After a long day filled with back-to-back meetings and client calls, Eric was finally wrapping up his workday. As a senior in his office, it often felt like he had to carry the weight of the team's responsibilities on his shoulders, handling demanding clients, making decisions that affected his colleagues, and staying on top of everything. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was his job. He’d even spent an hour meeting with clients that afternoon, discussing a case that had him scrambling for solutions.

Now, though, he was ready to step away from work. Minwoo’s voicemail didn’t leave room for negotiation: “You’d better not be sulking alone in Seoul again. Let’s go out, look hot, get drunk, and maybe you'll bring someone home like in our twenties. That’s an order!” It was the perfect opportunity. Eric needed something to take his mind off the stress. They were meeting at a pub in Itaewon, a spot Minwoo had been raving about since he came back to Korea a few months ago.

Eric weaved through the crowd in the pub, the pulsating music and flashing lights almost overwhelming. Despite the energy around him, he couldn’t shake the familiar feeling of being on the outside. The place was packed, but he wasn’t paying attention to the people. Eric was used to being in the background, and preferred it that way.

“Hey, you good?” Minwoo asked when he finally found his friend, handing Eric the beer he had ordered in advance. His face broke into an amused smile at Eric’s surprised expression. “I will not let you escape the drunkenness of the night. I already told Camille I won’t come home sober!” He pulled Eric into a tight hug. “I’m glad to be back in Asia. We definitely need to celebrate, mate!”

Eric wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and laughed lightly. “Happy to see you too, bro. I missed you so much.”

“Your face says otherwise. Are you sure you’re happy to see me?” Minwoo teased with a wide grin.

“Yeah, just… tired, I guess.”

Minwoo didn’t miss a beat, rolling his eyes playfully. “You always say that. But you’re fine, right? Come on, let’s meet some people.” Even after just a few months back, Minwoo had already befriended half the regulars at the pub.

Eric managed a tired smile. Even though he was taller than most people around him, he didn’t feel any more confident. His sharp jawline and slightly tired eyes still drew the occasional glance, but Eric rarely noticed. A few gray hairs had started to appear, and his dark circles seemed deeper than ever, too much work and not enough sleep. He still had undeniable charisma, but tonight, the exhaustion showed.

Minwoo, on the other hand, radiated youthful energy. He moved through the crowd with ease, smiling at everyone, his posture relaxed and confident, something Eric envied. “Let me introduce you to some people!” Minwoo said, placing a hand on Eric’s shoulder and guiding him toward a group near the bar.

Eric followed, scanning the crowd. That’s when he saw Jihoo. The younger man stood out, tall, athletic, and effortlessly charismatic. With his wide grin and confident movements, he seemed to glow. Eric thought he could easily be mistaken for an idol.

“That’s Jihoo." Minwoo said. “He’s one of the regulars here. We go to the gym together. I thought you two should meet, you’d get along well. I’ve been telling him about you.”

Eric nodded. “Yeah, sure.” His focus was still on Jihoo, whose effortless charm made Eric feel… not out of place exactly, but different.

They approached the bar, and Minwoo made the introduction. “Jihoo, this is Eric. He’s from Hong Kong, and also kinda French.”

“Kinda French?!” Eric repeated, mock-offended. “I AM French. I was born there.”

“I love teasing your proud French ass. You always get offended if I don’t say it properly. So Jihoo, here’s my friend Eric, French-born Chinese.”

Jihoo turned, smiling broadly as he took in Eric’s appearance. “Nice to meet you, Eric! I’m Jihoo, just Korean." he said warmly. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Just Korean?” Minwoo interjected. “You are practically Canadian, lived there most of your life!”

“Yet I don’t have a Canadian passport, so I’m just Korean. Can’t even escape the army.”

“So you’re a Frenchman living in Hong Kong? That’s cool." Jihoo said, eager to shift the spotlight. “One of my close uni friends is French. He introduced me to some vintage music.”

Eric raised an eyebrow, curious. “Interesting. What kind?”

Jihoo grinned, clearly enjoying Eric’s attention. It turned out he was listening to all the songs Eric used to like as a teenager. The audacity to call it vintage.

Eric dramatically placed a hand on his chest. “Ah, I see. So now it’s vintage. Back when I was young, it was just… music.”

Jihoo smiled, eyes glinting with mischief. “Yes, vintage. Because it was twenty years ago, hyung.”

“Hyung?! Do you know how old I am?” Eric asked.

“Come on! You’re not much older than me, mid to late twenties?” Jihoo replied, leaning in slightly, teasing.

Eric paused, surprised. “Late twenties, huh?” he said with a smirk. “I’m actually well over thirty.”

Jihoo blinked, clearly surprised. Maybe he really had believed Eric was closer to his age. “Oh… really?!” he said, then quickly added with a sly smile, “You look younger, to be honest.”

Eric grinned. “It’s because of the vintage music. Keeps me young at heart.”

Jihoo chuckled. “Maybe. But I still don’t think you’re as old as you say.”

Eric smirked. “Please, call me ajhussi.” he said with a theatrical sigh.

Before Jihoo could respond, Minwoo reappeared, grinning. “You know you could be his dad." he said, drawing out the word dad for emphasis.

Eric froze, eyes widening. Jihoo, clearly embarrassed, playfully smacked Minwoo’s arm. “Minwoo hyung! Stop teasing! I’m not that young and Eric’s not that old!”

Eric laughed at the exchange. Despite everything, work stress, fatigue, Jihoo’s energy made things feel lighter. Maybe tonight wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Minwoo kept ordering beers, his laughter echoing through the bar. Eric tried to keep up, but he knew his limits. Years of late nights had taken their toll. He didn’t want to end up like Minwoo, sloppy and drunk.

Eventually, Minwoo, swaying and slurring, collapsed onto one of the couches with a satisfied smile. He was out cold, snoring lightly.

Eric, feeling a pleasant buzz, stepped outside for some air after checking on him. The cool night air was a welcome relief. He lit a cigarette, the flame flickering. Leaning against the wall, he exhaled slowly.

Moments later, Jihoo joined him. He didn’t say anything at first, just leaned beside him.

“You know." Jihoo teased, eyes glinting, “each cigarette takes two minutes off your life.”

Eric glanced over, smiling faintly. “I know. That’s the goal. Want one?” he asked, offering a cigarette.

Jihoo declined politely.

They stood there in silence, close enough their shoulders almost touched. The air between them was charged. Neither moved away.

Their shoulders brushed lightly. Eric took another drag from his cigarette, the sound of the inhale and exhale the only noise.

They stayed like that until the cigarette burned out. The world seemed to narrow down to just the two of them.

Jihoo turned slightly, his gaze lingering on Eric’s face. Eric didn’t move but felt himself blush. He tried to stay composed, his gaze fixed ahead, but his body betrayed him, tense, aware, and flushed.

Jihoo leaned in closer. Eric could smell him, masculine, warm, faintly mixed with cigarette smoke. It felt like something might happen.

But then, a taxi honked loudly, slicing through the tension.

Eric stepped back, clearing his throat. “Let’s go back inside." he said, trying to sound casual. “I promised Camille I’d get Minwoo home alive.”

Jihoo nodded, a smile lingering on his lips as they returned to the noisy pub. Minwoo was still at the same place, but awake this time, eyes half-closed, swaying as if the room spun just for him.

“Ready for the ride home?” Eric asked, steadying his friend as he tried to stand.

Minwoo laughed weakly, head lolling to the side. “Yes sir! My lovely wife is waiting for me!”. Then he suddenly straightened up, taking his phone out, shoving it in the bartender's face yelling “Did I tell you that my wife is the best wife in the world? I still don’t understand why she married me. But hey! Not letting her go for sure!”
“Yes we know, Minwoo, we know you love her and now you need to go back to her, so stop annoying the bartender and come with me.” said Eric while patiently putting back his friend's phone in his pocket and guiding him outside, Jihoo close behind in case they needed help.

After waiting for a few minutes in silence, Jihoo pulled out his phone. “Taxi coming.”

The taxi soon arrived, and the three of them squeezed in the backseat. Minwoo immediately leaned his head against the door, opening its window and groaning softly. This left Eric no choice but to sit uncomfortably in the middle, as he felt guilty to let Jihoo take care of his drunk friends. Minwoo, unaware of the cramped space, drunkenly keeps pushing Eric against Jihoo, whose easy confidence only made him more aware of his own awkwardness.

“Hey, careful with the head-out-the-window thing." Jihoo joked, nudging Eric slightly. “We don’t want to pay for the cleaning fee.”

Eric swallowed hard, heart thumping louder than the city sounds outside. He forced a laugh. “Yeah, wouldn’t want that.”

Despite himself, he found Jihoo’s presence comforting. The young man’s calm, steady energy seemed to absorb the chaos around them.

At Minwoo’s apartment, the two helped their friend stumble inside, handing him over to Camille with exaggerated solemnity. “Mission accomplished, your husband is back alive!” Eric said, wiping his hands.

“Barely…” Jihoo grinned.

While heading outside, Jihoo asked seemingly casual “Want to grab something to eat? It is still too early for me to go home…”. Seeing Eric's surprised look, he added slightly embarrassed “Dormitory curfew…”

Eric hesitated but then nodded. “Yeah, I could use some food to absorb all the alcohol I drank tonight.”

They found a small, late-night spot serving steaming bowls of kimchi stew. The warmth of the food seemed to thaw some of the tension between them. Over the spicy broth, Jihoo talked about his projects and dreams with bright eyes, while Eric listened, quietly admiring the youth and optimism in front of him.

“So, how old are you, really?” Eric asked, unable to hold back his curiosity.

“Twenty-one.” Jihoo answered with a smile.

Eric blinked, taken aback. Twenty-one. So young. But something about Jihoo’s presence made it hard to believe.

“I don’t look that young, do I?” Jihoo teased.

Eric avoided answering by just shaking his head with a smile. He didn’t want to say anything that he might regret tomorrow. But, yes unfortunately for Eric, he doesn’t look that young. 

As they finished their meal, Jihoo reached for his wallet, but Eric stopped him. “No way I’m letting you pay, I’m the oldest here. And I don’t want your parents to pay for me.” While seeing the look on Jihoo’s face Eric regretted the last part of his sentence. It sounded a bit condescending. He muttered softly “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be an old geezer…” Jihoo smiled but the look in his eyes kept a hint of sadness.

As dawn began to lighten the sky, they found themselves outside, waiting again for another taxi. The world felt still, the city’s noise fading beneath the early morning calm.

As the car arrived Jihoo stepped closer, wrapping an arm around Eric’s shoulder in a gentle hug. It wasn’t too much, just enough to say something unspoken. Eric stiffened, heart racing, caught somewhere between surprise and something else.

The taxi driver’s impatient glance broke the moment, and they parted with a lingering look.

Eric went back home, mind buzzing with questions he wasn’t ready to answer.