Promise (Ateez au)

Chapter XIII

"Here's some water. Calm down okay? I know a lot happened and I really want to give you time to get over it, but we have to talk before San comes back." Yunho explained, handing over the glass of water and sitting down next to Wooyoung on the bed. They had gone to his own bedroom, so they wouldn't get interrupted and could calmly talk.

"He ... He's starting to act weird, hyung." Wooyoung stuttered, tears still rolling down his cheeks because of the shock. "Again ..."

"What? Again? What do you mean?" Suddenly all the puzzle pieces started to connect in his brain and realisation hit him. " You knew him before the accident happened, didn't you? So ... Acting weird again, what kind of weird?"

"W-what do you know about him? I ... Only if you know part of it, I can tell you. I don't want to talk about it if Sannie isn't okay with it. It's his life I'll be talking about, not mine." Wooyoung carefully said, looking at Yunho with questioning eyes.

"I know he was on his way from university when he got hit by a car and that he had a reputation there. Not a good one on that note. He ... He bullied people, right? Did he hurt you? What was your relationship with him? Does he know?" The last question was one he was most interested in. Did San know that Wooyoung and him had known each other before and if not, why was he hiding it from him?

"Yeah, he did. Not me though, I was his boyfriend. I regret not stopping him. I tried, don't get me wrong, but he didn't listen to me. He doesn't know that we knew each other before and he doesn't know anything about the past. Please don't tell him. It's for the better that he doesn't know what he did." Wooyoung explained, fresh tears rolling down his face at the memory. Yunho could see how much it hurt him to think about it. He didn't want to hurt the younger so much, but he had to know what San was like. If he was dangerous, they had to make sure he wasn't anymore. He didn't want to risk anything.

"I know you won't believe me, but the book you thought I stole ... I didn't. I really didn't, hyung. Only one person could've put it in my jacket and that's San. I don't know how Hongjoong knew about it, but even I didn't know it was there. I don't know what San is planning, but I'm scared, hyung. I'm so fucking scared." Wooyoung started crying again after finishing his last sentence. It was just all too much right now.

"I don't know, Woo. It was in your jacket so I can't blame San without prove. It's just so messy right now and if San is indeed doing something shady, I'll find out. But until then, we can't start acting differently around him. If something's off and we show that we know something, who knows what he does. Woo, I trust him. And I'm sorry to say, but I trust him more than you right now. Besides, I don't want to disappoint Mingi. He means the world to me, Woo. He's like a son to me, I practically raised him. If ... If San turns out to be ... Not good, then I don't want to be the person to tell Mingi. I don't want to break his heart and see his hurt face. San was the first person he turned, and still is the only one. I know that you barely know Mingi, but he will take it personal. And if he takes it personal, I will too and- I'm sorry, I shouldn't be complaining. It's not your fault if ... If something happens." Yunho finally stopped his rant, noticing that Wooyoung wanted to say something himself.

"He ... He k-ki- Never mind. I shouldn't say it." Wooyoung stuttered, almost revealing the truth about San.

"You don't have to tell if you're not ready yet. But may I ask, if you're comfortable to tell me, what happened back there?" Yunho looked at the door, hoping Wooyoung would at least tell him what happened in the hallway.

"It's all just so weird, hyung. I just wanted to talk and then ..."

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It had been a few days since Wooyoung last had a decent conversation with San, so he was surprised when he saw him walking through the hallway.

"Hey, San! Where are you going?" Wooyoung stopped the older by putting his hand on his shoulder.

"W-woo. I just ... I-I'm going outside for a s-second." San stuttered, not turning around to look at the blonde.

"Can we talk? It's been a while since we talked. Are you angry? Did I do something wrong? Is there something else?" Wooyoung asked, a bit sad that San had been avoiding him for so long.

"Just let me g-go. P-please." San sounded a bit scared, the sentence almost being like a threat. He tried to walk away again, but Wooyoung grabbed his wrist to stop him.

"Wooyoung, let go. I'm warning you. I can't hold it back any longer."

"Can't hold back wha-" He got pushed against the wall agressively, San still trying to make his way to the door. He was so close, the doorhandle already in his hand, but it was too late. He felt himself lose control over himself. When he turned around, Wooyoung immediately noticed the bright red eyes that were hungrily staring at him. He wondered if this was the San he knew, or wasn't. Because if he was honest to himself, he didn't know San at all. He knew him, his past, but not his present. He had been much more closed about himself after the accident.
It all happened so quickly though. One moment San was standing next to the door, and the next he was already trying to find where he had to bite the younger, his eyes travelling over his neck. Wooyoung felt his grip on his body tighten, making sure he couldn't run away. He wanted to run away, but his feet wouldn't move. He was frozen in place.
The blood ran down his shoulder, from where San had dug his nails in his skin. It hurt like hell, but Wooyoung couldn't do anything except hope that someone would help him. In the corner of his eye, he saw the silver hair from Hongjoong, but he knew he wouldn't get any help from him.

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"The rest you already know. You tried to help me and then Yeosang came. There's nothing else I can say. I'm confused too, hyung." Wooyoung ended.

"So he just got hungry and tried to bite you? Did he ever do something like that before?" Yunho got confused as to why it suddenly happened. They always got enough food, so why not this time? Why didn't San not go outside to get food, but instead waited until the hunger almost became unbearable? He thought about himself and how he almost bit Mingi a few weeks ago. He wondered when the next craving would come. He always told himself and others how he was fully in control of himself, but the truth was that they just hadn't seen him at his worst. It always happened at night, so he wasn't too worried about it. He would just sneak out and get some food. But what if next time would be different? What if someone got in danger because of him?

"Hyung, what are you thinking about?" Wooyoung asked concerned.

"Nothing. Eum, I'll go talk to San when he gets back and I hope he'll give us answers. If he's this unpredictable, we have to make sure you're safe." Yunho answered, ending the conversion.

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Late happy Valentine's day! I'm sorry I couldn't write a cute chapter for the occasion, but I hope this is okay too 💖
I'm also going to move the Q&A after chapter XI because I think you guys might not find the chapter since the Q&A will be listed as the newest chapter. I hope that's okay. You can always go back there and ask something, you will get an answer 💖