beg • woosan (book 2)

10

unedited

Wooyoung woke up feeling like he'd been hit by a truck, the aftermath of last night's drinking binge leaving him with a hangover that felt like a punishment for his excesses. He looked in the mirror to see dark circles under his eyes, he couldn't even recall the night!

I need to stop drinking, he donned sunglasses to shield his puffy eyes, grabbed a coffee for some relief, and called an Uber to get to work.

As he slid into the Uber, he was greeted by an unexpected voice. "Mr. Wooyoung!"

Embarrassed, he mumbled an apology, thinking he had gotten into the wrong car. But it was San who curtly invited him to stay, and next to San sat little Mina, absorbed in her iPad.

"Um thank you." wooyoung says, but san doesn't say anything he  just looks at the window in silence.

The ride was tense, with Wooyoung sipping his coffee and staring out the window, struggling to find words that wouldn't complicate things further, especially in front of Mina. Then, a familiar tune emerged from the girl's iPad, the cheerful strains of "What is Love" by TWICE. As San asked his daughter to lower the volume, Wooyoung seized the moment to engage Mina.

"You like TWICE?" he asked, attempting to cut through the awkwardness.

Mina's smile was bright as she nodded. "So does my daddy, he named me after the member," she claimed joyfully, though her fact was slightly off.

San quickly stepped in to clarify, "And it's a mixture of Mommy and my name," correcting his daughter's innocent misconception.

Mina's simple admission struck a chord, and her vulnerability was palpable. "I miss Mommy," she said, her voice tinged with longing.

San echoed her sentiment, "I miss her too." He held onto the hope that Winter, Mina's mother, would be able to return for Mina's first show in America, a milestone no parent would want to miss.

"And Appa!" Mina quickly added, her attention turning back to her iPad. She showed San a photo, her voice bubbling with excitement. "They went on a date!" The image of Winter and Jeno together caught San off guard, especially with Wooyoung sitting right there. He discreetly took the iPad from her, a whisper escaping his lips, "Enough now."

Mina's pout was quick to follow, but she didn't dwell on her father's mild reprimand. Instead, she turned her attention to Wooyoung, her expression brightening. "Mr. Wooyoung, can we go on a date?" she asked innocently.

The question was unexpected, and in the confined space of the Uber, it was nearly impossible for Wooyoung to ignore or deflect.

San's voice carried a warning note as he addressed his daughter, "Mina." It was clear he was trying to set boundaries, likely conscious of the complicated dynamics between himself and Wooyoung.

Mina, however, seemed oblivious to the adult concerns at play. "What? I just want to spend time with Mr. Wooyoung," she protested, her pout reflecting the innocent disappointment of a child who doesn't understand the undercurrents of the situation.

San, attempting to gently dissuade her without causing upset, added, "He's busy, very busy." His words were diplomatic, a way of letting Mina down without outright denying her request. It was a delicate balance of protecting his daughter's feelings while also managing the tension that lingered in the air.

As they exited the Uber, Wooyoung's natural kindness showed. He assisted Mina out of the car, and when she eagerly took his hand, he didn't pull away. Mina's spirits seemed to lift instantly. "Let's walk in together instead," she beamed, her simple joy momentarily bridging any awkwardness that lingered between the adults.

Wooyoung offered her a smile, but his eyes sought San's for approval or objection. In an attempt to smooth over any lingering tension and perhaps as a gesture of goodwill, Wooyoung reached into his pocket and tried to hand over some cash to cover his part of the Uber fare.

San's response came quickly and with a touch of irritation. "Woo, you know better," he said, clearly annoyed and perhaps a bit offended. San did not take the money, subtly indicating that some gestures, although well-intentioned, might be unnecessary or even unwelcome given their current circumstances.

San then turned his attention to Mina, ensuring he gave her a proper send-off for the day with a father's wish for a good day at school. Despite the complex emotions at play, San made the decision to allow Wooyoung to accompany his daughter inside.

-

Wooyoung sat across from Mingi in the bustling cafeteria, picking at his lunch with a distracted air. His mind was elsewhere, tangled in the remnants of the previous night—a night that now felt like a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces. He needed to know what had happened, how much of a spectacle he'd made of himself, especially in front of San.

"What did I say? Because today I accidentally took an Uber, and the vibe was... off," Wooyoung rambled, desperate for answers.

Mingi, nonchalantly taking a bite of his sandwich, dropped the bombshell. "You told him you love him."

Wooyoung's fork clattered against his plate, the sound echoing his shock. "What did he say?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"He'll call the police on you," Mingi replied, a hint of dry humor in his tone as he continued to eat his sandwich.

Wooyoung had always intended to maintain a professional and cordial relationship with San, carefully guarding his deep-seated feelings. However, the situation became complicated when San is in America, accompanied by his child, who happened to be the star student that Wooyoung took great joy in teaching.

Despite his past with San, Wooyoung was determined not to fall for San, especially since he broke up with him. He knows that San was done with him.

Even after the unexpected kiss they shared, Wooyoung recognized that for San, the kiss was likely a fleeting impulse, while for him, it was a moment that he revisited in his thoughts more often than he cared to admit.

"I'm hopeless," Wooyoung muttered, covering his face in frustration.

Mingi added, "Also reckless, you can't be doing this with him."

"Especially because he's with Winter," Wooyoung reminded himself guiltily, although he wasn't sure of the nature of San's relationship with Winter.

Mingi let out a sigh. "He's not with her; they're just co-parenting," he clarified, but seeing Wooyoung's reaction, he quickly raised his hands defensively. "I'm really against Woosan, okay? I hate how sad you make each other. You're 32; you have to move on."

"I can't! I'm sorry," Wooyoung huffed, feeling trapped by his own emotions. "It's sad, I know but I'm going to die alone."

The memory of the tense Uber ride with San lingered in his mind. San had been visibly annoyed. Wooyoung realized  he really had crossed a line, releasing feelings that should have remained hidden. How could wooyoung be so careless?

"you'll find another, " Mingi says," What about Hendery"

Wooyoung groans thinking about that mistake, allowing himself to sleep with Hendery so soon. The prick just ghosted him as he thought he would. They always do,"He's in the pass. He didn't really want to date me, and he gave me an ick."

"Well at least you have Kitten," Mingi tried to lighten the mood with a joke, referring to Wooyoung's pet.

Wooyoung abruptly stood up from his seat, glaring at Mingi. His emotions were raw, and Mingi's attempt at humor felt like salt in a wound. "F you," Wooyoung snapped, the pain of the situation making it difficult to find any humor in it.

"Hey, wooyoung im sorry." Wooyoung didn't care he just got his lunch and left. His appetite was gone now.