BADDIE

“Am I heavy?” Wonyoung asked, her breath warm against the back of my neck.

“Does it matter? You said your feet hurt.”

I looked up at the full moon as we passed through the front gate of her building. The night was clear, still carrying the scent of warm rain, and the wet pavement shimmered like a mirror, reflecting the night sky and city lights, as if guiding the way.

“But you must be so tired too.” She held me a little tighter as her arms wrapped around my collarbones.

“Don’t worry, you’re as light as a feather,” I said as the lobby doors opened with a soft hum. “I could carry you for the rest of your life and never get tired.”

“Liar,” she muttered, smiling into my neck. I felt the word more than I heard it.

“When was the last time I gave you a piggyback ride?”

“Mm…probably the last summer we were together before you left. When I hurt my ankle playing soccer after school and you had to carry me home.”

I chuckled. “You didn’t even win.”

“I was close!”

“Yeah? If I remember correctly, you lost by six goals,” I said, right as the elevator dinged.

“Oh…so you were counting my failures, huh?”

“I had to, you begged me to be referee to prove to Jinhee you were better than her.”

“…Did I? Ah, whatever, who remembers those things anyways…”

Our hazy reflection stared back at us in the fancy elevator. It felt so strange and surreal to see how much we’d changed since that summer.

“When was the last time anyone carried you like this?” I asked quietly.

“I already answered that, dummy.” She smiled with her eyes still closed. “The last summer we were together.”

The doors slowly glided open. “Really? No one else since then?”

She shook her head, her cheek brushing against my ear like she was telling me a secret. “No one. Only you.”

We arrived at her door, and I typed in the passcode—six soft beeps that made her body relax a little more with each press, like it was singing her to sleep.

“We’re home now,” I said, carefully lowering myself.

“Aw, I was getting used to being six feet tall,” she murmured, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. She started wobbling, nearly tripping over herself before I caught her by the waist. “…My legs forgot how to be legs, I think.”

I smiled. “Let them forget, then.” I slid my arms beneath her and scooped her sideways, letting her long slender legs fold over my forearm.

She squeaked. “Wonbin-ah! When did you get this strong?”

“I grew a bit since that summer, didn’t you know?” I said, swinging her just enough to make her giggle. “Plus, like I said, light as a feather.”

She kicked her shoes off, stretching her arms out like she was flying.

“Are you just going to leave them there?” I asked, glancing at the floor.

“I’ll be messy just for tonight,” she said, wrapping her arms around my neck.

I faked a gasp. “Jang Wonyoung? Messy? Who are you and what did you do with my best friend?”

She bit her bottom lip. “I’m Lucky Vicky,” she said, in a playful, alluring voice. “Haven’t we met before?”

“Are you trying to seduce me?”

“Seduce you? No, that would be like this.” Her expression flipped instantly—soft eyes sharpening, lips parting dangerously, almost like there was a switch she could just turn on at will.

My skin crawled, and I forced my eyes shut. “I don’t think I can handle Sexy Vicky. Can Sleepy Vicky come back?”

She giggled. “It’s Lucky Vicky, dummy.”

“What makes you lucky anyways?”

“Look at where I am.”

I looked around. “Home?”

“Yeah.” She smiled, and held me tighter. “Home.”

I slowly carried her towards the bedroom while we simply looked at each other, not saying anything else. Her eyes were stubborn; half fighting sleep, half opening, like the windows to her soul were reminding me I hadn’t peeked through in far too long.

“Hey,” she said, breaking our silence. “Don’t put me on my bed in my dirty clothes. I need a bath.”

“Oh—right,” I said, changing course. “No bed for Dirty Vicky. To the bathroom then?”

She nodded adorably and pointed down the hall like a princess on a pony. “Giddy up, horsey!”

“Who rides a horse upside down?”

“Me! Am I Funny Vicky?”

We laughed until our faces hurt. I spun her in my arms like an airplane banking through clouds, zipping through the dimly lit condo.

I sat alone in the dark, empty living room. My hair and clothes were still wet from the rain. The umbrella I left at the entrance had vanished along with everyone else at that pocha, and the way home was filled with so much terror that the sky cried harder for me. I took the long way back, too afraid to face what was waiting for me—even picking up a few bottles of soju at the same convenience store where I used to buy chocolate and flowers for Wonyoung, back when things were simpler. The cashier didn’t say a word to me this time.

I called Wonyoung about eight times and left her countless messages, but as expected, there was only radio silence. A part of me wanted to search for any kind of comfort through Yujin, but after learning that Wonyoung had sacrificed everything to rescue her from this hell, I couldn’t find it in myself to drag her back in. Not anymore. Not even if it was from the outside in.

There’s a punishment.mp4 now.

He said he warned me to stay away and I didn’t listen, so she’s gonna pay the price.

You shouldn’t watch this one with me. I don’t think it’ll be pretty.