Chapter Text
There was no shortage of romance in Kim Sunoo’s life. At least, not the kind that paid his bills.
He had written every kind of love story imaginable—soulmates destined across lifetimes, scandalous affairs between aristocrats, enemies trapped in an arranged marriage, and even that one erotica novel he swore was just an experiment but ended up topping bestseller lists for eight consecutive weeks. If a scenario involved longing glances, heart-fluttering confessions, or some good old-fashioned yearning, Sunoo had put it on paper.
And people ate it up.
At twenty-seven, Kim Sunoo was a household name in South Korea’s literary scene. Women adored him, men pretended not to read his books (but secretly did for relationship advice), and his publisher treated him like a golden goose that laid sappily romantic eggs. His charm extended beyond the pages—sharp wit, a face that looked way too pretty for a writer who allegedly suffered from chronic deadlines, and an effortless ability to make anyone feel like they were in the middle of a grand love story.
But here was the irony:
For all the love he wrote about, Kim Sunoo was, by all personal accounts, utterly, devastatingly single.
Well, that wasn’t always the case.
Two years ago, he had been in love—deep, all-consuming, sometimes infuriating love. The kind he had once believed was worth writing about. The kind that kept him up at night, not because of deadlines, but because his heart couldn’t seem to sit still in his chest. It had been a three-year whirlwind of laughter, late-night fights, quiet mornings, and the kind of chemistry that crackled even in silence.
And then, just like that, it was over.
Some breakups fade gently, like a sunset slipping beneath the horizon.
His had been an explosion, leaving behind a wreckage he could only process the way he knew best—by turning it into a story.
It started as a private project, something raw and cathartic, never meant for the public eye. But his editor read the first draft and smelled a bestseller. The title came as a joke from Jungwon, his best friend and most ruthless critic. I FELL IN LOVE WITH A NARCISSIST. It was scandalous. It was dramatic. It was everything a book needed to fly off shelves. And fly off shelves, it did.
Now, two years after the breakup, Sunoo found himself staring at an email from his publisher with the subject line: TV ADAPTATION CONFIRMED.
His first thought: What the hell.
His second thought: This is going to be a disaster.
And then he scrolled down.
From: Nishimura Riki
Subject: We’re Filthy Rich, Babe.
Sunoo-ya,
Guess what? The geniuses at Noodle Entertainment have decided your tragic love life is prime television material. Lee Heeseung, the director, and Sim Jaeyun, the producer, reached out to ME personally. Not you. Me. Why? Because they have taste. More importantly, they have money.
You should be grateful because I negotiated a VERY lucrative contract on your behalf. (You're welcome, by the way.) Now all you have to do is sit back, bask in the glory of your own heartbreak, and let these two maniacs turn it into a dramatic masterpiece.
Oh, and one small, insignificant detail—Heeseung and Jaeyun took it upon themselves to track down a certain someone for “authenticity” purposes.
Yes. They called him.
Yes. He agreed to meet.
Yes. You are absolutely going to die.
Your benevolent and wealthy publisher,
Nishimura Riki
Sunoo read the email twice. Then a third time. Then once more, just to confirm that he was, in fact, going to need to lie down on the floor for a while.
Heeseung. Jaeyun. Those clout-chasing lunatics. They’re known for their over the top reality dating shows and projects starring the most controversial Kpop stars-turned-actors.
They had actually reached out to him . The man. The myth. The narcissist.
Sunoo could already hear Jungwon’s voice in his head. Oh, this is going to be GOOD.
It was, in fact, going to be the opposite of good.
It was going to be absolute hell.
Sunoo sat in the middle of his living room floor, a cup of untouched coffee beside him and a copy of I FELL IN LOVE WITH A NARCISSIST resting heavily in his lap, as if the weight of his own words had suddenly become unbearable.
Outside, Seoul buzzed with its usual rhythm—cars honking, neighbors chatting in the hallway, life moving on like it always did. Inside, Sunoo was having a crisis.
The email from Nishimura Riki had sent him spiraling, so much so that he’d fired off a quick "Taking emergency leave. Don't contact me unless I'm dead." to his editor before shutting off his work notifications entirely.
He needed time.
Time to process.
Time to marinate in the absolute catastrophe that was about to unfold.
Time to remember why he wrote this damn book in the first place.
And so, for the first time since its release, Kim Sunoo cracked open I FELL IN LOVE WITH A NARCISSIST and started to read his own heartbreak.
"I met him in the summer, when everything felt too bright, too warm, and entirely too much like a movie scene. He wasn’t my type, not even a little, but somehow, he became my favorite story."
Sunoo scoffed. Liar.
He knew exactly what he was doing when he wrote that line. He had romanticized the beginning because it was easy to do so. He had made it sound poetic, like fate had woven them together with golden threads instead of—
Instead of a stupid bet.
[Flashback: Five years ago]
“Five thousand won says you won’t do it,” Jay grinned, resting his chin on his palm. “Come on, Sunoo. It’s just one conversation.”
Sunoo narrowed his eyes across the bar, where he stood—Park Sunghoon, the notoriously cold and devastatingly handsome new co-owner of the place, nursing a whiskey while half-listening to a conversation at the counter.
“Why would I waste my time talking to a man who clearly has the personality of a tax audit?” Sunoo huffed, stirring his cocktail with the tiny umbrella it came with.
“Because,” Jay sing-songed, “he’s been rejecting people left and right, and I just wanna see him get flustered for once.”
Sunoo rolled his eyes. “He’s obviously into himself more than anyone else. I bet he stares at his own reflection longer than he talks to actual people.”
Jungwon, who had been scrolling through his phone beside him, muttered, “Sounds like your type.”
Sunoo kicked him under the table.
“Okay, fine,” he declared, flipping his hair dramatically. “I’ll talk to him. But when he inevitably falls in love with me, I want double the bet.”
Jay smirked. “Deal.”
Sunoo slid off his seat, strutted toward the bar with the confidence of a man who had nothing to lose, and flashed his most charming smile.
Sunghoon barely spared him a glance. “What do you want?”
“Oh,” Sunoo gasped mockingly. “No hi, how are you? No wow, you look amazing tonight ? Not even a damn, what a smile ?”
Sunghoon’s lips twitched, almost like he was fighting amusement. “I don’t compliment strangers.”
Sunoo leaned in, elbows resting on the bar. “That’s okay. I’m not a stranger—I’m your next mistake.”
A pause. Then, to Sunoo’s absolute horror, Sunghoon laughed.
A real laugh.
And that was it. That was the moment. The second Sunoo realized—he might have actually walked into his own trap.
Sunoo slammed the book shut.
Nope. That’s enough nostalgia for today.
He threw himself onto his couch, groaning into the cushions. Re-reading his own past was not a good idea, especially when the memories felt sharper than they should—how his own words were making him remember things he had conveniently blocked out.
Like how Sunghoon’s laugh used to sound at 2 a.m.
Like the way he smelled—cedarwood with metallic notes.
Like how his eyes softened when he was too tired to keep up his cold front.
Sunoo gritted his teeth. Nope. We’re not doing this.
Just as he was about to throw the book across the room, his phone vibrated.
A message. From his publisher, Ni-ki.
Nishimura Riki: Meeting set for Friday. Heeseung, Jaeyun, and the narcissist will all be there. Don’t be late.
Sunoo stared at the screen.
Oh, he was so going to be late.
And if he was lucky, maybe the ground would swallow him whole before Friday even arrived.
If there was one thing Kim Sunoo excelled at—aside from writing bestselling romantic novels and emotionally devastating his readers—it was being fashionably late.
And if there was one thing he sucked at, it was emotionally preparing himself for seeing Park Sunghoon after two years of complete radio silence.
So here he was, standing outside the conference room at Noodle Entertainment , wearing his best I am thriving without you outfit, clutching an iced Americano he didn’t even want, and praying for divine intervention.
The door in front of him might as well have been the gates of hell.
Inside, sitting at the long table, were the four people responsible for his current existential crisis:
- Lee Heeseung, the director, who was only here because adapting a scandalous memoir would boost his portfolio.
- Sim Jaeyun (aka Jake), the producer, who was probably foaming at the mouth thinking about all the dramatic tension he could milk out of this story.
- Nishimura Riki, his morally bankrupt publisher, who was far too happy about this whole situation.
- Park Sunghoon, his narcissistic ex, who was sitting there looking like nothing had ever happened.
Sunoo took a deep breath.
Be cool. Be unbothered. Be the main character.
He opened the door. Four heads turned toward him.
“Ah, finally,” Heeseung sighed, leaning back in his chair. “The man of the hour.”
Sunoo forced a smile and sauntered in, dropping his iced Americano on the table like he owned the place. “Apologies for the delay,” he said, sliding into the empty seat across from Sunghoon. “I was busy contemplating all my life choices.”
Sunghoon hummed. “You should’ve started two years ago.”
Sunoo’s smile froze.
Jake let out a scandalized gasp. Ni-ki grinned like this was exactly what he was hoping for. Heeseung merely scribbled something in his notebook, looking like he was already directing this in his head.
Breathe. Don’t kill your ex in front of all these people.
“Anyway,” Jake jumped in, clasping his hands together, “now that both of you are here—first of all, wow, the tension is delicious—let’s get started!”
Sunoo let out a slow breath, gripping the table to keep himself from launching his drink at Sunghoon. “Fine. Let's get this over with.”
Sunghoon leaned back, arms crossed. “Glad we’re on the same page, then.”
Sunoo was going to die. Or kill someone. Probably both.
Sunoo had exactly three goals for this meeting:
- Survive.
- Not commit homicide.
- Maintain an air of effortless, post-breakup superiority.
Unfortunately, within ten minutes, all three goals were already in critical condition.
Because Park Sunghoon—the man who had once argued with him about the correct way to slice an apple (as if he had any actual authority on the matter)—was now sitting across from him, looking composed, smug, and annoyingly attractive for absolutely no reason.
And the worst part? Everyone else in the room was having the time of their lives.
"Alright, let's start with the basics," Heeseung announced, flipping open his script notes like he was about to discuss something as casual as lighting adjustments and not Sunoo’s deeply personal, emotionally raw, very much still painful breakup. "Sunghoon, we want to make sure the adaptation has the most realistic emotional depth possible, so your insight is obviously invaluable here."
Sunoo choked on his iced Americano. Invaluable???
"Oh, of course," Sunghoon said smoothly, tilting his head like he was genuinely thinking about it. "I mean, I wouldn't want them to get the wrong idea about me."
Sunoo’s nails dug into his palm. "The wrong idea?" he echoed, voice deceptively calm. "Funny. Because I remember writing only the truth."
Sunghoon met his gaze with that same unreadable expression. "Ah," he said, nodding. "So you do write fiction after all."
Jake wheezed.
Ni-ki, the traitor, openly grinned. "Now this is the kind of material we need. More of this energy."
"Right?" Jake added, barely containing his excitement. "Guys, the chemistry? Off the charts. The history? Juicy. We don’t even need to exaggerate it. This adaptation is gonna eat."
Sunoo turned to him, horrified. "We absolutely need to exaggerate it. In fact, I’d rather you take full creative liberty and change everything."
"You mean like turning the narcissist into a sympathetic, misunderstood anti-hero?" Sunghoon asked, raising an eyebrow.
Sunoo pointed at him. "See, that is why I don’t trust you near this production."
Heeseung sighed, rubbing his temples. "Okay, before this devolves into a live reenactment of your most toxic moments—"
"Oh," Sunoo cut in, fully sarcastic, "please—as if I would waste my breath on toxicity."
Sunghoon scoffed. "Right, because you're clearly thriving."
"I am thriving!"
Heeseung slammed his notebook shut. "GREAT. That’s exactly the kind of energy we need for the confrontation scene in episode five."
Sunoo turned to glare at him. "There’s a confrontation scene??"
"Of course," Jake replied, as if that was obvious. "We need to capitalize on all that delicious heartbreak. Maybe add some rain—oh, or one of those emotionally devastating airport scenes where one of you almost leaves forever, but then—"
"No one is doing an airport scene."
"But imagine it," Jake insisted, leaning forward like a villain plotting world domination. "Sunghoon standing there, soaked from the rain, eyes dark with longing. Sunoo turns away, fighting back tears—"
"Why would I be crying?" Sunoo interrupted, scandalized.
Jake ignored him. "The music swells! The camera zooms in on Sunghoon’s hand twitching, like he wants to reach for you but can’t—"
Sunoo’s soul left his body. "I refuse to participate in this circus."
Sunghoon, infuriatingly, looked mildly entertained.
"Well," Heeseung cut in, tone dry, "whether you participate or not, the adaptation is happening. So you have two choices: be involved and make sure your story gets told properly, or let us take creative liberties and—"
Sunoo’s eye twitched. "Fine."
Jake beamed. "Great! Now let’s talk casting—"
Ni-ki cut him off. "Hold on," he said, still grinning. "I have one more question for Sunghoon first."
Sunoo stiffened.
Sunghoon glanced at him, then back at Ni-ki. "Go ahead."
Ni-ki tapped his chin, his expression one of pure mischief. "What was your favorite part of the book?"
The room went silent.
Sunoo turned slowly, ready to kill, but Sunghoon just met his gaze, eyes flickering with something mysterious.
And then, the bastard had the audacity to smirk.
"I liked the parts where he made me sound like an asshole."
Jake clapped his hands together. "OH, THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD."
Sunoo had already resigned himself to one terrible realization: This meeting was hell.
But as it turned out, hell had layers. And just as he thought things couldn’t possibly get worse—
The door opened.
"Sorry we're late!" a voice called out, bright, effortless, and infuriatingly cheerful.
Sunoo blinked. Who—?
"Oh, finally!" Jake exclaimed, standing up like a kid on Christmas morning. "Everyone, meet the stars of our adaptation—the two hottest young actors in the BL scene right now."
Sunoo turned, his stomach dropping.
Because standing in the doorway, all smiles and effortless charisma, were:
Harua, the rising heartthrob of MBC’s For the Hope of It All , grinning like he had just walked into a party instead of the warzone that was Sunoo’s emotional breakdown.
Jo, the infamous second lead from KBS1’s Paint Me Happy in Blue , smirking like he already knew far too much about what he had just signed up for.
"Pleasure to meet you," Harua said, bowing politely. "I've been a huge fan of your work, Sunoo-ssi!"
Sunoo blinked. "You—what?"
Jo, on the other hand, slid into the seat beside Sunghoon with the ease of someone who absolutely should not be that comfortable. He gave Sunghoon a once-over, then grinned.
"Wow," he mused. "You really are the blueprint."
Sunghoon raised a brow, mildly amused. "Excuse me?"
"I'm playing you," Jo said, propping his chin on his hand. "Well, the dramatized version of you, anyway. And I gotta say…" He tilted his head. "You're much hotter in person."
Silence.
Sunoo’s soul left his body once more.
Jake was vibrating in excitement. "OH, THIS IS PERFECT. Jo, keep that energy. That’s exactly what we need on screen!"
Sunoo shot up from his seat. "I need to go home."
"Nope," Ni-ki replied, grabbing his wrist and forcing him back down. "You need to sit here and witness the magic happening."
Sunoo felt his entire existence crumbling. Because now, not only was he being forced to sit across from his ex-boyfriend and re-live their disastrous relationship for a drama adaptation, but he also had to deal with:
- An annoyingly polite lead actor who was way too excited about playing him.
- A second lead with no shame and an obvious love for stirring chaos.
- Jake, who was living for every second of it.
Sunghoon, meanwhile, was still staring at Jo like he was an unsolvable math problem. "You’re really playing me?"
Jo grinned. "Yeah. Got any tips? Or should I just lean into the whole ‘emotionally unavailable but devastatingly handsome’ vibe?"
Sunghoon’s lip twitched. "Just do whatever Sunoo wrote in the book. He clearly had a lot to say."
Sunoo seethed. "You are so—"
"So what?" Sunghoon asked, mildly entertained.
"Unbelievable," Sunoo muttered, crossing his arms.
"Hot," Jo added, winking at Sunghoon.
Sunoo launched a stress ball ( courtesy of Noodle Entertainment's office supplies ) at Jo’s head.
"HEY!" Jo yelped, dodging.
Jake cackled. "Okay, okay, this energy is what we need on screen. Keep it up, guys."
Sunoo turned to him, deadpan. "You do realize my memoir was supposed to be a tragedy, right?"
Jake grinned. "Oh, don’t worry. It’s still a tragedy."
Sunoo groaned, burying his face in his hands. "I hate this."
Harua, ever the sweetheart, leaned forward with a gentle smile. "I know this must be overwhelming, Sunoo-ssi," he said kindly. "But I promise, I’ll do my best to portray your story respectfully."
Sunoo sighed. "Great. At least one person here respects me."
Jo laughed. "Hey, I respect you too. I just respect Sunghoon’s eyebrows a little more."
Sunghoon looked thoroughly unimpressed. "You’re a menace."
"Thanks," Jo replied, beaming.
Sunoo had officially hit his limit.
Between seeing Sunghoon for the first time in two years, the unholy threesome of Heeseung, Jake, and Ni-ki manipulating this entire production for clout and money, and Jo flirting with his ex right in front of him, he had had enough.
It was time to go.
Sunoo stood up, fully prepared to make a dramatic exit. “Well, this has been traumatizing, but I’ll be going now—”
“Hold up,” Heeseung cut in, flipping to a fresh page in his notebook. “We haven’t discussed the press tour yet.”
Sunoo froze.
Jake grinned. “Oh, right! The media rollout is gonna be HUGE.”
“…What,” Sunoo said, tone flat with impending doom.
Ni-ki leaned forward, fingers steepled like a villain about to deliver the final blow. “You and Sunghoon will be doing promotions together.”
Sunoo felt his soul exit his body (the third time now and it’s still the same morning). “WHAT?!”
Harua blinked. “Wait, I thought that was already confirmed?”
Jo, ever the menace, smirked. “Ohhh, this is so good. The real-life exes doing interviews together? The drama .”
Sunghoon, for the first time since the meeting started, looked genuinely surprised. “We’re what now?”
Jake clapped his hands together. “Yup! Interviews, behind-the-scenes footage—”
“Behind the scenes?!” Sunoo shouted.
“Oh, and a couple fan events,” Ni-ki added casually.
Sunoo turned to him, horrified. “I hope you enjoy your Gangnam apartment, because I’m going to end you.”
Ni-ki ignored him. “Think of the engagement! The fans will eat this up. The original author and the real-life inspiration behind the book promoting the drama together? Instant viral marketing.”
Sunoo turned to Sunghoon, expecting to see him just as appalled—
Only to find him… thoughtful.
“…You’re actually considering this?” Sunoo asked, betrayed.
Sunghoon shrugged. “It’s free PR for my restaurant.”
Sunoo’s jaw dropped. “YOU—”
Sunoo could not believe this. Two years of emotional distance, two years of carefully avoiding anything remotely tied to Park Sunghoon, even common friends like Jay, only to be dragged back into the circus like he was the main attraction.
And now Sunghoon—the same man who once refused to take a selfie with him because he was “bad at angles”—was perfectly fine turning their past into a PR stunt?
"You’re using our breakup for free restaurant promotion?" Sunoo demanded, half-hysterical.
Sunghoon raised an eyebrow. "I mean, you used it for a bestselling book."
Sunoo nearly lunged across the table. Jake, cackling, held him back.
"Okay, okay," Heeseung said, flipping through his notes as if this was just another business meeting and not Sunoo's personal descent into madness. "So we’ll start with the press interviews next week, leading into the teaser drop."
"Next week?!" Sunoo yelped.
Ni-ki nodded. "Oh, yeah. And then after that, there’s the fan meeting event—"
Sunoo gripped the edge of the table like it was the only thing keeping him grounded to reality. "I was not informed about a fan meeting event."
Jake grinned. "You are now."
Sunghoon leaned back, arms crossed. "What exactly does a fan meeting entail?"
Jo, who was still lounging like he had front-row tickets to the best drama of the year, smirked. "Oh, you know. Q&A panels. Some behind-the-scenes clips. A live reading of key scenes."
Sunoo stared at him in horror. "A what ?"
"A live reading," Jo repeated, wiggling his eyebrows. "I really hope they pick one of the juicy parts."
Sunoo’s entire existence shattered. "I am not live-reading my past relationship."
"But think of the fans," Ni-ki said innocently.
"The fans can read the book!" Sunoo shot back. "In the privacy of their own homes!"
"Okay, what if we let you pick the scene?" Heeseung offered.
Sunoo glared at him. "Oh, fantastic. I’ll pick one where the narcissist gets hit by a car."
Sunghoon sighed. "So dramatic."
Sunoo turned on him, outraged. "DO YOU SEE WHAT YOU'RE PUTTING ME THROUGH?"
Sunghoon gave him a slow once-over, eyes glinting with amusement. "Yeah," he said. "It’s kinda fun."
Jake snorted. Jo was full-on grinning. Harua, ever the peacekeeper, looked deeply concerned for Sunoo’s well-being.
Sunoo was going to explode.
But before he could, Heeseung—probably sensing the impending homicide—cleared his throat. "Alright, before we wrap up, any final concerns?"
Sunoo opened his mouth. Then closed it. Then exhaled sharply through his nose before settling on "Yes. I hate all of you."
Ni-ki grinned. "That’s not a concern."
"It is for me," Sunoo snapped.
Sunghoon, completely unfazed, tapped his fingers on the table. "Are we done here? Some of us have work to do."
Sunoo turned to him, incredulous. "Do you even really work? Or do you just spend all day finding ways to make my life miserable?"
Sunghoon smirked. "I’m a great multitasker."
Harua, bless his kind soul, gently patted Sunoo’s arm. "I really do appreciate this opportunity," he said sincerely. "I hope we can work well together."
Sunoo softened slightly. Harua was too sweet to be subjected to this nightmare.
Then Jo, ever the menace, leaned toward Sunghoon with a lazy grin. "Hey, if I ever need help preparing for the role, I’d love to grab a drink and pick your brain."
Sunghoon gave him a slow once-over, unimpressed. "Pass."
Sunoo, to his absolute horror, felt the teensiest flicker of satisfaction at that.
Jo pouted. "Boo. No fun."
Jake, still giggling, clapped his hands. "Okay, I think that’s everything! See you all at the press tour!"
Sunoo groaned. Sunghoon smirked. Jo winked.
And as Sunoo left the room, he could already feel the impending doom of his future.
The moment the meeting officially ended, Sunoo did what any sane person in his position would do—
He ran.
Not in an obvious way, of course. He had his dignity (what little was left).
Instead, he made polite excuses, dodged any more mentions of “press tours” and “photo ops,” and casually made his way toward the nearest exit that wouldn’t put him within range of Jake’s inevitable post-meeting gushing.
And by “casually,” he meant full-on, desperate escape mode.
He shoved his way through the backdoor of Noodle Entertainment’s building, heart pounding, mind still spinning from the absolute circus he had just endured.
Then, once he was sure no one had followed him—
He pulled out a cigarette.
His shame cigarettes.
Kim Sunoo did not smoke. At least, not officially. Not regularly. And definitely not in public.
But there were exceptions—like, say, when his narcissistic ex-boyfriend was suddenly back in his life and the universe was laughing at him.
With a quiet sigh, he flicked the lighter, shielding the flame with his hand. As the first drag of nicotine hit his system, he exhaled slowly, letting the smoke curl into the air.
“Still a shameful habit, huh?”
Sunoo froze.
Because of course.
Of course.
Of all the people in the world—
He turned his head just enough to see Sunghoon standing a few feet away, hands in his pockets, leaning casually against the wall like he owned the day.
Sunoo scowled, immediately flicking the cigarette away like a guilty teenager caught in the act.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said way too quickly.
Sunghoon’s mouth twitched. “Right.”
Silence.
Sunoo crossed his arms, shifting on his feet. “What are you doing here?”
Sunghoon raised a brow. “Same as you.”
Sunoo blinked. “You’re stress-smoking too?”
Sunghoon shook his head. “No. Just watching you stress-smoke.”
Sunoo wanted to die. “You’re annoying,” he muttered, voice full of long-held irritation.
Sunghoon hummed, amused. “And you’re still bad at lying.”
Sunoo clenched his jaw, exhaling sharply. “Why are you even out here? Shouldn’t you be inside, bonding with your number one fan?”
Sunghoon looked thoroughly unimpressed. “If you’re talking about Jo, you can keep him.”
Sunoo scoffed. “Oh, now you’re rejecting attention?”
Sunghoon met his gaze, something flickering behind his eyes. “Not all attention is wanted.”
Sunoo’s chest tightened.
Goddamn it.
Two years apart, and Sunghoon still knew how to throw one sentence into the air and make it feel heavier than it should.
Sunoo swallowed, looking away. “Well, lucky for you, you’re about to get a lot of it.”
Sunghoon didn’t answer right away. Then—
“You think this is a mistake?”
Sunoo stilled. It was the first time Sunghoon had asked him a serious question all day. No teasing, no passive-aggressive jabs.
Just real.
For a second, Sunoo almost answered.
Almost.
But then something else slipped out instead.
“…Did you even read it?”
Sunghoon blinked, caught off guard.
“The book,” Sunoo clarified, voice quieter now. “Did you actually read it?”
Sunghoon hesitated—just for a second, but it was enough.
Sunoo let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. “Of course you didn’t.”
Sunghoon’s jaw tightened. “I don’t need to read a book to know what happened, Sunoo.”
Sunoo’s fingers curled into fists. “Right. Because your version is always the correct one, isn’t it?”
Sunghoon exhaled sharply. “That’s not what I meant.”
“No,” Sunoo cut in, stepping forward now, challenging him. “I bet you skimmed through the headlines, let people tell you their versions, and just assumed I turned you into some kind of villain.”
Sunghoon stayed silent.
And for some reason, that made Sunoo’s chest ache more.
“Maybe you should read it,” Sunoo muttered. “Then you’d actually know what you’re so mad about.”
Sunghoon studied him for a long moment. “Would it change anything?”
Sunoo held his breath. It felt like a loaded question, and for a split second, the answer almost slipped out.
But instead, Sunoo exhaled sharply, stepping back toward the door.
"I think," he said finally, "that we should stay in our roles."
Sunghoon frowned slightly. "What?"
"You be the narcissist," Sunoo said, voice steady. "And I’ll be the guy who fell for it."
And with that, he turned on his heel, pushing the door open—
Leaving Sunghoon behind.
Just like two years ago.