OURS ONLY [Wooyoung x Ateez]

4. Bitter

"Did you see that? That's not normal," San protested as soon as Wooyoung was out of the dorm.

"I agree. He seemed... drained. What do we do now?" Yeosang ran his hand though his hair.

"I messed up big time," Seonghwa was visibly shaking.

"Hyung, calm down. Please it will be okay," Yunho tried to calm their eldest while everybody looked to their captain, waiting for instructions on what they should do.

"Maybe... maybe it is for the best," Hongjoong spoke up after a while.

"It is for the best that Wooyoungie isn't comfortable with us? That he isn't telling us off about how much we hurt him? That he is putting up a wall between us?" Mingi was furious, "How would you feel if one of us told you we're better off without you?"

"Look I know what Hwa said was messed up but he can't take it back anymore. He tried apologizing. I know this situation is hurting everyone but maybe it's for the best if Young-ah acts a little more mature."

"You're a fucking hypocrite. Wooyoung messes with us because that's his way of showing love. If you were so uncomfortable with it, why not tell him gently? Next time you're at an interview don't call him your 'one and only' or choose him as your 'sseom member' at idol radio."

"Mingi, please-" Yeosang started but Mingi sent him a nasty look.

"Oh please, what happened to your best friend of 9 years? You know the one that abandoned HYBE to be next to you? HYBE for fuck's sake..."

"And you," he turned to San, "What happened to your friend til the end? Did that matching tattoo even mean anything? The truth is, Wooyoung would give up everything for each one of us- but we failed him."

Mingi ignored the other members calling his name and stormed off. He ran outside in the hopes of catching Wooyoung but was met with an empty parking lot.

Mingi sighed and scratched his head. He was frustrated- at himself for not standing up for Wooyoung when he should have, at Wooyoung for not conveying his true feelings and at the rest of the members for being so cruel. He wondered when he would be able to properly apologize to the younger.

.

"He said WHAT?" Yeonjun's voice was loud enough to attract a few nearby people's attention, "You're fucking with me. Jagiya, tell me this is a joke."

"I can't even blame him... sometimes I wish I wasn't here either; sometimes I wish I wasn't even born," Wooyoung downed another shot of vodka and let it burn through his body.

"Don't ever say that again," Yeonjun smacked Wooyoung's neck, "You put smile on too many people's faces to say shit like that. You light up every room you go to, Wooyoungie. Everyone adores you. Every interviewer has crazy chemistry with you. Even kids and animals fall in love with you, for fuck's sake."

"I don't know what to do, Jun. Deep down, I know Hwa hyung didn't mean what he said. But everytime I see one of the members, I am reminded of how no one defended me, how they all called me annoying and- a burden essentially. Should I- should I leave Ateez?"

"God- no. You worked too hard to leave. All those years of training, the constant hard work you do- you can't just leave."

"What do I do then?"

"Ignore them, hang out with them as little as possible. Don't give them your time or energy. They don't deserve you."

Wooyoung only nodded, a heavy feeling settling on his chest.

"Do you have any schedule tomorrow?" Yeonjun asked and Wooyoung shook his head no, "Perfect, stay at our dorm tonight. This could be a good time to reconnect with them."