SING ME TO SLEEP, woosan

16

the group of boys settle down quicker than wooyoung initially expected them to. hongjoong and seonghwa easily make themselves comfortable, yunho eventually comes out of hiding and faces mingi, who — perking wooyoung's intrigue — seems more than ecstatic to see him, jongho is quieter than wooyoung once knew him to be, and san... well, where should he even start?

the elder is a lot more soft-spoken than he seems over the phone, yet simultaneously manages to imitate the same whimsical and sarcastic comments wooyoung has grown accustomed to.

and he's so comfortable, so at ease, around san that the idea of them never having met before barely feels right. every worry surrounding the future of their friendship from here onwards, surrounding san's friends' perception of him, surrounding the foe who he wasn't prepared to reunite with like this, slips from wooyoung's shoulders, all because his friend is exactly that. his friend.

somehow, he even forgets for a few moments of jongho's infuriating presence just half the room away.

instead, the way san's eyes light up at all of the little things which excite him, the way san's dimples selfishly steal the spotlight of his smiles every time the conversation is brought his way again, the way san's giggles are just about audible due to how childish his humour can be — it all enthrals wooyoung, like the boy is an endless void he's being sucked into as he learns more and more about him, meaningful or not.

and wooyoung almost regrets idolising san to begin with, despite it gifting him the opportunity to be with him like this right now, due to how much he doesn't hate the huge grin paralysed across san's features as he yells out into their circle of friends, "uno!"

even so, wooyoung deeply sighs at the mere two cards in his hold.

"told you i'd win."

wooyoung's head swivels towards san, whose cheekbones are still raised high in triumph. "uh huh, and weren't you the one who dealt the cards?"

san scoffs. "you are not accusing me, the choi san, of cheating in a game as simple as uno right now, are you?"

"except you're spot on. you're dumb enough to do that," wooyoung says, before turning to the rest of the boys. "are any of y'all hungry? 'cause i could raid my friends' kitchen if you'd like?"

"yes please, babe," yunho answers, slightly leaning onto mingi. "alcohol'd be so good right now."

wooyoung's demeanour stiffens. "no alcohol, i hate to say."

"what— why?" yunho whines. "just a few shots, woo? please?"

"no." wooyoung is adamant, even when yunho frowns, glancing between him and mingi to make a point — though that wasn't even half of it.

"i hope your fucking charger stops working," yunho mutters, and wooyoung only shakes his head exasperatedly.

he stands up, eyebrows furrowing when san mirrors his action. "let me help?"

wooyoung's lips curve upwards momentarily. "sure. you need humbling, anyway."

"you really aren't gonna let that uno round go, are you?"

"not when you cheated—"

"i didn't cheat!"

"you did."

"did not," san defends himself, following after wooyoung, who sighs. and the younger can practically see san's smug smile from the back of his head when he continues, "can't keep up your side of the argument?"