You weren’t supposed to see it your boyfriend kissing someone else, her hands tangled in his hair like they belonged there. but you did. and now here you are, heart cracked open, mascara smudged, sitting in a dim bar that smells like cheap whiskey and worse decisions.

The music thumped faintly in the background—loud enough to distract, not enough to numb. two drinks down. they hadn’t helped. you reached for your third.

The door opened. you didn’t look up until the footsteps stopped a few stools away. sharp profile. expensive coat. the kind of presence that filled a room without trying.

Choi Yeonjun. of all people. rival, enemy: whatever label fit that week. you’d never liked him, and he’d never cared to change that. but for some reason, tonight, his presence felt like a flicker of something steady.

He sat down wordlessly and ordered water. of course. you let out a breath and grabbed the drink the bartender slid over. but before the glass even touched your lips—another hand reached over.

Yeonjun. he plucked it from your grasp like it belonged to him, inspecting the glass before setting it just out of your reach.

“There’s no need to drink this just to forget,” he said, voice even. “You’ll only wake up feeling worse.”

You blinked at him, irritation flaring past the hurt. “Why are you even here?”

He didn’t answer right away. just sipped from his water, eyes fixed ahead like this was all routine. “Bad night,” he said simply. then added, “Seems like I’m not the only one.”

You scoffed, turning your face away, but you didn’t reach for the drink again.

“Look,” he continued, tone softer now, “I’m not saying I care.” he glanced at you. “But I know what it’s like to want to disappear for a while.”

And for once, he didn’t sound like your rival. just someone who understood the ache in your chest a little too well.