Easter's POV

The desserts were good. Really good.

Sampling every sweet thing the buffet had to offer. Chocolate mousse, fruit tarts, crème brûlée—I was in heaven. Each bite melted on my tongue, filling me with a simple kind of joy.

And then the lights dimmed, and a large screen turned on at the front of the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, before we continue, we have a special surprise for you."

I wasn't paying much attention at first, too busy savoring the last bite of my cake. But then—

I froze.

The fork slipped from my fingers, clattering against the plate.

There he was.

Hill Ketprapakorn.

Phi Hill

I should've looked away. Should've just focused on my food. But my body betrayed me, my gaze snapping to the large screen at the front of the ballroom.

A bit older, more refined, but still him. The same composed expression, the same warm voice. The same kind smile that once made my heart race.

I thought I was over this.

I thought it wouldn't affect me anymore.

I was wrong.

The polite applause and admiration filling the room blurred into background noise. His speech was about some hospital expansion, something big he was working on—advancements in neurosurgery, saving lives, changing the world. The kind of thing that made everyone look at him with admiration.

I hated that I still remembered how much I used to admire him too.

I hated that my chest felt tight, that old emotions I had buried long ago clawed their way back up.

I hated that stupid, kind smile.

I clenched my jaw and turned away, pushing my plate aside. My appetite was gone.

I needed to leave.

I spotted a passing waiter, barely thinking as I reached for the nearest bottle of champagne. I never liked to drink. Ever. I hated its taste.

But right now, I hated this more.

Before I could change my mind, I slipped away, weaving through the crowd until I found the back entrance.

I ran into the back garden, letting the cool air wash over me as I put some distance between myself and the party—away from the lights, away from the noise. Away from him.

Fortunately, no one else was out here. I could drink in peace, no need to hold back. Not that I really cared.

I leaned back against the railing, staring at the champagne bottle in my hands.

I took a sip.

It was awful. Too dry, too sharp. But I swallowed it anyway.

And then another.

And another.

The ache in my chest didn't go away. Shit

I closed my eyes.

And suddenly, I was seventeen again.

*Flashback*

"Phi Hill, you're always serious when you study."

Phi Hill didn't look up from his textbook right away, but a small, knowing smile tugged at his lips. He tapped his pen lightly against the pages before finally glancing at me. "And you always find new ways to distract me, Ter."

I grinned, tilting my head. "I'm not distracting you. I'm just cute. There's a difference."

Phi Hill chuckled, shaking his head. "Is that so?"

"Mm-hmm." I rested my chin on my arms, watching him.

Hill raised an eyebrow, his smile teasing. "And what would my cute Ter want to be in the future?"

I grinned. "I'm going to be a veterinarian. Have my own clinic. Take care of pets and maybe even wild animals. "

Hill chuckled. "Sounds fitting. You've always liked animals more than people."

"That's because animals don't lie." I stretched, then nudged his arm. "What about you, Phi Hill? Already decided to be the best doctor in the country?"

He smirked, going back to his notes. "That's the plan."

"You sound so sure."

"Because I have to be." There was no hesitation in his voice. "I have expectations to meet, and I won't let myself fail."

Something in his tone made me pause.

I reached out, tapping his textbook with my finger. "Then promise me one thing."

"What?"

"When you become a big, important doctor, don't forget me, okay?" I grinned, making it sound like a joke. But deep down, I meant it.

Hill blinked, surprised for a moment. Then, slowly, he smiled.

"How could I?"

*End Flashback*

I believed him.

I thought we would always be in each other's futures.

I gripped the bottle tighter.

I took another sip, but this time, the bitterness had nothing to do with the alcohol.

Why didn't he come back?

Why didn't he want to?

Had I been that easy to leave behind?

A sharp laugh escaped me, but it sounded hollow, empty.

"God, I'm pathetic," I muttered to no one.

But the tears still came anyway.

I pressed the heel of my palm against my eyes, trying to will them away. But it was useless.

The past had already caught up to me.

And no matter how much I drank, I knew it wasn't going to go away.

Johan's POV

I wasn't sure why I was looking for him.

One minute, I was at the event, pretending to listen to pointless conversations. The next, I realized the little vet was gone. Just—gone. And for some damn reason, I found myself searching for him.

I walked into the garden. It was quiet, away from the noise of the party. That's when I spotted him.

Slumped on a stone bench, a half-empty bottle dangling from his fingers, head tilted back as if the sky held all the answers.

And his face—

I stopped breathing for a second.

I knew that look. That hollow, shattered, lost look.

I had seen it before.

Not on him.

On me.

Years ago. When I thought drowning in alcohol would make the ache go away. When I thought anger was the only thing keeping me together.

The little vet always carried himself with this detached, almost careless air. A man who didn't let things get to him. Always polite, always distant—like nothing in this world could shake him. But this? This was something raw. Vulnerable. Pain.

He looked so fragile.

Something tight coiled in my chest.

I stepped closer. "Doc."

His head lifted slightly, sluggish and unfocused. He blinked at me, eyes glassy with alcohol and something else.

Then his expression twisted.

"You—" his voice was hoarse, slurred, but thick with emotion. His fingers clumsily grabbed my collar, yanking me down even though he barely had the strength.

I barely had time to react. "Hey—what the hell are you doi—"

"You left me," he whispered, his voice breaking, a tear slipping down his cheek.

I froze.

He wasn't talking to me.

His gaze was locked on mine, but he wasn't seeing me.

"Like I was nothing. Like I—" He let out a choked laugh, bitter and broken. "I wasn't even worth saying goodbye to, huh?"

Another tear. Then another. His whole body was shaking.

Normally, I would've shoved him off. Would've cursed, maybe even punched him for grabbing me like this.

But I didn't.

I couldn't.

Because I knew that feeling.

The helpless, sinking weight of being left behind. Of wanting something back that you could never have again.

"Phi—" he hiccupped, clutching my shirt like it was the only thing keeping him together. "You don't get to pretend you cared. You don't get to—" His breath hitched, and suddenly, his face crumpled. "I hate you," he whispered, his whole body trembling. "I hate you so much."

Then he gagged.

"Shit," I muttered, but it was too late.

He threw up. All over the ground. His shoes. And, of course, me.

For a second, all I could do was stare at the mess soaking into my expensive shirt.

I should've been furious. Should've shoved him off, let him deal with himself.

But instead—

I sighed. "You've got to be kidding me."

His body swayed, weak and exhausted, before collapsing forward. I caught him before he hit the ground, my grip tightening as his weight slumped against me.

His tears were still fresh, his cheeks flushed, his breath unsteady.

"You're a damn mess," I muttered, adjusting my hold on him.

He didn't answer. Didn't laugh. Didn't even move.

I sighed, glancing down at him—passed out, miserable, completely wrecked.

But right now, that didn't matter.

Because I wasn't going to leave him like this.