A Place to Belong - A Woosan Novel

{4 - Building Bridges}

San was getting used to it now. The casual "coincidences," the way Wooyoung seemed to pop up at the most unexpected moments, like a well-timed joke that never failed to land.

At first, he'd been on edge—bracing himself for the next encounter, unsure if it was fate or some elaborate scheme on Wooyoung's part. But as the days passed, and their encounters grew more frequent, the tension inside him began to ease.

He was starting to look forward to it.

San wiped the sweat from his brow as he finished his morning run, his legs burning pleasantly from the steady pace he'd kept. It was one of those rare mornings where the world felt quiet, peaceful, and he liked that. But just as he rounded the corner near the café, he spotted Wooyoung—again—leaning against a lamppost, hands in his pockets, with that ever-present mischievous grin plastered on his face.

San rolled his eyes, though he couldn't stop the small smile that tugged at the corners of his lips. "Let me guess, you were just in the neighborhood?"

Wooyoung pushed off the lamppost, walking over with a casual swagger that San secretly admired. "What can I say? The universe keeps pulling me into your orbit. You're hard to resist, you know?"

"Uh-huh," San muttered, trying not to blush at Wooyoung's flirty tone. "Or you just really like this café."

"Can't it be both?" Wooyoung teased, his eyes twinkling as he fell into step beside San. "Come on, I was thinking we could sit in the park today. Coffee's on me, unless you want to keep running from me."

San glanced at him sideways, a half-smile on his face. "You're persistent, aren't you?"

"Like you wouldn't believe." Wooyoung winked, pulling the café door open for San. "Now, about that coffee..."

---

They sat in the park, coffee in hand, watching as the city slowly woke up around them. Early morning joggers passed by, children shrieked with laughter from a nearby playground, and the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze added to the serenity. San leaned back against the bench, letting the peaceful scene wash over him.

For a while, they didn't say much, just sipped their coffee and watched the world go by. Wooyoung's presence had become... comfortable. His easy banter and light-hearted teasing were like a balm to the raw edges San had been carrying around for months. He hadn't let anyone close since the breakup, and yet here he was, sitting with Wooyoung, feeling a strange sense of calm.

"You know," Wooyoung broke the silence, his tone still playful, "I think we've hung out enough now that I deserve to know at least one deep, dark secret about you."

San snorted, taking a sip of his coffee. "What, so you can blackmail me?"

"Obviously," Wooyoung grinned. "Come on, just one. I'll trade you—tit for tat."

San raised an eyebrow, curious despite himself. "Okay. What's your secret then?"

Wooyoung pretended to think deeply, a dramatic expression crossing his face. "Alright, here goes... I once accidentally started a fire in my high school chemistry lab."

San choked on his coffee. "What? Seriously?"

"Swear," Wooyoung laughed, holding up his hands in mock innocence. "It was a total accident. I was trying to impress someone by doing that thing where you light a gas bubble on fire, and... well, turns out I'm not a chemist."

San shook his head, laughing despite himself. "You're ridiculous."

"I know," Wooyoung said, winking. "Your turn. Hit me with something shocking."

San hesitated, feeling the familiar walls creep up again. He wasn't ready to delve into the messy details of his life—his breakup, the reason he'd moved to this neighborhood in the first place. But there was something about Wooyoung's approach, the way he never pushed too hard, that made San want to give him something. Just a piece.

"I... moved here a few months ago," San said slowly, staring down at his coffee. "Needed a fresh start."

Wooyoung didn't say anything right away, just nodded, his playful expression softening into something more understanding. "That's a big deal."

San shrugged, feeling a pang of discomfort. "Yeah, well... sometimes you just need a change, you know?"

"Yeah," Wooyoung said quietly, his tone gentle now. "I get that."

They lapsed into silence again, but it wasn't awkward. If anything, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. San was surprised at how easily he'd shared even that small detail, and how Wooyoung hadn't pushed for more. It felt safe.

And that was new.

---

As the days turned into weeks, their "accidental" meetings became more frequent, evolving into something more intentional. They would grab coffee before work, sit in the park for hours on the weekends, talking about everything and nothing. At first, their conversations stayed light—discussing favorite restaurants, local events, trivial things that felt safe. But slowly, as they spent more time together, San began to drop hints about his past, his guard lowering ever so slightly.

"I'm not exactly running from anything," San admitted one day as they sat on their usual bench, watching the ducks swim lazily in the pond. "It's more like I'm... trying to figure out what's next."

Wooyoung nodded, watching him carefully. "It's hard, moving on from something big. Figuring out what the new normal looks like."

San looked at him, surprised. "You're not going to ask what happened?"

Wooyoung shrugged, offering a small smile. "You'll tell me when you're ready. No rush."

San felt his chest tighten, a mix of gratitude and something deeper—something he didn't quite know how to name yet. It wasn't just that Wooyoung wasn't pushing him; it was the way he seemed to understand that San was still figuring things out for himself.

Wooyoung never pried. He was patient, waiting on the sidelines, gently nudging San forward without ever demanding more than San was ready to give.

But that patience was what scared San the most. He could feel himself softening, letting Wooyoung in more with each passing day. And with that came the guilt. Guilt that he was moving on too fast, guilt that he might not be ready for whatever this was. Guilt that Wooyoung might want more than he could offer.

"Wooyoung," San started one afternoon, his voice hesitant, unsure of how to put the tangle of emotions into words. "I just... I don't know if I'm ready."

Wooyoung looked at him, his expression soft, but his eyes steady. "Ready for what?"

San swallowed, his gaze dropping to the ground. "For this. For... you."

Wooyoung was quiet for a moment, and San braced himself for the awkwardness, for the rejection, for whatever would follow. But instead, Wooyoung reached out, his hand resting lightly on San's arm.

"Hey," Wooyoung said softly, his voice steady. "I'm not going anywhere, okay? We don't have to figure everything out right now. I'm happy just... being here with you. That's enough."

San's chest tightened, a wave of relief and something else—something warmer—washing over him. He hadn't realized how badly he needed to hear that.

"You're really okay with that?" San asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Wooyoung's smile was soft, his hand still resting gently on San's arm. "I told you, San. I'm good at puzzles. And I'm pretty sure you're worth the wait."

San felt his breath catch in his throat, the weight of Wooyoung's words sinking in. He felt like he wasn't running from something or someone. Instead, he felt seen, like he was moving toward something new, something that felt right.

He didn't know what would happen next, but for now, he was okay with that.

And maybe, just maybe, Wooyoung was right.

Some puzzles were worth solving.