vengeance | woosan

31

Lost in admiration, I gently caress the chin of the statue, marveling at the way each stroke of the chisel has captured San's essence. The soft light filtering into the studio casts a warm glow over the marble figure, illuminating every curve and contour. My heart swells with pride as I take in the sight before me—a lifelike representation of the man I love.

I jolt backwards as the door creaks open, my fingers still lingering on the chin of the statue I've spent countless hours sculpting. I turn to face the unexpected visitors who've invaded my sanctuary: a fellow art student from my history class and Hyunjin, a junior with whom I share a complicated history.

Taehyun, the sophomore, greets me first with a cheerful wave. "Hey, Wooyoung," he says, a friendly smile lighting up his face. I return the smile before acknowledging Hyunjin, who barely spares me a glance. I make a mental note to address our strained relationship—I owe it to him, and to myself, to make amends for my past mistakes. I shouldn't have used others to just feel something of get something all because i felt lonely and angry.

Taehyun gasps as he approaches my artwork, his eyes widening in awe. "Is that San, the senior?" he asks, his voice filled with admiration. I nod, a sense of pride swelling within me.

"Yeah, it is," I confirm, watching as Taehyun leans in closer, examining the intricate details of my creation, even noting San's signature dimple with surprising accuracy."He has the cutest dimples" he comments and it made shoot him a possessive look.

"Good job, Wooyoung," Taehyun compliments, and I offer a grateful nod in response.

"Taehyun im ready." Hyunjin's voice echoes from behind, Taehyun swiftly joins his friend, leaving me alone with a sudden impulse stirring inside me. "Hyunjin, can we talk?" I blurt out, catching both of their attention before adding, "Alone."

Taehyun's gaze shifts between Hyunjin and me, uncertainty flickering in his eyes.

"Make it quick," Hyunjin interjects, his tone clipped and impatient, before turning to leave, his presence diminishing as he exits the studio.

Hyunjin leans against the table, his expression guarded as I struggle to find the right words. "I want to apologize," I begin, my voice wavering slightly.

He lets out a snort, his skepticism evident.

"Your feelings are valid because I know I was an asshole," I continue, reflecting on the short-lived relationship we had during sophomore year. It was a tumultuous time, and I used Hyunjin as a pawn in my game to provoke Mingyu, who was on a 'break' with me at the time.

"I would be too kind if I called you an asshole," Hyunjin retorts, his hand clenching into a fist.

"You're right. I used you, I lied to you, and it was not fair," I admit, feeling the weight of my actions.

"It wasn't fair. I felt blindsided by you. Do you know how embarrassing it was to find out that you used me to get to Mingyu?" Hyunjin's voice rises with frustration. "Are you apologizing to get to him right now? If so, just know I have no relationship to him at all."

"That's not why I'm apologizing. I'm doing this because I truly feel bad, and I want to take ownership of my behavior," I confess, meeting his gaze with sincerity. "I'm really, really sorry," I add softly.

"Okay," Hyunjin nods, his expression softening slightly. "You really fucked me up, but I've healed. I'm glad you came to me and realized your wrongdoings, not just to me but hopefully to others too."

I nod, feeling a mix of shame and relief wash over me. "Yeah, I'm making my rounds," I say, scratching the back of my neck nervously.

"Good luck," Hyunjin offers a small smile and pats my back before turning to leave, leaving me to grapple with my past mistakes. 

-

Walking with Yeonjun, Yeosang, and Chaeyeon to grab something to eat, we noticed a line forming ahead.

"What's this for?" Chaeyeon asked, her brow furrowed. I hoped it wasn't for the cafeteria because I was starving. Yeosang approached someone in line. "Hey, is this a line for the cafeteria?"

The girls shook their heads, exchanging a knowing glance before bursting into laughter. "Wooyoung is apologizing to everyone he hurt," they explained.

My eyes widened in surprise. I hadn't expected Wooyoung to organize such an event, and the line was much longer than I anticipated.

Yeosang pulled out his camera. "Oh my gosh, this is crazy! The line is insane," he exclaimed, filming the scene before panning the camera to me.

"Yeosang," I protested.

"Sorry, San, but this documentary material is too good to pass up," he replied, then shifted the camera's focus to Chaeyeon. "Wanna interview people, babe?"

"That sounds fun. Be right back, guys," Chaeyeon waved as Yeosang paused to look at me. "No offense, San, but you've gotta understand," he said before hurrying off with Chaeyeon.

"Yeonjun," I said, and he hummed in acknowledgment.

"I didn't expect this many people," I continued, gesturing towards the long line.

"Do you still like him?" Yeonjun asked, his voice tinged with curiosity. "Or do you still feel bad?"

"I—" I waved him off, not wanting to delve into my feelings, but Yeonjun chased after me. "Hey, but he's changed. Apologizing to 1...30...90...140 people."

"Stop counting!" I yelled, interrupting Yeonjun's counting.

"Sorry," Yeonjun apologized before nudging me gently. "Maybe he didn't sleep with everyone, and even if he did, it doesn't matter, right?"

"Yeah, it doesn't matter, but it's just concerning," I said, catching a glimpse of Wooyoung in the distance. I avoided eye contact, feeling a mix of emotions. "Not STD-wise, because it's too late to be concerned, but... I don't know. What if he still screws me over?"

"Then you hit him with the reverse card and say, 'That's why I was using you,'" Yeonjun joked.

"Using who?" a voice interrupted us.

-
Cliffhanger!