Lines Crossed (SanSang)

23

The next day, San walked into the campus, feeling a little off after his conversation with Wooyoung. He still couldn't shake the strange feeling about what he'd learned—or maybe what he hadn't learned. His thoughts drifted as he made his way to class, but his attention was caught by the sound of familiar laughter.

He looked over and saw Yeosang walking alongside Jongho, both of them smiling and giggling about something, completely absorbed in their conversation. San felt an unexpected pang of... something. Was it jealousy? It surprised him how seeing them so comfortable together bothered him more than he thought it would.

Forcing a smile, San approached them. "Hey, Yeosang," he called out, his tone light but his eyes flicking between Yeosang and Jongho.

Yeosang looked up, his laughter dying down as he spotted San. "Oh, hey, San!" he greeted, his smile still lingering as he turned to face him. Jongho gave San a polite nod but stayed quiet, standing close to Yeosang.

San hesitated for a second before asking, "Where's Wooyoung? I thought he'd be with you guys."

Yeosang chuckled, adjusting the strap of his bag. "Nah, Woo's got some stuff going on. I think he overslept again or something. Jongho and I just ran into each other, so we decided to walk together."

San nodded, but his gaze drifted to Jongho, the way he stood so close to Yeosang. They seemed comfortable, almost too comfortable. "So, you guys have been catching up a lot, huh?"

Yeosang shrugged, smiling as he glanced at Jongho. "Yeah, it's been nice. We were really close in high school, so it's kind of cool to hang out again."

Jongho finally spoke, his tone friendly but firm. "Yeah, it's like old times, you know? We've been reminiscing a bit."

San nodded again, but he couldn't shake the feeling gnawing at him. Something about seeing them together just didn't sit right with him. He didn't like how it made his chest tighten.

He shifted his weight, trying to seem casual. "Well, good to see you two getting along. You guys doing anything after class?"

Yeosang exchanged a glance with Jongho before shaking his head. "Not really, no plans yet. Why? Did you have something in mind?"

San hesitated, realizing he didn't have anything planned. He just didn't want them to be hanging out without him. "Uh, no, just curious," he said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Jongho raised an eyebrow, clearly picking up on the strange vibe, but said nothing. Yeosang, on the other hand, noticed San's slightly awkward expression and smiled reassuringly. "We should all hang out sometime though. You, me, Woo, and Jongho. It'll be fun."

San forced a smile, nodding. "Yeah, for sure."

As they made their way to class, San was wondering why Jongho even came with them when his class is complete opposite way.

" I thought I'd walk you to class today," Jongho said, lightly tapping Yeosang's shoulder, Like he heard Sans thoughts.

Yeosang grinned back, clearly happy to see him. "You didn't have to, but thanks."

Jongho shot him a charming smirk. "Well, you know me—always got a few minutes for you."

San, standing slightly behind, clenched his jaw, watching the interaction. He didn't say anything, just silently followed as Yeosang and Jongho walked toward the classroom. He noticed how close they were walking, their shoulders occasionally brushing against each other, and it irritated him more than he cared to admit.

As they reached the door to Yeosang's class, Jongho stopped, turning to Yeosang with a slight pout. "Guess I'll let you go for now. I've got a meeting with my group, but maybe we can grab coffee after?"

Yeosang glanced at San, who stood just behind him, his expression unreadable. Yeosang, caught between the two, hesitated for a moment. "Uh, sure, but maybe San could join too?" He turned to San with an inviting smile, hoping to bridge the gap.

San forced a tight smile, though the idea of hanging out with both of them wasn't exactly appealing. "I'll pass, I've got some things to take care of after class."

Jongho glanced at San briefly before turning his attention back to Yeosang. "No problem, just text me when you're done."

"Yeah, okay," Yeosang nodded, a little deflated.

Jongho gave Yeosang's shoulder a light squeeze before walking off, leaving San and Yeosang standing in front of the classroom. The moment felt tense, even though Yeosang didn't seem to notice. He just smiled at San like everything was fine, as if he hadn't spent the last few minutes completely absorbed in conversation with Jongho.

"Ready for class?" Yeosang asked, clearly trying to brush off the awkwardness.

San gave a stiff nod, though his mind was elsewhere. The sight of Yeosang with Jongho kept playing over and over in his head, like an itch he couldn't scratch. He shouldn't care—he knew that—but every time he saw Jongho with Yeosang, something ugly twisted inside him.

They walked into the classroom in silence, and San could barely focus during the lecture. His mind kept drifting back to the way Yeosang had looked at Jongho, the easy laughter between them, and how naturally they seemed to fit together. He hated the way it made him feel.

By the time class was over, San still hadn't been able to shake the feeling. As they packed up their things, Yeosang turned to him. "Hey, you wanna grab lunch later? We could meet up with Wooyoung if he's free."

San blinked, surprised at the offer. "Uh, yeah, sure," he mumbled, trying to sound casual.

"Cool!" Yeosang grinned, though his phone buzzed just then, and San caught a glimpse of the name on the screen: Jongho.

Yeosang read the message quickly, his smile faltering for a second before he turned back to San. "Oh i forgot... Jongho and I were gonna get coffee. Do you mind if we push lunch back a bit?"

San's stomach sank. Of course, Jongho. He shouldn't have been surprised.

"Yeah, no problem," San said, forcing a smile, even though his chest felt tight. "I'll catch up with you later then."

Yeosang looked a little unsure but nodded. "Okay, I'll text you when we're done."

San watched as Yeosang hurried out, clearly excited to meet up with Jongho again. The knot in his stomach only tightened, frustration building up as he left the classroom.

His phone buzzed as he walked down the hall. It was Wooyoung.

You free later? Need to talk.

San stared at the message for a moment, wondering if Wooyoung had some sixth sense about things. He quickly typed back:

Yeah, let's meet up.

Maybe Wooyoung could help him figure out why he was feeling so off lately because San knew one thing for sure—he couldn't keep pretending he wasn't bothered by the growing closeness between Yeosang and Jongho.