He's five and San's seven, and San's being as bratty as ever when he knocks down the castle that Wooyoung built out of toy blocks.
Tears threaten to fall from his eyes, but Wooyoung's been told that boys don't cry, so he forces his emotions down and scowls at San. "That's not nice, Sannie," he pouts, and San laughs as he goes to pick up the blocks. He starts re-making Wooyoung's fallen castle, because he can tell that Wooyoung is on the verge of an emotional tantrum, and he sighs as he apologises and ruffles Wooyoung's hair.
When Wooyoung's eight and is struggling with bullies in school, it's San who comes to his rescue.
One day after school, ten-year old San shoves the bullies' leader, and he ends up falling in a muddy puddle. Wooyoung's scared, and shouts at San, "Run, Sannie!" when he sees the anger on the bullies' faces.
But San, being the heroic idiot he is, stands tall and pushes his chest out. His attempt to look threatening sort of works, because one of the four bullies is tugging on the sleeves of the leader and telling him that San isn't worth his time. The impact of the leader's fist on San's face is unlike any other pain San has ever experienced in his life, and he can feel his brain shake when an undercut to the jaw knocks him to ground.
Wooyoung is by his side immediately, with wild, scared eyes as he stares at the bullies.
When one of them goes to land a kick on San's side, Wooyoung shouts, "Leave him alone!"
They're too late in their arrival, but Wooyoung's teacher scoops San up off of the ground and tuts at the bullies who have scattered.
The nurse tends to San's wounds, and is in disbelief over how badly they messed up his face. "They're just cowards," she says, and Wooyoung disagrees, because if anyone's a coward, it's him for not fighting back. The next day, San's face is black and blue, and he winces in pain when Wooyoung makes him laugh, "I can't laugh, it hurts my ribs too much," he says to Wooyoung, and Wooyoung feels guilt wash over him.
"It's my fault. I'm sorry for getting you in a fight," he says, with his gaze fixed on the ground.
But San's quick to dismiss him, "Shut up, Wooyoung, it's not your fault." He could've consoled Wooyoung a bit more affectionately, but Wooyoung's smiling nevertheless and when San insists that he won the fight, Wooyoung has to lie and agree with him, when in reality, none of the four bullies had left with a single scrape.
San's fourteen when he gets a Valentine's Day card from a secret crush, and Wooyoung is twelve and green with jealousy.
"Who do you think sent it?" he's giddy, and Wooyoung's face is deadpan as he sits on San's bed and feigns interest in the identity of San's Valentine. He shrugs, and says dryly, "I don't know, Sannie, It's difficult to know when you have so many girls running after you."
San senses his sarcasm, and glowers at him before he turns his attention back to the card that's written in pretty pink, cursive handwriting. Someone comes to San's mind, and Wooyoung watches as his eyes sparkle with hope, "Do you think it was Soojin?" he asks, and Wooyoung rolls his eyes, because he doesn't care about Valentine's Day and he doesn't care about Soojin.
When Wooyoung is fourteen, he sends San a Valentine's Day card. And as it turns out, he's not San's only secret Valentine.
Staring at the cards in San's hand, Wooyoung can't help but feel insignificant as San opens them one by one and sets them up nicely along his windowsill.
San is sixteen and his popularity continues to soar.
As he opens the card that has a baby blue envelope, Wooyoung's stomach flips and his palms become sweaty.
