Lines Crossed (SanSang)

12

The next day, Yeosang walked through campus with a strange weight on his shoulders. He hadn't seen San yet, and though part of him felt relieved, another part—the part he didn't want to admit—was a little disappointed. Yesterday's confusion still lingered, and he wasn't sure how to sort out his feelings, or if he even wanted to. Maybe it was better to keep things simple, to not dive too deep into why San's interactions with others bothered him so much.

Wooyoung had texted earlier that morning to let him know he'd be busy until lunch with a back-to-back schedule, so Yeosang was alone for the first part of the day. He didn't mind the solitude—if anything, it gave him some space to think without Wooyoung's constant chatter.

Still, the morning had been uneventful, and as he made his way toward his next class, his mind wandered back to San. He wondered if he was supposed to be at school today. There had been no texts from him—not that Yeosang had expected any. But he thought back to how San had texted Wooyoung the other day, and it bothered him more than it should. It wasn't jealousy—at least, he didn't think it was. It just felt strange that San hadn't said anything to him directly, especially after they'd hung out the day before.

As he settled into his seat in class, Yeosang's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. A girl, with a soft smile and friendly demeanor, sat down next to him. He recognized her from the day before—Jisoo, a classmate who had introduced herself early on, though they hadn't really spoken since.

"Hey," she said, setting her bag down. "You don't mind if I sit here, right?"

Yeosang shook his head, feeling the familiar nerves creep up. "No, it's fine."

Jisoo smiled warmly and took out her notebook. "I noticed you're pretty quiet in class. Not really a fan of talking much?"

He wasn't sure how to respond. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk, but he never felt like he had much to say. He settled for a small nod. "Yeah, I guess."

She laughed lightly. "I get that. It can be a little overwhelming, especially with everyone so eager to make new friends. College is kind of intense that way."

Yeosang offered a shy smile in return, appreciating that she didn't seem pushy. It was a relief, in a way, to sit with someone who wasn't overwhelming him with chatter like Wooyoung sometimes did. He thought maybe, in time, he could get used to talking to her.

As the professor began class, the conversation halted, and Yeosang tried to focus on the lecture. But his thoughts were still scattered, a mix of nerves and the unresolved feelings about San that kept gnawing at him.

After class, as they were packing up, Jisoo turned to him again, her expression more thoughtful. "Hey, by the way... You're friends with San, right?"

Yeosang blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question. "Uh, yeah. Sort of. We just met recently."

Jisoo's expression shifted, something subtle but noticeable. "Oh... I see. Just, uh, be careful with him, okay?"

Yeosang froze at her words, confusion sparking instantly. "What do you mean?"

She hesitated, glancing around as if checking to see if anyone else was listening. "It's just—he dated one of my friends last semester, Hana. She said it didn't end well, and I don't want to get into details, but... she told me to warn people about him. That he's not exactly... trustworthy."

Yeosang's heart skipped. His mind raced back to his conversation with Hana, to the uneasy feeling he'd had when San had dodged the subject. This was the second time someone had hinted at something darker about San's past, and it only made the knot in his stomach tighten.

"Are you sure?" Yeosang asked quietly, unsure of how to navigate this sudden turn in the conversation. "San seems... nice."

Jisoo sighed. "Yeah, he does. But that's kind of the problem. He knows how to charm people. Just... keep your guard up, okay? You don't want to get hurt."

Yeosang nodded slowly, unsure of what to say. "Why are you warning me about him tho. You and your friend? Its not like im gonna date him. We are just friends. Its irritating" he said a little too annoyed His mind was buzzing with conflicting thoughts. Jisoo was being sincere, but he couldn't help feeling defensive. San hadn't done anything wrong to him—at least, not yet. But with Hana's words still fresh in his mind, the warning from Jisoo only deepened the doubt that had already started to creep in.

"Yeah but u seem like a sweet guy so it would be a waste if he broke you." She said turning to leave

They parted ways after that, Jisoo giving him a small smile before leaving the room. Yeosang stood frozen for a moment, his bag slung over one shoulder as he tried to process everything. Why did it bother him so much to hear these things about San? Was it because he didn't want to believe them, or because deep down, he already knew there might be some truth to it?

He took a deep breath and headed out of the building, trying to clear his mind as he made his way to the courtyard. Just as he stepped outside, his phone buzzed with a message.

It was from Wooyoung.

Woo: "Yo, San texted me he's not coming to school today. I thought he might've told you too?"

Yeosang stared at the screen, a slight twinge of disappointment hitting him. Why had San texted Wooyoung and not him? It was a small thing, but it felt like a punch to the gut, especially after everything that had been said about him today.

Without responding to Wooyoung's text, Yeosang shoved his phone back in his pocket and kept walking, his mind swirling with unanswered questions. What was it about San that made people so wary? And why did Yeosang find himself more and more drawn to him, despite the growing warnings?

He wasn't sure how to feel anymore, or who to trust. All he knew was that the more he learned about San, the more complicated everything seemed to get.