Han rushed forward and shoved Chaewon back with a hand against his chest.
"Are you f*cking insane? What the hell is wrong with you?"
Chaewon stumbled against the lockers behind him. "Please, just listen to me first—"
"Why should I?" Han snapped. "You kissed me while I was asleep, you creep."
"Yes, I did," Chaewon admitted quietly.
Han let out a sharp laugh. "Wow. So you're admitting it now?"
"No, that's not what I meant. I just slipped—"
Han stared at him in disbelief. "You slipped? And somehow landed on my lips?"
As Han continued pushing him back, Chaewon found himself trapped between him and the lockers, nowhere left to move.
"I should report you for harassment," Han shouted. His voice cracked halfway through, anger twisting into something more wounded. "You can't just kiss someone without their consent."
Chaewon's expression hardened slightly. Looking down at Han through lowered eyes, he muttered, "Why are you acting like it was your first kiss? It was mine too. And I wasted it on you."
That only made Han angrier.
He grabbed Chaewon by the collar and yanked him closer.
But the moment their faces were inches apart, Han froze.
Something about him felt familiar.
The eyes.
The voice.
The face that looked different now, yet strangely recognizable.
For a brief second, the room fell silent.
Then Han's eyes widened slightly.
"…Wait."
He stared harder at him.
"Are you Chaewon from NEXON?"
Chaewon blinked in shock. "You know me?" His expression brightened faintly. "Are you a Nextie?"
Before Han could answer, the door opened.
"Hey—Han!"
Jun walked in quickly, immediately noticing the tension.
"What are you doing?" he asked, grabbing Han's wrist and forcing him to let go.
Han clicked his tongue and stepped back.
"Why are you treating your junior like this?" Jun scolded. "Watch your attitude."
Han shot Chaewon a warning glare.
"He was annoying me," he muttered.
Chaewon stayed quiet.
Jun sighed before turning toward him, gently fixing his crooked collar and brushing dust off his shoulder.
"Are you okay? Should I take you to the nursing room?"
Chaewon shook his head with a small smile. "I'm fine, hyung."
Han stood there stiffly, irritation still written all over his face.
Jun walked back to him and casually threw an arm over his shoulder.
"Han," he said, amused, "he's your junior. Same department too."
Han looked at Chaewon again, visibly shocked.
Chaewon looked equally disturbed.
Wait.
This is that senior?
The sweet one everyone talks about? He is nothing like that.
Before Chaewon could process it further, Han scoffed.
"So what? Should I adopt him too?"
Jun lowered his voice slightly.
"Han… that's Chaewon. The idol you liked."
Han immediately glared at him.
"Liked," he corrected coldly. "Past tense."
Jun laughed awkwardly. "Come on, you literally wear a jacket with his name on it almost every day."
Han shot him a murderous look.
Jun instantly regretted speaking.
Without breaking eye contact with Chaewon, Han pulled off the jacket and threw it onto the floor.
"It's just a jacket."
Then his voice turned sharp.
"I hate you."
The words hit harder than Chaewon expected.
People had hated him before.
Thousands of them.
But somehow, hearing it from Han felt unbearable.
Han shoved past him roughly, shoulder slamming against his as he headed for the door.
But suddenly—
He stopped.
Someone had grabbed his hand.
Han turned around sharply.
Chaewon stood there gripping his wrist tightly, eyes locked onto his.
There was something desperate in them.
Something unstable.
"I don't care if everyone else hates me," Chaewon said quietly.
His grip tightened.
"But I'll make you like me again."
Han stared at him for a moment before pulling his hand away violently and leaving the room.
Silence settled behind him.
Jun glanced at Chaewon's expression and sighed before guiding him toward a nearby bench.
He handed him a water bottle.
Chaewon accepted it silently.
"You know," Jun said carefully, sitting beside him, "when those rumors spread about you… Han was the only person who defended you."
Chaewon looked up slowly.
"Whenever people talked badly about you, he'd shut them down immediately," Jun continued. "But when the company kicked you out, you disappeared without saying anything."
He paused.
Chaewon lowered his gaze.
Jun rested a hand on his shoulder.
"He doesn't actually hate you," he said quietly. "He's angry because you didn't even try to defend yourself."