Work Text:
Sunoo could see his own breath in the cold and hear the snow crunching under his feet as he walked towards the ice rink. There had just been a snowstorm and even though it wasn't -20 degrees it sure felt like it. Sunoo checked the time on his phone as he walked towards his destination. He was 20 minutes early. I really hope it's not a problem that I am this early. Sunoo thought to himself as he pocketed his phone. Sunoo gazed towards the ice rink he once was so familiar with. The sight of the large building holding so many memories made him feel some sort of longing. Memories of late night practices and summer camps flooded back. Days filled with laughter and warmth from a team with such comradery, unless your name was Sunoo. Trying to shove down the unwanted memories his eyes wandered towards the letters making out the name. So they changed it yet again.
Looking back towards the rink's entrance Sunoo checked his phone again desperately hoping that by some miracle it had taken him 20 minutes to walk 100 meters. But alas that hope was crushed when the digits on his phone had only changed by one. Letting out a sigh Sunoo weighed his options, either he stands outside, cold, looking like a creep or he goes inside 20 minutes early to his shift and braces himself for potential awkwardness. What do you even say when you're way too early for work? As he got closer he spotted two people standing by the grill, he assumed they were working too but he didn't pay too much attention to them. The grill was however awkwardly placed, kinda blocking the way so now he stood there like a lost sim trying to figure out what to do. Should he walk back and look like an idiot? Yeah, right.
Making up his mind he made it past the people grilling food, a bit clumsily and inwardly cursed himself for being a social disaster. As Sunoo went inside the entrance doors he tried to shake off the feeling of being out of place. This rink had once been his stomping grounds but that time felt so far away now, it simply wasn't a part of him anymore.
Once Sunoo entered the ice rink he was greeted by familiar cold and dry air. The lights had been turned off and there were multiple disco lights painting the walls in different hues while music played through the building. On the left side right by the entrance there was a makeshift stand where he saw some familiar faces. Seeing one of his classmates who happens to work here and is one of his former teammates he quickly made his way over to the counter.
"Oh! Hi Sunoo" She greeted him kindly once he stood in front of the counter.
"Hi, I hope it's not a problem that I am so early" he answered sheepishly while lifting a hand to play with his hair unconsciously, a habit he had since childhood.
"Don't worry, you can help us out in the meantime" She responded while motioning him to get behind the counter.
As he made his way around he couldn't help looking towards the ice where children were ice skating with their parents. He looked over at the setup of DJ equipment and speakers that were played right in the middle. Taking in the sight Sunoo felt a feeling he couldn't quite name gnawing at him, was it longing? Regret? Once he had been one of those children out on the ice. Forcing himself to look away before unwanted memories resurfaced once again he turned back towards the stand and stepped up on the slightly elevated platform.
Once he stood behind the stand he noticed how all his coworkers wore clothes with the club symbol while Sunoo only had a plain jacket. It made him feel out of place and it was just another silent reminder of how this wasn't a part of his life anymore. He missed it sometimes. Sunoo shook his head slightly, he was here to work wasn't he? and with that he began serving customers because if he was busy he could ignore the thoughts plaguing him ever since he saw the once familiar rink.
After a while the people he were familiar with clocked out and he was left with "two players from a team" as his boss graciously put it and without the familiar faces Sunoo immediately felt a lot more anxious. Turns out they were just two younger players but Sunoo could tell they were close friends, it reminded him of someone. He felt like a sore thumb being the only one who wasn't in a team, not anymore atleast.
While there was a bit of downtime between customers Sunoo was staring into one of the disco lights watching as it changed colours repeatedly. Green, blue and green, then just blue, then blue and red and lastly all three, rinse and repeat. Somehow it was hypnotizing the way the different colours mixed to create new colours.
Suddenly there was movement in the corner of his eye. Curious Sunoo shifted his gaze towards the entrance doors just as a person made their way inside and Sunoo recognized them as one of the people standing by the grill. The guy was tall, undoubtedly handsome and sporting a razor sharp jawline. Sunoo hadn't noticed this unfairly attractive man when he passed the grill earlier. Sunoo knew instantly that his new years resolution about maybe not conjuring up whole scenarios about strangers was already thrown out the window.
The guy was dressed in the usual off ice clothes players were provided by their clubs and Sunoo's eyes wandered towards the club logo and frowned of course he's from that club. Why would the universe throw such an attractive guy at him just when he made the promise to not chase romance? As the guy made his way towards the counter Sunoo tried his best to not frown even more why does he have to come here? he thought to himself. Once the guy finally stood in front of the counter his gaze flicked across the items before opening his mouth to speak.
"Hey, do you know if the workers get free food?" the guy asked, finally looking up at Sunoo who had been silently observing. Whatever Sunoo was going to respond completely vanished because as soon as their eyes met his mind went completely blank. The guy was even more attractive up close. Sunoo noticed two moles adoring his face, one on his nose bridge and the other on his cheek. But the moles were nothing compared to his eyes, from where Sunoo was standing he looked down and those eyes were simply devastating. Sunoo would gladly lose himself in them all day long. All Sunoo could think was; no way this guy is single.
Sunoo hadn't realised he was staring before he noticed the guy tilting his head which made him quickly tear his gaze away to snap out of whatever daze he'd been caught in. Sunoo felt himself frown and furrow his brows slightly while looking everywhere else but at the guy's attractive face.
"Well I actually don't know" Sunoo said slowly when he finally regained the ability to speak. Once he looked at the guy again after being met with silence he was met with a teasing smirk which made Sunoo pale. He had been caught staring and the embarrassment of that alone made him slightly flush and once again reaching up to play with his hair. The guy followed the movement with curious eyes.
Before Sunoo could say anything else the guy was already walking away. Sunoo could only mentally scold himself for being so unprofessional as his eyes were glued to the retreating figure. Once the guy was completely out of sight he let out a small sigh, he really was a social disaster when he was surrounded by other people. While trying to busy himself to ignore the lingering embarrassment he heard his coworkers whispering amongst themselves, Sunoo didn't mean to eavesdrop but really they weren't trying their best to keep quiet.
"Isn't he so attractive?" "I heard he is always so cold towards others, distant even" "I know right, I've never even seen him smile before" Sunoo could only silently agree on the first part and feel puzzled at the latter he just smiled now didn't he? However the fact that he had never heard anything about this guy before made him feel even more out of place. His other coworker ought to know as well but Sunoo hadn't heard one word about it as if his coworkers didn't think he deserved to know. Sunoo knew that most likely wasn't the case but that didn't make the nagging feeling disappear.
Feeling himself starting to think too much again Sunoo tuned out everything around him and only focused on serving customers.
Later the same guy from before came back and asked for one of the pastries while saying he was going on break. While speaking he glanced over at Sunoo who was already watching him unconsciously as if his eyes were automatically drawn to him. The guy caught his eye and winked at him with that same teasing smirk, it was a clear invitation.
Once he was out of sight Sunoo waited for exactly two minutes before telling his coworkers he was also taking going on break. His coworkers shared a look between them before nodding which Sunoo took as a sign of approval and started walking away. Sunoo tried to ignore the sound of whispering as he was walking away.
Sunoo made his way over in the same direction the guy went and spotted him leaning against the wall right by the staircase that led up to a vip lounge of sorts. The guy's face lit up as he saw Sunoo making his way towards him which made Sunoo's mind wander back to what his coworkers had said about this supposedly cold and distant guy. Sunoo didn't get it. What's so cold about this guy? Sunoo stopped slightly in front of him and now without the elevation of the stand he noticed the height difference. It forced him to slightly tilt his head upwards.
"And here I was starting to think you wouldn't show" the stranger stated leaning against the wall with a teasing glint in his eyes and still with that smirk. The comment made Sunoo scoff and roll his eyes, albeit with less bite than usual. Because while Sunoo could be a social disaster when surrounded by strangers, he could also be confident and wasn't afraid of biting back. As long as there weren't any judging eyes on him Sunoo could be himself.
"You were quite obvious." Sunoo answered dryly while moving past him towards a more secluded spot. What Sunoo couldn't see was how the stark contrast in his demeanor left the stranger stunned momentarily. As Sunoo continued walking he glanced over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow as if to say "you gonna come with?" . Which snapped the guy out of his trance as he pushed himself off the wall and followed Sunoo snickering to himself in amusement.
The pair walked in silence until they were behind the bleachers with a clear view of the ice, Sunoo stopped and leaned his back against the wall and gazed towards the children skating with their parents. The stranger mirrored his pose but instead of looking at the ice he looked at Sunoo.
They stood in silence for a moment with much less distance in between them than would warrant being practical strangers. The other boy finally broke the fragile silence with;
"So, you wanna tell me your name or should I keep calling you the pretty stranger in my head?" he asked in a teasing tone with that cocky handsome grin.
"Kim Sunoo and what's your name stranger?" Sunoo replied while tilting his head sideways and looking up at the guy through his lashes, the action seemed to have some sort of effect on the other as the teasing smirk was dropped for a moment. Sunoo felt satisfaction knowing that he had such an effect on a supposedly distant and cold player. He ignored the way that he just got called pretty by the guy god definitely took his sweet time with and how that made him feel things he didn't want to name.
"Not even "handsome stranger"? I'm hurt" he answered with feign hurt and clutching a hand above his heart as if he had been shot. Sunoo tried to hide the smile tugging at his lips at the guy's antics by turning his head towards the ice once again.
"Don't flatter yourself" Sunoo replied with less bite than he intended and failed to hide the smile betraying him. The sight was quite endearing to the stranger.
After a while of not getting a reply Sunoo turned his head back towards the stranger as if to check he was still there. Sunoo felt himself falter at the stranger's expression which appeared softer and almost fond. So much for being cold Sunoo thought to himself as he replayed the words from his coworkers. Once again Sunoo studied the other's face and his beautiful features, he was almost unfairly handsome.
"Park Sunghoon" the guy said after a beat of silence and the teasing tone in his voice was gone. While looking at Sunoo with those devastating eyes, Sunoo could only meet his gaze in silent awe. Why is he paying attention to me? After holding eye contact for a bit they both turned their head toward the ice once more. They stayed in a comfortable silence for awhile before Sunghoon turned his body towards Sunoo and asked:
"So how come I haven't seen you around before?" with the slight smirk and teasing tone in his voice was back. Sunoo turned his head towards Sunghoon and pretended to actually think about the question before answering. His demeanour seemed to further intrigue Sunghoon whose eyes flashed with amusement.
"Maybe because we work for different clubs?" Sunoo deadpanned before adding "besides maybe we have met and just don't remember each other." while shrugging his shoulders.
"Oh, I wouldn't dare forget a pretty face like yours" Sunghoon teased before he added in a more serious tone "You know what I mean" and Sunoo did understand what he meant; have we ever played against each other? Instead of offering a reply Sunoo turned his head away and hummed in agreement. Sunoo didn't want to answer that question, it forced him to think back to the time when he still played. He'd prefer to avoid that.
"Do you play in a team?" Sunoo asked instead. It was the question that had been gnawing at him ever since he saw the club symbol on his jacket. Sunoo turned his head towards the other boy who looked lost in thought and the teasing smirk wasn't present. Sunoo wished it would come back.
"I used to, but I quit recently," Sunghoon answered, his voice carrying something heavy while his gaze was fixed ahead of him with something distant in his eyes. Almost as if he wasn't really present, Sunoo could relate to that feeling.
"Oh, I see" Sunoo replied while looking down maybe he had said the wrong thing? The shift of his tone seemed to have brought the other boy back to reality who tore his eyes away from the ice. Once again Sunghoon's eyes found their way towards Sunoo who looked back up at the other when he felt eyes on him again.
"I realised I wasn't as passionate as my sister but I still enjoy ice skating so I thought this would be enough." Sunghoon continued with a lighter voice but Sunoo could tell that there was more to it. "What about you?" Sunoo took a deep breath before replying, sharing things about himself wasn't something he liked to do. Much less than with a practical stranger he met less than an hour ago. But somehow he didn't really mind when it came to Sunghoon. Sunoo turned his head towards the eyes because it was easier than having to look up at Sunghoon.
"I used to play too but I left a few years ago because playing wasn't ever something I really wanted" Sunoo said while looking towards the children skating with their parents. Before being able to stop himself Sunoo added softly "I do miss it sometimes" almost as if it was a confession only meant for himself.
After a beat of silence Sunoo felt himself snap out of whatever daze he was in and realised just what he had said to a person he met barely an hour ago. Sunoo quickly turned his head towards Sunghoon to see if he had heard and to his horror Sunghoon was already looking at him with a look of understanding and Sunoo could feel his ears getting warm. Sunoo fought the urge to tug on his hair. Somehow it wasn't awkward, maybe it wasn't the end of the world to talk about something Sunoo usually would keep to himself.
"I better get back now" Sunoo said hurriedly while swiftly making his way past Sunghoon and leaving him behind who could only follow Sunoo's retreating figure with his gaze. Once he was back he noticed the way his coworkers' eyes flicked towards his ears and then to each other. He tried to hide his ears with his hair but the damage had already been done. Sunoo tried to ignore the knowing glance shared between the pair and started serving customers to distract himself.
Sunoo pretended to not see Sunghoon making his way back outside. Sunoo also pretended to not notice how Sunghoon looked his way as he passed. He tried to ignore the way Sunghoon wouldn't leave his thoughts alone, but he couldn't help thinking about how it didn't add up. How can they say he's cold when he's anything but cold? The version his coworkers talked about was nothing like the boy Sunoo had talked to. It couldn't be that Sunoo was special? Sunoo discarded that thought as soon as it came but it lingered in the back of his mind for the remainder of his shift.
Once the lights were back on and the event was officially over and families started leaving Sunoo looked at the remaining items they hadn't been able to sell. There wasn't much left but it was still a waste either way since they couldn't keep the remaining things. His coworkers had already clocked out since Sunoo offered to finish up, he wanted their judging eyes off him.
Sunoo spotted a familiar figure in the corner of his eye and once he looked over he saw Sunghoon making his way over to the counter again. He stopped at the edge of the counter and reached for one of the drinks that remained while staring directly into Sunoo's eyes. Sunghoon had a mischievous grin and brought up a finger to his lips. Sunoo immediately noticed the dimples.
The scene made Sunoo playfully roll his eyes and smile. Seemingly getting the reaction he wanted Sunghoon put the drink in his pocket and walked away to help bring in the grill leaving Sunoo who could only follow him with his eyes.
When Sunoo was packing away the remaining stuff and cleaning up the counter from empty boxes and discarded menus he saw Sunghoon again. Sunghoon walked up to the counter and leaned his elbows on it while resting his chin on his hands and tilting his head slightly upwards towards Sunoo which made him stall his movement and gaze down at the other. Sunghoon looked at Sunoo with that playful glint in his eyes that told Sunoo he was about to say something stupid.
"So do you come here often?" Sunghoon asked and Sunno snorted at the obvious pick up line. The sheer shamelessness made Sunoo snap out of whatever trance he was in and he resumed wiping down the counter. He could feel the others' eyes following the movement.
"Are you trying to flirt with me?" he asked instead of playing along. Still Sunoo found the obnoxious flirting to be endearing but he would rather die than admit out loud.
"Would it be a problem if I were?" Sunghoon shot back. No Sunoo thought internally.
"Isn't it a bit inappropriate during working hours?" Sunoo said instead of giving an answer while he busied himself with cleaning up the empty packages that had spread out on the counter to avoid eye contact with Sunghoon.
"Well it isn't working hours now is it?" Sunghoon said while tilting his head playfully.
"There's still things to do" Sunoo said as he made his way around the counter to put the empty packages in the trash bin. He looked up to find Sunghoon already looking at him still with that teasing smile adorned on his lips but now it looked a bit softer. Why do you look at me in that way?
The moment was broken by one of the coaches calling for Sunghoon who flashed Sunoo a smile, one that showed his teeth and Sunoo instantly noticed his sharp canines. Almost like fangs he thought to himself, he couldn't help but feel they were familiar to him. Shaking his head slightly as if to shake off the thought he got back to cleaning the last things up, but the feeling didn't leave. Sunoo looked towards the big windows and saw how it was snowing outside. It made the rink feel like a snowglobe cut off from the rest of the world.
Once it was only them and the coach left Sunoo braced himself for the fact that he most likely would never see Sunghoon again. Sunoo didn't know why he felt himself yearning for just a bit more time. Sure they worked at the same company but it's not often you cross paths during normal practice. As Sunoo was preparing himself to cut his losses and bid Sunghoon farewell he was interrupted by the coach.
"We already packed everything right? You two can head home and I can finish locking up." The coach called out to them and Sunoo felt his stomach drop at the words. This was it. Whatever happened between them will be forgotten as soon as they leave this rink. Sunoo wanted any reason to just stay in the bubble a little longer. Sunoo glanced at Sunghoon who looked at the coach with an unreadable expression and watched how he seemed to tense his jaw slightly before opening his mouth to speak:
"I could finish up here instead if that would be okay" the words seemed to confuse the coach at first but then he glanced towards Sunoo standing beside Sunghoon and then back at Sunghoon. Understanding washed over the coach's face as he connected the dots. With an amused smile he tossed the keys to Sunghoon who caught them effortlessly.
"Don't take too long" the coach said before turning around and walking towards the exit. They watched as the coach left and stood silently beside each other for a moment. The silence wasn't awkward or tense, just comfortable. Eventually Sunoo turned his head towards Sunghoon and broke the silence.
"Why?" Sunoo said softly but it still felt loud in the now empty building. Sunghoon turned towards him and just watched Sunoo for a moment with an unreadable expression on his face.
"Maybe I just don't want this to end yet" he replied simply and started walking towards the railing by the ice. The wording made something flutter in Sunoo's stomach and he couldn't do anything else but follow silently while the thoughts continued to race in his mind.
Once they stood both leaning on the railing, they were so close that their shoulders were almost brushing each other. Sunoo wanted so badly to lean closer and bridge that gap but he stopped himself. Sunoo gazed towards the ice that was now covered in marks from the skating children but it was still beautiful in his eyes. It reminded him of his relationship with the sport that used to be a central part of his life.
"Why did you look so unhappy when you first saw me?" Sunghoon asked after a while which made Sunoo turn his head towards him. He hadn't expected that question.
"Oh, well I just thought you were very attractive" Sunoo answered simply which made Sunghoon look over towards him with a teasing smile.
"So you were mad I was attractive?" he teased as his grin grew wider.
"No, I was annoyed that my new year's resolution was already broken" Sunoo said while looking away with a pout resting his chin on his arms. The answer wasn't really what Sunghoon expected but it just made the other seem even more intriguing.
"How was that my fault?" He asked defensively.
"You're attractive" Sunoo replied like it wasn't exactly what Sunghoon implied before.
"So you do think I'm attractive?" Sunghoon said and the teasing smile grew to a smug grin.
"Don't let it get to your head" Sunoo said. Once again silence fell over them while they stared aimlessly at the pristine ice.
"Why did you quit?" Sunghoon asked and Sunoo took a deep breath before answering because he knew the question was coming. He hadn't ever told anyone the whole truth before, had he?
"I started playing because my friend did and when I was that young I just followed others. However after a while I realised that I wasn't as competitive as my teammates, I felt as if I was just holding them back." Sunoo paused for a moment before continuing "So I quit but sometimes I wonder what would happen if I didn't, sometimes I even wish I stayed" the words felt as if lifting a weight of his shoulders because after quitting he never really gave himself the chance to mourn it because acknowledging it felt as admitting it might've been a mistake.
Once Sunoo left he never looked back in an attempt to just forget it all. He avoided all news or anything related to the sport like the plague. Erasing anything that could make him want to go back. It wasn't until he found this job he turned back to the ice, it had felt weird at first but eventually that feeling dwindled.
"Do you miss it?" Sunghoon carefully asked. The question made Sunoo pause and think it over properly, did he really miss it? or did he just miss what it could've been? Deep down Sunoo already knew the answer.
"No, I don't miss it." Sunoo said while still looking out on the ice. Because it was the truth wasn't it? While he did enjoy being on the ice and having a team behind him. However, he never felt like he really was a part of the team or never particularly enjoyed the sport in itself. "I still miss the ice and being a part of a team but team sports have never been my thing and I never really enjoyed playing" he added.
"So you miss having a team behind your back?" Sunghoon said which made Sunoo turn his gaze towards the other and he expected to find Sunghoon looking at him with pity but instead he only found a look of understanding. It made Sunoo falter for a moment.
"Something like that, yeah" Sunoo breathed out while holding eye contact. They stayed like that for a while before they both turned towards the ice again.
"Well I can't be the only one pouring my heart out, it had to have been more than not having enough passion" Sunoo said while glancing towards Sunghoon who only hummed in response. Sunoo took the opportunity to lean closer while the other was distracted, seemingly lost in thought. The sudden contact between them seemed to bring Sunghoon out of his head and he cast a quick glance towards Sunoo before clearing his throat to speak.
"My parents put me and my sister in training when we were just kids and at that time I really did enjoy it, but as the years went by and I got older it just wasn't the same anymore." Sunghoon started while turning away from the ice and leaning his back against the railing "I mean I was rather good as well so people were expecting a lot from me, to become a professional and represent the country" the sheer shamelessness of the statement made Sunoo snort which made Sunghoon look over at him looking genuinely confused.
"What's so funny?" Sunghoon questioned as if his lack of humbleness wasn't amusing.
"Nothing go on" Sunoo deflected laughing and waving his hands as if to defend himself, the sight made Sunghoon smile fondly.
"I kept telling myself that I was meant to do this even when it never felt right" and as Sunghoon talked Sunoo couldn't help thinking back to what his coworkers said about Sunghoon being cold or distant. He had been nothing but open and easy with him, almost as if they already knew each other. How can they think he's cold? he thought to himself while studying the other as he pushed further.
"So what changed?" Sunoo asked carefully while leaning even closer, so close he could feel the warmth radiating from Sunghoon. Somehow being this close simply felt right.
"I was at one of my sisters games and when I saw how much passion she had and the way she seemed so alive on the ice I knew that I couldn't keep lying to myself" Sunghoon paused before taking a breath and continued "That same week I went to my coach and said I wanted to quit. He was furious and I really can't blame him, it's not everyday one of your most promising players tell you they want quit" Sunghoon chuckled but to Sunoo's ears it just sounded hollow "I never wanted to make a career out of the sport I once loved and I felt really bad about making everyone disappointed but it felt so freeing to finally let go" Sunghoon added while looking up towards the ceiling. "My parents got really mad though because in their eyes I had just thrown away my future but it wasn't a future I ever wanted" he continued softly.
"But you haven't left it behind completely, you still work here" Sunoo said before he could stop himself. The words made Sunghoon tear his eyes from the ceiling and tilt his head towards Sunoo who now was staring intently on the ice.
"You're right" Sunghoon said softly and then continued with a small smile on his face "It's still a part of me and where it all started so this felt more right than leaving and never turning back" as Sunghoon was speaking Sunoo felt the gears turning in his head, the fangs, where it all started, could it be? Sunoo felt his eyes widen as everything finally clicked. The reason why Sunoo felt as if he already knew Sunghoon was because he was the same boy Sunoo trained with when they were kids.
Sunoo smiled to himself because he had hoped for years that they would find their way back to each other. He doubted Sunghoon had figured it out yet, he had always been a bit slow when it came to anything but hockey.
"So the supposedly ice prince and star player was just an angsty teen" Sunoo teased Sunghoon after a while of silence between them looking up at the other. Sunoo watched in silent glee as the nickname made Sunghoon furrow his brows in confusion.
"Where did you get that from?" he asked and Sunoo knew he meant the nickname but he didn't want to give himself away just yet.
"Oh just the word gets around I suppose" Sunoo deflected innocently while looking up at Sunghoon through his eyelashes. While the other still looked puzzled, eyes searching Sunoo's face as if it held the answer. Sunoo once again turned back towards the ice with a small smile remaining.
For a while they stood side by side, shoulders now touching gazing at the ice. Letting the silence fall between them once again.
"Well I have to go now." Sunoo said finally and pushed himself off the railing. They couldn't stay in the snow globe forever, dwelling on old memories. Time still moved forward and so should they.
"Will we see each other again?" Sunghoon asked, eyes following Sunoo who was dusting invisible snow from his jacket seemingly in no hurry to actually leave. The sight caused Sunghoon to smile in amusement.
"Maybe" Sunoo said while straightening up, back still turned towards Sunghoon. Sunoo took a few steps to put a bit of distance between them. He wasn't going to actually leave yet, he still wasn't quite ready.
"I don't like maybe" Sunghoon shot back which made Sunoo smile to himself hadn't he heard those exact words before? Sunoo spun on his heel and turned around towards the other boy and found Sunghoon still leaning with his back against the railing, resting his elbows on it. He wore that smug expression like he'd won something by making Sunoo turn around, as if it hadn't been his intention all along.
Sunoo took it as a challenge, can't let him have all the fun now. He thought to himself as he closed the distance between them and stopped just for a moment to look up at Sunghoon whose eyes never left Sunoo. Sunoo placed his hands firmly on Sunghoon's shoulders, feeling the muscles underneath the jacket. Sunghoon only quirked a brow at the action and Sunoo just smiled at him as he went up on his tippy toes and used Sunghoon to steady himself. Sunghoon hands immediately found his waist as if it was second nature. The action made Sunoo's stomach flutter as he leaned closer to the taller's ear.
"Well we work at the same place, don't we? Keep an eye out and I'm sure we will cross paths again" he whispered in Sunghoons ear as he smirked and tried to ignore the way Sunghoon's hands tightened around his waist. Sunoo leaned back to look at Sunghoon who now looked a lot less smug than before. Sunoo reveled in the fact that he had such an effect on the other who was supposedly so distant and cold, it caused him to feel some sort of possessiveness. He was the only one who got to see this side of Sunghoon.
"Plus you know my name and which club I work at" he added while winking. Before Sunghoon could open his mouth and argue, Sunoo pointed at the table where one of the price menus was forgotten and had his former club's symbol on it. He watched as Sunghoon's eyes followed where he pointed and then back to him while recognition spread across his face.
"You-" Sunghoon started but quickly got silenced by Sunoo placing a finger on his lips. Sunoo could only smile at it and escaped from Sunghoon's hold while the other was distracted.
He already missed the feeling of Sunghoon's hands around his waist. Sunoo started walking leisurely towards the exit but before he went out through the doors he turned once again around towards Sunghoon who was still in the same spot seemingly in a daze. Sunoo could practically hear the other thoughts from where he stood. The sight caused something warm to spread in his chest and Sunoo felt the satisfaction of having that effect on the other boy. Sunghoon was still watching him as he called out the same way he had done once before:
"Don't forget me again Ice prince" Sunoo said while smiling at Sunghoon. Sunghoon's eyes widened with recognition. Sunoo felt a sense of relief that Sunghoon also recognised him, it wasn't just Sunoo who hadn't let go. Sunghoon briefly closed his eyes and let out a small chuckle of disbelief while shaking his head slightly. He looked up again at Sunoo with that handsome smirk but it was a lot softer now.
"I wouldn't dare Sunshine" Sunghoon answered back and Sunoo felt his smile grow at the words. How he had missed hearing that nickname and Sunghoon's heart melted at that smile. The one where Sunoo's eyes turned into crescents and the whisker dimples appeared. Sunoo held Sunghoon's gaze for a moment before finally turning around and making his way outside, leaving the snow globe behind.
As Sunoo walked away from the ice rink, followed by the sound of the crunching snow with each step he took. Sunoo couldn't escape the feeling like he was making a mistake and that feeling only grew with every step further away. Sunoo knew that they would see each other again and he already yearned for it. That longing made Sunoo want to turn around and run back to the rink. Sunoo tried squeezing his eyes shut to rid the feeling but why should he?
That single thought made Sunoo stop dead in his tracks. Sunoo had almost always done what was rational, the first time he didn't was when he left the team in the middle of a season and the second time was when he poured his heart out to a practical stranger, if you can count Sunghoon as a stranger. Why shouldn't he follow his heart? So for the third time Sunoo allowed himself to throw away all rationality and follow what his heart told him. Sunoo spun on his heel and ran back towards the rink frantically as if it would disappear if he wasn't fast enough, trying not to slip on the snow.
Sunoo threw up the doors and stopped right as he made it inside, chest heaving. The sudden noise surprised Sunghoon who hadn't made it far from where he stood before. Once he saw Sunoo his eyes widened with surprise to see him soon again and the sight alone made Sunoo want to tear up. Sunoo didn't waste a moment and ran towards Sunghoon to close the distance he couldn't bear anymore. He threw himself into Sunghoon's arms knowing he would catch him. Sunoo wrapped his arms around Sunghoon's neck and felt strong arms wrap around his waist holding him up. Sunoo buried his face in Sunghoon's neck, he was finally where he belonged.
"I missed you" Sunoo mumbled against Sunghoons neck. He breathed in that scent he had missed so much.
"I missed you too" Sunghoon said in a thick voice as he put Sunoo on back on the floor but kept his arms around him and rested his face on Sunoo's shoulder. Those four words made Sunoo tighten his arms around Sunghoon.
"Every match I hoped I would see you" Sunghoon said quietly, voice raw. The confession made Sunoo slightly let go of Sunghoon's neck and once again rested his hands on the other's shoulders.
"Let me see your face" Sunoo quietly pleaded and that made Sunghoon pull back slightly and look down at Sunoo. Sunoo felt his heart stutter at the raw expression on Sunghoon's face. How much had he kept inside for all these years?
"I got so cold without my sun" Sungoon said quietly, now avoiding Sunoo's eyes by looking down. Sunoo felt his heart clenching at the vulnerability in Sunghoon's voice. Before he could think he brought his hands to Sunghoon's face, cradling it and gently lifting it up so he could see him properly.
He could feel his own heart breaking when he saw the unshed tears in Sunghoon's eyes as he leaned into Sunoo's palms, as if his face was made for Sunoo's hands. Maybe others thought Sunghoon was cold or distant but Sunoo knew he was neither cold nor distant, Sunghoon was someone who cared deeply about the people around him.
Maybe Sunghoon could be blunt or come off as insensitive but Sunoo knew he just needed to be shown warmth even if he acted like he didn't. Sunoo also knew Sunghoon hated being called cold and would only let Sunoo call him Ice prince. It couldn't have been easy to endure it all on his own. Sunoo caressed Sunghoon's cheek before bringing their heads closer so their foreheads were touching, breaths mingeling. Sunoo could feel his voice waver as he replied:
"Oh Sunghoon, I will always keep you warm my Ice prince"
10 years earlier
Sunghoon had dreaded this day for months and now it was finally here. It was his last practice before moving on to play in an actual team. While he should feel excited he only felt a sense of sorrow. He looked outside the car window as they passed buildings on their way to the ice rink. As they got closer Sunghoon could feel his dread growing and his heart felt heavy.
By the end of practice Sunghoon felt as time slipped away too fast, he wasn't ready to let go. He wished time would stop. Changes were scary.
"What's got you down? Aren't you excited to finally play for real?" the sunny boy beside him asked in a cheerful voice as they skated towards the bench by the edge of the ice.
"I don't know" Sunghoon muttered, keeping his eyes on his skates gliding across the ice. Once they sat side by side on the bench Sunghoon kept his eyes on his skates making no move to start untying them.
"Don't worry one day I'll catch up to you, Ice prince." Sunoo said as he untied his skates, still in that cheerful voice not noticing the others lack of enthusiasm. On any other occasion the nickname would make something warm spread in Sunghoon's chest but now he only felt something twist inside. He didn't want anyone else to use that, only Sunoo was allowed. Sunoo made it sound kind.
"Maybe we'll even play against each other one day" Sunoo continued while taking off his helmet and Sunghoon tore his eyes away to look at the other while helplessly thinking 'but I don't want to play against you I want to play with you.' He also knew the age difference would likely make it impossible for them to even play against each other. They didn't even come from the same club.
"I don't like maybe" Sunghoon muttered back while looking down at his skates again. The other boy studied him quietly. He knew Sunghoon wanted to say more but words weren't Sunghoons thing so Sunoo took his hand and gave it a squeeze. Sunghoon wanted to squeeze back and never let go but his body felt paralyzed.
"Then let's play against each other in the future" he said and the words made Sunghoon look up and maybe Sunoo was right but the future was uncertain. Sunghoon hated uncertainty. Sunghoon noticed how the other was slightly tugging at his hair, a nervous habit.
The moment was broken by Sunoo's mom calling for him and the boy quickly packed the remaining of his things and Sunghoon just watched helplessly. He wished he could make time stop. He didn't want Sunoo to leave, not yet. Before Sunoo left he looked back at Sunghoon who just looked up at the other boy, not having moved an inch. He wasn't ready to say goodbye, he didn't want to. There was so much more he wanted to say but his mouth wouldn't work.
"Don't forget me Ice prince" Sunoo said quietly as he looked at Sunghoon. His smile was a lot softer now and Sunghoon hated it. He hated when Sunoo smiled and it wasn't the kind of smile that made his eyes turn into crescents and make the whisker dimples appear. The smile looked like a goodbye, not see you again. Maybe Sunoo knew this would be goodbye too, even if he was better at hiding it. The sun would keep shining after all. The sun didn't need the Ice prince in the same way the Ice prince needed the sun. But what was a sun good for if it couldn't warm others up? Sunghoon wanted to say anything, do anything but his body was frozen in place.
"I won't, Sunshine" Sunghoon responded, trying to smile and failing. He wanted to reach out but his body wouldn't move. With that Sunoo nodded, lips in a tight smile and went to his mother who stood waiting impatiently. Sunghoon could hear them talking but couldn't make out the words as he followed the other boys' retreating figure with his eyes.
Sunghoon doesn't know how long he just sat there but he was snapped out of his trance when his mother went up to him which made him quickly pack his things. Sunghoon tried to leave his heart behind and focus on the future. He already felt colder without the sun shining.
But as the years went by the Ice prince got colder once again without the sun melting the frost. The sun got dimmer without others needing its warmth. However, the ice prince never stopped waiting for the clouds to part and his sun to return.