Lovely Runner Oneshot

Jealous

Part 2 of Drunken Confession. Sun Jae can't help himself getting jealous of Kim Tae Song.

The smoky haze of the bar clung to Sun Jae like a second shirt. He chuckled at In-Hyuk's smooth rendition of Run Run, one of their songs, his rich baritone weaving through the bar's raucous laughter. But the amusement didn't quite reach his eyes. His gaze kept flickering to his phone, a sliver of worry burrowing beneath his usual easy smile.

Im Sol had mentioned going out with her friends hours ago. Yet, here he was, several drinks deep, and a nagging unease gnawed at him. He decided to call.

The phone rang twice before a breathless hello drifted through the speaker.

"Hello?" The frustration in Im Sol's voice was clear, but so was the helplessness. Sun Jae could practically picture the scene –Sol struggling to support whoever drunk friend she is with, her face flushed with exertion and annoyance.

Sun Jae's smile faltered. A man's guttural grunt, "Noona..." echoed in the background followed by a loud thud of a body. "Are you still out?" he rasped; the question strangled by a knot of worry.

Instead of answering, he heard Sol's annoyed voice in the background. "Yah! Get up! I cannot drag you to my car!" Sun Jae winced, picturing the scene – his girlfriend struggling with a drunken friend, frustration etched on her face. Unable to bear the image any longer, he blurted, "Is everything okay? Where are you? I'm coming to pick you up. Now." His voice, usually light, held a steely edge that brooked no argument.

He muttered excuses, practically sprinting out of the bar, his friends In Hyuk and Jay trailing after him. He hurried out, his worry for Im Sol intensifying as he drove as fast as he could to her location.

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Im Sol stepped out of the bar as she wrestled with Tae Song' deadweight. He was a mess— his movements were clumsy and uncoordinated, his limbs flailed around trying to find his balance. Just as she managed to prop him against the wall for a moment's rest, her phone buzzed insistently in her purse. Holding Tae Song in one arm, she fumbled her phone out, relief washing over her when she saw Sun Jae's name.

"Hello?" she answered, panting.

The muffled thump of Tae Song hitting the ground echoed through the phone before Sun Jae's voice reached her. "Are you still out?" he asked, concern lacing his usually steady tone. It wasn't just concern, Im Sol could hear a hint of something else – a tension that tightened the knot in her stomach.

As she was about to explain, Tae Song mumbled a drunken protest and slumped back to the ground with a sickening thud. "Yah! Get up! I cannot drag you to my car," she shouted, earning a raised eyebrow from Sun Jae on the other end.

When Sun Jae arrived, the sight that greeted him confirmed his worst fears. Im Sol, her face flushed with frustration, was trying (and failing) to get Kim Tae Song onto his feet on the sidewalk.. "Why are you here? I only told you where we were because you asked," Im Sol said, shocked to see him.

Ignoring her questions, Sun Jae knelt and scooped Kim Tae Song up in his arms. The detective mumbled some incoherent protest, his head lolling against Sun Jae's shoulder. The feel of him against Sun Jae, a physical reminder of his past connection with Im Sol, sent a jolt of jealousy through him.

"No... no... guys. I can go home. Off you go," Tae Song slurred, trying to stand but failing miserably.

"Impressive. What a sight to see you taking care of your ex-boyfriend in front of your current one," Sun Jae remarked, a mix of sarcasm and hurt in his tone.