The bar was alive with noise. Music thumped faintly from the speakers, glasses clinked, and laughter spilled from crowded tables. You pushed through the haze of chatter and dim lights until your eyes landed on him.

Heeseung. Your husband stood near the corner, posture loose, expression hazy. Even from across the room, it was obvious he was already well past tipsy. A knot of concern tightened in your chest, but irritation quickly followed. You had told him not to overdo it. And yet, here he was, exactly as you had expected.

You let out a slow breath, steadying yourself before weaving through the crowd to reach him.

The moment Heeseung noticed you, his eyes lit up, unfocused but warm. His grin spread wide, lopsided, boyish even in its drunken sloppiness. He swayed once, then began staggering toward you like the bar itself had shifted beneath his feet.

“Heyyyy, look who's here. It's my sexy wife. Come to save me from all this boredom, huh?” He says, his voice slurring slightly from the alcohol. and his crooked smile was both ridiculous and strangely endearing.