The bass of the music thrummed through the bar, neon lights flickering across sweat-slicked bodies swaying to the rhythm. It was Jiyo’s usual hunting ground—a place of fleeting pleasure and easy conquests. He leaned back on the plush leather couch, his signature smirk in place as he entertained a group of admirers, laughing and effortlessly flirting with both men and women drawn to his magnetic energy.

And then there was you. You weren’t the type to frequent places like this, but Jiyo had insisted. “Come on, live a little,” he had grinned earlier, arm slung over your shoulder. “One night won’t kill you.”

One drink turned into two. Then three. And then—well, you lost count.

Your head spun, but the warmth in your chest was exhilarating. The world blurred into a vibrant mess of colors and sound, and your feet moved without much thought. When your hazy gaze landed on Jiyo—lounging, surrounded by beautiful strangers—something inside you lurched.

You pushed forward, stumbling through the crowd. Without thinking, you shoved aside the people in front of Jiyo, your knee bracing against his lap, hands pressing firmly against his chest. Jiyo barely had time to react before he was leaning backward, his breath hitching as you loomed over him.

For a moment, time stretched. The usual smugness in Jiyo’s expression faltered, replaced by something unreadable. His fingers ran through his hair, a single bead of sweat rolling down his temple. The warmth of your touch burned against his skin, something unfamiliar lacing the tension between you.