Dae-Won shook the water off his hands with deliberate slowness, the sound unnervingly loud in the empty bathroom. He turned and began walking toward me, his shoes clicking against the tiled floor, each step echoing ominously. His eyes swept over me from head to toe before his lips curled into a sneer. "You look good in a suit," he said, his tone dripping with condescension.

Before I could respond, the creak of a stall door opening caught my attention. Another unwelcome figure emerged—Jiho, one of Dae-Won's usual accomplices. He walked to the sink, chuckling under his breath, his gaze shifting between us.

"Oh! Our femboy cousin is here," Jiho said with a grin, his words biting and cruel.

"Watch your fuckin' mouth," I snapped, glaring at him. My voice was steady, but the pounding in my chest betrayed my composure.

Both of them laughed; their nonchalance stoked my frustration. Dae-Won took another step closer, his height and build towering over me. His dark, soulless eyes locked onto mine, and the corner of his mouth lifted into a menacing smirk. "It seems you've forgotten who you're talking to..."

"I'm not afraid of any of you," I said through gritted teeth, my voice firm despite fear clawing at my insides.

In a flash, Dae-Won grabbed the side of my neck with one hand, yanking me backward until my body slammed against the cold wall. The impact sent a jolt of pain up my spine.

"Ngh..." I winced but refused to look away from his gaze.

"You moan like a chick. I thought you'd grown some balls by now," he mocked, leaning in as his forearm pressed against my chest, pinning me in place.

Anger flared in me, momentarily overpowering my fear. I pushed against his chest with both hands, grunting as I shoved him back. "Stop fuckin' around!" I spat, spinning on my heels to walk away. My whole body trembled as anxiety coursed through me. "We're not kids anymore..."

But before I could escape, a hand gripped my wrist tightly. Jiho's wet fingers dug into my skin as he yanked me back, making me stumble. His malicious grin widened as he twisted me around to face him, his hazel eyes boring into mine. His wet hands left damp marks on my suit as he gripped my arms.

"Why are you so worked up?" Jiho asked, his voice tinged with sarcasm, his tone as malicious as the look in his eyes. "You used to be cute..."

I glared up at Jiho, my body tense as I struggled against his grip. "Let go of me," I demanded sternly, trying to mask the fear bubbling beneath the surface.

"Dae-Won," Jiho called casually, his grin widening as he turned toward the other jerk who was now standing beside him, smirking. "Shall we play with him like in the old times?"

"Haha, sure..." Dae-Won replied, his dark eyes gleaming with malice.

A cold chill ran down my spine, my breath hitching as memories of their torment came rushing back. My body felt paralyzed as those traumatic moments from my childhood flashed vividly in my mind. The bathroom seemed to close in on me, their voices blurring into a distant echo as my ears started ringing.

I should just kick him in his balls and get the hell out of here... But my body refused to move, frozen in fear.

"Let him go."

Haru's voice cut through the fog like a lifeline, jolting me back to the present. My head snapped toward the door, where Haru was walking in, his face shadowed with a cold, detached expression. His dark gaze was fixed on Dae-Won and Jiho, his steps steady and deliberate.

Without a word, Haru walked straight up to Jiho and landed a solid punch on his face, the force sending Jiho stumbling backward. The sound of the impact was sharp, and it echoed in the tiled bathroom. Before I could process what was happening, Haru turned to Dae-Won and delivered another punch, this time to his jaw. Dae-Won staggered, clutching his face in disbelief as blood trickled from the corner of his lips.

"Who the fuck are you meddling with our business?!" Dae-Won growled, his voice tinged with anger and pain as he glared at Haru.

Haru didn't reply. Instead, he stepped forward and delivered a swift kick to Dae-Won's stomach, sending him crashing to the floor. The sheer force made Dae-Won land on his rear with a grunt, clutching his abdomen as he grimaced in pain.

"No need to know," Haru said coldly, his tone devoid of emotion as he turned his focus on Jiho, who flinched and stumbled back. For the first time, I saw real fear in Jiho's eyes; his confidence was shattered.

"Haru!" I called his name, my voice shaking but resolved. "Let's just go. We can't cause a scene at a wedding."

Haru's head snapped toward me, his blazing eyes locking in with mine. For a moment, his expression was unreadable, the fury in his gaze simmering just beneath the surface. Then, he exhaled sharply, his shoulders relaxing slightly as he spun on his heels. Grabbing my wrist firmly, he pulled me along without another word, leading me out of the restroom.

The tension in his grip lingered as we walked, but the farther we got from the restroom, the more I could feel the weight lifting off my chest. Haru didn't let go, and for once, I didn't mind.

Haru's voice boomed as he stormed toward the back of the building, dragging me along like a child being scolded. "What were you thinking, leaving my side!? If you wanted to go to the bathroom, you should've told me to come along! That was our plan in the first place! Why else would I even bother attending this wedding with you? I can't believe how reckless you are—"

"Haru!" I tried to cut him off, but my voice was drowned out by his tirade.

"I should've beaten the shit out of them! Why the hell did you stop me—"

"HARU!" I raised my voice, nearly shouting, as we reached a secluded corner behind the building, hidden from the party.

He finally halted, spinning around to face me, his eyebrows furrowed, and his jaw tight. His fiery gaze bore into mine as he waited for me to speak.

I glanced down at his hand still gripping my wrist, the tightness almost unbearable. "Firstly, let go of my hand. It hurts..."

Haru's eyes widened slightly, and his expression softened as he realized what he'd been doing. He quickly released his grip, his hand retreating like it had burned him. "S-Sorry, I didn't mean—"

"Before coming here, I thought I could never face them again," I interrupted, cutting him off before he could launch into another tirade. "But it wasn't a big deal now it happened. I could've handled them even if you hadn't arrived when you did." My voice was steady, though my heart was pounding. "Let's not dwell on it. We're here for another reason, remember?"

I looked at him firmly, hoping to end the conversation. The pounding in my head was becoming unbearable, and I just wanted to push everything that had happened into a dark corner of my mind.

"It's not a big deal?" Haru's voice dropped, quiet and sharp. He stepped closer, his hands resting gently on my arms as he leaned in slightly. His piercing gaze locked onto mine, and his tone was laced with sarcasm. "Then why is your body shaking?"

I froze, the words catching in my throat. My breath hitched, and I flinched at the realization—I was trembling.

"It's... It's because I feel disgusted!" I stammered, averting my gaze nervously. "I hate it when a guy touches me! Just because I'm not as masculine as they are, they assume I'm into dudes while I cringe even thinking about it! I'm—"

"I get it; you don't have to say more," My words faltered as Haru said in a firm tone.

My gaze flicked back to Haru's face. His expression wasn't angry or annoyed; it was hurt.

He dropped his hands from my arms, his face hardening. "Let's go back to the party." Without waiting for a response, he turned and began walking toward the garden, his shoulders stiff and his pace brisk.

I stood frozen in place, staring after him, dumbfounded.

What's going on with him again?

That day, I didn't realize how my words might have hurt Haru.

Instead of showing gratitude, I had pushed him away—too caught up in suppressing my feelings to see the damage I was causing.

Sometimes, being blind to your own emotions doesn't just hurt you.

It hurts the person standing right beside you, the one who's been reaching out all along.