Two Sides | Ateez San

5 Rejected

The three boys sat in an empty classroom during free time. San sat looking at the ground saying nothing as the others teased him relentlessly.

"I can't believe you actually thought I was going to take her from you." Wooyoung said, slapping San on the shoulder while laughing.

"You can't take what he doesn't have.." Mingi said under his breath.

"Shut up." San responded feeling a little hurt.

Though he was hurt by Mingi's comment, San knew that he was right. Xiumin wasn't his. He had never said a word to her before. She most likely doesn't even know his name. He had no right to be jealous.

San sighed. "I wish we could be friends, at the very least...." he mumbled.

"Then talk to her. Easy fix." Mingi retorted.

"It isn't that easy."

"All you do is go up to her and say 'Hi Xiumin! Wanna be friends?'"

There was a silence that fell over the room as San's face fell.

"And what do I do when she rejects me?" San whispered.

That had always been the root of the problem. He was scared of rejection. He was rejected by his crush three years ago when he was in 8th grade. San had liked her since 5th grade. After that, he always vowed to himself that he would make sure to never be rejected again.

Now he couldn't bring himself to even talk to Xiumin. All he could do was stare. At least he couldn't get hurt that way.

"I've heard all about the guys that have confessed their feelings to her and they've all been rejected." San said, breaking the silence. "I don't want to be like them."

"You are different from all of those guys. Unlike them, your feelings for Xiumin are genuine." Wooyoung reassured him, looking into his eyes.

Just as San opened his mouth to respond to Wooyoung, another voice interrupted him.

"Wooyoung," All three boys froze and slowly turned their heads to the voice. "we need to work on our dance project. We only have 6 more days on it and we've done nothing."

Xiumin was standing in the doorway looking straight at Wooyoung. All of their eyes widened as they stared at the girl in front of them.

Wooyoung's mouth opened and closed repeatedly, like a fish gasping for air, as he tried to find what to say.

"I'll be in practice room 3A." She said, not wanting to wait for Wooyoung's response.

Xiumin glanced at San before turning around and leaving the room.

The boys all looked between each other, all thinking 'Did that really just happen?' and 'How much did she hear?'

San dropped his head into his hands and groaned.

"Why does life hate me so much?"