Not Too Late | Choi San

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

meet me at midnight
in the forest of my dreams.
we'll make a fire
and count the stars
that shimmer above the trees.
- Christy Ann Martine.

•••

       San hasn't felt this content in such a long time. his days didn't feel bland anymore, and his mind, for the most part, was clear. he didn't have the time to dwell over his truly messed up past, or his father threatening his life once again with just his existence. the CEO hasn't brought up the topic of his father again after his outburst, and for the whole week it was as if the man never existed.

San was busy with his three classes, and his private dance class and group practice. he barely had the time to eat lunch most days, and when they go back to the dorm late at night he would sit down with Yeosang for hours doing maths, who willingly helps him through anything he's struggling with, and he would sometimes go to Hongjoong to get some help with English.

he now officially has three friends and two hyungs, and San doesn't know whether to be happy to finally have people around him who care about him and who he cares about, or to be absolutely frightened. he knows Mingi won't leave, because he's already seen San at his lowest— well maybe not the lowest he's ever been, but he's been close. but San's not sure the others would stick around once they find out about his past.

who would stay with someone who's been rented out to psychos and handed to a psychotic orphanage just to pleasure people's insanity? someone who's seen nothing but abuse since he was born? no one. San thinks bitterly.

today, San finally gets some time to breathe, the group has been given a free day to do whatever they want and Hongjoong and Seonghwa immediately went out shopping once they heard the news, him and the other three boys his age, however, sat down on the old couch on the living room watching train to Busan.

San is fascinated by everything in the movie, the whole apocalypse and Zombie aspect intriguing him to no end, same with Yunho who has already seen the movie three times but still acts as if it's his first time. Mingi and Yeosang, however, are talking in hushed tones from the other side of the couch, ignoring the movie completely, and San wonders how are they able to ignore such masterpiece.

near the end of the movie, when the main character is turning into a zombie, the scene is interrupted by stupid advertisements, and San whines as he slumps back onto the couch.

"is he going to die?"

"do you really wanna know?" Yunho looks as sulky to have his fun interrupted. "i mean, i can spoil it, but i don't think you'd like it."

"no, don't," San shakes his head, his eyes unmoving from the tv screen, watching the perfume advertisement lazily as he awaits his movie to start again.

"a new boygroup?" Yunho mumbles as the advertisement changes into one with a logo of JYPE, and San is confused for a second, watching a man with old futures talk about his new boy group project and then some kids dancing. he frowns, and is about to go get himself some snacks when something on the screen grabs his attention, or rather someone.

his breath hitches, eyes widening as he sees Jeongin taking up the majority of the screen, singing with no other than Jisung, the other stray kid next to him. San's paralysed in his place, and he for a second doesn't know how to react.