liar | p. sunghoon

17

"Sunghoon! Yah, Sunghoon-ah! You're actually here early today?" Jay shouted with excitement as Sunghoon entered the building.

"Whenever I see you, you're always taking a water break," Sunghoon teased, "But yes, I am finally here! I pretty much have the whole day to practice since my coach told me it was okay for me to skip."

"Ah, I see. And what about that girl. You know the one who came here and..." his voice trailed off.

"You mean Chaerim. She's doing fine. I think we made amends and I think we're good now. But even on our day off, she decided to practice skating. She's incredible! You should see her someday," Sunghoon gushed.

"There's no way," Jay gasped, "Y-You, the Park Sunghoon, the ice prince, has a crush on his childhood friend, the girl he's been figure skating with for 8 years?!"

"I..." he paused thinking hardly, "I guess so."

"Oh my god. Oh. My. God!" Jay shouted, "PARK SUNGHOON HAS A CRUSH-"

"Jay," Sunghoon hissed while putting his hand over Jay's mouth, "Stop being so noisy! It's not a big dea-"

"H-HEESEUNG HYUNG!" Jay screamed while trying to escape from Sunghoon's grip, "SUNGHOON HAS A CRUSH ON HIS FIGURE SKATING BESTIE."

How... How the heck was Jay still this loud when Sunghoon's hand was over his mouth?

Sunghoon's face turned bright red as he walked to the training room, trying to avoid all eye contact with the other trainees.

"Geez, thanks a lot Jay."

**

After Chaerim and Sunghoon parted ways, Chaerim headed over the ice skating rink cautiously. She slowly entered the doors and saw coach Ji working on her laptop through the window. She walked over to the office and immediately bowed down.

"Coach Ji, I am so sorry. I really am. I shouldn't have let my emotions get to me and speak so rudely to you. So please, if you would allow me to skate again. I will do a better job. I'll practice 5 times harder... no 10 times harder. So please allow me to skate again."

Coach Ji stared at her with a bewildered expression.

"Chaerim, it's fine," she responded cooly, "I understand something happened between you and Sunghoon and you needed some time. But I'm glad you're serious again so, come on! Go get changed so you can practice."

Chaerim smiled broadly as she ran to the locker room. After changing into her leggings, turtle neck, and thin sports jacket, she stretched her body and headed for the ice.

"Okay Chaerim, I want you to warm up with your jumps and practice your single jump 10 times, double jumps 12 times, and your triple jumps 10 times. Take it easy today and then we can work on your triple axel and your short and free skate," coach Ji exclaimed.

As soon as she stepped on the ice, she felt immediate happiness. She felt free. Moving gracefully on the ice, she was able to skillfully do the double and triple jumps with clean landings.

"I'm back, coach Ji!" she exclaimed happily.

**

"Chaerim, you're almost there," coach Ji said, "You need to extend your leg out faster and then your landing for your triple axel will be more accurate. I know it hurts your ankle, but once you land it you'll feel amazing and ignore the pain."

Attempt after attempt, Chaerim couldn't land her triple axel no matter how many times she extended her leg faster. Her ankle was in pain and was exhausted from slipping.

**

Flashback

"Sunghoonie," she called as he was in the middle of performing a triple flip.

As soon as he landed the jump nimbly, he turned to her, "What is it? Do you want me to show you how I land a triple axel?"

"Hah~ you're a genius Park Sunghoon," she smiled.

He precisely executed the jump and cleanly landed the jump.

"Wow," Chaerim gushed, "How... How do you land it so well?"

"Hmmmmm," he paused as he began to pace around the ice.

"Think of it like this: imagine you're flying in the air. You're light as a feather... I guess. Keep your eyes closed the whole time while you jump. Then, you'll feel it, you'll feel the right moment to land. And when you open your eyes, you've done it," he smiled softly while demonstrating one more time.

"That's about the worst instructions someone can give," Chaerim joked.

"You'll get once you try," he half-smiled while he lightly punched her arm.

**

Present-day

"Okay," Chaerim inhaled deeply, "Imagine I'm in the air and close my eyes."

She quickly built up the speed and jumped, rotating her body.

"I'm as light as a feather, I'm as light as a feather," she repeated in her head as she spun.

Chaerim opened her eyes as she felt a shock wave of pain go through her ankle, to her leg, but was on one foot gliding elegantly on the ice.

"WOOOOO CHAERIM," Coach Ji shouted with delight, "YOU DID IT! YOU LANDED YOUR TRIPLE AXEL!"

With sudden realization, Chaerim collapsed onto the ice with shock.

"I... I did it," she cried happy tears, "I did it. I did it, Sunghoon."

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a/n: hello~ i am indeed alive!