Jisung stumbled after him, their steps falling into sync as they ran through the garden.

“Hey! Come back here…” the café waiter’s voice rang out behind them, but neither of them spared a glance back.

“Hyunsuk—” Jisung half-laughed, half-protested, breath hitching as he struggled to keep up.

They ran through the garden between the trees and their laughter came while they were holding each other's hands. laughter bubbling in their throats like two kids sneaking off to cause trouble.

The wind whipped through Jisung’s hair, cool against his flushed cheeks. His lungs burned slightly, but he didn’t care. Hyunsuk’s laughter rang out, rich and carefree. “Keep up, Jisung!”

Hyunsuk suddenly veered off the path, leading them to a small playground nestled under the shade of an old willow tree. The swings creaked slightly in the breeze, and a few children ran around, playing tag.

Jisung barely had time to catch his breath before Hyunsuk pulled him toward the swings.

“Sit.” Hyunsuk gestured toward one of the swings, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Jisung huffed, still breathless. “Are you serious?”

Hyunsuk nodded, guiding Jisung onto one of the swings. Jisung hesitated for a moment, his cheeks flushing slightly, but Hyunsuk’s encouraging smile made him sit down. 

Before Jisung could protest, Hyunsuk gave the swing a firm push.

A surprised yelp escaped Jisung’s lips, his grip tightening on the chains. The ground beneath him blurred as he swung back, then forward again, higher this time. For a moment, he felt like he was flying.

“Higher,” Hyunsuk urged, his voice full of laughter as he pushed again.

Jisung squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, but then he laughed. It started as a breathless chuckle, then turned into full-blown giggles as the wind rushed past him. It felt ridiculous, childish even, but he couldn’t stop.

Hyunsuk watched him, his heart warming at the sight. Jisung -so guarded, so composed- was laughing. Not the polite kind, not the awkward kind. A real, carefree, unrestrained laugh.

“I CAN SEE SEOUL FROM HERE!” Jisung shouted, his voice filled with glee. Hyunsuk laughed, pushing him even higher. For a moment, Jisung closed his eyes, letting the wind carry him, feeling freer than he ever had.

The children who had been playing nearby stopped to watch, their eyes wide with curiosity. One of them pointed at the two men, whispering to their friends. Soon, they were all cheering, their tiny voices ringing out. 

“Push him more, Uncle!” one of the kids shouted, clapping their hands. 

Hyunsuk grinned, obliged with an exaggerated push that made Jisung laugh even harder. “You’re enjoying this too much!” Jisung called out, his voice shaking with laughter. 

“Of course I am!” Hyunsuk replied, his own laughter bubbling up. “You look like a kid having the time of his life!” 

When Jisung finally hopped off the swing, his cheeks were flushed, and his smile was so wide it hurt. The children clapped, clearly entertained by the two ‘uncles’ who had joined their playground. 

One of the kids tugged at Hyunsuk’s sleeve. “Uncle, play with us!”  

Hyunsuk glanced at Jisung, as if asking, Should we?

Jisung only grinned. “Why not?”  

And just like that, they were dragged into a whirlwind of childhood games.  

First was hopscotch. Jisung wobbled slightly as he tried to hop through the squares without stepping on the lines.  

“No cheating, uncle!” one of the kids scolded, hands on their hips.  

Hyunsuk laughed. “He’s not cheating, he’s just bad at it.”  

Jisung gasped dramatically. “Excuse me?! I’ll have you know I was the best at this in elementary school.”  

“Prove it,” Hyunsuk challenged, smirking.  

Jisung narrowed his eyes. “Fine.”  

He focused, sticking his tongue out slightly in concentration, and jumped carefully from square to square. He landed perfectly at the end and threw his arms up in victory. “See? Told you.”  

Hyunsuk gave a slow clap. “Wow, I’m impressed. Truly.”  

Jisung rolled his eyes but smiled anyway.  

Next was a game of tag. Hyunsuk, being naturally quick, dodged the kids effortlessly, laughing as he weaved between the playground structures. Jisung, on the other hand, got caught almost immediately.  

“Uncle Jisung is slow!” one of the kids teased.  

“I am not!” Jisung pouted, crossing his arms.  

Hyunsuk walked up beside him, nudging his shoulder. “You totally are.”  

Jisung huffed but couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped.  

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, painting it in soft hues of pink and orange, they finally collapsed onto the grass, exhausted but grinning. The kids waved their goodbyes before running back to their parents, leaving Jisung and Hyunsuk sitting side by side in comfortable silence.  

Jisung let out a deep breath, his head tilting up to gaze at the sky. His heart was still pounding, but not from running, from happiness.  

Hyunsuk stretched his arms behind his head, glancing at Jisung with a small, content smile. “Did you have fun?”  

Jisung turned to him, his eyes shining. “Yeah,” he admitted softly. “I really did.”  

Hyunsuk chuckled. “Told you. It’s the little things that make life fun.”  

Jisung hummed, his fingers idly tracing patterns against the fabric of his pants as he stared down. His voice was quiet, almost as if he was afraid saying it out loud would make it less real. “I think… this is the happiest I’ve felt in a long time.”  

Hyunsuk’s gaze softened, his usual playful smirk giving way to something gentler, something sincere. He reached out, flicking Jisung’s forehead lightly. “Then we’ll just have to do this more often.”  

Jisung blinked up at him, startled at first, but then a slow, warm smile spread across his face. His eyes met Hyunsuk’s, and for a moment, it was as if the world around them blurred, leaving only the two of them. The fading sunlight caught in Hyunsuk’s eyes, turning them into deep pools of warmth, and Jisung found himself lost in them, as if he were looking straight into his soul.  

“Yeah,” Jisung murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’d like that… thank you.”  

Hyunsuk hesitated, his body shifting slightly, and then -slowly- he opened his arms. His smile was there, easy and bright, but the faintest trace of hesitation lingered beneath it, as if he was bracing himself for rejection.  

Jisung saw it.  

And maybe that’s why, even though his heart pounded at the thought, he leaned forward -carefully, cautiously- until he settled within Hyunsuk’s embrace. He kept a safe distance, his body tense at first, but the moment Hyunsuk’s warmth surrounded him, something inside him loosened.  

They sat there, quiet but not silent, their breaths mingling with the soft rustle of the evening breeze. Neither of them spoke, and yet, the conversation between their steady heartbeats said enough.

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Nothing beats a sunset hug... 🌅 My heart is full for them.

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