You Two Volunteered as a Couple♥♥

"And feel free to talk to me casually, oppa···."

It was the exact moment my gaze drifted toward Sena's backside as she sat with her knees drawn up.

The round flesh pressed against the floor — God, it was so pale and pretty. I knew I might get caught, but I couldn't tear my eyes away, and then her words snapped them wide open.

"Oh... should I?"

Talk casually with her. It ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had been two years.

Finally, a chance to become something closer to real older brother and little sister. And if we grew comfortable like that, who knew — maybe one day we'd turn into the kind of blood relations who could go on sweet little dates together. And over enough drinks, maybe I wouldn't even need the app's power···.

"Okay then. Get some rest."

"Ah, ah. Right. Sena. Ah, w-wait, hold on just a second!"

"Yes?"

I hurriedly pushed her back down as she started to rise, and she stopped halfway up, looking awkward. I had to show her what a proper older brother looked like. Time to drive the wedge in.

"I've never once given you an allowance. Write down your account number. Let me give you some spending money. Mom doesn't give you much, does she?"

"Huh···? You have... money, oppa···?"

Bitch. Of course she'd doubt it.

Her face wore surprise and curiosity in equal measure. I gave a light nod and went on.

"Yeah. Actually I've been helping watch a friend's shop during the day. I'll be doing it for a while."

"Spend it on yourself, oppa. I'm fine, really."

"It's the least I can do. Write it down."

"Um... okay then. I'll put it to good use."

Chump change, girl.

On the slip of paper I'd slid across the floor, she bent deep at the waist and wrote out her account number.

And naturally··· my eyes locked onto her breasts.

The deep valley of her cleavage spilling out from beneath her nape. I swallowed dryly at the heavy, breath-stealing weight of her figure.

"Good night, oppa."

"Ah, yeah. Night, Sena."

Soon she was standing at the door, bowing politely at the waist. To think we'd suddenly gotten this close.

I opened my banking app right away and sent her two hundred thousand won. A reply came flying back instantly.

Then a flood of emojis followed. She must have been thrilled.

Playing the older brother for the first time in two years made my chest swell with pride. Now then — time to collect a little return on that "chump change," wasn't it?

That's when it happened.

The very moment I was about to activate the app.

Bzzz. Bzzz.

A noisy vibration rang out.

Ahn Minhan

The name burned bright at the top of the screen. Without a second's thought, I tapped Answer.

The man hurling abuse from his very first word was my old friend — the successful one who occasionally bought his long-unemployed buddy a drink. Yes. Tonight was the perfect chance to repay him.

I changed course immediately.

Something as delicious as Sena tastes better if you let it simmer a little. Besides, after coming so hard today that my legs went weak, my body was a touch worn out. Putting Sena off for a day or so seemed like the right call.

Instead — why not go somewhere nice for the first time in a while.

As I stepped out pulling a cap onto my head, a message arrived with the address and the name of the bar. I hailed a taxi on the spot.

"Oppa!"

"You made it?"

"Oh···?"

The beer hall was close by. The moment I stepped inside, a very familiar face came into view.

Choi Yerim.

Wondering if my eyes were deceiving me, I blinked without thinking and took the seat across from her. She waved at me cheerfully, so it was definitely the Yerim I knew.

Then why was this girl sitting there with that bastard Ahn Minhan?

An uneasy chill slid down my spine.

"We started dating. It's been about a month now."

"Oh, right. Well... good for you. Congrats."

Unbelievable. Talk about a fucked-up situation.

Somehow she looked even prettier today, and that made my blood boil.

"Appreciate it. Knew you'd congratulate me."

"Well. Of course I would, you bastard. You two suit each other."

"Really, oppa? Thank you."

"Is that why you called me out — to tell me you two are together?"

"Yeah. Felt like it was time to tell you."

Fucking great. Bitch.

She was a woman I'd known first, after all. And I'd even confessed to her.

She'd been the younger sister of a female friend of mine — and somewhere along the way, she had become Minhan's woman.

It had barely been a month since she told me, Please give me some time to think.

She kept me waiting all that while, and now — what? Thank you? Just like that? I was speechless.

"Have a drink."

"Ah, sure."

The natural looks I'd inherited from my father — a man who'd made his living playing the playboy his entire life. All the years the three of us had hung out together, I'd always been the one who drew women's attention. This time, though, it seemed his fancy corporate job had finally beaten me.

And more than that — she'd gone completely silent after my confession. The conclusion wrote itself: she'd been comparing me and that bastard all along.

Everything had changed drastically from when we were young. A big company, big deal. Dropping a fine catch like me.

"Oh, right. Juwon, you had a thing for Yerim too, didn't you? You okay with this?"

"Really, oppa?"

A little time passed, and soon the drinks were flowing back and forth. Then came talk that sounded like drunken nonsense.

No — it wasn't nonsense at all.

I had told him everything before I ever confessed to her. We'd even set the date of my confession together, and the bastard had sworn he'd back me.

Sly fox of a bastard.

And that Really, oppa? on top of it···. Playing innocent like she doesn't know a thing. What a pair of actors. Birds of a feather, made for each other, truly.

"Oh, right — you still haven't found a job, have you? My uncle's friend runs a restaurant and apparently he's having a hard time finding kitchen help. You could wash dishes for a month or two···."

"Oh, shit! My mom asked me to pick up ramyeon. Totally forgot."

"Huh? What ramyeon···?"

"See you next time."

I couldn't sit there a second longer. I shot to my feet and said my goodbyes.

"Hey, what? The ramyeon — just have it delivered···."

"Oppa. You're not upset, are you···?"

I waved off the two of them as they rose to stop me and walked out of the bar.

And then.

I froze the world on the spot. Leaving empty-handed just felt too unfair.

"You two can go home too, you bastards."

Back inside, the pair stood frozen exactly as they were. I fished the wallet and phone out of Minhan's bag on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the chair and turned away without a flicker of regret.

Well, he is a friend — I'd let him off with just this much.

And so I walked slowly home through streets where the world had stopped.

'Go to hell, you fucker. So you're off to have sex now, is that it?'

'Huh···? No, wait···?'

I debated just ignoring him, but then a brilliant idea flashed through my mind. I turned my steps toward an unmanned motel not far away.

This could be a lot of fun.

I booked two rooms and sent Minhan the address and room number of one of them.

'Hurry up and get here.'

Then I hid in the space beneath the bed and waited for them.

Beep.

How much time had passed? Lying there in the pitch dark under the bed, I was on the verge of dozing off without even realizing it — when the crisp click of the door lock snapped my eyes open.

Beep. Beep. The lights came on.

"This place is nice, oppa."

"Sorry. I wanted to book a hotel, but they were all full."

"No, it's fine. Aren't places like that expensive? We're only staying a little while anyway — better to save money."

"Yerim, you're not just pretty — you've got a good heart too."

"What's that supposed to mean? Most girls are like that. Have you been watching too many dramas? Sit down already."

"Okay, okay."

Through the blanket draped nearly to the floor, I could see the two of them — sitting side by side against the nightstand. That seat should have been mine. Bitch.

The more I watched, the worse I felt. Soon came the crack of a beer can and the rustle of snacks being opened.

And then.

"About Juwon oppa earlier. Wasn't he upset?"

"Why would he be upset?"

"He just... seemed like it."

"Upset that I stole you from him? Nah. Don't worry about it. I told you, remember — he doesn't dwell on women."

"Oh. Right, you did."

"The guy confesses to every girl he goes out with. His face is decent enough, so it worked for a while, that's all. He turns thirty the day after tomorrow and he's still living off his mom with no job — no woman's going to fall for that easily. He's still living on memories of back then. He needs to grow up already."

"I guess so···."

"Taking allowance from his mom to kill time at the PC bang."

"Ah···."

That son of a bitch.

What a bastard···? And here I'd lived my life without ever doing anything truly rotten.

The guy I'd trusted as a friend was dragging me down to rock bottom just to curry favor with a woman. The hand clutching my phone trembled violently.

I couldn't listen to another word of their conversation. My head burned as if it were steaming.

"Want to stay the night?"

"No. My parents don't like it when I stay out."

"Okay. Then... want to kiss?"

"What···? Who even asks that, oppa···."

Soon, wet, sticky sounds drifted to my ears.

This was the price for dissing me. I'd only come to watch a little live-action porn as payment, but now... that alone wasn't going to cut it anymore.

I pulled out my phone at once. Past midnight, the activation function had recharged to two uses.

And I froze the world exactly where it stood.