2. Blood in the Cup

ch XI.

Wooyoung let out a tired sigh as San pulled the blanket off him, trying to gather himself. Getting out of the warmth of the bed was a struggle, especially with the looming weight of the upcoming family dinner. He didn’t want to admit it, but fear was slowly starting to take over.

“Why do I have to get up right now? Can’t you just let me sleep a little longer?” Wooyoung asked, his eyes still heavy with sleep as he rubbed his face.

San sat down on the edge of the bed, watching him with a soft smile. “Because we need to be well-prepared for the dinner. I don’t want to scare you, but my family isn’t easily impressed. Especially my father. I want you to be ready.”

Wooyoung’s heart skipped a beat at San’s words. “Are you seriously trying to make me more stressed out?” he groaned, finally sitting up. “And why do we need to start getting ready so early for a dinner that’s in the evening?”

San laughed and shook his head. “This isn’t just any dinner. My family... well, let’s just say they like to set the mood. It’s important to make a good impression. So, it’s better if we start preparing early.”

Wooyoung nodded, still feeling unsure. “Oh god… if you’re an assassin, I don’t even want to imagine what the rest of your family does.” He shuddered at the thought. “Your family is dangerous, right?”

San’s expression shifted slightly, a hint of seriousness in his eyes. “Yes, but I’m here to protect you. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Anything happen to me?! Do you mean I’ll get there, and they’ll kill me immediately? Or we’ll talk for a bit and then they’ll kill me? Or is there an option where they actually like me and let me live? What are the odds that I’ll make it out of that house alive?!” Wooyoung asked, panic rising in his voice.

San sighed. “Do you want me to answer honestly… or reassuringly?”

“Honestly!” Wooyoung snapped.

“Based on previous cases, you’ve got a 20% chance of walking out of there alive,” San answered, straightforwardly.

Wooyoung sighed, then slowly got out of bed. “Okay, fine. But I seriously need a shower first, and maybe a cup of coffee before I can do anything else.”

San nodded, getting up from the bed. “Alright, head to the bathroom. I’ll order you some coffee and breakfast.”

Wooyoung nodded gratefully and slowly made his way to the bathroom. Once he closed the door behind him, he looked in the mirror and sighed deeply. “This is going to be the hardest day of my life... but I really hope it’s not the last…” he whispered to himself. Under the cold water, he tried to collect his thoughts and mentally prepare for what lay ahead.

San received the coffee in the living room and, as he waited, his thoughts drifted to how the dinner would go. He knew it would be hard for Wooyoung to fit into this world, but he was determined to protect him no matter what.

When Wooyoung finally returned from his shower, San handed him the coffee and smiled casually. “Ready for the day?”

Wooyoung shot him a suspicious look and took a sip of his coffee. “As ready as I can be for a situation like this.”

Wooyoung took a large gulp of his coffee and sighed deeply, trying to muster up some courage. He still didn’t know how he was going to survive the day, but San’s presence provided some comfort. However, the thought of meeting San’s family, especially at a dinner even San was wary of, lingered constantly in the back of his mind.

San’s smile tried to ease the tension, but his inner seriousness was evident in every move. “Don’t worry, everything will be fine. Just be yourself, and don’t let anything throw you off.”

Wooyoung gave him a skeptical look, then smirked bitterly. “As if it’s that easy. Your world is completely different, San.”

San just shrugged and stepped closer to him. “I know, but you don’t have to understand everything right away. The important thing is, I’ll be right there with you. Besides, there are worse things than a family dinner, right?”

Wooyoung didn’t reply immediately, just took another sip of his coffee. His thoughts were far away as he tried to imagine what meeting San’s family would be like. The thought of the dinner sent a knot to his stomach, but deep down he knew he could trust San.

“Okay, fine,” he said finally, taking a deep breath. “I’ll try to do my best. Just… don’t leave me alone with them.”

San laughed, then gently ran his hand down Wooyoung’s arm. “I’d never leave you alone.” He kissed the top of his head.

As the afternoon slowly turned into evening, Wooyoung and San began preparing for the dinner. Wooyoung paced anxiously around the room, his worries growing and making the tension almost palpable. It was almost visible how his inner panic took over, causing him to walk faster and more nervously, as if the movement could ease the overwhelming thoughts.

San watched him quietly for a while, patiently waiting for Wooyoung to calm down, but when he saw that it wasn’t happening, he decisively stopped him. Grabbing Wooyoung’s arm, he turned him to face him and looked deeply into his eyes.

“Don’t worry so much. Just be confident,” San said calmly, trying to soothe Wooyoung.

But Wooyoung couldn’t just relax. He looked back at San with frustration and nervousness before finally exploding with everything he had been holding back. “That’s easy for you to say! You’re not the one whose life is on the line here!” he shouted. “I don’t know what your family does for a living, but based on what I know about you, it’s definitely not something normal! You know them! I feel like I’m raw meat being thrown to the lions!”

San was taken aback by Wooyoung’s words. He hadn’t realized how scared the boy really was. The weight of the situation suddenly became clearer to him. For a moment, there was a heavy silence between them before San finally spoke. “You’re really this scared…?” he asked quietly, still somewhat in disbelief.

Wooyoung didn’t answer, just nodded silently, tears welling up in his eyes. He quickly turned his head so San wouldn’t see and sat down slowly on the edge of the bed. Covering his face with his hands, he took deep breaths, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill over. But the anxiety and fear were too strong. Finally, his voice cracked as he spoke. “There are so many things I haven’t done yet in life to die now... I still want to see the ocean, I want to see Yeosang again…”

San listened intently to Wooyoung’s words, sensing how desperate he was. Gently, he sat down beside him, then slowly wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close as if to shield him from all the dangers in the world. Wooyoung’s body was tense, but eventually, he let San hold him, the warmth of the embrace providing some comfort.

“I would give my life to protect you, my love,” San whispered softly as he stroked Wooyoung’s hair gently. His movements were tender and calming, as if with every touch he was trying to convey that nothing in the world could harm Wooyoung as long as he was by his side.

Wooyoung quietly cried in San’s arms, trying to gather his thoughts.