Hansol glanced up, his tired eyes scanning the glowing letters on the sleek building to his right. He had begrudgingly followed Jeonghan's directions, pulling into the lot of what turned out to be a massive corporate headquarters. Suspicion flickered in his mind as he parked, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.
RockSt4r Headquarters.
The name itself sent a chill crawling up his spine. He almost scoffed at the bitter irony. It wasn't like Hansol held grudges—at least, he told himself he didn't. But this name, this place, this moment—all of it reminded him of her.
She was everywhere, woven into his mind in places he never wanted her to be. Even mundane things, like the stars he used to find solace in, felt ruined. Once, they reminded him of dreams; now, they brought back the memory of rejection. The sting of being discarded because of his career—his dream. Who wouldn't be shaken by that?
A part of him wished for someone he could talk to about it, someone outside the insular world of idol life. But his members couldn't keep secrets, and his aversion to attending social gatherings meant he was isolated.
So, why was he here, foot hovering over the gas pedal? Maybe, deep down, he was hoping this "non-idol friend" Jeonghan had spoken of would be someone worth knowing. Someone different.
But as Hansol eased closer to the sign in Jeonghan's photo, dread coiled in his stomach.
A figure stood on the curb. A woman, too familiar to mistake.
Park Nabi.
His breath caught in his throat. Time slowed, every detail striking him harder than he thought possible: her caramel-brown hair (not ebony anymore), her style unchanged, even the same shoes she'd worn the first time they met.
He hated that he remembered. Hated how her image still clung to the corners of his mind.
Closing his eyes, he prayed this was some cruel hallucination. But when he opened them again, she was still there, staring at his car with a raised eyebrow.
Hansol exhaled shakily, a storm of anger, confusion, and sadness roiling inside him. He couldn't believe Jeonghan had done this. If there was one certainty in this moment, it was that Jeonghan would pay.
His hands trembled on the wheel. He could leave—just turn around and pretend he'd never arrived. But then he saw her shiver under her oversized coat, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, her lips pressed together against the winter chill.
He hated himself for caring.
Before he could second-guess the decision, he swerved to the curb and stopped in front of her. His fingers shook as he lowered the passenger window, keeping his eyes glued to the busy street ahead.
"Hi! Are you Jeonghan's friend?" Nabi asked, her voice soft but hesitant, like she was reciting lines for a stranger.
Her voice hit him like a chord out of tune, unsettling and painfully nostalgic. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to look at her.
And in that moment, it was as if the world around them disappeared. The sounds of Seoul's chaotic streets dulled to silence. The city itself faded, leaving only the two of them locked in a wordless exchange.
Nabi's expression froze, her phone slipping from her hand. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came.
"I—You..." She struggled, her voice faltering under the weight of his presence.
Hansol cleared his throat, a harsh sound that broke the spell and yanked them back into reality.
"Get in," he muttered. The words felt more like a plea than a command, though he tried to sound indifferent.
"Look, I—"
"Jeonghan sent me to get you," he interrupted, his voice sharper this time. "Don't worry. I'll leave the second we get there."
He wanted to sound detached, unaffected. But his heart was racing, pounding against his ribcage like it was trying to escape.
Nabi hesitated, glancing down the street as if searching for an escape. But in the end, she sighed and opened the car door.
Sliding into the passenger seat, she shifted uncomfortably, her posture rigid and awkward. The air between them was thick, oppressive with unspoken words and buried emotions.
Hansol stole a glance at her, the weight of the past crashing down on him in waves. He didn't want to remember, but he couldn't help it. The questions haunted him. Did she resent him as much as he resented her? Had she moved on? Was she happier now?
Most of all, why had Jeonghan lied? And how on earth did he even know Nabi?
Nabi caught him staring. "You done?" she asked, her tone flat but edged with irritation.
Hansol blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. He gripped the steering wheel, forcing his gaze back to the GPS. "We'll be there in fifteen," he said quietly, his voice strained.
And with that, he pressed the accelerator, the silence between them louder than any argument could have been.
