flutedrum | woosan ✓

35

The days following Wooyoung's conversation with San felt like a blur. His thoughts were scattered, his emotions pulling him in every direction. He couldn't make sense of it all—San's betrayal, the way everything they had built seemed to crumble overnight, and the suffocating weight of uncertainty that hung over him.

But one thing was clear: he needed to talk to Seonghwa.

Wooyoung had always seen Seonghwa as the strong one, the person who could handle anything thrown at him. No matter how much chaos surrounded them, Seonghwa always had an answer, a solution—something that grounded everyone around him. If anyone could help him make sense of what happened with San, it was Seonghwa.

He found Seonghwa in the kitchen, quietly brewing tea, his back to the door. The soft clinking of porcelain and the gentle hum of the kettle filled the room. Wooyoung stood in the doorway for a moment, gathering the courage to speak.

"Hyung," Wooyoung finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Seonghwa turned slowly, his eyes softening when they landed on Wooyoung. "Hey," he greeted with a small smile. "You alright?"

Wooyoung shook his head, the weight of everything suddenly too much to bear. "I don't know how to feel anymore, hyung."

Seonghwa set down the teapot, his movements careful and deliberate, and motioned for Wooyoung to sit with him at the small kitchen table. Without a word, he poured two cups of tea, sliding one toward Wooyoung as they sat across from each other.

"Talk to me," Seonghwa said, his voice gentle but firm.

Wooyoung stared down at his cup, watching the steam rise and swirl in front of him. He took a deep breath before finally speaking.

"It's San," he began, his voice shaky. "He... he told me that he was part of the reason JWSM was exposed. That they—WONDERLAND—had a hand in it. He said he did it to protect us, to get us out of that mess. But..." His voice cracked, and he clenched his fists on the table. "Why did he have to lie to me, hyung? Why couldn't he trust me enough to tell me the truth?"

Seonghwa listened quietly, his expression unreadable as Wooyoung poured out his heart. When Wooyoung finished, he sat back in his chair, letting out a long sigh.

"Wooyoung," Seonghwa began, choosing his words carefully, "San's actions, as reckless as they may seem, came from a place of care. He wanted to protect you. But I get it—it's hard to swallow the idea that someone who loves you would keep something so big from you. Trust is the foundation of everything, and when it's broken... it's hard to know where to go from there."

Wooyoung's eyes stung as he blinked back tears. "I just don't know if I can look at him the same way anymore."

Seonghwa reached across the table, resting a hand on Wooyoung's arm. "It's okay to feel that way. No one's expecting you to have all the answers right now. What San did was out of love, but love can be messy and complicated. Sometimes people make choices they think are right without considering the consequences."

Wooyoung bit his lip, his chest tightening. "But it doesn't change the fact that everything we worked for...it's all gone, hyung. Our name, our music, everything we built together—it's tied to that company. And now, I don't even know if we'll stay together as AURORA."

Seonghwa's expression softened even more, and he nodded slowly. "I've thought about that too," he admitted. "We're in a tough spot. But we're still us, Wooyoung. No company can take that away from us. We built AURORA together, and we're still a group, whether we're under a label or not. I'm not going to let everything we've worked for just disappear."

Wooyoung sniffled, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his sweater. "Do you really think we can make it work?"

"I know we can," Seonghwa said, his voice steady. "We'll figure out the legal stuff, we'll work on the collaboration song, and we'll keep going. We're not done, Wooyoung—not by a long shot."

Wooyoung looked up at Seonghwa, the faintest glimmer of hope sparking in his chest. "And...what about San?"

Seonghwa's lips pressed into a thin line as he considered the question. "That's something only you can decide. But whatever choice you make, make it for yourself. Don't rush into anything because you feel pressured. If you still love him, and if you believe there's a chance to rebuild that trust, then take the time to figure it out. But if you can't...that's okay too. Just do what's right for you."

Wooyoung nodded slowly, feeling a bit lighter after their conversation. He didn't have all the answers yet, but Seonghwa had given him the clarity he needed to start finding them.

"Thanks, hyung," Wooyoung whispered.

Seonghwa smiled warmly, reaching out to ruffle Wooyoung's hair. "You'll be okay, Wooyoung. I've got your back, no matter what."

For the first time in days, Wooyoung felt a sense of calm wash over him. Maybe things were still messy, and maybe the road ahead was uncertain, but with Seonghwa by his side—and the rest of AURORA too—he knew he wouldn't have to face it alone.