Chapter Text
********
“Hey Sannie, can we go somewhere with everyone?” Wooyoung said while laying in San’s lap.
“Where do you wanna go, Woo?” San asked gently. Even after nearly two months of dating, that nickname drove Wooyoung insane. His entire body heated up and he squirmed in San’s lap.
“Mmm, I don’t know,” Wooyoung mumbled. “Like, a theme park or something.”
“Too expensive,” San said bluntly. “Anywhere else?”
“Hey, don’t completely dismiss the idea!” Wooyoung said, jumping up from laying on San’s lap. “I wanna go!”
“Too much money,” San groaned, tipping his head back to lay his head on the back of the sofa. The two were currently in San’s apartment, Wooyoung having stayed over the night (again). Honestly, Wooyoung was more at San’s place than his own. Should he just move in?
“Sannie, Sannie, can I move in?” Wooyoung blurted out.
“Excuse me?” San looked at him, aghast.
“Can I move in?” Wooyoung asked again, more shyly this time. San’s eyes softened. Wooyoung’s heart melted. It was those eyes that made Wooyoung fall for his boyfriend. Those gorgeous, loving, beautiful pools of love. Also San’s neck. San’s neck was pretty. Wooyoung stared at San’s neck as his head was tipped back. His Adam’s apple was defined at his throat, and there were two beauty spots that Wooyoung loved to kiss: the one on the right of his Adam’s apple and the one on the left of his collarbone. He bit that one, actually.
“Can you move in?” San repeated slowly.
“Can I?” Wooyoung asked again.
“Uhhhhhhhhhh…” San dragged out before he said, “No.”
“Don’t you love me?” Wooyoung pouted as he laid a hand on San’s chest. He loved his chest. He loved everything about San.
“Of course I love you, you idiot,” San hissed. “I’m just used to living alone.”
“I stayed over last night and it was fine.”
“That’s just one night.”
“Okay, but can I? I’ll pay half the rent,” Wooyoung pleaded. He wanted to wake up to San’s sleeping face every day and hear his soft breaths and beautifully pure heartbeat in his sleep. He wanted to be there for San, give him the love he so badly wanted - no, needed. Nobody was as love-deprived as San.
Wooyoung would never forget the words that San had cried to him on April Fools’. ‘Wooyoung-ah, just give me your love. Love I got too little of in my life.’ It had broken Wooyoung’s heart, made him want to protect San at all costs. He was the shining star in his life, and that would never change for as long as they were together.
“You’ll pay half the rent? With what money?” San scoffed teasingly.
“I pay my own rent, how do you think I do that?” Wooyoung protested.
“I know, you have a job. A maid cafe, was it?”
“Excuse me?!” Wooyoung’s jaw dropped and San began to laugh, a low, beautiful sound from his chest.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” San said, pulling Wooyoung into a hug. He dug his lips into Wooyoung’s hair and kissed fiercely. “You can.. you can move in, Woo.”
“Seriously?” Wooyoung pushed away from San just enough to look up at his face. When San nodded, Wooyoung pressed his lips to his lover’s.
San released a soft sigh and gripped Wooyoung’s waist tightly, one hand wandering higher, slowly, until it was at his neck. Wooyoung loved when San tried to lead the kiss. He was sloppy at it, but he was getting better. While never once separating their lips, Wooyoung moved San’s hand from his neck and grabbed San’s nape, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. Fuck, San tasted so good. Every. Single. Time. Wooyoung’s brain went fuzzy and he—
San pulled away abruptly with a bright red blush on his face. “Woo, did you just—”
“No,” Wooyoung said hastily, embarrassed. He indeed just did. He’d moaned.
“That was the hottest sound I’ve ever heard, baby,” San mumbled, leaning his forehead on Wooyoung’s.
“It won’t happen again…” Wooyoung trailed off, closing his eyes. He melted into San’s embrace and leaned his head on his chest. San’s heart was racing, every heartbeat loud and vibrating against Wooyoung’s right ear. It was such a beautiful sound.
“So, theme park. And you moving in,” San said, clearing his throat as if trying to ignore everything that had happened in that single kiss.
“Mhm..” Wooyoung murmured, completely lost in San’s heartbeats. It was slowly calming down, returning to its normal pace. Every thump gave Wooyoung another minute to live. It reminded him just how human San was.
“Hey, did you hear anything I just said?” San asked suddenly.
“What?” Wooyoung said, pulling away from San and sitting up from his lap. San sighed, irritated.
“I said, it would be nice if we got everyone else with us for the theme park, don’t you think? If we’re gonna go, we should take everyone with us and make them spend money as well. We’re not gonna be the only ones losing money. And also, when do you wanna move in?” San said.
“Today. And good idea! Also when did you decide we’re gonna go to the theme park? Didn't you say it was too expensive?” Wooyoung said excitedly. He was already thinking of forcing Mingi and San onto one of those horror rides, the one with jumpscares—
“Oh my goodness, Sannie, let’s go to one of those haunted houses!” Wooyoung said, his voice breathless. “That would be so fun with everyone—”
“Absolutely not!” San shrieked. “Are you crazy? Do you want me to have a heart attack and die?”
“It won’t be that scary, there’ll be eight of us!” Wooyoung argued. “Babe pleaseeeee?”
San’s cheeks flushed. “Don’t call me that, please.”
“Is Princess better?” Wooyoung teased.
“No, because you’re my Princess.”
Wooyoung’s heart jumped. “Then you’re… honey?”
San thought about it for a moment before finally nodding. “That one’s okay.”
“Okay, honey~”
With an eye roll, San randomly kissed Wooyoung, and it suddenly felt like the exact same thing would happen again. And soon enough, Wooyoung found himself fighting a sound that was about to escape him. When San deepened the kiss, Wooyoung couldn’t help himself. He sighed and let out a small sound that bordered on a whimper. Why the fuck was he making the freakiest sounds today?
The two did this very often - falling into an endless cycle of long kisses that would last hours sometimes - as if they were making up for the time they could’ve had together. And for San, it was as if he was making up for the years where love was absent in his life. They’d not gone further than kisses and cuddles, both were too meek for that, and that was more than enough for Wooyoung. Wooyoung could drown in San’s kisses.
He did just that. Wooyoung lay San down on the sofa, only momentarily separating their lips to whisper, “I wanna eat you alive sometimes”, before locking their lips again before San could respond. Wooyoung didn’t care what sounds he made anymore. This was just San. San was his and he was San’s.
It was okay.
That freeing sense led to Wooyoung moaning the fuck out of himself, unable to contain the pleasure he felt when kissing San. When the two parted, panting for oxygen, San spoke breathlessly. “What is with you and those moans, Princess?”
“No idea,” Wooyoung said with a shake of his head. He flopped his form onto San’s and lay his head in the crook of San’s neck, comfortably nuzzling his nose and lips into it. “I don’t know what’s up with me today. You don’t sound like you’re complaining though.”
“I’m not. It’s good that you’re not containing it,” San said gently. “I love you.”
Wooyoung’s heart leapt again and he kissed San’s throat. “I love you too, my precious.”
“Why do you have so many nicknames for me?”
“My precious, my honey, my baby, my love, my darling, my star, my little cat, my—”
“Okay, okay, stop,” San said with a soft laugh. He wrapped his arms around Wooyoung and clutched him tight.
“What were we discussing again?” Wooyoung asked.
“Good question.”
Both of them sat in silence, trying to remember what they were saying before they made out for maybe the tenth time that day. It was only twelve in the afternoon.
“Right,” San sighed. “Theme park, and you moving in.”
“I wanna move in today,” Wooyoung said.
“You don’t need time to pack?”
Oh. “Oh.”
“Exactly, you silly,” San said with a kiss to Wooyoung’s forehead. “Let’s talk about the theme park first. Which one do you wanna go to?”
Wooyoung thought for a moment before gasping loudly as he remembered the existence of a specific park. “Shadow Kingdom!”
San frowned instantly. “That sounds creepy. It’s some sort of horror place, isn’t it?”
“Yep!”
“No.”
“Yes! It’s gonna be so much fun.”
“If we go today, we’ll be going for the evening! That’s even worse!” San whined.
“I’m telling the group chat,” Wooyoung said quickly, jumping away from San and running to get his phone from San’s room.
“Wooyoung-ah!”
Wooyoung giggled mischievously as he came back to the living room with his phone. San’s apartment was small: just a bedroom, a bathroom and a living room merged with a kitchen area. He flopped onto the armchair opposite the sofa that San still lay on and opened up the group chat on his phone.
Woowoo~~ 12:47
@everyone THIS IS URGENT
Yuyu~~ 12:49
What’s up, Wooyoung-ah?
Woowoo~~ 12:49
I need everyone online. @everyone
Mountain 12:49
It’s not urgent, I swear
Woowoo~~ 12:50
YES IT IS. @everyone
Wooyoung glared at San from the armchair and he just gave him a grin.
Hwahwa~~ 12:51
IT’S NOT NECESSARY TO PING SO MANY TIMES. WHAT DO YOU WANT??
Woowoo~~ 12:52
STAY ONLINE, I NEED EVERYONE HERE. @everyone
Honghong~~ 12:53
I have a feeling this’ll be a waste of time
Mountain 12:53
It is.
Woowoo~~ 12:54
IT’S NOTTTTTTT @everyone
Mingming~~ 12:55
THE FUCK DO YOU WANTTTTTTTTTTTTT
Yeoyeo~~ 12:56
I was napping. What do you want, Wooyoung-ah?
Mountain 12:57
I just realised everyone’s names, what the hell
Hwahwa~~ 12:57
Hehe >:3
Woowoo~~ 12:57
@Jongjong~~ COME ONLINE PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Jongjong~~ 12:58
Why is my name Jongjong with that freaky punctuation?
Yeoyeo~~ 12:58
Same here
Yuyu~~ 12:59
Wooyoung-ah?
Woowoo~~ 12:59
Guys can we go to Shadow Kingdom like, right now?
Honghong~~ 12:59
Where??
Mingming~~ 13:00
No way.
Jongjong~~ 13:00
That theme park, right?
Mountain 13:00
Mingi-ah gets it. Also why is my name still the same?
Hwahwa~~ 13:01
‘Mountain’ is boring lowkey
Mountain 13:01
Uh-huh..
Yeoyeo~~ 13:03
Wooyoung-ah, you wanna go to that place now?
Woowoo~~ 13:03
Yeah!!
Yuyu~~ 13:03
Sounds fun! I just searched up the place
Honghong~~ 13:04
I mean, I’m free now ig
Mingming~~ 13:04
I don’t wanna!
Woowoo~~ 13:05
Tough luck, I’m calling your Ma to let her know you’re coming with us
Mingming~~ 13:05
WHY DO YOU HAVE MY MA’S NUMBER??
Woowoo~~ 13:05
I don’t. Yunho-yah does, though
Yuyu~~ 13:05
I’ll call her, dw Wooyoung-ah
Hwahwa~~ 13:06
So we’re doin’ hwat?
Honghong~~ 13:06
This is gonna be fun, esp for San-ah and Mingi-ah
Sansansan~~~ 13:07
Don’t remind me.
Sansansan~~~ 13:07
Wtf is with my username??
Hwahwa~~ 13:07
Ur welcome :)
Woowoo~~ 13:08
So can we all meet up in an hour-ish?
Yeoyeo~~ 13:08
Wait we’re actually going???
Jongjong~~ 13:09
Hyung, wake up.
Yeoyeo~~ 13:09
I’m too lazy. Can’t we go another day????
Honghong~~ 13:10
Why do you use so many question marks???????
Hwahwa~~ 13:10
I was just about to ask the same thing?????????
Mingming~~ 13:11
Yeah dude, why so many???????????????
Yeoyeo~~ 13:11
Quit ittttttt
Jongjong~~ 13:12
I’m getting tired of our nicknames now. Seonghwa-hyung, change them back plz
Hwahwa~~ 13:12
Naur
Sansansan~~~ 13:13
Hyung, now I’ve got to ask, is there someone else typing for you?
Hwahwa~~ 13:13
Naur, just in a babygirl mood ahahaha
Jongjong~~ 13:14
……..A what mood?
Honghong~~ 13:15
His sister’s got the keyboard for sure. Nobody here types like that
Hwahwa~~ 13:16
How long have you guys been chatting? What did I miss?
Yuyu~~ 13:16
In an hour we meet up where btw, @Woowoo~~
Woowoo~~ 13:17
Oh, uhhhhhhh
Hwahwa~~ 13:17
We’re doing what??
Yeoyeo~~ 13:17
Before anything, can you change our names back to normal plz hyung
Hwahwa~~ 13:17
Definitely. Tf is ‘hwahwa’?
Wooyoung paused looking at his screen and looked over at San from the armchair he was in. “Sannie, where should we meet?”
“Here is fine,” San nodded. “We can all meet here before we leave for.. wherever the hell it is you wanna go.”
“Shadow Kingdom,” Wooyoung said, offended. He turned back to his screen and suddenly everyone’s names were different and the conversation had moved on.
Bear 13:20
Yes, I’m a big cuddly bear.
Black Cat 13:20
What?
Black Cat 13:20
Ok anyways, everyone come over to Sannie’s place. We’ll leave from here
Duckling 13:21
Wdym ‘from here’? Are u already there?
Black Cat 13:21
I stayed over. Also thanks for the name change from cringe to animals, Seonghwa-hyung.
Bunny 13:21
No problem <3
Maltese 13:21
So Sannie’s place at 2? Also Seonghwa-hyung, can I be doberman??
Golden Retriever 13:22
Yeosang-ah, surely you can’t think of yourself as a doberman?
Squirrel 13:22
Yeah, maltese suits better.
Purble Cat 13:22
Hyung, you spelt purple wrong in my name
Bunny 13:22
I know. It was on purpose
Black Cat 13:23
@everyone And that concludes this meeting. See everyone in an hour!!
Bear 13:24
My Ma’s asking how long we’ll be gone
Squirrel 13:25
Maybe about six hours?
Bear 13:25
o7
Wooyoung put his phone down and gave San a satisfied smile. They were really gonna go to a horror theme park, all eight of them! It almost felt like a dream. Wooyoung could finally see San super scared of scary things. It was probably super cute, just how super scary that one haunted walk experience was at the park. Wooyoung had been there once with all his cousins and had the time of his LIFE seeing everyone so scared.
“Sannieeeee, don’t be scared~” Wooyoung said teasingly as he got up from the armchair and snatched San’s phone from his hands, grabbing them and hooking his fingers with his own. “You’ll be absolutely fine!”
“You know how much I hate horror,” San sighed. “I’m only going for you.”
“And I love you for that, my love,” Wooyoung gushed, leaning forward to press a kiss to San’s forehead. San dodged the kiss with a huff.
“No more giving me kisses until after our trip to that dreaded place,” San commanded.
“What?!” Wooyoung gasped, eyes widening. “What do you mean? We have an entire hour until the others get here and you won’t let me kiss you? At all?”
“Nope,” San said firmly, but his eyes were wavering; he wanted to make out with his lover as much as the feeling was burning inside of Wooyoung. His desire to kiss San was driving him insane. He didn’t understand why, though, because they kissed so frequently. It shouldn’t be like this. Wasn’t a relationship like this unhealthy?
Wooyoung pouted and moved away from San to sit back in the armchair. “Oh my gosh, I need to book the tickets!”
“Oh shit, yeah,” San said, sitting up on the sofa. “Everything might be taken already.”
“NO!” Wooyoung gasped loudly and went onto the website for Shadow Kingdom. “Tickets, tickets, tickets… booking, there it is!” He hurriedly began filling out everyone’s details:
Jung Wooyoung - 19 years
Choi San - 19 years
“Oh my gosh, you’re gonna be 20 in two months, what the hell,” Wooyoung said, wrinkling his nose.
“And?” San said with a grin.
“You’re so old.”
“I’m telling the hyungs that you said that.”
“I’m sorry, sorry! I’ll kiss you silly, don’t, I beg you,” Wooyoung said quickly.
“Can’t always bribe me with kisses, Princess. Plus, I said no kisses until after the trip,” San teased, his grin growing wider and his dimples growing more defined.
Wooyoung huffed and completed everyone’s entries. All they asked for was name and age and time of arrival.
Kim Hongjoong - 21 years
Park Seonghwa - 21 years
Jeong Yunho - 21 years
Kang Yeosang - 20 years
Song Mingi - 18 years
Choi Jongho - 18 years
Arrival time: 3pm
Wooyoung only chose the 3pm slot because he had no idea how long travel would take. If they met up at San’s place in an hour, it’d be 2:30pm by then— okay, they’d get there later, Wooyoung thought after he checked the train lines. It would take about 40-45 minutes to get there. He changed the time slot:
Arrival time: 4pm
“Alright, we better be there by 4,” Wooyoung told San with a sigh. “Can I kiss you now?”
“Nope,” San said, though his voice held a sort of hesitation that Wooyoung never expected from San.
“But I can cuddle, right?” Wooyoung mumbled as he got off his armchair (it was his now, considering he was moving in sometime soon) and sat himself beside San.
“Woo, get off of me,” San murmured, looking at his phone screen and trying to move away from Wooyoung. Wooyoung looped his arm through San’s before laying his head on his chest, pulling his legs onto the sofa huddling into a ball, nuzzling into San’s side. Finally, San put his phone down and wrapped his arms around Wooyoung’s form. Then he gasped.
“Hey, have you been dieting or something?” There was so much concern in San’s tone that Wooyoung tilted his head up to look at his face.
“A little, yeah,” Wooyoung nodded. “Why?”
“You’re so… you’re so small, Princess,” San said, pulling Wooyoung closer into a hug. He pressed a kiss to Wooyoung’s forehead and let his lips linger, his breath warm and welcome against Wooyoung’s skin. Wooyoung closed his eyes and nuzzled further into San, the most comfortable he’d ever been.
“You like it when I’m small?” Wooyoung whispered.
“I’ll love you no matter how you are. Just stay healthy, okay?” San paused before he shyly added. “I like this tiny version of you. It makes you huggable and kissable– no, not kissable. Because I can’t kiss you until after the trip.”
“You never said that.”
San startled. “I did. I said no kisses.”
“You said I can’t give you kisses,” Wooyoung mumbled, tilting his head up to lock eyes with San. “You didn’t say no to the other way around.”
“I can’t… lead kisses,” San said with a blush. “Not yet.”
“It’s okay,” Wooyoung said with a smile. He reached up and cupped San’s cheek in his hand. So warm, so comforting. These were the arms that would hug him and console him for all eternity. “Just take it slow, honey.”
“I’ve changed my mind. Don’t call me that,” San said with a low chuckle as he leaned in. Timidly, he pressed his lips to Wooyoung’s, and Wooyoung fought not to just take the lead when San was genuinely trying. San’s lips were sloppy, not quite knowing where to grip because Wooyoung was staying still and letting him do all the work. When San pulled away, his lips turned into a small frown. “I’m sorry.”
Wooyoung did nothing but giggle. “You’re fucking adorable.” He couldn’t help it and pressed his lips to San. He didn’t take it far - it wasn’t the right moment for a deep, make-out sort of kiss. Wooyoung pressed his lips and tongue to San’s enough just to taste him for a bit. He kept the kiss light, not letting his tongue stray right into his lover’s mouth as it usually did. Through the light touches of his lips, Wooyoung was giving San a message: I sense your unease and yet I don’t know why. You’re not telling me something. I’m here for you. I’m your navigator and you’re my star. Tell me, my darling…
“What’s wrong, Sannie?” Wooyoung whispered against San’s lips. Finally, he pulled away. The kiss was likely the lightest the two had ever shared and yet Wooyoung felt so satisfied. And then his heart dropped. “Hey, why are you crying?” Wooyoung’s hands went instantly from San’s neck to the tears on his cheeks falling slowly.
“I don’t really know,” San said with a sniffle. “I just– thank you.”
“For what, baby?” Wooyoung asked softly.
“For being everything I’ve never had.”
Wooyoung’s heart broke a fraction as he pulled San’s head to his chest and let him silently cry. He dug his lips into San’s hair and kissed softly, inhaling his scent. San always smelled of the deep emotions he kept buried inside him, the rare tears he shedded, intending to laugh and smile it all away. It wasn’t fair for him, and Wooyoung wanted to always be by his side, be that comfort for him and love him like nobody else had. The love he had for San had come to be unconditional. He didn’t have any specific reason for loving him, he just… he just did. And that was all that mattered in that moment.
Wooyoung loved San so much.
He gently rocked his lover back and forth until the tears subsided. San stayed huddled in Wooyoung’s chest for a long while and they both sat in silence until San sniffled and whispered, “Your heartbeat’s so fast right now.”
“I’m fighting tears,” Wooyoung said with a soft chuckle. A lump had formed in his throat and the pain had made its way up his neck and to his brain. “Keeping the cries in is what’s having my heart beat like that.”
“Why are you fighting tears?”
“You know I’m weak when I see others cry, honey.”
“I don’t like pet names. Keep to Sannie.”
“Too bad, my honey,” Wooyoung said cheekily, pressing a kiss to San’s cheek. “You okay now?”
San nodded and relief filled Wooyoung. The two fell into a comfortable silence again, tangled in each other’s arms - and legs. Along with Wooyoung’s arms around San’s broad shoulders, San’s were around Wooyoung’s waist. Both their legs were intertwined together, as if they were locked together forever. Wooyoung loved these soft moments, these precious ones where he wanted to just freeze time and stay like that forever.
“We should start getting ready to go, huh?” San said, hesitantly detaching from Wooyoung’s arms. His eyes were still slightly swollen from the tears he had shed, and his face was puffed up. He looked awful after crying, the poor boy.
“Yeah, I don’t know what I wanna wear,” Wooyoung said thoughtfully. “It’s a good day for anything, really.”
“Wear something cute,” San shrugged.
“What, like those little cat ears and a girl’s skirt?” Wooyoung joked, because what did San mean by that? When San looked like he was really pondering what Wooyoung had just suggested, Wooyoung quickly said, “I’m not really gonna wear that! I just remembered I’ve got a hoodie I wanted to try wearing.”
San was quick to get out of his room, wearing a light jumper and skinny jeans to show off his toned legs. His hair was neatly combed and he looked like a boyfriend straight out of a drama, and the drama here was simply Wooyoung’s own life where he was the main character and his lover was a gorgeous boy.
Wooyoung went into San’s room and found the hoodie he’d been talking about. He’d picked it up shortly before he left his own apartment and came to sleep at San’s for the night, thinking he was gonna wear it the next day. He put it on and paired it with some baggy tracksuits, brushed his hair (though it would never stay like that) and left the room with only his phone in his hand. All they had to do now was wait for everyone–
“San-ah, get off!” a voice cried. “You have a boyfriend!”
“That kiss was platonic!” San said back with a laugh. Yeosang and Yunho were here already.
“Yeosang-ah, you’re just too charming for my boyfriend,” Wooyoung said with a huff. “Sannie, leave him alone!”
After San dramatically moved away from Yeosang, Yunho laughed loudly. Wooyoung realised that San’s slowly changing behaviour in front of the whole group made everyone - not just San - much lighter with how the eight would communicate. It brought everyone together. April Fool’s Day this year seemed to have changed everything. Wooyoung moved to give Yunho and Yeosang hugs, clinging to Yunho like a little monkey.
“Do you two know when the others are coming?” Wooyoung asked.
Yunho nodded. “Well, I only know that Mingi-ah should be here in the next five minutes and Seonghwa-hyung may be running a little late.”
“We need to be there by four! We can’t be late,” Wooyoung said with a gasp.
“Seonghwa-hyung has never once been late, even if he said he will be,” San said with a shrug. He had a point: Seonghwa was actually never late for any event.
“Who do you think’s gonna come last?” Yeosang said thoughtfully as he went to the kitchen and grabbed a glass. He poured water into it and sipped gracefully. Wooyoung always thought Yeosang was like a little baby, but today he straight up just looked like an angel, a sculpture. The light made him look ethereal, the birthmark near his left eye proudly on display.
“Mingi-ah for sure,” Yunho said almost instantly.
“You just said he’ll be here in five minutes,” San said.
“Yeah. His five minutes is usually fifteen.”
“Ah,” San muttered in response before he leaned on the kitchen counter behind him and lay his head on Wooyoung’s shoulder. Wooyoung raised a hand to stroke his head affectionately, not really aware of it until Yeosang moved his gaze to the floor and Yunho cleared his throat.
“What?” Wooyoung asked the two.
“Public affection scares me,” Yeosang said with an exaggerated shudder. “This is an affair!”
“Huh?” San said with a yawn. He raised his head from Wooyoung’s shoulder to look at Yeosang. “He’s my boyfriend, though.”
“It feels like watching something we shouldn’t be watching,” Yunho clarified.
Wooyoung scoffed. “San was only leaning on my shoulder!”
“And you were stroking his hair!” Yeosang yelped.
“And? That was just a small show of affection!” Wooyoung argued.
“Yeosang-ah, I don’t think you’ve watched enough romance dramas,” San said with a shake of his head.
Yunho nodded, too. “I think it’s just because we’ve not seen it up close like this.”
“Do you want to see something up close?” Wooyoung teased. San stiffened beside him.
“No!” Yeosang almost yelled.
“Too late, I’ve made up my mind~” Wooyoung giggled.
“What?” San said with a blink. Wooyoung grabbed San’s collar and pulled his face forward, giving them both zero time to think. After a gasp and going completely still for a full two seconds, San melted into the kiss and stepped closer to Wooyoung. Wooyoung didn’t let the kiss linger, though, reluctantly pulling away with a giggle; Yeosang looked like he was about to cry, and Yunho may have puked right there.
“That’s public affection, my dear Yeosangie,” Wooyoung said proudly. He grinned and looked at San who was blushing fiercely, not making eye contact with Wooyoung. “Fuck, Sannie, I wanna kiss you again.”
“Don’t you dare!” Yunho shrieked, waving his hands at the two.
“It’s a joke! I won’t, don’t worry,” Wooyoung said, putting his hands up in surrender just as the doorbell rang. San left Wooyoung’s side to go and open it.
“Hey San-ah,” a pretty voice said. Seonghwa was here, of course. Nobody had a prettier voice than he did, Wooyoung thought.
“Hey, hyung. Thought you said you’d be late?” San asked as he gave Seonghwa a hug that Seonghwa held onto. That was unusual, to say the least. Seonghwa wasn’t usually one to hold onto a hug unless he initiates it. San initiated it here, but Seonghwa didn’t look like he was going to let go.
“Hyung, you okay…?” San asked gently, clutching Seonghwa tight. Wooyoung blinked once and suddenly Seonghwa was trembling in San’s arms.
“Hey, hey, hey, hyung,” San said softly, stroking Seonghwa’s hair. He led Seonghwa to sit on the sofa, still cradling him in his arms. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
“I just– goodness, it’s stupid,” Seonghwa said with a scoff. “It’s just a dream I had last night. I can’t shake it off, that’s all.”
“What was the dream?” Yunho asked after a beat of silence.
“Maybe it’s better you don’t know,” Seonghwa said with a fake laugh.
Wooyoung knitted his brows together. “Y’know talking about it might make things better.”
Seonghwa hesitated before he breathed. “Gunshots. Yeosang-ah got badly injured and San-ah… well, was holding the gun.”
San shuddered and so did Yeosang. “Well, that sounds fucking horrible,” San said with a shake of his head. “Yeosang-ah, I would never shoot you.”
“I know,” Yeosang said with a nod.
“It was terrifying, to say the least,” Seongwha said.
“I can’t even imagine,” Yunho said with a sigh.
“But you’re okay now though, hyung?” Wooyoung asked.
Seonghwa nodded. “Better. It was just those really realistic dreams, unfortunately.”
“I once had a dream– nevermind,” San said suddenly before stopping himself.
“What?” Wooyoung persisted.
“It was a while back,” San said thoughtfully. “It was some sort of nature-y area, and everyone was really loud and playful. And there was this girl. She was sitting in like, this patch of yellow flowers and there were thorns everywhere. When I walked up to her and moved her hair–”
“You touched her?” Wooyoung said, suddenly feeling embarrassingly possessive. This was a dream that San was describing, not reality, and yet he still felt troubled by it.
“Wooyoung-ah, nobody’s gonna take your boyfriend, don’t worry,” Yunho said with a chuckle. San looked stricken at having been disturbed. He continued.
“I walked up to her, and when I reached out to move her hair so I could see her face - because she seemed really familiar - a bee suddenly flew into her face and she freaked out. Then the dream ended,” San said with a frown. “She really felt like someone I knew or should’ve known. And she was singing something before that, but I couldn’t pick up what.”
“It’s okay, it was just a dream,” Seonghwa said with a clap. “I came and ruined the entire atmosphere with my behaviour. We’re going to a theme park, let’s all lighten up!” Seonghwa jumped up from the sofa with a grin as he wrapped an arm around Yunho’s shoulders. Wooyoung and Yeosang grinned, and San stood up and smiled.
“Hyung’s right. It was just a dream,” San said with a nod. Wooyoung laced his fingers with San’s and San squeezed, clearly grateful for the contact. Wooyoung still felt jealous at the girl in San’s dreams, because what do you mean he touched her before he touched him? Wooyoung didn’t care if it was just a small stroke of the hair. San was his. Shit, he really felt like a possessive bitch at that moment. He grinned. San was his.
The five boys left San’s apartment in a hurry, intending to meet the other three at the building’s entrance rather than having them come up to the third floor. Wooyoung’s heart rate increased with every step; he still couldn’t quite believe that they were doing this. He’d seen ads about Shadow Kingdom everywhere and how horror-filled it was. While he wasn’t good with horror himself, he knew San and Mingi were even worse. It would be so fun to see their reactions to the attractions there.
“Yunho-yah!” a voice yelled, sounding breathless. Wooyoung looked and saw Mingi bounding towards the group with a bag swinging in his hand.
“Yunho-hyung’s here, but what about the rest of us?” Wooyoung teased.
“Oh right,” Mingi laughed. “Hey.” He lifted the bag and grinned. “I got some snacks for the journey.”
“Nice,” Seonghwa said with a smile.
Yeosang let out a breath. “Alright, we just need Hongjoong-hyung and Jongho-yah.”
The six boys chatted, Wooyoung getting more antsy with every minute that passed. Why were Hongjoong and Jongho taking so long?
When the two finally got there after what felt like an eternity of waiting, Wooyoung creased his brows. “Where the hell were you two?”
“Ma wasn’t letting me out of the house until Hongjoong-hyung got there,” Jongho said with a sigh.
“We won’t be late, will we?” Hongjoong said, running a hand through his hair. Wooyoung blinked.
“Hyung, you dyed your hair when?” San said what Wooyoung was thinking.
“Oh! Right, I only showed Seonghwa-yah,” Hongjoong said with a chuckle. “Well, what do you guys think?”
“You look cool,” Mingi said with a nod. Yunho and Yeosang gave a pair of thumbs-ups.
“It makes you look less strict,” Jongho said with a nod.
Hongjoong’s brows shot up. “I– what?”
Wooyoung bursted out laughing and San explained. “It’s the light brown that makes you look a bit softer, that’s all. You look cute, hyung.”
Wooyoung stopped laughing and pouted instead, tugging San’s sleeve. “Do I need that kind of hair to be called cute by you?”
San wrinkled his nose. “You’re sexy, not cute.”
Seonghwa and Hongjoong feigned puking. Yeosang and Yunho went pale, likely remembering the kiss they had witnessed earlier. Jongho and Mingi’s noses wrinkled and their eyebrows went up in question.
“That’s so gross, stop!” Seonghwa said, clutching his stomach as if sick.
Wooyoung was blushing silly, he knew it. His cheeks were all hot, and San was just rolling his eyes at the others with his arms crossed. “You guys can’t handle hearing the word ‘sexy’ at your grown age?”
“It’s because Wooyoung-ah is a good two years younger than me,” Hongjoong said, shaking his head.
“Yeah, it makes it more awkward,” Yunho agreed.
“It’s not that bad!” San protested.
The eight of them were bickering all the way to the station, on the train journey (Yeosang and Jongho looked like they didn’t want to be associated with the other six the entire way there), and on the walk from the station to Shadow Kingdom.
“Alright, we’re here. Shut up, everyone!” Hongjoong yelled, projecting his voice. He cleared his throat. “Behave until we get in.”
The queue wasn’t as long as Wooyoung had expected. Maybe because it was the afternoon, but still. It was quieter than expected. They checked in within half an hour and were standing near the entrance with maps in their hands, looking at all the available rides. San and Mingi already looked like they wanted to shit themselves. Jongho was unfazed, Yunho, Yeosang and Hongjoong were starting to look unsure, and Seonghwa was slowly turning pale while looking at the surroundings. The funny thing was that it wasn’t even dark yet. These sights were sure to look creepier when the sun set, and Wooyoung was planning to stay until then.
There were ghosts and witches every which way, eerie glowing lights all over the place, making even the baby teacup ride look menacing in the bright sunlight. Wooyoung giggled and San turned to him with a deep frown on his face. “Woo, this is where you wanted to bring me?”
“Yes!” Wooyoung said with a squeal. “We need to start on all the rides, let’s go!” This he said to everyone. He snatched the map from Seonghwa and started going towards a ride named ‘Black Shadow’. He had no idea what it was, but it sounded creepy enough.
When the eight got to the ride, the queue was nearly empty. They joined the line and began talking again, Hongjoong whining something about how he was hungry and didn’t want to get on the ride and Jongho harshly calling him a wimp with a giant smirk on his face.
“Woo, are you sure it’s this ride you wanna get on?” San asked, his voice full of concern.
“Yes,” Wooyoung said without hesitation. He was determined to see San scared on this ride. San sighed heavily, leaning his head on the brick wall behind him as if giving up trying to argue against Wooyoung. Wooyoung stood on his tip-toes and planted a kiss to San’s cheek, causing his eyes to snap open.
“What happened to no kisses?” San mumbled, his lips dangerously close to Wooyoung’s. “We’re in public as well, you know.”
“I know,” Wooyoung taunted. He knew his breath against San’s lips were driving San insane. “Maybe that’s why I’m like this.”
“Ahem,” Jongho said, clearing his throat. “Move forward, lovebird hyungs. Please.”
Wooyoung burst out laughing and San turned red. “Got it~” Wooyoung said playfully. They moved forward, Wooyoung taking San’s hand in his and intertwining their fingers. San accepted the soft grip, his hand a comfort to Wooyoung. San would always be Wooyoung’s greatest comfort.
“Wooyoung-ah,” Mingi called. “Can we please not get on this ride? Can you not hear the screams inside?” When Wooyoung listened, he could indeed hear screams from inside. He assumed it was some sort of cart ride with jumpscares and other horrorful things. He giggled and responded to Mingi. “We’re getting on this thing no matter what!”
Hongjoong was beginning to get nervous and so was Yeosang. Yunho and Seonghwa seemed alright, Jongho was completely fine, and Mingi and San were basically trembling by this point. And Wooyoung? Wooyoung was trembling with excitement over fear. He wondered if whatever was inside there could scare Jongho as well. Seeing Jongho scared would be fun.
“Hey, you guys get ready!” Wooyoung called as he and San were finally at the front of the queue. They were next.
“Wooyoung-ah, do we have to?” Seonghwa asked, sounding nervous. Wooyoung flashed him a bright grin.
“Would you rather we get on it when it gets dark? I mean, it’ll be dark inside the ride I’m sure, but—”
“Okay, it’s fine!” Hongjoong and Seonghwa said at the same time.
“So how many of you are there?” someone said suddenly. Wooyoung turned to the front of the line and saw a kind lady with devil horns on her head and a smile on her face.
“There are eight of us, Miss,” Wooyoung said with a small bow which the lady reciprocated.
“Quite the large group, huh?” the lady said with a laugh. “Alright, you boys can get on together once the next cart comes.”
“Thank you so much,” Wooyoung said with a bow of thanks. He was beginning to get giddy with excitement, his stomach gathering butterflies. When the next cart came, Wooyoung grabbed San’s hand and yelled, “I’m pairing with my honey!”
“Wooyoung-ah!” San hissed and hit the back of Wooyoung’s head, his cheeks turning red.
“I’m sitting with Yunho-hyung because he’s the most sane other being here,” Jongho announced, taking Yunho’s arm. Yunho gave a huge grin and squeezed Jongho’s cheek playfully.
“I guess I’ll sit with Yeosang-ah, my favourite child,” Seonghwa said, looping his arm through Yeosang’s.
“I’m your what?” Yeosang said with a blink.
“My child, child,” Seonghwa said, smiling.
“Are you sure it’s a good idea to leave Hongjoong-hyung with Mingi-ah?” Jongho said with his brow raised. “They’re both pretty scared of things.”
“I’ll be fine!” Hongjoong bursted out. “I don’t care scared of things as much as you all think.”
“You sure about that? Because I definitely remember–”
“Nothing, Jongho-yah. You remember nothing.”
Jongho smirked and shrugged. “Whatever floats your boat.”
“I’m the Captain of my own boat. It doesn’t just ‘float’. It glides across the ocean.”
Everyone went silent.
Seonghwa whispered. “That was pretty motivational, Hongjoong-ah.”
Mingi and Yeosang both nodded and Wooyoung sighed. “Hongjoong-hyung, you’re truly becoming a poet.”
Hongjoong smiled. “I intend to become one. And write lyrics in the future, too.”
Wooyoung’s eyes went bright. “You’ll be an amazing writer, hyung!”
Everyone was smiling as they took their seats on the cart. Wooyoung and San were right at the front after a minute’s worth of arguing, Yeosang and Seonghwa were behind them, then Hongjoong and Mingi, and Jongho and Yunho were right at the back. The whole cart contained a perfect four carts and was able to fit all eight of the boys in one ride.
“Right, who’s ready to shit their pants?!” Mingi yelled as the cart began to move. San and Mingi gave nervous laughs, Hongjoong giggled with a high-pitched tone and Seonghwa and Wooyoung laughed menacingly. Jongho just sighed and shook his head, a smile on his face. Yunho and Yeosang smirked for no reason.
The cart was off to an extremely slow start as the boys were slowly plunged into a darkness so black that Wooyoung genuinely couldn’t see anything in front of his face. It felt claustrophobic. San’s hand was searching for Wooyoung’s - Wooyoung could feel San’s hand near his thigh - so he reached out and his hand grazed San’s lips. Oops - totally an accident. San flinched before he grabbed Wooyoung’s wrist and intertwined their fingers.
“Don’t do that again,” San hissed, squeezing Wooyoung’s hand.
“I won’t– OUCH! Loosen your grip, babe!” Wooyoung screeched.
Hongjoong belched. “Ew, no gross pet names– AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH! NANI SORE??”
Everyone was screaming suddenly because of the ghost that suddenly lit up the ink black darkness and Hongjoong decided to switch languages, screaming words in Japanese. The small portion of light let Wooyoung see that San was genuinely terrified, and he started to giggle uncontrollably. Seeing San scared was making his day.
“This is so FUUUUUUUUUN– WHAT IS THAT, GET AWAYYYYYY!!!” Wooyoung yelled. There was a ghost coming to attack the cart with an entire sledgehammer. Wooyoung ducked out of reflex, his heart rate increasing. There was an echoing giggle playing through the speakers that was so freaking creepy. The cart continued forward, every small sound now making Wooyoung jump. The lights flickered in some places, and in other places there were actors attacking them. The cart stopped suddenly in complete darkness.
“Um…” Yunho hummed. “So… we’re stuck?”
“Oh hell no,” Seonghwa said, clicking his tongue.
Yeosang giggled. “Hehet. This is kinda fun, y’know?”
“Okay but are we seriously stuck?” Mingi said, his voice squeaky.
“Probably not…?” Jongho said, but now even he sounded uncertain.
“Hey, Sannie, you okay?” Wooyoung asked while flailing his arms in the dark to grab San’s face.
“Ouch! I’m here,” San said as he grabbed Wooyoung’s wrists again and put his palms to his cheeks.
“Great, you’re alive my love~” Wooyoung said, squeezing San’s face.
“Barely,” San responded shakily. “I am suffering.”
“So am I!” Mingi piped up, his voice trembling as well.
“BROTHA WHAT IS THAT??” Hongjoong suddenly shrieked. Wooyoung looked behind him just as a light turned on somewhere near them and illuminated the surroundings. They seemed to be in some sort of cave. And a killer clown was after them.
“MOVE, YOU STUPID CART!” Mingi and Seonghwa yelled simultaneously. Just then, the cart began to move. But the clown was way too close to Jongho and Yunho as it laughed an evil laugh and came to attack with what Wooyoung thought looked like a rubber hammer, but he was too terrified to process what exactly it was. Jongho let out his first genuine scream as he said, “FUCK YOU, WOOYOUNG-AH!!”
Oh right. It was his fault they were all on this ride.
The ride finally came to an end after the clown chase. Somehow, they’d all made it out alive and… laughing. Giggling. Uncontrollably. All eight of them were in a fit of laughter, unable to stop themselves as they walked out of the ride and back into open air.
“Holy heck, that was so fun,” Yunho giggled.
Yeosang breathed out, trying to stabilise himself. “My throat is really burning right now.”
“Same,” Jongho nodded with a smile on his face. “And I didn’t even scream that much.”
“What’s more important is San-ah and Mingi-ah,” Seonghwa said, still laughing. “Oh my goodness, my stomach hurts.”
San and Mingi in question were pale and panting, half-giggling and half-crying. Wooyoung grinned at them both. “Wanna go again–?”
“No,” they said at the same time. “Never again,” Mingi added.
“Oh, come on! It could’ve been worse,” Wooyoung said with a shrug.
Hongjoong sniffled, still giggling. “Let’s get some snacks and then figure out what to do next.”
“I need something icy for my throat,” Yeosang said.
“Same here,” Jongho agreed.
“Rollercoaster, and then food.”
“Rollercoaster first!”
Six boys turned their heads to two boys: San and Seonghwa.
“You want a rollercoaster after that?” Mingi said, dumbfounded.
“Yes,” Seonghwa and San chimed without hesitation. These two loved rollercoasters.
“Okay, I’m not getting on because I want food,” Yeosang announced.
“Me too,” Yunho and Jongho nodded.
“We’re all getting on,” San said firmly. Wooyoung beamed.
“Whatever my boyfriend says, we listen,” he said cheerily. Hongjoong frowned.
“No. I want ice cream first as well,” he scoffed.
“Hongjoong-ah, come on,” Seonghwa said gently. Hongjoong hesitated. Everybody knew that Hongjoong had a soft spot for Seonghwa because they’d been best friends for longer than Wooyoung had been alive (probably not true, but Wooyoung liked to think of it that way because it made their friendship seem unbelievably adorable).
Hongjoong gave a small huff. “...Fine.”
Seonghwa plastered a triumphant smile onto his face. “Rollercoaster first.”
“I want ice cream,” Yeosang pouted. Jongho sighed. “Let’s just hope the queue isn’t too long for the ride.”
No ice cream for Yeosang until after the ride, Wooyoung supposed with a bright smile on his face. The group advanced towards the ride, San’s hand still in Wooyoung’s. Not a single word was spoken, but Wooyoung knew San’s thoughts: even though he’d been dragged here against his will, he was having fun. He was having fun, and he was thankful to Wooyoung and loved him so much. And Wooyoung loved him right back.
The rest of the day was a blur. A blur of bullying Hongjoong for his height, of teasing Seonghwa, of hugging Yunho, of forcing Yeosang onto a water ride, of scaring Mingi until his voice started hurting from screaming, of trying to break Jongho’s mask of un-scared-ness.
And of staring at San.
Wooyoung stared at San for so much of the day today, just to make sure he didn’t miss a single smile or smirk or dimple. He hoped he didn’t. When the two got home at exactly 1:32am, San didn’t let Wooyoung go home. Wooyoung called his mother, telling her he was staying over at San’s, and fell asleep listening to San’s heartbeat while swaddled in his arms.
That day would be unforgettable.
********