Chapter Forty-nine (1/2)

Months pass by, making it the second week of October.  The school gathered around once more for another graduation season.  The school was lively and strong.  Woozi looked around until he saw that silver robe coming into view.  He walked up to the familiar male and put his arms around him. "Yeosang,"  He breathed in and out, "you look so handsome."  He said, putting his face in the taller's neck. "I'm finally going to be able to see you each day."  He stroked Woozi's hair.  "I love you." Woozi laughed and pulled back, teasingly punching Yeosang's chest.  "Maybe you'll be mine in that school too.."  He said, holding Yeosang's hands as he guides him to a quieter part of the campus.

Their spot was outside the art building where they could hide behind a big tree.  The male put his hands in Woozi's jacket, letting it fall behind the shorter.  Woozi moaned when they relaxed on the ground, letting the other touch him wherever he pleased, and letting Yeosang's lips go everywhere they wanted to go.

"Yeosang.."  He whispered, pulling the younger closer.  "I want you."

Yeosang's eyes pin on Woozi.  He aggressively opened Woozi's shirt, leaning in to mark the boy again.  It was painful, definitely.  But Woozi loved it.  Woozi loved being marked all over the place by his lover.  "I'm just not ready.."  Yeosang pulled back slowly, letting the blood drip from his lip.

"But.." "I know.. we get so close and I chicken out."  Yeosang sat back and sighed, putting his head down.

Woozi lifted his chin and wiped the blood before it got on his silver robe.  "What's making you hesitant?"  Woozi asked.  "I want us to be one, Yeosang.  I want us to be official."  He held the boy's hand. "I do too.. I just.."  He held his forehead.

Woozi stood up and looked down at Yeosang.  "You're afraid of commitment, aren't you?"  He asked angrily.  "You just think I'm using you and I'll toss you to the side when I'm done with you, is that it?"  He folded his arms. "No, I-" "You're afraid I'll be like your late mother!  Admit it!"  Woozi shouted.  "You don't love me."  He grumbled and started walking away.

Yeosang got up and held Woozi's hand.  "No, of course not."  He said. Woozi stole his hand back.  "You just want your crow to come out, that's all.  You want to please it just enough but won't ever get further than that."  He clenched his fists. "Or do you just want to have sex?"  Yeosang bit back.

Woozi huffed.  "You know?  At first, it really was like that."  He held his hips.  "But I got too attached to you, huh?"  Yeosang starred in anger as Woozi started walking away again.  "It's not like that, Woozi.  I love you."  He tried once more.

"Yeah?  Well why don't you give that love to your mother instead."  Woozi turned a bit.  "Because I don't want it anymore."  He picked his jacket up and left the younger.

Yeosang stared at the fading male bitterly.  He tore his cap off before his gown.  He wiped the tears from his eyes and fell on his butt, bringing his knees to his chest.  "Woozi.. how..?"  He stuffed his face in his knees while shaking.

Meanwhile, Jeonghan sees his troops line up the row.  Joshua invited Jaemin this time around to see Mingyu graduate.  Wonwoo wasn't anywhere to be found.  Woozi was also not there.  He frowned and looked for the other children as well.  He saw Seokmin chatting with another boy before the boy went away.  Fondness was in the boy's eyes. He pouted his lip as the principal came out to introduce the school.  He looked at his pamphlet to see all of the names.  He hummed and saw Mingyu's name.  He smiled and looked up at the stage.

When it came time for the emerald robes, Mingyu stepped up fourth in the group.  "Next is Kim Mingyu.  Currently the tallest in his class, his emerald robe shows the brave things he's done in his time at the school.  The gold sachse represents the bright deeds he will do in the future.  His gold tassel represents the honor he has given to the school."  The principal explained. Mingyu bowed and took his certificate.  He looked at the audience who was clapping.  He saw Wonwoo in the distance with a girl he knows to be Nana.  He smiled and cleared his throat inaudibly.  "Hello, I'm Mingyu.  I have learned a lot in my few years of being here, and I hope to learn more in the future.  I love cooking but I also like spy movies where the characters watch rooms and buildings to make sure everything is secure.  I want to make sure people in the future are secure too. "Please do cheer me on, whichever path I choose."  He bowed, going to the other emerald robes while the audience claps.

*** A couple weeks passed by and Wonwoo was invited to go to Nana's house for dinner.  He informed Jeonghan that he would be out late and not to worry about him, but he should have guessed he would get texted every five minutes.  Wonwoo put his phone in his pocket as he entered the girl's house. He took his shoes off and looked around the small entryway.  The house itself is relatively small.  Being that he comes from a house with thirteen people, the size just for three people is totally different.  Walking to the sitting room, he sees pictures of who he suspects is Nana's mother.  "She's really pretty,"  Wonwoo commented, "I see where you got the bangs."  He motioned to his straight-down bangs. Nana blushed a bit.  She then turned to the opening door to the kitchen.  An older man came out.  Wonwoo automatically bowed to the man.  "Good evening, Sir."  He said. He smiled.  "Nana, won't you go help Meiqi with her homework?"  He suggested. She nodded and went up the stairs, leaving the men to talk to each other.  "Nana isn't the greatest when it comes to cooking with me."  He laughed.  "She either likes to do all of the work herself, or none at all."  He guided Wonwoo into the kitchen.

"I never introduced myself,"  Wonwoo realized, "I'm Jeon Wonwoo."  He said. "I'm Yang Taiyang."  He laughed.  "My mother named me after the sun."  He opened the oven.

Wonwoo smiled and looked around.  "What can I help with, Sir?"  He asked, watching Taiyang open the fridge. "You good at making stew?"  He asked, turning back to Wonwoo. "I am."  He washed his hands before looking around for a pot.

Taiyang watched Wonwoo cut up the vegetables he took out.  "Carrots can sometimes be stiff,"  Taiyang said, "you have to harvest them on time before they become too stiff.  Otherwise, they will grow flowers and drop more carrot seeds."  He said, stir-frying some beef. "Carrots are full of nutrition, and lots of sugar."  Wonwoo chuckled.  "Looking at the ones that come from the ground rather than a can or pre sliced, you wouldn't think they would have so much to offer.  They look bland and unamusing."  He said, putting the chopped carrots to the side and picking up a leek. Taiyang chuckled in amusement.  "You never know what a food tastes like until you give it a chance."  He said, putting the beef in the water where Wonwoo put the carrots.

"Nana has always been a mystery to me."  Wonwoo said.  "She just sits at her table and reads her book.  She doesn't glare at the loud kids or give anyone any trouble.  But she's like me, antisocial."  He said, scrubbing the chopping board.  "But when I got to know her, she turned out to be the opposite, just like the carrot."

Taiyang smiled and patted Wonwoo's shoulder.  "What made you so interested in her?"  He asked. "I'm not for sure, Sir.. something just kept drawing me nearer and nearer to her until the universe had it that we were in the same study room."  Wonwoo was honest.  "And with your permission, I would like to court her, Sir."

Taiyang chuckled and stirred the stew.  "Court.. such an old-fashioned way of saying date."  He said. "Dating is different.  Dating is just seeing how well you click.  Courting is trying to show your best in the hopes of marriage."  Wonwoo schooled. "What a wise way of putting it."  The man smiled.  "For my Nana to open up to someone, I was sure that you would be good.  But now I know you'll be perfect for her.  I allow it."