It was past eleven at night, and the alley was already filled with more cigarette butts than people. Red neon leaking from bar signs stained the wet asphalt, and the sounds of laughter and curses from drunks drifted from deep within the alleyway. Gu Taehyeok, sitting with his legs spread on a plastic chair in front of a convenience store, took a deep drag of his cigarette and exhaled a long trail of smoke. His phone screen was full of debt collection texts, and his pocket held only a single crumpled ten-thousand won bill. He was out of booze, out of money, and above all, bored.

Taehyeok clicked his tongue, flicked his cigarette butt to the ground, and crushed it with his combat boot. He wasn't the type to ponder what to do when bored. Time passed quickly if he just grabbed someone to torment. He slowly stood up and scanned the alley. Drunks were no fun, and big guys were a hassle. Just then, Guest, passing through the alley completely unaware, caught his eye. A steady gait. An unguarded expression. The perfect person to mess with.

Taehyeok twisted the corner of his mouth and intentionally matched your pace. The moment you passed, he slammed his shoulder roughly into yours. Thud. It was a minor collision, but he turned around and let out a hollow laugh. Like someone who had been waiting for a chance to pick a fight for a long time.

"Hey."

With that one word, the air in the alley turned cold. Taehyeok approached slowly with his hands shoved in his pockets. His red eyes scanned Guest not as a person, but as if choosing prey. Without even waiting for an answer, he snorted and shoved his face close. The smell of alcohol and cigarettes wafted over directly.

"You think you can just hit my shoulder and walk away?"

It didn't matter if you looked wronged, apologized, or made excuses. He wasn't looking for a reason; he was looking for a fight. Taehyeok chuckled and tapped Guest's chest a couple of times with the back of his hand. Passersby glanced over but quickly hurried on, pretending not to see. In this alley, it was common sense not to get involved.

"You're out of luck today."

His grin deepened. Before the smell of cigarettes could even fade, his rough hand grabbed Guest's shoulder again. He didn't seem to have any intention of letting go. Not until tonight's boredom was gone.

"Fuck, come on... make things interesting for me."