People Watching ★ 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐒𝐮𝐧

34: Too late?

The moment hung in the rain-soaked silence—soft, fragile, but alive.

Sunoo's fingers trembled slightly in Sunghoon's grasp, but he didn't pull away. And neither did Sunghoon. Their hands stayed like that, joined in a quiet truce neither of them had the words to explain.

Sunoo finally broke the silence, his voice barely louder than a whisper. "Do you think we're too late?"

Sunghoon looked at him, really looked at him. At the boy who drove him crazy, who never let him hide, who had just kissed him like it meant everything.

And Sunghoon shook his head. "No."

Sunoo's lips parted. "Why not?"

"Because you're still here," Sunghoon said simply. "And so am I."

Sunoo's expression flickered—like he wasn't used to being chosen, like part of him still didn't believe this was real. That maybe if he blinked, Sunghoon would vanish. That it would go back to awkward glances and stupid bickering and pretending it had never happened.

But it had.

And it was happening now.

"We should probably go back in," Sunoo murmured, though he made no move to step away.

"Probably," Sunghoon agreed, but his thumb brushed over Sunoo's knuckles like he wasn't quite ready to let go.

Sunoo looked down at their hands. Then back up. "You know this is going to be... complicated, right?"

Sunghoon huffed a soft laugh. "Everything with you is complicated."

Sunoo glared at him, but it was weak, half-hearted. "Do you ever stop being annoying?"

"Nope."

A beat.

Sunoo sighed, dramatic as ever. "God, I'm going to regret this."

Sunghoon leaned in, voice low near his ear. "But you won't forget it."

That earned him a shove, which he barely dodged, laughing as he stepped back, finally releasing Sunoo's hand. Sunoo stared at him for a second longer, his expression unreadable, then turned toward the gym.

He only made it a few steps before glancing back over his shoulder.

"You coming or what?"

Sunghoon's smile softened. "Yeah. I'm coming."

The gym was still loud when they stepped back in—cheers echoing off the walls, sneakers squeaking against the court, the scoreboard glowing red and gold. Nothing had changed.

Except everything had.

Sunoo ran a hand through his wet hair, trying to make himself look somewhat normal, but he felt anything but normal. His lips still tingled, his pulse still refused to settle, and beside him—far too close—Sunghoon was walking like he hadn't just turned Sunoo's entire world upside down.

Jake spotted them first.

His eyes narrowed. Slowly. Suspiciously.

Then he blinked. Looked at Sunoo.

Then at Sunghoon.

Then at their soaked clothes.

Then—back at Sunoo.

"...No," Jake said aloud. Loud enough that even Jungwon, mid-dribble on the court, turned his head. "No way."

Sunoo stiffened. "Don't."

Sunghoon smirked. "Hey, Jake."

Jake raised a hand like he was trying to shield himself from whatever chaotic truth was forming in his brain. "You did not—you guys did not just—" He glanced again at their hands, which had just let go, but still lingered too close. "OH MY GOD."

Jungwon missed the basket.

Someone shouted.

The whistle blew.

Jake was losing it.

"Do you know how long we've been waiting for you two to get your heads out of your—?"

"Jake," Sunoo warned.

"—literal years of pining and staring and pretending to hate each other and now you walk back in here like two drowned rats with post-confession glow—"

"Jake!" Sunoo hissed, smacking his arm.

Sunghoon, completely unbothered, leaned against the bleacher wall. "You forgot the part where he kissed me first."

Jake let out an unholy shriek. "You kissed him?!"

Sunoo looked like he wanted the earth to swallow him whole.

"I hate you both," Jake said, not sounding like he meant it. "No, wait. I love you. I love this. This is disgusting. This is perfect."

Jungwon jogged up from the court, toweling sweat off his face, frowning. "What's happening?"

Jake pointed at them. "They kissed."

Jungwon stared.

Stared harder.

Then—slowly, he grinned.

"I told you," he said to Sunoo, slapping him on the back. "Didn't I say you were gonna lose him if you didn't figure it out?"

"I did figure it out," Sunoo muttered, cheeks red. "Eventually."

Jungwon looked at Sunghoon. "You're serious about this?"

Sunghoon met his eyes. "Yeah."

It was simple. No theatrics. No hesitation.

And Sunoo's heart did a very inconvenient thing in his chest.

Jungwon nodded once. "Then don't screw it up."

Sunghoon grinned. "No promises."

"Sunghoon."

"Kidding."

Sort of.

—

Later, when the game ended and the gym emptied out, Sunoo sat on the bench, tying his shoes slower than usual. The adrenaline had worn off, and now all that was left was... the after.

What now?

He felt someone drop onto the bench beside him. He didn't have to look to know who it was.

"You okay?" Sunghoon asked, voice softer now.

"I think my brain still hasn't caught up," Sunoo admitted. "I didn't plan for this."

"You didn't plan to kiss me in the rain like a drama protagonist?"

Sunoo gave him a look. "No."

"Liar," Sunghoon said with a smirk. "Bet you even imagined the background music."

Sunoo opened his mouth to argue.

Paused.

Then groaned. "God, I hate you."

Sunghoon nudged his knee. "You really don't."

"No," Sunoo muttered. "I really don't."

They sat like that for a while—quiet, calm, steady in a way they hadn't been in years. And when Sunghoon stood, holding out a hand, Sunoo didn't hesitate.

He took it.