Seoul nights • Woosan

Eighteen.

Having Hongjoong on my side helped my company a lot. Business was going well again and I was very busy. Wooyoung had started attending his classes again and sometimes he was tutoring other students with private lessons. We were happy and I couldn't believe that finally everything was going smoothly.

It was November, that night I came back home a little later than expected. At 9pm Wooyoung wasn't back yet. He told me that he was gonna be in the drawing room working late, but I didn't expect him to be this long. He was very punctual, so I started to worry. I tried to call him but his cellphone was off. I waited, thinking that maybe he didn't want to be distracted, but when the clock struck 11pm I started to seriously worry.

Then my phone rang.

"Mr Choi? Choi San?" it was a male voice with a very strong Seoul accent.

"It's me"

"Do you happen to know a certain Jung Wooyoung?"

"I do, something happened to him?" I asked without hiding my worry.

"I will take him to you if you're willing to pay for the taxi ride and medical expenses"

"Medical expenses? What happened?"

"He got mugged, nothing too serious tho. Just his arm is hurt"

I told him my address and payed for everything. Then I waited. My heart beating fast and loud in my chest. I couldn't believe how worried that boy could make me all the time. I was walking back and forth through the room when I heard the door opening. Wooyoung looked terrible: he was exhausted and several abrasions covered his face. He was holding his left arm around his neck with a piece of fabric and his right hand was also fully bandaged. I rushed to him.

"Are you all right? Who did this and how could it happen? Hanyang usually is very quiet..."

"I was surprised too..." he just whispered keeping his head down.

"How many? Did you see their faces? I know people in the police, we can find them!"

"I don't remember"

"Oh... That shouldn't be a problem, I'm sure there were cctv who recorded it all!"

"Are you done?" he snapped so suddenly that I got scared "I don't want to talk about it. I'm fine. I'm here. Just leave it!"

Without another word he just went to the bedroom. I followed him: he was sitting at the edge of the bed trying to take off his pullover but with his arm in a sling he was having some difficulties. I approached him and helped him gently. When our eyes locked he lowered his head once again. I took his right hand, the bandaged one, in mine.

"Does it hurt?" I asked softly

"Not anymore" he raised his head, his eyes were teary and scared.

My heart ached and I felt the need to kiss him. My lips met his in a soft peck.

"You're safe now" I caressed his cheek and I saw a tear falling down his eye, I wiped it away with my finger looking at him with worry. I never saw him cry.

"Kiss me again" he just said. And I did.

We never talked about the accident and I never pushed him to tell me more. I just tried to be there for him if he needed me.

One week later his smile was back as bright as ever: Wooyoung told me that thanks to his injuries he was excused from two exams. I chuckled seeing how happy he was. I tried to work from home as much as I could. I didn't want to leave Wooyoung alone.

Days passed until one day I received a letter. A million won check signed by N1LM SPA in it. Kim Hongjoong company. I didn't understand. I was trying to connect the dots when I received a call from Kim Hongjoong himself.

"Did you get your delivery?" he asked chuckling.

"What's all this money for, Joong-hyung?"

"He didn't tell you, did he? Let's just say that the money is to help overcome the trauma"

"I don't understand, what trauma?" I knew what he was talking about but I didn't want to believe it, not until I heard it from Hongjoong's voice.

"C'mon San, I know you're not dumb! I was just having some fun, nothing bad happened. He got his money, more than what he deserved actually. So stubborn, I don't understand why you like him that much..."

I felt my blood turn to ice first and then to fire.

"It was you?" I growled.

"Don't tell me that you're jealous" he laughed.

"Hongjoong, what did you..."

I felt a hand taking away my phone from me. I turned to see who dared but when my eyes met Wooyoung I felt all my rage leaving me. His eyes were filled with tears and he was shaking.

"D-don't..." he hiccuped still holding my phone in his hands "Don't do it!"

"Woo... " I hugged him tight feeling my eyes itchy, I was lost for words.

"P-please... I-I don't w-want you... T-to have problems w-with h-him"

"I don't care! He hurt you, Woo! He won't get away with it!"

He pushed me slightly away locking his puffy eyes with mine, he took a deep breath.

"No!" he blurted out "You will get into big trouble if you do. He's powerful, much more than you. He got what he wanted and he's happy now. I'm okay. He won't bother me again"

"How do you know that?" I caressed his cheek, he was so brave.

"He told me I-I..." his voice cracked again, he took a deep breath and spoke again "He told me I wasn't worth all the struggle"

I felt my blood boiling in my veins. Hongjoong was lucky that he had just called me because if I had him in front of me I would probably have killed him. I was too furious to think of an answer. So I just hugged him, trying to sooth all the being that he had been through and calm myself as well. He hugged me back silently sobbing with his face pressed on my chest.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked after a while trying to sound as soft as I could "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"I-I didn't... I couldn't!" he looked up, locking his eyes with mine "I'm sorry!"

Hearing him apologizing broke my heart completly, I caressed his cheek and I kissed him softly licking away all his tears.

"You did nothing wrong, I am the one that has to be sorry. I wasn't there for you, I couldn't protect you but I swear, it will never happen again!" and I meant it.

A/N

Poor Woo 🥺

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