Happy Without Me | WooJun

12. D E A L

"I can't promise to fix all of your problems
but I can promise you won't have to face them all alone"
~

"Are you going to wait there all day?" Yeonjun said as he pulled up in front of Wooyoung and rolled down the window.

Wooyoung broke out of his daze and looked at the car in front of him. He stood up and saw Yeonjun in the driver seat and his heart skipped a beat. After everything, was he really going to get in this car and enjoy the ride? Every fibre of Wooyoung's being wanted to fight it, yet he found himself opening the door and getting in and it made Yeonjun smile to himself as he started the car.

"Anything specific you want to eat?" Yeonjun asked. Wooyoung just shook his head, so Yeonjun began driving to the first place he could think of.

They drove silently, neither knowing what to talk about. This was the first time they were together without the excuse of school, without their friends and without arguing. It was an achievement to say the least. When they arrived, they both got out of the car and awkwardly stood beside each other.

"Come, let's go," Yeonjun said, nudging Wooyoung and walking into the restaurant.

Wooyoung quietly followed him and when they sat down at a table, he just stared at the details of the wood. Neither had managed to find a conversation that would last long enough. Eventually, after an awkward encounter with the waiter, once they had placed their orders, Yeonjun spoke.

"So how has it been moving schools? Must've been scary right?" he asked.

Wooyoung blinked in confusion when Yeonjun started a regular conversation. It was almost as if he wanted to pretend that the past few weeks didn't happen. He asked as if they were meeting again as old friends that got separated.

"It wasn't that bad," Wooyoung replied. "You know me, it's not hard to make friends."

"You're a good judge of character, you're friends seem great," Yeonjun said. They were interrupted by the arrival of their food.

Wooyoung poked his food around for a second, then paused. "Can I ask you something?"

"What's up?"

"Why don't you hate me?" Wooyoung mumbled, not having the courage to make eye contact with Yeonjun. "I was thinking about and I can't figure it out. Yes... it was your fault back then. But even when I treat you like shit why are you still treating me like a friend?"

Yeonjun hesitated, then answered. "I told you already. I'm not looking for fights. I just want to finish school peacefully and if that means swallowing my pride and taking all your insults then I'll do it. I don't want to fight with you Wooyoung."

They fell into silence again and Yeonjun watched Wooyoung's movements. The answer he gave Wooyoung wasn't his actual answer. His real reason was that he'd never be able to hate Wooyoung, it wasn't within his capabilities. All Yeonjun desired was to have Wooyoung back but he was respectful of what he wanted as well.

"No matter how much you missed me, I didn't miss you. I just wish you could understand why I hate you... why I will keep hating you..." Yeonjun would never forget the pure hatred in Wooyoung's tone when he said these words.

Things wouldn't be the way they used to be, both of them were aware of this. But they also knew that ignoring each other was getting them nowhere.

"Wooyoung," Yeonjun said as they were nearing the end of their quiet meal. "We don't have to pretend to be strangers."

"But I don't want anything to do with you," Wooyoung said.

"Says the one who willingly showed up on my doorstep this morning and is willingly going out for a meal with me," Yeonjun replied with a smug grin.