“I want to go to the room hyung is in.”

No Eunjae, despite being drunk, pulled Haejun with stubborn strength that didn’t match his condition. He just walked blindly, not even knowing which direction he was heading.

He knocked on every door he saw. Whenever the customers inside reacted aggressively, he bent at a ninety-degree angle and apologized before turning away.

“Hey, hey. This bastard’s lost his mind. Let go.”

“Aww, come on, go with me, hyung.”

No Eunjae clung to him, whining sweetly while dragging Haejun along. Let go. Come with me. They were still bickering in the middle of the hallway when one of the doors swung open.

It was the room Haejun had just been in.

The one who stepped out with a vicious expression was Yohan. With the light behind him, he saw Haejun with his wrist grabbed and his gaze sharpened instantly as he strode over.

“Yohan.”

“I thought you drowned in the fucking bathroom... What the hell is this bastard now?”

Even with the atmosphere screaming that someone was about to get punched, No Eunjae didn’t flinch. Instead, he looked between Haejun and Yohan, straightened his posture, stuck his arm neatly against his side, and bowed politely.

“Hello! I’m No Eunjae, Haejun hyung’s junior and his neighbor! Please take good care of me!”

He greeted Yohan with his signature friendliness. Yohan crooked one eyebrow and let out a snort, like he couldn’t believe the kind of weird bastards he was meeting tonight.

“If it’s not too much trouble, could I get a drink in your room, hyungs? The room I’m in is boring as hell.”

“And who the ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ hell are you?”

“If I may introduce myself... I am Haejun hyung’s eternal bell-ringer.”

Despite the aggressive tone, No Eunjae shook both hands in the air like he was jingling imaginary bells and grinned shamelessly. Yohan examined his face once, then looked him up and down thoroughly before jerking his chin. That meant he could come in.

“Thank you, hyung. I will repay this kindness with my body and soul, serving you with absolute loyalty!”

No Eunjae wagged his invisible tail like an overexcited mutt and darted inside the room. Even though everyone tilted their heads at the appearance of a stranger, he immediately flashed the bright, professional smile he used at the bar.

“Hello, hyungs, noona! I’m Haejun hyung’s junior. It’s shameless of me, but please grant this Eunjae a drink!”

The loud, lively introduction drew cheers. Eom Daehyeon, the host of the gathering, nodded with visible satisfaction after looking at Eunjae’s face. Maybe because he’d redone his own face, he judged other people’s appearances thoroughly.

“They say if you crave free alcohol you’ll go bald. I don’t have many talents, but I’ll entertain you all a bit. Now, applause!”

As people responded, Eunjae grabbed his fist like it was a microphone and belted out a song the way he used to at the bar. With that one powerful number, he slipped onto the sofa like he’d been invited from the start and was soon being handed snacks and drinks. His ability to seep into a crowd rivaled liquid.

“That’s the ace?”

“Yeah.”

“He’s something. Look at him play. Born for it. Maybe he was a clown in his past life.”

“There’s a reason he was the ace.”

Keeping his distance, Haejun whispered with Yohan while watching Eunjae. Like a fish thrown back into water, Eunjae moved from table to table, collecting numbers. It looked like he was scraping up every SNS account he could get.

The guy who’d asked for just one drink didn’t leave until he was completely plastered. He’d already been wasted when he arrived, so it was only a matter of time before he slammed his head onto the table.

Thunk.

Startled by the sound, Haejun turned. Eunjae had face-planted into the table. The person next to him shook him, telling him to get it together, but he only mumbled drunkenly and breathed out soft, sleeping breaths.

“What a ridiculous bastard.”

Yohan sneered. Haejun decided to take the opportunity. He was already tired, and now he had the perfect excuse. He quickly put on his coat and stood up.

“He lives next door to me anyway. I’ll take him home.”

“You’re leaving already? Stay a bit longer.”

“I should go. I’ve got work tomorrow.”

“It’s been a while since we met. Give me your number. Or your SNS.”

“Yeah.”

After giving Eom Daehyeon his number, he grabbed Eunjae’s arm and pulled. But Eunjae was taller and heavier than Haejun, and no matter how much he tugged, the guy hung limp like a waterlogged corpse.

Seeing Haejun struggling, Yohan stepped in with a click of his tongue. “Jeez.” He slung Eunjae’s other arm over his own shoulder.

“Let’s go together.”

“You could’ve stayed and had more fun.”

“How the hell are you supposed to carry this alone? Fuck, he’s not a bear.”

Grumbling, Yohan still helped Haejun haul Eunjae out. Once outside, they practically dropped him on the ground. Yohan opened his taxi app. Since it was late, they only managed to catch one with a long wait time.

“Did you at least get some of their contacts?”

Yohan stuck a cigarette between his lips. After staring at him for a moment, Haejun was handed one too. He obediently bit down on the filter.

“Now talk. Why did you call me out?”

The years they’d spent together weren’t nothing. Even from a glance, Haejun had known Yohan was hiding something. He’d just kept quiet so he wouldn’t ruin the mood.

And the way Yohan kept nudging him to collect other people’s contact info was suspicious as hell. He never did that usually.

When Haejun asked directly, Yohan exhaled smoke and looked away.

“Why did I call you? Just to hang out.”

“Park Yohan.”

Calling him sternly made Yohan inhale so hard his cheeks hollowed. He rubbed the back of his neck, kneaded it, showing every sign of anxiety before suddenly snapping.

“I was worried, okay? I was fucking worried!”

“What are you so worried about?”

“You’re giving your heart somewhere you shouldn’t!”

That again.

Haejun frowned, already sick of it. He was too tired to deny it. Even if he swore until his mouth dried out that it wasn’t true, Yohan wouldn’t believe him.

And honestly... even Haejun himself wasn’t sure. The way that face would suddenly pop into his mind, the way his throat would tighten because he wanted to see him—what the hell were you supposed to call that?

“The world’s big and there are plenty of people, Haejun. Even just the guys you met tonight—rich, decent personalities.”

“......”

“Why not pick one? I’m not saying date seriously. Just meet someone casually.”

His cigarette had burned down before he noticed. Haejun flicked the ash and tossed the butt into the can by his feet. Yohan, who’d been watching his expression carefully, threw away his own cigarette too.

“It’ll last three months at most. After that it’s over anyway. What are you so worried about?”

He hadn’t wanted to say it out loud. Haejun had been counting the days toward the end. He’d gotten lucky—paid back the advance and earned a three-month grace period. But whether the relationship would continue after that was anyone’s guess.

“That’s why I’m worried.”

Yohan pulled out another cigarette, looking suffocated. This time he didn’t offer one to Haejun, just lit it himself and took harsh drags.

The taxi finally arrived. Yohan, looking properly sulky now, ignored it and chewed on the cigarette tip. With no choice, Haejun strained alone to get Eunjae into the back seat.

Only then did Yohan saunter over and skillfully slip Eunjae’s wallet out of his pocket. Even when Haejun asked what he was doing, he didn’t answer—just took out bills and handed them to the driver.

“There’s no such thing as free alcohol.”

Haejun had been planning to get the taxi fare out of Eunjae anyway, so he didn’t stop him. It was payment for hauling a drunk home.

After putting the wallet back, Yohan waved him off. The gesture was casual, but his face looked sour as if he’d bitten into a bug. Haejun knew what the problem was, but he only nodded and closed the door.

“......”

He wasn’t clueless about what Yohan was worried about. If he himself was this lost, how could Yohan—who knew him better than anyone—not see it?

Yohan probably just wanted to turn his gaze somewhere else somehow. Haejun knew it came from concern. So even if it was annoying, he couldn’t stay mad at him.

Then again, was he even in a position to get angry at Yohan? Even right now, Lee Kangjoo was in his head.

I want to see Lee Kangjoo.

Yesterday, today, even this very moment.

Even if one day this relationship ends and they can’t see each other anymore... wouldn’t he still want to?

That kind of future scared him. Just imagining days of missing Lee Kangjoo, of wanting to see him but not being able to, already made his chest tighten and his lungs shrink like they were collapsing.

“Could you... please open the window for a moment?”

Haejun kept taking deep breaths but it wasn’t enough, so he asked the driver. Thinking he was carsick, the driver quietly rolled the window down.

The taxi crossed a bridge. The river below shimmered under the city lights. Haejun stared blankly at the swaying reflections.

He remembered hanging from a railing like that once, determined to end his life. And the taste of the cigarette Lee Kangjoo had pressed between his lips. The hand that had lifted him up in one motion and pulled him back from the edge of death.

“......”

There are things you understand even if you don’t want to. Things that won’t disappear no matter how much you try to look away.

His feelings for Lee Kangjoo were like that.

I like him.

He covered his face with both hands. Maybe it was the alcohol, but even with the cold wind hitting him, his whole body felt hot.

The scenery outside the window kept changing, but Haejun was still on that bridge. On the road where Lee Kangjoo had reached his hand out to him.