WHO WE ARE, woosan

002: jung wooyoung meets choi san

Wooyoung remembers stepping into a mall for the first time as a kid, and how awestruck he felt back then. He feels like that again, only now he's older and knows he can't afford any of this.

He watches his surroundings all detached like he's an outsider -- which he is. Suddenly he feels out of place.

Hongjoong's feet are quick, brisk, passing by the exquisite displays with not so much of a glance as Wooyoung struggles to pick up behind him. Wooyoung sees the large fir trees entwined by beaming fairy lights and ornaments in a few places, and wonders why they're already there when it's only the middle of November.

He shakes the thought off. It doesn't matter.

Men and women Wooyoung's never seen before greet Hongjoong every once in a while, most of them virtually ignoring Wooyoung's presence, which he convinces himself he doesn't mind much anyway.

"Where are we going?" Wooyoung asks when they arrive on the second floor, hating how insecure his tone sounds.

"To my office," Hongjoong answers. Before he can add anything else though, a new person shows up, a bundle of fabric in his arms. He's tall, with neatly combed chestnut brown hair and round, thin-framed glasses perched on his lifted cheeks.

"Hongjooong," the guy hollers the blue haired man's name, bouncing up to them like an overexcited puppy. "You're still here? I thought you'd already left."

He tries to hug Hongjoong but fails due to the fabric he's holding, which Wooyoung would've found some humour in if he wasn't so uncomfortable right now.

"The flight's tomorrow night, Yunho. I'm sure I still have a bit of time left before then," Hongjoong replies, his laugh heartfelt.

'Yunho' then looks at Wooyoung, eyes large and sparkling. They remind Wooyoung of Yeosang, but he erases the thought almost instantly.

"Who is this?" Yunho whispers, but it's so loud Wooyoung can hear it.

"This is Wooyoung," Hongjoong introduces.

"Wooyoung..." Yunho looks expectant as if he's expecting something else, something else that justifies why he's here with someone like Hongjoong. And to be honest, Wooyoung doesn't know why he is either.

"I have something to discuss with him here," Hongjoong continues, pointedly meeting Yunho's gaze. It takes a second for realization to flicker in his brown eyes.

"Ah," Yunho nods. Then, as if a switch's been flipped, he juts his free palm out at Wooyoung, smiling broadly. "I'm Jeong Yunho. Sourcing Manager."

Wooyoung feels self-conscious in his basic red hoodie and jeans under Yunho's welcoming gaze, but shakes his hand nonetheless. He's sure his confusion is apparent even with this, because he soon hears Hongjoong's laughter.

"He's Fabric Guy," Hongjoong teases, while Yunho pouts at the overly simplistic name. Wooyoung nods, finally understanding.

"Fabric Guy," Wooyoung repeats. "Got it."

Yunho isn't pouting anymore. He looks amused now. He exchanges stares with Hongjoong and chuckles. "I think I know what you mean now."

Wooyoung blinks. "What?"

"Nothing," both men exclaim, at the exact same time. Nothing suspicious about that.

"I gotta go now," Yunho says, tone faintly apologetic. "You know they just delivered new samples and I am stocked for tonight."