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“You’re kidding.”
“ What? ”
Jay pinches the bridge of his nose, eyebrows knitted. He has the most atrocious Christmas sweater on, and Sunghoon knew it could only be Jungwon’s doing. He shrugs when Jay sneers at him.
“You have a crush on– Sunoo? As in, legendary Ravenclaw seeker, Kim Sunoo? ”
Sunghoon couldn’t fathom why it seemed so unbelievable to Jay.
“Yeah. Him. I have a crush on him. Is it really so bad?”
The Slytherin clicks his tongue as he flicks mindlessly through the pages of his book. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Sunghoon remembers reading it throughout his first year. He sighs heavily, leaning his head against his arms. “It’s bad, when Sunoo’s stated before that he has no thoughts of dating. Plus, doesn’t he have something against you, or whatever?”
Sunghoon knew his friend was right. For the past five years, Sunoo and he have gone neck to neck, trying hard to beat each other in their shared classes. Alongside that, Sunghoon’s also made it his mission to annoy Sunoo at every given moment, irking a reaction from the boy.
That just probably added onto the annoyance Sunoo feels whenever he looks at Sunghoon, but the latter reasons that he does it because Sunoo looks cute whenever he reacts.
“Okay. I’ll dare you, Sunghoon.”
Jay laughs upon seeing Sunghoon’s face. “C’mon, it’s almost the new year. None of us are going home for the holidays, so it’ll be fun.” The Gryffindor sighs heavily, but waits for Jay to continue. “By New Year’s Day, you and Sunoo should be dating by then.”
Sunghoon looked at him incredulously.
“Are you serious? ”
“Oh, absolutely. ”
At first, Sunghoon was convinced that Jay’s dare was doable. After all, Sunoo was still within Sunghoon’s circle of friends, despite the evident distaste the former seemed to have on him. He’d see Sunoo during breakfast and dinner at the Great Hall, often already sitting between Jungwon and Niki as he laughs at some obscure story Heeseung was telling them. Upon Sunghoon’s arrival, Sunoo often breaks his grin just to glare at him, and Sunghoon finds it too amusing, replying back with a cocky smirk.
It’s the same this morning too, nothing different from the countless mornings they’ve spent at the castle.
“Great. Now my morning is ruined because of you.”
Sunghoon laughs playfully, watching the way Sunoo’s face contorts further into annoyance. “You were excited to see me this morning. Admit it. ” Sunoo retorts by rolling his eyes, fiddling with the corners of a paperback novel that Jungwon gifted to him from the muggle world.
The rest of their friends have resolved to ignore the two of them, realising that nothing will be able to break whatever trance Sunoo and Sunghoon have when they get going.
“Shut up.”
“Nope. Never. Not until you admit that you missed me.”
Sunoo raises his wand, pointing it to Sunghoon as a warning. He knew better than to piss Sunoo off, of course, but it was fun getting a rise out of him. “Say another word to me and I’ll hex you, Park Sunghoon.” There was a clear dislike laced in Sunoo’s voice as he said that, eyes glaring abhorrently at Sunghoon. From beside Sunoo, Jungwon looked at his best friend nervously, lips pressed into a thin line as he grabbed the former’s wrist and slowly brought it down.
To be completely honest, Sunghoon had no idea why Sunoo hated him so much. He doesn’t recall doing anything relatively significant for the other to brew a strong concoction of loathing, and all Sunghoon could remember was Sunoo suddenly looking at him as if he was capable of uttering an unforgivable curse at any given point.
(Or rather, was he so oblivious within the past few years that he just never caught on to why Sunoo disliked him? Moreso, how the hell did Sunghoon develop feelings for the other in the first place? Merlin, was he that much of an idiot?)
“You wouldn’t and you know that.”
“Don’t fucking try– ”
Heeseung slams his hand on the table, garnering the stares of the other students within their vicinity. He apologises right after, but immediately points a finger between his two friends. “Enough! Please, just give us one peaceful morning, okay?” His face was contorted with an obvious defeat, eyes pleading the two mercily. Sunoo doesn’t reply, except he turns his head to the side, jaw clenched. Sunghoon mumbles an apology, biting his bottom lip in thought.
Even now, Sunghoon can’t figure out why Sunoo is always so bothered with him. Was he so insufferable that the pretty seeker from the Ravenclaw quidditch team couldn’t bear to see him?
Trying to change the topic, Jake, who just finished scoffing his food down, directs their attention to something more important. “Do you guys have dates for the Yule Ball yet?”
Sunoo laughs incredulously, “nope. Ball dates are overrated.”
“Oh shut up, Sunoo. You had ball proposals everyday, and have rejected each one,” Jungwon dejectedly says, looking at Jay longingly as the other shied his head away. “I just don’t wanna have a date that I’m not interested in, you know? That’s not fun.” Sunoo picks at his nails as he says this, a small smile on his lips.
Funnily enough, Sunghoon doesn’t have a date to the Yule Ball either, given, that the only person he’d ever ask ended up being the one person that hated him the most. And, said person doesn’t even want to go with a date. But that doesn’t mean Sunghoon couldn’t shoot his shot (though horribly so).
“Go with me,” he says offhandedly. He watches as Sunoo scorns, left eyebrow raised. He could see all of their friends watching them wearily again, and Sunghoon doesn’t miss the way that Niki grabs onto the sleeve of Sunoo’s robe sweater gently.
Flipping him off, Sunoo glares at him again, “fuck off.” Without another word, Sunoo grabs his things and leaves the Great Hall.
A heavy sigh breaks Sunghoon off his trance, eyes prying away from the seat that was once Sunoo’s. “Seriously, what did you do for him to be like this with you?” He could only shrug, because that’s the one thing he wanted to figure out too. “I don’t know, Niki. All I know is one day, after a Defence Against the Dark Arts class we had together, he started acting cold and harsh towards me.”
“And now you just pick on every little thing about each other.”
“Exactly that.”
Jay rubs a hand over his face, though a little rough, and Jungwon had to scold him for the way he rubbed across his eyes. “He finds every little thing that you do annoying, Hoon. He always finds a way to complain about it.”
Sunghoon ignores the way his heart pummels to the ground, because despite the way Sunoo treated him, he knows the latter was kindhearted. After all, he was the one that stayed by Sunghoon’s bedside for days on end when he was hit terribly by a bludger during a quidditch game between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. There was more reason as to why Sunghoon developed a forbidden crush too, but he wasn’t really hell-bent on admitting it.
He clicks his tongue, grabbing his scarf from right next to him and wrapping it snuggly around his neck. “He’s just as annoying to me as well.”
Jay smacks Sunghoon on the back of his head when the latter let him inside his dorm room. “Now why would you piss Sunoo off like that? You know he already has a vendetta against you, and you’re the one who’s trying to ask him out. At least stay out of his radar.” Sunghoon flops unceremoniously onto his bed, arms spread widely against the sheets. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it. Plus, how is it my fault that he hates me? I don’t even know why he dislikes me so much.”
The door to Sunghoon’s dorm room opens again, and the duo noticed a familiar boy’s head peeking into the room, his cat-like eyes sparkling with amusement. “Hey, what’re you two talking about?” Jungwon shuffled into the room, wearing the same ugly Christmas sweater Jay had on, and Sunghoon had to stop himself from throwing up in his mouth. Couples are disgusting, really.
“We’re talking about why Sunoo hates Sunghoon so much. Hold on, Wonie, do you have any idea why?”
Jungwon slides himself beside Jay, adjusting the beanie he had on. Sunghoon knew the beanie was Jay’s, as the familiar green Slytherin colour was paired with silver stripes throughout it. “I know a bit, but not much,” he said, “Sunghoon, who’re the top students in all the classes that you share with Sunoo?”
Easy, Sunghoon ponders. There were only two people that ever crossed his mind when Jungwon asked him.
“Me and Sunoo.”
The boy pursed his lips, shoulders leaning back as he shifted his weight to his palms. “Exactly. You know how seriously Sunoo takes school. He’s a perfectionist in every way, and anything, or anyone, that gets in his way is immediately his sworn rival.” Jungwon sighs heavily, a small smile on his lips as he talked about his best friend.
It’s true – every single word that Jungwon said about Sunoo is undeniably true, there’s no disputing that. Kim Sunoo, who scored perfect scores in nearly every single one of his assessments, had every reason to see Sunghoon as his rival. Considering Sunghoon was the type to read a couple of pages of his textbook, go fuck it, give up studying for his tests, and still manage to earn some of the highest grades.
It was a battle of wits in the sense of hard work and determination, versus sheer natural ability.
But that wasn’t enough for Sunoo to begin to truly dislike Sunghoon, and Jungwon was aware of that. Sunoo was a reasonable person, despite any form of rivalry he had with someone, he wouldn’t intentionally hate them unless they’ve said or done something worthy of Sunoo’s wrath.
“In that way, Sunghoon, you’re his rival.” He plants his hand on top of Jay’s knee, looking at Sunghoon pitifully. “But he wouldn’t hate you like this unless you’ve done something to truly tick him off.”
Groaning, Sunghoon fishes his wand out of his pocket without responding to Jungwon’s words. Pointing the tip of his wand towards his blanket at the other side of the room (Nicholas stole it from him this morning before Sunghoon left because he was too cold , apparently so), he whispered, “ accio, blanket,” and the soft, hand-made blanket drapes itself over Sunghoon.
“Jay, I don’t think I can get my dare done by New Year's.”
Confused, Jungwon looks back and forth between the two, but he doesn’t ask them about it either.
“You owe me something from Hogsmeade then,” he says smugly, grinning widely when he sees Sunghoon’s expression turn more gaunt.
Perhaps Sunghoon should try his best to mend his relationship with Sunoo, lest he goes broke from Jay the next time they visit Hogsmeade.
There’s a heavy weight that’s been bugging Sunghoon’s mind as he walked out of the Gryffindor commons. Maybe Jay’s right and he really is just dumb as fuck (Sunghoon may be academically smart but that doesn’t mean he had common sense), because why didn’t he at least pull Sunoo aside once in the five years that they’ve known each other and ask him?
Why was he only trying to find ways to mend their relationship now?
He bumps into a student accidentally, his head over the clouds as all he did for an apology was give them a slight bow, not even meeting their eye. Sunghoon doesn’t even spend time to appreciate the Christmas decor that’s been hung all over the castle; glittery mistletoes dangling from the arches, and the fluttering tinsel that frames the long windows were all ignored.
Sunghoon knows he’s more rational than most, and the truth of it all is that he has been curious about why Sunoo acted so indifferent toward him. But eyes don’t mask the true feelings of the heart, as Sunghoon believes, and he sees the way resentment flashes in the other’s eye, albeit bittersweet and sad.
“The hell am I doing?” He runs a hand through his hair, then cringes when he realises just how dry his hair was.
Looking outside, a familiar broomstick speeds through the air, pink hair flowing gently behind him. Sunghoon dashes outside so quickly that he almost had to remind himself that the boy giggling joyfully in the sky was also the same person who would bury him six feet under.
Sunoo was gorgeous when he flew up in the sky. He’s gorgeous when the cold, crisp wind rushes through his face as he zips through the air, ruddy cheeks on display. There was snow lightly sprinkling from the pale blue sky above him, but he couldn’t care less.
Down below, Sunghoon halted in his tracks as he looked up in awe. No matter how many quidditch matches he’s seen where Ravenclaw was playing, Sunoo’s flying never ceases to mesmerise him. He does it so gracefully in a way that no one ever could, and it somewhat reminded Sunghoon of his skates hitting freezing cold as he danced.
Not long after, Sunoo began his slow descent to the ground, but as he did so, his eyes locked with Sunghoon’s. The serene smile that Sunoo had on his face immediately drops, and Sunghoon had to ignore the way his heart sank. “What are you doing here?” Surprisingly enough, Sunoo’s voice didn’t sound as bitter as Sunghoon thought it would.
“Nothing. I was just walking past and I saw you flying. You’re crazy good, you know that, Sunoo?”
Guilt flashes briefly in Sunoo’s eyes, though unrecognised by Sunghoon.
“Thank you,” he mutters, then continues, “have you– have you found a date to the Yule Ball yet?” He bit his lip, looking somewhat shy as he noticed Sunghoon’s stilted movements from shock.
Sunghoon blinks once, twice. Was Sunoo initiating a conversation with him?
“I– what? Sunoo– I think this is the first time this year that you’re having a conversation with me that isn’t a threat?” Sunghoon grinned brightly, his fangs proudly showing. Sunoo only stares at him disapprovingly, shaking his head. “I’m trying to be nice here. I’m sorry for how I replied earlier, by the way. I shouldn’t be so mean, especially since it’s the holidays.”
Sunghoon’s stunned. Again. Just an hour or two before he decided to go on a walk around the castle grounds to try and come up with a plan to first be on better terms with Sunoo, he was sitting pathetically in his dorm room, getting consoled by both Jay and Jungwon for his nonexistent friendship with Sunoo.
(Unbeknownst to Sunghoon, Sunoo cares about him much more than he thinks).
Feeling awkward, Sunoo held onto his broom tighter, “if you’re not going to say anything I’ll just go–” He was just about to turn away when a warm hand grabs his wrist. “Wait, Sunoo, I need to ask you something.”
He’s going to take the chance when presented to him, since it’s not every day that Sunoo actually acts civil around him.
“I’ll just be frank, okay? Why do you hate me so much?”
A stoic expression takes over Sunoo’s face instantly. “Seriously? It’s been years, Sunghoon. You still haven’t realised why?” Merlin, why does it feel like everyone’s spelling things out for him today?
Suddenly the air around them thickens, a feeling that’s all too familiar between them. Resigning, Sunoo rolls his words over his tongue, debating whether he should tell Sunghoon the truth. The boy deserved to know why, especially when it was Sunoo who decided to start disliking the other after that day.
(From the back of his mind, he could hear Jungwon and Niki’s little voice whispering into his ear; “Sunoo, it’s been years. You need to let this grudge go and forgive Sunghoon. Tell him why you feel this way, please?”)
He grabs onto the sleeve of Sunghoon’s red sweater, dragging the boy towards the benches. Setting his broom down gently, he began fiddling with his fingers in nervousness. “You know I don’t like failing. It’s like my whole world is crashing down in front of me, because why wasn’t I able to do it? How, when I worked so hard for it?”
Sunghoon doesn’t say a word, waiting patiently for Sunoo to continue. “I’ve had people say it’s not a big deal, y’know. But it is, to me.”
Oh. Sunghoon remembers it clearly now.
Realisation dawns in Sunghoon’s eyes, lips parting slightly as a sad smile tugs on Sunoo’s lips. “That day, it was the first time we got our results back for one of our assignments. I remember you coming up to me just to ask me what I got. Because before any of that happened, we were friends.”
God, Sunghoon was a dick.
“We were.”
At some point during their first year, Sunoo and Sunghoon were inseparable. Sure, Sunghoon was already annoying the living daylights out of Sunoo in every way possible, and not a day goes by where the two weren’t bickering.
But there was something that Sunghoon said to Sunoo at the time that fired a rage within the 11-year-old boy, and it bothered him so much that he held that grudge all the way till they were 15 (to be fair, he’s at the age where everything in the world angered him, call it the teenage angst, if you will).
Sunoo swallows a lump in his throat, an embarrassing shade of red flushing through his cheek. He knows the reasoning as to why he began seeing Sunghoon as his mortal enemy was petty, yet he can’t help it. Not when Sunoo was a perfectionist to the core, and there was no way he’d ever let anyone view him as inferior.
He gives Sunghoon a forced smile, “I’m gonna go.”
“Wait, Sunoo– wait. ”
It feels like the winter air froze Sunoo to the spot upon hearing Sunghoon’s desperate voice, and a twang hammers his heart hard.
“Will we,” he starts, voice on edge, “will we be okay?”
All Sunoo could do was shrug, “I don’t know.”
Since the day in the courtyard, neither of the two has crossed paths with the other. During breakfast, Sunoo would make sure he would enter the Great Hall earlier than any of their friends would, and the second Sunghoon walked through the giant doors, he’d be bolting out of the doors in an instant. The latter wasn’t innocent either, and he’s resolved to eat dinner down in the kitchens with the elves instead of doing so with his friends.
It caused a little commotion among their friends, but when interrogated about it, their replies were curt and cryptic, evidently avoiding any topic of each other.
“Jay,” Sunghoon groans, “I am seriously not getting that dare done.”
Jake and Heeseung, who entered the kitchens shortly after Jay did, whipped their head around to stare at Sunghoon with wide eyes. “Dare? What dare?” Heeseung accepted the hot chocolate an elf passed to him as a cynical look morphed onto his face. Jay cackles at their expressions, earning a kick on the shin from Sunghoon. “I dared him to ask Sunoo out on New Year's.”
Mouth agape, Jake pointed a wavering finger at Sunghoon. “That’s– that’s cruel! You shouldn’t be asking someone out as a dare, especially as a joke! That’s awful.” Suddenly feeling like he was wrongfully accused, Sunghoon was quick to defend himself. “It’s not a joke! I’m not asking him out as a joke.”
Heeseung jeers at him, “oh for Merlin’s sake, Sunghoon. Be serious for once.”
With a deadpan look on his face, Sunghoon nods adamantly. “I’m being serious. It’s not a joke.” He looks at his already empty cup, his finger circling the rim as he looked up and smiled at Jake and Heeseung. “I want to ask him out. Honestly.” Jay laughs again, tears prickling at the corner of his eyes. “Go on guys, tell him how preposterous the idea is. Not when Sunoo would hex him at any given chance.”
The Hufflepuff blows on his cup slightly, trying to cool it down. Giving up, Jake just digs for his wand from his pocket, then chants a charm to turn the drink to a more acceptable temperature. “I don’t understand why you’d do this to yourself. You know Sunoo despises you, right?” He downs his drink in one go, hissing a little when the once scalding hot drink burns his throat (he thought his charm worked well, but he supposes he didn’t do it well enough ).
“Of course I do. That doesn’t stop me from having a crush on him, you know,” Sunghoon says matter of factly. Heeseung pinches Sunghoon’s side teasingly, “are you a masochist or something? 16-year-olds are indeed crazy.”
Jake sneers at Heeseung disapprovingly, “my God, you heard Wonyoung say some incredibly smart word once, and suddenly you’re using it every chance you get. Stop acting as if you’re that much older than us too.”
“What do you mean? Heeseung is an old man,” Jay jabs at Heeseung, artfully dodging the other’s punches. He clears his throat, directing his attention back to Sunghoon. “Well, your wallet is on the line here, Hoon. Either you make that dare happen, or the rest of your money is going to Honeydukes and Zonko’s.”
At that second, Sunghoon really contemplated how bad the consequences would be if he hexed Jay and left him to suffer, because instead of helping his already suffering friend, all the other could think about was the absolute bank he’d turn Sunghoon’s wallet into. The Gryffindor sighs heavily, chin resting onto his palm. “How do I even do that when he’s ignoring me?”
“He’s ignoring you? Bloody hell Hoon, what did you do to him?”
“We talked! That’s it!”
Sunghoon, despite his natural ability to adapt and learn things as if he was a sponge, was quite the idiot at times. He’s observant, sure, but there are times when he misses important social cues that if Jake could charm him to stop being so oblivious, he would. Because instead of apologising for what he (allegedly) did to Sunoo, he’s holed up in his own thoughts and sulking.
He genuinely thinks this could’ve been solved if Sunghoon just took the time to actually say sorry. Plus, it doesn’t help that he’s known for constantly teasing Sunoo. What if the Ravenclaw found it as a form of public humiliation and has since sworn revenge on Sunghoon because of that?
“Y’know what, whatever. I’ll figure something out,” Sunghoon says frustratedly, his hands threading through his blonde locks for the nth time that night. His three friends watch as he gathers his things and leaves haggardly, a heavy weight on his footsteps.
“Him and Sunoo are impressive, honestly. How did they manage to dance around each other like this for years as enemies ?” Heeseung chuckles lowly as he spoke rather fondly of his two friends. Neither Jay nor Jake could respond to that.
The sunrise of Christmas morn was uneventful, to say the least. First, he awoke to Nicholas yelling excitedly in their dorm room at the present his parents gave him for Christmas. Trying to drown out the sound, he pulled his blanket higher and curled into his sheets, but the glare from the morning sun was already getting too much for him to stand. Second, once he finally dragged himself out of bed and made himself look presentable enough for breakfast, he realised that the castle was in a lot more commotion than it usually was in.
Down the hallways, there were floating ice sculptures being brought into the Great Hall, and in the midst of it all, Sunghoon remembers the event that was going to be happening later that night.
Of course, he hasn’t entirely forgotten about the ball, in the sense that it was what all the students from fifth year and upwards talked about. He even vaguely remembers Jay mentioning to him offhandedly that he’s managed to ask Jungwon to be his date to the ball, and that some Slytherin fifth year asked Niki to be their date too.
Sunghoon on the other hand, had every opportunity to snag himself a date. He wasn’t lacking in the proposals for it either, and just like Sunoo, he was receiving one almost every day. But he saw no point in accepting any of them, especially not when all he could think about was having a certain pink-haired boy’s hand in his as they danced the night away.
(Though, Sunghoon knew all too well that hell would freeze over before Sunoo ever decides to dance at a ball like this).
“You’re deep in thought,” a voice from the side says, and Sunghoon looks up to see Niki looking at him in contempt. “How’s your Christmas been?” Niki sets down his food, reaching towards his neck to adjust the woolly scarf he had on. It looked brand new and homemade, Sunghoon figured it was a present from the boy’s grandmother.
“It’s been fine. My parents got me a heap of books from the Muggle world, plus a phone. I appreciate the sentiment, but I don’t really see how that’s going to help me out here, honestly. Yeji gave me her present too, and it’s new blades for my skates.” He rubs his bleary eyes as he recalls his sister running up to him that morning just to give him her present, then proceeded to nag at her brother for looking like a mess. He’s grateful for her, really, but sometimes he wonders how the hell did the two of them end up magical when both their parents are Muggles.
Niki nods, happily chewing on a piece of toast. “So… has Sunoo talked to you yet?”
Sunghoon chokes on his juice, “what?”
The boy raises an eyebrow at him, adjusting his scarf once again. “Sunoo. I told him to talk to you and set things straight after that scene that one morning. He said he talked to you, but he could’ve lied to me. He’s cunning like that.” Pouting, Niki breaks a chunk off the branch of grapes he had on his plate, then grins widely as he turns to the side.
“Speaking of Sunoo– Sunoo! Merry Christmas!” The aforementioned boy waves brightly at Niki, his smile blinding and bright until he looked at the hunched figure sitting across. Sunghoon, who was too busy mulling over his own thoughts, didn’t notice the way the grin from Sunoo’s face fell, and was replaced with a blank stare.
What he did notice though, was the pair of eyes boring into the side of his head. “Woah, Sunoo. Maybe calm down a bit from the way you’re staring at me. I know I’m handsome and all that, but you can stare at me more later.” He looks at Sunoo matter of factly, the former rolling his eyes. “For the love of– why are you so narcissistic? You’re so annoying, really.” Sunoo walks up to Niki’s side, setting his own food down and not paying Sunghoon any more attention.
Although Sunoo still looked at him with an air of disdain, Sunghoon could tell that something felt different; that this was no longer a one-sided hatred and perhaps they could work towards becoming friends again. It’s idealistic, sure, but he’s not about to stop himself from hoping.
The rest of their friend group slowly join them for breakfast, all excitedly talking about tonight’s ball. There was never a dull moment with them, but for some reason, Sunghoon’s been feeling a little bothered that morning.
Perhaps it was because of a certain fox-eyed Ravenclaw, who’s kept his eyes trained onto Sunghoon the whole morning.
“Why do you keep staring at me?” Sunghoon whispers this, barely loud enough to be heard over Heeseung’s chatter and Jungwon’s gossiping. Sunoo clears his throat, cheeks flushing a light pink. “I’m not staring at you. I’ve been looking at… Huh Yunjin. Yeah. I’ve been looking at her.” If Sunghoon noticed the way Sunoo’s voice raised an incredible two pitches higher, he didn’t say a thing.
“Anyways, stop thinking that I’m staring at you. The world doesn’t revolve around you, you know. Maybe you need to learn a thing or two about that,” Sunoo mutters, fingers tapping the table to a familiar rhythm. “Tsk,” Sunghoon starts, “I think it’s you , who needs to realise that. Not everybody can be as ‘perfect’ as you.”
Sunoo stays quiet after that, clearly uncomfortable with Sunghoon’s words. From the corner of his eye, Sunghoon notices the way Jake looks over at them nervously, but all the former does is shake his head at him for reassurance. Sunoo stares at him with bated breath, before replying, albeit wounded, “I know.”
Neither of them spoke again after that, not knowing what else there was to be said to each other. Sure, there was loads that Sunghoon could say, ranging from ‘Sunoo, I like you’ , or even ‘Sunoo, I’m sorry I said those things to you’ . Yet he doesn’t, preferring to keep it all bottled up and shoved into the back of his mind. There’s a time and place for his blatant confessions of the heart, and the Great Hall whilst in the middle of breakfast was not the perfect place for it.
“Hey, Sunghoon, wanna get ready for the Yule Ball together?” Jake nudged his friend on the shoulder, breaking him apart from his thoughts. He agrees dumbly, still rather spaced out, but in the moment enough that he had a vague idea of what was asked of him. Jake didn’t seem to pay his friend’s eccentric behaviour any mind, passing it off as simply the ‘common Gryffindor stupidity’, whatever the hell that meant.
First year, roughly four years ago.
Sunghoon dashes out of their Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, a rolled-up piece of parchment paper in hand. There was a joyous grin on his face, eyes bright and brimming with excitement. “Sunoo!” His little voice was thunderous and loud, with a small crack at the end as it lifted a tone higher. Sunoo, who clutched his respective rolled-up parchment paper with more force, turned around to give his friend a tight-lipped smile.
“Hey, was it good?” The Ravenclaw gestured to the item in Sunghoon’s hand, to which the boy beamed. “Hell yeah it was. What did you get?”
Sunoo took in a sharp breath. There are two paths Sunoo could take at the moment, either tell Sunghoon the truth, or hide it away. Either way, Sunghoon would empathise with him, wouldn’t he?
“Only a 90,” he chokes out, already feeling his chest go tight. It’s not a big deal, and he knows it shouldn’t be. Not when a 90 isn’t an easy feat for anyone, especially not in their first year. But in a family full of established witches and wizards who have gone above and beyond, Sunoo feels that he should do the same too. And the pressure that he feels, even at only the age of 11, was almost too much.
“What do you mean , only a 90? Sunoo, don’t be so far up your own ego that you think that’s bad.”
What?
He scoffs, “ my ego? What does my ego have to do with this, Hoon?” His friend shrugs nonchalantly, then sneers. “You realise that anybody would kill to get a score like that right? Doesn’t matter anyways. I got a 97, by the way.” And Sunghoon looks at him proudly.
In Sunoo’s little mind, his friend felt too big, too far. Because how can he reach for the stars when somebody’s already there? Sunghoon, who now looked at him with mixed proudness and superiority (at least, that’s what it seemed like to him at the time), was getting out of reach, moving further into the distance.
“See, Sunoo? You can’t always be the first. Huh, and I barely tried on it too.”
Sunghoon’s subtle humble bragging was getting a little too much, and Sunoo hated it. He hated how in the middle of their conversation, the way in which he viewed his own friend had changed drastically, till it was filled with a petty rage and rivalry. He hates feeling inferior, not to anyone, ever. It would’ve been fine if Sunghoon said his score and moved on, maybe even consoled Sunoo a little bit. But the way he had a loopy grin on as he went on and on about how Sunoo can’t be good at everything, how sometimes working too hard is useless when there’s someone already there to beat you.
Heart pooling with a steady rage, Sunoo swore that he’ll beat Park Sunghoon no matter what it took.
The Great Hall was bustling with cheers and melodies, voices beautifully filtering out of the hall in a somewhat dissonant harmony. Stepping inside, Sunghoon was met with bright lights and music. Everything was painted a dazzling mix of white and gold, grandiose chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, along with a ginormous pine tree decked in tons and tons of baubles.
The students were no less grand than their environment too – the boys were clad in head to toe with sleek and fine robes, ties meticulously straightened out and dress shirts buttoned up. The girls were sporting ostentatious gowns, hair done perfectly with no visible signs of stray aways. Their makeup was jaw-dropping too, and Sunghoon wondered how it was possible for someone to draw and paint something that ethereal on their own face.
Blonde hair slicked back, Sunghoon straightened out his own robes, shoulders squared as he walked in tow with Jake towards Heeseung. “Damn Sunghoon, I’m sure the people you rejected to go on the dance with are suffering right now. You look seriously good, man.” Heeseung pats him on the back roughly, smiling teasingly. Sunghoon chuckles, “you too, Hee.” The three of them settled in their respective chairs, waiting for more students to file into the room.
As more and more people trickled into the Great Hall, soon enough, the rest of their friends arrive. Jungwon entered the Hall with his arm locked with Jay, and Sunghoon had to resist the urge to start teasing his friend (maybe later, though). Niki followed soon after, some Slytherin girl by his side (who Niki later explains was a friend of his sister who just needed a date to the ball. He agreed, and only because he had to pay her back for not rattling him out to the professors when she caught him trying to concoct a mixture of polyjuice potion).
Sunoo then enters the Hall, and Merlin, Sunghoon feels his soul leave his body. It might as well have been sucked out of him by a Dementor, because holy fuck, Sunoo was gorgeous.
His pink hair was parted slightly to the side, one half of it gelled back, and the other, framing the front of his face. His robes were all white, with gold embellishments on the lining that not only perfectly complemented the decor throughout the hall, but was a stark contrast to Sunghoon’s all-black with silver. What really did it for Sunghoon, though, was the eye makeup that the boy had on. His eyelids were a blend of light peach and a hint of merlot where the eyeliner should be, gold glitter topping it off and twinkling whenever he moved his head around.
He looked angelic, as if he belonged in heaven with all the angels.
“Jay,” Sunghoon whispers, “I think I’m going to pass out.”
“You fucking simp.”
In the core of the Yule Ball, was a dance floor filled with couples twirling their respective partners around. Jay was in the centre with Jungwon, hands tightly clasped in each other’s as they waltzed to the rhythm of the music.
Because Sunghoon chose to not go with a date to the ball, he was mostly stuck keeping to himself at their table. Sunoo sat opposite from him, but like that morning, nothing much was exchanged between the two.
The song in the background comes to a gradual fade, the remaining students clapping for their fellow friends who just danced their hearts out.
“Excuse me,” Sunoo mumbled, pushing his chair back and looking Sunghoon in the eye. He doesn’t say a word, and instead walks out of the Great Hall, his departure unnoticed by their friends. For some reason, Sunghoon decided to follow him out, trailing behind Sunoo as he watched where the Ravenclaw was heading to.
Finding himself at the bottom of the astronomy tower, Sunghoon groaned as he started on the endless flights of stairs, aware that Sunoo would already be sitting at the very top. Panting, he finishes off the last bits of the stairs, now met with a silhouette of a figure he’s quite familiar with.
It seemed that Sunoo sensed his presence too, because it didn’t take long for the other to speak.
“My mother used to tell me that the stars hold every memory that has ever been made, every dream, and every wish.”
Sunoo’s voice startled him, and the vulnerability behind it felt so raw , that rendered Sunghoon speechless. “Because of that, I wished to the stars every day, hoping to be the greatest star I could ever be.”
Sunghoon had absolutely no idea where any of this was coming from, but he walked forward hesitantly, coming closer to Sunoo. The boy seemed to be unphased, still looking up toward the night sky. Above, the navy blue expanse blanketed them in a slightly dark shadow, illuminated by the dull glow of the moon and the glittering of the stars. But Sunghoon wasn’t paying attention to whatever constellation Sunoo was tracing, not when the light bathed the latter in an almost mystical glow.
The slope of Sunoo’s nose was pretty too, angled in just the right way that Sunghoon wondered guiltily what would it feel like pressed against his cheek if they kissed.
“Why did you come here, Sunoo?”
Finally looking at him, Sunoo smiled, but the ends of his lips barely reached his eyes. It felt as if Sunghoon was staring into the past, seeing the once pompous 11-year-old Sunoo, who despite all the expectations everyone had for him, was still just a child. Even now, when Sunoo is 15 and trying to make his mark on the world, he is still, nonetheless, a kid. Family history and legacy mean nothing if you had to beat yourself up constantly to get where you are.
“I needed to breathe. I had too much on my mind,” Sunoo murmurs, fiddling with his fingers. Words left unsaid hung suspended in the air, until Sunghoon decided that it was time to end it once and for all.
“I’m sorry,” he starts, “I’m sorry for making you feel that way back then. I was stupid and so pleased with myself that I didn't even realise my words were hurting you. Sunoo, you always work so hard. With both school and quidditch– you’re amazing. I didn’t mean to invalidate you like that and I’m sorry.”
A choking silence envelopes them, and still, Sunghoon stays frozen in his spot.
Suddenly, the Ravenclaw begins giggling, then morphing into a peal of uncontrollable laughter. “I'm– I’m sorry, um. Why are you saying sorry? It should be me.” Sunoo grins incredulously, watching as the other’s face turns into one of confusion. “Sunghoon, I started hating you for no absolute reason, and all because I was 11 and petty. I just couldn’t accept that someone else could ever do it the same way I did, that I wasn’t the only one allowed to succeed. I was so egotistical and far up my own ass to the point that I started hating on you.” He jumps down from the ledge he was previously sitting on, coming up to stand directly in front of Sunghoon.
“I’m sorry too. I was dumb and stupid and honestly, this could’ve been fixed years ago if I had just talked to you.” Sunoo squares his shoulders, loose strands of hair fluttering in the moonlight.
Everything feels like it’s at a turning point of all the possibilities that Sunghoon could ever dream of. He knew that deep down, Sunoo never truly hated him, if the little guilty glances were anything to go by. Though, Sunghoon was never one to be confrontational, so it was on him as well for not asking the other all those years ago.
“Tch,” Sunghoon says, a teasing tone to his voice, “I told you before that you’re just a petty person. See?” He playfully nudges Sunoo’s shoulder, extorting another hearty laugh from the boy. “Shut up Hoon.”
Like always, silence settles between them. High up, Sunghoon could see the little specks of light that were scattered around the castle, with the windows of the Great Hall being the brightest. It’s such a dissimilarity to the small, serene world that the two of them have created up in the astronomy tower.
Out of nowhere, Sunoo pulls Sunghoon into a tight hug, the former tiptoeing slightly just so he could settle his neck into the other’s shoulder.
“I missed you. I’m sorry.”
It’s warm, like everything that Sunoo has always been. His touch felt so nostalgic, familiar and reminded him of the early days of their first year. In his chest, Sunghoon could feel it pound horribly, and for a split second he wished that Sunoo couldn’t feel it (he could, by the way).
“I missed you too.”
Never mind the ball, this was the best Christmas Sunghoon has had in a while.
Since the night of the ball, the two of them have suddenly become inseparable. Wherever Sunoo was, Sunghoon was sure to be around the corner, and if Sunghoon mysteriously disappeared with Sunoo in the middle of dinner, they were probably hanging in the kitchens.
It sparked a lot of odd looks from the students around them, everyone was used to the constant arguing and fighting those two previously did. Even their friends were confused, but honestly, they were just glad they didn’t have to charm Sunghoon just to remove the hex Sunoo cast on him anymore.
Of course, like every typical best friend duo, Sunghoon wasn’t safe from the onslaught of teasing that Jay did.
“The two of you disappeared in the middle of the ball and suddenly returned like you’ve spilled the entire secrets of the castle to each other,” Jay rattles on, happily munching on the apple Jungwon gave him prior. “Shouldn’t you be proud of me? I can probably do the dare now.” He slings an arm around his Slytherin friend, swaying them side to side.
“Yeah, yeah. That’s only if you have the balls to actually do it. You and Sunoo just made up, now you wanna ruin it by confessing?”
Huh, Sunghoon thought, he had a point . But it didn’t feel right to keep his feelings from Sunoo, even though their newly mended relationship was still raw and developing. Though, he supposes they have had a history long enough for it to be past the ‘developing’ stage at that point.
“I still want to tell him. I think I should be honest, and I think Sunoo would appreciate that I was honest with him too.”
Jay only smiles at him proudly, then pushes Sunghoon towards the direction of the quidditch field. “You sap. Go and find Sunoo. Didn’t you say he’d be waiting for you by the field?”
Sunghoon salutes him in parting, a wide grin on his face as Jay shakes his head. “See you later for dinner!”
He rushes to get outside into the field, feeling the cold breeze hit his pale skin and turning it flush. Winter was still at its peak, but leave it up to Sunoo to still be flying and practising even when white covers green.
It doesn’t take long for Sunoo to notice Sunghoon’s presence, immediately diving down to meet the latter. “Hey! You’re here.”
Sunoo grabs onto his sleeve, his bare hands obviously freezing. Eyebrows knitted, Sunghoon took his own gloves off, then grabbed the other’s hand in his. “What the heck– Sunoo. Your hands are freezing.” Without thinking twice, he held Sunoo’s hands between his, cupping them gently. He blew into them softly, trying to warm them up before placing his own gloves onto them.
He does it with no thinking, that he fails to notice the way Sunoo’s face turned beet red from the gesture. “Oh! Uh, thank you, Hoon.” In retaliation, Sunoo then reaches forward to adjust the red beanie and scarf. He felt a sense of satisfaction pool in his chest when Sunghoon’s already rosy cheeks turned scarlet, reminiscent of the red of the Gryffindor crest.
Shying his head away, Sunghoon was quick to change the topic. “So, you’re already practising for the upcoming season?” He prods the handle of Sunoo’s broom, watching as his friend giggles sweetly.
“Duh. I can’t be off my game when we play. I have the pride of a Seeker too, y’know.”
Laughing with him, Sunghoon shoves his hands into the pocket of his hoodie, trying to warm them up (he should’ve brought an extra pair with him, but his gloves looked better on Sunoo anyway). He hums, “I wish I could fly like you. I suck at it.”
“You can skate, can’t you? Didn’t you say you used to compete before?”
He nods in reply, tapping his heels on the snow. “Yeah. I skate whenever I go back home though.”
Sunoo runs his fingers along his broom, admiring the scratches and dents that have accumulated through the years. “I can teach you.”
“You’ll what?”
Sunoo laughs again, “I’ll teach you. C’mon.” He mounts his broom, suspending himself in the air slightly. Beckoning for Sunghoon to come closer, he pats the space right next to him. “Here, you can sit behind me.”
Nervous, Sunghoon gulps, but complies easily. He swings his legs over the broom, scooting himself closer to Sunoo so as to not fall over the back. As he does so, Sunoo surprises him by grabbing his hands and wrapping it around his waist, scolding the Gryffindor for holding him so loosely. “Tighten your grip around me, Hoon. You won’t hurt me.”
The thing is, it wasn’t the idea of hurting Sunoo that made Sunghoon so nervous. It was the singular thought that they were pressed up against each other, Sunoo’s warm back against his chest and he realised how broad Sunoo’s shoulders were. Sunghoon’s frame, although much more taller and lean, barely covered Sunoo’s back, and it didn’t help that the latter’s waist was tiny and fit perfectly in the palms of his hands. He mentally curses himself for his straying thoughts, but Sunghoon tries to blame it on his teenage boy hormones.
Ascending higher, Sunghoon squeaks in shock, a little embarrassed when the sound leaves his mouth. “Don’t be scared. I won’t let you fall.” Sunoo’s deep voice vibrates throughout his back, and Sunghoon could feel it mould into his chest.
“I know, but Merlin, Sunoo this is so high?”
They slowly begin to pick up more speed, going around the field in circles, before Sunoo takes flight and goes higher. The action causes Sunghoon to hold tighter, suddenly more worried about the prospect of slipping off the Ravenclaw’s broom than the feel of the other’s frame in his arms.
“ What the hell! ”
Exclaiming happily, Sunoo goes a bit faster, though not as fast as how he usually flies during their matches, just in case Sunghoon begins to feel queasy later on. “Flying is easy! You just have to centre yourself as you fly, and there!”
Sunghoon had absolutely no talent in flying, and honestly, that was okay with him. But the pure, unadulterated joy that dawned on Sunoo’s face as they weaved back and forth from the castle towers – this was a memory Sunghoon wanted to remember forever.
They zip through the cold air until Sunoo decides to slow down, at a point higher than the castle itself and told Sunghoon to look down. “I know heights scare the crap out of you, but look. ”
As if on cue, the snow began to gently fall from the sky, dotting their pale skins in white and coating the peaks and balconies of the towers in a thin veil of snow. It was like staring into a snow globe and watching the little flakes fall down, filled of innocent childhood dreams during winter mornings.
“This is why I love flying so much. Everything looks so surreal when you’re up high.” Sunoo sighs as he looks down, then turns slightly so he could gaze fondly at Sunghoon’s awed expression.
Days ago, Sunoo would’ve never imagined he’d be flying through the castle grounds with the one person he once swore would be his mortal enemy. Alas, he’s grown past the stage of petty grudges, and it’s time that he truly admits to his own feelings for once in his life.
“Let’s go down?”
Sunghoon gives him a nod, the pair makes their descent back to solid ground. Flying with Sunoo was an exhilarating experience, and although it was fun, he’ll never do it again.
Ever. Flying really isn't for him.
“Sunoo, let’s leave the flying up to you. Okay?”
Still heading towards solid ground, Sunoo chortles at Sunghoon, his laughter resonating within the latter’s chest, causing it to skyrocket. Feeling the vibrations of Sunoo’s voice against him is like it was taking form into his heart, creating a nook inside of it solely for him to take reside in.
“Sure, sure. Here. We’re on solid ground now, so you don’t have to feel like pissing yourself every time we fly up.”
Sunghoon glares at him playfully, until an idea spawns in his mind. “Come with me, I’m going to teach you something too.” He grabs onto Sunoo’s wrist, first taking him towards the Gryffindor dorms to grab something.
“You better not be trying to lock me inside the Room of Requirements, or something of the sort.”
“I would never!”
“ This ,” Sunoo points, “is what you wanted to teach me?”
In front of them, was the Great Lake over the south of the Hogwarts grounds. Because of the colder weather, the top layer was frozen over, and judging by the two pairs of skates in Sunghoon’s hand, it was pretty obvious what the other was going to show.
Sunghoon tests the ice first, lacing his skates up with practised ease, and taps his blade onto the sheet. Taking his wand out, he casts a charm onto the ice, explaining that it’s to make sure it doesn’t crack underneath their weight. He then takes the other pair of skates he left by the edge of the lake, passing it onto Sunoo.
“It’s perfect. I’ll help you tie it up.” He instructs Sunoo to put the skates on, glad that his old pair fit the boy perfectly. He laces them the same way he did with his own, then holds out his arm for Sunoo to clutch.
“You have to hold me for this too. ‘Cause you’ll definitely slip and fall.”
“Don’t underestimate me.”
True to Sunghoon’s words, Sunoo immediately slips as he steps onto the ice. He yelps when he loses balance, but Sunghoon was quick and managed to grab onto him. “Careful, Sun! Just hold on tight.”
Carefully, Sunghoon began leading them further, and further into the ice, expertly gliding over it and not clumsily moving across the ice like Sunoo was. Sunghoon was quick to fix his form too, telling him how to properly move across without losing his balance.
To Sunghoon, skating was what flying was to Sunoo. The pink-haired boy watched in amazement as all the little tips and tricks Sunghoon told him worked, yet even then, he couldn’t bring himself to let go of Sunghoon’s arm.
“Sun, you can let go if you want to.”
Sunoo shook his head fervently. No way he was going to let go, and risk cracking his skull if he slipped rather ungracefully on the ice. Madam Park would have a field day seeing him in the hospital wing. “Absolutely no way. I’m good clutching your arm, thanks.” He held a hand out in gratitude, showing Sunghoon that he was more than fine sticking close to him.
This made Sunghoon giggle, finding Sunoo’s adamancy adorable. They continue skating for a little longer, laughing brightly whenever Sunghoon teases Sunoo for messing up slightly. The snow from earlier has stopped a while ago, and the cold air began to sting their cheeks.
At some point, Sunoo gave up trying to skate on his own, instead letting Sunghoon manoeuver him to the side. “Sunghoon, skate for me. I wanna see you skate.”
Something about Sunoo’s words made the Gryffindor feel a little embarrassed and tense, because this was the first time he was going to show anyone from Hogwarts how he skated, preferring to skate on his own or only back home.
Breathing in, Sunghoon started to skate through the ice, warming himself up. He starts off with simple figure eights, then small turns. From Sunoo’s perspective, it was like watching a swan gracefully swim across the water, beautiful in every way.
Skating on ice came as easily as walking did, each jump, and each turn was done in perfection, despite the fact that Sunghoon doesn’t skate as often as he regularly did anymore. It was mesmerising to witness to the naked eye, and Sunoo wondered how Sunghoon managed to leave a life of skating competitions just to become a wizard.
Exhausted, Sunghoon deemed his little talent show enough and moved towards where Sunoo was sitting on the snow. He plunks himself next to the boy, lying down as he closed his eyes. Sunoo follows suit, their shoulders touching and fingers only milimetres away from each other.
“I can’t believe I just got to watch you skate with my own two eyes. Sunghoon, you’re incredible!”
Laughing awkwardly, Sunghoon replies, “thank you. I haven’t shown this to anyone at all, so you’re the first.” The astonished look that Sunoo shoots him from the side made him grin, and he couldn’t resist himself from reaching forward to pinch the Ravenclaw’s cheeks.
“I mean it, though. Would you consider going back to the Muggle world just to become a professional skater?”
It was an innocent question, but the thought of it left a slight pang in Sunghoon’s heart. He loves skating, he always has. But some things have to be let go, and he knows that being a professional skater wasn’t really plausible for him anymore.
“No, and I don’t think I will, honestly.”
Sunoo hums in understanding, lifting himself up to hover over Sunghoon’s face. “Ah, before i forget to ask you,” he whispers, cheeks suddenly turning redder than usual (if asked, it was because it was cold). “Would you like to spend New Year's with me at the astronomy tower? We can watch the fireworks from there.” His voice was shy, bottom lip wedged between his teeth as he anxiously waiting for the other’s reply.
And who was Sunghoon to decline any invitation from Sunoo? He’d be an idiot if he didn’t say yes.
“Of course! But you make it sound as if it’ll only be us. Our other friends will be there too, right?” Please say they won’t be, Sunghoon hopes. A blank look crosses Sunoo’s face, eyes firm and filled with resolve. “What do you mean? It’s just going to be us. You’re the only one I’ve asked, and will ask.”
Oh.
Tension fills the air around them, so incredibly thick it could be sliced with a knife. Sunghoon’s eyes start darting around them, finally coming to rest onto Sunoo’s lips. They look so soft, barely chapped despite being in the cold. In his mind, he punches himself for thinking that way over something so innocent.
“Did you know there are Muggle traditions for New Years?”
“Huh?”
Sunghoon really needs to punch himself. “Yeah. They say that if you eat 12 grapes, you get 12 wishes.” A bright smile graces Sunoo’s face, eyes crinkling in delight. “Seriously? Have you tried it before?” Lips in a pout, Sunghoon sighs dramatically. “Unfortunately, no. So I actually have no evidence to give you. But you can try it out if you want.”
Falling back onto the snow, Sunoo sniggers at Sunghoon. “You believe dumb myths like that? Muggles are so weird…”
(Oh, Sunoo is definitely going to try it out. There’s something in the back of his mind that he needs to wish for; one that has always been there, ever present since months ago).
The flight of stairs to the top of the astronomy tower is as daunting as Sunghoon remembered it from Christmas, and he’s had to mentally prepare himself before he dashed through it. Despite the fact that Sunghoon has an ungodly amount of stamina, the stairs of the tower were draining enough that halfway through it, he’d do anything to give up.
By the time he reached the top, he was hunched over from all the running he was doing. Sunoo stood in front of him disapprovingly, hands on his hips that reminded Sunghoon briefly of his sister that morning. “Park Sunghoon! I told you not to run up the stairs because you’ll tire yourself out!” Sheepish, Sunghoon could only scratch the back of his neck.
Sunoo drags him towards the ledge of the tower, glancing briefly at the watch he had on his wrist. “Okay, we have about 30 minutes till midnight, so I guess we should just kill some time while we’re here.”
Sunghoon complies easily enough, choosing to ask Sunoo questions as they waited. “Do you have any wishes for the new year?” A knowing smile works its way onto Sunoo’s face. “Yeah. I have one, and I really hope it comes true.”
“Really? I do too.”
For some unknown reason, Sunghoon felt his heart start beating rapidly, until he remembered the dare that Jay told him about a week ago. It was now or never, and Sunghoon knows there’s really no backing out of this one. Though, he thinks it's better to tell Sunoo when the clock strikes midnight, because it’ll be more romantic if he confesses his feelings whilst the fireworks burst in the background.
“You know, we may have only mended our relationship recently, but it’s like this is where we were always meant to be.”
Sunoo’s right, as he always was. Sunghoon felt the same too. It’s only recently that they truly hung out as friends, no longer out of obligation to each other because of the fact they had mutual friends. And it’s a breath of fresh air for Sunoo, because finally, he can let go
11-year-old Sunoo would probably turn his nose up in disgust at him once he found out, but fixing his relationship with Sunghoon was one way for him to slowly heal his inner child. Expectations and pressure on him would always be a constant, that, he knew. His drive and need for perfection wasn’t something that was going to go away in the blink of an eye, and Sunghoon knows that there would be times when Sunoo would be upset at him in the event that he does better. It’s inevitable anyways, Sunghoon was no idiot when it came to his academics.
“It’s okay to let go sometimes, Sunoo.”
His words prompted the Ravenclaw to look at him dumbfounded, but he knew fully went what Sunghoon meant. “I mean, you don’t have to always put so much pressure on yourself. Besides, it makes you end up doing stupid things.” He adds a joking tone to his voice in the last sentence, clearly referring to the longtime grudge he held against Sunghoon.
“It’s hard. ”
Liquid pools at the corner of Sunoo’s eyes, which he quickly wiped away. Sunghoon pried the scarf off his neck, unraveling it and winding it around Sunoo’s neck instead. Placing it gently, he replied, “I know. That’s why I’m telling you to take it easy. Who cares about what others say? You’re still so clever Sunoo, nothing can ever change that. But if you keep pushing yourself like that, you’ll burn out quicker than anyone.”
“Being smart is all fun until you realise you’ve neglected yourself in the process.”
Hoping his words brought some comfort to the other, Sunghoon then proceeded to ruffle Sunoo’s pink hair. The other boy looked at him with a watery smile, then brought Sunghoon in for a tight hug. “Why do we keep being emotional whilst up in the tower? I swear this place is cursed.”
That caused Sunghoon to laugh brightly, holding onto Sunoo tightly as he realised what the other said. On Christmas night, the two of them ended up fixing their once rocky relationship, and now Sunghoon was trying to console Sunoo. It’s a pattern, he supposes.
Looking at his watch again, Sunoo jumps apart from their hug. “Ah shit, we only have ten minutes left!”
Pulling out a small container from his pocket, Sunghoon noticed that there were 12 grapes inside of it. Raising an eyebrow, he took a closer look at the container. “12 grapes? You’re going to try it out?” Sunoo’s foxy eyes crinkle again, looking like crescent moons this time, “perhaps. But I’m going to eat it before midnight, because there’s something I want to do then.”
Even though he was confused, Sunghoon stood and watched as his friend munched on 12 grapes. The nerves he was trying so hard to bury were beginning to resurface, coming up to his throat and forming a lump. If all goes well, perhaps he’d walk away from the tower without ruining whatever he had with Sunoo.
He puffs his cheeks out, trying to quell his nervousness when the countdown from all the other students suddenly started.
Ten. Nine.
“Sunoo, I have something to tell you.”
“And you’re gonna think I’m crazy or stupid.” He holds onto Sunoo’s hands in his.
Eight. Seven.
“But this has been something that I’ve been feeling towards you for a while now.” Sunoo grins up at him, trying to mask his bewilderment.
Six. Five.
“Sunoo, I hope that what I say won’t change anything between us.”
Four. Three.
“ Please, I don’t want this to change us, okay?” The desperation in how Sunghoon spoke was enough for Sunoo to understand, and he wasn’t going to let that happen anyways. No matter what Sunghoon said, they’ve stood on uneven waters for way too long, only now reaching the calm sea in their relationship. Nothing will change it.
Two. One.
“Sunoo, I lik–”
Something soft touches his lips gently, pressing against them until it pulls apart from him. Sunghoon is stunned for a moment, until the lips kiss him again, this time allowing him to reciprocate. Sunoo’s lips tasted like heaven, just like the strawberry lip balm he was always putting on. Their lips clash against each other clumsily, evidently their first time kissing someone else.
Around them, the fireworks burst spectacularly in the sky, painting their faces in hues of red and blue. The sparklers crackle as students and professors alike shout their celebrations, their euphoria seeping through the pair’s bones.
Sunoo kisses him again, and again, 12 times, to be exact.
When he pulls away again, an accomplished look was already fluttering through his eyes. “Your Muggle tradition worked, by the way.”
“Wha– huh? ” Sunghoon sputters, lips the colour of cherry. “My wishes. It came true.”
Stunned, Sunghoon didn’t know how to reply, opting to blink dazedly at Sunoo. Sunoo kissed him. He kissed him before Sunghoon could even have the chance to spill his well-orchestrated confession. All under the guise of a dumb Muggle tradition.
“Wait, Sunoo, does this mean you feel the same?”
Sunoo smiles innocently, “I don’t know, what were you going to tell me?” Had Sunghoon not known that Sunoo was just messing with him, he may have belived that the latter really had no clue. Of course, he’s already figured it out, all he wanted was for Sunghoon to spell it out blatantly.
“I like you. I like you so much that honestly, I wondered why I liked you when you hated me. But I couldn’t stop myself from falling and I just– I like you so much. ” The words came spilling out of him like a fountain, and he found it hard to stop. Liking Sunoo came so easily for him, even when the other would glare at him or hex him after Sunghoon teased him too much. Maybe Heeseung was right and he was a masochist.
Everything with Sunoo came so easily, even when they were meant to be enemies. This time, even confessing felt like he needed for it to come out, or else he would burst.
“Good,” Sunoo replied, and kissed him once more.
Stepping inside Honeydukes, Jay crossed his arms begrudgingly. “I did not think you had it in you to actually confess. I thought you may have gotten yourself buried six feet underground by then.” They sifted through the rows and rows of sweets that the store had, a couple of them catching Sunghoon’s eye.
He picked one up, noticing that it was mint chocolate flavoured, and deeming it worthy enough to Sunoo’s liking. “My wallet was obviously on the line. Besides, not only had I managed to confess, but he even ended up as my boyfriend .”
Jay grabbed a couple more sweets for himself, the two going off to pay for their stuff before walking out. “That too! Like, how the hell? He hated you!”
Sunghoon shrugs, swinging his bag full of lollies as they walked towards Zonko’s. “Congrats though. You finally grew balls large enough to ask him out.” Jay snickers, flinching when Sunghoon threatened to punch him square in the face.
Once they reached Zonko’s the rest of their friends waited for them to return. Without wasting a moment, Sunoo attached himself to Sunghoon’s side, pulling him through the streets of Hogsmeade.
“Did you get me anything?”
Sunghoon pulled out the mint chocolate treats he hand-picked for his boyfriend, watching as the other sang in excitement. It’s the new year, and Sunghoon knew this year was going to be widely different from his past year. He’s glad that things between Sunoo and he worked out, and he grins when he thinks of spending this year alongside his boyfriend.
(He’s not willing to admit this, not even to himself, but none of this would’ve happened if Jay hadn’t dared him that one afternoon and practically forced Sunghoon to make amends with Sunoo).
“Thank you,” Sunoo replied, pecking Sunghoon gently on the cheek.
Yeah, this was going to be a good year.