i'll be that somebody for you

8. New Year's Eve

It was finally New Year's Eve.

Wooyoung wanted to come back a day or two after Christmas but his mother thought otherwise. So, with a heavy heart, he stayed longer and came back to Seoul two days ago.

It's not that Wooyoung hated his parents, on the contrary, he loved them with all his heart. He just hated his house, his neighbourhood and Ilsan. All of this was full of memories he wanted to forget.

Then, to forget everything, he went to bars and got drunk. He ended up sleeping with men that were nameless to him and ran away from their apartment before dawn. Each time he came back home in the morning, his mother would be in the living room with a cup of coffee. She would look at him, not saying anything, and take the stairs to join her husband in their bed.

Why wasn't she screaming at him? Or at least saying a word? Because she was used to it and she didn't want to fight. She preferred to stay silent and do nothing other than fight and lose her son. This was their sad routine when Wooyoung would spend time in Ilsan. When Yeosang and Jongho were there, he would simply hang out with them. Jongho tried to contact Wooyoung to spend time with him but Wooyoung declined all his offers. He didn't want his friend to miss time with his family because of him.

Wooyoung finished buttoning his snake pattern shirt before tucking it in a pair of black slim jeans. While doing his hair with his hand, he brushed his right ear which made him let out a small pain noise. During his visit to Ilsan, Wooyoung got a piercing: the helix. He wanted to change something but couldn't do another colouring. His mother was too relieved he had his natural hair again, she always said that he "looked like those kids who want to be idols" when he was blond. His hair was getting longer, reaching the top of his cheeks, his father told him he should cut it or he wouldn't be able to see. He just smiled at that remark but didn't do it.

He wondered if San would like his look or if he would even notice. When they were both in their respective hometowns, the two boys didn't text much. Wooyoung sent a text to San for Christmas and got a response two days after. He wanted to call San because he missed their small time together. He stared at his screen for minutes, asking himself if he should do it or not. But what are you going to tell him? "I just called you because I miss you"? He shook his head and threw his phone on his bed. He didn't call San and didn't text him after that.

Wooyoung was walking towards Yunho and Mingi's place, hands on his pockets and earphones on his ears. In that period of the year, he loved to listen to Spring Day.

Like the tiny dust, tiny dust floating in the air

Will I get to you a little faster

If I was the snow in the air

Wooyoung rang the bell and waited for a minute. He put his earphones away and the door opened.

"Wah, Wooyoungie, you're so handsome!" Seonghwa exclaimed with a bright smile.

Wooyoung smiled and felt his cheeks becoming pink. Seonghwa used to praise him a lot like a mother would praise her child. But he never got used to his hyung praising him about his looks. Wooyoung entered the flat and they went into the living room. Hongjoong and Yunho were talking on a side of the couch. On another side, Mingi was texting while San was resting on his friend's lap. Wooyoung turned his head to the right to see if Yeosang and Jongho were in the kitchen, which they were. Yeosang was currently filming Jongho who was breaking apples.

"Why..." Wooyoung started.

"Don't ask, I stopped asking myself if we were normal weeks ago," Seonghwa cut him short.

Wooyoung chuckled and went to greet the others. Yunho hugged him saying he missed him. Hongjoong whacked him because he didn't send or reply to any of his texts during the holidays. Mingi simply waved him.