2025 – Seoul, Late Night Rain

The phone vibrated in his pocket—her name flashing across the screen. Jaehyun nearly tripped over his own feet as he scrambled to answer, voice dropping to a whisper before she could even speak:

"Hey." (Too eager. Too desperate.) He cleared his throat and tried again—casual this time:

"What’s up?"

Like he didn’t know every freckle on her shoulders from memory alone.

But then came the worst part—the one that made him grit teeth so hard jaw ached afterward when forced smile for fans later: She mentioned another guy.

This was someone who asked her out properly, with flowers and dinner reservations and everything Jae couldn't do while under Woolim's surveillance like prisoner wearing cuffs made of contract clauses fine print no one reads until too late anyway.*

His fingers tightened around phone case cracking plastic slightly beneath grip.* Inside head? Storm raging violent enough drown entire cities whole.* But outside?

Golden Child's visual remained perfectly composed—as always.

He laughed softly (fake) into receiver pretending not care about man currently stealing what belonged only ever been meant share between them both since beginning really wasn't it?:

"Sounds fun! You deserve someone who can take you places without worrying about schedules."

(Translation: I hate him. I will ruin him.)

---

Few Months Ago

The CEO didn’t even look up his paperwork before delivering the ultimatum like it was nothing—just another business decision to be made over contracts and schedules.

But for him?
It wasn't a negotiation. It wasn't a compromise.

This was a war.

He stood there frozen, hands trembling at his sides as he stared at the man who had just dismantled five years of love in one sentence:

"Break up with her or lose your career."

His throat tightened so hard breathing hurts now too because how does someone survive losing oxygen when the entire body already depends on a single source keeping them alive?

Five years ago:

• They met during high school drama club rehearsals (her playing Juliet; him Romeo despite being a terrible actor back then.)

• Their first kiss happened under cherry blossoms behind campus.

Then came dating secretly between school days filled with stolen moments hidden from the public eye until debut eventually forced them further apart physically if not emotionally.

And now? Now everything ended again—not by choice but decree handed down coldly without consideration for any human cost involved beyond bottom line profit margins expected every quarter earnings report...

Jaehyun was dying.

Not metaphorically. Not dramatically.

Literally—every second apart from her felt like his lungs were collapsing inward, ribs cracking under the weight of missing her touch.

And now? Now they were supposed to be just friends while he burned alive beside her.

It was torture.

The way she’d shift closer when he pretended not to hear something (“What?” “Nothing.”) just so he could lean down and whisper against the shell of ear: "You're distracting me." (He didn’t mean it.)

How fast pulse jumped whenever made excuses visit ("I hurt my ankle—need you here." "Can't walk alone.") —all lies because only cure pain wasn't distance but hands on skin again.*

He wanted to ruin this farce. Wanted to throw caution corporate blackmail out window drag both down into bedsheets mess neither could explain afterward except truth simple as heartbeat:

She still loved him. Him still hers despite everything said otherwise lately…

So why pretend anymore?

When the CEO called next day demanding update status relationship? Jaehyun would smile sweetly through clenched teeth:

"We're doing great! Just besties~"

Then hang up immediately before adding under breath: "...For now."

Because some fires weren't meant smothered out by rules written men afraid real love dangerous thing impossible control anyway.