Work Text:
Woobin’s world shifts on a Thursday afternoon.
“We just don't have time for each other,” Wonjin says quietly.
Woobin's heart sinks, but he knows it’s true. They've both been shitty boyfriends recently—absorbed in their own school work and potential careers.
“Okay,” Woobin says eventually. “You're right.”
“I'll just… grab my stuff real quick,” Wonjin says.
“Sure. Wait, let me get you a bag.” Woobin grabs two clean paper bags from the kitchen and hands one to Wonjin as he heads for the bathroom.
Woobin grabs Wonjin’s extra clothes from the dresser in his room and carefully refolds them, placing them in the bag. He does a visual sweep of the room and grabs Wonjin’s lotion from the nightstand.
Wonjin is tying his shoes when Woobin meets him by the door. He thanks Woobin and grabs the bag from him.
They stand in silence for a moment, neither really wanting to leave. Finally, Wonjin speaks up.
“Kiss me one last time?”
Woobin has never been good at saying no to Wonjin.
Wonjin leaves. Woobin lingers by the door and sees the clouds move in, blocking the sun.
Serim calls Woobin the next day after his morning class.
“Why didn't you tell me you and Wonjin broke up?” Serim says instead of hello.
“I—it’s only been 18 hours. I didn't… I don't know.”
“Woobin…” Serim says, sympathetic and soft. “I'm coming over.”
“I'm not home yet,” Woobin admits sheepishly. He's still walking to the bus stop.
“What? You actually went to your 8am?”
“Didn't want to stay home. It's too quiet.”
There's some muffled talking. (To Allen, Woobin assumes. “I don't know, just get snacks”).
“Okay, I'm picking you up. In front of the music building, I'm assuming?”
Later, Serim takes Woobin’s phone (“do Not text him!”) and Allen reminds everyone of midterms coming up. Serim glares at him, but Woobin just feels grateful for the distraction.
“You're right, we need to be studying. And I need to submit my translations for my senior recital or I won't graduate.”
They study and work late into the night, rain falling steadily on the roof.
They pass midterms. Woobin's senior recital comes and he finds himself searching the recital hall for Wonjin. He celebrates with everyone, and cries on the way home after karaoke.
Soon enough they are graduating, and Woobin holds his breath when he sees Wonjin cross the stage for his diploma.
The crisp air is Woobin’s favorite part of fall time. It feels clean, somehow. But today the clouds block the sun making it extra cold as he walks to the bookstore. Chanhee is also working today and he always makes things interesting.
Woobin respects Chanhee in a lot of ways. He was a great mentor and vocal practice partner in college, and even landed him the job at the bookstore.
They work the afternoon in relative quiet, each of them humming along to the music occasionally. Chanhee’s shift ends at the same time Woobin has his break, so they head to the break room together.
His phone buzzes, and the instagram notification tilts the world a little sideways.
jun9mok00 requested to follow you.
“What the hell,” Woobin mutters under his breath.
“What’s the matter?” Chanhee asks.
Woobin sighs. He respects Chanhee a lot, but he's also nosy as hell.
Woobin turns the phone screen to him. Chanhee grabs Woobin’s phone and starts tapping away.
“Hmm.. Koo Jungmo. Not a lot of followers. Cringey bio. Very handsome, though! Not your type? Or is he your ex?”
“No, he’s with my ex.”
Chanhee hands Woobin’s phone back and frowns.
“With your ex? Like, they’re dating?”
Woobin just shrugs. Chanhee pushes forward.
“You don't know?”
“I try not to think about it,” Woobin says, pocketing his phone and walking away. “My break’s over.”
Woobin knows a few things about Jungmo. Wonjin met him in their last semester of senior year in some random class they both put off taking, and they hit it off immediately. Wonjin described them as “platonic soulmates” and, despite Allen's gentle skepticism, Woobin trusted that it never went beyond friendship. After graduation, Wonjin moved in with Jungmo and now he appears in Wonjin’s posts all the time. They go out to eat katsu a lot. Must be Jungmo’s favorite.
On the walk home, it starts raining.
Jungmo and Wonjin become Chanhee's favorite topic at work. Woobin knows Chanhee will figure out all the details eventually from his incomprehensible gossip circles, so Woobin chooses to save time and tells him everything.
“You're not asking for advice, but you clearly need it. Talk to him,” Chanhee says once Woobin is done with the story.
Woobin brushes the rest of the conversation off, but when he gets home it lingers. If he's going to talk to Wonjin, it needs to be in person, and it needs to be somewhere Wonjin can't run away from. He calls Hyeongjun.
“Can you get Wonjin’s address for me?”
“Yeah, I can ask around. But are you sure you want it?” Hyeongjun asks.
“I'm sure.” Woobin says. And he is.
Woobin finds himself down the street from Wonjin's place a week earlier than planned, but he can't stop now. He's come all this way, and doesn't want to live with these regrets.
He loved Wonjin. Why did they even break up? Because they didn't have time? They didn't even try to fix anything. They gave it up so easily.
Chanhee's words ring in his mind. “What are you waiting for? Go tell him you still love him. What's the worst that could happen, he outright rejects you? What do you have to lose that you haven't already lost?”
Tell him I still love him? Woobin realizes it's true. He never stopped loving Wonjin. He counts the steps as he approaches the door. Fourteen.
The door opens just as he's about to knock, and there's Wonjin. Stunning in a plain brown hoodie, holding a trashbag, with his other hand on the door handle.
Wonjin looks at him in awe, like he can't believe Woobin is here.
“Hi,” Woobin says. His heart is pounding and the words start tumbling out of his mouth.
“I know this is weird coming over unannounced, and I’m probably interrupting something, but I just couldn't hold back anymore. I love you. I just needed to say it to you one last time. I know it's been months and you're with Jungmo now, and I'll leave you alone if you want, but I have to know if you're happy.”
Wonjin sets down the trashbag, and steps out onto the porch, closing the door. His eyes never leave Woobin.
“I just want you to be happy.” Woobin takes a shaky breath. “Are you happy?”
Wonjin grabs Woobin's hands.
“You are so beautiful,” Wonjin says, and Woobin can't move, even as Wonjin leans closer.
“Will you ever forgive me?” Wonjin whispers.
“For what?” Woobin manages, and they’re so close now he can feel Wonjin's breath on his lips.
“This,” and Wonjin closes the gap between them.
Woobin's world goes from molasses drip to raging wild fire in an instant. He can feel Wonjin's hand move to cradle the back of his head, and feels his own feet step closer to Wonjin, though there isn't room. He's missed this.
Wonjin pulls back, and Woobin vaguely registers the sound of footsteps behind him.
“Hey Minhee,” Wonjin says. “Jungmo's upstairs.”
Jungmo. Oh no. Woobin just kissed Jungmo's boyfriend.
Minhee lets himself into the house, and Woobin has to put a hand on Wonjin's chest to keep him from leaning in again.
“We should talk.”
Wonjin sighs and nods. He ushers Woobin inside, but leaves to throw the trash away saying he'll “be right back!”
Woobin is grateful for the moment to gather his thoughts after being fully scrambled on the porch.
He looks around at the home Wonjin and Jungmo have made for themselves and smiles. There are cheaply printed photos everywhere. Most are of Wonjin or Jungmo, occasionally both of them together, but a few are of Jungmo and the guy from earlier - Minhee.
As he continues to look, Woobin is suddenly met with his own face. A candid photo of Woobin in the practice room from junior year. Photos of him and Wonjin together at their favorite cafe, a picnic, them napping together on a couch in the arts building. Then, a sneaky photo from Woobin's senior recital and another of him walking the stage at graduation.
The door opens, and Woobin can only stare at the photos.
“Ah. A trip down memory lane,” Wonjin says quietly, pointing to the picnic. Woobin holds the photo from his senior recital.
“You came? I had no idea..”
Wonjin nods. “Will you ever forgive me?” He says again. “I never should have broken up with you. After graduation I was scared I'd never see you again.”
Woobin puts the photo back and looks at Wonjin. Wonjin is already looking, and Woobin feels vulnerable, like Wonjin can see right through him.
“I'd like to try again, if you'll have me,” Wonjin says.
“What about Jungmo?” Woobin asks.
At that moment, Jungmo and Minhee come down the stairs.
“We're heading out!” Jungmo says. “I'll probably stay the night at Minhee's, so don't wait up."
Minhee grabs Jungmo’s hand and pulls him out the door impatiently.
"Text if you need anything!" Jungmo says just before the door closes.
Wonjin starts laughing and Woobin feels warm, like the sun has finally come out.
“What about Jungmo?” Wonjin says through his laughter. “I think he's going to get laid tonight!”
“You're not dating?” Woobin asks. Wonjin's infectious laughter causes Woobin to start laughing, too, albeit slightly confused.
“No,” Wonjin says, and motions for Woobin to follow him to the couch. “We've never dated. Lune moved out after graduation and Jungmo just needed a new roommate. Honestly, once he realizes it was you here, he'll be ecstatic. He's had to listen to me cry and wax poetic about you nonstop, even before I moved in.”
“You know how to wax poetic?” Woobin teases, gaining a bit of confidence.
“Well, it's pretty easy when you have a good muse," Wonjin admits shyly.
“So,” Woobin says, grabbing Wonjin's hand. “You want to pick up where we left off?”
“No," Wonjin says resolutely. "I want to try again, but be better this time. I want to work together when things get hard instead of running away.”
Woobin smiles.
“We've got a lot to catch up on.”
The next morning, Wonjin has two missed calls from Jungmo, and a text reading “WAIT THAT WAS WOOBIN WASNT IT!!!”
“I guess I have to finally meet Jungmo,” Woobin says, and Wonjin just laughs and laughs.