Hala Hala ||| Ateez

12

Seonghwa watched as the younger ran from the room covering his face with his hands. His mind was trying to process what had just happened.

One minute, Wooyoung was leaning into him like he needed someone to comfort him. And Seonghwa could see it all over his face that he did. Something had happened to the boy that had traumatized him. And whatever that was, was bad enough that once Seonghwa had tried to show him comfort, Wooyoung had changed.

Seonghwa ran through it over and over in his mind. He kept noticing Wooyoung shifting closer to him, so it was like he craved some kind of contact. He must not have been shown much affection.

He wanted the attention, so what was it that set him off?

The hug... When Seonghwa had squeezed him, that's when he had changed.

So Wooyoung didn't like hugs?

No, he had been ok with the first contact. It was the tightness that got him.

There was so many things that could mean though, but Seonghwa had a feeling that Wooyoung didn't like being confined or held.

Now that he thought about it, Wooyoung had seemed really fidgety when they had been chained and he had looked very uncomfortable.

Wanting to attempt to put this theory to the test, Seonghwa made his way to Wooyoung's room. He could hear the younger still sobbing behind the door and lifted his hand to knock.

But before he could, Yeosang came walking up. "Is everything ok?" He asked as his eyes darted to Wooyoung's door.

"I'm not sure. But I'm going to try and find out." Seonghwa shot him a small smile and Yeosang nodded in understanding before walking away.

Seonghwa lifted his hand up again and knocked gently. It sounded like something hit the floor on the other side and he flinched.

He gave Wooyoung a moment to answer, while he also pondered why he was even bothering. It's not like he knew anything about the boy. All they were doing was working together.

But he knew that's exactly why he cared. Back home, the members were his family. Or as close as to family as he could get with his father hovering over him all the time. In all reality, he never really had any friends.

Maybe he could here? They had all been given a second chance, even if they didn't deserve it. He didn't...

He knew he liked Yeosang a lot. And Yunho seemed kind and genuine. Really everyone seemed nice. The only ones that had him questioning things was San and Wooyoung.

It sounded like Yunho and Hongjoong were trying to find a way to help San.

Wooyoung on the other hand... Seonghwa thought that maybe he could help him out.

He tried knocking again and when he didn't get an answer after a few minutes, he slowly turned the handle and pushed the door open.

Wooyoung was lying on his bed with his back to the door. He was attempting to pretend to be asleep, but the shaking shoulders and soft sniffles coming from him gave him away.

Seonghwa stepped inside and closed the door. "Wooyoung? Are you ok?" He asked gently.

The younger responded by sniffing again as he tried to pull a blanket over his head.

"Don't hide. Talk to me." Seonghwa said softly but with a slight commanding tone to his voice. He knew that sometimes that slight dominance was needed to show the other person that he was in charge but that he was also there to help.

And it worked.

Wooyoung poked his head out from under the blanket, his lower lip trembling a little, as he stared at the wall. But he still didn't say anything.