Several days later...
As time passed, Eunhee found herself texting Daniel more and more, even between their make-believe dates, which she slowly began to enjoy.
["Is it alright if I wear a dress when I see Jiho today? If so, what kind?"]
She sent the message. A few hours later, the vibration of her phone made her jump, eager to see Daniel's reply.
And so it continued.
The more she asked, the more she wanted to ask. Daniel's answers were always blunt and full of confidence.
["Alright, instead of texting me all the time, let's go to a mall this time. I know one far from here. We'll check out some wardrobe options."]
By now, she and Daniel had gone to his uncle's bakery several times, repeating the same routine. Daniel would always pull her chair, make food, and encourage her to be herself—while making sure she couldn't act the same way around Jiho.
She gradually learned not to eat messily at school, especially around Jiho, and dressed more carefully, doing her hair and makeup to the point of exhaustion before each school day.
It became routine. But now, Daniel was offering to meet at a mall—a faraway one at that.
She hesitated.
'I don't know anyone around there...' she thought, gulping as she reread his text. 'But... he's reliable. He probably knows his way around.'
'Alright! I'll go. I'll just stick close to him!' she decided, typing her reply and agreeing to the meetup.
She dressed casually as she waited outside the mall's entrance, knowing it was Daniel and feeling like she didn't need to try too hard...
...But before leaving, she found herself meticulously picking an outfit she thought looked good, and putting extra effort into her makeup.
'This is... just to show him how much I've improved,' she reassured herself as she waited.
"Damn... Who's that beauty?"
"She's probably on a date or something, right?" People murmured as they passed by.
Eunhee overheard the chatter, her nerves growing as she sat on the bench, waiting.
'Where is he!? He's 10 minutes late!' she thought, her leg bouncing anxiously as more eyes landed on her.
'And... I don't know anyone here since this place is so far from Seoul! I'm so anxious...' she wiped small beads of sweat from her forehead, her gaze darting around.
'I'll just go wait in a store or something. I'll text him afterward—' she decided, standing up and rushing toward the mall entrance, only to be stopped by two towering older men.
"Hey there, girlie. You lost?" one of them asked with a smirk.
Eunhee froze as they closed in, their leering smiles making her heart race. She could feel their eyes on her, her anxiety spiking. Desperately, she scanned the area for Daniel, but he was nowhere to be found.
"Uh... N-no, I'm just waiting for someone," she stammered, trying to sound steady, but her voice wavered with fear. She took a step back, but the men moved closer, cutting off her escape to the store.
'What is this...? Am I... being hit on?' Her thoughts spiraled.
"Waiting, huh? Why don't you wait with us instead?" the second man suggested, his tone slick and unsettling.
Eunhee's mind raced. She wanted to run, but her legs felt glued to the ground. The mall's noise became a distant hum compared to the pounding in her ears.
'Is this what wearing makeup and dressing nice gets me...? I don't want this! Do I really need to dress up for Jiho to like me? He's pure, kind, compassionate... I know he wouldn't care about—'
Just as one of the men reached out to touch her arm, a firm, familiar voice sliced through the tension like a knife.
"Is there a problem here?"
Eunhee looked up, her heart skipping a beat. There stood Daniel, just a few feet away, his posture relaxed but his eyes cold and sharp. He moved forward with deliberate steps, immediately drawing the attention of the two men.
The men turned toward him, their smirks faltering as they took in his solid build and the determined set of his jaw.
"Who the hell are you?" the first man spat, trying to regain his bravado.
Daniel ignored the question, his focus on Eunhee. "Sorry I'm late," he said smoothly, his voice calm and reassuring. "Got caught up with something, but I'm here now. Let's go."
Relief washed over Eunhee, though she was still shaken. She nodded quickly, rushing to his side and positioning herself behind him, eager to get away from the men.
But the second man wasn't ready to back down. "We were just having a little chat with your girl here," he said, a hint of challenge in his voice.
Daniel finally shifted his attention to the man, his eyes narrowing. "And now she's leaving," he said firmly, stepping closer. "Got a problem with that?"
The men exchanged glances, their bravado fading. There was something in Daniel's eyes—a quiet, dangerous confidence—that made them hesitate. That, and his intimidating build. After a tense moment, they stepped back.
"Whatever, man. She's all yours," the first one muttered, retreating.
"That's what I thought," Daniel replied, his voice low and controlled. He didn't look away until they disappeared into the crowd.
Eunhee, still trembling slightly, felt a rush of emotions—relief, fear, and a strange, unsettling gratitude. She couldn't shake the feeling that Daniel had somehow known exactly when to appear, as if he'd been watching and waiting for the perfect moment. But the relief of being rescued pushed her suspicions aside.
'It's just Daniel... my childhood friend... helping me make Jiho fall in love with me...'
She kept repeating this to herself, more often than she used to.
Daniel turned to her, his expression softening as he saw her distress. "You okay?" he asked, his voice gentler now.
Eunhee nodded, though her voice was shaky. "Y-yeah... I'm fine now. Thanks to you."
Daniel smiled, that same confident, reassuring smile that had drawn her in so many times before. "Good. I won't let anyone mess with you like that. Not while I'm around."
Eunhee felt a surge of warmth at his words. Despite everything—her nerves, her fear—Daniel had shown up when she needed him most. In that moment, all her doubts faded, replaced by a growing sense of trust and admiration.
"Come on," Daniel said, extending his hand to her. "Let's find something for you to wear. Something that makes you feel as strong as you are."
'He... does that so naturally,' she thought, glancing at his hand. 'First at the bakery, and now this... He really doesn't think holding hands is a big deal, huh? I guess... I shouldn't either. It's not like we're actually dating...'
She hesitated for a moment before taking his hand, feeling the strength in his grip. As they walked into the mall, the encounter with the two men already fading into the background, Eunhee couldn't help but feel closer to him. The fear from minutes ago had been replaced by something else—a growing connection to Daniel, one she couldn't easily ignore.
She liked holding his hand.
"You..." Daniel began, causing Eunhee to glance at him. "You didn't have to dress so nicely. It's not like I don't know how hard you've been working..."
Eunhee remained quiet, looking away shyly.
"But," his voice softened, "for what it's worth... you look good today."
Her heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks flushed. 'No... what is this? Why am I so happy when he says that? I'm supposed to feel this way for Jiho... I knew it. Something's happening. After today, I have to stop this. I'll tell Daniel I can't see him anymore and just... confess to Jiho.' She resolved.
What she didn't see, as they moved deeper into the crowd, was the small, satisfied smirk on Daniel's lips. He had planned this moment perfectly, waiting just out of sight, ready to step in and be her hero. As he glanced at Eunhee, still holding his hand, he knew it had worked exactly as he'd intended.
Throughout their time at the mall, Eunhee clung to Daniel, unfamiliar with the area and unsure of where to go. Daniel, knowing the mall well, guided her confidently, causing her to lean on him even more.
'Just hold on until the day is done,' Eunhee thought. 'I don't want to get lost...'
"AAAAAAAHHHH, YOU MOTHERFUCKER!!!" a certain figure screamed, his voice echoing across the rooftops as he slammed his fist repeatedly against the concrete, the binoculars clattering to the ground.
"PIECE OF SHIT, WASTE OF CUM, MOTHERFUCKING NTR ANTAGONIST BASTAAAAARD!!!" His voice cracked as he howled at the sky. "AUTHOR!!!!! JUST LET ME BASEBALL HIS ASS, JUST ONCE!!! WHERE'S THE ZOMBIE OUTBREAK, HUH? YOU PROMISED, YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!" He raged, his throat raw as he bellowed into the bright blue sky.
"Haaah... HAAAAH... MOTHERFUCKER... COCKSUCKER... BITCH-ASS DICKWAD...!!!" He sputtered, his words growing more frantic as he realized his helplessness, knowing full well he was trapped by the cruel, unyielding wheels of fate, forced to watch asSgfGd64gGG08i2sfgbzshgo;BHSZ;GHO5gasdgSFD;H1OFsghGB;HSsgktmaF64gOHDAgsdgaSFOAS
I helplessly did your mom, author. While shoving the wheels of fate up your ass as I frantically slammed your stupid face on the keyboard.
Oh, hi there, dear virgins—uh, esteemed readers. This is Anti-NTR Man here, just hijacking the story because the author's lost his fucking mind.
Let me write a proper chapter: It was then that Anti-NTR Man descended from the heavens, wielding his magnificent baseball bat, ready to slam dunk some good ol' baseballing on Daniel's smug aSfuSgGDhdsoj;ihSGSAFOIH;SLFODHNOIHU;bhgzoilvghzfsobzafsd
Haah... Well, now that's taken care of, let's get back to the story. Anti-NTR Man decided to take a nap for a while.
And, when he comes to; here's a piece of advice for him:
Good things come to those who wait...
... Bitch.
[Anti-NTR Man is an original character from a story on my account called: Anti-NTR Man]
"Eunhee," Daniel began, standing just outside the dressing room, his tone softer than usual.
Eunhee could hear the uncertainty in his voice. "Yeah...? Is everything alright, Daniel?" she asked, still half-dressed.
"I..." He gulped audibly. "Am I... really helping you get closer to Jiho?"
Her heart skipped a beat.
She knew exactly what he meant. It was the same feeling she had earlier—the one that made her decide she would put a stop to their secret "sessions."
"I feel like I haven't helped you two get closer at all," Daniel continued, sounding dejected. "Maybe... maybe we should stop this. I really thought I could help, but I'm just wasting your time, aren't I?" His voice shook, a rare vulnerability leaking through.
Eunhee's doubts vanished in an instant. Hearing Daniel, the strong, confident Daniel, sounding so unsure of himself felt almost... wrong.
Without thinking, she reached out from inside the dressing room and took his hand.
"E-Eunhee..." he whispered, feigning surprise.
"You're not wasting my time," she said firmly, holding his hand tighter. "You're my good friend. You've spent so much time helping me... I should be the one thanking you. And... I do feel like I'm improving. Maybe I'm not closer to Jiho yet, but that takes time, right? What I do know is..."
She hesitated, then admitted, "I like spending time with you. So... don't be discouraged."
'What... what am I saying?' she thought, her mind racing.
'Daniel's just helping me... helping me get closer to Jiho. So why... why do I feel this way? Why does holding his hand make my heart race like this? It's just because he's reliable, right? It has to be... He's feeling the same doubts I felt earlier. There's no reason to question his motives...'
Daniel let go of her hand, his expression unreadable. "Then... I'll believe you," he said, his tone steady once more.
"Now, get dressed. Let's find the perfect outfit for you!" Daniel's tone lightened, snapping Eunhee out of her thoughts.
'I'm overthinking it... I'm just overthinking it,' she reassured herself as she comfortably changed into the next set of clothes. 'For sure!'
But later that night, as Eunhee lay on her bed with her phone in hand, the unease crept back. Despite Daniel's reassurances, a persistent voice nagged at her—telling her she should just confess to Jiho, let her heart speak freely. Maybe if she did, everything would fall into place. The confusion would clear.
She stared at her phone screen for what felt like forever before finally typing the message she had held inside for so long.
[I love you, Jiho. More than just a friend.]
Her thumb hovered over the send button. She took a deep breath—and pressed it.
But the second she did, doubt surged through her. Daniel's face flashed in her mind—the vulnerable, sincere look he had when he spoke about wanting to help her and Jiho be together. He had put so much effort into guiding her, supporting her, helping her become the girl he thought Jiho would fall for. If Jiho saw this now, all of Daniel's work could be for nothing.
Panic seized her. Her fingers raced to her phone, and just as Jiho's status switched to "Online," she deleted the message, her heart pounding.
A moment later, her phone buzzed with a new message.
[Eunhee? Is everything okay? I saw a deleted message...] Jiho asked, concern clear even through the text.
Scrambling, Eunhee quickly replied.
[Oh, that? It was an accident! I was messaging my aunt. Sorry, I'm just really tired... I think I'll head to bed now.]
She waited, her heart still racing. After a brief pause, Jiho responded with his usual warmth.
[Ah, alright. Good night :) ]
Eunhee stared at the screen, guilt gnawing at her. But she steeled herself.
'I'll... believe in Daniel and his effort,' she resolved, putting her phone down and turning off the lights.