would find it?!"

Sunoo groaned, burying his face in his hands. This was worse than he thought.

"So, wait," Niki said slowly, realization dawning on his face. "You only started helping Hanna because you didn't want Sunghoon to think you were, like, obsessed with him?"

"...Yeah."

Niki stared at him for a long moment. Then he burst out laughing.

"Hyung, you're such an idiot."

Sunoo threw a pillow at his face.

"Shut up."