Jihoon finished his shift feeling both frustrated and very nervous. It had been years since he last smoked, but he suddenly felt the need for a cigarette. The lights inside the restaurant were still on, indicating that his colleagues were still cleaning and tidying up, but Jihoon had no desire to stick around or chat with anyone. He slipped out the back door instead.

He wanted to come to terms with reality and accept it, but every time he got close, it felt like fate was slapping him in the face with the truth of his situation and reminding him of what he'd lost. This belief wasn't grounded in any solid evidence; it was more of a lingering feeling that he was caught in an especially unlucky conspiracy that he couldn't escape. Seeing Minho had stirred up a mix of emotions, making him feel like he needed to cry—not out of sadness or anger, but out of a deep sense of injustice that seemed to be pressing down on him.

The last thing Jihoon expected was to find Minho just a step away outside the restaurant. He froze at the sight of the tall, fit figure of the actor. A small glimmer in the dark suggested Minho was smoking a cigarette, and the need Jihoon had felt moments before intensified. However, it was secondary to his desire to walk straight past and leave the arrogant star behind. Whatever Minho wanted to say, Jihoon was certain he didn't want to hear it.

"Where are you running off to?" Minho called out, noticing Jihoon walking by as if he were completely invisible.

The actor grabbed the waiter by the wrist, pulling him closer and forcing him to turn around to face him. Jihoon hated being seen with teary eyes and flushed cheeks from frustration. Minho was surprised to see that expression on his face, one that looked like a wounded animal.

He released Jihoon's wrist, and Jihoon nearly growled, "I'm going home, isn't it obvious?"

"Wait—wait," Minho insisted, reaching out again but with more gentleness this time. "I just want to talk. Can we?"

"I have nothing to say to you."

"We haven't seen each other in ten years, and you treat me like I ran over your dog. It seems natural there's something to talk about!" Minho's voice took on a sharp edge. "Why do you hate me so much?"

Jihoon felt his heart tighten in his chest. How could he ask such a thing? How could he pretend not to have anything to do with what happened, or that he didn't benefit from it? It felt like Minho was trying to manipulate him again, to make him believe he was a better person than he was. But Jihoon wasn't willing to fall for it, not this time.

Seoyoung's words echoed in Minho's mind. For a moment, he deluded himself into thinking that perhaps Jihoon was truly in love with him, and that the reason for Jihoon's bitterness was because those long-hidden feelings couldn't even surface now that they had reunited, especially since Minho had someone by his side.

But he would soon realize how wrong he was. Very soon.

"You ruined my life. And now you enjoy watching me down while you sit on your pedestal," Jihoon snapped his hand away from Minho's grip. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? That I don't know you're involved in the scandal that ruined me? The only person who benefited from my expulsion from the agency was you. No one else gained anything from it."

Minho was stunned by Jihoon's words. He couldn't believe it. Did this arrogant brat really want to blame HIM for his own naivety?!

"What the hell are you talking about? Why on earth would it be my fault if you got caught making out in the agency?!"

"You plotted with that guy to seduce me, exploiting a weakness you knew I had. You set the perfect trap, got me caught, and had me thrown out of the agency! You knew perfectly well that I was going to be cast as the lead, and that would mean you'd be stuck playing minor roles for the rest of your life." Jihoon's voice cracked as tears began to fall. He hated how emotional he could get, but he couldn't help it. When the anger and emotions became too much, they boiled over in his stomach and spilled out through his eyes, uncontrollably.

Minho stared at him, stunned and silent.

"Bullshit," Minho said harshly, taking a drag from his cigarette. "I can't believe you actually buy into this ridiculous conspiracy theory. The truth is, I had nothing to do with what happened to you and your career. When you got kicked out, I was the last person standing up for you to the CEO, but I was a nobody back then, and no one listened to me. Yes, we were rivals, but that competition pushed me to be better. Regardless of your misfortunes, I've often thought back on our worst moments and drawn inspiration for various roles. I couldn't have built the career I have by stepping on someone else's bones. The fact that you think that shows you're still as naive as ever. It's that kind of thinking that got you into trouble in the first place. If you had been smarter and thought more before acting, you wouldn't have gotten that slap on the wrist, and maybe you'd be the one in my shoes now. But we can't change what's already happened."

Minho flicked the cigarette butt into the void, watching it twirl and dim in the darkness. "All we can do is focus on the future and the steps we need to take to get there."

"My next steps are going home," Jihoon retorted, almost as if he hadn't heard a single word Minho had said. The truth was, it was too hard to accept that Minho's words might be sincere, because if they were, then Jihoon would have to blame himself, and that was something he couldn't tolerate right now. Blaming someone else was not only easier but also more convenient, and he'd become so accustomed to thinking of Minho as the antagonist in his life that he couldn't see him any other way. Even though Minho's words hadn't fully penetrated the stubborn wall Jihoon had built around himself, he couldn't deny that a part of him felt foolish and sorry for treating Minho so unfairly.

"Jihoon," Minho called out, his tone now calm and flat, making it hard to read his intentions. "I'll give you a taste of my life if you want."

Jihoon blinked rapidly. Had he heard that right? And if so... what on earth did Minho mean by that?