Nishimura Riki, better known as Ni-ki, and Park Sunghoon shared an inexplicable rivalry that baffled their friends. Despite being part of the same friend group, their interactions were marked by constant bickering and tension.

Ni-ki, with his mischievous grin and quick wit, found solace in the company of Jungwon, Heeseung, and Sunoo. They shared laughter and inside jokes, forming a tight-knit bond that seemed unbreakable.

On the other hand, Sunghoon's friendship circle revolved around Jay and Jake. The friendship is different, but no less strong, with Sunghoon's playful banter adding a unique dynamic to their group.

But moment Ni-ki and Sunghoon locked eyes, however, an unspoken rivalry ignited between them. No one knew why they clashed so fiercely, not even their closest friends.

Despite the group's attempts to mediate and reconcile, Ni-ki and Sunghoon's feud only seemed to intensify. Their friends watched on, puzzled by the enigma of their animosity, wondering if one day they would uncover the truth behind their unspoken rivalry.

"Such a fucking asshole, Park," Ni-ki spat out, his frustration evident as he meticulously wiped his collar with a white cloth. Sunghoon, unfazed by the insult, scoffed in response.

 "Please, don't play games with me, Nishimura," he retorted, his tone dripping with disdain. "And just a reminder, I'm older than you." With a final glare, Sunghoon turned on his heel and strode out of the office, leaving Ni-ki seething with anger.

"Dickhead," Ni-ki muttered under his breath, his hands clenching into fists as he tried to quell his rising temper. Jungwon, sensing the tension in the air, interjected softly, "You guys should really stop fighting." He busied himself with retrieving a stack of folders from the drawer, attempting to diffuse the palpable animosity between his friends. 

Ni-ki rolled his eyes in response, returning his focus to his work, but the tension lingered like a heavy cloud in the room.

"You spilled coffee on me! Am I NOT supposed to be mad?!" Ni-ki's frustration boiled over as he raised his voice, his anger palpable. Sunghoon, unfazed by the accusation, rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Please, you bumped into me!" he retorted, his tone tinged with irritation.

"Oh my god, can both of you please shut the fuck up," Jay interjected, his patience wearing thin as he addressed the bickering pair. He sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. 

"Hoon, you're older, just admit you spilled coffee on his shirt," Jay reasoned, hoping to put an end to the argument. Sunghoon, however, simply scoffed in response before retreating to his desk, his pride preventing him from acknowledging his mistake.

As the night settled in around the office, casting long shadows across the empty desks, the clock continued its relentless march towards 10:25 pm. Unbeknownst to Ni-ki and Sunghoon, who remained diligently engrossed in their work, their friends lingered nearby, watching from a distance with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"I'm genuinely asking, what is wrong with them?" Sunoo's voice broke the silence as he and the others peered through the office window, observing the two rivals working side by side.

They had all initially left for home, but a shared curiosity had drawn them back to witness the dynamic between Ni-ki and Sunghoon firsthand.

"I don't know... Did either of them ever mention each other before we formed the friend group?" Heeseung pondered aloud, keeping his voice hushed to avoid alerting Ni-ki and Sunghoon to their presence. The others shook their heads, their expressions reflecting a mix of confusion and intrigue.

"Hoon never mentioned Ni-ki before the friend group, and he refuses to talk about him," Jake murmured quietly, his gaze fixed on the scene unfolding before them. Jungwon nodded in solidarity, his brow furrowed with concern. "Same with Ni-ki," he added, his voice barely above a whisper.

They exchanged knowing glances, the pieces of the puzzle slowly coming together as they contemplated the mystery of Ni-ki and Sunghoon's tumultuous relationship.

As Ni-ki rose from his desk, weariness etched into every line of his face, the rest of the group exchanged perplexed glances. It was unusual for Ni-ki to wait for Sunghoon, especially given their strained relationship.

Ni-ki approached Sunghoon's desk, patiently standing by as the older man finished up his work. This unexpected gesture only served to deepen the mystery surrounding their dynamic.

As the minutes ticked by, Sunghoon finally rose from his seat, his movements deliberate yet shrouded in mystery. He exchanged a few quiet words with Ni-ki, their conversation cloaked in the unfamiliar cadence of the Japanese language.

The rest of the group, unable to decipher their exchange, exchanged bewildered glances. Heeseung's voice broke the uneasy silence, a mixture of disbelief and curiosity lacing his words. "When did Sunghoon learn Japanese?" he whispered-yelled to the group, his confusion mirrored by the others.

Jay, the only other member of the group with knowledge of Japanese, strained to catch the words exchanged between Ni-ki and Sunghoon. But to his dismay, the conversation remained elusive, the meaning lost in a sea of unfamiliar syllables.

"I know Ni-ki speaks Japanese, but why would Sunghoon know the language?" Jay muttered to himself, his mind racing with unanswered questions.

Before anyone could offer an explanation, the sound of the door unlocking drew their attention. They turned to the window in unison, their eyes widening in astonishment as they watched Ni-ki step into Sunghoon's car. The sight of Ni-ki getting into Sunghoon's car sent shockwaves through the group, their minds racing to comprehend the implications of this unexpected turn of events. 

"He's... getting into Sunghoon's car?" Sunoo murmured, his voice filled with disbelief as he watched from the window.

Jungwon's brow furrowed in concern, his thoughts consumed by the enigma of Ni-ki and Sunghoon's relationship. "But why? What could possibly be going on between them?" he wondered aloud, his words echoing the confusion shared by the rest of the group.

Heeseung's eyes darted between Ni-ki's retreating figure and Sunghoon's car, a myriad of questions swirling in his mind. "This doesn't make any sense. What could they be up to?" he muttered, his voice tinged with unease.

As they watched in stunned silence, the car pulled away from the curb, disappearing into the night with Ni-ki and Sunghoon inside, leaving the group to grapple with the unsettling realization that there was far more to their rivalry than met the eye.

As the day progressed, the friend group couldn't shake off the eerie feeling that hung in the air. Ni-ki and Sunghoon's unusual behavior left them all on edge, their lack of bickering and avoidance of each other's presence only adding to the perplexity of the situation.

During lunch, Sunoo voiced the collective confusion that had been weighing on their minds. "What the fuck is going on?" he exclaimed, frustration evident in his tone as he tried to make sense of the inexplicable change in dynamics.

Heeseung shook his head in bewilderment, his brow furrowed with concern. "I have no clue," he admitted, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

Before Heeseung could elaborate further, Jake interjected, his voice filled with a mixture of surprise and disbelief. "They seem so... normal? Like they've never fought before," he observed, his words echoing the sentiments shared by the rest of the group.

As they exchanged bewildered glances, the mystery surrounding Ni-ki and Sunghoon's sudden truce only deepened, leaving them grasping at straws in search of an explanation for this unexpected turn of events.

"Normal? More like unnervingly calm," Sunoo remarked, his brow furrowing as he glanced over at Ni-ki and Sunghoon, who were sitting at opposite ends of the table, seemingly lost in their own thoughts.

"Yeah, it's like waiting for a bomb to go off," Heeseung added, his voice low with concern. "I can't shake the feeling that something's off."

Jungwon nodded in agreement, his expression reflecting a mixture of apprehension and curiosity. "I wonder what happened between them," he mused, his gaze flicking between Ni-ki and Sunghoon.

Jay sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I just hope they're not plotting something," he muttered, his eyes narrowing suspiciously as he watched the two rivals from across the table.

As the conversation continued, the friend group couldn't shake off the sense of unease that hung over them like a dark cloud. With each passing moment, the mystery of Ni-ki and Sunghoon's sudden change in behavior deepened, leaving them all on edge as they tried to unravel the truth behind their unexpected truce.

"Wait, do you think Ni-ki and Sunghoon were...together?" Jay voice was barely above a whisper, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"I don't know, but it's possible," Sunoo replied, his voice barely above a whisper as he glanced around the table, searching for confirmation or contradiction in his friends' expressions.

Jungwon paused mid-bite, his chopsticks hovering over his bibimbap as he considered Sunoo's question. "I... I don't think so," he finally ventured, his brow furrowing with uncertainty. "Wouldn't they tell us if they were together?"

Heeseung nodded in agreement, his expression mirroring Jungwon's uncertainty. "Yeah, you're right. It doesn't make sense for them to keep it a secret from us."

Sunoo sighed, his appetite suddenly lost as he mulled over their conversation. "I guess we won't know for sure until we talk to them," he said, his tone resigned. "But something doesn't add up."

The group lapsed into a thoughtful silence, their minds consumed with questions and doubts as they contemplated the enigma of Ni-ki and Sunghoon's relationship. As they resumed their meal, the mystery lingered over them like a dark cloud.

The atmosphere had been deceptively calm over the past few days, with Ni-ki and Sunghoon managing to coexist without any major clashes. 

However, as Heeseung had predicted, the peace was shattered on December 7th.

"I hate you so fucking much, Nishimura!" Sunghoon's voice cut through the air like a knife as he grabbed Ni-ki's collar, his anger palpable.

Ni-ki met Sunghoon's furious gaze with defiance, his own eyes flashing with pent-up frustration. "Please, I have just as much hatred for you, Park," Ni-ki retorted, his voice laced with venom as he tried to push back against the older, stronger male. 

The tension crackled between them, their animosity reignited with a vengeance as the friend group watched on, helpless to intervene. It seemed that despite their temporary ceasefire, the underlying hostility between Ni-ki and Sunghoon was as fierce as ever, threatening to boil over at any moment.

"Come on, guys, not again," Heeseung pleaded, stepping forward in an attempt to defuse the escalating confrontation.

Sunoo sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair as he exchanged a worried glance with Jungwon. "This is getting out of hand," he muttered under his breath.

Jungwon nodded in agreement, his expression troubled. "We need to do something before it gets worse," he urged, his voice tinged with urgency.

Jake stepped forward, his hands raised in a gesture of peace. "Let's talk about this calmly," he suggested, his voice calm and steady despite the tension in the air.

But Ni-ki and Sunghoon seemed oblivious to their friends' pleas, locked in a battle of wills that threatened to spiral out of control at any moment. As the group watched on, their hearts heavy with concern, they could only hope that some semblance of peace could be restored before it was too late.

As the argument between Ni-ki and Sunghoon reached a boiling point, their voices filled with frustration and anger, Ni-ki's temper flared, and he began to speak in his native language, Japanese.

"You're so fucking annoying!" Sunghoon yelled, his words sharp and cutting as he fired back at the younger boy.

The friend group exchanged worried glances, turning to Jay in silent desperation, hoping for a translation of the heated exchange.

Jay, realizing the tension in the air, cleared his throat and began to translate the Japanese words into English for the group, providing a bridge between the language barrier and their growing curiosity about Ni-ki and Sunghoon's tumultuous relationship.

Despite their inability to understand the words being exchanged, the intensity of the argument was palpable, leaving the friend group feeling helpless as they watched their friends' conflict unfold before them.

As Sunghoon reverted to Korean, his frustration and anger boiling over, he unleashed a barrage of harsh words directed at Ni-ki.

"Riki, I don't know why I even fucking married you! You're so fucking stubborn!" Sunghoon's voice echoed through the room as he vented his frustrations at the younger man.

Before he could leave the room, however, he was abruptly silenced by a sharp slap across the face from Ni-ki. The room fell into stunned silence as Sunghoon recoiled, his hand instinctively flying to his cheek where the sting of the blow lingered.

"Why, out of everyone, did you have to be the one in this group? You were a horrible husband!" Ni-ki's words cut through the air like a knife, each syllable dripping with bitterness and resentment.

With that final accusation, Sunghoon stormed out of the office, his hand still pressed against his cheek, leaving the friend group to exchange bewildered glances in his wake.

Alone in the office room, the weight of the confrontation hung heavy in the air, leaving the friend group to grapple with the aftermath of Ni-ki and Sunghoon's explosive argument and the revelations it had brought to light.

Jungwon's voice quivered as he spoke, breaking the heavy silence that had settled over the group. "I can't believe it... Sunghoon and Ni-ki were... married?"

Sunoo nodded slowly, his mind racing to make sense of the revelation. "It explains so much... their constant bickering, the tension between them..."

Heeseung sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "But why keep it a secret? And why fight so much if they were once married?"

Jake leaned forward, his expression thoughtful. "Maybe they weren't ready to share that part of their past with us... and as for the fighting, well, sometimes things just don't work out, even between people who were once close."

Jay put his hand on Jungwon's shoulder, offering silent support. "It's not uncommon for couples to keep their relationship private, especially if it ended on bad terms. And as for us not noticing... well, love can be a complicated thing." 

"People are good at hiding what they don't want others to see."

While the friend group grappled with the shocking revelation of Ni-ki and Sunghoon's past, the two men were holed up in Sunghoon's house.

A place Ni-ki finds himself going back, when he knows he shouldn't.  

"Your so sick, Hoon-hyung..." Ni-ki's voice trembled with emotion as tears streamed down his cheeks, his heart heavy with the weight of their unresolved issues.

Sunghoon gently brushed his thumb across Ni-ki's cheek, his touch a soothing balm to the younger man's wounded spirit. "I'm... sorry, baby. I really am," Sunghoon whispered softly, his own eyes brimming with remorse as he sat in front of Ni-ki.

Ni-ki's voice wavered as he spoke, the pain of their past threatening to overwhelm him. "One years ago, you divorced me today. And then you gave no explanation. I finally stopped thinking about you, and you suddenly come back into my life," he recounted, his words heavy with hurt and confusion.

Sunghoon pulled Ni-ki into a tight embrace, his heart aching at the sight of the younger man's tears. "I really didn't want to, ki... I really did not want to," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion as he rested his head atop Ni-ki's, offering silent comfort.

"I didn't choose the fact we'd get divorced... Please believe me, jagiya," Sunghoon whispered, his words a plea for understanding and forgiveness as they both grappled with the pain of their past and the uncertain road ahead.

"B-but why?" Ni-ki's voice trembled with emotion as he spoke, his heart heavy with confusion and longing.

Sunghoon held him tighter, his embrace a silent reassurance as he pressed a tender kiss to Ni-ki's forehead. "M-My father wanted us to be divorced," Sunghoon confessed, his voice filled with regret. "I argued with him... I really did. But he had strings, Riki-ah... and you know that."

Tears welled up in Sunghoon's eyes as he continued, his vulnerability laid bare before Ni-ki. "If I could go back in time, I would never divorce you," he admitted, his voice trembling with emotion as he confessed his deepest regret.

Ni-ki's heart ached at the pain etched on Sunghoon's face, his own tears mirroring the older man's. "Hoon-hyung..." he whispered, his voice choked with emotion.

Sunghoon lifted his head, meeting Ni-ki's gaze with tear-filled eyes. "I'm so sorry, Riki... I never wanted to hurt you," he confessed, his voice cracking with emotion as he poured out his heart to the younger man.

Ni-ki reached up, gently cupping Sunghoon's cheek in his hand. "I know, Hoon-hyung... I know," he whispered, Ni-ki tenderly wiping the tears from Sunghoon's face, his touch gentle and comforting. "I know you're sorry... and I am too," he whispered softly, his voice filled with understanding and forgiveness.

Before Sunghoon could protest, Ni-ki silenced him with a gentle kiss on the nose, a gesture of affection and reassurance. "Don't say I didn't do anything. I was horrible to you when we met again," Ni-ki murmured, his words tinged with regret.

As their noses touched in a tender embrace, Ni-ki pulled Sunghoon into a warm hug, their bodies pressed close as they sought solace in each other's arms. Sunghoon couldn't help but smile at the younger man, his heart swelling with gratitude for the forgiveness and love that Ni-ki offered him.

Sunghoon returned Ni-ki's embrace, holding him tightly as if afraid to let go. "I don't deserve your forgiveness, Riki," he murmured, his voice muffled against Ni-ki's shoulder.

Ni-ki pulled back slightly, meeting Sunghoon's gaze with a soft smile. "We've both made mistakes, Hoon-hyung," he replied gently. "But what's important is that we're here now, facing our past together."

Sunghoon nodded, a mixture of gratitude and relief washing over him. "I promise to do better, Riki. To be a better person, a better partner," he vowed earnestly.

Ni-ki reached up to gently wipe away the remaining tears from Sunghoon's cheeks. "And I promise to do the same," he whispered, his voice filled with sincerity.

Their eyes met in a shared moment of understanding and acceptance, the weight of their past slowly lifting as they looked towards a brighter future together. As they leaned in to share another tender kiss, the warmth of their embrace enveloped them, a silent reassurance of the love and forgiveness that bound them together.

Finally, Sunghoon spoke again, his voice soft but determined. "Riki, I want to make things right. I want to