Chapter 29

It had been a few days since Min-ho's confession, and to be honest, things were still a little weird. Nothing overtly uncomfortable, but something had shifted between them. Ju-woon wasn't sure how to process it. That confession still echoed in his head, but he hadn't figured out what to do with it yet. The words had come at him so suddenly that it left him with more questions than answers.

He'd told Min-ho that he needed time to figure things out, and that was still the truth. It wasn't like he wanted to reject him—it was just… complicated. And Min-ho, of all people, seemed to understand that. He didn't press him for answers. It was one of the few things that kept things from being unbearable. They were still weirdly… normal with each other, despite everything.

That's why when Min-ho texted him a few hours ago, saying, "Yo, wanna go skateboarding?" Ju-woon didn't hesitate. He didn't have a reason not to. It wasn't a date, it wasn't a deep conversation—it was just something simple. Something they could do without thinking too hard about it.

When Ju-woon showed up, he was immediately greeted by the sight of Min-ho already on his board, rolling down the sidewalk, kicking up dust with each movement. He was in his usual relaxed gear—loose t-shirt, shorts, and a cap turned backward. He looked like the kind of guy who was always up to something, always looking for the next bit of fun.

"Yo, you actually came?" Min-ho called out when he saw Ju-woon approaching. "You're not gonna flake out like last time?"

Ju-woon rolled his eyes and tossed his skateboard in front of him, stepping onto it and kicking off to get his balance. "Shut up. I'm here, aren't I?"

Min-ho laughed, a carefree sound that echoed down the street. "I'm surprised. Thought you might chicken out or something."

"Whatever," Ju-woon muttered, adjusting his stance. He wasn't the best skateboarder, but he wasn't bad either. The familiarity of the motion, the slight wind in his face—it felt freeing. "Let's see if you can keep up."

"Oh, I'll keep up alright," Min-ho shot back, smirking as he pushed off and started gliding smoothly ahead of Ju-woon.

The two of them skated down the street in a comfortable silence, each focused on their boards, but their presence somehow felt more… natural than it had in days. The tension wasn't gone, but it wasn't unbearable either. They'd been together long enough that it didn't take much to slip back into an easy rhythm. No need for words. No need for explanations.

Ju-woon could feel the breeze rushing past him as he caught up to Min-ho, pushing himself faster with each stride. The pavement was smooth, and the thrill of skating down the street, not caring where they were going, was something Ju-woon had always liked. It was just the kind of freedom he needed right now.

"Try to keep up, hyung!" Min-ho called over his shoulder, his voice carrying a teasing edge.

Ju-woon rolled his eyes but pushed himself harder, his foot pressing down on the board as he glided beside Min-ho. "You wish."

They turned a corner and skated down another street, passing by a few other kids doing the same thing—skating, riding bikes, just hanging out. It wasn't a busy area, so they could do whatever they wanted. The sun was starting to dip lower in the sky, casting everything in a soft, golden glow. The kind of evening where everything felt like it was moving just a little bit slower, and the air was warm but not too hot.

After a while, they both stopped at a small park with a few ramps—nothing major, but it was good enough for them to mess around with for a bit. Min-ho jumped off his board first, landing with a smooth thud on the pavement before kicking his board up and letting it rest against his leg.

"Alright, let's see what you've got," Min-ho said, folding his arms across his chest.

Ju-woon rolled up beside him, giving the ramp a brief glance before looking back at Min-ho. "You really think I can do tricks like you?"

Min-ho raised an eyebrow. "No, but I think you can try."

Ju-woon grinned, rolling his eyes. "We'll see about that."

He stepped off his board and positioned it on the ramp, giving it a few light kicks to get a feel for the motion. Min-ho leaned against the nearby fence, watching him with a smirk, clearly entertained by Ju-woon's determination.

"Just go for it, hyung," Min-ho said, uncrossing his arms.

With a deep breath, Ju-woon pushed off, gliding up the ramp. It wasn't the smoothest, but it was enough to make him feel like he was on the edge of something. He had no idea how to do the tricks Min-ho was so good at, but for once, he didn't really care. He wasn't out to impress anyone.

He reached the top of the ramp and let out a small laugh as he turned around and coasted back down. It wasn't perfect, but he felt accomplished. When he finally came to a stop beside Min-ho, he couldn't suppress the grin on his face. "How was that?"

Min-ho just shook his head, but his grin was wide. "You suck, but at least you're trying."

Ju-woon stuck his tongue out at him. "Shut up."

They stayed at the park for a while longer, both of them taking turns on the ramp, goofing around, and making fun of each other. The sun had long dipped below the horizon, and the streetlights were starting to flicker on, casting long shadows across the pavement.

Min-ho kicked his board up, catching it in one smooth motion and setting it down beside him. "Alright, I'm done. You're too slow anyway."

"Not my fault you're a show-off," Ju-woon replied with a mock frown. "You've got this whole thing down, huh?"

Min-ho grinned, shrugging. "What can I say? I'm just that good."

Ju-woon rolled his eyes, picking up his board and taking a few steps back. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. But I'm done too."

They started walking back toward the street, still at ease with each other. The whole time, there was no pressure to talk about feelings. No need for declarations or confessions. Just two people spending time together like they had before—comfortable in the space between them, even if the nature of that space had changed.

"Thanks for coming out," Min-ho said casually as they walked side by side, the familiar teasing tone back in his voice.

Ju-woon shrugged, glancing at him. "It wasn't so bad. You're not completely annoying."

Min-ho smirked. "Only sometimes, huh?"

Ju-woon let out a small laugh, but it wasn't as forced as it used to be. There was a lightness to it now. "Yeah, sometimes. You're lucky I like you."

Min-ho didn't respond right away. He just kept walking, his expression unreadable for a moment before that signature smirk appeared. "Good thing I like you too, hyung."

Ju-woon stopped for a second, looking over at him. Min-ho didn't look at him, but there was something in his voice. Something that wasn't just playful anymore.

Ju-woon didn't know what to say. Maybe it wasn't important to say anything at all. They were still figuring this out, and maybe that was enough for now.

Without saying another word, they walked in comfortable silence toward the street. And for the first time in a while, Ju-woon wasn't in a rush to figure it all out.

_____________________________________________________________________________