Operation Salvage

Moving on

"Shall we go then? It's getting late." Leeteuk suggested after a while. Wooyoung then nodded and followed Leeteuk out of the office.

"Teukie!" a very feminine woman walked up to Leeteuk as Wooyoung and Leeteuk walked out of the office. "Oh sorry, I didn't know you had company!"

"It's okay, I was just leaving." Wooyoung said, wanting to excuse himself.

"Hey, aren't you the guy who made the speech that day? Taeyeon's childhood friend?" the woman asked curiously.

Surprised, Wooyoung nodded in response.

"She was at the ceremony that day too." Leeteuk explained.

"I'm Kang Sora, nice to meet you."

"I'm Jang Wooyoung, nice to meet you too."

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"I never thought I would see the two rivals together!" Sora commented excitedly, as the three made their way out of the university.

"It's not something to be so happy about right?" Leeteuk said.

"Well, it's nice seeing you guys together again despite what happened!" Sora said brightly.

"Sora's my childhood friend. I can't seem to get rid of her." Leeteuk explained, giving a playful smile at Sora as well.

"This guy can't do anything without me!" Sora exclaimed.

"You've been saying this for years, aren't you tired of it yet?"Leeteuk shook his head.

"That's because you're still the same!" Sora said, sticking out her tongue.

"She's always like this, tsk." Leeteuk said in defeat to Wooyoung. Wooyoung gave a big smile in response because seeing them bicker was funny.

"Here, these pastries are really good. Do eat them and share them with abeoji and eomeoni! I'll get going now, bye!" Sora waved and bade goodbye cheerily.

"She's the only one who calls me by a nickname. After what happened between me and Taeyeon, she was the only one who didn't comfort me and laughed at me instead. Somehow, it really cheered me up a bit. Guess she has her ways. She now drops by whenever she's free to see me, or to drag me somewhere to spend time together even though we don't have anything in particular to talk about."

"She's a good person." Wooyoung commented.

"Yeah, she is. But it's hard to tell her that without her getting all smug." Leeteuk said, laughing.

"Alright, we'd have to go separate ways now right? I hope to see you again, Wooyoung." Leeteuk said with a smile.

Wooyoung then bowed 90 degrees towards Leeteuk and replied, "Thank you."

The two then bade goodbye, and Leeteuk turned around and walked away.

'After speaking with him, I now know this. No one is stopping us from moving on. The problem lies with me.' Wooyoung thought as he watched Leeteuk disappear out of his sight.

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"Why is Wooyoung taking so long?" Junho groaned, lying back on the cushion seat and leaning his head against the head rest.

"Yeah, and he's not picking his phone either!" Taeyeon lamented, throwing her phone down onto the seat.

"He will always be like that..." Junho shook his head. "We still have to settle some stuff for Taecyeon."

"It's so surreal that Taecyeon and Yoona are going to get married right! I mean, look at them back in high school!" Taeyeon suddenly said.

"Yeah, I thought they would never become a couple... Same goes for you and Wooyoung." Junho said.

"Yah, why did the topic change so quickly?" Taeyeon nudged Junho.

"Well, it's just what I thought! When are you guys going to get married?" Junho asked.

"How do we get married if we don't even talk about it?"

"Really? But you guys have been going out for one and a half years already!"

"Youngie avoids the topic of marriage whenever he can, so I don't bring it up too."

"I see... But since you two are childhood friends, doesn't he go over to your house to see your parents?"

Taeyeon slowly shook her head, her expression becoming solemn.

"Why not?"

"He still seems bothered about what happened that day. I think he feels too ashamed to meet my parents again."

"Ah, really? Seems like Wooyoung though."

"But I was the one who made the decision to leave that day. Youngie doesn't need to feel that way at all."

"Is Wooyoung the only one feeling this way?"

"Huh?"

"Are you completely okay with Wooyoung meeting your parents again or do you have some reservations about it?" Junho asked knowingly. Taeyeon did not reply and became immersed in her own thoughts. Of course she did. She herself did not really ask her family about what they felt that day and she was a little afraid to find out as well.

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Wooyoung walked down the street to the bus stop, only to discover a familiar silhouette sitting there. He then bowed to Sora as a form of greeting, and she noticed as well and bowed back. There was a slightly awkward silence, before Sora spoke.

"Was Teukie mean to you?"

"No, I don't think he'll ever be mean to me."

"Ah that's right. He's a good-natured guy." Sora agreed, before silence took over for a while.

"Have you gotten married with her?" Sora suddenly asked. Wooyoung got the feeling that she was an inquisitive person.

"I haven't."

"Why not? Are you bothered by how Teukie might feel?" Wooyoung did not respond, but Sora took it as a yes.

"I know I'm in no position to say this, but I don't think you should care about what he thinks. There's nothing he can do even if you say you're still bothered by it. In my opinion, she didn't leave the ceremony because she wanted to break up with Teukie. Rather, she realized that she wanted to be with you." Sora gave a smile, before she realized something.

"Aish. I'm being too nosy again, aren't I? I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay, I don't mind at all. Can I ask you something instead?"

"Go ahead!"

"Do you like Leeteuk hyung?"

"W-what? No way, we're way past the like and dislike stage!" Sora exclaimed in disbelief and looked away.

"It's just that I get the feeling... I thought it was the same between me and Taeyeon, but I realized that I was just trying to deny it back then." Wooyoung said honestly.

"Hmm... wise words from a guy who got his love back." Sora teased, giving a playful smile. "I'll seriously think about it."

Wooyoung's message tone beeped and he saw that it was from Taeyeon.

'Youngie, we've been at Samchoon's Burgers for an hour already! Where are you???'

"Oh damn..." Wooyoung muttered. He then turned to Sora and bowed again. "I'm sorry, I have to go!"

"Okay, it was nice meeting you, Wooyoung." Sora smiled and waved goodbye.