NOSEBLEED; heejake

02.

He knew he shouldn't be here. He knew this wasn't a good idea. But he was already too far in; he had responded to Jaemin's messages and was now in the place he had avoided until now. The place has barely changed since the last time Heeseung had been here, with the exception of a few new employees and decorations.

Heeseung sat in the quiet bar, fidgeting with the napkin beneath his glass of water while questioning why he had come here at all. It's not like he owes Jaemin a visit after all these years.

He sipped his water timidly, feeling out of place despite the fact that he had been here many times before. Just as Heeseung was about to get up and leave, someone called out from behind the counter.

"Yo, am I hallucinating?"

He looked up to see a familiar face—Sunghoon, a former acquaintance from his days of risky escapades. Sunghoon's eyes widened in disbelief before a wide grin spread across his face.

"Heeseung!" Sunghoon exclaimed, putting down the glass he was polishing and walking around the bar to give Heeseung a big hug. "It's been ages! What brings you back here?"

Heeseung managed a weak smile, "Hey, Sunghoon. Yeah, it's been a while. I... I'm just meeting someone."

Sunghoon's expression softened, sensing the unease in his old friend's demeanor. "Who—" just before he could finish his question, a man with faded blue hair struts into the bar, immediately finding Heeseung and approaching him with an all-knowing smirk.

Sunghoon's eyes narrowed into a glare. "Oh."

"Hey Jaemin..." Heeseung murmured. Jaemin took the seat across from Heeseung with a confidence that bordered on arrogance, his eyes never leaving Heeseung's face. "Heeseung, it's been too long," he said smoothly, his voice carrying a tone of both nostalgia and menace.

Heeseung shifted uncomfortably, his fingers now toying with each other. "Yeah, it has," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jaemin leaned against the counter. "You look tense. Relax, we're just here to catch up, right?"

Heeseung nodded, though his gut told him there was more to this meeting than a simple reunion. "How'd you get my number?"

Jaemin's smirk grew. "You shouldn't be surprised."

Of course, Heeseung shouldn't be surprised. Jaemin was like a mystery box. You never know what you'll get from him. Heeseung sighed, "I guess you're right. Why'd you want to meet me though?"

"Straight to the point, huh?" Jaemin chuckled. "Well, I was wondering if you'd like to reconnect with the group again. Go to a party."

Heeseung's heart sank at the mention of the group. The memories of their wild, unpredictable adventures flooded back, and with them, a mix of excitement and dread. He stared at Jaemin, searching for any hint of sincerity in his eyes, but all he saw was the same impassive expression that had always made Jaemin so hard to read.

"Reconnect with the group?" Heeseung repeated, trying to buy himself time to think. "You know I'm not into that scene anymore."

Jaemin's smirk faltered for a moment, replaced by something dark and familiar. "Why? Cause you turned into Mr. Goody Two-Shoes?" He leans close, "Don't forget who you are, Heeseung."

Heeseung's jaw clenched at Jaemin's words. "I haven't forgotten," he replied evenly, though his voice betrayed a hint of defiance. "But things change. People change."

Jaemin leaned back in his chair, keeping his eyes focused on the other, as if he were digging for the guy he once knew to be his second hand man. "Do they now?" he mused more to himself than to Heeseung.

Heeseung glanced around the bar, acutely aware of Sunghoon observing their conversation from behind the counter. He knew Sunghoon understood the gravity of the situation, given their shared history. Sunghoon's presence was a small comfort, a reminder that he wasn't entirely alone.

"Look, Jaemin," Heeseung began, choosing his words carefully, "I appreciate the invitation, but I'm not sure it's a good idea. I've moved on from that part of my life."

Jaemin's eyebrow twitched upward. "Moved on? Or just running away?" his voice drops to a whisper. "You can't escape who you are, Heeseung. You can try, but it'll always catch up to you."

Heeseung felt a chill run down his spine. He knew Jaemin was right, at least to some extent. The past had a way of resurfacing, no matter how deeply buried. But he also knew that he couldn't go back to the reckless lifestyle that had nearly consumed him.

"I've made my choice, Jaemin," Heeseung said firmly, mirroring Jaemin's gaze. "And I intend to stick to it."

Sunghoon, sensing the escalating tension, interjected with a nervous chuckle, "Hey, how about I get you guys something to drink? On the house, of course."

Heeseung gratefully nodded at Sunghoon, appreciating the attempt to diffuse the atmosphere. "Yeah, that would be great. Thanks, Sunghoon."

Sunghoon nodded and hurried back behind the bar, leaving Heeseung and Jaemin in a tense silence once more. Jaemin's expression softened slightly, a trace of something unreadable flickering in his eyes.

He was silent for a moment, studying Heeseung, "Suit yourself," he said finally.

As quickly as he left, Sunghoon was back with two shots of whiskey. He placed them in front of both men with a practiced smile used for these kinds of situations.

Heeseung picked up the shot glass, the amber liquid catching the dim light of the bar. He hesitated for a moment before raising it slightly towards Jaemin in a reluctant toast. Jaemin grinned and mirrored the gesture, their glasses clinking together with a soft chime that echoed in the stillness between them.

"To the past," Jaemin said, his voice carrying a hint of mockery.

"To moving forward," Heeseung countered, his tone resolute.

They both downed their shots in unison, the burn of the whiskey a stark reminder of their shared history and the split paths they now walked.

Jaemin set his empty glass down with a decisive thud, his smirk never faltering. "You have my number if you change your mind," he said, his eyes lingering on Heeseung for a moment longer before he stood up, pushing his chair back with a grating scrape. "Enjoy the rest of your night gentlemen."

Sunghoon scowled as he watched Jaemin leave. When the door swung shut behind him, he sighed. "What a devil—uh are you alright, Heeseung?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He muttered, running a hand through his maroon hair.

"No like, your nose is bleeding."

Heeseung blinked, reaching up to touch his nose, and felt the warm blood on his fingers. He hadn't even noticed the slight ache that must have accompanied the bleeding. "Ah, must be the Jaemin effect," he said, forcing a light-hearted chuckle.

Sunghoon laughed softly and grabbed a clean towel from behind the counter and handed it to Heeseung. "Here, use this. You sure you're alright—other than the nosebleed, I mean."

"Yeah.. I guess."

"You're not actually thinking of going to that party are you? Especially with him."

Heeseung shrugs, "I don't know... it seems like he's leaving me with no choice."

Sunghoon hums.

"Well, if you decide to go, be careful. We both know how Jaemin is." Sunghoon advises. Heeseung nodded, recognizing the statement all too well.

"I know."

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Long chapter! Hope it wasn't boring 😭
And lmk if u like it hehe <33
Hopefully there's no mistakes