Let Me Love You

[6]

Wooyoung crawled out of bed, trying to contemplate for the umpteenth time if he was going to be absent this afternoon. It has been a week or so since that incident at the emergency ward at the hospital. He had been receiving texts and calls from San, to the point that even MATZ were asking what was happening as San was visiting the café during his free time. San refused to say something and would just smile, as texted by Seonghwa. He even missed the Lunar New Year celebrations as he was cooped up on his apartment and just watched variety shows.

"Dammit..."

He never liked skipping classes, so here he was.

He slumped on his chair. His classmates were planning to have a getaway trip going to Jeju during the weekend.

"Oi, Wooyoung-shii, you wanna come?"

"Jeju," Wooyoung shook his head, as he grab his lecture notes, "I'll think about it."

"Oh, come on, it's just a one time big time thing from my parents."

"Like I said," Wooyoung smiled, "I'll think about it. Call me tomorrow."

While the others are still insisting him, San makes his way to the door.

He scanned the room and his eyes fell immediately to the person he was looking for. He looked at him with such intensity that Wooyoung flinched.

"Mr. Jung, can you distribute these materials for the class?"

It was the first time San had talked to him formally inside the classroom. Normally, he would ask one of the girls to these things as they were so inclined to do it without thinking twice. Everyone settled down as Wooyoung stood from his seat, distributing the materials.

He went back to his seat, and San started his lecture.

"Now, everybody's here, let's move on to our next lesson. Today we will talk about how to excuse yourself. There are many ways how to excuse yourself. The most popular is saying 'Excuse Me'. Alright, repeat after me, Excuse...Me...right, good. You use it when you need to pass someone or go in between two people talking. You can also use this when you need to excuse yourself and be alone, like in a lunch out with friends, someone called your phone. Instead of just standing up and leaving the table, you say 'Excuse Me' first."

Wooyoung was getting déjà vu as obviously, this has happened that day.

"When you don't understand someone, instead of saying 'Excuse Me', you use 'Pardon?' so that the person you are talking to can repeat what they had said."

The lecture went on, and Wooyoung, even though listening intently, was too distracted on the situations San was giving as examples. It was uncomfortable as they were bringing back things that he didn't want to remember.

That is why, when the bell rang, Wooyoung immediately dashed to the door, leaving San on the podium, arranging his things.

-0-

"I'm telling you," Hongjoong said, "There's really something wrong with that professor."

Jongho just took a sip from his hot Americano, while Yeosang still tried to think on how to refute Hongjoong's statement.

The thunder and lightning was giving a gloomy ambience on the café and Seonghwa had suggested to close it for the day, as the rain was definitely not encouraging customers. They were polishing the washed plates and mugs when the bell from the door rang. Hongjoong was about to say that they were closed, but as soon as he saw who was it, his mouth hang open.

"Have you seen Wooyoung?"

Yeosang and Jongho looked at their back and saw San standing, huffing, and puffing. He was drenched from the sweat and the rain.