Features of Guys Who Say "Booze Tastes Better with Women".jpg
…………… A few months had passed. On an ordinary weekday evening, my one-room was filled with the aroma of dinner that Senior Seori had prepared, just like always. Tonight's menu was braised short ribs, japchae, and a spread of side dishes.
After eating, we sat side by side on the sofa. The TV droned on with the news. I lay with my head in Choi Seori's lap, scrolling through my smartphone, while she quietly watched the screen.
Who could've imagined we'd end up like this? Before the naked dogeza incident, Seori Senior was the mad CEO who wanted to grind Han Minseo into dust, and I was just a spineless employee who wanted to run but couldn't because of loyalty and sentiment.
Now? We looked like your average happy couple. Honestly, we seemed even closer than your typical "couple." We ate lunch and dinner together every day, spent entire weekends on dates, and she even handled my housework. At this point, we were halfway to living together. She stayed over at my place pretty often, too.
Her lap was softer than expected, and the way she gently brushed my hair back felt nice.
If this were a novel... the comments section would be flooded with hate right about now.
Han Minseo might look like a pretty boy, but beyond that, he had nothing special going for him—yet here he was dating a rich, genius beauty. And not just any beauty: the CEO of a unicorn company, who stripped naked and groveled before an ordinary junior employee from college, clung to him, cooked his meals every day, and even cleaned for him. No soap opera would go this far.
Of course, it wasn't all upsides. Sometimes her behavior felt a bit over the top. Like reorganizing my fridge without asking, or confiscating my personal phone and forcing me to use the company one.
Still, a girlfriend like this? I'd bow down to the heavens in thanks.
I was scrolling through my phone with that thought when a notification popped up. It was from my college group chat.
I couldn't help but chuckle reading the messages.
"Something funny?" Seori Senior asked. Her eyes stayed glued to the TV.
"Oh, just my college buddies. They're talking about meeting up next week. Has it really been three years? Haven't seen them since graduation."
"Buddies?"
"Yeah. Kim Junho, Lee Sungmin, Park Seoyeon... you know, pretty much everyone."
The moment I mentioned "Park Seoyeon," her hand stopped stroking my hair. The only sound in the living room was the TV.
"...Park Seoyeon? She's coming too?"
After a brief pause, Seori Senior spoke up. She was trying to sound calm, but her voice had dropped just a notch.
What's this? Why's she reacting to Park Seoyeon?
I sensed something had shifted. A subtle change in her voice and touch. The air felt different.
I rummaged through Han Minseo's memories of Park Seoyeon. Park Seoyeon, Park Seoyeon... oh.
Memories surfaced one by one. Back in college, same major, Park Seoyeon was a bright, cheerful girl with good looks. She and Han Minseo had been in that ambiguous friends-with-benefits zone, right on the verge of dating.
But just before they made it official, she started avoiding him for some reason. In the end, things just fizzled out.
"Where? What day? What time?"
Seori Senior was pretending to be nonchalant, but she was fidgeting hard. Anyone could tell. She was firing off questions like a waterfall—totally unlike her usual self.
Is she... jealous?
Choi Seori, CEO of a top unicorn company, getting jealous over a girl I'd never even dated? It was so absurd I almost laughed.
First time seeing her like this... kinda cute.
A strange sense of superiority washed over me. Even she could get rattled by something this trivial.
"Some pub in Gangnam. Around 5 PM."
I told her everything without holding back. No reason to hide it, and more than that, I wanted to reassure my jealous senior.
"I see."
Maybe my cooperation helped—her voice softened. She started stroking my hair again. Though her fingers gripped a little tighter than before.
……………
The day of the meetup. I arrived at a pub near Gangnam Station. Loud music and laughter spilled out from the entrance.
"Han Minseo! Over here!"
Inside, Cheon Deokyong waved from a corner table. Next to him sat Lee Sungmin, Kim Junho, Park Jihoon, and the other guy buddies.
But something felt off.
"Wait, where's Seoyeon? And the other girls?"
I asked as I sat down. The group chat had said a bunch of the girls were coming.
Kim Junho shrugged. "No idea. They all texted today saying something came up. One even blamed Professor Choi."
"Seoyeon too?"
"Yeah. Said work emergency."
Lee Sungmin poured beer as he spoke. "Women... tsk tsk."
"Whatever. We'll see 'em next time."
Cheon Deokyong brushed it off.
All of them? Right before the meetup?
It was too bizarre to be coincidence. Not just Park Seoyeon—all the girls had sudden "emergencies" on the same day.
Are they pranking us with a hidden camera or something?
"Whatever, let's have fun anyway!"
Kim Junho raised his glass. "Cheers!"
We clinked glasses. The cold beer went down smooth. But the vibe was dead. The others had clearly been looking forward to the girls. Especially the single guys—they weren't hiding their disappointment.
Talk turned to work, stocks, the usual. Normally we'd drink till dawn, but tonight everyone lacked energy.
"Gonna head out. Got work to do."
"Me too..."
People started leaving, and less than two hours in, the meetup wrapped up.
"Next time, everyone."
"Yeah, with the girls too."
I left the pub before 7 PM. Way more deflating than I'd expected.
……………
The weekend subway was dead compared to rush hour. I sat quietly, lost in thought on the way home.
Feels kinda empty. Because the girls didn't show?
I had a girlfriend way out of my league, so I wasn't there just to meet girls. Still, half the group bailing made it lame, and that stung.
Why didn't any of them come?
The question kept nagging at me. Like the guys suspected, did the girls all conspire to screw us over?
Then my company phone buzzed. It was a message from Seori Senior.
I stared at the screen. Talk about perfect timing.
How does she always text at the most uncanny moments?
It wasn't the first time. She'd asked what I had for breakfast right when I ate, or if I'd been to the bathroom right after.
It felt like she knew my every move. Like she was shadowing me.
I hit send, and it was read immediately. A reply came in under ten seconds.
Movie? Sounds good. Actually perfect.
I started typing a reply, but my fingers froze over the screen.
Hold on.
Something was wrong. I reread her message.
A powerful sense of dissonance hit me.
When did I say it was just guys? I only said the meetup ended.
The subway noise faded into the distance. The other passengers, the announcements—everything blurred.
How did Seori Senior know? That not a single female classmate showed up.
No way... she wouldn't stalk me. But how?
I'd only said the meetup was over. I didn't even know about the girls until I got there.
But she already did.
My fingers trembled over the screen. The train pulled into a station, doors opened.
I sat frozen, like nailed to the seat. Staring at the screen.
After a long hesitation, I steadied my shaking hand and slowly typed.
My thumb hovered over send, a bit away from the button.
"Ugh."
My instincts screamed a warning. Sending this might unleash something irreversible.
Still... I had to know.
I hit send.