Samhain

chapter fifteen: when they have dinner

Wooyoung did not, in fact, ask them.

He has no idea what intricacies are involved in becoming a werewolf. Most wolves are born into it, inheriting the lycanthropy gene from a parent or relative. Turning into one on purpose is completely unheard of.

"Don't tell San I have this one," Yunho laughs, dusting off his flour-covered hands to show Wooyoung a funny photo of San sleeping in his wolf form. Tongue out and rolled over on his back, it's angled so they have a view of his dumb long snout.

Wooyoung grins halfheartedly. "Don't worry, I won't be telling him anything. I don't talk to San when I sleep in his cabin. I don't talk to him at all, really."

"Okay, I have to ask. You've been acting weird ever since you left the church," Yunho says, setting down his phone to continue rolling dough into the tabletop in front of him. "What did Jongho say to you?"

The smell of roasting meat fills the air as Seonghwa and Yunho work together in the cozy kitchen. Silverware and plates clink, and the sizzle of fresh vegetables in a pan creates a soothing background noise.

Wooyoung wishes he could find comfort in it.

He takes a deep breath, steeling himself for the hundredth time that night. "I'll tell you what happened if you tell me what you saw at the archives today."

"Deal." Yunho didn't need time to think about it. He returned from the city earlier that day looking a little discouraged. Wooyoung sensed that something had gone wrong, but Yunho refused to share any details about his trip.

"Long story short," he begins, voice heavy with disappointment, "they wouldn't let me in." He passes the dough in his hands to Seonghwa, who rolls it out and lays it in a glass dish.

Wooyoung gasps. "Really? They wouldn't let you in? That never happens."

The Disney Archives, with its treasure trove of fairytales-in-progress and memorabilia of some of their most popular stories, is a well-known tourist trap. They are constantly giving tours. It's one of the company's many avenues to generate some extra revenue. Yunho spent an entire summer interning there, which only makes the rejection even more baffling.

Yunho sighs in resignation. "I guess they don't have to let us in if they don't want to. All I know is that our story exists, but for some reason, they're being really secretive with it."

Wooyoung scoffs. "Of course they're being secretive. The stars disappeared because of me. It's all anyone is talking about. I bet they're already writing the script for the movie."

"A movie? You think so?" Yunho's eyes light up at the thought. "Maybe they didn't let me on the tour because I'm in the fairytale. Am I famous now?"

"Absolutely." Wooyoung laughs and dusts off the flour-covered counter. "Mark my words, Yunho, when we make it out of this mess I'll get us tickets to the premiere."

Seonghwa looks at Wooyoung with a smile, sprinkling a few spices over the cast iron pot he's heating on the stovetop. "Well, Woo? It's your turn. I don't mean to pressure you, but we're curious about what Jongho wanted to tell you."

The use of his nickname brings a sense of ease to Wooyoung's anxious heart. He feels like he can breathe a little easier around Seonghwa, who has shown him nothing but kindness and understanding since he arrived. He even made Hongjoong apologize to him when they left the church yesterday.

Despite the kind sentiment, a suffocating tightness swells in his chest and he fidgets nervously. He has to ask them about it eventually. It's inevitable. He might as well start by talking to the two people he trusts the most.