“Hey isn’t that the girl from the other branch that Dongwoo-hyung had a thing for.” Myungsoo points out, as he pours me more wine.

“Yep.” I say, fuming.

“Wait, I thought you two were dating?” Myungsoo asks, confused.

“We are.” I down the whole glass of wine, and Myungsoo fills it up again. “We’ve been dating for two months now.”

“Hold up. I’m confused; you’re going to have to explain it all to me. Let’s go.” Myungsoo stashes the rest of the bottle into his suit jacket and gestures me to go into the coatroom.

Myungsoo is my best friend at the office (actually my best friend period), and he’s the only one who knows about Dongwoo-oppa and I dating. Well it was more like he walked in on us kissing each other goodbye in the staff room after lunch. But he’s doing a good job keeping it a secret, even though I wish he would just spill so people would know. When we first started dating, Dongwoo-oppa said that he wanted to keep it secret so the rest of the employees wouldn’t give us a hard time about it. But it’s been two months, so I’m pretty sure we’re going steady.

After Myungsoo closes the door behind us, I explain everything to him. I tell him how she came up to him earlier during this staff party, with all her flirting and unsubtle skinship, and how it definitely made him flustered. And then she even asked him if he was seeing anyone.

“So what did he say?” Myungsoo asks, drinking straight out of the bottle, and then pours me more. Yes, we are borderline alcoholics.

“He said no!” I exclaim. The thought of it makes me mad. “Like I don’t want to be that jealous girlfriend or anything, but that crossed the line a bit.”

“No, that was definitely a move. And you were there too, that makes it even worse.” I nod in agreement. “Does he know you don’t want to keep in a secret anymore?” he asks.

“He does. I told him, and he said that he doesn’t want the others at the office to be involved with our relationship. You know how everyone knows everything about everyone at our office.”

“I’d like to call it….close-knit.” Myungsoo says, jokingly. “But if you two are trying to keep it a secret, doesn’t that mean that the others are involved in your relationship, but on the opposite side of them knowing.”

“Mhmm, you’re totally right. But since he feels so strongly about it, I don’t want to force him into it.”

“Hm, okay.” He says, thinking. “Well you could always just make him jealous.”

“What?”

“You know, like give him an ultimatum. What we could do is pretend that I’m flirting with you, and then, I don’t know, make it seem like there’s something going on.”

“Will that even work?”

“On Dongwoo-hyung, it should. The girls I see always try it on me, but instead of committing, I just dump them.”

“You’re horrible.”

“Thanks, friend.” Myungsoo is infamous in our office for being a total player. And being close with him, people at the office think we’re seeing each other, but I would never date Myungsoo. And he feels the same. We’re just not each other’s type, and we both know that very well.

“Wait, you’re not going to ask me to kiss you right?” I say, a bit skeptical about this plan of his.

“I don’t know, it might have to come down to that.” he says, and I make a disgusted face. “It’s not like you’ve never kissed me before. Remember that New Year’s party two years ago, we were both piss drunk and we both didn’t meet anyone.”

“Ew, don’t remind me.” I say, “It was like kissing my brother.”

“Hey, I didn’t enjoy it either.” He says, “You were a terrible kisser. I hope you’ve improved since then.” I make a face like I’m offended by his words.

“Okay, so the scene starts right when we open the door.” Myungsoo says, messing up my hair and making the bottom of my dress uneven.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“We’ve been here for like ten minutes and people definitely saw us come in here.” Myungsoo says, messing up his hair and outfit as well. “And if Dongwoo-hyung would definitely overhear the others talking about us.”

“I feel bad about this.” I’m starting to regret agreeing to this plan.

“Trust me.” He says. “When have I ever let you down? Wait, don’t answer that. Okay, so when I open the door, I’m going to pretend to whisper something into your ear, and you giggle.”

“Giggle?”

“Or at least, smile or something. According to the people out there, we were up to no good.”

“Okay...” I’m still skeptical about all of this. And Myungsoo opens the coatroom door.

~

“Those two have been in there for a while now, do you think they’re seeing each other?” A couple of the employees from the office gossip, and Dongwoo can’t help but overhear. While he was talking to Sunny from the other branch, he saw Myungsoo and Seyi go into the coatroom together. He trusts Seyi that she wouldn’t do anything, but he doesn’t trust Myungsoo after drinking.

Sunny just won’t leave him alone. Sure, he had a thing for her during last year’s staff party, but he has Seyi now. But he doesn’t know how to reject Sunny without hurting her.

Finally the coatroom door opens, and both of them look disheveled and a bit drunk. Myungsoo whispers something into Seyi ear, and she shyly laughs. Dongwoo’s jaw drops, and his worry instantly spikes up. They both head to the counter and they pour themselves more wine, ignoring everyone’s stares and murmurs. Myungsoo lifts himself onto the counter, and Seyi stands between his legs. They're both flirting with each other, and it's getting Dongwoo more and more angry.

“Isn’t that your coworker from before?” Sunny asks, “Are you two close?”

“Yes, she’s my – “ Dongwoo stops because, as much as he wants to, he can’t say it out loud that Seyi is his girlfriend. “Excuse me,” he says, and walks towards the two of them.

~

“I can’t believe you’re making me do this.” I say, with a fake smile. And Myungsoo laughs as well.

“But it’s working though.” His eyes look at something behind me. “Dongwoo-hyung’s coming.” He gets off the counter, grabs me by the waist and kisses me. Surpised, I secretly hit him, and I can hear him stifle a laugh. All of a sudden, I see a fist coming towards Myungsoo’s face, and I’m pushed aside. Dongwoo-oppa is grabbing Myungsoo by the collar and about to hit him again.

“Wait, oppa!” I try to stop him before Myungsoo gets hurt even more.

“Why should I?” Dongwoo-oppa says, furious. “I trusted you, Seyi. How could you?”

“It was a plan to get your attention.” I say, embarrassed at how it all sounds.”

“What?” he says, confused.

“Please just let me explain… in private.” I say, realizing that everyone at the party is staring.

“It’s my fault.” Myungsoo says, a bruise already starting to show on his face. “I made her do it, thinking it would work.”

“You .” Dongwoo-oppa punches him again, “All three of us are going for a talk.” He says, dragging Myungsoo out. I quickly grab a bag of ice from the ice bucket and follow them.

 

“I can’t believe you two.” Dongwoo says, walking back and forth, rubbing his temples. Myungsoo is sitting on one of the steps of the entrance, icing his face. I stand between the two of them, feeling more and more ashamed the more I told Dongwoo-oppa about it.

“Well, I’m going home.” Myungsoo says, getting up. “Hyung, I’m really sorry about everything.”

“I’m sorry for punching you.” Dongwoo-oppa says, checking Myungsoo’s face. “You kind of deserved it.” Myungsoo winces in pain, and then leaves.

Dongwoo-oppa sits on the steps and gestures me to sit down with him.

“Oppa, I’m really sorry.” I sit down, still unable to look at him.

“Why’d you do something like that?” he asks, hurt.

“I don’t know.” I say, “There was just a lot going on, with the girl you used to like at the party and flirting with you, and us keeping our relationship a secret. I was jealous and it let Myungsoo convince me that it would be a good plan.”

“Do you really want people to know we’re dating?” he asks.

“I do.” I say, honestly. “Why are you so against it?”

“I’m just – “ Dongwoo-oppa tries to find his words. “I don't want to screw this up. You know that I’ve messed up every relationship that I’ve ever been in, and not a single couple at our office has survived.” I look at Dongwoo-oppa, and I can see how worried about this he is.

“And I know you and Myungsoo are best friends.” He says, and he looks at me. “But to me, you’re my best friend. I don’t want to screw this up and have us not being friends. I don’t think I could take that.”

“That won’t happen.” I say, trying to convince him.

“How do you know?” he says.

“Because I won’t let it happen, and neither will you. We can work on this relationship together and not let anything hurt it.”

“But what if I screw up royally?”

“Then I’ll do what you did today with Myungsoo and I, and forgive you.” Dongwoo-oppa looks at me straight into my eyes.

“Okay?” I reassure him.

“Okay.” He says, giving me a slight smile. “Let’s get out of here.” He gets up.

“Wait, my coat’s inside.”

“Here,” he says, taking off his suit jacket and putting it around my shoulders. “I don’t really go back inside after what just happened.”

“You’re right. Neither do I.” I chuckle, and start walking. I realize Dongwoo-oppa isn’t walking with me, so I turn around.

“Oppa! What are you doing standing there?” I yell to him, and he walks towards me. He stops right in front of me, and smiles. “What?” I ask.

He wraps both of his arms around me and pulls me in tight.

“Oppa, what’s wrong?” I ask him, letting him hug me for as long as he needs it. We’re both silence for several moments.

“I love you, Seyi.” He says, quietly.

“That’s the first time you’ve said that.” I chuckle and wrap my arms around him.

“No it’s not.” Dongwoo-oppa says, stepping away.

“Yes it is!” I say, “I’ve said it a lot, but you’ve never said it once.”

“Really?” he says, surprised. I laugh and grab him by the arms.

“Really.” I say, tiptoeing and giving him a peck on the lips. “Confession accepted.” And I run away.

“Hey! That’s a sneak attack!” he yells at me, and runs after me. “Give me back my jacket!”

“Never!” I laugh, and keep running until he catches up. He grabs my hand, and pulls me to slow down.

“Okay, you win. I’m tired, let’s just walk.” He says.

“Okay.” I say, swinging our arms back and forth.

“How much did you have to drink?” he asks, amused.

“Maybe two or three bottles between Myungsoo and I” I admit.

“That rascal. I should’ve punched him harder.” Dongwoo-oppa laughs loudly, and I laugh as well. 

========

Thank you for reading! :)