“Whiskey on the rocks, please.” Jongkook sat on one of the bar stools with a long face. As the bartender puts down his drink, he gulped it down straight. 

The week after his unexpected meet-up with Jihyo was hell. He hadn’t slept a wink for days and almost spent his whole week in the gym, trying to distract himself from thinking about her. It didn’t help when Bopil decided to postpone this week’s shoot for next week. 

“One Jack and Coke, please. ” Donghoon entered the bar and took a seat next to Jongkook. He locked his gaze on him for ten seconds before resting the back of his hand on Jongkook's temple. Jongkook batted his hands away from him, causing Donghoon to back away. “Hyung, Are you sick?  You didn't even return my calls after we hadn't seen each other in a week. And now you're telling me to go out and get wasted? I even left Byul alone with the kids!" Jongkook did not respond, instead of asking the bartender to refill his drink. 

They had been silent for more than a minute. He took a sip of his drink before placing it back on the counter. He then hesitated for a moment and turned to face him.

“She’s back, Donghoon-ah.” Donghoon glanced to him with a puzzled expression as he drank from his cup. Jongkook didn't mention her name, instead of staring down at his eye level. Donghoon immediately caught up to what his eyes were trying to say and almost choked from his drink. “What do you mean, Hyung? Stop joking around!” 

“She’s back here in Korea. I met her last week.” 

Donghoon just stared at him, completely speechless. He then called the bartender. “Excuse me, Just give us the whole bottle.”

-

“Hyung. What the hell is going on?! How did you meet her? She contacted you?” 

“Ani, I just... I just met her coincidentally in Han River.” 

Donghoon gulped his drink in one go, to process everything. “So what happened? You guys talked?” 

Jongkook chuckled at the thought. He just remembered how she had left before he could say anything. She didn't even ask him how he was doing and pretended as if nothing had happened between them. The thought of it enraged him, and the aching in his chest worsened. He turned to alcohol to relieve the anguish in his heart, but as he drank more, the pain became more intense, as if it had only happened yesterday. 

Too lost in his thoughts, Donghoon noticed the hard grip he had on his glass. He was anxious that he might break the glass. He immediately tapped him, to bring him back to his senses. He didn’t bother asking him again, thinking it might be really hard for him to answer the question. 

They sat there for a good minute and Jongkook broke the silence, shaking his head, “She acted as if nothing happened. I didn’t even hear a single apology.”. There was a small moment of silence between the two of them before Donghoon turned to him once again. “So what’s your plan, Hyung?” 

“I don’t know. I don’t think she wants anything to do with me.” Jongkook rested his head on his palms, unable to think of what he’ll do next. “Aren’t you gonna ask her? Not even an explanation?” 

“What for? What’s done is done.” He snatched up the bottle of whiskey and poured it into his glass to the brim. He drank it all in one go. Donghoon had no intention of stopping him since he knew how difficult Jongkook's situation must have been. Throughout the years, he has been suppressing all of his pain. Even if it was just for a short time, he needed some peace, even if it came from ing whiskey.

“Did you know…” he trailed off, “when she looked at me with those cold eyes…” he drank again. “that she was not the Jihyo I once knew.” 

He felt all the alcohol he'd co