A/N: Alternate names for the Saja Boys
Jinu - Park Jinu
Romance - Yoon Roobin
Abby - Abel "Abby" Lee/Lee Woojin
Mystery - Shin Myungho
Baby - Jung Bohyun
☾︎✿︎☽︎
“No… this won’t do,” Zoey muttered under her breath as she hit control z on her keyboard.
She stared at the waveform on her screen, eyebrows furrowed, and her teeth chewing her bottom lip. She replayed the track through her studio headphones. It was a simple high-energy pop song which was given to her for minor adjustments and corrections. It was good. But it wasn’t great. And “good” wasn’t going to pay her rent.
"Let's dirty you up," she muttered to herself, her fingers flying across the MIDI keyboard, layering a synth melody over a bassline that felt like a heartbeat.
She was lost in her element, her head bobbing to the rhythm and tempo, the room around her now reduced to a void filled with tunes and melodies. The screen of her monitor illuminated her studio speakers on her desk.
She didn’t notice the movement and muffled noise in the background until she felt the coolness of a water bottle pressed against her cheek, making her yelp and jump in her chair. She already knew who the culprit was.
“What the hell, Mira?!” Zoey exclaimed, tugging at one of her headphone earcups off her ear as she glared at the tall woman with striking dark-pink hair standing before her. The woman's expression was nonchalant, seemingly unfazed by Zoey's irritation. Behind her stood another woman with long, purple hair, elegantly styled in a dragon-tail braid.
“We’ve been calling you for the past ten minutes,” Mira informed, swirling the bottle in her hand.
“Obviously, I had my headphones on,” Zoey rolled her eyes. “I’m kinda in the middle of something.”
“You’ve been on your computer since morning, and it’s almost noon,” the purple-haired replied, arching an eyebrow. “Did you even take a break or, at the very least, eat something?”
“Of course I did eat something, Rumi,” Zoey assured.
“A bag of chips doesn’t really count as food, Zoey.” She said, pointing at the half-finished bag of chips lying next to her keyboard.
“They were easily accessible. I’m working on a grind here.”
Rumi gave Mira a pointed look. “And you say I’m the workaholic.”
“You still are, though,” Mira argued back, making Rumi roll her eyes.
“Can I help you guys?” Zoey asked.
“Yes, actually. Your phone was having a seizure for the past hour,” Mira said, lifting the smartphone for emphasis. “You left it in the kitchen, and we could hear it from the living room.”
“Whoever it is will have to wait,” Zoey said, putting her headphones back on. “I’m comping vocals.”
“You sure? It might be important.” Rumi insisted.
Zoey sighed. “Can you check for me, please?”
“Okay,” Mira said as she and Rumi sat down on the couch in the room, scrolling through her phone. “You have a follow-up email from Jinu asking if you’re done finalising his demo. And ten missed calls and a text from… Gigi?” Mira and Rumi both shared a confused look.
This caught Zoey’s attention. “Gigi called?” she asked, pulling down her headphones.
“Gigi? As in your childhood best friend from Burbank, Gigi? That Gigi?” Rumi asked.
“Who else?” Zoey couldn’t help but laugh and roll her eyes at Rumi’s question.
“And you two are still talking?” Mira arched an eyebrow.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t we?” Zoey replied, confused.
“Well… It’s just that… how do I say this?” Rumi said cautiously.
“She seemed like she was done being friends with you when she visited. So, we assumed that ship sailed,” Mira finished for Rumi with a nonchalant shrug.
“What? No!” Zoey laughed, waving her hand. “We just had a minor disagreement, but we made up like we always do.”
Rumi and Mira both arched an eyebrow. Zoey knew those looks they were giving her all too well.
“Anyway, what did she say?” Zoey asked, changing the topic.
Mira turned back to Zoey’s phone and opened the messaging app. “So, Gigi texted ‘Hey, Z. I tried calling you, but it seems like you’re too busy to even pick up your phone.’”
“Wow, she’s off on a good start with that,” Rumi remarked sarcastically, which made Mira snort.
“Anyways,” Mira continued. “‘I’m engaged. Wedding’s in a few months, back home. You have to be my maid of honour. I’ve sent the invite. Call me.'"
“Oh my gosh! Caleb finally proposed?!” Zoey gasped as her face lit up. “I remember Gigi talking about how she was pushing for him to propose. So glad he pulled through.”’
“She’s been pushing him to propose?” Rumi asked, arching an eyebrow. “Didn’t you say they were dating on and off for six years?”
“Yeah, but relationships take a lot of work, Rumi. You should know, since you and Jinu have been going strong for three years,” Zoey said.
“Yeah, but Jinu and I haven’t been breaking up and making up every few months, Zoey,” Rumi pointed out.
“What matters is, Gigi is finally marrying her high school sweetheart, and that’s worth celebrating,” Zoey replied, turning back to Mira. “Did she say anything else?”
“Well, she said that it’s going to be a big event with a lot of people, and you should bring a plus one,” Mira added.
The words landed differently. The vibrant energy in Zoey’s room seemed to dim by a few watts. Her smile didn't vanish, but it became fixed, a little strained at the edges.
"A big event with a lot of people…" Zoey repeated, the words feeling foreign on her tongue.
A beat of silence passed. Mira and Rumi exchanged a glance, the air in the room shifting from casual to charged. They watched as the meaning of those three simple words seemed to travel from Zoey's ears, down to her core, and then explode outwards.
“Uh… Zoey?” Rumi called out cautiously, studying the dark-haired girl warily.
Then her eyes, which had been bright with excitement, slowly widened in dawning horror. The colour drained from her face.
"My parents," she whispered, the words barely audible.
“Oh, boy. She’s going to blow,” Mira said as she and Rumi sank into the couch, bracing themselves.
Then, the dam broke. And the room was filled with Zoey’s bloodcurdling, hysterical scream.
☾︎✿︎☽︎
“I’m screwed. I am so screwed,” Zoey said, pacing around, her hands tugging at her dark locks.
The girls had moved from her room to the living room as Zoey cited it as an ‘Emergency House Meeting.’
“So screwed,” She continued. “Screwed woman be me. A cornucopia of every single bad decision I've ever made, all coming home to roost at once! It's a poultry farm of poor life choices!"
“Okay, Zoey. You seriously need to calm down,” Mira said.
“Calm down?!” Zoey repeated, her voice dropping to a theatrical whisper. “Mira, you’re asking for the impossible. You cannot ‘calm down’ on a sinking ship. You cannot ‘chill out’ in a volcano that’s actively erupting. I am both the ship AND the volcano!”
Gigi’s wedding wasn’t just an intimate occasion celebrating six years leading up to her entering a new chapter with her high school boyfriend. She wasn’t just inviting family and a select number of friends to the event. She was inviting every single person she’s known her entire life, including Zoey’s parents, with whom she’s been in low contact for the last two years.
The front door swung open, cutting through her soliloquy of despair.
"Hello, hello, ladies," a familiar, cocky voice announced. Abby stood in the doorway, a big smirk plastered on his face. "Your favourite person has arrived."
Right behind him, Jinu shouldered his way in, rolling his eyes so hard it was a miracle they stayed in his head. "Don't listen to him. I'm just here to check if you finished working on my demo," he said, holding up a thumb drive like a peace offering.
"Not now, Jinu," Zoey snapped, not breaking her frantic pacing. "I'm in the middle of a crisis here."
Abby's smirk faded, giving way to a look of genuine confusion. He and Jinu exchanged glances, then turned to observe the pacing Zoey. Meanwhile, Mira and Rumi sat on the couch, watching the unfolding scene with the weary resignation of experienced crisis managers.
“Okay, what is going on?” Jinu asked.
"Yeah, did we miss something?" Abby asked, his eyes darting between the two seated women. "Did Mira accidentally poison an innocent bystander instead of Jay Park?”
Mira grabbed one of the couch pillows and threw it straight at Abby, hitting him square in the face. “Eat a dick, Abby.”
"What? It was a legitimate concern!" Abby retorted defensively.
“Focus up, Abs the Himbo,” Zoey snapped her fingers in his face. “The devil wears Vera Wang, and she’s invited me to her wedding to be her maid of honour.”
“You still haven’t answered my question; what is going on?” Jinu asked, already feeling a migraine coming.
"Zoey's childhood friend from the US is getting married, and she asked her to be her maid of honour,” Mira explained, showing both guys the save-the-date on Zoey's phone.
"That's a good thing, right?" Jinu asked, furrowing his eyebrows.
"No, Jinu! This is a disaster! This is a matter of life and death," Zoey exclaimed, flailing her hands.
"Okay, I'm confused. Are we happy that she's getting married or not?" Abby asked.
"Of course, I'm happy she's getting married. She's my best friend for crying out loud. That’s not the issue here," Zoey said. “This isn’t just a wedding. This is the life performance review I’ve been dreading. My parents are going to be there.”
“Your career is growing and you’re making a name for yourself. So, you’re doing just fine,” Abby pointed out, waving his hand. “Plus, now you finally get to hit them with the ‘See, I told you I’d make it.’ You’ve been too busy to keep in touch with them, so it would be good to catch up and reconnect with them."
"Yeah, only that they don't know that she dropped out of uni," Mira told him.
Both Jinu and Abby were surprised by this.
"They don't know?" Jinu asked.
"Yep, Rumi and I helped fake a graduation photo to send to her parents. Zoey had to borrow an old classmate's graduation gown, and we got Bobby to dress up as the dean to make it believable," Mira explained, with a nonchalant shrug.
Abby let out a low whistle. "Damn, that's some Mission Impossible level deception right there." He plopped onto the couch opposite Mira and Rumi.
“Is that even legal?” Jinu asked, arching an eyebrow.
“Yes! I think! Kind of…” Zoey trailed off before her face turned white. “OH MY GOD! I COULD GO TO PRISON BEFORE I HIT THIRTY!”
Rumi and Mira both shot Jinu an unamused glare. “Now you’ve done it,” Mira said.
“What? It’s a legitimate question?” Jinu retorted defensively. “Only an idiot would think it’s a good idea to fake a graduation photo.”
“Jinu, I love you, but we’re doing damage control here, okay?” Rumi said, patting his chest. “We can only handle one mental breakdown at a time.”
“Yeah, and Zoey’s got the deluxe subscription plan, so let’s pace ourselves,” Abby added with a smug smirk before getting hit square in the face with the cushion pillow by Zoey.
"Not helping!" Zoey replied. "Oh gosh, what am I supposed to? I can't not go to this wedding since Gigi asked me to come, and I have to show my parents that I’m a fully functional adult who hasn’t failed at life. And it says to bring a plus one! Where am I going to find a plus one on such short notice?!"
"You can always go alone, you know," Mira said.
"Not an option. I'm not ready to answer questions about my dating life from friends and family, thank you very much." Zoey replied.
“Being single is not the end of the world, Zoey.”
“I know. Doesn’t apply here.”
Mira sighed, pressing her fingers against her forehead, and shook her head.
"Why not ask, Myungho?" Rumi offered.
Zoey cringed at the suggestion. "Yeah, no. Asking my ex-boyfriend to be my plus one is a no-no for me," she said, putting her arms in an X before letting out a defeated sigh and throwing herself on the couch next to Abby. “What now? Should I pull up a ‘Boyfriend For Hire’ job advert on LinkedIn or what?”
“That’s not what LinkedIn is for,” Jinu deadpanned, furrowing his eyebrows.
“Well, I don’t see you coming up with suggestions,” Mira replied, giving him a pointed look.
“I can go with you,” Abby offered, with a shrug, surprising everyone in the room.
“Wait, really?” Zoey asked, still taken aback by his offer.
“Yeah, "I'll even practice calling you 'jagiya' in front of a mirror first, so your parents think we're super lovey-dovey." He said, wiggling his eyebrows and added in a terrible attempt at aegyo: "Oppa will protect you~"
"Do your services include being cringe?" Mira arched an eyebrow.
"Absolutely!" Abby sat up straight, suddenly serious. "I offer a premium cringe package—includes dramatic handholding, unnecessary fedora tipping, and the option to loudly announce our 'anniversary' to strangers." He leaned in with a conspiratorial whisper: "Extra five thousand won gets you fake couple tattoos that wash off after the reception."
Jinu sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why are you like this?"
Abby blinked innocently. "Because life is too short to be boring?" He turned back to Zoey with a softer grin. "But seriously though, I've got your back. We'll make it fun! Your parents will think you're dating the most charming man in Seoul, and everyone else will be too busy wondering why such a hot couple isn't married yet," he winked. "What's the worst that could happen?"
Rumi immediately facepalmed, and Mira sighed before muttering, “Famous last words."
Abby gasped dramatically, clutching his chest like she'd shot him. "Rude! I'll have you know I'm excellent at weddings. Last time I slow-danced with a potted plant, and nobody even noticed." He grinned. "Come on, it'll be fun! We can choreograph our own entrance—I'll dip you through the doorway, you accidentally kick your friend's veil off, we blame the open bar..." His eyes lit up suddenly. "Oooooh, what if we convince everyone we're secretly eloping? Imagine the drama! The intrigue!"
Mira threw a throw pillow at his face. Abby caught the pillow mid-air with one hand, still grinning like a madman. "See? Lightning reflexes. Perfect fake boyfriend material." He tossed the pillow back onto Mira's lap gently before turning to Zoey with suddenly sincere puppy-dog eyes. "If you're gonna be miserable at this wedding, shouldn't you at least have someone there to sneak appetisers with you and make fun of weird uncles dancing?"
He nudged her shoulder playfully. "Plus, imagine their faces when we show up looking disgustingly cute together. Worth it just for that."
Zoey rolled her eyes before asking, "You'd seriously do that? For me?"
Abby’s smirk melted into something genuine. “Duh. You’re my favorite person.” He stretched his arms behind his head with exaggerated casualness. “Besides, free cake and an excuse to wear a suit? Sign me up.” He paused, tilting his head. “Wait, do I get to pick the suit? Because I look dangerously good in burgundy—”
Thwump. Another pillow hit him, this time square in the arm.
“Okay, okay! Any suit!” he conceded, rubbing his arm. “Jeez, violence is never the answer.” He turned his lopsided grin back to Zoey, his eyes sparkling. “So… what do you say? Wanna fake-date our way through this wedding and give them a performance they’ll never forget?"
Zoey looked at her hands, furrowing her eyebrows and biting her lip in deep thought. While she appreciated him for offering to be her plus one and fake boyfriend for appearances and to save face, she couldn’t help but feel guilty about dragging him into her family drama, especially when there was a lot he didn’t know about.
But they’ve been close friends ever since she moved to Seoul for uni. She’d rather it be someone she knows and is somewhat familiar with her situation over a stranger.
It wasn’t the smartest idea — hell, it was probably the dumbest — but it beat showing up alone and disappointing everyone again.
“Okay. Let’s do it.”
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