FAKIN

You don't expect your evening to turn into a drama.

You just wanted to grab a drink after work. One drink. Maybe two drinks.

You end up hearing a stranger’s life story instead.

You sit down at a bar in Itaewon feeling really tired from the day. The bar is dimly lit. The music is low. It's the kind of place where office workers come to be alone for a bit.

You order a beer. Just want to chill and check your phone.

Then you hear a voice.

“Another one”, a woman says beside you. Her voice is flat and a bit rough.

You look at her. Shes already had a drinks. Her eyes seem a bit bright and her eyeliner is smudged. Her hair's a bit messy like shes been playing with it all night. Her face looks empty like shes practiced it.

The bartender is unsure. “Miss, are you sure you want another drink? You look like you've had a night.”

“I want to forget a guy named Minseok”, she says. “So, yes I'm sure.”

The name Minseok sticks in your head for some reason.

The bartender gives her another drink. You watch her drink it like it’s a normal water.

She puts the glass down hard. Stares at the counter. Her phones on the bar. It keeps lighting up with calls she doesn't answer.

You didn’t know why but your instincts telling you to go to her. You talked to her.

“Is it working?” You ask her.

She blinks slowly. Turns to you.

“What do you mean?” She says.

“The drinking”, you say, looking at the glass. “Is it helping you to forget Minseok at all?”

She laughs, but its not a happy sound. “No. They don’t, but at least it makes things blurry.”

You stared at her longer. She's a woman not in a way but in a way that looks real. With her makeup a bit messy and her eyes tired, there's something bright about her.

You nod at the bartender.

“I'll pay for her drink”, you say.

Both of them look at you.

“You don't have to do that”, she says.

“I know,” you say. "I wanted to."

The bartender gives her another drink.

“Do you always buy drinks for a sad stranger woman?” she asks.

“Nah, just for a woman who tried to forget Minseok”, you say.

That makes her smile a bit.

She picks up the drink looks at you again.

“Okay”, she says. “Don’t regret. I want to spend the rest of your money today.”

She drinks it.

It does not take much for her to start talking. She just opens up easily.

You do not push her. You just sit there sipping your beer making the noise to show you are listening.

Soon, she is chatting away in her own words.

You learn her name is Sumin. You learn she had a boyfriend named Minseok. They were together for a time. Everyone thought they were a couple. She thought they were a couple too.

You learn she went to his place tonight. She surprised him with food. She used the code he gave her.

You learn she opened the bedroom door and saw him with someone.

She tells it with much detail like the images are still fresh in her mind.

“He tried to say I was overreacting”, she says, her eyes glassy. “Can you believe that? Him. Naked with another girl. Telling me I am overreacting.”

“That is bullshit", you say away.

“Exactly”, she says, pointing at you with a finger. “That’s the point.”

Her phone buzzes again. She does not even look. You catch a glimpse of his name on the screen before it goes dark.

You feel your jaw tighten on reflex.

You do not like that guy. You have never met him.

“You did not do anything", you say.

She laughs, short and sharp.

“I must have", she says. “Guys do not just cheat for no reason right? Maybe I was boring. Maybe I was not cute enough. Maybe I did not do it enough. Maybe I trusted him much. I do not know.”

“Stop doing that again”, you say.

She frowns. “Doing what?”

“Blaming yourself for someone’s mistake”, you say. “That is his fault. Not you.”

She stares at you like she was not expecting you to say something that straightforward.

“What are you? My therapist?” She mutters.

“No”, you say. “Just a guy who understand you.”

She watches you for a beat then squints.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” she asks suddenly.

The question makes you straighten slightly.

“Yeah”, you answer.

She clicks her tongue. Looks away.

“Lucky”, she says under her breath. “Bet she does not cheat on you.”

“She does not”, you say, no hesitation.

“You sound confident”, Sumin mutters. “That must be nice.”

You do not want to say her name. For some reason it feels like bringing Yoon into this moment is wrong.

You think of her anyway. Her smile, her jokes the way she sends you voice messages of texts.

You think of how she would react if she saw this girl now. Sumin. Drunk, hurt, spiraling.

Yoon would probably be at her side in a second.

You feel like you have to step in least a little.

“Do you have someone you can call?” You ask. “Friends? Roommate?”

She scoffs.

“Yeah”, she says. “If I tell her she will show up with a bat and go to prison. I am not ready to be responsible for that tonight.”

You blink.

“Is that bad?” you ask.

“She is… intense”, Sumin answers. “In a way. Mostly. I just… I do not want to hear the ‘I told you he was trash’ speech yet.”

You fight a smile.

“Seems like she cares about you”, you say.

“She does”, Sumin sighs. “That is the problem. She is going to be so disappointed that I let it get this far.”

“You did not ‘let’ him cheat”, you say. “He chose to. How was that your choice?”

She rolls her eyes.

“You talk like you have never messed up in a relationship”, she says.

You hum.

“Oh I have”, you say. “But not in that way.”

She stares at you again eyes slightly narrowed, as if studying you.

“You would not cheat?” she asks. “Even if some girl was over you? Like… she is sad and drunk and here and flirting?”

Her words are clumsy but the meaning is clear.

You hold her gaze.

“No”, you say simply.

She leans closer eyes despite the alcohol.

“You sure?” she presses.

“Yes”, you answer. “100% sure.”

There is no doubt in your mind. It comes out firm and easy. Because it is true.

Sumin’s lips curl into a slightly mocking smile.

“Good boy”, she murmurs.

You feel your ears burn.

“You are drunk”, you say.

“I am honest”, she counters.

Her hand reaches out suddenly fingers brushing your cheek. Her touch is clumsy and warm.

“Handsome” she mumbles. “You are handsome. Why are men like you wasted on people who will not appreciate it?”

You seize her wrist gently steadying her.

“I am not wasted”, you say. “I am where I want to be.”

With Yoon you mean. At home usually. Not sitting in a bar at midnight catching compliments from a stranger.

Right now, you are here. So you deal with what's in front of you.

What is in front of you is a girl who looks like she is one drink away from collapsing.

You glance at the bartender.

“She is done”, you say.

He nods.

“You should get her home”, he says quietly. “Call someone.”

You look back at her.

“Sumin”, you say. “What is your address?”

“My address? Why?” She mumbles, blinking eyes at you.

“So I can put you in a taxi”, you say. “You cannot stay here.”

Suspicion flares across her face.

“You could be a kidnapper”, she mutters.

You almost laugh.

“If I was”, you say, “I would not be asking your permission.”

She considers that then frowns deeper.

“I do not want to go”, she says. “My bed smells like him.”

You get it.

“Okay”, you say slowly. "Then… come to mine. You can take the couch. I will lock my bedroom door if it makes you feel better.”

She squints. “Your girlfriend will kill you.”

“I will explain”, you say. “I am not leaving you to pass out in a bar.”

“I am fine”, she says, trying to slide off the stool.

Her legs immediately give out.

You catch her before she hits the floor.

Your arm wraps around her waist. She is smaller than you thought but somehow heavier.

“Yeah”, you say. “You’re totally fine.”

She snorts weakly into your chest.

“You are too nice”, she mumbles. “I am telling you. Men like you are wasted.”

You ignore the way that lands in your stomach and focus on getting her out of here.

The taxi ride is really quiet.

She leans against the window her eyes are half closed. She is saying bad words about Minseok under her breath. You keep an eye on her in case she gets sick.

You give the driver your address. When you finally get home, it is a bit past midnight.

You pay the driver then get out and go to her side of the taxi.

“Sumin”, you say softly. “We are home. Can you stand up?”

She makes a sound that might be ‘no’.

You open the door. Try to help her up. She. Almost falls down again.

“Okay”, you say. “Easy there. I got you.”

You pick her up properly. You put one arm behind her back. The other under her knees.

Her head falls against your shoulder. You feel her breath on your neck.

“You smell nice”, she says quietly.

You pretend you did not hear that.

Your apartment building is quiet at this hour. You enter the code holding her against your chest. You are thinking about how you will explain this to Yoon.

You are pretty sure Yoon is not even home. She sent you a text earlier that she would be late with friends. You thought you would have a night alone but then you ended up with Sumin.

You go inside your apartment. Close the door with your foot.

The lights are low. You head straight for the couch. Put Sumin down carefully.

She says something then tries to sit up away swaying.

“Stay”, you say. “You are going to fall down.”

“I am fine”, she says stubbornly even though her eyes are rolling a little. She holds your shirt to steady herself.

“Yeah I can see that”, you say dryly.

You stand up planning to get her some water and a trash can in case.

Her fingers do not let go of your shirt.

“Wait” she says, her voice soft and unclear. Her other hand touches your chest. “One more thing.”

You stop, looking down at her.

“What?” You ask.

She tilts her face up her eyes half closed, her pupils big. For a split second you realize what is about to happen.

“Sumin, you should not–”

But it is too late.

She leans forward. Presses her mouth against yours.

The kiss is not really a kiss. Her breath smells like alcohol. Her hand fists in your shirt.

You freezed.

Every muscle in your body locks up. Your brain tells you to pull to stop this to do something.

You start to move putting your fingers on her shoulders to push her back gently.

That is when you hear it.

“Are you fucking serious right now?”

The voice hits you like cold water.

You jerk back from Sumin, your heart dropping.

You do not need to turn around to know who it is.

You turn around anyway.

Yoon is standing in the hallway.

She is wearing a t-shirt and loose shorts. Her hair is up in a bun with some strands falling around her face. Her eyes are big and angry. Under the anger you see something like surprise.

“Yoon, wait! It is not what it looks like”, you say quickly.

She stares at you at Sumin then back at you.

Her jaw works like she is trying to decide how hard to yell.

Then her eyes really look at Sumin on your couch.

Her eyes narrow.

“Sumin unnie?” she says, her tone changing from anger to shock.

You look between them quickly your brain finally understanding something you did not know.

Your girlfriend, Yoon, knows Sumin.

Not just knows her. They are friends.

The way they say each others names sounds like they have been friends for years.

“Oh my god”, Yoon says, putting her hand on her forehead. “No way. The drunk girl my boyfriend brings home is my best friend.”

The words my boyfriend make you feel guilty even though you know you did not start that kiss.

You put your hands up a little palms out.

“Yoon I swear to you I did not–”

She stops you with a raised hand not looking at you.

“Shut up for a second”, she says, looking at Sumin.

She walks across the room.

You step back giving them space.

Sumin starts talking soon as Yoon gets close.

“I did not know”, she says, her words running together. “Yoonie, I swear. I did not know he was your boyfriend. I met him at the bar. He was just... There.. Nice. And I am so stupid I kissed him I did not know I am so sorry–”

Her voice breaks. She starts to cry.

Yoon. Her face softens.

“Yah”, she says, her voice gentle. “You idiot.”

She hugs Sumin suddenly knocking the wind out of both of them.

You stare, surprised.

You expected Yoon to be angry to yell or cry.

Instead, she hugs Sumin tightly pressing her face into her shoulder.

“You did not answer any of my messages”, she says, her voice shaking. “I was calling you for an hour. Do you know how scared I was?”

Sumins hands hover for a second before holding the back of Yoons shirt.

“He cheated”, she whispers, her voice breaking. “He cheated on me, Yoonie.”

Yoon gets stiff. You see it in the way she stands.

“I know”, Yoon says quietly. “Seungmin told me you said something about it in the bar. I did not think it was this bad.”

She pulls back a little to look at Sumins face holding her cheeks.

Sumin looks really upset with smudged makeup, glassy eyes and a trembling mouth.

“I am sorry”, Sumin says again crying. “I really did not know he was yours. I am a friend. I kissed your boyfriend. I am the worst–”

“Hey”, Yoon says firmly. “You are drunk and heartbroken. You are not a friend.”

She wipes away Sumins tears with her thumbs.

“You are my friend”, she says. “That’s it.”

She looks over Sumins shoulder at you her eyes sharp.

“You”, she says.

You stand up straight.

“She kissed me”, you say quickly. “I did not kiss her. I brought her here because she would not give me her address and she could not stand up. I was going to let her sleep on the couch.”

Yoon looks at you then sighs.

“You are lucky I know you are not that person”, she says. “Otherwise I would have broken up with you.”

You feel better. Some tension leaves your shoulders.

“I should have called you before bringing her”, you say. “I am sorry.”

“Yeah, you should have”, she says. She looks back at Sumin. “We will talk about this later. Now we are taking care of you.”

“Yoonie. I kissed your boyfriend”, Sumin says weakly like she cannot believe it.

Yoon rolls her eyes.

“Yeah I saw”, she says. “You did a job. You missed his mouth stupid. That does not even count.”

Despite everything Sumin laughs a little.

You cannot help it but laugh too

This is a mess but somehow Yoon is making it better.

“Girls help girls, okay?” Yoon says. “You did not betray me. Minseok betrayed you. Remember that.”

Sumin sniffs, nodding.

Yoon helps her back onto the couch making her comfortable. Then she looks at you lifting her chin.

“Water”, she says. “A bucket. The blue blanket.”

“I am on it”, you say, feeling relieved to have something to do.

You go to the kitchen fill a glass grab a trash can and get the blue blanket, from the closet.

When you come back Yoon takes the water from you. Gives it to Sumin.

“Drink”, she says.

Sumin obeys, taking sips of the drink.

You put the bucket down beside the couch so it is easy to reach. Then you put a blanket over Sumins legs. She shivers once then starts to relax a little because of the warmth.

“You are staying here, tonight”, Yoon says. “Don’t argue about it.”

“I do not want to leave either”, Sumin says quietly. “My bed smells like him. It makes me sad.”

Yoon says. “Well, that solves the problem.”

Yoon sits down on the floor next to the couch. She is close enough that her shoulder is touching the cushion near Sumins head.

She looks up at you and says “Are you coming to sit with us?”

You are not sure what to do.

“You want me to sit here with you?” you ask her.

Yoon tilts her head to one side.

“I am mad that you did not call me”, she says. “I am not mad at you for helping Sumin. Please sit down.”

You feel a little better when she says that.

You sit down on the floor on the side of the coffee table facing them. From here you can watch Sumin. Make sure she is okay.

Sumin looks at both of you with eyes.

“You are both too nice to me”, she says. “It is hard for me to understand.”

Yoon laughs.

“That is because of the alcohol”, she says. “Also, because of the bad guy you dated before tonight.”

Sumin laughs a little. Then, she holds her head.

“I hate him”, she says quietly. “I hate what he did to me. I hate that I still want to cry about him.”

Yoon says, “Cry then. Cry here with us. Do not cry alone.”

You watch as Sumin starts to cry.

Her face is sad. Her body is shaking. She curls up under the blanket. Covers her mouth with her hand.

Yoon reaches out. Pulls Sumins hand away from her face.

“Don’t hide your face”, she says softly. “Not when you're with me.”

Then, Yoon looks at you.

Her eyes say a lot of things.

She is saying “thank you.”

She is saying “do not mess this up.”

She is saying “help me take care of Sumin.”

You nod a little to show her that you understand.

“I will get some medicine ready for Sumin’s headache”, you say quietly. “I will make some toast to help her feel better.”

Yoon says, “That is an idea. You are really helpful.”

You smile a little. Roll your eyes.

You feel happy that you can help.

You get up. Start making some food in the kitchen.

You can hear the sound of cabinets and water in the background.

Behind you Sumin is crying quietly. Yoon is talking softly to her.

Sometimes, Yoon says things about Minseok.

As you stand there, you realize that this night has changed things for you.

You are connected to Sumin in a way that you did not expect.

You also know that what happens next will be complicated and emotional.

You do not get sleep that night.

You are lying on the floor with a cushion under your head. You keep waking up and then falling asleep again. You can hear Yoon talking quietly. Sumin sniffing every now and then but they get quieter and quieter until Sumin finally falls asleep because of tired.

You look at the ceiling in the light. You think about things. You think about how this whole situation with Yoon and Sumin could have turned out. You think about how Yoon took Sumins side without thinking about it.

You think about Minseok sleeping in his bed like nothing happened.

This makes you angry. Not as angry as Sumin is but you are still angry. The anger is like a fire that keeps burning inside you.

You close your eyes.

The morning you wake up to someone moaning.

“Ugh! my head hurts so much”, Sumin says from the couch.

You slowly open your eyes. Your back hurts from sleeping on the floor. Yoon is already up rubbing her eyes with her messy hair.

“Morning cheater’s worst nightmare”, Yoon says, her voice sounding tired.

Sumin looks at her at you and then at the ceiling, which she doesn't recognize.

“Oh no”,she says. “Did I die?”

“No”, Yoon says. “You got really drunk. Told me all your problems. Kissed my boyfriend and then fell asleep on our couch.”

Sumin looks really surprised.

She hits her forehead then winces because her head hurts.

“I'm so sorry”, she says, looking at you. “I don't remember everything. I just remember... The bar... Minseok... Being angry.... Then your face.”

“My face looking really shocked”, you say.

She moans again. Covers herself with the blanket.

“Just kill me”, she says. “I'm done being a person.”

Yoon laughs.

“You're not getting out of this”, she says. “We need to plan your revenge.”

Sumin looks out from, under the blanket.

“Revenge?” she asks carefully.

You get up. Go to the kitchen.

“Calm down, Yoon. First, I need some water and food”, you say. “Then, we can plan your revenge, Sumin.”

You hear Sumin laugh a little.

Coffee. Toast. Painkillers.

You put everything on the coffee table in front of Sumin. She stares at you like you're a hero.

“You are a hero”, she says softly taking the pills and swallowing them.

Yoon nudges you gently.

“I told you, he's that guy”, she says.

Your face gets warm. You focus on cutting the toast into small pieces.

“Eat slowly”, you tell Sumin. “Your stomach is probably hurting.”

She listens, nibbling on a piece of bread.

There's a moment while she eats and drinks coffee. Her brain seems to be coming online.

Then, she sets the mug down with a clink.

“I can't believe he did that” she says, sounding numb. “I keep thinking about it. His face. That girl. Everything.”

Yoons jaw clenches.

“You know what helps with that?” she says. “Imagining his face when he realizes you're not going to take him back.”

Sumin makes a sound.

“He probably thinks I will”, she says. “He kept texting me that I'm overreacting. That he meant nothing.”

You and Yoon exchange a look.

You've both seen some of those messages on her phone.

“He's the one who needs to wake up”, Yoon says. “You don't get to cheat. Then decide how big the reaction should be.”

Sumin leans back pressing her palms into her eyes.

“I hate him”, she whispers. “I also hate that I still want him to hurt like I do.”

“You did everything with him”, you say. “You trusted him. You cared. You showed up with food night. He still chose to throw that. That's his problem, not yours.”

Her throat moves.

“Right now”, you continue “he probably thinks he still controls how you feel. That he can talk you down, convince you it wasn't that bad and make you forget."

Yoon smiles.

“Which is why we're going to make sure he understands what he lost”, she says. “No begging, no crying in front of him. Just you moving on. Being happy.”

Sumin laughs weakly.

“I'm a mess”, she says.

“That's yesterday”, Yoon says. “We're talking term.. I'm also open to something more... Immediate.”

She glances at you her eyes sparkling.

“Like what?” Sumin asks, sounding wary.

Yoon tilts her head.

“Like using my boyfriend for revenge”, she says casually.

You choke on your coffee.

“Excuse me?” you cough.

Both girls look at you.

Sumins eyebrows go up.

“No, no no”, she says quickly. “I don't want to cause trouble for you two. I'll just block him and disappear."

“That's an option”, you say quickly.

Yoon narrows her eyes at both of you.

“First, you're not a trouble”, she says, pointing at Sumin. “You're my friend. Second, I'm the one who wants to do this, not you.”

She jerks her thumb at you.

“Third, we shouldn't let Minseok think he can walk away without seeing what a joke he is.”

Sumin chews her lip.

“What are you suggesting?” She asks. '“I'm not trying to steal your boyfriend. I already kissed him by mistake when I was drunk. I'm not doing that again.”

Yoon rolls her eyes.

“You didn't even kiss him properly”, she says. “I'm not talking about you two doing anything behind my back. I'm talking about appearances. Letting him see you with someone who's clearly a good guy, who is treating you better than he ever did.”

You stare at her.

“Yoon” you say slowly. “You're talking about me.”

“I know”, she says. “I have a good taste.”

You blink.

Sumin looks at both of you her face contorting into a mix of horror and curiosity.

“No fucking way”, she says. “That's insane. People will think I stole your boyfriend. They'll call us names.”

Yoon shrugs. “People will talk anyway. Let them be wrong.”

You watch Sumin think about it.

The idea is crazy. You can see the spark in her eyes. The part of her that wants him to hurt.

You set your mug down.

“If we do this”, you say, “It would be fake. Clear boundaries. Short-term. Only if you really want it Sumin. No pressure.”

She looks at you.

“You'd actually do that?” She asks. “After that night?”

Your face gets warm.

“Last night, you were hurt and drunk”, you say. “I'm not holding that against you. Yes, I'd help. If you both really want to do this. We talk it out properly.”

Yoons expression softens.

“See?” she says to Sumin. “He's that guy. I'm keeping him.”

Sumin laughs once bitter but somehow lighter.

“Okay”, she says slowly. “Lets say... Hypothetically... I agree. What are we talking about? How would this work?”

Yoon grins, her eyes sharp.

“We start small” she says. “Public posts. Pictures of you and Seungmin hanging out. Nothing crazy at first. Just enough to make him wonder.”

You raise a hand.

“Ground rule”, you say. “No lying directly to anyone. If someone asks, we can keep it vague. I'm not going to gaslight people.”

“Fair enough”, Yoon says. “This is mostly for Minseok’s benefit anyway."

Sumin looks down at her hands.

“Are you okay with this?” she asks Yoon. “Seeing... your boyfriend pretend to be with me?”

Yoon nods.

“I trust him”, she says. “I trust you. I want you to see how you're supposed to be treated.”

You swallow.

There's a weight to her words that settles in your chest.

Sumins eyes get wet. She doesn't cry.

“You're too good to me”, she murmurs.

“I'm not going to let him get away with it”, Yoon says. “So, are we doing this or not?”

Sumin breathes out slowly.

“Yes. We’re doing this”, she says.

You sit back realizing you've just agreed to be part of a revenge plot.

You're in, for a ride.

The first week is challenging for both of you.

You and Sumin meet at a cafe one afternoon. Yoon is there too sitting at another table. She wears sunglasses that actually make her stand out more.

“Just relax. You guys are dating. Not go to war.” Yoon texts. “You are supposed to look comfortable.”

You try to relax. You loosen your shoulders.

Sumin sits across from you. She plays with her straw wrapper.

“This is so weird”, she says.

“That is because we think about it much”, you say. “We are two friends hanging out. That's all. Right?”

She looks up at you.

Her eyes seem an unsure. Like she is still not sure if she can be comfortable around you.

“I guess you’re right”, she says finally.

You smile a bit.

“We will get better at this”, you say. “Yoon will just yell at us until we improve.”

Your phone buzzes.

YOONPUT YOUR HAND ON HER HAND OR SOMETHING YOU FUCKIN COWARD

You try not to laugh.

Sumin raises an eyebrow.

“Is that her?" she asks.

You show her your phone.

She groans.

“Oh my god” she says. “This is so embarrassing.”

You glance at Yoon. She pretends to read a menu, behind her sunglasses. You can feel her staring at you.

You look back at Sumin.

“Can I?" you ask. You nod toward her hand.

She hesitates for a second then nods.

You put your hand on hers.

Her fingers move once settle.

It feels natural. Warm.

She snorts quietly.

“If Minseok walks in now, he will freak out”, she says.

“That’s why we’re doing this”, you say.

You both share a smile.

From the corner of your eye, you see Yoon pump her fist in the air. She looks happier. Does she loves to be a cuckqueen?

The first public move happens a few days later.

Sumin posts a story.

A picture of two iced americanos on a table. Only your hand and forearm visible on the other side, watch and bracelets unmistakably not Minseok’s.

new company, who dis?

You do not even see it until Yoon shoves her phone in your face.

“He already watched it twice,” she says, eyes gleaming. “Pathetic.”

“Already?” Sumin asks, half horrified, half thrilled. “I literally posted that ten minutes ago.”

“Trash always has time to stalk,” Yoon replies.

That night, Minseok messages Sumin.

so you moved on that fast?

is that why you were freaking out?

who is he?

Sumin stares at the messages, then looks at you and Yoon.

“What do I say?” she asks.

You and Yoon trade a look.

“Say nothing,” you say.

“Or just this,” Yoon suggests. She takes Sumin’s phone.

Sumins eyes go huge as Yoon scrolls through their chat. She pulls up the saved voice note. Hits send without hesitation.

The audio delivers instantly. It is Sumin. Unmistakably her. She is moaning alone in her room. At first her breathless and needy whimpers are soft. Then they get louder. The sounds she makes are really explicit as she touches herself. You can hear the wet noises of her fingers moving inside her. Her desperate gasps and broken cries mix in. “Fuck… ahh… there…”, she moans. Her voice cracks as she gets closer. The noises get faster and louder until she cums hard with a shaky whine that trails into a shuddering sigh.

You were completely clueless until the audio started playing. Your face is red and hot. You can feel the heat in your neck and ears. You shift uncomfortably in your seat. You are trying so hard to control yourself as Sumin’s explicit moans play on loop in your head. Your body is reacting despite yourself.

Sumins mouth falls open in shock. “Yoon! How the hell did I have that in my phone? Did you record me? When did you even do that?"

Yoon just shrugs. She does not seem to care. She tosses the phone back into Sumins lap. “I recorded it while you were showering alone. I think I'm a genius for this. It's the way to annoy Minseok. Let him hear how you sounds when you’re having sex with someone else. We need to make him believe your fake relationship is real.”

Sumin looks mortified for a second. Her face is crimson. Then, a slow smile creeps across her lips as she understands what is happening. She glances at you.

You stay bright red and mostly quiet. You’re still trying to steady your breathing after hearing Sumin’s moans.

The three of you watch the typing bubble appear. Disappear. Appear again. Then nothing.

Yoon leans back, against you. She seems satisfied. Her fingers are tracing circles on your inner thigh.

“That's right”, she mutters. Her voice is low and pleased. “Let him fucking deal with it.”

The revenge is happening slowly.

More stories. Like group hangouts where you and Sumin just happen to be in photos. You don't do anything inappropriate. No kissing. No over-the-top skinship.

But you are there.

Laughing with her. Listening. Standing a little too close in pictures.

You make sure to check in with her.

“Are you still okay?” you ask her after walking her to the subway.

She nods.

“Yeah,” she says. “I thought it would make me feel… bad. You know? But it doesn’t. Because he actually did it. We are not lying about that part.”

She looks at you.

“I really appreciate you,” she says quietly. “And Yoon. For doing this. For… making me feel like I am not completely worthless.”

You shake your head.

“You were never worthless,” you say. “You’re a treasure. We are just helping you remember that.”

Her cheeks slightly pink.

“Stop saying shit like that,” she mumbles. “People will think you are actually my boyfriend.”

You laugh softly.

“Well, it is working. We are good actors,” you say.

The breaking point comes sooner than you think it will.

It is Saturday night. You are at a bar for a small party that a mutual friend is having.

You go to the party with Yoon walking in hand in hand. Sumin meets you guys a little later. She looks really good like herself again. She has a top on and her hair is down it looks soft around her shoulders.

When Sumin sees you two, she smiles widely.

“Hey”, she says. “You guys got here before me.”

“Of course we did”, Yoon says. “I have to keep an eye on my two friends.”

You roll your eyes and Sumin laughs.

Inside the bar, the three of you stick together. Then, you start to separate a little as people pull you into different conversations.

You are talking to someone when you feel someone is watching you.

You look up and see Minseok on the other side of the room. He looks just like you thought. Well dressed and charming.

You excuse yourself and go over to Yoon. She has already seen Minseok and her jaw is tight.

“What the fuck is he doing here?” she asks quietly. “Just our luck.”

Then, Sumin turns. Her gaze lands on Minseok. Her shoulders stiffen. The light in her eyes dims for a split second. Then, slowly, she straightens, lifting her chin.

You and Yoon go over to her, forming a group around her to show your support.

"Are you okay?" Yoon asks quietly.

Sumin takes a breath.

“Yes, I’m okay and I’m not going to cry” she says. “Not now.”

“That’s my unnie” Yoon says.

Minseok starts walking toward you. You feel your hands curl into fists at your sides.

He stops a steps away and looks at Sumin, then at you and Yoon.

“Sumin, can we talk?” he asks.

She looks at him like he is a stranger.

“There is nothing to talk about”, she says calmly.

His jaw tightens.

“So you really just moved on,” he says, glancing at you coldly. “Just like that.”

You feel Yoon bristle beside you.

“Are you serious right now?” she says. “You cheated on her and you are mad she is not calling you?”

His eyes flick to her and then back to Sumin.

“I made a mistake,” he says. “I told you that. Are you really going to throw away everything we had for over one mistake?”

“One mistake?” Sumin repeats, eyebrows rising. “You were with her for months.”

He flinches.

“That is more than one time,” she says. “And even if it was one, it is one to many. I am not your backup plan.”

He scoffs, turning to you.

“And this guy?” he says. “You really believe he is better than me? You have known him for what, a few weeks?”

There is scorn in his voice now. Insecurity, too.

You step forward slightly before Sumin can answer.

“That is the difference,” you say evenly. “She did not cheat on you to get with me. She did not betray you first.”

He glares.

“This has nothing to do with you,” he snaps.

“It has everything to do with me,” you reply. “Because you are trying to use her feelings to save your ego. And she does not owe you that.”

Yoon lets out a short laugh.

“God, my man is so hot,” she mutters.

Minseok’s eyes flash with anger. He steps forward aggressively, reaching out to grab Sumin’s arm. “Are you really letting him talk for you now?” he growls, ignoring Yoon completely.

Your hand snaps out, fast and precise. You catch his arm mid grab, twist it smoothly behind his back in a simple wrist lock, and drive your knee lightly into the back of his thigh. The whole thing takes less than a second. Minseok drops hard to one knee with a surprised grunt, his face twisted in shock and pain. Your grip stays calm and controlled. You are not even breathing hard.

People around you go quiet. Heads turn.

“You don’t have a right to touch her,” you say quietly, voice low and steady. “Ever.”

Minseok tries to pull free, but the angle you have him in makes it useless. He looks ridiculous on the floor, one arm twisted, face flushed red with embarrassment while you stand there without breaking a sweat. He deserves every bit of it.

You release him with a small push, letting him stumble forward onto his hands. He scrambles up, breathing hard, staring at you like he cannot believe what just happened.

Sumin steps forward, out of the small huddle, just enough to stand on her own.

“You cheated on me!” She says. “You lied to me. You made me feel like I was crazy for being hurt. And now you are mad that I did not beg you to stay.”

Other conversations have completely stopped. People are watching openly.

Minseok shifts uncomfortably, aware of the eyes on him, still rubbing his wrist.

“You do not get to call this ‘one mistake’ and expect me to forget it,” Sumin continues. “You made choices. Repeatedly. No one forced you. And I am making mine now.”

She glances back at you for a second, then at Yoon. You give her a small nod.

“I am choosing myself,” Sumin says. “I am choosing people who actually respect me.”

She lets that hang in the air.

Then, she looks him dead in the eye.

“We are done, Minseok,” she says. “Completely. There is nothing left for us to talk about. Don’t ever see me anymore.”

He stares at her, something desperate flickering across his face. He looks at you like he wants to say something else, but after that quick and effortless takedown, he thinks better of it.

He scoffs, shakes his head, and turns away.

The three of you watch as he walks out of the bar, his back a little stiffer than when he came in, wrist still cradled against his side.

Yoon exhales slowly.

“Well,” she says. “I’m glad it ended well.”

Sumin’s shoulders finally drop. Her hands tremble slightly.

You step closer, pulling her into a tight hug while burying her face into your chests.

“Sumin”, you say quietly. “You did so well.”

She looks at you, eyes shining.

“I did”, she breathes, almost in disbelief.

Yoon throws an arm around her shoulders.

“Yeay!! You smashed it, girl”, she says. “You made him look exactly like what he is. Pathetic.”

Sumin laughs, a wet, shaky sound.

“You guys are the best,” she says. “Seriously. I could not have done this without you.”

“No. You did it by yourself,” you say. “We’re so proud of you.”

The weeks after that feel different.

The “fake revenge boyfriend” plan quietly retires. It is not needed anymore. Minseok stops messaging. Word spreads. People take sides. Most people seem to understand what really happened because of how Sumin handled the situation.

She was cheated on. She moved on. She upgraded.

You and Sumin still spend time together. It is not weird anymore.

You grab coffee together. Go grocery shopping for Yoon when she is too lazy. Watch stupid clips on your phones and send them to each other.

Sometimes, Yoon is there. Sometimes, she is not. Either way, there is no more guilt buzzing under your skin when you laugh with Sumin.

One evening, the three of you end up on your couch again.

This time there are no tears. You just have some snacks. Watch a movie that none of you are really paying attention to.

Yoon is lying down with her feet on your lap and her head on the armrest. Sumin is on the side leaning against you with her head near your shoulder and a blanket over both your legs.

You start playing with Yoons ankle without thinking. Then, your other hand moves and your fingers touch Sumin’s arm under the blanket.

You feel her tense once, then relax.

The contact lingers.

It feels… natural. Warm. Not like some game anymore.

After a while, Yoon looks at both of you over the bowl of popcorn on her stomach.

“You know,” she says, tone too casual to be innocent, “you two are really good at cuddling for people who were just supposed to be pretending to date.”

You freeze.

Sumin jumps, almost knocking over the popcorn.

“Oh my god,” she says, mortified. “I am sorry. I did not even realize I was–”

“Relax,” Yoon says, laughing. “I am not mad. I am just saying what I see.”

You look at her carefully.

“Is it… okay?” you ask.

She studies both of you.

“You both have been there for me,” she says. “You took care of each other. You took care of me. You did all of that without lying to me or hiding shit. I am not going to get upset because my boyfriend and my best friend like being close to each other.”

Sumin bites her lip.

“Like?” she echoes, wary.

Yoon’s eyes soften.

“Do you?” she asks bluntly. “Like him?”

Sumin swallows.

She looks at you, then back at Yoon.

“I… yeah,” she says finally, voice small but steady. “I did not mean to. I tried not to. But he is… him. And you are you. And you both were there when I was at my lowest. It kind of… happened.”

Yoon nods, as if she expected that.

Then she looks at you.

“And you?” she asks. “Do you like her?”

You hold Sumin’s gaze for a moment.

You think about the late night talks you had with her. You think about her jokes. You think about the way she always says what she thinks even if it is hard. You think about how she picked herself up after her ex broke her heart.

You think about how nice it feels to have her shoulder against yours now.

“Yeah,” you say. “I do like Sumin. I’m sorry, Yoonie.”

The room gets really quiet like everyone is holding their breath.

Yoon lets out a sigh.

“That’s kay,” she says.

You blink.

“Okay?” you repeat.

She smiles, slow and bright.

“Yeah. Okay,” she says again. “We can figure it out.”

Sumin stares at her.

“You are… not mad?” she asks. “At all?”

Yoon shakes her head.

“If I was the type of person who gets jealous easily, I would have gotten upset the night you kissed him when you were drunk in our living room”, she says. “But I saw the way you looked at him then and the way he looked at you after. You were both really scared. It was not about lust at all.”

You make a face.

“That’s true”, you say.

Yoon laughs.

“I have watched you two dance around each other for weeks,” she continues. “I have seen that neither of you has disrespected me. You did not sneak around. You did not lie. You always checked on me to make sure I was okay. That is what matters.”

She pushes herself upright so she can see both of you properly.

“Look,” she says. “I love you, Seungmin. I love you, Sumin. They are different kinds of love, but they overlap a lot. I am not scared of that. I am actually… kind of curious what it would feel like if we stopped pretending and accept each other.”

Sumins eyes start to get wet but this time it is because she is happy.

“You are crazy”, she whispers.

“Thanks”, Yoon says with a bright smile. “So are we going to be cowards about this or what?”

You realize you have been holding your breath. You let it out.

“We should only do this if everyone is really sure”, you say. “This is not a thing.”

“I have never been more sure of anything in my life”, Yoon says.

Sumin hesitates for a second.

Then she moves closer to you looking for any sign that you might be unsure.

You meet her in the middle.

Your lips touch hers.

This time, it is not drunk or messy or mis-aimed.

It is slow. Gentle. Questioning. Her hand curls around your wrist. Your fingers brush her jaw. Your hearts hammer in your chests.

When you pull back, she looks stunned in a soft way.

“Wow”, she breathes. “It’s way better than the first time.”

You huff out a laugh, forehead resting lightly against hers.

“Yeah”, you say. “I was conscious for this one.”

A hand flicks the back of your head.

“Don’t forget about me, assholes”, Yoon says.

You and Sumin turn.

Yoon is grinning, eyes bright, a faint blush on her cheeks.

You reach out with your free hand and tug her closer by the collar of her t shirt.

She leans in willingly.

You kiss her too.

When you break apart, she looks satisfied.

“Okay,” she says. “This is good. I like this.”

Sumin laughs, still a little dazed.

“Are you really okay with this?” she asks again, quieter, just for Yoon.

Yoon cups her cheek.

“You are my girl,” she says. “He is my guy. We are not taking love away from anyone. We are just… sharing.”

You watch them, warmth flooding your chest.

You do not know what other people would say. You do not really care.

What you know is Yoon trusted you enough to share you without feeling like she was losing anything. Sumin trusted you enough to let you be part of her healing. You trusted both of them enough to step into something unconventional but honest.

There will be challenges. Questions. Moments where you have to navigate boundaries carefully.

But right now, with Sumin’s head on your shoulder, Yoon’s hand laced with both of yours, your life feels very full.

“Earth to Seungmin,” Yoon says, waving a hand in front of your face.

You blink.

“Sorry,” you say. “Got lost in thought.”

“Thinking about how blessed you are?” she teases.

“What? I mean….obviously,” you reply.

Sumin snorts.

“You are such a sap”, she says. “Don’t worry. We like you anyway.”

“Love”, Yoon corrects. “We love him.”

Sumin rolls her eyes but nods, cheeks a little pink.

“Yeah”, she says. “We do.”

You look at them.

Your girlfriend. Your… other girlfriend. Your best friend. Your anchor. Your chaos.

“Girls will help girls”, Yoon says suddenly, linking her arm tighter with yours. “And sometimes, they will also share a really good boyfriend.”

Sumin laughs, leaning in on your other side.

“Yeah”, she agrees. “Revenge was fun. But this? This is even better.”

You squeeze both their hands.

“Yeah,” you say softly. “It is. better.”

You got both of them.

You would not trade that for anything.