Hongdae's Night, Unexpected Reunion

-Han Jae-i's Perspective-

...My head is spinning.

/Dugeun-dugeun Dugeun-dugeun Dugeun-dugeun Dugeun-dugeun Dugeun-dugeun Dugeun-dugeun/

My heart's pounding like a goddamn steam locomotive, pulse throbbing in my temples.

It all feels like a dream—like I desperately wish it was.

Hiding under the covers in an empty room, just in case someone sees me.

'...Our eyes... met... right...? Ha-ri... recognized me.... for sure....?'

I'm so fucking confused.

I just wanna shut out reality and pass out already.

Ha-ri getting ravaged like that by that bastard Jiho...

And then Ha-ri locking eyes with me...

Ha-ri... Ha-ri... Ha-ri...

/Jjeuruk/

Tears just start falling somehow.

I hope if I fall asleep like this, I never wake up.

It's gonna be such a long... really fucking long night.

.

.

The next day.

/Teobeok.. Teobeok../

Didn't sleep a wink.

Dark circles screaming under my eyes.

Thought I'd finally pulled myself together...

And then, right there.

Eyes met Ha-ri's as she stepped out from her house stairs.

"........!"

"........!"

.......Silence.

Awkward, heavy silence hangs in the air.

Over ten years with Ha-ri, and this is the first time it's ever felt this uncomfortable and weird.

A brief silence passes, then Ha-ri forces a smile to break it.

"Ah.. Ahaha.. Where you headed? To, school..?"

"Uh.. Uh.. You, Ha-ri..?"

"I'm just... heading that way..."

Probably off to school.

But uncomfortable walking with me, so she's bullshitting an excuse.

Ha-ri's smiling, but her eyes aren't.

Doesn't meet my gaze once while talking.

Never thought it'd be this awkward...

Ha-ri didn't even do anything wrong, but she's acting like a guilty criminal, and I'm staring at her like she's the fucking perp.

"...Jae-i, you... saw...?"

"Uh, uh..? Wh-what..? Ah, that thing yesterday..?"

/Hwakin/

Ha-ri's face flushes bright red.

Mine does too, and I can't look her in the eyes for shit.

Another round of awkward silence.

...Ha-ri breaks it again this time.

"...Was gonna tell you.. Actually, I'm dating Jiho..."

"..Kinda figured.. How long..?"

"..A little while..."

"....R-really? Ahaha. Should've said something. Now I feel like an idiot for not knowing.. haha.."

"....Ahaha..."

Fuck.. This is so uncomfortable I'm gonna die.

A little while..?

So when I said I was gonna confess to Ha-ri, that's when they started?

Did that fucker Jiho toy with me..?

Nah. Probably not.

Fuck if I know.. I really don't...

"Um.. Jae-i.. What you saw yesterday.. um.."

"Ahaha, n-no biggie. Couples do that shit. I'm totally cool with it. Could be your kink or whatever.. Ahaha.. I-I'm super into that stuff too~"

Fuck, what the hell am I even saying?

Head's all woozy.

Feels like my feet aren't touching the ground, just dangling in the air.

Ha-ri panics, face beet red, blurting out ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠excuses like crazy.

"N-no..! No! It's not like that every time, yesterday was just.. uh, Jae-i wanted to.... he kept begging...."

Ha-ri trails off, too embarrassed to look up.

I just wanna bolt from here.

Scared shitless.

Scared she'll ask.

[How long you been peeking at my room from yours?]

Desperate to escape before those words drop.

/Hilkeum/

I scan Ha-ri's body head to toe.

Faint kiss marks scattered on her nape.

Her tits bulging nicely under that comfy tee.

That bastard Jiho kneaded those tits like crazy yesterday..

Sleek jeans hugging her pretty hips and ass.

Jiho shoved it in that ass yesterday.....

/Kkumteul.. Kkumteul../

I'm losing it, Han Jae-i.

Staring at Ha-ri, and my dick's twitching.

Can't see Ha-ri pure anymore.

My eyes are devouring her like a perv.

Couldn't look at her another second.

"..W-well, Ha-ri. Class is starting soon.. Catch you later~ Ahaha.."

"Huh? O-oh, yeah.. Take care. Later.."

/Tak-tak-tak/

Running like a maniac.

Terrified Ha-ri might follow, terrified of facing her again.

Ran like a bat outta hell.

.

.

.

-Yuna noona's Gym.

"Haaap!"

"Taaap!"

Shouts exploding everywhere.

I'm hammering the heavy bag like a psycho.

/Peok Ppuk Peok/

"Uwaaa! Uwaaap!!"

/Peok! Ppaak! Ppuk!/

Pounding away to kill every last thought.

Don't wanna think jack shit.

Then someone kicks my back hard.

/Ppaak!/

"Ugh?!!... Fuck, who the hell...!!"

Whip around pissed, and Yuna noona's staring down at me all dumbfounded.

"Fuck? You're nuts, Han Jae-i. What're you in la-la land for, ignoring me calling your ass a million times..!"

"...None of your business... Just work out, noona..!"

"Sheesh. Screaming your lungs out pounding that bag—how the fuck am I supposed to focus? Huh..? Your hand! Blood!"

"...!"

Knuckles ripped open, blood dripping.

Hit that bag way too long and way too hard.

Yuna noona freaks, huffing over with the first-aid kit.

"Hey, Han Jae-i! You fucking insane?! What the hell's your hand..! Hit a bag like that, you wear goddamn gloves! Ain't your first rodeo, jeez!"

"...Ugh, quit nagging. Beat it."

"Hold still, dammit. Really. Gonna snitch to your mom?"

"...."

Scolding me the whole time, but she calmly bandages my hand and says.

"Dunno what's eating you, but pack it up and head home today. You're gonna get hurt bad like this."

"..Yeah.."

/Teobeok.. Teobeok.. Teobeok../

Wandering the streets aimlessly.

Head flooded with bullshit thoughts, can't focus on shit.

No clue how I even walked, but next thing I know, I'm in a Hongdae club.

/Kung-kung-kung-kung♬♬♬♬♬/

Bass and beats pounding so hard my heart shakes.

Smoke thick as fog, can't see for shit.

...Feels like I can breathe.

No thoughts creeping in—finally feel alive-ish.

Booze and mindless music drowning out everything; Ha-ri ain't crossing my mind.

Then some chick sidles up, whispers hot in my ear.

"Cutie pie? How old?"

".........."

"What? Foreigner? No Korean?"

",,,,Not in the mood right now, so fuck off."

"...Huh? What's this nobody acting all high and mighty?ㅋㅋㅋ"

/Balgeun/

Already on edge.. The fuck she say?!

"Hey..! What'd you just say..!"

/Deopchok/

Grab her collar without thinking.

I'm fucking unhinged.

Never pulled shit like this, grabbing a girl's collar..

Guess I really am off my rocker.

Then—flash of light in my face.

/Jjaak/

....The fuck.. Did I just get slapped?

Look up—blonde chick standing there.

Her friend, probably.

Let go of the collar on reflex, and the blonde glares down at me, pissed as hell.

"The fuck is this dipshit. Hey, Kim Ju-eun. Told you not to chat up worthless trash like this. C'mon, up. Now."

"Ugh.. Sorry, Chae-rin."

Her sidekick scrambles up, and the blonde turns to bounce.

Couldn't even raise my head.

Dipshit. Grab a girl's collar—what, gonna punch her..?

Die, you idiot. Just die.

Head down beating myself up, when the blonde—who was walking off—stops dead and turns back.

/Meomchit/

"....."

"...?"

What?

Blonde staring me down hard.

What, not satisfied? One more slap?

Yeah, go for it. Kill me already.

Then she squints, really sizes me up, and speaks.

"......Han Jae-i?"

".....!"

What the—does she know me..?

Don't recognize no blonde.

Boozy haze and dark as fuck, can't make her out.

Stare her down hard.

Huh...? Hold up... No fucking way....

"....Min Chae-rin...? Seo-Seoul High School.. Min Chae-rin?"

"Wooow~~~ Fuck. Han Jae-i for real?ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Dipshit. What're you doing in a dump like this?"

.

.

.

Alley out front of the Hongdae club.

Me and Min Chae-rin smoking in the alley.

/Chik/

"ㅋㅋㅋ Hey, Loser. You smoke now? Since when? ㅋㅋㅋ"

"..Since twenty. Congrats on starting young, real proud."

"Proud my ass, fuck ㅋㅋㅋㅋ"

Just watching Chae-rin squat like she's taking a dump, puffing that cig like it's prime shit.

Min Chae-rin.

Me and Ha-ri's high school classmate—one of the top dogs in the delinquent crew back then.

Our circles were worlds apart, so never really chatted much.

Kinda scary, tbh..

Her delinquent posse aside, Chae-rin herself rocked that full-on badass delinquent vibe—intimidating as hell.

'...Adult eyes change the view a bit.'

Eyeing Min Chae-rin steady.

Top delinquent for ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a reason—straight-up stunner.

Blonde's gotta be dyed, right?

Suits her freakishly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠well despite how ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wild it is.

Still radiating that prickly delinquent aura, but way less terrifying than high school.

Chae-rin finishes a drag, eyes me, and goes.

"You still kicking it with her? That study freak bitch."

"...Ha-ri?"

"Yeah, Yoon Ha-ri. That one. Still acing everything? ㅋㅋㅋ She was a weirdo. Hot face, brainiac as fuck—why slum it with a Loser like you? ㅋㅋㅋ"

"....Beats me."

Face twists on its own.

Chae-rin eyes me quiet-like, smirks, and drops.

"...You were into Yoon Ha-ri, huh?ㅋㅋ"

Yoon Ha-ri

Min Chae-rin

This image was created with AI.