Perfume • Woosan | Ateez

f o u r {pt. 1}

I know you want to be left a l o n e
But you don't have to do this on your o w n

• • •

SUNDAY went by so quickly again, that San embarrassingly didn't even change out of his jammies, nor left his bed except for lunch and dinner. The last day of the week always was the quietest when it came to their household. Everyone was doing nothing besides relaxing and being lazy, so on Monday mornings San was always feeling bittersweet about the fact that Sunday was already over again. This Monday morning something was a little bit different though, so he wasn't even that bummed about going to school again. San actually was too nervous, to feel anything else. And that was because Wooyoung was going to come with them to school for the first time today.

Monday mornings was the absolute opposite of Sundays. The whole house was a total chaotic disaster, which San usually just tried to completely ignore. He really hated it when there was so much going on at once. The boys would eat everywhere in the house, search for and do their homework in the last freaking minute and also figure out what to wear when they already needed to be in the car. He couldn't even imagine how frustrating it must be for his grandmother to clean up the house after seven, well now eight, boys got ready for school.

Getting ready was already crazy enough, but actually getting everybody to school was a whole different story. This morning it would actually be easier then usual, since Hongjoong stayed at Seonghwa's house over night, so luckily there were two persons less in the car today. Mrs. Choi's Van was big enough to carry eight at once, it was just that it was really hard getting to school in time with so many people. Since it was Wooyoung's first day it would be pretty awful for him to be late, so San tried to rush everyone to get ready quickly this morning. The gray haired boy didn't bother coming downstairs himself though, except for the last two minutes before they had to leave.

They actually managed to be in the car way earlier than normally, which made San feel really satisfied. Wooyoung didn't seem to care, because he looked as unimpressed as always, but that again didn't bother San at all. As long as at least he felt successful about everyone being in class at the right time for a change, he was happy. So while San was sitting behind the drivers seat, which was taken by Yunho, smiling brightly, everyone else seemed exhausted by him rushing them. Mingi fell asleep on the passenger seat as soon as Yunho started the car, Jongho had his headphones in and was in his own little world and even Yeosang, who was sitting right next to him, didn't say a word. San just shrugged their rude behavior off and grabbed his backpack to search for his own headphones, when he suddenly felt like he was being watched. One glance at the rearview mirror revealed, that Wooyoung was the one looking at him. He was sitting in the last row, alone, being quite around others as always.

When Yunho finally parked the car everyone got out as quick as they got in. Mingi and Yunho directly went in the direction of their classroom, Yeosang waved goodbye before he also stepped away from the car and when San was done explaining Jongho the way to a building he had never been to before, Wooyoung was nowhere to be seen anymore. San would've taking him to the headmasters office like his grandmother suggested this morning, but it looked like he had other plans.

San couldn't really concentrate on class again so he just sat their and starred out the window for a while. Normally he would take out his notebook and write down a to-do-list or something else, but he didn't feel like writing anything down this morning either. Because he was in such a trance he didn't even realize that the door to the classroom swung open after maybe twenty minutes of class. When San finally did turn his head, to check why his classmates started mumbling with each other all of the sudden, he felt like his heart almost jumped out of his chest. Wooyoung. There he was. Standing in front of the class, still looking unimpressed but so stunningly, that San hold his breathe for a second. The bruises on his face were still visible, but didn't look as bad as three days ago anymore.

He didn't even bother saying anything else but his name before passing the first two rows to get to the free seat. While that was happening everyone was still mumbling and looking at him with curiosity and confusion. San could see him perfectly from his own seat, which was a row behind Wooyoung's. »Why do we get a new kid two weeks before Christmas break?«, he heard someone asking from the last row. Shut up, San thought. Please shut up. San had been 'the new kid' here once also, so he knew how freaking uncomfortable this situation must be for him.

Wooyoung hasn't said a word to anyone before the bell rang to announce the first break. San had been secretly watching him the whole time, so when Wooyoung grabbed his backpack to leave the classroom as fast as possible, he immediately jumped up from his seat too and followed him. San knew that Wooyoung probably wanted to do his own thing and be left alone, but he just had this urge of finding out if there was a possibility that in reality he did not want to be alone in the break. While following him San could tell that the only thing Wooyoung was trying to do was to avoid any contact with the other students at all cost. The boy led him outside, behind one of the big school buildings which were surrounded by trees.

»I don't want to scare you.. it's me«, San said finally, after the boy had stopped walking and was now looking for something in his backpack. He didn't scare Wooyoung whatsoever, in fact he didn't seem surprised at all by the fact that San had followed him here. »Next time you want to follow somebody, try being less obvious«, he just said unimpressed, only glancing at him for a few seconds, before pulling out a lighter and a cigarette. Then he dropped his backpack to the ground and squatted in front of it. San just watched him quietly, while he lit the cigarette cunningly and took a deep drag. It seemed almost relaxing for him. Wooyoung even closed his eyes for a second, before breathing out hard like a lot of weight was being lift from his shoulders.

»Do you really want me to tell you again?«, he almost whispered, after San still hadn't said anything to his last words. San then walked towards him before squatting down also. »I don't really like being told what to do and I'm sure you feel the same«, he was the one sounding unimpressed this time, but not mean like Wooyoung did sometimes. »That's the only reason why I'm not saying anything about you smoking right now.« Wooyoung was the one watching him now, while he fully sat down on the ground and pulled out his notebook from his own backpack. The first thing he did was crossing out the movie night page, because obviously that had been a total bummer. Then he started a page titled Christmas gifts. »Just try not blowing the smoke in my face«, he added after a few seconds of silence.

Wooyoung didn't say anything anymore, but he didn't walk away either. Maybe that was because he didn't have a door to slam in his face this time or he just didn't want to search for a different spot to hide from the curiosity of the other students, but San didn't really care why he stayed. At least now he could make sure, that Wooyoung was not sitting somewhere alone.