Confused Childhood Friend
"Ah~ I'm so full."
"You ended up eating almost everything."
"I haven't had a proper meal in days..."
We'd ordered tuna rice, but Soyeong devoured most of the additional dishes too, leaving me to just watch.
At least she seems to have some energy back.
After days wallowing in despair only to find hope, she looked better than yesterday, and I couldn't help but smile.
"Now that we've eaten... how about a drink?"
"Shouldn't you cut back on booze?"
"I haven't had any in over a week! No more nagging—let's go!"
She grabbed my hand and dragged me along, and I pretended to resist as I followed. Her face was flushed redder than usual as she pulled me, but I played it cool...
And we headed to our usual nearby bar. It had private rooms, perfect for quiet drinks with friends—ideal for me since I hated noise.
"Booze after a week~ Booze~ Booze~"
She laughed happily, savoring her first sips in ages.
"Drink slower."
"I can hold my liquor just fine~"
Soy eong talked a big game despite being a lightweight. But she was chugging faster than usual, and though I tried to stop her, she seemed dead set on getting drunk quick.
"Haaa..."
"That's too fast."
She polished off a whole bottle in ten minutes alone. Her face was already bright red, on the verge of blackout.
"Thank you... really."
"You've said that enough."
She'd thanked me plenty earlier, so I brushed it off.
"So... I want to, y'know, r-repay you somehow..."
Soy eong was usually bold and straightforward. She got along with everyone, always lively, but sometimes she got shy around me.
Like now.
"I-I mean... even if you say I don't have to pay back the money, I gotta do something to repay you, right?"
"You really don't."
"Eeee! You have to take it!"
When I tried to refuse, she got mad and insisted. It was nostalgic and amusing, so I teased her a bit.
"Okay, then what are you gonna give me as repayment?"
"Uh? W-well... y'know..."
Her face burned as she stammered. Normally, she'd blurt it right out.
- Gonna drink tonight.
- My stomach hurts... but I'm drinking anyway.
- Mom banned booze... but I'm drinking. Keep it secret~
She really should cut back.
But her flush wasn't just the alcohol.
"S-so... I could give you that..."
"Huh? What?"
"...I could be your g-girlfriend..."
Her voice was an ant's whisper; I couldn't catch it.
"Can't hear you."
"I could be your girlfriend!"
She downed her drink like she'd made up her mind, yelling it out.
"If you want, I can be your girlfriend!!!"
Her bold confession nearly made me laugh, but I held it in—she'd mustered real courage. My answer was set.
"No."
"What?"
The air chilled like ten degrees as her expression iced over. Cold sweat trickled down my back unbidden.
...................
I first fell for Taesu back in middle school. Or was it elementary? High school? Anyway, years had passed since then, but I'd never confessed.
We'd grown up stuck together, playing as kids, and it solidified into "just friends." I liked him, but feared ruining that by confessing.
He'd tried getting me to confess a few times instead. I'd stage guys confessing to me where he could see, to spark jealousy, or give him handmade Valentine's chocolate—claiming it was "friend chocolate," of course...
My efforts failed; he never confessed, and we stayed friends.
I'd sabotage girls approaching him, spreading rumors they'd hate—sorry, but it worked. No one confessed to him.
I wouldn't date him, but no other girls got close either. My way of monopolizing him.
I knew it was wrong, but seeing others near him was worse.
After vacation, he seemed calmer, more composed—drawing me in more, heightening my anxiety. What if others approached? I couldn't stay passive.
"No."
"What?"
Today, I'd squeezed out all my courage to confess. His rejection hit, but no tears came—unlike expected.
Instead, certain names flashed in my mind, hardening my face.
"Because of Boyeon and Senior Eunji?"
"...Huh?"
I nailed it; his eyes widened in shock, frozen. He hadn't made that face lately.
I didn't know why their names came first. Woman's intuition? Flipping through memories, they were the only ones whose ties to him had shifted even slightly.
"Which one? Boyeon? Or Senior Eunji?"
His rejection stung less than knowing other girls were by his side. I got what "if I can't have it, I'll destroy it" meant now.
"........."
"Tell me."
"F-first, put that down..."
My hand had grabbed a bottle unconsciously; regaining sense, I eyed Taesu. I'd climbed onto the table, leaning close, staring him down.
"Wh-when! When did you... with who..."
My chest ached bitterly, but jealousy dwarfed the pain. I'd never seen another girl near him—this emotion was new, leaving me clueless on what to do.
"Both... of them."
"Huh? Both?"
"Boyeon and Senior Eunji... both."
His words chilled my head. The unexpected answer doused my boiling jealousy.
"Explain."
I demanded details.
.....................
Didn't see this coming...
Soy eong's confession rejection brought a face I'd never seen. Who knew she could look so cold and chilling?
When I mentioned Eunji senior and Boyeon without prompting, it genuinely creeped me out.
She pinpointed them without hesitation—woman's intuition?
Good she didn't know about Mom yet; heaven knows her face then.
"You're dating both?"
"Not exactly..."
Dating didn't fit my ties to those two bitches. Closer to fuckbuddies, but more subservient—clear owner-pet dynamic.
"Then what!"
She slammed the table, fidgeting wildly. I'd never seen her this anxious; I was flustered too.
"Closer to fuckbuddies."
"F-f-f-f-fuckbuddies!?!?"
Her face flushed anew at the word.
"You're that kind of guy?! I had no idea..."
"...It's recent."
Post-semester start, I'd turned them into my sex slaves—not long.
She slumped against the sofa, shocked.
"So with two already, you don't need me?"
Tears welled as she looked at me. The fuckbuddies shock plus rejection sadness showed plainly.
"No... I just figured you couldn't handle what I do."
"What does that mean?"
"They're fuckbuddies, but not the normal kind."
"I don't get it..."
Her face screamed confusion, no clue what I meant.
"This'll make it clear."
Explaining verbally was tough.
"Everything's detailed here—see for yourself and think."
For this, I'd prepped a USB packed with pics and vids from Boyeon and Senior Eunji—as my lewd bitch and milk cow.
...................
"Get along well with Taesu?"
"Y-yeah... tired now, gonna sleep."
"Okay then."
Back home, Soy eong entered her room with tangled feelings.
After a quick wash, she lay in bed, staring at the USB from Taesu—waves of complexity crashing.
Eunji senior and Boyeon as fuckbuddies was mind-blowing; his "watch and think" made her hesitate.
But staying put meant losing him forever—worst fate imaginable.
Hating that most, Soy eong quietly booted her computer, plugged in the USB, and...
Clicked to watch the contents.