On The Surface | WooSan

15 - The Truth (always comes out)

"I was scared you'd think I'm selfish. I didn't think it was necessary to address this topic just to reveal I was the one who saved you back then."

Wooyoung frowned. "Selfish? How so?"

San exhaled sharply. He felt uneasy, Wooyoung was able to tell. What for, he didn't know. But he was about to find out.

"Remember when you asked why I decided to marry you in the end instead of a woman and I said I did it so it's more authentic and would throw more attention on us? That was only partially true. The reason you passed the casting wasn't because of these criteria at all. I was very determined to marry a woman actually, and you knew that. Despite being into men, marrying a man would bring complications such as it not being legal in Korea let alone the future emotional bond it may come with. I wasn't ready to face these things at all, so I had everything perfectly planned out. But then you walked into that room and..."

It was silent for a few seconds. Wooyoung listened carefully to make sure to not miss any detail and San tried to think of a way he could form his thoughts into words.

"Wooyoung, all my life I've felt like I was living for others. I can't remember a thing that I did that was genuinely ... good. Or something to be truly proud of, to feel fulfilled by. Except for the fact I saved someone's life once. That was something I always held onto, especially when I was struggling with my addiction, and when you walked into that room and I knew it was you I wanted to keep you, I wanted you around me for some reason. And I suddenly was okay with changing my plans just to have you in my life." San laughed off the last sentence nervously, an ounce of regret evident in his voice. "I can't believe I just said that."

Wooyoung understood that San was being vulnerable with him at this moment and appreciated the transparency, but also felt confused and didn't know how to sort out some of the things he just found out.

"How can it be selfish when I need you as well? I literally walked through that door because I needed someone to pay for my debts and cover my finances," Wooyoung eventually added. He took San's hand, feeling like it'd be the right thing at that moment. "And let me tell you something. If it was the other way around, the sole fact you are the one who saved me would've been enough to want you in my life as well."

"So you're not mad?"

Wooyoung let out a short and breathy laugh. "I wouldn't say mad, but I felt a little stung by the fact you kept it to yourself when I realized. I don't think I feel that way anymore though."

When San asked Wooyoung how he had realized, the latter let his fingers brush over the back of San's hand where a scar lingered. It wasn't red anymore like it was when they were children, but it was still visible. Wooyoung explained that with yesterday's incident some suppressed memories returned and one of them showed the exact same scar on a little boy's hand that held him in his arms to calm him down, just like San did yesterday. And connecting the dots, Wooyoung couldn't help but think he was right about his suspicion. Upon asking the same question, San immediately had two responses ready.

First, Wooyoung had worn a bracelet with his name engraved on it back then. And second...

"The mole under your eye," San said softly while taking a glance at it. "I was never able to forget it."

...

Yeosang's eyes were wide when he listened to everything his best friend had to tell and although Yunho had been there to witness most of it, the part of the day after Hongjoong's party also left the bodyguard speechless.

"This man is so into you!" Yeosang exclaimed with his index finger pressing down on Wooyoung's thigh, the latter yelping out in response.

"The mole under your eye ... I was never able to forget it," Yeosang imitated with a deep voice and Yunho chuckled at that.