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SAN didn't know what to do.
Neither of the boys knew what to do, even Wooyoung — the boy who grew up with you — knew nothing.
It's because you didn't tell him anything. No matter how you labeled each other as childhood friends, you weren't an open book. You refused to let people in. Even him.
And maybe that's what Wooyoung regrets the most — not putting more effort into breaking down your walls.
He shouldn't have let those childhood memories fade away slowly in time. Shouldn't have made distance and the time that separated you from each other hinder him from being there for you and making himself worthy of the title 'your childhood friend'.
When he met new people in his life, he should've brought you along with him. Made you laugh and smile with him
"Seonghwa changed her clothes and she's still asleep." Yeosang announces to the other guys as soon as he went out of Seonghwa and Hongjoong's room. The room where they let Elle stay for the night — since it was the, uh, cleanest.
"That's good to hear. Uhm, we should probably let her rest in the meantime," Hongjoong pauses and licks his lip. "She looked so tired…"
"I know…" Was the only thing Wooyoung was able to say as he leaned his body forward on the couch, head hung low and his hands clasped together.
"It's not like her to get drunk all by herself, not to mention, in public." Wooyoung sighs.
"San said she was crying when he found her too." Jongho adds. Then their heads turn toward the sound of the door opening and closing.
San and Seonghwa left the room looking dejected. Heavy sighs leaving their dry lips.
"San, how did you find her? And why did she contact you instead of...me?" Wooyoung throws at him even when the latter wasn't able to take a seat yet.
He feels like San isn't telling them something.
"Before I answer that," San starts and clears his throat. He throws a knowing look at Seonghwa before the elder nods his head and rests his head on the couch.
"Did...did Elle tell you anything, Woo? Anything about her life at all? Like, what on earth is happening with her?" San asks, and he wasn't able to prevent his pitch from increasing. His heartbeat was rapid against his ribcage.
"I — nothing? I don't know, San. We don't talk that much these days but — where are you going with this anyway?"
When San looks away and refuses to meet his eyes, mouth closed and not telling anything, worry and fear starts dancing in Wooyoung's irises.
Something feels off.
"We...I cleaned her right? And we...we found a scar along her abdomen but don't worry it looks old...it's just that it was kinda long."
It was Seonghwa who spoke.
After hearing that, the rest of the guys gulped down hard. Except San, who stood up from his seat, saying,
"Don't worry? Ha." He lets out a humorless chuckle, hands tightly gripping down on his black locks.
"She also has a fresh cut on her arm and I had to clean and fix it myself!" He exclaims.
At the rate that San was going, everyone can sense the frustration, regret and anger oozing from him and his tone. They figured it was more of a pent-up release and a harsh blame, on himself.
On themselves.
Especially Wooyoung.
Elle had told him nothing — so what was he going to conclude from all the things he heard from everyone? It was like an unpleasant surprise to him. Like opening a gift box only to see a bomb inside of it. Worst is, there's still more coming.
After some time, the living room of their dorm was filled with nothing but silence. All the gears were turning inside their heads as they tried to figure out what's happening to their friend.
Elle isn't only a friend to but also like a sister to them.
"Sorry." Everyone hears San utter. Seven heads turn towards his direction.
"What for?" Mingi raises an eyebrow at him.
"For shouting, losing my cool and for not telling you guys, sooner."
"Not telling us...what?" Yunho asks this time, body inching closer towards the latter.
"I...I've actually been seeing Elle now...for a week." San spills, and when he looks up at the other's reactions he sees — stifled grins, soft smiles, knowing smirks and curious eyes telling him to continue.
"Was planning on courting her after we got to know each other. That is, if she allows me to." At this point, San wasn't able to fight off the smile from his face as he fidgeted with his hands.
The rest of the guys let out hushed screams and shouts — mindful that Elle is still asleep and they don't want to wake her up this soon.
"I knew it, didn't I tell you that these two would hit it off soon enough?" Jongho, the most observant guy of the bunch, states happily.
"Right. I remember now! Seonghwa, Yeosang, Yunho and I made a bet about that. I can't believe I almost forgot." Mingi clicks his tongue all the while he shakes his head, lips soon breaking into an amused smile.
"Does...does Elle feel the same, Sani?" Wooyoung asks him, only for San to let out a shrug.
"I...actually, don't know, Woo."
"And, I'm sorry for not telling you about it...considering she's your-"
"Shut it idiot, it's not like I'm her brother or something." Wooyoung chuckles and then he puts a reassuring hand on the latter's shoulder.
"I'm sure she'll say yes once the two of you talk when she wakes up."
San doesn't know how to feel at what Wooyoung just said — not after hearing Elle drunk-confessing to him earlier on the phone.
And him just telling her to hang up.
Did she really mean it? Will she still say the exact same words once she's sober?
For now, San lets the burning hope spark inside him — pleading that tomorrow, Elle won't put it off and let it crush to ashes.
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You wake up feeling the worst you reckon you've been — head weighing like a boulder, your mouth dry and you...you felt hot.
A moan escapes your lips when you try to move your body, which later turns into a groan once you felt like something humongous just crashed on top of you preventing your limbs from making any movements.
Which proved to be the case once you finally opened your eyes — seeing nothing but unfamiliar white walls and someone's weight halfway on top of you.
That someone's head was resting on your chest, near your heart's location. Their hands wrapped around your waist and legs, well, tangled with yours.
However, you didn't scream. You didn't panic.
This mop of soft black hair is familiar, and if you're not mistaken, that smell of mixed mint and smoke that reached your nostrils when you inhaled it — how could you not? when he's this close to you — only belonged to one person.
"C-Can you get off of me, please?" You said in a hoarse voice, your hands using the strength you could muster to shake his body.
San groans on top of you and it seemed like his grip on your waist only tightened more — like he was afraid of letting you go.
Though you doubt that's the case.
"San, please?" You say almost breathless — not because he's heavy but because him being this close to you once again is taking the air out of your lungs.
Your pleas fall on deaf ears however, with San pushing it to the side as he changes the topic.
"You're awake." He says with a muffled voice. You had the urge to roll your eyes.
"How are you feeling? Does your arm still hurt?"
As soon as he asked those, your eyes wandered to your now bandaged arm. No blood in sight.
You gasped. "San, I-"
Your words get cut off by him when he moves away from you without a warning. He stays seated at the edge of the bed for a minute before he turns to you — his expression is nothing like you've ever seen before. Nothing like the previous ones he gave you.
"I'll help you wash up and then we'll go down for breakfast, okay? You can't say no, or else Wooyoung will get mad at you."
Your head immediately snaps to him, questioning wide eyes directed at the black-haired male.
"W-Wooyoung, you say?" Did you hear that right? Wooyoung is here?
"Hmm." San nods, then he stands up from the comfort of the bed and offers both of his hands to pull you up from the bed.
And when you refused to at first, he says,
"Or do you want me to carry you like a princess? Bridal style? The one they do in dramas, is that what they call it?" San raises an eyebrow at you, lips formed into a playful smirk. His expression and stance made blood course through your cheeks, heating it up with shyness.
"N-No, thank you!" You squeaked, yet again, and then you let him pull you up and guide you to the bathroom ever so gently.