suzywoo - 9/10
Title: Fight fire with fire
Author: kanintallrik
Pairing: Wooyoung x Suzy, (onesided Suzy x Minho)
Rating: pg-13
Genre: highschool!au
Summary: For Suzy, winning the school dance competition marks the start of her new, amazing life. It doesn't really end up that way, but it's pretty okay anyway. Suzy's doing her best to socialize with her peers, but they can't quite offer her what Wooyoung can...
She sees Junho nudging Wooyoung when entering the cafeteria; Wooyoung looks up, and then turns back to his food with a shrug. Chansung sends Suzy a long stare, but soon tires when she won’t meet his eyes and returns to his food as well. Suzy sighs heavily, takes her tray and heads for an empty table in the far corner, when someone calls her name.
“Suzy!”
She whips around, and sees Jia waving vigorously at her a few tables away. Suzy hesitates shortly; there are two other girls at Jia’s table, but she soon takes a deep breath and heads over.
“Hi, Suzy!” Jia beams, and pats the seat next to her. “How are ya?”
“Good.” Suzy smiles and sinks down in the offered chair. “Hungry.”
“This is Min.” Jia points to the girl across from Suzy, who recognizes her from her parallel class. Min nods towards her and offers slanted grin.
“And this is Fei-Fei-Fei.” Jia continues and points at the third girl who gives Jia a stern glare.
“You can just call me Fei.” She tells Suzy, and shoots her a friendly smile.
“Ah, you were in the dance competition, weren’t you?”
Fei nods, but not without a grimace. “Yeah, with Taecyeon-oppa. I’d rather not think about it though, we messed up pretty bad.”
“I’m sorry.” Suzy says politely. “I didn’t see your performance.” She’s not all fond of the areas this conversation borders, and tries to change the subject. “You know Taecyeon… eh, Taecyeon-oppa well?”
“Through osmosis.” Fei says with a short laughter. “With Jia and Junho around, there has been some inevitable fraternization. And when none of us had a partner for the competition, it seemed kind of natural…”
Suzy nods and takes a bite of her food, but Fei still eyes her thoughtfully. “Though I never expected you and Wooyoung to grow so close…” she says with an ambiguous little smile.
Suzy almost chokes on her rice. “Well, waddya know…” she manages vaguely.
Suzy likes Jia, actually really likes Jia. Her quirkiness lets Suzy relax; no matter what she does, with Jia around she still won’t be the odd one out. But despite being an airhead, she caring and (Suzy realizes one recess when they hang out at the dance studios,) really serious about dancing. When the music starts she’s sharp, focused and simply talented.
Fei, although definitely being able to work a few moves, prefers sitting at the side and watch, out of reach of Jias’s flailing limbs. And Suzy likes Fei too; attentive and gentle, almost motherly, and she makes Suzy feel welcomed.
Then there’s Min, who Suzy first can’t seem to approach. Then she realizes that it’s probably because they’re actually really similar; a bit sharp-edged and awkward, things coming out wrong and harsh at first, but Min soon reveals to possess a weird sense of humor that Suzy finds quite liberating. And her dancing is just the same; either fierce to the point where it almost looks over-done, or just exaggerated and absolutely hilarious.
The next Friday she finds Min leaned against the wall outside her classroom after third period, and it takes Suzy a few seconds to realize that she’s waiting for her. She lights up at the sight of Suzy, and cocks her head to the side.
“Lunch?” she asks, and Suzy can only nod, not trusting her voice to keep steady. She briefly wonders why she never knew it was this easy; if you only let your guard down a little.
They have almost finished their meals when Junho tramps up, leaning a hand on their table.
“Um.” He starts lamely, and Jia immediately sets an impish grin at him, which Min and Suzy eagerly mirror. He looks from one to another, slightly unsettled, but continues anyway; “We were thinking of heading to Junsu-hyung’s tonight, and thought we’d invite you.”
Suzy casts a quick look towards the table where his friends are sitting, briefly noting Wooyoung being very interested in something by the opposite side of the hall, but at least Chansung is sending her a friendly grin. She doesn’t have time to return it, however, before Jia squeals in her ear;
“Junsu-hyung?!”
Junho frowns. “He’s not a hyung to you, moron.” He tries, but Jia completely ignores him.
“We’re definitely coming!” she nods vigorously, and tugs at Suzy’s arm. “Right, Suzy?”
Suzy startles briefly, and throws another quick glance in Wooyoung’s general direction. But why should she let him stop her from hanging out with her friends? He can’t monopolize the guys either, after all.
“Yeah, sure.” She nods at Jia, who excitedly turn to Fei and Min. Fei, in turn, sends Junho a questioning glance.
“Uh, I guess you guys could tag along as well…” he offers awkwardly.
“Gee, I feel really welcomed.” Min says dryly, but Jia ignores them both.
“Junsu-hyung’s tonight!” she squeals to nobody in particular.
Junho winces tiredly. “He’s not a hyung to you, I said!”
-
Suzy doesn’t know what to wear. She hasn’t been to anything like this in… well, ever, and it’s a delicate matter, she understands.
Casual, casual, casual, she repeats to herself while digging through the closet. Mustn’t seem like a big deal. Casual, casual, casual.
She finally settles on jeans and a pink pullover, puts her hair in a loose ponytail and then entertains herself with applying a subtle eye makeup.
Still, she can’t say she isn’t nervous, and isn’t that ironic; going up on a stage to dance in front of a large crowd of people? No problem. Going to someone’s house to hang out with a couple of friends? She can barely breathe. She’s not really worried about not being welcomed or making a fool out of herself, but simply because she doesn’t know what’s going to happen, and what is expected from her. Or it’s just regular nerves, she thinks to herself, wiping her palms on her pants before ringing the doorbell. I know what I’m good at and what I’m not…
“Yayayah, coming, coming…” comes muffled from the other side of the door, which soon swings open.
Junsu-hyung’s got angled brows and a sharp gaze and Suzy is a bit intimidated at first when he eyes her up and down.
“Ah!” he exclaims, and Suzy’s just about to bow and introduce herself when he continues; “It’s the in-law!”
Suzy blinks. “Excuse me?”
“The sis-in-law. The new one.” He explains, although it takes another couple of seconds before she understands what he means, during which his face splits in a grin that can battle Taecyeon’s in greasiness. Suzy finds herself just staring back, manners completely forgotten, until Chansung bounces out from an inner room, munching on a bunch of pretzel sticks. He forcefully squeezes past Junsu in the narrow hallway and promptly greets Suzy with a delighted humming from deep in his throat, chomping down on her shoulder once for good measure.
“Yah, come in.” Junsu finishes casually and disappears inside, simply leaving Suzy on the doorstep with Chansung who offers her a pretzel (but just one, mind you), before he also scurries off into the apartment. Suzy chuckles to herself as she unties her shoes, and decides that this probably won’t be so bad after all.
She passes a small kitchen, from which Taecyeon raises his hand in greeting, and comes into a living room predominantly occupied by a sofa and a big, old TV. Wooyoung sits perched on the farther armrest of the couch, fiddling with his cellphone, and when Junsu, who’s randomly fretting around the room, picking things up and putting them down somewhere else, passes him he gives him a good slap across the back of his head.
“Yah, where are your manners?” He nags, and Wooyoung glares at him and rubs at his scalp before shooting a short look at Suzy.
“Hi.”
Suzy feels something churning in her stomach when their eyes meet, and she frankly wants to walk over and sit next to him, but instead just settles with a Hi of her own and sits down on the other armrest to eat her pretzel.
Junsu disappears out into the kitchen, muttering something along the lines of stupid kids, and for a minute it’s all silent, save from the cracking of pretzel and Junsu’s muffled rantings from the other room. She dares another look, and subconsciously notes that Wooyoung, still equally preoccupied by his phone, looks really good tonight, and she doesn’t even bother being ashamed about the thought. She stretches her neck to catch a glimpse of what he’s doing, and can’t help but to snort out a giggle.
“Tetris? Really?”
He looks up, as if having forgotten she was even there, and gives her a frown without much fervor.
“And here I was thinking you were texting someone…” She twitches slightly as she realizes the area she accidentally wandered into, and closes her eyes and hopes… for what, really? That he’s not going to say anything about it?
“No…” he trails, voice surprisingly soft, and her eyes shoot open. “All I’d text are already here.” His attention is turned back to the game, but only for a minute, before he looks up again. “Well. Junho isn’t here. And mom. Thank god.”
Suzy lets out another snort, and Wooyoung shoots her a slanted grin. He slides down onto the couch seat and pats the cushion by his side. “Come here.”
Suzy tries to ignore that weird kind of excitement whirling up in her chest, and sinks down next to him.
“It’s not the regular old Tetris, y’know.” He drawls with fake indignation and angles the phone so that she can see the screen. She shuffles a little closer and practically puts her head on his shoulder in order to watch as he plays for a little while, explaining the exquisite features and upgrades that take the game to a whole new level. Suzy says nothing, just enjoys the close proximity, but when he has fallen silent and just keeps playing, she spurts, on a whim;
“I’m sorry.”
He glances at her from the corner of his eye. “What for?”
Suzy blinks. “…I’m not sure. I just felt like I should say it.”
His hands fall limply into his lap and he actually turns his head to look at her. She backs away, just slightly, but still leaving nothing but an inch or two between them. He smells of detergent, deodorant, and that… personal smell she’s grown accustomed to over the last couple of months but never actually registered.
“Nice makeup.” He comments, somewhat offhandedly.
“Thanks.”
Then he’s silent, and she watches his lips pursing slightly, and then relaxing again; a nose wing randomly twitching.
“You know.” She says quietly. It’s suddenly silent in the kitchen, silent everywhere, and she feels her own lips pursing and tensing, completely on their own. “You could kiss me. If you want.”
He doesn’t say anything at first, mouth yet again tensing, and a thoughtful frown settles itself between his brows.
“No…” he says then, and something sinks heavily in Suzy’s chest, like a large rock under water. “No, it’s--”
“But when were they gonna-“ Sounds Junsu’s voice suddenly, loud and right by the doorframe, and they fly apart, mostly by reflex. “Oh.” He says, blinking. “Oh, sorry.”, but still makes his way into the room, fretting and reorganizing things some more.
Suzy gets up from the couch, ignores Wooyoung’s call of her name and heads out into the kitchen, blinking away any stray moist at her eyes. Chansung has opened a new package of pretzels, while Taecyeon sits by the small table, nursing a beer can.
“Yo, Suz’.” He says. “How you doing?”
“It’s catching on.” Suzy notes with a slanted grin, and heads up to the sink to wash her hands, mostly to have something to do.
“What’s catching on?”
“Suz’.”
Taecyeon’s mouth forms a small o, before taking another sip of the beer. “Yeah, it’s catchy.”
“We shouldn’t use it.” Chansung says suddenly, and both Taecyeon and Suzy turn to look at him questioningly, but he only has eyes for his snack. “It’s Wooyoung’s thing. We shouldn’t use it.” he clarifies, and nods shortly towards Taec.
“It’s not like he owns it.” Suzy argues with a laugh, (not like he owns me,) but Taecyeon shakes his head.
“Oh no, I can think of something myself.” He purses his lips for a moment, deep in thought. “I’ll call you… Suza-duze.”
Suzy snorts. “Please don’t.”
“Suzy-Luzy?”
“Just ‘Suzy’ is fine, thanks.”
“Su-Su-Suu?” Taecyeon smiles hopefully and Chansung breaks into a fit of loud cackles.
“Hyung, just shut up.”
The next moment the doorbell rings, and Junsu, under constant ramblings, makes his way into the hallway.
“Ah, Junho-yah.” He says soon.
“Junsu-hyung!” sounds Jia’s excited voice, drowning a vague mutter from Junho.
“Yah, did you have to bring the whole class?” Junsu nags, without much fervor, and then his voice completely changes; “Oh, Fei-Fei. Hello there…”
Taecyeon makes a quiet grimace of disgust and Suzy giggles. Soon Jia emerges from the hallway and peeks into the kitchen.
“Suzy!” she chirps, and dives in for a hug. But then she sees Chansung - and changes entirely. She falls quiet, shrinks back slightly at Suzy’s side and twirls a lock of hair around her finger.
“H-Hello, Chansung…” she trails, letting out a breathy giggle without really daring to look at him, and Suzy can only stare between them. Chansung releases an appreciative snort and reaches out to scratch softly at her head before leaving the kitchen, Jia following closely in tow after a short moment of hesitation. Suzy looks to Taecyeon, but he only shrugs with a lopsided grin.
They share a few pizzas (Chansung getting one of his own, as well as happily munching down leftovers hand-fed to him by a blushing Jia) and squeeze down in the sofa to watch a movie.
“Yah, hyung-nim needs a soft seat for his aching back…” Junsu complains loudly, exaggeratedly rubbing at his hip and swiftly claiming the middle seat, before wriggling an eyebrow towards Fei. “Why don’t you sit here with me, Fei-Fei?” he drawls, and pats the seat next to him. Fei sends him a hesitant frown, but is saved when Taec drops down at Junsu’s side with a loud, contented groan.
“Hey, scoot over!” Min demands next, before tumbling down at Junsu’s other side with an even louder, pleasured groan. She squeals shortly as Junho squeezes down next to her, one leg slung over the armrest to fit. Jia gets herself comfortable leaning against Min’s legs, and blinks expectantly up against Chansung until he sinks down beside her on the floor. Fei looks at Suzy and gestures her towards the armchair in the corner, but Suzy only shakes her head, smiling, before casting a quick look around, despite herself, to find Wooyoung. He’s already on the floor next to Chansung, fiddling with the remote, and Suzy takes the spot next to Jia.
They end up not really watching the movie, however, as much as listen to Junsu’s, Wooyoung’s and Min’s weird commentary of it. Afterwards someone digs out an old karaoke-DVD, eliciting an impromptu singing competition which seems to aim to determine not who sings best, but most bizarrely.
It’s around midnight, and Junsu’s in the middle of belting out an old pop-song, Min aiding him with an improvised melody of her own, when Taecyeon reminds Chansung that they have football practice tomorrow morning and should really be getting home. Jia jumps up as well, explaining to nobody in particular that she might as well be on her way as well and that they can walk together to the bus stop, and wouldn’t Min also follow them, cause that’d be really neat…
Min bows shortly towards Junsu for the good match before she’s pulled away by Jia and he turns yet again to Fei. “Yah, Fei, you can always crash here if you want. It’s late and all…” he offers, wriggling his eyebrows. Fei knits her brows together and informs him that she’s probably just gonna tag along with the others.
“I’d love to crash.” Junho cuts in, sprawled on the couch. “It’s so far to my place…”
Junsu smacks his lips. “The offer doesn’t apply to you.” He says dryly, and Junho sends him a dirty look.
“Bye, guys!” sounds Jia’s voice from the hallway. “Bye Junsu-hyung, thanks for the beer!”
“You’re doing it on purpose, aren’t you?” Junho calls after her, frowning from his place on the couch.
“Thanks for the beer, Junsu-hyung!” Min imitates, followed by Taec cackling.
“She’s corrupting them!” Junho exclaims, exasperatedly searching for support only to roll his eyes when nobody seems to care. Fei waves to Suzy before also disappearing into the hallway, Junsu in tow.
“Yah, you slobs.” He nags. “Take the pizza boxes down, will ya?”
There is some more chatting and laughing, and then the door slams shut behind them, the apartment suddenly going strangely quiet. Suzy slouches slightly in her spot at the floor, feeling stupid. It ends, it always ends, and Suzy has to go home and be alone again. And despite knowing that, that it always ends, it always strikes her so depressing. She startles slightly as Wooyoung comes up, almost from behind, and sinks down at her side.
“Hey.”
“Hey…” Suzy grants him, and earns an elbow in the ribs in response.
“You want me to walk you home?”
She shoots him a look and bites her lip; god, she does want him to. “It’s far.” She reminds him, but he only shrugs.
“It’s okay, I’ve got my bike.”
“Good for you.” Suzy says dryly and quirks a brow, but can’t stop the corner of her mouth from tugging up.
“I mean.” Wooyoung says, equally dry. “I can give you a ride.”
“…Deal.”
He gets to his feet and she extends a hand, waving it around until he grabs it and pulls her up. They hands linger touching for a moment, but then Junsu comes back into the room and they separate, although Suzy isn’t sure who pulls away first. Wooyoung thoughtfully eyes Junho for a moment, before promptly deciding he’s on his own, and they bid their goodbyes and leave.
The night air is whipped cold and stinging against Suzy’s face as Wooyoung speeds down the street, and she buries her face in his jacket, gripping tightly at the material. He’s soon panting slightly, and when they reach the slope of a hill, Suzy jumps off to walk beside him.
“Am I heavy?”
“It’s okay…” he manages, also getting off to walk. “I have… good stamina.”
Suzy grins and they trudge on in silence, until they get to the top and Wooyoung straddles the bike once more.
“Hop on.”
They come to a halt with a screech right outside the entrance of the apartment building, and Suzy gets off slowly, not really knowing what to say. She trails up to lean against the door, halfheartedly digging for the keys in her bag. When she finds them, and can’t stall it anymore, she finally looks up and startles slightly at the all too bright smile on Wooyoung’s face.
“Aren’t you gonna ask if I wanna come up?”
“I--.” Suzy blinks. “Do you?”
The smile softens slightly, and he cocks his head to the side. “Yeah.”
Then she thinks of the state of the apartment and almost regrets the offer, but when they lean on opposite walls in the elevator and she briefly meets his gaze over the confined space, she realizes that it doesn’t matter; none of that matters. He looks into her eyes and smiles the soft smile again, but says nothing.
The umbrellas haven’t moved a single inch. Actually, nothing seems to have been touched since his last visit. Suzy dumps her bag on a random chair and disappears into the kitchen, while Wooyoung carefully hangs his jacket on a hook and trails after to lean against the doorframe. He watches Suzy bending over the sink and drinking right from the tap.
“It’s your turn.” He says suddenly, causing Suzy to startle. She shuts the water off and wipes at her mouth with her sleeve. “…Is what I meant to say earlier.”
“What is?”
He only snorts and cocks his head to the side, suddenly finding a spot on the wall infinitely interesting. Suzy blinks; once, twice, before she promptly walks up to him, grabs his face with both hands and smashes their mouths together.
He stumbles and their bodies arch, strangely synched, before his hands find her waist and they steady against the doorframe. She exhales, somewhat heavily, before easing up on the pressure and pulling back just slightly to take his upper lip between her own. Wooyoung keenly reciprocates.
Some time later, when Suzy’s face is comfortably nestled in the crook of Wooyoung’s neck, his eyes roam over the generous collection of junk in the adjacent room, and he inhales heavily.
“Where is your mother, Suzy.”
She jumps slightly in his arms. It’s not really a question, and certainly not one you can brush off with an excuse like crappy hours.
“She’s not here.” Suzy says truthfully after a while, hot breath dancing over his skin.
“It’s her stuff, isn’t it?” Wooyoung probes further, and Suzy startles again. Why must he be so damned intuitive? She can’t think of anything to say, and he doesn’t break the silence, and soon she grimaces as she feels her eyes watering.
“I hate this place.” She admits finally, voice low and tight.
“…Then why don’t you make it likeable?”
Suzy frowns and untangles herself from his embrace. “It’s not that easy.”
Wooyoung’s eyes are attentive and warm, but at the same time challenging. “It’s not that hard either.” He softly pushes her aside and walks into the living room, halfway down the empty little corridor before stopping and taking a good look around.
“We could dance in here!” he exclaims, and smiles excitedly towards Suzy. “If we could get all the stuff out.”
Suzy blinks. “Yeah, I guess…” she trails, but Wooyoung’s not really listening. He saunters up to the nearest pile, carefully looks around for a short while before sticking his arm far into the depths of the jumble and producing an old candleholder in lathed wood.
“This one’s neat.” He says, scrutinizing and stroking the smooth surface, before shifting his gaze to Suzy. “Can I have it?”
Suzy snorts. “What?”
“I’m serious.” Wooyoung presses, eyes glimmering with something dark that somewhat contradict his statement. “It’ll look great in my room. Can I?”
Suzy eyes the object; she can’t really remember having seen it before and certainly won’t miss it, but she still feels that anxiety at the thought of it not being there anymore. But then again - it’s a fucking candleholder. Suzy doesn’t even own a candle.
“Sure.” She says with an uneasy shrug, and Wooyoung lights up.
“Thanks.” He says, and leans in to steal another peck (grinning at her instinctive grimace) before heading to the hallway to wear his jacket. He jabs the artifact in his pocket, half of it sticking out awkwardly, and gives it a little pat. “I’ll take good care of it.”
Then he leaves and Suzy finds herself standing in her living room at one thirty in the morning, absentmindedly studying the heaps of clutter that’s been weighing on her mind for so long.
-
Wooyoung has just made it up the driveway when he sees that the kitchen lights are still on. Shit.
He swiftly fishes his cellphone from his jean pocket; dead. Double shit.
His mother watches him through narrowed eyes, leaned against the kitchen doorframe as he unties his shoes. She dryly smacks her lips and exhales heavily through her nose with a small whistle that Wooyoung realizes really isn’t the time to laugh at. He takes great care putting the shoes away, neatly sticking the laces inside them so they won’t tangle, before collecting his courage and raising his gaze.
There is a long, chilly pause, before; “Do you have any idea what time it is?”
“Ten past two?” Wooyoung guesses with a hopeful smile, but earns nothing but another glare.
“You know, when you move out I won’t care whatever ditch you’re decked out in, but as long as you live under my roof…” She trails off unexpectedly, gaze having fallen down to Wooyoung’s hip. “…Is that a… chandelier?”
Wooyoung’s hand instinctively fly down to cover the object in question, before he catches himself and pulls it out from the pocket. “Yeah, I…” he starts awkwardly, not sure what to say, and finally just opts for holding it up on display.
His mother takes a few steps forward, head tilted in a way that makes Wooyoung shrink back against the wall. “…Are you high?”
“No, ma’am.” Wooyoung assures, frantically shaking his head.
She leans back with her arms crossed over her chest and eyes him suspiciously over the bridge of her nose. After the better part of a minute, she steps back and points with her whole arm towards the staircase. “Go to bed.”
Wooyoung hurriedly makes it up the steps, not daring to look back.
Authors note: ONE CHAPTER LEFT NOW GUISE. I can't believe it's already over. ;___; And Chansung/Jia is totally legit, js. XD
Author: kanintallrik
Pairing: Wooyoung x Suzy, (onesided Suzy x Minho)
Rating: pg-13
Genre: highschool!au
Summary: For Suzy, winning the school dance competition marks the start of her new, amazing life. It doesn't really end up that way, but it's pretty okay anyway. Suzy's doing her best to socialize with her peers, but they can't quite offer her what Wooyoung can...
She sees Junho nudging Wooyoung when entering the cafeteria; Wooyoung looks up, and then turns back to his food with a shrug. Chansung sends Suzy a long stare, but soon tires when she won’t meet his eyes and returns to his food as well. Suzy sighs heavily, takes her tray and heads for an empty table in the far corner, when someone calls her name.
“Suzy!”
She whips around, and sees Jia waving vigorously at her a few tables away. Suzy hesitates shortly; there are two other girls at Jia’s table, but she soon takes a deep breath and heads over.
“Hi, Suzy!” Jia beams, and pats the seat next to her. “How are ya?”
“Good.” Suzy smiles and sinks down in the offered chair. “Hungry.”
“This is Min.” Jia points to the girl across from Suzy, who recognizes her from her parallel class. Min nods towards her and offers slanted grin.
“And this is Fei-Fei-Fei.” Jia continues and points at the third girl who gives Jia a stern glare.
“You can just call me Fei.” She tells Suzy, and shoots her a friendly smile.
“Ah, you were in the dance competition, weren’t you?”
Fei nods, but not without a grimace. “Yeah, with Taecyeon-oppa. I’d rather not think about it though, we messed up pretty bad.”
“I’m sorry.” Suzy says politely. “I didn’t see your performance.” She’s not all fond of the areas this conversation borders, and tries to change the subject. “You know Taecyeon… eh, Taecyeon-oppa well?”
“Through osmosis.” Fei says with a short laughter. “With Jia and Junho around, there has been some inevitable fraternization. And when none of us had a partner for the competition, it seemed kind of natural…”
Suzy nods and takes a bite of her food, but Fei still eyes her thoughtfully. “Though I never expected you and Wooyoung to grow so close…” she says with an ambiguous little smile.
Suzy almost chokes on her rice. “Well, waddya know…” she manages vaguely.
Suzy likes Jia, actually really likes Jia. Her quirkiness lets Suzy relax; no matter what she does, with Jia around she still won’t be the odd one out. But despite being an airhead, she caring and (Suzy realizes one recess when they hang out at the dance studios,) really serious about dancing. When the music starts she’s sharp, focused and simply talented.
Fei, although definitely being able to work a few moves, prefers sitting at the side and watch, out of reach of Jias’s flailing limbs. And Suzy likes Fei too; attentive and gentle, almost motherly, and she makes Suzy feel welcomed.
Then there’s Min, who Suzy first can’t seem to approach. Then she realizes that it’s probably because they’re actually really similar; a bit sharp-edged and awkward, things coming out wrong and harsh at first, but Min soon reveals to possess a weird sense of humor that Suzy finds quite liberating. And her dancing is just the same; either fierce to the point where it almost looks over-done, or just exaggerated and absolutely hilarious.
The next Friday she finds Min leaned against the wall outside her classroom after third period, and it takes Suzy a few seconds to realize that she’s waiting for her. She lights up at the sight of Suzy, and cocks her head to the side.
“Lunch?” she asks, and Suzy can only nod, not trusting her voice to keep steady. She briefly wonders why she never knew it was this easy; if you only let your guard down a little.
They have almost finished their meals when Junho tramps up, leaning a hand on their table.
“Um.” He starts lamely, and Jia immediately sets an impish grin at him, which Min and Suzy eagerly mirror. He looks from one to another, slightly unsettled, but continues anyway; “We were thinking of heading to Junsu-hyung’s tonight, and thought we’d invite you.”
Suzy casts a quick look towards the table where his friends are sitting, briefly noting Wooyoung being very interested in something by the opposite side of the hall, but at least Chansung is sending her a friendly grin. She doesn’t have time to return it, however, before Jia squeals in her ear;
“Junsu-hyung?!”
Junho frowns. “He’s not a hyung to you, moron.” He tries, but Jia completely ignores him.
“We’re definitely coming!” she nods vigorously, and tugs at Suzy’s arm. “Right, Suzy?”
Suzy startles briefly, and throws another quick glance in Wooyoung’s general direction. But why should she let him stop her from hanging out with her friends? He can’t monopolize the guys either, after all.
“Yeah, sure.” She nods at Jia, who excitedly turn to Fei and Min. Fei, in turn, sends Junho a questioning glance.
“Uh, I guess you guys could tag along as well…” he offers awkwardly.
“Gee, I feel really welcomed.” Min says dryly, but Jia ignores them both.
“Junsu-hyung’s tonight!” she squeals to nobody in particular.
Junho winces tiredly. “He’s not a hyung to you, I said!”
-
Suzy doesn’t know what to wear. She hasn’t been to anything like this in… well, ever, and it’s a delicate matter, she understands.
Casual, casual, casual, she repeats to herself while digging through the closet. Mustn’t seem like a big deal. Casual, casual, casual.
She finally settles on jeans and a pink pullover, puts her hair in a loose ponytail and then entertains herself with applying a subtle eye makeup.
Still, she can’t say she isn’t nervous, and isn’t that ironic; going up on a stage to dance in front of a large crowd of people? No problem. Going to someone’s house to hang out with a couple of friends? She can barely breathe. She’s not really worried about not being welcomed or making a fool out of herself, but simply because she doesn’t know what’s going to happen, and what is expected from her. Or it’s just regular nerves, she thinks to herself, wiping her palms on her pants before ringing the doorbell. I know what I’m good at and what I’m not…
“Yayayah, coming, coming…” comes muffled from the other side of the door, which soon swings open.
Junsu-hyung’s got angled brows and a sharp gaze and Suzy is a bit intimidated at first when he eyes her up and down.
“Ah!” he exclaims, and Suzy’s just about to bow and introduce herself when he continues; “It’s the in-law!”
Suzy blinks. “Excuse me?”
“The sis-in-law. The new one.” He explains, although it takes another couple of seconds before she understands what he means, during which his face splits in a grin that can battle Taecyeon’s in greasiness. Suzy finds herself just staring back, manners completely forgotten, until Chansung bounces out from an inner room, munching on a bunch of pretzel sticks. He forcefully squeezes past Junsu in the narrow hallway and promptly greets Suzy with a delighted humming from deep in his throat, chomping down on her shoulder once for good measure.
“Yah, come in.” Junsu finishes casually and disappears inside, simply leaving Suzy on the doorstep with Chansung who offers her a pretzel (but just one, mind you), before he also scurries off into the apartment. Suzy chuckles to herself as she unties her shoes, and decides that this probably won’t be so bad after all.
She passes a small kitchen, from which Taecyeon raises his hand in greeting, and comes into a living room predominantly occupied by a sofa and a big, old TV. Wooyoung sits perched on the farther armrest of the couch, fiddling with his cellphone, and when Junsu, who’s randomly fretting around the room, picking things up and putting them down somewhere else, passes him he gives him a good slap across the back of his head.
“Yah, where are your manners?” He nags, and Wooyoung glares at him and rubs at his scalp before shooting a short look at Suzy.
“Hi.”
Suzy feels something churning in her stomach when their eyes meet, and she frankly wants to walk over and sit next to him, but instead just settles with a Hi of her own and sits down on the other armrest to eat her pretzel.
Junsu disappears out into the kitchen, muttering something along the lines of stupid kids, and for a minute it’s all silent, save from the cracking of pretzel and Junsu’s muffled rantings from the other room. She dares another look, and subconsciously notes that Wooyoung, still equally preoccupied by his phone, looks really good tonight, and she doesn’t even bother being ashamed about the thought. She stretches her neck to catch a glimpse of what he’s doing, and can’t help but to snort out a giggle.
“Tetris? Really?”
He looks up, as if having forgotten she was even there, and gives her a frown without much fervor.
“And here I was thinking you were texting someone…” She twitches slightly as she realizes the area she accidentally wandered into, and closes her eyes and hopes… for what, really? That he’s not going to say anything about it?
“No…” he trails, voice surprisingly soft, and her eyes shoot open. “All I’d text are already here.” His attention is turned back to the game, but only for a minute, before he looks up again. “Well. Junho isn’t here. And mom. Thank god.”
Suzy lets out another snort, and Wooyoung shoots her a slanted grin. He slides down onto the couch seat and pats the cushion by his side. “Come here.”
Suzy tries to ignore that weird kind of excitement whirling up in her chest, and sinks down next to him.
“It’s not the regular old Tetris, y’know.” He drawls with fake indignation and angles the phone so that she can see the screen. She shuffles a little closer and practically puts her head on his shoulder in order to watch as he plays for a little while, explaining the exquisite features and upgrades that take the game to a whole new level. Suzy says nothing, just enjoys the close proximity, but when he has fallen silent and just keeps playing, she spurts, on a whim;
“I’m sorry.”
He glances at her from the corner of his eye. “What for?”
Suzy blinks. “…I’m not sure. I just felt like I should say it.”
His hands fall limply into his lap and he actually turns his head to look at her. She backs away, just slightly, but still leaving nothing but an inch or two between them. He smells of detergent, deodorant, and that… personal smell she’s grown accustomed to over the last couple of months but never actually registered.
“Nice makeup.” He comments, somewhat offhandedly.
“Thanks.”
Then he’s silent, and she watches his lips pursing slightly, and then relaxing again; a nose wing randomly twitching.
“You know.” She says quietly. It’s suddenly silent in the kitchen, silent everywhere, and she feels her own lips pursing and tensing, completely on their own. “You could kiss me. If you want.”
He doesn’t say anything at first, mouth yet again tensing, and a thoughtful frown settles itself between his brows.
“No…” he says then, and something sinks heavily in Suzy’s chest, like a large rock under water. “No, it’s--”
“But when were they gonna-“ Sounds Junsu’s voice suddenly, loud and right by the doorframe, and they fly apart, mostly by reflex. “Oh.” He says, blinking. “Oh, sorry.”, but still makes his way into the room, fretting and reorganizing things some more.
Suzy gets up from the couch, ignores Wooyoung’s call of her name and heads out into the kitchen, blinking away any stray moist at her eyes. Chansung has opened a new package of pretzels, while Taecyeon sits by the small table, nursing a beer can.
“Yo, Suz’.” He says. “How you doing?”
“It’s catching on.” Suzy notes with a slanted grin, and heads up to the sink to wash her hands, mostly to have something to do.
“What’s catching on?”
“Suz’.”
Taecyeon’s mouth forms a small o, before taking another sip of the beer. “Yeah, it’s catchy.”
“We shouldn’t use it.” Chansung says suddenly, and both Taecyeon and Suzy turn to look at him questioningly, but he only has eyes for his snack. “It’s Wooyoung’s thing. We shouldn’t use it.” he clarifies, and nods shortly towards Taec.
“It’s not like he owns it.” Suzy argues with a laugh, (not like he owns me,) but Taecyeon shakes his head.
“Oh no, I can think of something myself.” He purses his lips for a moment, deep in thought. “I’ll call you… Suza-duze.”
Suzy snorts. “Please don’t.”
“Suzy-Luzy?”
“Just ‘Suzy’ is fine, thanks.”
“Su-Su-Suu?” Taecyeon smiles hopefully and Chansung breaks into a fit of loud cackles.
“Hyung, just shut up.”
The next moment the doorbell rings, and Junsu, under constant ramblings, makes his way into the hallway.
“Ah, Junho-yah.” He says soon.
“Junsu-hyung!” sounds Jia’s excited voice, drowning a vague mutter from Junho.
“Yah, did you have to bring the whole class?” Junsu nags, without much fervor, and then his voice completely changes; “Oh, Fei-Fei. Hello there…”
Taecyeon makes a quiet grimace of disgust and Suzy giggles. Soon Jia emerges from the hallway and peeks into the kitchen.
“Suzy!” she chirps, and dives in for a hug. But then she sees Chansung - and changes entirely. She falls quiet, shrinks back slightly at Suzy’s side and twirls a lock of hair around her finger.
“H-Hello, Chansung…” she trails, letting out a breathy giggle without really daring to look at him, and Suzy can only stare between them. Chansung releases an appreciative snort and reaches out to scratch softly at her head before leaving the kitchen, Jia following closely in tow after a short moment of hesitation. Suzy looks to Taecyeon, but he only shrugs with a lopsided grin.
They share a few pizzas (Chansung getting one of his own, as well as happily munching down leftovers hand-fed to him by a blushing Jia) and squeeze down in the sofa to watch a movie.
“Yah, hyung-nim needs a soft seat for his aching back…” Junsu complains loudly, exaggeratedly rubbing at his hip and swiftly claiming the middle seat, before wriggling an eyebrow towards Fei. “Why don’t you sit here with me, Fei-Fei?” he drawls, and pats the seat next to him. Fei sends him a hesitant frown, but is saved when Taec drops down at Junsu’s side with a loud, contented groan.
“Hey, scoot over!” Min demands next, before tumbling down at Junsu’s other side with an even louder, pleasured groan. She squeals shortly as Junho squeezes down next to her, one leg slung over the armrest to fit. Jia gets herself comfortable leaning against Min’s legs, and blinks expectantly up against Chansung until he sinks down beside her on the floor. Fei looks at Suzy and gestures her towards the armchair in the corner, but Suzy only shakes her head, smiling, before casting a quick look around, despite herself, to find Wooyoung. He’s already on the floor next to Chansung, fiddling with the remote, and Suzy takes the spot next to Jia.
They end up not really watching the movie, however, as much as listen to Junsu’s, Wooyoung’s and Min’s weird commentary of it. Afterwards someone digs out an old karaoke-DVD, eliciting an impromptu singing competition which seems to aim to determine not who sings best, but most bizarrely.
It’s around midnight, and Junsu’s in the middle of belting out an old pop-song, Min aiding him with an improvised melody of her own, when Taecyeon reminds Chansung that they have football practice tomorrow morning and should really be getting home. Jia jumps up as well, explaining to nobody in particular that she might as well be on her way as well and that they can walk together to the bus stop, and wouldn’t Min also follow them, cause that’d be really neat…
Min bows shortly towards Junsu for the good match before she’s pulled away by Jia and he turns yet again to Fei. “Yah, Fei, you can always crash here if you want. It’s late and all…” he offers, wriggling his eyebrows. Fei knits her brows together and informs him that she’s probably just gonna tag along with the others.
“I’d love to crash.” Junho cuts in, sprawled on the couch. “It’s so far to my place…”
Junsu smacks his lips. “The offer doesn’t apply to you.” He says dryly, and Junho sends him a dirty look.
“Bye, guys!” sounds Jia’s voice from the hallway. “Bye Junsu-hyung, thanks for the beer!”
“You’re doing it on purpose, aren’t you?” Junho calls after her, frowning from his place on the couch.
“Thanks for the beer, Junsu-hyung!” Min imitates, followed by Taec cackling.
“She’s corrupting them!” Junho exclaims, exasperatedly searching for support only to roll his eyes when nobody seems to care. Fei waves to Suzy before also disappearing into the hallway, Junsu in tow.
“Yah, you slobs.” He nags. “Take the pizza boxes down, will ya?”
There is some more chatting and laughing, and then the door slams shut behind them, the apartment suddenly going strangely quiet. Suzy slouches slightly in her spot at the floor, feeling stupid. It ends, it always ends, and Suzy has to go home and be alone again. And despite knowing that, that it always ends, it always strikes her so depressing. She startles slightly as Wooyoung comes up, almost from behind, and sinks down at her side.
“Hey.”
“Hey…” Suzy grants him, and earns an elbow in the ribs in response.
“You want me to walk you home?”
She shoots him a look and bites her lip; god, she does want him to. “It’s far.” She reminds him, but he only shrugs.
“It’s okay, I’ve got my bike.”
“Good for you.” Suzy says dryly and quirks a brow, but can’t stop the corner of her mouth from tugging up.
“I mean.” Wooyoung says, equally dry. “I can give you a ride.”
“…Deal.”
He gets to his feet and she extends a hand, waving it around until he grabs it and pulls her up. They hands linger touching for a moment, but then Junsu comes back into the room and they separate, although Suzy isn’t sure who pulls away first. Wooyoung thoughtfully eyes Junho for a moment, before promptly deciding he’s on his own, and they bid their goodbyes and leave.
The night air is whipped cold and stinging against Suzy’s face as Wooyoung speeds down the street, and she buries her face in his jacket, gripping tightly at the material. He’s soon panting slightly, and when they reach the slope of a hill, Suzy jumps off to walk beside him.
“Am I heavy?”
“It’s okay…” he manages, also getting off to walk. “I have… good stamina.”
Suzy grins and they trudge on in silence, until they get to the top and Wooyoung straddles the bike once more.
“Hop on.”
They come to a halt with a screech right outside the entrance of the apartment building, and Suzy gets off slowly, not really knowing what to say. She trails up to lean against the door, halfheartedly digging for the keys in her bag. When she finds them, and can’t stall it anymore, she finally looks up and startles slightly at the all too bright smile on Wooyoung’s face.
“Aren’t you gonna ask if I wanna come up?”
“I--.” Suzy blinks. “Do you?”
The smile softens slightly, and he cocks his head to the side. “Yeah.”
Then she thinks of the state of the apartment and almost regrets the offer, but when they lean on opposite walls in the elevator and she briefly meets his gaze over the confined space, she realizes that it doesn’t matter; none of that matters. He looks into her eyes and smiles the soft smile again, but says nothing.
The umbrellas haven’t moved a single inch. Actually, nothing seems to have been touched since his last visit. Suzy dumps her bag on a random chair and disappears into the kitchen, while Wooyoung carefully hangs his jacket on a hook and trails after to lean against the doorframe. He watches Suzy bending over the sink and drinking right from the tap.
“It’s your turn.” He says suddenly, causing Suzy to startle. She shuts the water off and wipes at her mouth with her sleeve. “…Is what I meant to say earlier.”
“What is?”
He only snorts and cocks his head to the side, suddenly finding a spot on the wall infinitely interesting. Suzy blinks; once, twice, before she promptly walks up to him, grabs his face with both hands and smashes their mouths together.
He stumbles and their bodies arch, strangely synched, before his hands find her waist and they steady against the doorframe. She exhales, somewhat heavily, before easing up on the pressure and pulling back just slightly to take his upper lip between her own. Wooyoung keenly reciprocates.
Some time later, when Suzy’s face is comfortably nestled in the crook of Wooyoung’s neck, his eyes roam over the generous collection of junk in the adjacent room, and he inhales heavily.
“Where is your mother, Suzy.”
She jumps slightly in his arms. It’s not really a question, and certainly not one you can brush off with an excuse like crappy hours.
“She’s not here.” Suzy says truthfully after a while, hot breath dancing over his skin.
“It’s her stuff, isn’t it?” Wooyoung probes further, and Suzy startles again. Why must he be so damned intuitive? She can’t think of anything to say, and he doesn’t break the silence, and soon she grimaces as she feels her eyes watering.
“I hate this place.” She admits finally, voice low and tight.
“…Then why don’t you make it likeable?”
Suzy frowns and untangles herself from his embrace. “It’s not that easy.”
Wooyoung’s eyes are attentive and warm, but at the same time challenging. “It’s not that hard either.” He softly pushes her aside and walks into the living room, halfway down the empty little corridor before stopping and taking a good look around.
“We could dance in here!” he exclaims, and smiles excitedly towards Suzy. “If we could get all the stuff out.”
Suzy blinks. “Yeah, I guess…” she trails, but Wooyoung’s not really listening. He saunters up to the nearest pile, carefully looks around for a short while before sticking his arm far into the depths of the jumble and producing an old candleholder in lathed wood.
“This one’s neat.” He says, scrutinizing and stroking the smooth surface, before shifting his gaze to Suzy. “Can I have it?”
Suzy snorts. “What?”
“I’m serious.” Wooyoung presses, eyes glimmering with something dark that somewhat contradict his statement. “It’ll look great in my room. Can I?”
Suzy eyes the object; she can’t really remember having seen it before and certainly won’t miss it, but she still feels that anxiety at the thought of it not being there anymore. But then again - it’s a fucking candleholder. Suzy doesn’t even own a candle.
“Sure.” She says with an uneasy shrug, and Wooyoung lights up.
“Thanks.” He says, and leans in to steal another peck (grinning at her instinctive grimace) before heading to the hallway to wear his jacket. He jabs the artifact in his pocket, half of it sticking out awkwardly, and gives it a little pat. “I’ll take good care of it.”
Then he leaves and Suzy finds herself standing in her living room at one thirty in the morning, absentmindedly studying the heaps of clutter that’s been weighing on her mind for so long.
-
Wooyoung has just made it up the driveway when he sees that the kitchen lights are still on. Shit.
He swiftly fishes his cellphone from his jean pocket; dead. Double shit.
His mother watches him through narrowed eyes, leaned against the kitchen doorframe as he unties his shoes. She dryly smacks her lips and exhales heavily through her nose with a small whistle that Wooyoung realizes really isn’t the time to laugh at. He takes great care putting the shoes away, neatly sticking the laces inside them so they won’t tangle, before collecting his courage and raising his gaze.
There is a long, chilly pause, before; “Do you have any idea what time it is?”
“Ten past two?” Wooyoung guesses with a hopeful smile, but earns nothing but another glare.
“You know, when you move out I won’t care whatever ditch you’re decked out in, but as long as you live under my roof…” She trails off unexpectedly, gaze having fallen down to Wooyoung’s hip. “…Is that a… chandelier?”
Wooyoung’s hand instinctively fly down to cover the object in question, before he catches himself and pulls it out from the pocket. “Yeah, I…” he starts awkwardly, not sure what to say, and finally just opts for holding it up on display.
His mother takes a few steps forward, head tilted in a way that makes Wooyoung shrink back against the wall. “…Are you high?”
“No, ma’am.” Wooyoung assures, frantically shaking his head.
She leans back with her arms crossed over her chest and eyes him suspiciously over the bridge of her nose. After the better part of a minute, she steps back and points with her whole arm towards the staircase. “Go to bed.”
Wooyoung hurriedly makes it up the steps, not daring to look back.
Authors note: ONE CHAPTER LEFT NOW GUISE. I can't believe it's already over. ;___; And Chansung/Jia is totally legit, js. XD