A weekend afternoon, at the entrance to the school field.
The sky was still heavy and overcast, like it might burst open at any moment.
SUNOO had walked all the way to the field because of a single text.
That short line kept nagging at the back of his mind—“How’ve you been?” He felt a little ridiculous for not replying, but what complicated things more were all the unspoken words hiding behind that one sentence.
"Feels like forever... this place."
SUNOO murmured, memories surfacing as he moved toward the gym.
Then—
The gate creaked, and he locked eyes with someone standing on the other side.
A man with his cap pulled low and hands in his pockets. The familiar slope of his shoulders, the way he walked—there was no mistaking it.
It was JL.
SUNOO blinked, startled, but tried to keep his expression flat, pretending nothing was wrong. JL looked surprised too.
"…Long time."
SUNOO spoke first.
"Why are you here?"
JL answered. His voice sounded ordinary, but it had an edge.
"Just taking a walk."
SUNOO said.
"Same here. Pure coincidence."
JL narrowed his eyes.
"...Let’s say it’s a coincidence. Then why one line? That’s it?"
SUNOO fired off questions fast; three years of pent-up hurt and irritation threaded through his tone.
"One line should’ve been enough. I didn’t expect you to crumble over it."
JL’s face hardened. Short. Cold. The words felt like a sting.
"I did crumble. Don’t you remember how you left?"
SUNOO shot back.
"You vanished like you ran away, no explanation. While the world praised you, I was left staring at the empty seat you left behind."
SUNOO took a deep breath. "How is that justified?"
"Justified? You kept tearing my dream down."
JL’s eyes snapped open and his voice rose.
"You were always like, ‘Stop,’ ‘You can’t do it.’ You never believed in me.
I just wanted to know how you saw me."
"So your idea of ‘belief’ is what—unconditional cheering?"
SUNOO’s anger flared.
"Telling me the truth was me being considerate. Who’s going to take responsibility if you get hurt?
Do you think I could pretend I didn’t see that?"
Their voices grew louder. No one was around, but the words made the air tremble.
The first drops of rain began to fall. Water dotted their collars; even the chattering birds fell silent.
"I wanted you to give me certainty."
JL stepped closer, his gaze harder than before.
"Your not-believing didn’t swallow my dream, but your ‘reality’ kept making me small. Your so-called comfort felt like permission to give up."
"But that doesn’t mean you could just leave without a word."
SUNOO clenched his jaw. "All you left me with were questions and wounds. Was our friendship that lightweight to you?"
Rain mixed with JL’s eyelashes—whether from the sky or something else, he didn’t know. He let out a shaky sigh.
"You’re the same as ever."
JL said quietly. "You only see what’s comfortable for you."
"You always thought your way was the only right way."
SUNOO didn’t back down. "So you left, and I stayed here, asking questions. Is that fair?"
"You don’t understand me."
JL turned his head; his lips trembled. "You always preferred the safe choice. So I—"
He couldn’t finish, and stepped quickly away, deeper into the field as the rain grew heavier.
"You’re still the same."
JL’s voice was small but unmistakable. With that, he walked on, letting the rain soak his hair and clothes.
SUNOO watched his retreating figure in silence, breath catching. For a moment, it felt like the past replayed—JL leaving without a word.
SUNOO felt something harden inside him; he pictured himself frozen, helpless as before. He resolved he wouldn’t let it end that way again.
SUNOO started to run.
He slid across the grass toward the concession stand where umbrellas were kept, grabbed a small folding umbrella, and didn’t stop despite the stinging rain on his face.
JL kept walking; the sound of water followed him. Rounding the last corner, SUNOO saw JL bent over, shaking water from his hands.
"Wait—"
SUNOO panted, closing the distance.
"Why did you follow me?"
JL looked back, eyes still full, voice rough.
"Because you’re… you’re the same, and I was afraid I’d run away again."
SUNOO opened the umbrella and steadied his breathing. His hands trembled, but his tone was firm.
"I don’t want to just let you go like before."
There was regret, shame, and a love that hadn’t faded in his words.
SUNOO quickly held the umbrella over JL’s head. Rain cut across the space between them. Their shoulders drew closer but didn’t touch; under the umbrella they made a small, shared world.
"Have you… really changed?"
JL looked at SUNOO holding the umbrella, eyes wide, as if holding something back.
"I don’t want to go back to doing nothing."
SUNOO managed a small, strained smile.
"I don’t want to stand by and watch you leave again."
They looked at each other for a long moment—no words, but a thousand conversations and a thousand debts passed between them.
The rain thickened. Under that single umbrella, their eyes shone in a way that made everything else quiet.
The distance between them remained, but for now, one umbrella had briefly bridged it.
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to be continue.. >>