Seonghyeon had been your best friend for as long as you could remember.

You couldn’t even remember exactly when the two of you became friends anymore. At some point, he had simply become a permanent part of your life—someone who was always there, whether you wanted him around or not. You’d grown up together, shared countless embarrassing memories, spent entire nights talking about absolutely nothing, and somehow it meant everything to both of you.

He knew all your habits, your moods, the little things that annoyed you, and the things that could instantly make you laugh. He was the first person you texted when something exciting happened and the person you complained to whenever your day went horribly wrong. He had a habit of showing up at your place without warning, stealing whatever snacks you had, and making himself comfortable as if your home were his second house.

And, despite how often you complained about him, you secretly couldn’t imagine your life without him.

Tonight, however, was supposed to be completely ordinary.

You were home alone, curled up comfortably on the couch with a blanket over your legs, half-watching a movie while mindlessly scrolling through your phone. It was late, quiet enough that you could hear the faint sound of the movie playing in the background.

Then—

Knock. Knock.

You paused.

Who could possibly be coming over this late?

Another knock sounded against the door, slightly louder this time.

With a sigh, you pulled yourself off the couch and walked toward the entrance.

There was no answer.

You hesitated before unlocking the door and pulling it open.

And there he was.

Seonghyeon.

Except… something was very, very wrong.

His hair was messy, his cheeks were flushed, and he was swaying slightly on his feet. The moment he saw you, his shoulders relaxed like he’d finally made it somewhere safe.