how can you tell if you've fallen in love with someone for the first time?

is it the butterflies that just randomly appear in your stomach every time you see them? or is it the loud pounding of your chest?

how would someone know, right?

how would riki even know that? he's not the type of person to feel a lot of things. at the age of 19, he hasn't felt that kind of feeling.

or he hasn't... yet.

the first time his heart beat went over the normal bpm, it was when he saw the person he's bound to fall in love all over again.

the first time he saw kim sunoo.

it's silly, isn't it? because even ni-ki doesn't believe in love at first sight.

but how can you not fall for that kind of guy?

that's when riki became determined to make sunoo fall for him too. i don't want to see him fall for someone else, that would be the end of me.

but then, pursuing the guy and realizing that there's more to him- riki wasn't prepared at all. he didn't prepare himself for the pain that comes along with loving someone.

how the hell would i know that falling in love would be this difficult?

still... as he always says, it's worth it.

loving kim sunoo is always worth the pain.

"why are you staring at me like that again?" he snaps back into reality when sunoo pinches his cheek.

he shakes his head, wrapping his arm around sunoo's waist. they're sitting on one of the wooden benches right outside the mall.

right after their heartwarming scene, ni-ki convinced sunoo to stay at their home for christmas- to which sunoo tried to decline. however, riki's mother was ecstatic when she got to meet ni-ki's friend that she quickly told sunoo to stay in their guest room.

sunoo didn't have a choice but to agree.

and now, they're doing shopping to buy gifts for sunoo's family- as insisted by riki's mom again.

sunoo was supposed to help his mom buy groceries but ni-ki pulled him away, saying that he's going to show him around okayama.

"you're spacing out," sunoo puts the back of his hand on his forehead. "are you feeling sick?"

"nope, i'm all good." ecstatic, even. riki chuckles and nuzzles sunoo's neck.

"you're not cold? you should've worn a thicker jacket."

"i'm not cold, hyung. you're enough to warm me up."

sunoo blushed, rolling his eyes at him. the younger seems to have enjoyed seeing him get flustered every time he says some cringey lines.

i'm not complaining though.

he smiles and pinched ni-ki's cheek for the second time. "you're so cute."

riki glanced at him while pouting. he just giggled and planted a soft kiss on his lips. "the cutest ever."

"no i'm not." ni-ki grimaced, "but since you kissed me, i'm letting that slide."

++++++++

oosun @sunscript tweeted.

happy new year, everyone! 🥳🥰

2631 likes | 392 retweets

replies:

@soobeans happy holidays! (is that your boyfriend?) 😄😄
↪@yeonjuned happy holidays ^^ (pls date me 🥺)
↪@soobeans haha (fuck off)
@cornjay why is nishimura beside u 🤨 also happy new year 🥳🤸🏻‍♀️
@parkwrites happy holidays sun, i'm sure you're enjoying your christmas break 🤭
@cyberlee happy new year, sun! 🤍
@chenleave AAAAAA WTF THIS IS BETTER THAN DISPATCH REVEAL
@yinyang /spats out coffee/ AIN'T NO WAY OMFG CONGRATULATIONS 👏🎉
@hiyyihglow GO FRIEND BE WHO U AREEEEE 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈
@simjake oh wow damn so happy for you kid 😭😭
↪@nishi_rk thanks lol u could never
↪@simjake uNPROVOKED?!?!?

+++++++

[ sunoo's angels (or not) 🔫 ]

jay:
my babie
did riki completely abduct you
sunoo pls come home 😭

sunghoon:
jay pls find yourself a date and stop bothering the two
they're on their hallmark holiday movie vibes

jay:
but our apartment feels so empty without sunoo 😭😭😭
also i feel so proud that he's in a relationship now 🫂

sunghoon:
congratulations sun, i'm glad that you're with riki now 😇

heeseung:

congrats sunnie! i'm happy for the both of you 😊

sunoo:
oh wow
thanks guys 😅
honestly it still feels like a dream
BUT I'M SO HAPPY
anwww
i'll be back tomorrow
i hope you threw the trash away and cleaned the windows while i was gone @jay 🙂

jay:
on a second thought
you can extend your vacation
it's fine
stay with riki for as long as you like 🥰
i don't feel alone in here

heeseung:
you should've went with us instead
jake wanted you to join us skiing

jay:
riiight 🧍🏻‍♂️
i don't wanna become a third wheel during the holiday season
i might as well just be a grinch

sunghoon:
but u alr are
you even look like one

jay:

wdym
you're the grinch here with your nasty ass attitude

sunoo:
okaaay enough bickering
what presents do y'all want?

jay:
aww sunoo you're so sweet 🥺🥺
can you get me a new pair of shoes 😇

heeseung:
anything's fine with me sun 😊

jay:
well what if he got you free samples

heeseung:
then i'll shove those samples down your throat 😊

jay:
asshole

sunoo:
sure hyung, i'll see what i can find here ^-^
what if i got you free samples instead, jay?

jay:
i was kidding pls don't ruin my christmas ☹️

sunoo:
what about you @sunghoon

sunghoon:
you can just buy me that cat figurine

sunoo:
a what?

sunghoon:
u know
the one they use as a lucky charm
the cat
it can even move its one arm

jay:

OH I KNOW THAT ONE
my dad has that kind of decor in his office
but why would you need that tho 😐😐

sunghoon:
just because
it looks cute
and they say it can block bad spirits or smth
hopefully it can block you too 🙏🙏

jay:
i hope that cat can cleanse your soul too
evil spirit 👹

sunoo:
ok i think riki knows what you want hoon
i'll chat you guys laterr
byee 👋👋

jay:
damn my sunoo is all grown up now 🤧

heeseung:
yeah he is
you should try that sometime

jay:
fvck off 😐

++++++++

he denied it for a long time.

for sunoo, love isn't something that is new to him. but for some reason, he can't always accept the fact that he's falling.

for him, it's scary.

especially when you get hurt for the first time, it won't be easy to let someone inside your life again.

so when he felt that again- when he felt that exact same feeling towards ni-ki, he ignored it.

or he tried.

sunoo got scared. he's not scared of hurting again, but he's afraid that riki will get hurt because of him.

he's genuine. he's pure. do i really deserve him?

but then again, it's not for sunoo to decide.

riki already made a promise to make sunoo fall for him, and he did.

i've already fallen for him.

"dude, can you stop ogling at nishimura? this is a workplace." sunghoon snaps his fingers in front of sunoo's face.

he glared at him. "i wasn't ogling."

"you are. can't you two just leave the headquarters? your pda is too much for my eyes."

sunoo looks at ni-ki again, who is busy doing the portfolio for this month's newspaper.

"you're the one who's too much. and you should be thankful that i stopped another member from leaving our team," he smiled sarcastically, "you're welcome, by the way."

sunghoon laughs. "right, sure. but you owe me one too, you know?"

"what?" he raised an eyebrow, confused.

"oh it's nothing, don't mind me." his friend laughed again, this time he looks like he's enjoying it a lot.

"sometimes i think about how you look like a psychopath when you laugh like that."

"wow, thanks."

sunoo checked his phone when he felt it vibrate inside his pocket.

++++++++

[ my fave 💫 ]

my fave 💫:
hyungiee
i'm done with the portfolio
wanna go eat lunch now? 😁

sunoo:
hiii
yep ^^ wait for me

my fave 💫:
okayyy i'll get your bag ^-^

++++++++

"hyung, remember when i confessed to you right here?" ni-ki stops walking and points to the ground.

sunoo chuckled. "yeah, and remember when i rejected you here too?"

"ouch, that was my first heartbreak ever." riki playfully holds the left side of his chest as if he's in pain.

the older laughed and pushed him lightly, letting his hand hold riki's other hand in the process.

they continued walking down the lane- ni-ki's hand is now entwined with his, while his camera is around sunoo's neck.

"sun hyung," riki called his name softly.

"hmm?" sunoo glanced at him, meeting his gaze.

"i really love you."

the way his eyes sparkled when he said those words made sunoo feel like he's staring at the whole galaxy right in front of him.

"ditto, riki. i love you too."

right in front of sunoo, is a star that has fallen for him. a star that has given him light, when he was at his darkest. a star that never gave up on him.

a star that he has grown to love.

his own glowing star.

+++++++++

📷 @nishi_rk tweeted.

officially mine, @sunscript 💛

1924 likes | 207 retweets

replies:

@sunscript yours, definitely. 💙

++++++++

[ END ]