Chapter Text
Hands tucked into his pants’ pocket, Da On slowly walked back to the teacher’s lounge recalling what just happened barely a minute ago. He expected it to hurt badly, seeing Shin Woo hold onto Tae Kyung the way he did but all he was feeling right now is numbness. It was strange, feeling nothing at all.
“Da On!” Shin Woo’s voice called out from behind.
Da On continued to walk a few more steps, thinking about how he really didn’t want to see anybody right now, especially Shin Woo but as much as would want to walk away, Da On couldn’t. So he lets out an inaudible sigh and turned around to face his vice-president and greeted the latter.
“Why do you keep avoiding him?”
It was no question about who Shin Woo was referring to.
Already prepared with an answer, Da On feign ignorance and brushed off the accusation with the excuse that exams were around the corner and he was simply busier studying for it. If it was anybody else, Da On knows he would be able to escape further questionings but this was Shin Woo he was talking to.
Shin Woo who has clearly shown to have feelings Tae Kyung, his ex-boyfriend and this Shin Woo isn’t going to back down.
“Have you ever thought you were being selfish?”
Da On’s eyes flashed, clenching his jaw in slight irritation. Selfish. Somehow that word seemed to strike a chord with him. Was it really selfish for him to react the way he was reacting now? All his life, Da On struggled to keep up his perfect image, attend beck and call to everybody’s demands with a smile on his face, only to have all that be reduced to nothing when he and Tae Kyung are in a fight?
“Noh Shin Woo,” Da On called out warningly but it was useless, Shin Woo wasn’t listening.
“Is it because of the rumours?” Shin Woo asked instead, as though that wasn’t a good enough reason for Da On to hide away.
But Shin Woo just doesn’t get it. He clearly doesn’t get it when Shin Woo starts to recount how Tae Kyung was the entire day, as though Da On doesn’t know what was going on, as though he doesn’t care enough to see what was happening to Tae Kyung.
“You don’t know anything that’s going on between me and Tae Kyung,” Da On glowered at Shin Woo, “you might have just spent a day with Tae Kyung and think you know everything but you don’t. You don’t know me, and you definitely don’t know Woo Tae Kyung.”
He was Da On’s safe space but he couldn’t even do the same for him. When the first sign of real trouble started heading their way, Da On ran, leaving Tae Kyung behind and he doesn’t think he could forgive himself for that.
“I can take care of things on my own. Thank you for worrying about it.” Da On stiffly nodded his head and walked away from Shin Woo who was staring after him, looking bewildered at the slight outburst Da On just had.
The conversation earlier left Da On in a whirlwind. When he ended things with Tae Kyung, he thought he’ll be genuinely find if catches Tae Kyung moving on or at least be okay but seeing how Shin Woo was able to easily replace him, it stings .
Is it because of the rumours?
Da On’s mouth set in a hard line as he recalled how Shin Woo easily dismissed everything for a mere rumour. It took just a rumour for everyone to treat him differently. Not just the students but even the teachers, reminding him how important it is for him to stay in line and a minor misstep would lead to a domino effect of something major.
While it was easy to justify his reaction to the said rumours, Shin Woo’s words couldn’t help but continue to circle around in his mind for the rest of the day. Even as he was back in the student council room, retrieving his things from his locker, those words echoed louder with the familiar umbrella in his hand. The umbrella that he loaned Tae Kyung a couple weeks ago which led to a miscommunication between them regarding his relationship with So Hee.
Was that really just a few weeks ago?
Even the encouraging and reassuring words from Namgung did nothing to ease his guilt. Turning back to his locker, Tae Kyung’s study notes peeked from behind his files. And he knows exactly what to do. He reached out for the notebook and his pencil case and began work.
Sometimes, knowing exactly what to do does not equate to it being the right thing to do. And it seems that was exactly the case, with the way Tae Kyung was staring at him, clearly baffled. However Da On just couldn’t bring it upon himself to properly explain himself to Tae Kyung. He hoped that the gesture was enough of a temporary peace offering.
But when has whatever Da On ever done enough?
“I don’t need it,” Tae Kyung said returning back the notebook, eyes avoiding Da On’s crestfallen look. Once the notebook was out of his hand, Tae Kyung walked away without another word, leaving Da On behind.
Da On stared at the notebook in his hand, beating himself up for not being able to be upfront with Tae Kyung. He could just explain the pressure he was facing, how trapped he felt throughout the entire ordeal and that would be enough for Tae Kyung because Tae Kyung understood.
“Fine, go stay by his side,” Da On found himself saying, staring at Shin Woo straight in the eyes, “Please do that for me Shin Woo.”
“If I go now, I won’t give him up for you,” Shin Woo warned, eyes carefully scrutinising for any negative reaction from the former, “should I still go?”
Despite everything in him is screaming no, Da On nodded his head. And that was enough for Shin Woo. Enough for him to run after Tae Kyung, doing what Da On was suppose to have done. And if Da On knows Tae Kyung like he thinks he do, Tae Kyung would want him to run after him.
But that wasn’t what Tae Kyung needs. Da On isn’t what Tae Kyung needs. At least not right now.