SUNGHOON | Cloudburst ✓

thirty-three

You made me live a life I've always longed for this past month, Haneul. Unfortunately as days go by, the weather keeps getting worse and worse— and I see you.

I see your pain and discomfort every time it rains; I see your sadness whenever cloudbursts appear and your battle scars or wounds whenever it doesn't.

Yet, you're smiling in the light despite the immense pain in your heart, mind and body. You're living when there's sunshine but barely surviving when there isn't.

It's time you live happier days, Haneul; it's time you flaunt that beautiful smile of yours more often around your loved ones and to the world.

I can't help but feel sorry for being the cause of the rain, you're suffering because of me. It hurts me seeing you hurt.

Just like how you saved me from myself, I'll protect you from the world. Once I put a stop to this crazy weather, you'll smile again.

You'll live again.

I'll pray for this endless rain to end, I'll pray for you and the rest of Tokyo who were affected by me.

→

The morning after, Haneul found herself in her own arms; feeling cold instead of the warmth she felt in Sunghoon's embrace. Furthermore, something was unusual about that morning.

Her bedroom no longer drowned in the usual sea of grey darkness and was instead bathing in the gleaming sun rays shining down from her window.

For once, the usual dark skies weren't raining down on Tokyo that morning.

"Hannie! It's the day of our showcase! It isn't raining either, it's gonna be a good day for you!" Jake bursted through her bedroom door with a wide smile.

Oh right, the showcase is today.

Getting up from her bed, Haneul couldn't help but feel uneasy. She finally woke up to a sunny morning, a morning that was supposed to be filled with hope.

Yet, why was she feeling under the weather?

"Good morning Haneul! Are you ready for our performance later? I'm sure it won't rain later, the weather forecast predicts clear skies," Jay reassured before serving Haneul's breakfast.

But it's already a shitty morning, I doubt it'll be a good day.

"Um, where's Sunghoon?" Haneul asked with a  hint of anxiousness in her tone. Glancing at each other hesitantly, Jake and Jay only smiled at Haneul before a look of worry dawned upon their expressions.

"Jake, where's Sunghoon?" Haneul asked again after noticing the tense atmosphere surrounding them. "Jay?" Haneul turned to her best friend, but was only greeted by the same silence and worry Jake exuded.

Frowning in dismay, Haneul quickly ran towards Sunghoon's bedroom as anxiety engulfed her heart. Swinging his bedroom door open, she was only greeted by his belongings and neatly groomed room.

His clothes and bags in their still positions, yet there was no sight of Sunghoon. Running out of his room, Haneul was only greeted by her parents and Sunghoon's father who walked through her home's front door— all of whom looked stressed and perturbed.

"Mom? What's going on? Where did you go? Where's Sunghoon?" Haneul approached her mother, who was trying to keep her composure.

"We don't know sweetheart, Dongchul was supposed to bring Sunghoon back to Seoul today. When he went to wake up Sunghoon, he wasn't in his room," Mr. Sim answered instead upon noticing his wife's fatigued state.

"His phone, wallet— basically everything was in its place. I meant to apologise to him but he's just... gone," Mr. Park rambled before finally breaking down.

The whole room was filled with fatigue, worry and confusion; all wondering where Park Sunghoon disappeared to. Just then, an unfamiliar figure strode into the living room followed by a series of sobs and sniffles made by Riki.

"H-Haneul... I need to explain something to you," Riki choked out in between tears while clutching onto the arm of the unfamiliar boy.

Narrowing her eyes at the relatively shorter boy beside Riki, whose hair was raven-tinted like Sunghoon's yet, had an element of a white streak on one strand.

What confused her even more was that he was wearing the necklace she gave to her Sunshine Boy on the day of the Fireworks Festival.

"Why do you have that?! Who are you?" Haneul confronted the boy angrily and clouded with confusion. "Haneul, let Riki explain," Jake held his sister back, only for Haneul to shoot him a puzzled look.

"You know something about Sunghoon that I don't? Why don't you ever tell me shit?!" Haneul exclaimed in frustration before snatching away Sunghoon's necklace from the unknown boy in front of her.

"Who the fuck are you and why do you have this?!" Haneul spoke in a low tone, her nerves getting the best of her as her intimidating aura scared both Riki and the boy.

"This is—"

"My name is Kim Sunoo, and I was the Weather Boy before Sunghoon came into the picture,"