mute ; woosan

/2/

"so what did you get in trouble for? did a teacher acuse you of cheating again?" jongho pesters wooyoung as the older shuffles through his locker. he laughs a little and closes the locker door, looking at his friend with coconut styled hair.

"mm not this time," he slings his backpack over his shoulder, "principle lee wants me to help san prepare for the speech final."

"they're still making him do it?" jongho shakes his head in disappointment. "that's entirely unfair."

"that's what i said! it's absolutely ridiculous that they won't sway it for him. and i feel bad that i have to help him." the two begin to walk to the front of the school and jongho raises an eyebrow.

"don't you think that's kinda rude to say?"

"what? oh, i don't mean it in that way. i'm more than happy to help him. i just feel bad that it has to be with something he's uncomfortable with. you know what i mean?"

the younger agrees. "that sounds a lot less douchey than what you said before," he laughs a little. wooyoung laughs, too, rolling his eyes and giving his friend a playful punch on the shoulder.

"what do you take me for, an asshole?"

"maybe just a little," his mouth splits into a mischievous grin

"why you-"

jongho takes this moment to run, laughing as he bolts away from the older. wooyoung dashes after him, screaming "get back here, choi! i swear to god i'm gonna hit you!" his voice is laced with laughter but that doesn't stop a nearby teacher from bellowing the senior's name. his head whips around to find where it came from. wooyoung slows down and walks back to a female teacher who has her arm crossed.

"bullying is not tolerated, jung wooyoung."

the student looks at the teacher confused. every student and faculty member know of jongho and wooyoung's friendship; it's a daily occurrence to see both of them causing trouble for each other. from the lunch room, to the library, and especially in the hallways, everyone is a witness to their friendship.

"um, i'm not?"

"then why were you threatening to get into a physical altercation with another student?"

oh god. a math teacher. the worst breed.

"i was just joking around. everyone knows that him and i tease each other constantly."

"how is that possible?"

wooyoung can't hold back from making a stunned face. is she trying to be.... funny? "uh, he talks to me and i talk back? saying things that push the other's buttons but we know it's all in good fun?"

"now i know you're lying."

"excuse me?"

the teacher speaks in a hushed tone. "you know as well as i that mister choi chooses not to speak."

wooyoung wants to laugh.

"you've got the wrong choi, miss. i wasn't teasing san. i was teasing jongho."

jongho opens the door to a janitor closet, tripping over himself before laughing. "haha! i got you in trouble!"

wooyoung doesn't give the teacher a moment to reply before dashing towards his troublemaking friend, who squeals and runs in the other direction. he chases the boy down the hall, through the library and eventually to the font door. wooyoung skids to a halt as jongho races passed the school's front entrance.

"were you waiting for me?"

wooyoung notices san standing by the entrance clutching his books near his chest. the senior gives a small, borderline tired nod, his shoulders back with straight posture.. wooyoung sighs in disappointment at himself.

"ugh, i'm so sorry... i completely lost track of time, i really didn't mean to make you wait so long," he says as he walks to the boy. truth be told, he wasn't aware he was supposed to start helping san today. "my house or yours? er, i mean, would you like to go to your house?"

san's eyes drift down to his feet as he gives a minuscule head shake.

"not a problem, san. let's head out to my car. you can put your things in the trunk."

wooyoung leads his classmate to the student parking lot where his car is, opening the trunk for the both of them. once everything is put into the trunk and the trunk is closed, the two seniors get into the car. san inwardly cringes at the silent atmosphere that the car ride to wooyoung's house holds. he almost feels the heavy weight of guilt sitting in his stomach for not saying anything yet, especially given that he's going to have to talk to the boy sooner or later. his heart begins to race as he tries to hype himself up to apologize, the simple thought of opening his mouth and saying at least one word making him anxious.

c'mon. one word. 'sorry'.

he takes a breath needed to speak.

'sorry'.

his voice comes out as a hum for not even half a second before he gives up, the sound trailing up into a whince. wooyoung didn't mean to do it. it was san's fault for assuming wooyoung knew the plan.

"san," wooyoung says gently in his greatest attempt to avoid sounding condescending, "if you aren't comfortable saying anything yet, don't feel forced to. i'm not going to force you. i'm here to help you, not make you talk to me right out of the gate."

he gives a quick reassuring smile before returning his eyes to the road. san doesn't look away from him for a few more seconds. wooyoung isn't going to make him speak and he didn't make fun of him for not saying anything?

calling wooyoung a breath of fresh air is an understatement.