ꜱᴄᴀʀʀᴇᴅ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ| ateez

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐧

-WOOYOUNG-

As the final bell of the school day rang, heralding the end of classes, Yeosang, ever the embodiment of energy, eagerly pulled Hongjoong towards the exit. Watching them, a smile tugged at the corners of my mouth, their dynamic a constant source of amusement and warmth amidst the complexities of our lives.

It was then that Seonghwa appeared beside me, his presence a sudden reminder of the day's revelations and the unresolved emotions that lingered between us. As he ran his fingers through his hair, a familiar gesture that brought back a flood of memories, my eyes inadvertently caught sight of the bracelet and ring I had given him—the very symbols of promises and plans that had been abruptly halted.

Noticing my gaze, Seonghwa glanced my way, his cheeks flushing with an unmistakable shade of red as he quickly attempted to hide his hand from view. The reaction, so distinctly him, sparked a surge of emotions within me, a mix of nostalgia, surprise, and an aching tenderness for what we had shared.

Without thinking, I reached out, gently pulling his hand back into view. The sight of our promise ring on his finger left me stunned, a silent testament to the feelings and commitments that had endured the tumult of separation and misunderstanding.

"You're still wearing it," I murmured, the words barely more than a whisper, my voice thick with unspoken questions and the weight of the moment. The ring, a simple band that had once symbolized our shared future, now served as a bridge between our past and the uncertain path that lay ahead.

Seonghwa met my gaze, the vulnerability in his eyes mirroring my own. "I couldn't bring myself to take it off," he confessed, his voice low, imbued with a raw honesty that cut through the residual awkwardness between us. "Even when I thought I'd lost everything, it reminded me of you, of us, and the hope that maybe, somehow, we'd find our way back to each other."

As we stepped outside, the changing sky, now dark and gloomy, seemed to mirror the complexity of emotions swirling between us.

I pulled my hoodie on, a small shield against the chill that the impending clouds promised, while Seonghwa descended the stairs, seemingly unaffected by the weather change. His resilience, a trait I had always admired, prompted me to chase after him, driven by a need to bridge the gap that time and circumstances had placed between us.

"Where did you move?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me as I tilted my head to catch his gaze. His life, during the time we were apart, was a mystery I was eager to unravel.

"I live a few blocks from here, still looking for a proper house. The apartment isn't for me," he shared, his voice carrying a hint of his usual determination. The statement brought a scoff to my lips, hastily hidden, as the familiarity of his preferences and plans came rushing back.

"Yeah right, that hasn't changed at all," I remarked, unable to keep the amusement from my tone. Seonghwa's aspirations for a house, a shared dream we once meticulously planned for, had clearly remained a constant in his life.

"Of course, it hasn't. I had plans with the house, and you know it," he responded, his voice soft yet filled with an undercurrent of unresolved dreams and expectations. His acknowledgment of our shared past, of the dreams we had built together, tugged at something deep within me.

I nodded, a swift motion that belied the turmoil of emotions his words stirred within me. "I know," I managed to say, the path back to our apartment complex suddenly feeling shorter as we walked together in a comfortable silence.

The familiarity of walking side by side with Seonghwa, coupled with the revelations of the day, lent a surreal quality to the moment. Our shared history, the pain of separation, and the tentative steps towards reconciliation were encapsulated in the simple act of returning to a place that signified both an end and a beginning.