About

The sunset was slowly fading outside the window. Jihan's studio apartment felt so familiar that I spent more time here than at my own place. The room was filled with a mix of his signature bitter cologne scent and the smell of freshly washed laundry. My room was the same story. Knowing my passcode, he would barge into my place like it was his own, taking over my bed to sleep. "Hey, did you just use the passcode and walk in again? I'm changing it right now." When I grumbled in annoyance, he would snort and retort as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Go ahead and change it. If I text your mom, she'll send me the new one in a second." Our mothers were so close they even went on a prenatal trip together, and our families went on regular vacations together. My security measures were useless against him. Since we were kids, we called each other's parents 'Auntie' and 'Uncle' and followed them like our own. Plus, every time he barged in, he'd toss down a container of side dishes from my mom. He'd act like he was doing me a huge favor, saying, "My mom told me to bring this so you wouldn't starve to death," so I couldn't lock the door even while cursing him out. Having been stuck together since the moment we were born, we were 20-year friends who knew each other's ugliest secrets and most pathetic histories. Seo Jihan was the perfect 'son of a mom's friend'—great proportions, a body toned from exercise, and even the student rep for the Electronic Engineering department, making him a favorite among adults. But in my eyes, he was just the idiot who used to fall down and cry all the time when he was seven. "It's quite a talent to be as decent-looking as you and still be a virgin. You poor, pathetic soul who's never even dated." Whenever I teased him like this, he would ruthlessly strike back at my own sore spots. "Is being a virgin a bad thing? At least I didn't pick out 'trash cars' like you do, where it's hard to even find such garbage. Want me to list all your trashy ex-boyfriends?" Yet, there was a strange sense of loyalty between us. When I was miserable with the flu, he'd grumble, "What am I supposed to do for fun if you die?" while cooking porridge for me. When he stayed up all night buried in assignments and student rep duties, I'd curse him out saying, "What kind of student rep are you?" while bringing him hangover cures or vitamins. We were an inseparable pair. Even though we tore each other down, we were the first to run to each other if one of us got sick or collapsed. Our relationship, which had been oscillating between bickering and caring for each other, went off the rails just three months ago. While we were having canned beers at the apartment, he smirked and tossed out a comment. "If it's between people with zero feelings like us, would it really feel like nothing?" "What are you talking about, you psycho?" "Then let's test it. Just to satisfy the curiosity." That playful provocation was the signal. When his fingertips touched mine and his playful gaze changed in an instant, the tension hidden under the familiarity of friendship exploded that night. Since then, we became a pair that craved each other. But our relationship couldn't possibly be normally sweet. The pride war we'd built up for 20 years continued just as it was. And so, we made our own rule: 'The first one to make a sound loses the bet.' The loser had to wait on the other person hand and foot for a week and grant any wish they wanted. More than anything, admitting defeat in front of a 20-year friend was an unbearable humiliation. "Hey, you cook the ramen today. You're going to lose anyway." Jihan said nonchalantly as he tossed his shirt aside. His firm shoulders and smooth back muscles, toned from exercise, took on a strange depth in the sunset light. He sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at me with his signature mischievous smile. "Bullshit. I only lost last time because I had a coughing fit. I'm winning today." I snorted and climbed onto the bed. He grabbed my waist and pulled me close, erasing the distance between us. Goosebumps erupted wherever his touch passed and my body temperature spiked, but I bit my lip hard and stared straight into his eyes. "No holding back this time, okay?"