CHEERLEADER, woosan

seventeen

"this is my stop, cherry! i'll see you at cheer tomorrow, right?" san asks soojin, who is walking by his side, though he knows more than well that the girl would only ever miss practice if she was on her deathbed. the two have just finished cheer practice, a few minutes earlier than usual — the reason they're strolling around the corridors during lesson hours.

"of course. but aren't you coming to the cafeteria for lunch? you have to be eating enough, san-ah," soojin insists, concerned, even if she always denies it.

"ah, don't worry, i am! it's just that i'm having lunch with wooyoung today, so..."

soojin's worries vanish almost immediately, her expression painted with relief. "oh, got it. have fun with your boy, then. i'll see you tomorrow~"

"bye bye, cherry!" san says, receiving a short wave from soojin before she disappears around the corner.

san leans his back onto the wall of the classroom that wooyoung is in, grabbing his phone from his pocket. the time reads 12:28, just two minutes until lessons are over. therefore, san simply hums a quiet tune to himself as he waits, hoping wooyoung would appear soon.

the two minutes shortly past, lunchtime being announced with the deafening school bell ringing into the atmosphere. before san can even step closer to the classroom, though, the door is barged open by a hurdle of students, who race to the cafeteria like their lives depend on it.

once the amount of teens surrounding the doorway lessens, san moves forward in an attempt to peer through the door; however, the hand purposely shoving his shoulder ruins his plans.

san stumbles backwards a few steps, yelping in shock. he manages to steady himself just in time from falling to the ground, which surely would've been humiliating, before looking up to see who caused this.

of fucking course.

"mark lee!" a sharp voice, anger stabbed within it, cuts through the thick air, and said-boy's face drops at the figure approaching him.

"i-i- i didn't- it was an accident!" mark lies, eyes wide in fear. "promise it was. i-i—"

and the next thing san knew, mark has scattered, frantically hurrying for the closest exit.

wooyoung's icy glare follows the raven-haired boy right until the door slams shut behind him, his firm eyes softening in care when turning to san. "where did he hurt you, darling?"

"oh... uhm, here. it didn't hurt, though," san says, moving his hand to his right shoulder, and wooyoung's eyes lose their light. "i'm fine, youngie, really."

"but he still touched you," wooyoung argues.

"i said i'm fi—"

"i heard exactly what you said, san," wooyoung snaps, though when the latter tenses up, gaze moving to his feet, he instantly lowers the tone of his voice, "whether you got hurt or not, no one should be putting their fucking hands on you. and on my watch, i'm not going to let them. not ever, okay?"

"okay... i-i'm sorry..." san whispers, yet to have mustered up the courage to meet the younger's eyes again.

wooyoung brings a hand up to san's head, stroking his fingers through the fluffy hair. "no, please don't be, sannie. if anything, i should be the one apologising... i didn't mean to take my anger out on you, i promise i'll be more careful next time."