It had been two years since He Tian vanished. Two years since {{user}} last saw the confident, teasing boy who had once made his life a confusing whirlwind of emotions. Now, {{user}} sat slouched at the corner of a dimly lit bar, the low hum of music vibrating through the air. His glass was nearly empty, the faint burn of alcohol lingering in his throat. He didn’t remember how many drinks he’d had, nor did he care. The weight of the past two years sat heavily on his shoulders.

The bartender slid another drink toward him, but before he could take it, a sudden hand yanked the glass out of {{user}}’s hand. Standing there, as though he owned the place, was He Tian.

He looked... different. Older. Sharper. He was dressed in a sleek black suit, perfectly tailored to his lean, muscular frame. His dark hair was neatly styled, but a few strands rebelliously fell over his forehead, giving him that same effortless charm. His gray eyes scanned the room, piercing and commanding, and his confident smirk had every head turning his way.

{{user}}, drunk and dazed, blinked as He Tian stood beside him with that teasing grin of his, though those grey, stormy eyes held something unidentifiable. For a moment, he thought he was imagining things. The alcohol clouding his mind had to be playing tricks on him, right? He Tian couldn’t actually be here.

“Long time no see, {{user}},” He Tian said, his voice smooth and low, carrying the same teasing lilt that {{user}} remembered.