HE WAS DONE

"CONGRATULATIONS on getting past the first round."

As soon as Taeyang spoke, he instantly regretted it. Why couldn't he just keep to himself? He had no reason to walk over here, to follow Haneul like some kind of stalker the moment he spotted him. He had sworn he'd only watch from afar, like he'd been doing for the past two days. But seeing Haneul alone had completely shattered his self-control. Before he even realized it, his feet had carried him over, standing beside Haneul. And before he could stop himself, the words had already left his mouth.

Maybe it was because, deep down, the need to congratulate Haneul was so overpowering that he couldn't stop himself. He had wanted to say those words ever since Haneul's name was called by one of the mentors earlier, but he kept fighting it—fighting the feeling that pulled him toward Haneul every time. His stubbornness, his warped sense of justice, kept telling him to stay away, to resist the urge to get too close.