Chasing the Sun

That morning was a Saturday. The atmosphere around the elite apartment complex where Sunghwa lived was lively but relaxed. Despite it being the weekend, people were still caught up in their routines—workers waited at the bus stop, students hurried toward tutoring centers or libraries, shopkeepers prepared to open their stores, and others else. The scene wasn't too different from what Felix had once witnessed in North Korea, yet it felt foreign to him as if he were in a different world altogether.

"Hey, stop spacing out! You're moving like a snail!" Sunghwa called, running a few paces ahead of Felix.

"Ah, sorry!" Felix stammered, hastily quickening his pace to catch up with the man.

The cold morning air filled Felix's lungs as he ran, and though the sky was clear, a crisp chill clung to the breeze. It didn't take long for the Omega to start feeling the strain, his breathing growing more labored with each passing minute.

After nearly 40 minutes of running, Felix was panting heavily, his face drenched in sweat, muscles burning from exertion.

"S-Sunghwa…! How much longer do we have to run?" Felix gasped, his hand weakly brushing the sweat from his brow.

"Hmm... About 5 kilometers more. We're only halfway," Sunghwa replied nonchalantly, glancing at his smartwatch, which displayed their progress.

"5 more kilometers!?" Felix's eyes widened in disbelief.

"What's the matter? Tired already?" Sunghwa teased, jogging in place while waiting for Felix to catch up. "I barely broke a sweat since I slowed down to match your pace. Normally, I'd finish 10 kilometers in 60 minutes."

He added with a smirk, "Did you really survive in the woods for a month with stamina this weak?"

Felix gritted his teeth, his pride stinging. "Ugh! Don't underestimate me!" He forced himself to keep moving, even as his legs protested every step.

The two continued to jog until they reached the park's edge. Without warning, Sunghwa abruptly stopped, causing Felix to bump into him from behind. Sunghwa quickly turned and caught him by the arms, steadying him before he could fall.

"Ouch! Why did you stop so suddenly?" Felix rubbed his nose, which had collided with Sunghwa's broad back.

"Let's take a break. You must be exhausted by now," Sunghwa said with a grin, leading Felix to a nearby bench under the shade of a large tree.

The man wandered off to a vending machine near the park entrance and returned with two bottles of mineral water. He handed one to Felix before plopping down beside him.

"Thanks," Felix said, gratefully accepting the bottle. The cool water slid down his throat, refreshing his entire body.

"You're welcome." Sunghwa casually drank from his own bottle, stretching out his legs.

Felix let out a sigh, leaning back on the bench and letting the tension melt from his shoulders. For a moment, he gazed around the park to watch a few joggers and families passing by. It felt strange to be sitting there, in such a peaceful environment, with an Alpha like Sunghwa by his side. From running together to sharing small moments like these—life had changed so quickly. Just a few weeks ago, he was running for his life, hiding in the shadows. Now here he was—living in a penthouse, spending time with someone who treated him with warmth.

The thought made the young man smile.

"What's on your mind?" Sunghwa asked, glancing sideways at Felix.

"Nothing!" Felix quickly turned his head, trying to hide the small blush creeping up his cheeks.

Sunghwa chuckled, noticing the red tint on the boy's face. "Heh… You sure? You're not thinking about me, are you?"

"W-What? Of course not!" Felix protested, his heart racing at the playful accusation.

Sunghwa grinned, ruffling Felix's silver hair. "Alright, alright. I believe you, my sweet Sunshine."

Felix pouted, swatting the Alpha's hand away. "Ugh! Stop calling me that! Why do you always call me 'Sunshine' anyway?"

The man paused, his golden eyes softening as he stared at Felix's hair. The strands gleamed under the sunlight, their silver hue catching the light in a way that reminded Sunghwa of something warm and bright.

"I'm not sure how to put it… It just… fits," Sunghwa replied. "From the moment I saw you, you had this glow about you. Even in the middle of the night, when I almost hit you with my car… you looked like sunshine in the dark."

Felix's heart skipped a beat, his chest tightening with an unfamiliar warmth. The way Sunghwa looked at him made him feel vulnerable, yet safe.

"You're such a Casanova," Felix muttered, trying to mask his embarrassment. "You must have said the same thing to your ex-girlfriends, huh?"

"No. I've never said anything like this to anyone before. Not even my ex," Sunghwa replied, his tone serious.

"Liar! I'll ask Miss Eunbi later," Felix shot back, though he wasn't entirely sure why he brought her up.

Sunghwa's eyes narrowed slightly at the sudden mention of Eunbi. "Why would you mention her?"

"T-That…" Realizing his slip-up, Felix clamped his hands over his mouth, his eyes wide.

Sunghwa leaned in closer, his face mere inches from Felix's. "How do you know Eunbi's my ex?"

Felix gulped. "Well… when she came with Minho to the house, I could faintly smell your scent on her, so I got curious and asked her."

Sunghwa leaned back, a look of surprise crossing his face. "Hmm… I didn't realize my scent still lingered on her." His expression softened, and a teasing smirk tugged at his lips again. "You really have a sharp sense of smell, don't you? Are you actually a dog, not an Omega?" the Alpha said while pinching Felix's nose playfully.

"Hey, stop it! I'm not a dog!" Felix grumbled, shoving Sunghwa's hand aside and standing up abruptly. "Break time's over. Let's finish this run!"

Sunghwa laughed and stood up. "Alright! But no more stopping until we're back home."

After tossing their empty bottles into the trash, they resumed their jog—this time with Felix trying his best to keep up with Sunghwa's longer strides. However as they approached an intersection, Felix suddenly stopped, his hand clutching Sunghwa's shirt.

"What's wrong?" Sunghwa asked, turning to face him.

Felix's eyes were wide with fear as he pointed toward a black van parked near a convenience store. "T-There…"

Sunghwa glanced at the van, his brows furrowing. Something about it seemed off.