Accepting: Hidden Self

Chapter 8

         "You okay, San?" Jungho asks me. I realize I am being quieter than usual in the morning.

         "Yeah, sorry. Uhm, what is everyone doing today?" I ask, looking up from my bowl.

         "I am going to work with dad," HongJoong laughs. He's talking about Eden, he looks over to SeongHwa.

         "I am going to do some vocal practice, and we can all meet up after our individual practices so we can dance." he says, going to sit next to HongJoong and Jungho.

"I'm also doing vocal exercising and I guess I can meet up after. I'll let Yeo know." Jungho says. He gets up and heads to Yeosang's room, where I can hear a slight commotion.

         I really don't want to know what they are doing. I think as I eat my cereal. I look over to see Mingi going over to Yunho, who is just getting out of the bathroom. I finish my bowl of cereal as Yunho waves him off, since he still needs to put his dirty clothes away.

         Just as he opens the door to our room, Woo walks out. He is looking at the ground sulking. I try to cheer him up by grabbing him a bowl of his favorite cereal.

         "Come on Wooyoungie, why don't you sit and eat?" I ask, giving him a huge smile. He looks up at me with shock in his eyes. He takes the bowl and I pull him over to the table so he will eat. While he eats I get my things ready for the day, I needed my workout/practice clothes to take with me to KQ.

         "Well, I was thinking of doing some morning workout, some vocal practice then I can meet with you guys in the dance studio." I say when I come back from grabbing my things.

         "What about you Wooyoung?" Yunho asks, now sitting at the table with everyone, Mingi too.

         "I hadn't thought that far ahead, maybe a quick workout? Not sure after that though." he says while eating. He is being a lot quieter than usual, which concerns me. Everyone starts getting ready to leave, so I pull Woo aside.

                                                                          :@:

                                                                  Wooyoung

         I put my bowl in the sink as everyone is leaving for the van, then grab my things. When I go to leave for the van San pulls on my arm, pulling me to the side. I watch as he waves to the guys.

         "What's up? It's not like you to be so quiet." he asks me looking me over. I can't help but smell the perfume he wears, he tends to go for the light scents, which are pleasant. I snap back to reality when I feel his hand on my forehead.

         "I'm fine, just have a lot on my mind. Everything that happened last night, plus you..." I trail off not wanting to let my thoughts be known. If he finds out I like him, then we can't be family, and being friends might not be right either. Plus he doesn't think of me in the same way. I think as I look away from him, which is hard since he is right in front of me.

         "Plus I, what?" he asks in a rough tone. I look back up and he has concern and fear in his eyes.

         "Nothing, I just lost the thought, sorry." I say turning to walk away, hoping he didn't notice my red face. I hear a heavy sigh from him as I reach the door.

         "I'll have to take you, They are already on their way to KQ. Come here little one." he says behind me. I turn to him, trying to hide my blushing face.

         "What do you mean?" I ask, trying to understand.

         "They left when I waved to them, so I need you to hold my hand, and hold your breath when I count to 3. Got it?" he asks me, pulling on my chin so I look him in the eyes. I nod as he picks up our bags. I take his hand and he just shakes his head, grabbing my hands, wrapping my arms around him in a hug.

         "1..."

         "2..."

         "3..."

         I hold my breath as I feel a warmth wrap around us. I see the maroon mist, slowly turning a beautiful purple, enveloping us, I look up at San and he has his eyes on me. He is giving me a kind smile that calms me before I start to freak out. Before I know it, I am seeing, and feeling the mist falling from around us. We are now in the entrance of the still dark KQ building.

         "You can breathe now Woo," I hear San whisper in my ear. I let out my breath that I'd been holding and instead of the acrid smell of sulfur that had greeted me the night before from the teleporting, I smell the scent of his flowery perfume, mixed with vanilla, my favorite scent.

         "Why does it smell different?" I wonder out loud.

         "I can change the scent based on what I am thinking about," San chuckles. He lets me go, then goes around turning the main lights on. We are here before everyone.

         I go get changed into my workout clothes and think back to the new nickname he called me, "little one". Usually I would fight over something like that, but coming from him, I couldn't be mad. I go to the gym before the others can even be heard in the lobby.

                                                                   :@:

                                                                  San

         I smile when I see that Woo is already in the gym, I go to change into my usual black pants, combat boots, and black muscle shirt. I put on one of our merch hats to keep my, now blonde, hair out of my face and start heading to the gym when I hear the van pull up outside.

         I go in to see Woo waiting at one of the machines, and touch his shoulder. He turns around faster than I thought he would. I laugh a little and watch his face go from scared to relief.

         "I came in to tell you the others just pulled up, calm down Woo." I say wiping my tears away from laughing. He hits me lightly on the shoulder and gets on the machine. I laugh and go to one of the others next to it.

         Not too long after starting my workout I hear HongJoong freaking out in the lobby. I sigh stopping what I'm doing. Woo looks over and stops what he is doing so we can calm our leader.

         "I swear, I turned these lights off last night!" I hear HongJoong practically yell. Poking my head out of the gym I see Jungho, who seems to just want to go and practice. He catches sight of me and his eyes open to a comical extent.

         "San?!" he calls to me in disbelief. Everyone looks over to where he is looking, seeing me scratching my neck.

         "I figured we would be here earlier than you, but I didn't realize how much earlier." I say as Woo comes out of the gym behind me. He sees Jungho's face and starts laughing at the surprised looks.

         "Wait, how did you get here?" Yunho asks. "We left before you, and you didn't call for a van or we would've seen another driver around."

         "We teleported..." I say, nervously pulling my hat off and running my hand through my hair. Woo is still laughing at the situation as SeongHwa seems to understand.

         "But I don't smell any sulfur," Jungho pipes in.

         "It doesn't need to smell that way, but if you cast it fast, or in a hurry then you will get that smell." I tell them.

         "Yeah, this time smelled of perfume and vanilla." Woo says with a smile.

         I guess I chose the right scents for him. I think as I look towards the others.

         "So you can do this whenever you want?" Mingi asks.

         "Yes, but I'd rather not do it too often. I was trying to see what was up with Woo, and turns out he is doing better now." I say with a smile, pointing over to Woo, laughing with Yeosang now.

         Mingi just shrugs in response, so I turn to go back to the gym to workout. I go do pull ups, trying to think of anything but Woo laughing with Yeosang. I am mad that he can laugh around him and Jungho, but he didn't look like he wanted to even be around me.