"well, this is my stop," hongjoong said as the two of them paused in front of the subway staircase.

"if i didn't have to go back to work, i'd ride up with you," seonghwa admitted, wishing their spontaneous date did not fall right in the middle of his work day.

"don't worry about me. i do it all the time. i got my headphones to keep me company," hongjoong said, gesturing to them. seonghwa chuckled.

"maybe we can see each other later? if you're not busy, that is," seonghwa asked, his voice laced with fake confidence.

against his better judgment, hongjoong replied quickly. "that would be great."

"great! um..." seonghwa trailed off, scratching the back of his neck. "i honestly didn't think this far ahead."

they both laughed.

"would you like to walk around central park?" hongjoong offered. "it's a little chilly, but shouldn't be too bad."

"that sounds great, actually! i can come pick you up?" seonghwa offered, but hongjoong shook his head.

"no need. it's kind of a halfway point anyway. let's just meet near the eighty-sixth street stop. sound good?"

seonghwa nodded, smiling. "sounds perfect. okay, i'll see you then."

he gave a slightly awkward wave, unsure if he should go in for a hug.

"i'll see you then," hongjoong echoed, waving back just as awkwardly. he turned and walked off without leaning in, and seonghwa was quietly grateful he had not crossed a line.

seonghwa made the quiet walk back to his apartment complex. he still could not believe the whirlwind the past two days had been.

his thoughts would not stop spinning, would not stop thinking of hongjoong. he was kind, funny, artistic, a little strange in the best way. but there was something else, something tucked away deep inside the man that seonghwa could feel but not quite see.

he knew whatever they had was small, just a flicker in the vastness of everything. he could not push, at least not yet. he just wanted to know hongjoong more, to welcome him into his space before asking too much.

he worked from his bedroom for the rest of the evening, closing his laptop as the clock struck five. a knock on the door made him glance over his shoulder.

"come in," he called.

"hey, hwa," jongho greeted with a wave as he stepped inside.

"hey, what's up?" seonghwa asked.

"you know what's up," jongho grinned, giving him a playful punch on the arm. "tell me about hongjoong! you guys went out again today?"

"how do you even know that?" seonghwa asked, raising an eyebrow.

"the three of us share locations. lunch at citizens kind of gave it away," jongho said with a laugh, plopping down onto seonghwa's bed. seonghwa turned in his chair and shook his head.

"okay, stalker."

"but i was right?"

"irrelevant!"

they both laughed.

"so? how was it? seriously," jongho asked, eyes bright with curiosity.

"he's great. really," seonghwa said, a small smile tugging at his lips as he stared off into the distance. "we get along so well."

"i'm so happy for you! when are you seeing him again?"

"tonight, actually," seonghwa paused, his eyes suddenly wide. "shit, i don't even know what time we said," he grabbed around for his phone, panic creeping in.

jongho laughed as he stood. "i'll leave you to it. have fun tonight!" he called over his shoulder, closing the door gently behind him as he headed back to his own room.

seonghwa quickly found his phone and opened the device, going to his messages with hongjoong.

seonghwa
hey hongjoong! if all is still good, i'm ready for central park whenever. what time is best for you?

hongjoong
after dinner sound good? so, 8?

seonghwa
i'll be there :)

it was a simple smile, but he hoped hongjoong appreciated the gesture.

——

the subway ride was crowded and suffocating, packed shoulder to shoulder with strangers and static tension. hongjoong stood near the door, gripping the cold metal pole like it was the only thing anchoring him to earth. he could feel the anxiety creeping up his spine.

twice in one day? give me a break, he thought, eyes trained on the grimy floor, trying not to think about how fast everything was happening. he was not used to this; the pace, the feelings, the softness that seemed to follow seonghwa around like a second skin.

he did not grow up with softness. not the kind you could reach for, or trust to stay. it always came with condition. so this, the gentle way seonghwa laughed, the ease of his presence, it unsettled something in him.

he kept telling himself not to get used to it. people like him were not made for this kind of warmth. but he kept showing up anyway.

when the subway approached his stop, he all but leapt off, inhaling the cool evening air like it would fix something. his shoes hit the pavement with more force than necessary as he made his way toward the park entrance.

then he saw him. tall, composed, and impossibly striking even under the flickering streetlights. seonghwa stood near the gate, hands tucked into the pockets of his stylish raincoat, the ends of his black hair brushing the collar. his baggy jeans bunched slightly at the ankles, pooling around his sneakers. he looked calm. patient.

"sorry for keeping you waiting," hongjoong said as he approached, voice soft but a little breathless.

"no worries," seonghwa smiled, and it was the kind that melted the nerves right out of hongjoong's chest. "i was just really early."

they started to walk, quietly at first, the gravel path crunching beneath their steps. the city's noise faded into the background as they wandered deeper into the park. they passed lamplit benches, people walking their dogs, a couple laughing softly beneath an umbrella. but hongjoong barely noticed any of it.

they did not speak at first. too caught up in their own thoughts, too unsure of how to begin. they just watched people, silently sharing glances when something made them both smile. there was something comforting about it, even in the quiet.

"i think you look lovely this evening," seonghwa said eventually, his voice cutting gently through the silence.

hongjoong's heart skipped a beat. his cheeks turned bright red from the sudden comment. he was grateful it was dark enough to hide it.

"o-oh... thank you," he stammered, avoiding seonghwa's eyes. "you look nice too."

"i haven't been to central park in a long time," seonghwa said, his gaze sweeping over the trees and lamp-lit paths, the gentle hum of life surrounding them.

"i feel like i don't get around much," hongjoong replied, his hands stuffed deep into his jacket pockets. "it's kind of just... work, grocery store, back home. same thing every day."

"then i'm glad we got to break the pattern together," seonghwa said, smiling as he turned his head slightly to look at him.

they were walking close, their shoulders almost brushing, not quite close enough to touch. hongjoong was quietly grateful for the distance, even if part of him wanted to close it.

"this feels strange," he admitted. "not in a bad way, just... i don't know."

"strange how?" seonghwa asked, voice gentle.

"like, we've known each other forever... but we also haven't," hongjoong murmured. "it's like trying to catch up with someone i haven't even really met yet."

seonghwa laughed softly. "yeah. i know what you mean. it's familiar, but new. a little scary, maybe."

hongjoong nodded. "but nice."

"really nice," seonghwa echoed.

they had been walking for a while now, aimless but not in a bad way. the park had quieted around them, the sky growing darker with each step, a slow blue melting into deep grey. hongjoong could feel the chill settling in, nipping at his fingers through the thin fabric of his jacket. he did not say anything though. did not want to ruin the quiet that had started to feel comfortable.

seonghwa glanced at him a few times, like he was trying to work up the nerve to speak. his hands kept fidgeting in his coat pockets. hongjoong noticed, but pretended not to.

finally, after a long stretch of silence, seonghwa cleared his throat.

"hey, um," he began, voice a little higher than usual. "would you... want to come back to my place? just for a little while."

hongjoong stopped walking. not completely, just slowed enough that seonghwa noticed and turned to face him.

"i mean, only if you want to," seonghwa added quickly, laughing nervously. "no pressure or anything. i just... i don't know. i wasn't ready to say goodnight yet."

hongjoong looked at him, heart suddenly beating faster he was not sure if he was ready; rather, he knew he was not ready.

he opened his mouth to say no. the word was there, on the tip of his tongue, easy and safe.

but then he looked at the hopeful curve of seonghwa's mouth, the uncertainty flickering behind his eyes. he looked nervous. real. and hongjoong felt that same nervousness rising in his own chest like a tide he could not push back.

"...okay," he said quietly. "just for a little while."

seonghwa's smile returned, soft and relieved. he nodded, like he had not expected a yes but was so glad he got one.

"cool. yeah. just for a little while."

they started walking again, this time in a different direction. toward something new. hongjoong told himself he would keep his guard up. that it was not anything serious.

but even as he walked beside seonghwa, close enough now for their sleeves to brush, he knew he was already breaking that promise.

finally not sick anymore let's gooooooo!!

-vic