The Unrequited Love NTL Project
Park Jiyoung barely managed to stop coughing after downing a full glass of water. Kim Hyejung patted her back while shooting a glare at Kim Sehee.
"Ugh, you're hopeless... Every time you drink, it's all about guys. Do you really like men that much?"
When Hyejung looked at Sehee with clear disdain, Sehee replied casually.
"Yep, I freaking love guys~~ Hehe, unnie!"
Jiyoung's eyes widened in panic as the conversation suddenly turned toward her.
"Y-yes...!"
Sehee's eyes sparkled. She slammed her hand on the table and shouted.
"Unnie, drop the formal speech already! How long are you gonna keep using honorifics? We're besties!"
As Jiyoung fidgeted, unsure what to do, Hyejung smiled gently from the side.
"She's right, sunbae. Let's all drop the formalities while we're at it."
"W-well... if you think so..."
Up until now, the only junior Jiyoung had ever spoken casually to was Namhyuk, so using casual speech with female juniors felt incredibly awkward. Sehee immediately corrected her in a deliberately stern tone.
"Tsk tsk, not 'if you think so'—it's 'okay, let's do it,' Jiyoung."
"Hey, no matter what, she's still three years older than you. How can you just call her by her first name like that? You're seriously lacking common sense..."
"Why? Honestly, our Jiyoung is so pretty and cute she doesn't look like an unnie at all. The first time I saw her, I seriously thought she was younger than me. Who would ever guess that face is twenty-four? Right, Jiyoung~~?"
Sehee stroked Jiyoung's hair and chin at the same time, cooing at her like a baby.
...What is this feeling? It feels strangely good... but also kind of bad... Hmm...
Jiyoung gave an awkward smile and answered.
"Th-thank you...."
"Ugh, it's 'thanks,' not 'thank you'!"
"Th-thanks..."
After nearly thirty minutes of Sehee relentlessly fixing Jiyoung's speech, Jiyoung finally managed to speak casually to them—albeit a bit stiffly.
"Alright, alright! Now that we're all speaking casually, let's do a proper besties toast~ One, two, three!"
Sehee recorded the three of them clinking glasses in sync on her phone, then uploaded it to her Instagram story with a short caption.
She quickly replied to the pile of DMs that had accumulated, then set her phone down with a loud clack. Her eyes sparkled as she exclaimed,
"Okay, Jiyoung! So now you're ready to talk about guys, right?"
"Oh god, here she goes again. Just ignore her, unnie. She's only doing this to brag about her own boyfriend."
Hyejung took a sip of her drink, narrowed her eyes, and grumbled. Sehee's eyes widened as she pointed at Hyejung and shot back.
"Hey hey! Your info is outdated, girl. That guy broke up with me a week ago!"
"What? You already broke up? Didn't you only start dating a month ago?"
"Yeah, but we just didn't click. He seemed normal before we started dating, but once we did, I found out he had a thing for NTR. He kept suggesting we bring his friend into it, so I got grossed out and dumped him."
Hyejung frowned, looking like she couldn't believe her ears, and shook her head.
"What the... Seriously, why do you always end up with guys like that...?"
"Ah, whatever. It's not like I'm marrying them. As long as they're hot, it's fine. You're one to talk, staring at hot guys all the time....
Now that I think about it, Jiyoung, do you know who this idiot likes? She's still hung up on that guy who rejected her five years ago. She's been pining after him so long she's still a virgin, hehe..."
"Hey, shut up! I told you not to talk about that. And I don't like him anymore..."
"Yeah, sure~ And come on, what can't besties talk about? I could give you a detailed description of what my ex's cum tastes like. Want me to?"
"No, you crazy bitch, I really don't want to hear it, so please shut up..."
While Hyejung and Sehee bickered back and forth, Jiyoung sat between them with a flushed face, quietly sipping her cocktail through a straw.
...So this is what it's like hanging out with social butterflies. I've never been part of anything like this before... It feels like a world I don't belong in...
Just as her homebody instincts started kicking in and she began missing the comfort of her own room, a very drunk and red-faced Sehee suddenly whipped her head around and asked point-blank,
"Jiyoung! Do you have a boyfriend?"
"Cough... N-no, I don't."
"Wait, for real? No boyfriend? That's suspicious... Then who were you trying to show those selfies you took earlier?"
When Sehee asked with a triumphant look, Jiyoung swallowed hard, suddenly tense.
...Ugh, why is she so sharp about useless things... Jiyoung's face turned red as she forced a smile and waved her hands.
"Th-that was just... I took them because I felt good..."
"Hmmm...? My gut says that's not it...? Su~~spi~~cious~~~"
Sehee leaned in close, full of suspicion. Jiyoung backed away awkwardly, trying to hide behind Hyejung.
But even Hyejung grinned and nudged her with an elbow.
"By the way, unnie, who was that guy you mentioned at the gym last time? Tell us about him."
Sehee's eyes lit up immediately, looking like she'd just been handed the perfect opening.
Betrayed by the one person she trusted, Jiyoung stared at Hyejung in shock and muttered,
"H-Hyejung...? I thought you didn't like talking about guys...?"
"Nah, I just hate listening to Kim Sehee talk about them. You're cute, so it's fine. Hehe..."
"What? I'm cute too! Eat this~"
Sehee huffed angrily and hurled a piece of the complimentary crackers at Hyejung. Hyejung caught it casually and popped it into her mouth, then wiggled her eyebrows at Jiyoung.
"Unnie, just spill it. There's no way Kim Sehee is letting you go home until you talk."
"Obviously. It's better to just get it over with~ Hehe."
With both of them ganging up on her, Jiyoung couldn't take it anymore. She squeezed her eyes shut, hesitated for a long moment, then finally answered timidly.
"...Fine, I'll talk... But..."
"But?"
When both Hyejung and Sehee asked at the same time, Jiyoung glanced at Hyejung and added quietly,
"...If I do it, Hyejung has to do it too."
"Ehh... M-me...?"
Hyejung's face turned bright red and her eyes widened, clearly never having imagined the arrow would swing back at her.
Meanwhile, Sehee clapped her hands enthusiastically.
"Mhm, that's only fair. Wow, 18th cohort sunbaes really are on another level."
Hyejung, still blushing, frowned and grumbled.
"...Just asking, but why do you want to hear about me specifically...?"
Jiyoung fidgeted and answered hesitantly while glancing at her.
"W-well... I thought it might be... helpful..."
At Jiyoung's words, Sehee burst out laughing, clutching her stomach.
"Bwahaha, what are you even saying, Jiyoung! I told you, this idiot is still a virgin! How could she possibly be any help!"
While Sehee laughed hysterically and patted Jiyoung's back, Jiyoung lowered her head in embarrassment and whispered,
"...I-I'm one too..."
"...Huh?"
Sehee's laughter vanished instantly. She looked at Jiyoung with a dead-serious expression.
...A few moments later.
Sehee crossed her arms, narrowed her eyes, and spoke gravely.
"...This is truly a lamentable situation. In our strongest xx Girls' Middle School gathering, two out of three are still virgins. This is an extremely serious matter.
I cannot even begin to express my shock at the tragic reality that Jiyoung, who is a full three years older than us, remains a virgin..."
"What the hell is this bitch saying? Stop yelling 'virgin' so loudly, it's embarrassing..."
Hyejung blushed and grumbled as she drank. Jiyoung was so ashamed she couldn't even lift her head.
Sehee ignored them both, nodding solemnly to herself.
"...This can only be called a state of emergency. For these two, talking about men is no longer mere entertainment. This is a matter of life and death..."
"Ugh, why is she being so cringey... Just stop already."
But Sehee paid no attention to Hyejung's disgust. She raised her chin dramatically, looked back and forth between Jiyoung and Hyejung, and declared in a dignified voice,
"From this moment on, our top priority is to get these two out of virgin status.
Any behavior that wastes time on something as frivolous as shame will not be tolerated in carrying out this urgent mission. Understood?"
"Bullshit. Sigh."
Hyejung shook her head.
Sehee leaned over and poked Jiyoung with her elbow, speaking in a sly voice as if nothing had happened.
"Alright, we need to accurately assess the current situation first, so Jiyoung, tell us more. What's the story with this younger guy?"
Jiyoung thought of Namhyuk, her face turning bright red as she answered vaguely.
"He's... just a guy I've been close to for a while. We live nearby so we see each other often..."
"Do you like him?"
Jiyoung fidgeted for a long time at the direct question before lowering her head and answering in a tiny voice.
"I... I like him."
"What about him? Does he like you too?"
Sehee's eyes sparkled with interest as she fired off another question. Hyejung had also subtly leaned in, listening intently.
Jiyoung answered in a deflated voice.
"He... he likes someone else..."
Sehee slapped her knee and let out a deep sigh. Then she pointed at Hyejung.
"...Looks like you two are in very similar situations. Hyejung, didn't that male friend of yours reject you because he liked another girl?"
"I-I keep telling you I don't have feelings for him anymore..."
But Sehee casually ignored Hyejung's pointless complaints and continued.
"...The answer is simple. You both just need to date other guys. But knowing how stubborn you two virgins are, I doubt you'd accept that.
Haa... Fine.
From now on, the two of you will do whatever it takes to steal the hearts of the men you like from their current girls. NTL them. Got it?
We'll meet every week to report progress. Whoever falls behind will face harsh punishment. That is all."
"What the... Why the hell should I do something like that... Unnie, just ignore her. You don't need to listen to this."
Hyejung glared at Sehee and grumbled. But after hesitating for a long time, Jiyoung finally opened her mouth slowly.
"...If Hyejung does it, then I'll do it too."
Then, with an awkward expression, she added quietly to a shocked-looking Hyejung,
"...It'd be too embarrassing to do it alone."
