Webbed Up Hearts // WooSan

IX - How Could They?!

June 21
Choi Manner - 00:27

San was running on absolutely zero sleep. His hair was beyond messy and greasy, his face a little sunken and pale with eyebags that rivaled Byeol's fur. He's been lacking in self care a little too much.

His mind was much too occupied by a dream he had a few nights ago.

White walls, white floors, white ceiling. The freezing cold temperature in the room - that only heated up when a blurred silhouette appeared and he was suddenly on its lap.

It was all so confusing. Was that blurred and glowing silhouette of a person San's soulmate? It would make sense, considering how much the room heated up when they were near each other. And considering he called him "Spidey" before waking up.

That's what confused San the most; the way he said "Help me, Spidey" didn't sit right with him.

What did he need help from? His body slowly losing the ability to function normally? His own mind?

Or maybe it was his parents, who he could hear talking about him through the walls, as his bedroom is next to theirs.

San lamely crawled over and leaned against the wall, hoping to hear his parents easier.

"I just don't know what to do anymore," He heard his mother's voice, it was trembling.

His father's voice was more composed, but you could hear the worry and uncertainty within, thick with his French accent.

"I don't know either, mon amour. I can only think of one thing, but I'm afraid we'd all loathe the idea."

"Tell me."

There was silence for a moment, San swore he could feel the tension through the wall.

"Call a soul doctor, remove the boy's soulmark."

San sucked in a breath.

'There's no way they'd try to remove my mark, right? ...Right? This is all I've ever wanted...'

His hands balled into fists and his teeth clenched, eyebrows furrowed.

"I'm afraid... that we must do that."

"Mon amour-"

"If he can't find his soulmate by the end of the week, we'll have his soulmark removed."

"Mon amour, please, do not make such decisions without our Sannie-"

"San will have no say in this, I-"

That was it.

'It's not up to her. Not up to them.'

Unsure of where he got this sudden burst of strength, San just decided to stand up, grab one of his textbooks, and throw it at the wall as hard as he possibly could.

His parents immediately fell silent.

He dragged himself over to his bedroom door and threw it open. At the same time, his parents opened their door and stood shocked in the hallway.

"San-"

"Are you serious!?"

"San, it's for the best-"

"FOR THE BEST!? You're fucking joking! How would removing my soulmark be for the best!?"

His father looked away, ashamed, while his mother stuttered, yet fought back.

"Do NOT yell at me! You will get your mark removed, I don't care. I am making this decision-"

"I think the fuck not," San cut her off, making a zipper-like motion with his hand. "You have no say in this whatsoever. Removing my soulmark? Without telling me? HELL NO- It's my soulmark, my soulmate, my soulbond, MY FUCKING BODY! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO WITH MY BODY!"

"SAN!"

"NO. FUCK YOU. Literally, fuck you." With tears blurring his vision and a major stumble in his step, San abruptly turned and stormed down the hall, down the stairs, and out of his house, not caring in the slightest about his eyebags, messy hair, thin t-shirt and barely visible shorts.

He just wanted out.

Safety. He wanted safety, to feel safe.

He wanted his safe person.

So, San pulled his phone out of the waistband of his shorts and immediately dialed his friend's number.

'Please, please, please- I know it's past midnight, but PLEASE pick up-'

A groan came through the speaker of his phone, followed by a groggy mumble. "San...?"

"Please meet me at the Han River. Please, I beg you, this night has been beyond awful-" San couldn't even continue before a sob racked through his body, followed by a few more.

"I'll find a way there. Hang tight, Sannie."

His friend ended the call and San openly cried out, only now realizing how much the spider on his neck burned, feeling like the small little blisters covering it were about to burst.

"Fuck-"

The boy walked for a while, never once actually paying attention to his surroundings, his feet knowing the way by memory of walking/jogging there everyday. His thoughts were consumed by the argument with his parents and just his soulbond overall.

It was hard for him to come back to reality, even after he leaned against the railing above the Han River. He only blankly stared down at the water, tears still freely streaming down his cheeks, getting caught in his lashes and on his lips, making them taste salty. He paid no attention to the way his heart hammered in his chest, waiting.

Waiting for something unknown.

But the thing San himself was waiting for showed up minutes after he did.

Han River - 01:09

He felt a hand on his shoulder bring him back to reality, all the things he couldn't feel before hitting him like a truck in that very moment.

"M-Mingi, I-I don't know what to do-" San choked on his sobs, wasting no time in wrapping his arms around his best friend and burying his face in the younger's chest.

Mingi used his good arm to hold the other close, murmuring softly. "Sshh, San, sshh... Want to talk about what happened?"

"My parents - mostly my mom, though my dad did suggest the idea - want to remove my soulmark," San bluntly stated, using one hand to harshly wipe away his tears.

"Remove... Remove it?"

"Without my permission, too. All I've ever wanted is to find my soulmate. I'm so close, I can feel it. They have no right to take that away."

"I... can't believe they'd actually think of doing that. Removing one's soulmark also affects the soulmate. They do realize that, right?"

San sighed, "I have no idea, but if they are aware of that, they're sick."

Mingi agreed and for a while, the two of them sat on a bench, watching the water swishing and swooshing around. They talked, laughed, goofed off, and eventually, San forgot why he originally went to meet up with Mingi in the first place.

That was, until Mingi had to leave.

It was 01:30, and the younger had school later, so he headed home, leaving San alone at the river.

'No way in hell am I going home. I'm staying here all night, I don't care.'

--

I'm excited

San's mother is a good person, I promise, she's just overly stressed, upset, scared, and isn't sure of what to do. if someone you loved was hurting, literally being killed slowly by something, you'd want to get rid of the source of pain, right? that's how she feels with San, because he's her only child now

his father is awesome, too. I promise

but anygays

I'm e x c i t e d