Time & Tide - WooSan

1. If without you

<3

"Everything started five years ago when my parent's left me to be an orphan.  Back then I was twelve and it was summertime so I didn't have school. Me and my mother were in one of her friend's house and my father was at work. He was a firefighter so he was rarely at home for long. Maybe that's why my mum had a lover."

"That night I found out that dad got into an accident and was in the hospital with severe burns. We went there with my mother and waited the whole night for a miracle to happen. Few hours later the doctor told us the tragic news that my dad was no longer alive."

"My mother decided it's best to change towns and so we moved in Seoul with her lover. A month after my dad's funeral, me and my mum were living in small rented apartment with two rooms together with an alcoholic. My mother managed to find a job, but the man turned out to be a drunkard, he was only sitting on the couch drinking."

"About after a month, I was already thirteen and had celebrated my birthday all by myself, I had to endure the beating inflicted on me and mum by her lover."
"My mother didn't know what to do.  She was extremely weak mentally and that's why she ended her life by jumping from our terrace."

"I'm not mad at her. There's nothing for.  After all, once the relationship is broken, it is difficult for an omega to get back on its feet."

"A few days later, the authorities decided that I should live in the orphanage.  I didn't have any living relatives anyway, and that fool, my late mother's lover, was gone with a curled tail."

"This is my story, Yunho.  I hope I was of use for your essay." San said and smiled at his eighteen year old friend.

"Yes, it was more than enough.  Thank you so much." The beta thanked him and San gave him a half hug. 

On his way, he greeted some of his other friends from the orphanage. San was now 17 and a representative of the Alphas since two years ago. The boy currently had pink hair and his scent was a combination of berries.  Some would say he wasn't typical of his species, but he didn't care.

The boy reached his room and went inside, greeting his roommate.  Another boy who didn't know what species he was yet, with black hair, a little shorter than San, but much more talkative.  The two had known each other since San had moved in and had become very close.
"Hey, Wooyoung. What's up?" San sat on his bed while Wooyoung was laying there playing on his phone.

"I'm good, you?"

"Me too. Yunho wanted me to tell him about myself.  He said he had an essay, but I'm sure he was making excuses for me to tell him." San laughed. Wooyoung smiled at him and looked at him.

"I heard that they changed his room.  He used to share with Taehyun but now he's with Mingi because Beomgyu's an omega."

"Oh, that's great for Tae and Beom." San exclaimed.

"Yes, they liked each other anyway."

"Mmm, they're lucky.  Most couples are separated because of the rules." San knew what the rules were in the orphanage.

Even if you wake him up from a dream, he will tell you everything.  However, they all hated one thing: An alpha and an omega can't be in the same room!
There are many reasons, but in most cases they did not happen.

"San." Wooyoung said seriously after they both fell in deep thought about something.

"What's wrong?" The pink-haired one felt the concern in the other's voice and sent him a gentle smile.

"This will probably sound like whining, but... What if I'm an omega?  I don't want to be away from you." Wooyoung looked down at his feet.  He really didn't want this to happen because he was already so used to San's company.

"Oh... Woo, don't worry. I'm sure you'll be a beta!" San told him to convince him and calm him down.

"I was also sure that you would be a beta, but look at yourself now.  A handsome and strong alpha!" Wooyoung said and immediately felt ashamed of himself.
San laughed and stood up from his bed, walking over to the other boy who was hiding behind his hands.

"You think I'm handsome?" San sat down on his bed next to him and reached out to remove Wooyoung's hands from their position.  As a result, Woo let out a disgruntled whimper and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Forget what I told you.  I am sleepy." Wooyoung turned his back to San and pretended to sleep.  The alpha covered the other and sat down at the desk against the wall between the two beds, under the window, and began to draw. 
San enjoyed doing it in his spare time.  Wooyoung has always told him he had talent, but he wasn't sure of himself.  The technique he used was graphics, and the noise of the pencil with which he made strokes always lulled Wooyoung to sleep.
San didn't think about what he was drawing.  He just scribbled and let his hand guide him.  When he does this, he generally thinks about the things that are happening to him and forgets about time.
Unknowingly when Wooyoung had gotten up from his bed, half-asleep with his bed hair.  He watched San from the side and admired him.

"San?" Wooyoung mumbled.  The alpha turned sharply in surprise and dropped his pencil on the desk.

"Yes?  Is everything alright?" He asked, worried that he had woken him up while he was erasing a little while ago.

"I dreamed something... Will you lie down next to me?" He said in a thin voice and San nodded.  The two boys laid down next to each other, curled up and Wooyoung snuggled into the alpha's shoulder.  San wrapped one arm around his waist and then they closed their eyes, drifting off into a sweet sleep.

Wooyoung loved to sleep.  Even if it was daytime, he didn't mind.  However, the alpha always had nightmares caused by his memories and had insomnia.  Fortunately, as he and Woo became closer, the boy helped him overcome his fears, and now this almost never happened to him.

San dreamed of his father entering a burning house to save a little girl, but then the girl was dragged out by his father's colleague but his father never came out.

Then the scene changes to the white hospital room where the burned man lies and takes his last breath.

Wooyoung feels something wet on his face and wakes up.  He immediately knew what was happening because he saw San's frown and noticed his heavy breathing.

"Sannie?" He reached up and grabbed his shoulder.  San's tears were streaming down his cheeks and his eyes were still closed.

"Sannie, wake up.  Please!"

There were other things going on in the alpha's head.  He saw that old drunkard beating up his mother, and she was screaming for mercy.  She screamed for help, but her voice changed to someone else's.

"San!  Please!  Open your eyes."

Wooyoung begged one last time as San finally woke up and took a deep breath.  He looked at Wooyoung with narrowed eyes, and the boy hugged him.

"Are you okay?" Wooyoung whispered.
"Yes, since you're here." San answered after a few minutes, and Woo slapped him playfully on the shoulder.

"Idiot." He said and got out of bed, going to take a shower.  Soon it was dinner time and they had to get ready.

San had calmed down and wiped away his tears.  He looked out the window and saw that it was getting dark.

"What would I do without this boy by my side?"

Hello there! Any thoughts?