#07 Ahyun (1)
The day after getting the Doppelganger Doll, I messaged Ahyun.
Her message brought back old memories. If someone told me to go back to office life now, could I even do it? Sure, trainee life was tough on the body, but I'd escaped that soul-crushing corporate grind, and no way in hell was I going back.
'Kinda regret never getting to chuck my resignation letter right in that asshole's face and strut out coolly.'
Thanks to Ahyun joining our group's dedicated team, the thread of our somewhat neglected connection was reknit. She'd been swamped adjusting to company life, and I'd been too buried in debut prep to chat much—we'd just exchanged occasional updates via messages.
'She's definitely into me...'
This seemed like a prime chance to use the Doppelganger Doll.
Ahyun had come up from the countryside, so she lived alone. If she hadn't landed this job after quitting trainee life, she'd probably have gone back home to her parents.
"Yes!"
I'd successfully lured Ahyun out. While the guys rested in their rooms after a full day of practice, I activated the Doppelganger Doll. They were wiped out, so sneaking out of the dorm was a piece of cake. Ki Uyeon, my roommate, had stepped out to shower, making my escape flawless. Eungyu wouldn't disturb the "sleeping" me in bed. I'd told him multiple times since getting the doll that I was the type who slept like a rock—even if you carried me away. Shaking me awake wouldn't be an issue.
"Haesol!"
"Hey."
"What's with all this? You bought a ton."
I'd grabbed beer and snacks from the convenience store, plus chips and stuff.
"You're not gonna nag me about my diet too, are you?"
"Ahaha! Nah, I'll let it slide today. Even athletes have cheat days."
"Today's my cheat day. No one's stopping me. Heh."
Gulp. My mouth watered automatically. Obviously from the food.
...Probably.
She was dressed comfy for home in a light, flowy long dress that suited her perfectly.
'Was kinda hoping for hot pants, honestly...'
The dress looked great on her too. And with the weather warming up, the thin fabric was sheer enough to hint at what was underneath. A little tease was way hotter than full exposure.
I'd said just one beer each, but I hadn't actually bought just one each, so once we got into it, the cans vanished fast.
"You hold your liquor well."
"This is nothing. Lately, booze is the only thing keeping me going."
Ahyun let out a long sigh. She looked like she had a ton bottled up inside.
I'd been through it myself, so I felt that shared misery bubbling up.
"Settling in tough?"
"When I ran away from home to chase idol dreams and came to Seoul, I swore I'd never regret it. It was for my life, after all."
"Regretting it now?"
"I figured trainee experience would help. But it hasn't at all. Wanna know what I did all day? Fetched coffee, copied stuff, answered phones, hauled gear, copied more stuff—rinse and repeat. This isn't what I busted my ass for all that time. What the hell have I even been doing?"
Listening to her triggered my own PTSD.
She chugged her beer, clearly frustrated.
'At least it's not 3, 6, 9 yet—she can still tough it out. Stick around a few more months, and she'll be carrying her resignation letter everywhere.'
Beer wouldn't cut it for that heartache; she'd end up craving soju.
"Hey, it's okay. It's all good. No bad experiences in life—they all turn into blood and flesh later. You made it through! Good job! You're awesome, Lee Ahyun!"
All her feelings were ones I'd lived through. The "I didn't study my ass off for this" rage. Confusion over why the company hired you for this crap. Mentally snapping from bosses who dump tasks without explaining jack. Or hating your own "idiot" brain for not getting it on the first try.
'Not easy to adjust. But gotta eat, so no choice.'
No need to fix her mess. She knew the drill. Just let her know someone supported her.
"Hang in there! You too! Me too! Cheers, cheers!"
"Hehe, thanks. Cheers~"
We clinked cans and chugged again.
"Eat some snacks."
"Okay, okay."
As time deepened, so did the mood. She talked company woes; I shared debut stress.
"Adapting to new stuff ain't easy. Got thrown into the debut lineup outta nowhere, and half the time I don't even get what I'm doing. Trial and error, then it'll click what I can do here. Till then, I'll play dead and do whatever—fake it if I have to."
"Ahaha! Same. Just grinding whatever they say. No clue what half of it is."
The talk got deeper. Empty cans rolled around before we knew it.
Ahyun's flushed cheeks swayed as she hummed drunkenly.
"Hmhm~ Hmhmhmhm~ ♬~♪"
Her happy humming was adorable.
'Wanna kiss her.'
Smack! Should I? Just go for it? Perfect setup, right? What's a new face matter? Inside, I'm still that average 30s Earth dude—couldn't move easy in a spot like this.
But even back on Earth, this vibe screamed "go time."
Impulse won. As I leaned in—
Her swaying hiked the dress over her knees, revealing plump cleavage.
'Whoa, bigger than I thought?'
The unexpected deep valley made me flinch back.
Oblivious, she giggled and cracked another beer.
"Not drinking too fast?"
"It's fine! Home drinking—if I pass out, whatever."
"Fair."
Pass out, flip over, wake up tomorrow. Home loosened her up with that safety net.
'From her view, no way a guy's jumping her.'
Fine, step back for now. Plenty of chances left.
"Others hate company jobs—why'd you go for it?"
"Mm~ Gave up the dream, but didn't shake it off clean. Still regrets lingering. Quitting trainee meant going home. To stay, company job was it."
"If you regret it, why not keep training?"
"I'm not dumb. Felt like no end in sight."
After debut lineup locked, tons quit—mostly girls, not guys. Company's two boy groups tanked their hopes and morale.
"Didn't wanna regret forever, so I thought: vicarious thrill? Watch others chase dreams, help out—might ease the sting?"
"Vicarious work?"
"Yeah! It'll do!! Gotta! Can't cling to regrets forever! And joining your team? Kinda living the dream a bit."
Drunk as hell, but she kept pounding beers, spilling her guts easy.
"You sure it's cool spilling this to me? Might regret it tomorrow—stop now if so."
Everyone's drunkenly kicked the blanket regretting antics. Worried for her, but not great advice to a hammered girl.
"Wha? Don't wanna hear me?"
"Not that—worried you'll wake up tomorrow hating your drunk self."
"We're friends!! Friends are fine!"
"Hey, too close."
Tongue slurring a bit—she was gone. Pronunciation fooled me; she'd been sloshed awhile.
'That diction? She'd crush as an announcer. Wait, what? Not the point.'
"Fwiend~ Fwiend~"
"Yeah, yeah. Why you crawling over? Don't."
She crawled closer on the floor, skirt hiked unnoticed, shoving her face in mine again.
"Don't wanna heaw me?"
"Told ya. Snuck out here 'cause I wanna talk with you."
Tsk tsk tsk. Totally gone. Repeating herself confirmed it.
"Hehe, wight? My fwiend! Knew it! Waaahhh!!! Cwoss~!!!"
"Y-yeah. Cross. Cross."
I crossed her raised arm with mine into an X. Wobbly one, though.
What? Am I drunk? No way a few beers get me...?!
Deny it, but head floated, mind fuzzy. If asked, I'd slur "nah," but body lagged.
Blame this damn body. Shit, can't seal the deal now.
"Hahaha!"
"Hehehe."
While our minds wandered boozily, I caught her grinning goofily at me. Eye contact hit, and I grinned back like an idiot.
"Cute."
"Eek—smack smack. But wike thish."
She burped tiny, scooted closer, and asked.
"Wha~t? Spill."
"You shay."
"Eee~ng."
I echoed her, grabbing squid and stabbing mayo. Beer and dry snacks? Match made.
Anticipating salty bliss, mouth open—
But the mayo squid never hit my lips.
My face was suddenly cupped in her palms—squish!
"???"
"Hee~"
Still grinning, she held me. Squid dangled awkwardly in my hand.
'Gotta eat the snack.'
Plop. It hit the floor. Normally I'd mourn it, but nah.
Because—
Mwah!Smack—Mm!Mm!
Something way better than squid filled my mouth instead.