Chapter 3

“…Look at the situation. Could you wait in the living room for a bit? Unless you plan on stripping her naked and whipping her.”

Are you defending her because she can’t even wear the clothes you tried to hide?

A pair of shapely white legs, pale toes, twitched behind Dohun’s feet.

She was dying to know who it was, but didn’t want to see the naked body. She might actually throw up.

“Ha. You bastard… Go to the living room.”

Muttering under her breath, she turned and walked away.

That short walk felt like a journey through infinite space. Countless thoughts clung to the back of her head, leaving her feeling hollow.

She collapsed onto the sofa and stared blankly into the air.

What was even happening right now? It felt like she was trapped in a dream. None of it felt real.

In just three days, she was supposed to be walking down the aisle with Go Dohun. She’d been so busy lately preparing for the wedding that she barely had time to breathe.

But all of that now felt like some distant fairytale from another life.

And then, right in front of her, Go Dohun appeared—followed by a woman walking confidently out of the bedroom to stand by his side.

Her eyes widened in shock.

She began to tremble, her body wracked with betrayal.

Go Dohun and her former college friend. The ex-girlfriend of her best friend Iseong—Seo Yeo-ra.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. The betrayal was so intense it nearly burned, yet she found it too absurd to be angry.

“Ha. Fuck.”

“……”

“Do you two have a death wish?”

Seo Yeo-ra simply looked at her, calm and composed. Dohun just sighed, as if he were the victim here.

“Jeong-a… I know. Even if I had ten mouths, I wouldn’t be able to explain this—”

“Then shut the hell up.”

She didn’t even glance at Dohun. She locked eyes with Seo Yeo-ra, who had the audacity to look at her with confidence.

“If he had cheated with some clueless random girl, I would’ve just taken it out on him. But you? You knew. You knew I was marrying Go Dohun in three days. You knew this was our newlywed home. You’re our friend! You were dating Iseong just a month ago!”

How could a friend do this? Isn’t there a line you just don’t cross between friends?

This was something she couldn’t even imagine within her understanding of basic decency.

“Go Dohun. Seo Yeo-ra. How long has this been going on?”

“It’s the first time. It was a mistake—”

Dohun started to lie, but Seo Yeo-ra cut in calmly.

“Two months.”

Dohun’s eyes darted around like a rabbit caught by a predator. He hadn’t expected to be exposed so bluntly.

“Yeo-ra…”

“You played me for two whole months?”

So Yeo-ra had been messing around with Go Dohun while still dating Iseong. Those two had pretended to be innocent lovers and friends around her and Iseong—while sneaking around behind their backs.

“You know what? I don’t even care why you did this. Whatever your excuse is, I won’t relate to it. I’ll just get pissed. So here’s the outcome: Go Dohun, I’m calling off the engagement. You cancel all the wedding and honeymoon reservations. Cover the cancellation fees. You’re the one at fault here.”

“I didn’t mean for this to happen. It was just a mistake—”

She cut him off before he could continue his pathetic excuses, forcing herself to stay calm.

“If you didn’t mean it, was it just your body acting on its own? You mutt.”

“That’s too far…”

“You’re not even human. And this house—we split it 50-50. Whether prices go up or down, sell it and divide it. You list it with the realtor.”

“Jeong-a, I know you’re decisive. That’s admirable. But I think you’re being too emotional to make such decisions right now.”

Maybe I should’ve stripped you both and whipped you. I used to think it was nice how you blended in easily and acted so smooth, no matter the situation.

“Wow. I used to think your shamelessness was charming. Turns out it’s your biggest flaw. Dohun, my name is Jeong-a. And I’m being more rational right now than you realize.”

“Then think even more rationally. Calling off the wedding three days out? That’s going to be a huge loss.”

“Then you cover all the losses! You’re spouting nonsense. If I marry you, I’ll lose even more. Hell, my whole life would go down the drain.”

“Jeong-a… Those harsh words of yours really sting.”

Even in this insane situation, he wanted to act smooth. She ignored Dohun and glared straight at Yeo-ra, eyes blazing.

“Seo Yeo-ra. Apologize to Iseong. You made him into a fool. I’d prefer to just bury this and not tell him, but once the wedding’s off, he’ll find out anyway. You were dating him while doing this trash behind his back. Admit it and apologize.”

Seo Yeo-ra let out a faint, mocking snort. As if what she said was laughable and beneath her.

“You laughing? Did you just laugh, Seo Yeo-ra?”

“You asked why I did something so pathetic. It was because of Iseong.”

“…What kind of screwed-up reasoning—what are you even saying?”

What came next shocked her so much she stormed straight to Iseong’s place.

Rain poured down in sheets, but she didn’t even think to buy an umbrella. Her mind was too chaotic.

*

“That’s who it was? The reason you’re so pissed?”

She stared at Iseong and spat out that ridiculous name.

“Your ex-girlfriend. Seo Yeo-ra. Ugh. Seriously disgusting.”

Iseong’s eyes flickered with a brief trace of emptiness, then he smiled faintly.

Is this really the time to be smiling?

Does he still want to act calm and detached while clinging to his precious “reason”? He was just as much a victim in this trash fire.

She gritted her teeth, trying to keep her boiling emotions under control.

“Your ex-girlfriend and Go Dohun weren’t just holding hands—they were screwing around behind our backs. You broke up with her a month ago, right? But they’ve been together for two months. Maybe longer. They cheated on us. Lied to us.”

“Sounds like a great makjang drama.”

“A drama? We’re the victims of that makjang, Iseong. Don’t you feel anything? Your girlfriend cheated on you with the guy I was going to marry!”

“We already broke up. What’s the point in getting angry now?”

She frowned, setting her beer can down mid-sip.

“Ugh. I can’t drink. Do you have soju? I can’t get drunk like this—it’s making me more clear-headed. I’m seeing everything more vividly now.”

“What did you see?”

“Seong-ah…”

“What? What now?”

What Seo Yeo-ra said as her reason for cheating was beyond absurd. It threw her off completely.

*

“Ha. What kind of twisted brain does a cheater have? What bullshit—”

She scoffed, glaring at Seo Yeo-ra, but Yeo-ra remained perfectly calm as she spoke.

“Erectile dysfunction.”

She froze with her mouth hanging open, staring blankly at Yeo-ra’s face.

It took her a moment to process what had just been said.

Erectile dysfunction? Erectile dysfunction? Who? It couldn’t be Go Dohun. Was she saying Iseong had erectile dysfunction?

No way. The guy looked perfectly healthy. What about all his past girlfriends?

“Did I mishear you? You dated him for a year. How would Iseong have erectile—”

But Yeo-ra’s face was completely serious, not even a flicker of hesitation.

She was too stunned—no, too baffled—to even respond, while Seo Yeo-ra began calmly offering her explanation.