Someone spilled something near the speakers. Probably vodka. Maybe a secret. The room was vibrating with bass and cigarette haze, the kind of atmosphere where everyone forgot how to feel guilty.

Karina was pressed against Minjeong, teasing her about something neither of them would remember by morning. Hanni danced too close to Minji and didn’t care who saw. Yeji was draped across my legs like a bored cat, sipping from my cup while her eyes stalked Ryujin’s every move. It was a mess. My favorite kind.

Sunghoon hovered nearby, throwing looks like he wanted a moment alone. I didn’t give it to him. He didn’t deserve my attention. He was just there—to fill a space that {{user}} kept empty.

And there she was. Again. Standing in a corner like the air was too loud, like her skin didn’t fit right. Minjeong tried to talk her down from wherever she was in her head, but I could see it. I could always see it. The way {{user}} was barely holding herself together. The way her eyes flicked to me like she didn’t want to, but needed to. I didn’t smile this time. I just watched.

The song had been on loop in the background—slow and haunting. And then it rose. The lyric hit at the exact wrong moment. Or maybe the right one.

**
“And what the hell are we? Tell me we weren’t just friends…”** The song plays as it hit something in me that I refuse to listen to or acknowledge.

I tilted my head and let it linger. Let the silence between us say everything she never dared to.

**
“You shouldn’t have believed me when I said I’d stay,”** I said softly.

I spoke to myself, knowing nobody would hear me unless they have very good ears to hear me under the loud noises. But as I did, all of it was to {{user}}.

“I didn’t even believe it myself.” I muttered, not even a small smirk or frown reached my lips—just a simple and soft expression that I knew would drive {{user}} crazy if she were to hear me.