black cat | woosan ✔

22

San woke up to the sight of his suitcase propped against the wall. His backpack sat next to it, neatly packed, and a couple of his jackets were folded on top. The sight jolted him awake instantly. He shot up from the bed, heart pounding in confusion.

"What the—" San muttered, rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn't still dreaming. But the bags were still there, waiting for him like an unspoken sentence. His stomach churned. Something was wrong.

San shot a glance around the room, noticing how everything that belonged to him was either folded, packed, or ready to go. He hadn't done any of this.

"Yunho!" San called, voice rough with sleep, panic simmering beneath the surface.

The door to the bedroom opened, and Yunho stepped inside, calm as ever. But there was something off about him—a distance, an exhaustion in the way his shoulders sagged, like he'd already made up his mind and wasn't looking back.

San glared at him, fists clenching at his sides. "What the hell is going on?"

Yunho didn't answer immediately. Instead, he leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms. "You're going to be moving out for a bit."

San stared at him, wide-eyed, as the words sank in. He felt like he'd been punched in the gut.

"Moving out?" San repeated, as if saying it aloud would make it less real. "Are you serious?"

Yunho gave a short nod, his expression unreadable.

San scoffed, crossing the room in two quick strides until he was standing in front of Yunho, arms spread wide in disbelief. "So, you're just kicking me out like that?" His voice cracked with anger and hurt, though he tried to mask it.

Yunho clicked his tongue in frustration but kept his tone measured. "Temporarily. You're not going to be gone forever, San."

"Why?" San demanded, voice rising. "What the hell did I do to deserve this?"

Yunho's jaw tightened. He didn't want this to turn into another fight—he was so tired of the yelling, the chaos. "It's not about punishment," he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We both need space. Especially after what happened yesterday."

San huffed, raking a hand through his hair. "So what? This is your brilliant solution? Just ship me off somewhere and hope everything magically fixes itself?"

Yunho exhaled slowly, as if he were holding back his own anger. San had a way of digging into his nerves without meaning to. "Look, I don't know what else to do, okay? I can't keep babysitting you."

"Babysitting?" San repeated, eyes narrowing. "I didn't ask you to babysit me!"

Yunho threw up his hands in frustration. "You don't have to ask! You drag me into your messes without even thinking twice."

San opened his mouth to argue but found himself at a loss. He clenched his fists, frustration bubbling in his chest. He hated this. Hated the helplessness, the sense of rejection. Hated that Yunho was right in some twisted way.

Yunho softened slightly at the sight of San's expression faltering. He didn't want to hurt him—not really. "This isn't forever, San," Yunho said quietly. "You need time to cool off. And so do I."

San swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. "Where...where am I even supposed to go?"

Yunho shrugged. "You'll figure it out. You won't be on the streets, if that's what you're worried about."

San let out a bitter laugh, though there was no humor in it. This was happening. Whether he liked it or not, Yunho was serious. He was being kicked out.

"And when am I supposed to leave?" San asked, voice hoarse.

Yunho glanced at the clock on the wall. "Today."

San's heart sank. No time to argue, no time to change Yunho's mind. This was already a done deal. He clenched his jaw, forcing himself not to break down right there. He wouldn't give Yunho the satisfaction of seeing him that weak.

Without another word, San finally made sure his legs were were working and went straight to the bathroom to get changed. His movements were stiff, mechanical—like he was trying to keep himself together by sheer force of will.

"F-Fine," San muttered, his voice low. "I'll go."

Yunho's expression flickered with something San couldn't quite place—regret, maybe. But he didn't stop him. He simply stepped aside, letting San pass.

San reached for his suitcase, gripping the handle tighter than necessary. He wouldn't look back. If Yunho wanted space, fine. He'd give him space. He'd give him all the fucking space in the world.

The door shut behind him with a dull click, leaving Yunho standing alone in the room.

Yunho ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly. He hated how things had turned out, but deep down, he knew this was the only way to fix it. They needed time apart. They both did.

But as he stood there in the silence, he couldn't shake the nagging doubt creeping into his mind.

What if San didn't come back?