Chapter 2: My Female Friend Who Never Saw Me as a Man Starts Her Mischievous Teasing...
The phone rang on a Friday afternoon, about an hour before quitting time.
"It's me. What're you up to? Busy? At the office?"
The moment I hit the call button, her voice—same as always—came through without giving me a chance to respond, firing off questions nonstop.
"Hey! It's been forever. You doing okay?"
I let my own excitement spill out upon hearing her voice. We hadn't talked in ages. It started when Kim Eun-hee's boyfriend got uncomfortable about our friendship sometime back.
Nothing major happened, really. We'd just met up a few times for a casual coffee, exchanged simple holiday texts. That's it. Both Eun-hee and I were normal people with common sense—we toned things down when we each had partners, avoiding anything that could spark misunderstandings. We knew carefree guy-friend/girl-friend antics could hurt our significant others.
But apparently, even those innocent texts bugged her boyfriend. Fair enough, honestly. In situations like that, I'd say Eun-hee and I were at fault for being oblivious. She explained the situation, and I happily agreed to cut contact.
"Not really."
After the greetings, her tone dropped. Something was clearly bothering her.
"You fought with your boyfriend, huh?"
Instinct—or maybe just years of knowing her—let me guess right away.
"Ugh, seriously. Don't ask. It's annoying."
Her grumbling came through the receiver loud and clear.
"That sucks. Heh heh heh."
We're not the type to console each other in tough times. More like, we're always primed to tease and poke fun at each other's misfortunes.
"Shut up. Where are you? Was gonna grab a drink, but what's with today? Everyone's busy!"
"Just wrapping up to head out. Give me ten minutes."
"Cool. Come to the usual spot."
We settled on the place where she and her friends always hung out.
When I got there, she was already nursing a beer.
"Long time no see!"
"Yeah. Grab a seat."
She poured me a beer, we clinked glasses, downed our first round, and dove into chit-chat.
"What've you been up to lately?"
"Huh? You seriously not checking my SNS?"
"SNS? Why would I? If I like a post, your boyfriend's gonna flip."
"God... Just use a burner account or something, you heartless jerk."
Forcing down a blush, she pulled out her smartphone and shoved her SNS feed in my face.
"Damn, you're on fire."
The top post was a bikini pic—barely censored where it counted. The rest were tame: casual outfits at cafes or restaurants, workout shots with everything properly covered even in tighter clothes. But that latest one? Bikini shots and videos galore, standing out like a sore thumb.
"Right? Your big sis is hot stuff now. Heh heh heh."
"This... what the fight was about?"
From what I knew, her boyfriend was pretty conservative—exceptional even for these days. No way he'd cheerily approve of his girl posting bikini pics publicly.
"Sigh... I try to go along with him most of the time, but..."
Things heated up after she opened a yoga studio with her colleagues recently. Promoting it meant the instructors had to hustle on social media.
"Who's coming from flyers these days? It's all Insta or TikTok."
And to grow followers for promo? Exposure pics were key, apparently.
"It's even causing awkwardness with my coworkers..."
If she hated posting revealing stuff herself, no big deal. But the issue was her bending over backward for her boyfriend all this time—and now it was blowing up.
"This pic... definitely working wonders."
The like count on that bikini shot was nothing to sneeze at.
"Told ya. Doubled my followers off that one alone."
Reconfirmed: nothing beats skin for boosting followers.
"So yeah, cold war vibes lately."
She finished venting, then slammed back a beer with gusto.
"Ahh... Hits different after so long."
"He doesn't even let you drink?"
"Nah, he's not that bad. I've just been super strict with my diet to sculpt this body."
Build a killer figure, snap fierce pics, rack up followers, land ads, make the studio a success. Her modest dream, it seemed. She'd busted her ass for it, but her boyfriend's silent sulking made it awkward. Couldn't vent to colleagues either—too awkward. So, friends it was.
"Vent to me all you want."
"Nah. Don't wanna ruin our reunion with that crap. So, how about you? Girlfriend?"
"Nope."
"Still single? Poor thing. Shoulda told your big sis—I'd hook you up with another cutie."
"Pass. Once was enough."
Even after ages apart, we bantered like always, no holds barred.
The beer bottles emptied, her voice lightening up.
"So, how do you blow off steam these days? Hitting up soaplands or what?"
"As if."
She'd always been bold. Sex jokes flew easy, and with booze, we'd swap stories.
"You? Must be damn good in bed if you're sticking it out despite the frustration."
"Eh... Not really. He's kinda old-school? Stuffy? We clash a lot, but I usually give in. That's just who he is."
"What? Then he must kill it at night."
"Exactly! That's the one thing he nails."
She stuck it out purely 'cause their bedroom chemistry was off the charts.
"Then hang in there. Finding that kinda match ain't easy."
"True that. Oh yeah, remember when you dated Ji-ah? She said you were no joke."
Out of nowhere, Eun-hee brought up my ex. Fair play—she'd introduced us. Ji-ah was her close junior; Eun-hee played matchmaker hard.
"Yeah, I remember. Ji-ah loved it back then... But we still broke up, so chemistry ain't everything."
With a sly, half-lidded smirk—mocking or teasing, hard to tell—she dredged up my ex I had zero desire to revisit.
"Just drink."
Suddenly not wanting to rehash Eun-hee-and-Ji-ah tales, I chugged my beer.
"Did I say something wrong?"
Wearing a sorry look, she leaned forward, stroking my head.
Ah... Not her intent, but I got a perfect down-blouse view of her cleavage.
"You little perv. Now I feel bad... Huh? What're you staring at?"
"Bigger than I thought..."
Busted? Own it, then.
"The hell! Stealing peeks for free?"
"Friends can look, right?"
"Bullshit. Friends don't peep at tits. Wanna see? Pay up! Nothing's free in this world. Fine—drinks are on you tonight!"
"Extorting me over cleavage?"
"Deal! You cover everything, and I'll give you a real show. Heh heh heh."
Buzzed, clearly. She glanced around, tugged her shirt collar, flashing inside.
Bra covered the goods anyway—just the upper swells on display.
"Happy? Don't show this to anyone but my man. Pricey stuff. Heh heh heh."
"Fine, beers it is. But that's not payment for the titty peek."
"Pfft hahaha! Sure it's not..."
She cracked up like it was the funniest thing, giggling wildly.
We kept drinking awhile longer. Swapped life updates, trashed her boyfriend, tossed in dirty jokes now and then.
"Time to bounce?"
Hours had flown since we sat down.
"Mm. Yeah. Let's move."
No interest in wrapping up here, it seemed.
"You good for more?"
Not hammered yet, but time was late.
"One more round. Pleeease? Having too much fun today."
Couldn't beat her uncharacteristic aegyo.
"Light stuff, then. Don't wanna struggle home trashed."
"Get trashed and you deal. Heh heh heh. If you're good, maybe after all these years—ngh!"
She'd always been sex-joke-proof, but tonight? Extra spicy.
"Where to? Cravings?"
"Hm? Hold on..."
Spinning in the bustling street, she picked a direction.
"This way."
Grabbing my hand, she dragged me to a convenience store.
"These, and these..."
Grabbed some canned beers, dry snacks, checked out, then headed to the building behind.
"Let's chill there before heading home."
Our spot: a motel with a pink neon sign, tucked in an alley off the main drag.
"Wanna drink comfy. Don't get weird ideas!"
She paid for the room herself, insisting pure intentions.
"As if I'd think that about you?"
Back in our younger days, we'd crash at motels with friends, drinking till dawn. Never went beyond booze and games, though. Eun-hee and I? Strictly friends. Never more.
We clicked on food tastes, convo vibes. No way I'd risk turning that into couple drama.
Same for her, probably. Saw me as just a buddy—why she could be so uninhibited.
"Ah! So comfy."
Into the room, she flopped on the floor, stretching.
"Wow! Been forever since we hit a spot like this together."
"Someone hears that, they'll misunderstand."
"Let 'em. We know the truth—that's what matters, right?"
"Yeah, but your boyfriend..."
"Screw that cheapskate! I'm dumping him! Hmph!"
She brought it up outta nowhere.
"Tired. Shower first?"
Grinning mischievously, her face screamed prank.
"Pass."
I slid the tea table her way, cracked open the beers and snacks.
"Knew it. Heh heh heh. Cheers."
Canned beers in hand, we resumed drinking.
Tonight, she laughed harder, bolder than usual.
"Hang on... Too stuffy..."
Downed a can, claimed buzz, wriggled a hand under her armpit, yanked something out.
Red bra.
"No dirty thoughts. Just hot and tight."
"Wouldn't dream."
"Yeah, right. Heh heh heh."
She chucked the bra on the bed, then peeled off her stockings, knees bent.
"You stuffy too? Strip."
"Nah."
Back to drinks and talk.
Stealing glances, her nipples faintly poked through her shirt. Booze had her oblivious.
"Anyway, Ji-ah's dating someone now... Oh! Sorry. I'm such a ditz?"
"It's fine. Ji-ah talk doesn't faze me anymore."
True. Two years post-breakup—no sentimental pining over an ex's love life.
Relaxed now, she continued.
"So Ji-ah says back then—she didn't wanna date you again, but still remembers your sex. Impressive."
Thumbs-up my way.
"Eh. One thing I don't slack on."
No harm in an ex praising bedroom skills.
"Yours is huge, right?"
Eyes on my crotch, she gestured size with both hands, cackling.