beg • woosan (book 2)

27

Wooyoung was in the midst of the pre-show chaos, surrounded by a sea of excited, nervous students in a flurry of costumes and makeup. His hands worked deftly, tying a student's hair into a neat bow, ensuring each of his dancers looked their best for the spring dance recital.

As he secured the final strands of hair, Wooyoung's ears caught the sound of Mina's voice cutting through the chatter of the dressing room. "Where's Daddy? The show is starting!" she asked, her tone laced with concern.

Wooyoung and Winter, Mina's mother, locked eyes across the room. Winter's expression was a mixture of reassurance and worry as she nervously responded, "He's coming," before she brought her phone to her ear and muttered a curse under her breath.

A frown creased Wooyoung's forehead as he pondered San's absence. He wondered if something had come up or if San was just running late. His gaze drifted away from Winter and inadvertently met Mingi's eyes. He quickly rolled his eyes and redirected his attention to another student whose bun had come undone.

Despite the worry, the recital couldn't wait. Wooyoung gathered his students and ushered them toward the stage, the flutter of costumes and the patter of small feet marking their progress.

Just before the curtain call, he noticed Mina's distress. He crouched down to her level, his eyes soft and reassuring. "Don't worry, sweetie," he said as he gently wiped away the tears that threatened to ruin her mascara, thankful that it hadn't smudged. "Daddy is on his way; he wouldn't miss this for the world," he comforted her, and Winter softly agreed, her gaze fixed on Wooyoung in a silent thank you. At that moment, he was more than her teacher; he was a pillar of support.

"Let's go, sweetie," Wooyoung encouraged, extending his hand towards Mina. A small smile broke through her anxiety as she took his hand, finding strength in his reassurance.

"I'll be in the front," Winter declared as they walked away, her voice gaining a hint of cheerfulness despite the situation. "You got this, babe!" she yelled, encouraging her daughter and, in a way, bolstering her own spirits, holding onto the hope that San would arrive any minute to witness their little star shine on stage.

As the lights dimmed and the first half of the show unfolded on stage, Wooyoung moved like a conductor, directing each student with focused precision. His eyes, however, kept darting to the entrance, searching for any sign of San. The performances were beautiful, the children's faces lit up with excitement and pride, but Mina's anxious glances toward the door didn't escape Wooyoung's notice.

Intermission arrived, and with it, a thrum of tension backstage. Wooyoung's concern deepened as he caught sight of Mina amongst her friends, her disappointment manifesting as a pronounced frown. He furrowed his brow, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Fuck," he whispered under his breath, feeling a pang of empathy for Mina. He wished he could just call San, but he realized he never got his number.

With a spark of resolve, Wooyoung pulled out his phone and dialed Yunho, hoping for some assistance. The phone rang, and soon Yunho answered with a casual, "Hey."

Wooyoung didn't waste any time. "Hey, Wooyoung. What's up?" Yunho sounded surprised to hear from him. Wooyoung's irritation with Mingi was still present but didn't extend to Yunho.

"I'm at the show, and San isn't here. Can you check if he's home? Winter doesn't know where he is," Wooyoung explained, his voice tinged with urgency.

"Oh yeah, sure, I can do that," Yunho replied, his tone turning serious, though he hesitated before adding, "Only—"

"Only? Come on, Yunho, his daughter is about to lose her mind," Wooyoung interrupted, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"I was going to do it anyway, but please talk to Mingi; he's sorry," Yunho pleaded, understanding his boyfriend was at fault but also knowing he just cared deeply for his friends. Wooyoung sighed heavily. "I'll think about it," he conceded, glancing at Mingi who was attending to his own students.