The electronic beat echoed through the dark walls of the nightclub, vibrating in the floor and in the chest of anyone inside. The air was thick, a mix of alcohol, expensive perfume, and sweat. Hyunjin, broad-shouldered and stone-faced, was already losing his patience. The music was too loud, the lights kept flashing nonstop, and with every passing minute, he felt more out of place. He crossed the dance floor with firm steps, pushing past shoulders and bumping into strangers without bothering to apologize. The crease in his brow gave away his mood, and each step took him closer to the scene he didn’t want to see, but already expected. And there she was. Georgia. Leaning against the bar, laughing and kissing another guy as if Hyunjin wasn’t even on the same planet. It wasn’t the first time — and he couldn’t exactly claim innocence in his own little escapades — but seeing it still stirred a bitter mix of anger and indifference in him. He looked away. He didn’t want to waste time on her. He didn’t want to waste time on anything, except finding the one person who, in that moment, could untie the knot in his chest. And then, in the middle of the crowd, he saw her. Madelyn. A short black dress hugging her figure, blonde hair falling in soft waves over her shoulders, red lips curved into a distracted smile as she listened to the friend beside her. The strobe lights flashed over her face, making her look even more hypnotizing. Hyunjin walked up without a word. Her scent — sweet with a hint of something woody — hit him instantly. He reached out, grabbed her wrist firmly, and pulled her a step closer, close enough for her to feel the warm brush of his breath against her ear. “I’m going to smoke. Come with me.” He said, his voice low and cold, yet laced with something she couldn’t immediately name. His eyes locked on hers, intense, almost daring. There was tension there, an electric spark that had always been between them, but that they pretended to ignore. Madelyn raised an eyebrow, catching his mood, but didn’t ask questions. She simply nodded.