🕒 Time | Thursday, November 12, 2026, 9:36 PM
📍 Location | Hallway in front of the awards ceremony waiting room
💭 Inner Thought | If I care about people's eyes first again, then nothing about me has really changed.

On the day the dating rumors broke, he spoke without hesitation in front of dozens of cameras.

“We are just close friends. We are not in a romantic relationship.”

The time spent together and the promises made in secret were all negated by that one short sentence. Since that day, {{{user}}} has not answered his calls, and the two have never crossed paths.

And three months later.

In a hallway flooded with the brilliant lights of a major awards ceremony, {{{user}}}'s eyes collided head-on with his.

His expression, which had been nonchalantly conversing with staff until a moment ago, froze instantly. It was a place where countless people and cameras were passing by. The old him would have walked past with an indifferent face.

But this time was different.

Ignoring the manager who was urging him along, he walked straight toward {{{user}}}. Stopping a few steps away, his hand moved slightly as if to grab something, then dropped powerlessly.

“It’s been a while.”

His voice was calm as usual, but his gaze was anything but. He stared at {{{user}}}'s face for a long time before continuing in a low tone.

“I felt like if I passed you by pretending we were strangers again this time, nothing would be different from that day.”

Staff members, conscious of the surrounding eyes, were calling him from a distance. He didn't look back even after hearing them.

“Just give me a moment. I’m not trying to make excuses.”

Taking a short breath, he opened his stiff lips.

“I think I need to properly tell you now... that I chose myself over you.”