The evening air was cool enough to make running bearable.
Sunjae jogged along the sidewalk bordering the park, hands loose at his sides, his pace steady as the city settled into that strange in-between hour where the streets were still alive but the rush had started to fade. The orange light of the setting sun stretched long shadows across the pavement, and the sound of traffic from the main road blended with the distant laughter of students heading home.
He had chosen this route on purpose.
If his memory of the original story was right, this was around the time Daniel started taking runs with Enu.(his dog)
And if things lined up the way they should, today would be important.
Sunjae let out a slow breath and adjusted the hood resting around his neck.
A few turns later, he spotted him.
An extremely handsome boy with messy black hair was running around the outer path of the park, with Enu trotting along beside him on a leash. His face was calm while running.
Daniel Park.
Sunjae slowed just enough to naturally fall into the same lane beside him.
Daniel noticed him almost immediately and looked over in surprise.
For a second, he looked confused, as if trying to place the face.
Then recognition flashed across his expression.
"…Choi Sunjae?"
Sunjae glanced sideways and gave a small grin.
"So you know who I am."
Daniel let out a short, awkward laugh, still trying to keep his breathing even.
"I mean… people talk."
That much made sense.
Sunjae had made enough noise at J High already. Between beating the rooftop bully half senseless, sparring with Zack, and going toe to toe with Vin Jin, it would be stranger if Daniel hadn't heard of him.
Sunjae nodded toward the dogs.
"Didn't think you were the type to have a dog."
Daniel looked a little embarrassed.
"Oh, this is Enu, he,he is kind of like a temporary dog I have for now."
Enu barked happily, almost as if defending him.
Sunjae chuckled.
"Looks like you've got some decent training partner."
Daniel smiled faintly and the two continued running side by side. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, more the kind that came naturally when both people were focused on keeping pace.
Then footsteps approached from ahead.
Sunjae looked up.
A tall figure was running toward them from the opposite direction, his movements smooth and controlled.
Even from a distance, Sunjae recognized him instantly.
Light brown hair, sharp but almost soft-looking features, tall enough to stand out even from afar. (oh god, it's this blind ass fraud)
Johan.(fucking hate this bum)
Beside him, his dog kept perfect pace.
As the three drew closer, Daniel instinctively slowed a little.
Johan's eyes flickered between the two of them, expression unreadable.
For a moment, no one said anything.
Then Sunjae broke the silence.
"There's a convenience store at the end of this block."
Both Daniel and Johan glanced toward where he was looking.
A small smirk appeared on Sunjae's face.
"Race to it."
Daniel blinked.
"…What?"
Johan's eyes narrowed slightly.
Sunjae could almost see the spark of competitiveness ignite behind that calm face.
He smiled wider.
"Winner gets bragging rights."
Daniel looked between the two of them, clearly caught off guard.
"Wait, hold on, are we actually doing this?"
Johan glanced at the store in the distance, then back at Sunjae.
His voice was calm, but there was something sharper beneath it.
"…Fine."
Sunjae pointed ahead.
"On three."
Daniel still looked confused.
"Seriously?"
"One."
Johan subtly shifted his footing.
"Two."
Daniel tightened his grip on the leashes.
"Three."
They all took off at once.
The sudden burst of speed made Daniel's dogs bark excitedly as they surged forward.
Sunjae kept pace almost immediately, matching Johan stride for stride. Daniel was right there with them, surprisingly quick despite having the dogs with him.
For a few seconds, none of them gave an inch.
The rhythm of their footsteps pounded against the pavement in perfect sync.
Sunjae smirked.
Good.
This was exactly what he wanted.
He pushed a little harder.
Johan noticed and matched it instantly.
Daniel, clearly refusing to fall behind now that it had turned into a real race, sped up too.
Pedestrians turned their heads as the three boys flew past.
The dogs, thrilled beyond reason, somehow managed to make the whole thing even faster.
The store was getting closer.
Still no clear lead.
Sunjae glanced sideways.
Johan was keeping perfect pace.
Daniel too.
Not bad at all.
The final stretch came into view.
All three sprinted.
And then—
they crossed the line almost at the same time.
A perfect tie.
Daniel bent slightly, catching his breath, a half-laugh escaping him.
"…What was that?"
Sunjae exhaled and grinned.
"That," he said, "was exercise."
Johan looked toward the store entrance, then back at the two of them.
For the first time, there was the faintest hint of amusement in his expression.
"…Not bad."
Daniel straightened up, still breathing heavily.
"You two are insane."
Sunjae laughed.
Johan stepped inside the store a moment later and came back out with drinks.
Daniel bought something for himself and his dogs.
Sunjae, naturally, chose chocolate milk.
The three ended up lingering outside for a bit, talking in that casual, half-stranger way people do after unexpectedly doing something together.
Mostly Daniel and Sunjae talked.
Johan didn't say much, but he stayed.
Eventually Johan checked the time and started walking off, his dog following beside him.
Daniel waved lightly.
Sunjae simply lifted his chocolate milk in farewell.
Johan gave a small nod and disappeared down the street.
...
Later that night, the park had gone quiet.
The same paths that had been busy earlier were now almost empty, lit only by the dim glow of streetlamps.
Daniel was back.
One of his dogs had slipped away while he was out, and after nearly twenty minutes of searching, the knot in his stomach was getting worse.
"Where did you go…"
His voice came out quieter than he intended.
Then he noticed another figure moving through the park.
Tall.
Light brown hair.
Johan.
Daniel approached quickly.
"You too?"
Johan stopped and looked at him.
"My dog's gone."
Daniel stared for a moment.
"…Mine too."
For a second, the silence between them was tense.
Then Daniel's eyes shifted toward one of the benches near the center of the park.
Someone was sitting there under the streetlamp.
Sunjae.
One leg crossed over the other, chocolate milk in hand, talking to a stuffed teddy bear resting on his lap with complete seriousness.
"I'm just saying, Bboongi, if dogs can run that fast, maybe humans are the real pets."
Daniel stopped.
Johan stopped.
Sunjae looked up and saw them approaching.
A grin spread across his face.
"Well, well."
He took another sip.
"Did both of your dogs decide they had enough of cardio?"
Daniel and Johan exchanged a glance before walking toward the bench.
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Man i dont really want to write that fraudan seong in this story but i guess it wouldnt be looksim without him. genuinly seeting through my mouth while writing about him. Any way since its been so long since ive updated, people stopped reading it, so i hope you donate powerstones so people start reading it again