The Friend's Lover Who Came of Her Own Accord

The sound of the front door opening reached them.

Eunsu had come home from work.

She started to set her bag down, then froze at the sight of the two people stacked together on a dining chair.

Her older sister Eunjeong was straddling Taeseok's lap as if she meant to ride him. Her slip dress had been shoved up to her waist, leaving her nearly bare, and one of Taeseok's hands was roughly kneading her breast. The two of them were locked in a deep kiss, utterly indifferent to Eunsu's gaze.

"…Already?"

Eunsu managed, voice trembling with shock.

Eunjeong broke the kiss for a moment and looked at her sister. Her face was flushed a deep red, yet her answer came out almost leisurely.

"What's with 'already'… Did you at least eat before you came home?"

She felt her little sister's eyes settle on Taeseok's fingers still gripping her breast. She knew exactly how she looked, yet she made no move to climb off him. If anything, she pressed herself even tighter against his body.

Taeseok is my man. Just because you've been in his arms a few times doesn't change that.

She seemed determined to show Eunsu exactly that.

"Haa… You don't have to worry about me. I'll just… make myself a cup of coffee."

Eunjeong buried her face against Taeseok's neck again and murmured, almost too softly to hear.

"Keep going, baby. Don't mind her."

Her lips brushed his ear as if she were licking it. She did not care in the slightest that her younger sister was watching. If anything, being seen only seemed to excite her further; her tongue grew bolder.

Listening to the wet, sweet sounds of their kissing, Eunsu walked over to the coffee machine, brewed herself a cup, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠then quietly sat down across from them with the mug in her hands.

Eunjeong still acted as if her sister did not exist, but Taeseok was different. He finally broke the kiss and checked her status window.

One more line had been added to the special notes, and the content of that line… was almost funny.

Heh… That's rich. So the husband finally found out.

Confirming the text, he gave a bitter little smile.

The sudden end of their kiss made irritation flash across Eunjeong's face. She twisted around and snapped at her sister.

"Hey!!! What do you think you're doing sitting there? Go to your room."

Her voice was sharper than usual. They were in the middle of something hot, and Eunsu's decision to plant herself right in front of them felt suspicious. She had no intention of giving Eunsu the seat beside Taeseok.

Eunsu only cupped the coffee mug in both hands and gave a small shake of her head.

"I don't know… I… need someone to talk to."

"Why? What happened?"

Eunjeong kept glaring. She assumed her sister was simply jealous and trying to interrupt them.

Eunsu let out a long breath and set the mug down.

"It's just… my head's a mess today. I want to talk to you for a little while, Unnie… even if it's only for a bit."

"Does it have to be… right now? Can't you see what I'm doing?"

"If not now… when else am I supposed to find the time? You and Taeseok are going to be stuck together all night anyway."

Eunjeong stared at her for a moment, then sighed and slowly slid off Taeseok's lap. She sat in the chair beside him and pulled her slip back down, though she never once let go of his hand.

"So what is it?"

Her voice had softened. Seeing her sister push this hard made it clear something serious was going on, and that concern for her little sister finally won out.

Eunsu wrapped both hands around the coffee mug again and hesitated for a long time. At last she spoke in a voice so small it was almost a whisper.

"…My husband… I think he found out about me and Dohyeon."

Eunjeong's eyes widened slightly. Without thinking she squeezed Taeseok's hand tighter.

"That bastard… had someone watching me."

"You… what? You told me there was nothing going on. You said your husband was just misunderstanding…"

Eunjeong's voice sharpened again. Worry for her sister tangled with a sting of betrayal—so you lied to me too?

Eunsu gave a bitter smile and shook her head.

"Yeah… that's how it turned out."

Taeseok still looked perfectly at ease. One hand kept hold of Eunjeong's while the other lifted the coffee for a sip.

"Well… I guess justice won in the end."

He said it with a light laugh. Eunsu's eyes flashed and she snapped at him.

"Hey!!! You… are you going to talk like that just because it's not your problem?"

Taeseok snorted and shrugged.

"So?"

Eunjeong asked.

Eunsu exhaled a long breath and scratched her head.

"I don't know… I talked to a lawyer… He said the alimony and the property split could get adjusted… Worse, since I'm the at-fault spouse… if he refuses, the divorce itself might be hard."

"Why not just get back together while you have the chance?"

Eunjeong suggested. Eunsu immediately shook her head hard.

"Are you crazy? We're… already done."

Then Taeseok, who had been smiling the whole time, spoke up.

"Well… it's not like there's absolutely no way out."

"Huh? There's a way? What is it?"

"Hmm… well… it's not exactly an easy method, so…"

Taeseok looked between the two sisters with a faintly sly smile.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Taeseok quietly laid out his idea for the two sisters.

In that instant their expressions became a spectacle. Both of them sat with eyes wide and lips half open, speechless for a long moment. The look on their faces said, plain as day, that the idea was insane.

Taeseok glanced from one to the other and delivered a single low, confident line.

"It's only a thought of mine. In the end… whether you go through with it… depends on the two of you."

With that he rose from his seat and headed up to the rooftop room—his own place.

The moment the door ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠closed behind him, the tension drained out and exhaustion crashed over him all at once. He stretched out on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

Today, yesterday, the day before that… he had moved inside women's bodies as if he would never tire. While he was buried in a woman, it really did feel as though someone had plugged a charger into him; his stamina never flagged. But now that he was alone, every scrap of that fatigue seemed to press down on his flesh at once.

Have I… already become someone who can't live without women?

He gave a small laugh. He kept his eyes on the ceiling and slowly let out a breath. One hand came up to rest against his forehead as he replayed the "method" he had just offered the sisters.

Will this even work? Honestly… it is a pretty ridiculous idea…

Then his phone rang.

Still lying on the bed, Taeseok picked it up. The name on the screen was "Mijin."

A smile rose naturally to his lips.

Finally… she called. Took longer than I expected.

He hit the answer button, and Mijin's voice came through at once.

"Sunbae… is now… a good time to talk?"

"Yeah. It's fine."

Taeseok answered lazily, still watching the ceiling.

Mijin hesitated a moment, then spoke in a small voice.

"…Today… I want to see you, Sunbae."

Her tone mixed embarrassment and longing. Taeseok gave a short laugh.

"All of a sudden? Something happen?"

"No… I just… wanted to see your face…"

She trailed off and swallowed softly. Her voice grew even quieter.

"I'll come near your place. I'll go into whatever café is around and call you again."

Taeseok slowly sat up and answered in a low voice.

"Sorry. I'm… not really in a position to go outside yet."

Even though he was living with a completely different heart and drive than before, Taeseok still had never stepped outside this building. Leaving it still frightened him.

Mijin did not back down.

"Then… I'll come to your place, Sunbae. That's okay, right?"

The desire to see him made her voice soft and aching. Taeseok was silent for a beat before he spoke.

"You're… really going to come?"

The words carried the implication that if she came here, the same kind of thing as last time could happen again. Mijin could not have missed that, yet she did not change her mind. In fact… that was exactly what she wanted.

"Yes… I'm leaving… right now."

The door to Taeseok's room opened quietly.

Mijin stood outside it, looking shy.

"Come in."

At Taeseok's words she carefully stepped inside. Even the sound of the door closing seemed to worry her; she kept hold of the knob and pushed it shut with exaggerated slowness.

Her outfit was bright and light as usual—a thin cream-colored knit, a short denim skirt, sneakers on bare legs. Anyone looking would have seen an ordinary college girl. The atmosphere around her, though, was anything but light.

Normally she would have been the first to speak, yet now she simply stood inside the room ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠without a word. Her gaze drifted around the space and finally settled on the bed.

"Pretty cramped, right? Nowhere to sit. Just sit on the bed."

Taeseok's voice broke the silence. After a brief hesitation she carefully perched on the edge of the mattress.

Taeseok looked at her for a moment, then wordlessly headed for the fridge. He opened it, scanned the contents, and pulled out a can of coffee.

Click.

He cracked the tab and held it out to her.

"This is all I've got to offer."

"Ah… no, thank you."

Mijin accepted the can with both hands. She did not drink; she simply held it.

Taeseok sat down beside her as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"So."

He spoke first.

"What's going on."

The question was short and dry. The moment it left his mouth, Mijin's shoulders gave the tiniest flinch.

"…Jeonghun-sunbae."

She kept her eyes down as she continued.

"He's still… the same. Even when I'm right there, he meets other girls… sometimes he doesn't answer my messages…"

Her voice grew smaller and smaller.

"Even when I catch him, he never says he's sorry."

She added, head slightly bowed.

"I should just break up with him… but I… can't seem to do it."

Taeseok still said nothing. He simply listened quietly beside her.

"I hate it… but I can't leave either…"

When the words ended, silence settled again. This time it stretched longer, turning the air awkward.

It was Taeseok who broke it.

"So… why are you telling me any of this?"

The words were cold. Mijin's hands went still.

"…Well."

She closed her mouth once, then slowly lifted her head. She swallowed as if her throat were dry.

"Because you aren't someone completely unrelated to my relationship anymore, Sunbae."

"What… is that supposed to mean?"

Mijin seemed to gather her thoughts for a moment before she continued in a calm voice.

"I think… I can break up with Jeonghun-sunbae now. Because…"

She looked at Taeseok with a deep, lingering gaze.

"Because of you, Sunbae."