(no) Strings Attached

Too Far

After their reckless kiss in the middle of the hallway, it quietly became a hot topic around the campus. Even though the witnesses were even less than 50 students.

People kept whispering, watching, speculating.

No, not San.

Wooyoung.

Because this was San's field, no surprise there. Everyone knows how San is. But the newcomer? It just seemed that he wasn't aware enough. People felt bad.

Especially those who've experienced the Choi San heartbreak first hand.

Realistically, no one blamed Wooyoung. No one in their right and honest state of mind. San is handsome, attractive. He emits sexual energy. He is arrogant yet not unkind.

He is a fleeting situation. However, he is always genuine whenever he involves himself.

That is why no one really hated him. Or pointed fingers at. San had been a lot but never a liar. He never made promises for his own benefit.

So the heartbreak is only the involved one's fault, really.

And that's the part that brings pain to Wooyoung. Because everyone assumes that he is just another name on San's list. Just another hookup. Just another of the many.

People were starting to give him subtle advice. Someone even stopped him the other day to tell him that he should 'be careful because Choi San doesn't do repeats'.

It made Wooyoung's eyes sting. No matter how welcoming and genuine that boy was being Wooyoung could only feel his whole body burn with humiliation.

What made it hurt even more was the fact that Wooyoung wasn't just one of them. He wasn't supposed to be. And if he could be even a bit raw honest, he didn't believe he deserved so either.

So how could San be unaffected? When Wooyoung was feeling like he'd die inside, how the hell it didn't even brush past San?

Why did he keep acting as if nothing happened? Always flirting with him, smirking or leaving lingering touches.

And why did he always at the end of the day end up in other people's beds? If the ever reappearing hickeys were any indication.

Worst, when Wooyoung courageously confronted him the other day, all he got back was a simple, smug "Jealous, sweetheart?"

Needless to say the younger actually gave up.

He gave up trying to understand what in the world they even meant to one another.

Because if San saw the hurt in his eyes then he just chose to smirk even more, as if he had beaten him in a game Wooyoung wasn't even aware he participated in.

And the latter hates how he can't stop caring. He tries. So fucking hard.

Except he seems to be incapable of. Because no matter to what extents he tries, no one makes his heart race like San does.

And he hates himself for that.

So he does what he knows best. He runs away. Avoids. He refused to play by San's rules. He can't anymore.

That is why when he heard one day after class his name coming out of one of San's friends' mouth he tried to ignore.

But then San's own voice replied back.

"Oh? It's just cute how much he reacts."

His stomach squeezed.

"Like him? No, gosh no! But he actually thinks I do."