EGOIST (Sang Woo x Fem!OC) [COMPLETED]

21

For as long as she remembers, Hae Young had always been alone. If not for the people that surround her; her father, or even Sang-Woo, somehow, in the worst times, she's all alone in the void that is her head. In all honesty, she envies the rest of her toga-clad graduates, who smiled at each flash from the crowd of proud parents behind them. She didn't need to steal a glance to check that the chair reserved for her father remained empty. He couldn't make it to Seoul, or perhaps that's what they both decided on. It was either too expensive, or too much of a health hazard. Though she promised pictures of her in a toga, smiling in front of the gates of SNU, she knew that that would never be enough.

The envy and loneliness lingers as she stands with her batch, lining up to the side of the podium as they wait to collect their diplomas. Though, she remains a straight face. She reminds herself of what all these loneliness and hardwork are for. The line cuts shorter and shorter, Hae Young nears her turn to collect her diploma and she reminds herself of the routine they had practiced weeks before; shake their hands, collect her certificate, and flash a smile for the cameras, and then leave. As her name was called, people clapped out of courtesy, shaking hands of the university officials and accepting her certificate with a word of congratulations from the dean. She stands before the crowd, trying her best not to look at the empty seat, smiling for the cameras, and then--

"Hae Young!"

Her eyes widened. Seong Gi-Hun stands at the very back of the hall with Mrs. Cho, waving excitedly. He takes out his cheap digital camera, pointing it at her. He gestures to her to smile, but she doesn't. She couldn't. At that very moment she tries everything in her power not to burst into tears.

She immediately runs to them the very moment the ceremony ends, tackling her friend into a bone-crushing hug. "You came." She sniffs. Gi-Hun just pats her on the back, but then she quickly pulls away.

"Why did you--"

"Sang-Woo told us that your father couldn't come." He says, with an air of hesitation in his voice. Mrs. Cho takes her turn to hug the fresh graduate.

"Congratulations, dear." She says softly.

"Thanks, imo."

"Sang-Woo is at work." She says, pulling away. "He should be here any--"

"--Did I make it?" As if on cue, a sweaty, breathless Sang-Woo enters the events hall. "Oh God, I didn't make it in time did I?"

Though that didn't matter to Hae Young anymore as she ran up to the man, encasing him in an embrace.

"Congratulations." Sang-woo whispers, reciprocating the hug though with just a one-armed hug. "Oh, and--"

He pulls out a single pink rose that he had been hiding behind his back. Sheepishly, he hands it to her.

"It's all I can get from the station on my way here." He explains. "I was on a rush."

She takes it, however, holding it with such caution as if it would break at any form of contact. He gives him a watery smile. "Thank you. It's lovely."

That night, Mrs. Cho insisted that the three of them stayed for dinner, stocking up enough mackerel and seaweed soup for everyone. Gi-Hun bought the drinks, and Sang-Woo, with this month's paycheck, ordered fried chicken. It was a simple feast, a lively feast down to the last drop of beer. And when it was over, Gi-Hun offered to take Hae Young back to her boarding house, Sang-Woo stayed with his mother to clean up.

"Thank you again for coming." She tells him, walking slowly to the station. "I honestly was surprised seeing you guys there."

"You were?" Gi-Hun replies in amusement. "Well, I'm happy you're happy, honestly. When we found out from Sang-Woo that your dad wasn't coming along--"

Hae Young scrunches her brows. "--Sang Woo told you that?"

He rubs the back of neck awkwardly. "Yes." He answers with hesitance. "He originally planned on coming along, but he couldn't exactly get off work easy, you know?"

Hae Young just nods.

"But hey, don't give Sang-Woo all the credit." He scoffed teasingly. "I'm the one who planned to surprise you in the first place."

He grins down at her.

"Alright, fine." She rolls her eyes playfully. "Only because it really made my day." She says honestly. "Thank you for that."

He nods, they continue walking to the station. "So--" Gi-Hun begins again.

"Look, I don't mean to pry, but... Sang-Woo?"

"What about him?" Hae Young asks nonchalantly.

"Oh come on!" Gi-Hun groans. "I may be daft, but that--" He turns to her "It's pretty obvious."

She just gives him a confused look.

"Sang-Woo wouldn't just skip out on work for anybody. He's smitten!"

It still doesn't dawn on her. Gi-Hun groans.

"So you don't know." He sighs, disappointed. "That's it. You two are done for."

"Maybe if you stop speaking in tongues, then I'll understand you." She spat, brows furrowing. "He's smitten?"

"I'm surprised you haven't noticed. Or maybe just that clueless. Gosh, Hae Young, that man is head over heels for you!" Gi-Hun says a little too loud, garnering strange looks from passersby.

Hae Young thinks for a moment, lips pursed. Though she couldn't suppress the blush forming on her cheeks, a large part of her is doubtful.

"I'd only believe it when Sang-Woo says it himself." She says, standing her ground on the matter. It's not that she wasn't convinced... Alright, perhaps she isn't entirely convinced, but why would she be hearing this from Gi-Hun and not the man himself? What has he got to lose?

What has he got to lose?

The question is an endless cycle of thoughts in her voided mind that crowded her every action. Even as she lay at night before she slept, somehow, his name was a weighted feeling on her chest. Just now, and it was funny for her to feel that way. But too soon, she reckoned. It all felt new to her. She doesn't even know what it meant, for someone to linger in her mind for this long or this intense. But it was the seed of thought that Seong Gi-hun had planted in her mind, growing and growing ever so slowly. It was torture. She just wanted to sleep.

Her phone on her nightstand was taunting her. Hastily, she takes it and dials his number. She waits for a couple of rings until he picks up. "Hello?"

Sang-woo's voice was raspy and tired, though it was a crackling sound that somehow made her jolt awake and end the call as soon as he had picked up. Stupid! She curses herself, as she sighs and looks at the number with longing. She didn't even know what to say and yet she called him out of all people. She groans. This is all Gi-hun's fault.

She huffs as she searches for his name in her contacts.

Seong Gi-Hun.

Though with him, it took longer to pick up.

"Hello?" He greeted with a lazy voice.

"Alright." She huffs. "I have to tell you something, but don't laugh."