I should have seen it coming, but somehow, I didn't. It started off with a simple request from Ji-Ho—well, not so much a request as a favor I couldn't really refuse. Ji-Ho's younger brother, Hyun-Su, had come by the office again, this time with a strange proposal: he needed a "fake" girlfriend to impress some of his friends. He spun it like a harmless charade, and for some reason, I'd felt a mix of guilt and obligation toward Ji-Ho after the whole scene with Jun and the misunderstanding.
And that's how I found myself at the amusement park on a Saturday afternoon, dressed casually in an oversized sweater, sneakers, and a baseball cap pulled low over my eyes. The air was thick with the scent of cotton candy and laughter echoed around us as kids and families raced from one attraction to another.
"You look cute," Hyun-Su said with a grin, clearly enjoying his role as the charming boyfriend. He reached over and slung his arm casually over my shoulder, pulling me in closer as we walked.
I forced a smile, feeling incredibly awkward. "Yeah, well, don't get too used to it. I'm doing this for Ji-Ho, remember."
"Oh, come on, relax a little," Hyun-Su said, his tone playful as ever. "It's just one afternoon. We're just going to hang out, take some pictures, and make my friends jealous. What's the harm in that?"
I sighed, glancing around nervously. "Let's just get this over with."
The group of friends he was trying to impress was already waiting for us near the entrance to one of the roller coasters. They were exactly as I'd imagined—wealthy, privileged, and full of themselves. As soon as they saw Hyun-Su, they waved and shouted greetings, clearly sizing me up with curious eyes.
"Yo, Hyun-Su! Who's the girl?" one of them called out, nudging another guy next to him.
Hyun-Su squeezed my shoulder and grinned. "This is Censia, my girlfriend."
I winced internally at the word but plastered on a shy smile, playing along with the charade. "Nice to meet you," I said softly, feeling out of place.
One of the girls in the group raised an eyebrow. "Girlfriend? Since when?"
Hyun-Su shrugged nonchalantly. "Since recently. We've been keeping it low-key, but, you know, I thought it was time to introduce her to everyone."
The group exchanged glances, and I could feel the weight of their judgment, but Hyun-Su seemed completely unfazed. He led me around the amusement park, taking selfies with me and making sure to act overly affectionate. I felt like I was part of some cheesy rom-com, except it wasn't romantic at all—it was just weird.
At some point, Hyun-Su suggested we ride the Ferris wheel, and I reluctantly agreed. As we climbed into the cabin and the wheel started turning, I could see the entire amusement park sprawling out beneath us, the city skyline in the distance.
"It's nice up here, huh?" Hyun-Su said, leaning back in the seat and looking relaxed.
I nodded, staring out at the view, hoping this ridiculous day would be over soon. "Yeah, it is."
Just when I thought we could get through this harmlessly, Hyun-Su did something I wasn't expecting. As the Ferris wheel reached its peak, he suddenly turned toward me, his face inches from mine. Before I could react, he cupped my face and kissed me—hard.
I froze, my eyes wide in shock. His lips pressed firmly against mine, his arms winding tightly around my waist, pulling me against him. I tried to push him away, but the cabin was so small, and he was stronger than I expected. I could hear the cheers and laughter from his friends below, clearly watching and enjoying the show.
When he finally pulled back, I was breathless, my mind reeling. "Hyun-Su, what the hell?"
He grinned, completely unbothered by my outrage. "Relax, it's all part of the act. Besides, you didn't seem to mind."
I glared at him, anger bubbling up inside me, but before I could say anything, the Ferris wheel began descending, and we were back on the ground. His friends swarmed us, phones in hand, already showing off the videos they'd taken of the kiss. I felt sick.
"Great performance, you two!" one of the guys said, laughing as he replayed the video for the group.
I wanted to disappear, but Hyun-Su just laughed it off, wrapping his arm around me again. "Told you guys she's amazing."
I clenched my fists, trying to keep my cool. This was not what I had signed up for. I didn't even want to imagine what Jun would say if he saw this.
---
The next day, I arrived at work feeling uneasy. The memory of Hyun-Su's kiss still burned in my mind, and I couldn't shake the feeling that this was going to come back to bite me. Sure enough, as soon as I walked into the office, I saw Hyun-Su waiting for me near the entrance.
"Morning, beautiful," he said with a smirk, leaning against the wall casually. "How are you feeling after our big date?"
I shot him a withering look. "Don't call it a date, Hyun-Su. And don't call me beautiful."
He chuckled, clearly not taking me seriously. "Oh, come on, Censia. You had fun, admit it."
Before I could respond, the door to the office swung open, and Jun stormed in, his face a mask of anger. He didn't even glance at anyone else as he marched straight toward me and Hyun-Su.
I felt my heart sink as I realized what was about to happen. "Jun, wait—"
But it was too late. Jun had already reached us, his eyes blazing with fury. "You," he snarled, glaring at Hyun-Su. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Hyun-Su smirked, clearly unfazed by Jun's rage. "Just having a little fun. What's the big deal?"
"The big deal?" Jun repeated, his voice low and dangerous. "The big deal is that you kissed my girlfriend, you little shit."
Hyun-Su shrugged, crossing his arms. "Oh, that. It was just for show. No need to get all worked up."
But Jun wasn't having it. Before I could even blink, he lunged at Hyun-Su, grabbing him by the collar and shoving him against the wall. "You think this is funny? You think you can just mess with her like that?"
"Jun, stop!" I cried, rushing forward to try and pull him back. "It's not worth it!"
But Jun was seeing red, and he wasn't listening to me. His fists clenched, and for a moment, I thought he was going to hit Hyun-Su right then and there.
"Jun, please!" I begged, tugging at his arm. "Don't do this. You'll only make it worse."
He glanced at me, his jaw tight, but I could see the conflict in his eyes. Slowly, he loosened his grip on Hyun-Su and stepped back, though his body was still tense with anger.
"This isn't over," Jun muttered, his voice low and dangerous. "If you so much as look at her again, I'll break your face."
Hyun-Su straightened his clothes, still smirking. "Whatever you say, man."
I quickly grabbed my phone and dialed Seong's number, praying he would pick up. When he finally answered, I spoke in a rushed whisper. "Seong, you need to come here. Now."
A few minutes later, Seong arrived, his calm presence immediately easing some of the tension. He took one look at the situation and knew exactly what had happened. Without a word, he walked over to Jun and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Let's go home," Seong said softly, his voice soothing. "This isn't the place for this."
Jun hesitated, his eyes still locked on Hyun-Su, but eventually, he nodded and let Seong lead him out of the office. I watched them go, my heart heavy with guilt and frustration.
As soon as they were gone, Hyun-Su leaned in close to me, his voice a teasing whisper. "Looks like your boyfriend has quite the temper."
I shot him a cold look. "Stay away from me, Hyun-Su."
He grinned, clearly not taking me seriously. "We'll see about that."
As he sauntered off, I felt a wave of exhaustion wash over me. This entire situation had spiraled out of control, and I had no idea how to fix it.
All I knew was that I needed to find a way to make things right with Jun before it was too late.