Ten o’ clock.

Jiyong pulls over and hands the keys to the valet. He adjusts his wayfarer in an unconscious effort to hide himself. He refused to go inside and instead chose to stand on the street, at the edge of the glass walls, hidden from view of the patrons inside. He scans the guests of the fine dining restaurant and immediately spots a person who wasn’t hard to miss, even in a crowd of equally beautiful people. The man always had a captivating presence that was hard to overlook.

Seunghyun was sitting on one of the corner tables.

He looked rather tired, Jiyong thought. He had those sullen eyes that kept darting at the door whenever it opened. He notices how often Seunghyun’s fists tighten and unclench. He turns down the server for what seemed like the tenth time that night. He glances at his watch before putting both elbows in the table and sighing at his clasped hands.

Jiyong fetches his phone from his pocket. He went to the inbox, which was full of Seunghyun’s messages.

“We need to talk.”

“Please talk to me.”

“I need to see you.”

“Please come.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

Jiyong glanced at his own watch. He had kept him waiting for three hours already. He never replied to any of Seunghyun’s messages so he really had no commitment to show up. He was tired of Seunghyun always wanting them to talk - as if talking could change anything, as if talking could solve everything.

Jiyong decides. Seunghyun could wait a little more.

He could wait there until tomorrow because Jiyong had made his mind up on not showing. He deserves a little pain, a taste of the bitterness of reality.

He envied Seunghyun and his carefree life. Seunghyun seemed to get the best praises for his little efforts. Jiyong however, had to break his bones and shed tears of blood, in exchange for a few compliments among hundreds of ridicules. He wanted to destroy Seunghyun back then, corrupt him and make him see that the world is cruel and life is unfair. He wanted to let Seunghyun see his pains; he wanted Seunghyun to feel them.

It started as a game, as an experiment. He knew Seunghyun fancied him even before the man was aware of it himself. Seunghyun was a good friend and he trusted Jiyong blindly. It was easy for Jiyong to seduce him. Jiyong made himself so desirable in Seunghyun’s eyes that it became inevitable for Seunghyun to fall in love with him.

Blameless in his own eyes, Jiyong tries to get Seunghyun break off their relationship. He has done awful things, cruel things, to make Seunghyun fall out of love. After all, making someone hate you is easier than making them love you.

Jiyong watched as Seunghyun grew more anxious by the minute. He had become completely still and silent. Tears were threatening to fall.

Just then a pretty lady walked up to Seunghyun’s table. From the way she approached him, it appears she was a fan. Jiyong could make out a few words by watching her lips move. She told him she has been watching Seunghyun for a long time and decided to accompany him while waiting.

Being the gentleman that Seunghyun was, he entertained her. Seunghyun even smiled for her.

Jiyong could feel his blood boil as the lady sat in his seat.

Seunghyun let her.

Jiyong grabs his phone and sends Seunghyun a message.

“Ditch her. Or I’m leaving.”

Jiyong could see Seunghyun reach for his phone while laughing at what seemed like the lady’s very funny joke.

Jiyong stormed inside.

TBC