Iris field • woosan

Nine.

He didn't really need to use the bathroom but if during the evening nobody had even spared a look at him since they had sat at the table he felt many eyes piercing his skin.

San was probably too distracted by his conversation to notice, Wooyoung didn't blame him, but people were staring. Their gaze judging as he sat next to the other guests, sharing their wine and their food, ashamed, disgusted, incredulous that a slave was permitted to stand on their same level. He tried his best to ignore those eyes but they were burning through his skin, making the air thicker and humid, filling his lungs with poison and making it almost impossible to breath. He tried to listen to the beautiful girl sitting in front of him as she spoke to San, she looked nice, she had also smiled to him once or twice, but he couldn't focus. A soft buzz started playing inside his ears and all he could do was standing up. He moved all of a sudden startling San that immediately turned to look at him, the clear worry in his eyes made Wooyoung try his best to smile hoping that the older wouldn't notice the little trembling of his hands and the thin layer of sweat that had started to cover his skin.

"I'll go to the bathroom" his voice came out in a shaky whisper.

"Do you want me to come with you?" the answer was immediate as San stared at him tenderly, searching his eyes for any sign of discomfort, so full of love that Wooyoung felt his heart skip a bit.

Yes, please.

But he just smiled instead and shook his head, "It's okay, I'll be very quick, you'd better stay and finish this conversation" he knew it was better that way, he truly didn't want to be away for that long. He just needed some fresh air.

As he walked to the door he knew people were staring, he heard whispers following him on his way, the exit feeling so far away, out of reach but when he finally heard the thick wooden surface close at his back he finally allowed himself to breath a sight of relief. The corridors were empty apart for a few waitresses in their cute white outfit running from the various rooms to where probably the kitchen was trying their best to quickly clean the mess left by the guests. He stopped one of them asking where the closest bathroom was and she politely gave him instructions.

It wasn't so far but as Wooyoung entered the indicated room he thought he had followed the wrong path. It took him a few seconds to realize he was in a vast ante-bathroom. Couple of seconds more to realize he wasn't alone: a men and a woman which figures were so entangled that it was difficult to distinguish to whom belonged which arm and leg were leaning on a huge white couch. The hand of the man was not so shyly palming the woman's body who instead was sucking his face off. Wooyoung gasped freezing on his spot and lowering his head, it was all it took for the couple to look up and giggle.

"Seems like we're not alone anymore" the man said, "Wanna try somewhere else?" and without even hearing the girl's reply he stood up and lead them both outside.

Wooyoung didn't wait for them to disappear but just quickly walked through the elegant space to reach the bathroom door and lock it immediately behind of him. Inside that marble white room he let himself finally go: he realized he was hyperventilating so much that some of his body parts had become numb, his legs were shaking menacingly as he let himself slide against the cold surface at his back, the wood of the door scratching his back drenched in sweat. He removed his jacket feeling too heavy inside that humid suffocating space but his fingers were slow and tingling, unable to grab properly the fabric. It took him long, the artificial yellow light of the room hurting his eyes while everything around him was spinning. He closed his lids, head thrown back against the door as he tried his best to focus on his body, on his surroundings: the floor was cold and smooth under his fingers, he let his legs stretch through the ground trying to perceive every inch of contact.