Episode - 04

Ren sat on the floor instead of the bed. He leaned his back against the hard wall and stared at the poster. It was the only thing in the room that felt real.

Suddenly, his phone rang. He didn’t move at first. He just let it buzz against the floor. It rang again, then a third time. Ren finally looked at the screen.

Joel Vance.

For a split second, Ren’s chest felt tight, like he couldn't catch his breath. Then, he picked it up.

“…I’m listening, Mr. Joel Vance,” he said, trying to sound bored.

There was silence on the other end. Then, Joel’s voice came through, cold and direct. “When does your party end?”

Ren blinked. He was confused. “…What?”

He went quiet for a second. Then he remembered. The team match winning party. His teammates had been planning it for a week. “…Oh, damn—I totally forgot about that,” Ren muttered to himself.

It was too late. Joel had heard him. There was a tiny change in the way Joel breathed on the other end.

“…A late night?” Joel asked.

Ren stood up quickly and ran a hand through his messy hair. “Yeah… something like that. Why do you care?”

Joel didn't answer right away. The pause wasn't empty; it felt like he was thinking about something important. “…Carry on,” Joel said.

The call went dead. Ren stared at his phone screen. “…What a weirdo,” he whispered. But deep down, he felt like something was wrong.

Inside a moving car, the city lights blurred past the window. Joel lowered his phone slowly. His face was like stone; it showed no emotion at all.

“Drive,” Joel said to the driver.

The driver nodded. They were already heading toward the party.

Back at the apartment, Ren moved fast. He turned on the lights and threw open his wardrobe. He didn't let himself think about Joel. He just needed to get ready.

He picked a simple black shirt with clean lines. It looked effortless, but it made him look sharp. He looked in the mirror. For a second, he saw that empty look in his eyes again. But he shook it off and forced a bright, energetic smile onto his face.

“…Let’s go.”

The music hit him before he even opened the door to the party. He could hear people laughing and shouting over the loud bass. As soon as he walked in, his team spotted him.

“CAPTAIN!”

They surrounded him immediately. Hands clapped his shoulders. The room was full of noise and excitement.

“You disappeared on us!”

“The star of the show finally showed up!”

“You’re buying the drinks tonight, Ren!”

Ren laughed. It sounded like a real, happy laugh. He didn't let the heavy feeling in his chest show. He teased his teammates and played along. This is what they wanted to see. They wanted their unbeatable captain. And maybe, he needed to pretend to be that person just to forget his own life for a while.

The music got louder. The floor was vibrating under his feet. But suddenly, Ren noticed something strange. People were looking at him, whispering and waiting.

Ren smirked. “Hey, you bunch of fakes,” he called out. “What are you planning?”

The room went quiet for a heartbeat. Then everyone yelled, “SURPRISE, CAPTAIN!”

Ren blinked, totally lost. “…What?”

One of the guys grinned at him. “We invited your rival!”

The words felt like a punch to the stomach. Ren’s fake smile froze on his face. “…What?”

Alan stepped forward. Alan was Ren’s manager and his best friend since high school. He looked proud and excited, having no idea that he had just made a huge mistake.

“We know you miss him,” Alan said, putting an arm around Ren’s shoulder. “So we arranged a meeting before the big tournament starts!”

Ren just stared at him. He was shocked, and then he was angry. A slow, sharp anger. “Are you kidding me right now?” Ren asked quietly.

The rest of the room was too loud to hear him, but Alan saw the look in Ren’s eyes. “I just want to see you happy, Ren,” Alan said, his voice getting serious. “I’m tired of seeing that fake smile of yours.”

That hurt more than the surprise. Ren looked away, his jaw tight.

“…He paid all my debts,” Ren said suddenly.

Alan froze.

“I signed a contract with him two days ago,” Ren continued. The room felt heavy now. “He owns my schedule. He decides where I go and what I do. On paper, it looks like a business deal, but he owns me.”

Ren let out a dry, sad laugh. Alan’s face fell. “…I messed up,” he whispered.

Ren shook his head slowly. “…It’s fine.” He took a breath and turned back to the team. He put his "captain" smile back on, even though it hurt to do it.

“Boys,” Ren said loudly, “don’t bring my love life into this, okay?”

“But Captain,” one of the younger players said, “you love him so much. You still celebrate his birthday. You even watch his company’s stock market numbers!”

“Do you think you can keep living like this?” another asked. “Is that one poster on your wall enough for the rest of your life?”

Ren’s smile stayed in place, but his eyes looked broken. “It was my fault,” he said quietly. “I’m the reason he and his girlfriend broke up.”

The room went silent.

“…Because of that kiss?” someone whispered.

Alan nodded. Ren did, too.

Then, Ren clapped his hands to break the mood. “Alright! Enough drama. Let’s drink! I’ll handle him when he gets here.”

The music started up again. Bottles popped open. People started dancing and laughing. Ren moved with them, acting like nothing was wrong. He acted like he wasn't waiting for a storm to hit.

The door opened.

At first, nobody noticed. The music was too loud. But slowly, the noise began to change. People stopped talking. The energy in the room shifted, like a ripple in water.

Ren didn't see it at first. He was laughing at a joke, looking free and happy. Then, his instinct kicked in. He turned around.

He froze.

Across the room, near the door, stood Joel Vance.

Joel looked perfect. He was sharp and clean, and the chaos of the party didn't seem to touch him. His eyes were already locked on Ren.

Ren was still smiling that bright, effortless smile. But the light was gone from his eyes. Joel didn't smile back. He didn't move. He just stared.

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