taste of desire - woosan

15. flustered

wooyoung didn't know what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't this. he was awkwardly walking beside san, a clear distance between them. he wished he took the chance to go back inside when he could, even if he had to sit in his office the whole night, anything would be better than this.

neither san nor wooyoung said a word. the sun was setting, casting a golden glow across the city. it had been a while since wooyoung had taken in the beauty of the city before him. he always kept himself indoors and this change of scenery felt nice. he took a peek at the male next to him. san had his hands in his pockets, his eyes straight ahead but not focusing on anything in particular. his hair, that was typically slicked back was messy, flowing gently in the evening breeze. wooyoung gazed at san's sharp jawline, this man must've been crafted by the greek gods. there was no way someone could be so handsome.

wooyoung felt his cheeks heat up at the inappropriate thoughts that came to his mind. he really needed to get a grip. "so wooyoung" san spoke, breaking the silence, "how is it that a chef doesn't cook in his own restaurant?". wooyoung broke out of his trance, "what do you mean?" he questioned. 

"well yesterday only yeosang cooked" san remarked, "and i've only seen you in your office while the other cooks are in the kitchen". wooyoung looked down, he hadn't expected san to notice. of course he tried hiding it by washing vegetables and pretending to look busy. "oh, yeah" wooyoung muttered, "i hurt my finger a few days ago". it wasn't a complete lie, he did cut his finger. albeit it was only a small cut that normally wouldn't impact his ability to cook, but san didn't have to know that.

"what about you?" wooyoung asked. san looked at him confused, "what about me?". 

"why did you come here? don't you have anything else to do after work like hang out with your friends or your girlfriend?" wooyoung internally cringed at the word "girlfriend" and he swore he saw san stiffen up.

"i don't usually do anything after work" san shrugged. he turned to look at wooyoung, "plus i won't be able to come here soon so shouldn't i come here while i still can?". wooyoung swallowed, remembering a few days ago when he told san he wouldn't be allowed anywhere near the restaurant after the job is done. 

"right" wooyoung chuckled awkwardly. a few pedestrians passed by them and since their wasn't much room on the sidewalk due to the space between san and wooyoung, san deleted the space between them so other people had room to walk. wooyoung's widened as he felt san's shoulders brush agaisnt his.

"what's yeosang's deal anyway? he seems more like the boss than you do" wooyoung shuddered, feeling san's hot breath next to his ear. he gulped, wooyoung couldn't become a flustered mess now. 

"he's the bossy type" wooyoung kept his head turned away from san, praying that his outgrown hair would cover his face, "but he helps me keep the restaurant running". san suddenly stopped, his hand holding wooyoung's arm.

"wooyoung?" san reached out his other hand to cup wooyoung's cheek and turn his head to face him. "are you okay? your face is kinda red". wooyoung's eyes were as big as saucers, san's hand felt soft against his cheek. he immediately shook his face out of san's grip, "i'm fine, it's just a bit hot".

"but you're shivering" san pointed out and wooyoung cursed himself for running out without bringing a coat. he opened his mouth to reply but what was he going to say, that san was making him nervous? that he felt a strange attraction to a man that he just met a few days ago? that he didn't know how to act when san was around?

"here" san took his work blazer off and draped it on wooyoung's shoulders. he could smell the musky scent of san's cologne. because san had broader shoulders and more of a fit physique compared to wooyoung, the blazer was a large fit but it warmed wooyoung up almost instantly.

"we can stop walking for a bit" san led wooyoung to another bench that was smaller than the other one. they sat next to each other, shoulders and knees touching. wooyoung fiddled with his fingers and looked straight ahead, avoiding san's gaze.

san leaned back and stretched his arms out, "i wanted to thank you" he said, looking up at the sky. "thank me for what?" wooyoung asked. san looked at wooyoung and smiled, showing off his pearly whites and dimples, "for helping me. i know i put a big burden on you". san's tone was soft and genuine and wooyoung could feel his heart doing flips. "it's nothing i can't handle" he replied, managing to keep his cool.

these feelings were really new to wooyoung. sure he had silly crushes on girls in school when he was younger, but he never felt like this. he never had trouble sleeping or had the inability to function properly. heck, he never even thought of someone so constantly like he thought of san. he's also never felt this way towards a guy before. his feelings seemed to be getting stronger by the day and that was starting to scare wooyoung. maybe it was best that they didn't see each other after this weekend. but thinking about not seeing san again upset wooyoung. he never expected to feel so deeply about someone he initially despised and so quickly too. but he would have to keep these feelings to himself. it was clear that san was in a relationship and wooyoung wasn't sure if these were fleeting feelings or something deeper. he hoped it was just a phase.

"we should head back" wooyoung said. the sun had set at this point and the stars were twinklig in the night sky. san nodded and they both stood up, heading back to the restaurant.

while they were walking, wooyoung felt san suddenly grab his arm, turning him so that they were both face-to-face. wooyoung widened his eyes and before he could say anything, san wrapped his arms around wooyoung. he pulled wooyoung into a tight hug, nuzzling his head onto wooyoung's shoulder.