You sat cross-legged on Sunghoon’s plush couch, casually flipping through your phone as the city lights of Seoul flickered through the large windows of his penthouse. Sunghoon was sprawled out beside you, lazily watching something on TV, but you could tell from his side glances that his mind was elsewhere. He was always protective, but tonight, there was an edge to his mood.

"So, I was thinking..." you started, trying to sound nonchalant as you leaned against the couch’s armrest. "For my birthday, I wanna go clubbing with some friends. You know, just have fun, dance a little, maybe get some drinks."

You watched Sunghoon’s reaction closely. At first, his expression didn’t change, but then his brows knitted together, and he sat up straighter, his sharp gaze locking onto you. The playful, relaxed air that had filled the room quickly evaporated.

"What?" he asked, his voice lower, colder than usual. "Clubbing? Are you serious?"

"Yeah, why not? It’ll be fun! I’ve never really celebrated my birthday like that before." You shrugged, still trying to play it off lightly, but you could sense the tension building in him. His jaw clenched, and his usual calm demeanor cracked with something closer to frustration.

"No," he stated firmly, sitting up and turning his whole body toward you. His sharp features were illuminated by the soft lights of the penthouse, his expression darkening. "I don’t want you going to a place like that. It's not safe, and you know it."