Pass Me By {Wonkyeom}

Twelve

"What if Wonwoo isn't even there?" Seungkwan asked as they approached the door.

He had been wondering the entire way if this was a bad idea. Sure, he cared deeply about Wonwoo too, but he also knew how Hansol could get. He had a hard time letting go of things when he felt he was right. He was stubborn beyond reason. Hansol turned at the question and shrugged.

"Then we ask the guy where Wonwoo is." He said as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

Seungkwan still wasn't convinced. "Maybe we should leave it alone. Wonwoo is an adult. He can take care of himself." He tried.

Besides, he had met Dokyeom. He seemed like a nice enough guy. He was just a bit strange and maybe a bit too curious. It hardly warranted them interrogating him in the middle of the night. However, predictably enough, Hansol refused to budge.

"Something isn't right." He insisted.

Seungkwan looked over at Chan for help, but the younger simply shrugged his shoulders, refusing to get in the middle of it. He was just there for the free entertainment. Realizing he wasn't getting anywhere and that he would never win against Hansol like this, he gave in and helped his friend knock on the door. Minutes passed and Hansol was about to knock again when the door finally opened. Wonwoo stepped out in shorts and a well-worn hoodie, sleeves covering his hands. It was Wonwoo's usual bed attire and Seungkwan briefly wondered if they woke him up. The thought didn't help his guilt about the ordeal.

"What are you guys doing here?" He asked lowly.

Hansol only stared at him. "We could ask you the same thing."

They stared at each other for a while and Seungkwan began to feel uncomfortable. He pushed Hansol out of the way and looked up at Wonwoo.

"May we please come in? We're only here to talk and check on you." He reassured.

At that, Wonwoo let him in, but not without guilt. It wasn't his apartment and he wasn't sure how his new roommate would feel about unknown and slightly annoying guests. The three squeezed together on the new sofa while Wonwoo stood awkwardly by the door. Sensing he needed to do damage control before real damage occurred, Seungkwan spoke up once more.

"Don't get upset. We're just worried." He stated carefully.

"About what? I'm fine." Wonwoo insisted.

Hansol scoffed. "You're living with a man you don't know. That sentence should terrify you."

Wonwoo shrugged. "The landlady said he was harmless."

"I'm sure people said the same thing about Ted Bundy too."

"Who?"

Hansol gave up with a sigh. "Never mind."

He looked back at Wonwoo once more. He looked brighter than he had in months and the color was starting to return to his skin. His hair had been washed and looked fluffy and neat. He almost seemed like he was back to normal, but it was too quick of a change. It was concerning. Sensing the same thing, Seungkwan spoke up this time.

"What's going on with you? You're different all of a sudden. You kick Hansol out of your house all the time for trying to get you to come out, but now you're okay living with a stranger and going to Ikea with him."

Wonwoo shrugged once more. "I don't get it either." He admitted quietly. "All I know is that I don't feel so shitty anymore."

Hansol eyed him skeptically. "Are you sure you aren't in some kind of trauma bond with this guy or something? Do you have some sort of unhealthy attachment to him?"

Wonwoo instantly shook his head at the crazy idea. "No, it's definitely not that. I don't really know what it is, but I feel myself feeling at ease with him. He's comforting, familiar even. It's hard to explain."

Seungkwan and Hansol exchanged a look. They wouldn't say it aloud, but they felt this could all lead to a massive relapse and they would lose Wonwoo for good if that happened. It was a terrifying thought and something they wanted to avoid at all costs. Even Chan, who had barely been paying attention, seemed concerned. Wonwoo saw them exchange looks and he spoke up again.

"Look, I appreciate your concern, but I'm not a child. I lost someone I dearly loved and I'm grieving. There's a difference. I'm not delusional. I'm perfectly capable of deciding if someone is good or bad."

Something flashed across Seungkwan's eyes and he swallowed hard. "Won, no offense, I don't trust your judgment right now." He stated, sounding calmer than he felt. "Why didn't you come to Hansol first or even Chan when we had to leave?"

"I knew you would run to Hansol," Wonwoo said matter-of-factly.

Both Seungkwan and Hansol blushed at the blunt answer, but Wonwoo didn't even notice it as he answered the other part of the question.

"Have you ever been to Chan's? I'm surprised he can even open the door."

Even though he was supposed to be offended, Chan merely nodded. "He has a point." He agreed.

"I really don't like this," Seungkwan said suddenly.

"You don't have to, but you can't stop me either," Wonwoo answered, sounding just as stubborn as Hansol.

"Fine, can we at least talk to the guy?" Hansol asked next. "Where is he?"

Wonwoo had almost forgotten about Dokyeom amidst the chaos. "I'm not sure." He admitted. "He answered the door earlier and then was gone. His co-workers seem to come by a lot. Perhaps he went to work."

Hansol leaned back against the couch and motioned for Seungkwan and Chan to do the same. Wonwoo gave them a strange look.

"What are you doing?"

Hansol looked up at him, seeming very serious. "Waiting."

Wonwoo groaned inwardly. It was going to be a long night.