The bass from the music hit Su-mi the moment she stepped through the doors of Club Zero.
The place was crowded—bodies moving under flashing neon lights, laughter and shouting blending with the heavy rhythm of the music. The air smelled faintly of alcohol, perfume, and sweat.
It wasn't like the luxurious clubs Hyun-woo used to drag her to with his friends. Those places glittered with polished marble and expensive chandeliers.
Club Zero was different.
Rougher.
Louder.
Realer.
And for that very reason, Su-mi felt relieved.
No one here knew her.
No reporters. No business partners. No curious eyes that recognized CEO Jang Su-mi.
She was just another woman in a crowded room.
She looked around awkwardly, unsure what to do. She had never come to a club alone before.
The bar caught her eye. One empty stool waited there.
Su-mi slipped through the crowd and sat down, smoothing the hem of her glittering black dress.
She waited.
And waited.
But somehow her turn to order never came. The bartender kept serving people who waved him down faster than she could.
After a while, Su-mi stopped trying.
Her mind drifted back to the day's chaos.
Her father's face surfaced first—the unmistakable disappointment in his eyes.
Then her aunt's puzzled voice echoed in her memory.
"Pebble… I thought things were alright between you two."
Her aunt had hugged her then, confused but gentle.
Su-mi had been just as confused.
She had called Hyun-woo again and again.
Every call went unanswered.
Until she realized he had blocked her number.
Her chest tightened.
How could he do this to me?
She stared blankly at the bottles lined along the bar, her thoughts spiraling.
____________________________________________________________________
Across the club, Jeong-woo leaned comfortably against a couch, watching the chaos unfold with mild amusement.
In front of him, Man-do was attempting—very unsuccessfully—to flirt with a woman.
"Trust me," Man-do slurred confidently, leaning too close. "You and I would make a great couple."
The woman stared at him flatly.
Then she slapped him.
Hard.
Jeong-woo burst out laughing as Man-do staggered backward in shock.
"I… I'm going to the restroom," Man-do muttered, embarrassed, rubbing his cheek before quickly disappearing into the crowd.
Still chuckling, Jeong-woo lifted his drink and took a slow sip.
His gaze wandered lazily around the club.
Then it stopped.
At the bar.
A woman sat alone on a stool, staring into space.
She hadn't ordered anything.
She wasn't dancing.
She wasn't even looking around like most people did in a place like this.
She simply looked… sad.
Jeong-woo tilted his head slightly.
If you came out to have fun, he thought, you should at least try to have fun.
Then another thought followed immediately.
And damn… she's fine.
A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Maybe she just needs a little help.
Setting his drink down, Jeong-woo stood and walked toward the bar.
__________________________________________________________________________
"Mind if I buy you a drink?" The voice was warm, confident.
Su-mi blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. She looked up.
For a moment, she forgot how to speak.
The man standing beside her was… ridiculously handsome.
Tall, broad-shouldered, with relaxed confidence written all over him. His eyes sparkled with playful curiosity, and his smile was effortlessly charming.
Su-mi simply stared.
Jeong-woo knew that look. He had seen it before.
Of course, I'm handsome, he thought with quiet amusement. I take your breath away.
Without waiting for an answer, he waved the bartender over and ordered two drinks.
By the time the glasses arrived, he had already pulled a stool beside her. But before he could even sit down, Su-mi lifted her glass and swallowed the entire drink in one go.
Jeong-woo froze halfway into his seat. "…Okay." He raised an eyebrow.
"Another one," he told the bartender.
The second drink arrived.
Su-mi downed that one too.
One full swig.
Jeong-woo watched carefully now. Alright… now I'm concerned.
Up close, he noticed the faint sadness lingering in her eyes. Something about it made his chest tighten unexpectedly. He couldn't explain why.
The bartender slid another glass toward her. Then another.
Before she could lift the next one, Jeong-woo suddenly stood and reached for her hand. "Dance with me," he said.
He pulled her gently toward the dance floor.
___________________________________________________________________
The music throbbed louder among the dancers. Lights flashed across moving bodies.
Su-mi let herself follow the rhythm.
For the first time that night, she stopped thinking. She simply moved.
Tonight, she told herself, I am not CEO Jang Su-mi, daughter of Chairman Jang, niece of Attorney Jang Mi-ra and ex-fiancée of CEO Lee Hyun-woo.
She just wanted to disappear into the music.
Jeong-woo watched her with growing fascination. There was something mesmerizing about the way she danced—soft, fluid movements that felt both hesitant and strangely bold at the same time.
Soon their bodies drifted closer.
The music slowed slightly, turning the atmosphere more intimate.
Su-mi's arms slipped around his neck. Jeong-woo's breath caught for a moment. Usually, he asked first before letting his hands wander. But her closeness felt like all the permission he craved now.
He rested his hands lightly at her waist, guiding their movement.
The neon lights flashed over her face as their eyes met. And suddenly, there was only one thought left in his mind. Kiss her.
So he did.
The moment their lips met, the world seemed to blur around them.
Her lips were soft.
Her scent sweet and intoxicating.
Without thinking, Jeong-woo pulled her closer—even though there was barely any space left between them.
Su-mi let out a quiet moan against his lips.
The reaction surprised him enough that he pulled back slightly, studying her face under the shifting lights. "Wow," he murmured, almost to himself. "So beautiful."
For a brief second they simply stared at each other, the music vibrating through the floor beneath their feet.
Then Su-mi grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down again. Their lips crashed together this time—hungrier, deeper.
Jeong-woo felt something spark through his chest, sharp and unexpected.
The noise of the club faded around them.
The flashing lights blurred.
All he could feel was the warmth of her body against his, the softness of her lips, and the way her fingers tightened slightly in his collar as if she had no intention of letting him go.
Jeong-woo smiled faintly against the kiss.
This night was definitely closing out with a bang.