Fake Friends at the Wedding
Gangnam Nonhyeon-dong OO Hotel. In the restroom at the end of the lobby stretching alongside the bustling third-floor banquet hall, where wedding preparations were in full swing. In front of the hotel bathroom mirror bathed in soft golden light.
"···Hagak albar?"
"Uncle!"
The groom, sharply dressed in his tuxedo, clamped a hand over the mouth of the bearded man. He'd glanced around the restroom, confirmed no one else was there, and was about to continue his irritated rant—the groom of the day.
"Keep it down—"
"You should've told me first before hiring part-timers!"
"Shh!"
"Hey, do you even know who I am?"
The bearded man—Kwak In-ho—was utterly dumbfounded.
"You're a drama writer, Uncle, and you're hiring hagak albar?"
Even as a once-blue-chip name in broadcasting, if he'd put his mind to it, he could've called in actors he knew for his one and only nephew's wedding.
"You think I'm washed up now and you're looking down on me? This place could've been busier than a TV station today, you know that?"
"Uncle."
"I could still make a few calls and jam up that four-lane road out front. Me! And this little punk—"
"Dad doesn't even know."
"···Auntie."
"Mom doesn't know either."
"Aish, seriously."
Kwak In-ho scratched the back of his head vigorously. He let out a sigh, his face a complicated mix.
Uncles were always weak to nephews who shared secrets even their parents didn't know.
"Only you, me, my girlfriend—no, now my wife—know about it."
"Still, it's your wedding, nephew···ha···"
The groom muttered an excuse to his uncle, who was sighing deeply like he'd missed out on giving a big gift.
"You've been busy lately, Uncle."
"You punk."
"How could I ask you, going in and out of the slammer in your forties? Honestly, I was hesitant even telling you about the wedding."
"···"
Kwak In-ho shut his mouth at that.
"You've been super sensitive about this comeback. You wouldn't even meet my dad when he came looking."
"···"
He had nothing to say to that.
Kwak In-ho, now classified as a has-been drama writer. Desperate to turn things around, he'd holed up in a temple for over a year, grinding out a script. Just a few weeks ago, luck struck, and it landed in an SBC filler slot.
In other words, he'd just survived a warzone of a period, and the war wasn't over yet.
"I couldn't burden you more when you're struggling too, Uncle."
"Well···true."
Of course, the sting didn't fade easily.
If he hadn't spotted the guy's phone by the sink, hadn't glimpsed the notification on the screen by chance, he'd have assumed all these incoming hagak albar folks were real friends for life—
"Still, finding out by accident? If you're using hagak albar, strategically, family should be—"
"Please, Uncle!"
Kwak In-ho flinched at his nephew's firm shout as he glanced back while opening the restroom door.
Knowing his own nosy personality all too well, he had no choice but to nod at the nephew's earnest plea.
"Just pretend you don't know until it's over, please."
Hagak albar. He wouldn't tell a soul.
***
Players entering the field.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
The footsteps of a few climbing the hotel staircase to the imminent wedding carried an unusually heavy weight of responsibility.
We work in the shadows, upholding justice—practically screaming it without revealing their identities, these hagak albar had to celebrate the wedding in the light.
They absolutely could not blow their cover.
But hagak albar at a wedding spot each other easily.
Hm.
Tae-gyu shook his head at the sight of them maintaining awkward distances, reeking of suspicion, and checked his messages.
To stick to this concept, they couldn't wear those expressions or keep that stride width.
Tae-gyu, geared up not to frolic but to celebrate sincerely, mentally reviewed what he needed for his role today.
···Checked all the group chat announcements.
Agencies varied, but hagak albar usually grouped into chat rooms for manpower management, scheduling, and venue-specific details.
- Collect envelopes from the back.
- Photos are mandatory.
- Sign guestbook as XXX, OOO, EEE.
- Affiliation on envelopes: All "OD University Travel Club XXX".
- Never mention "hagak albar" at the venue. Be careful.
···etc.
Having reviewed all the formalities, Tae-gyu steeled himself with the agency's private message last.
As sincerely as possible···
That was the real issue.
Sincerity was sincerity; "as sincerely as possible" demanded acting close to genuine.
Fake friend acting.
The key wasn't detailed backstories like travel club. It was the vibe—nailing that natural atmosphere only real friends shared.
Too easy.
Tae-gyu already had a solid weapon.
Fwoosh!
The Dokkaebi Fire burning above his solar plexus.
He dignifiedly dubbed this belly that stored copied emotions his Emotion Pocket.
Emotion Pocket—the emotion he'd stumbled upon two days ago and pocketed was perfect for this hagak albar gig.
Thud.
Thud.
As he climbed the stairs, crossed the lobby, and spotted the client groom and his parents in the distance.
Fwoosh.
Tae-gyu scooped the Dokkaebi Fire from his gut with his left hand and smeared it over his face.
"Kkh."
Suppressing the emotion surging from his dantian in an instant, he kept walking.
Thud.
Thud.
As the pre-explosion emotion raced from his lower belly to his throat, he recalled another group chat warning.
> Don't overdo it.
Obvious, really. Hagak albar gigs tanked when amateurs overplayed to show off.
But.
"Wha—!?"
The instant he locked eyes with the groom from afar.
Surge.
The emotion he'd timed to release slowly went haywire.
And so—
'Joy of reuniting with a high school classmate after 20 years at a bar.'
—that emotion···
"Choon-sik-ah! Man, how many years has it been!?"
···blithely crossed the line of 'no overacting' reason drew.
***
Incident.
Several hagak albar in the lobby, side-eyeing who would start first, froze.
"Choon-sik-ah!"
Detected in 0.01 seconds. That was a vibe hagak albar must never emit.
Ah, why's he like that.
Told him not to show off.
Embarrassing.
They'd already pinged him as hagak albar with their radar from the staircase below.
And such overdone acts always dragged in forced 'high energy,' tipping everyone off it was fake.
Ah···I can't watch···
The surrounding hagak albar squeezed their eyes shut and edged back.
"I was almost hurt! You should've called me first!"
"Uh, um."
The groom wanted to squeeze his eyes shut too.
"Sorry, been busy."
"Anyway, congrats for real."
As the mystery hagak albar grabbed his hand and yanked him into a hug, the groom gritted his teeth.
···This bastard?!
Right as he tried to whisper 'no overacting,' the guy pulled away.
This was bad. His parents—who didn't know about the hagak albar—eyed him with questions: Who's this happy friend?
"Uh, this guy is···"
"Hello! I'm Kim Tae-gyu, Choon-sik's friend from the travel club!"
"Nice to meet you. XX University?"
"Yes. We've been tight since freshman year."
"Thanks for coming today."
"No, Choon-sik's the one who made me who I am. Had to be here."
Stop. For real.
Aiming a glare at the oblivious guy going into verse two and three, but his curious parents piped up.
"Made you···who you are?"
"Yeah. Back in college, watching Choon-sik motivated me a ton. He hustled hard."
"Haha, our Choon-sik did hustle."
Subtly grabbing his hand to shove him off, but the guy shook it firmly and hugged again.
"I was just boozing through college, tanked my GPA···went AWOL to South America post-army and stayed. We're thirty already, punk."
The last bit was a whisper.
How far is this psycho taking the concept? The groom's irritation peaked!
"Overdo—"
"Kyaa, Kwak Choon-sik."
Something felt off.
"Out of us, you're first to tie the knot. Congrats."
Look at this guy's face after pulling away. Joy and mischief in golden ratio, laced with that cringey friend banter, a touch embarrassed by the cheesy line. Those faintly sparkling eyes, the wistful joyful smile, the friendly gestures all blending naturally.
He is hagak albar···right?
Confusing. His mouth twitched like he wanted to crack a joke to shift gears, finally just patting the shoulder and stepping back with effortless buddy vibes.
As the groom's head tilted slightly in doubt.
"Do good, see ya later."
"···Uh."
"Hey."
The guy backpedaled with a smirk, tossing a playful jab full of mischief.
"You didn't forget me, did ya?"
In the end, even the groom started suspecting.
···Wait a sec.
Do I···know this guy?