The lovesick, 
the betrayed, 
and the jealous 
all smell alike.
-Sidonie Gabrielle Colette

Joohyun’s hands are balled into fists, her nails digging into her palms as she tries not to let her emotions burst from within her. How could Seungwan betray her like this, investigating her for work purposes under the pretense of asking her out for dates and acting, well, romantically interested in her? 

The more she thinks about it, the angrier she becomes. But Seungwan is not the only recipient of her fury, as Joohyun begins to question herself as well. She should have heeded her friends’ warnings, she thinks. Frustrated, thoughts whirl like hurricanes through her head until she reaches reaches the staircase to her house. 

Hearing a soft whistling behind her, Joohyun whirls around, the look in her eyes murderous. Taek freezes, a few paces behind her, and cracks a little smile. “What do you want? Why are you following me?” she asks.

“Just making sure you get home safely. Aren’t you glad you found out the truth, that Wendy was lying to you this whole time?”

“No, you. You’ve caused enough problems today already,” Joohyun snaps, crossing her arms in annoyance. “How did you even know all this stuff about Seungwan? Who are you?”

Taken aback by Joohyun’s ferocity, Taek instinctively raises his hands in front of him in defense. “I’m just a simple businessman who happened to overhear certain conversations.” His explanation does not convince Joohyun in the slightest, but she is too tired to try and hold a conversation with him. 

“Sure, okay, whatever. Look, whoever you really are, you shouldn’t have outed Seungwan - or Wendy, whatever - like that.”

“But-” Taek starts to protest, but Joohyun cuts him off.

“No buts. I know what she did was wrong, and I am more than furious at her for that, but you did not have the right to do that At. All.” Joohyun starts up the steps, then turns around to glare at Taek again. “Now go away, or else I will call the police.”

She storms into her house upstairs and slams the door shut, loud enough to make Taek jump a little. He blinks and smirks, amused, gazing up at the window above the laundromat. “She’s a feisty one, all right,” he mutters to himself before stalking away.

*

“I knew it!” Joy crows victoriously over the phone before she catches herself. “Damn, I knew my instincts had to be right. What happened after that?”

“I’m not sure what Seungwan did after the confrontation, but I believe she would have gone home. I continued to follow the man - his name is Taek - back to Joohyun’s house, where she got angry at him and ranted a little bit, then separated.” Seulgi is whispering, and the action baffles Joy.

“So Joohyun’s safe, that’s good. Also, why are you whispering?” she asks.

“Well, it just so happens that, um, we’re at the same bus stop, and I think it’s really important that he doesn’t realise that I know about him and Joohyun and Seungwan.”

Joy finds herself halfway out the door, car keys already in hand. “The guy’s dangerous, Seulgi, and he might have noticed you following him!” she exclaims. “Stay there! Where are you? I’m going to get you.”

Seulgi chuckles, amused. “What’s gotten into you?” she asks, but gives Joy the information she needs anyway.

Her question makes Joy pause; it was purely on instinct that Joy had decided to make her way to Seulgi, a sudden surge of protectiveness upon hearing that someone like Seulgi could be potentially in danger by following such a suspicious character. She brushes it off, chalking it up to the fact that the woman being the closest and most precious friend she has.

Which totally rationalises why she is driving at a speed slightly faster than necessary, she assures herself, and also explains the overwhelming relief when she finds Seulgi waiting for her at the bus stop unharmed. And Joy feels her heart leap, a bit more than she would readily admit, when a grin spreads across Seulgi’s face when she notices Joy’s car.

Joy smirks when Seulgi slides onto her car seat, face shining with a mixture of adrenaline and accomplishment. “Someone looks happy,” Joy teases as she shifts her car back into a lane. 

 Seulgi turns to look at her, eyes shining with glee. “Wouldn’t you be, too?”

“I was,” Joy easily admits. “Still am, and even better to know that he didn’t find out you were following them.”

Seulgi laughs, brushes a hand over Joy’s. “It’s so not you to say something like that, but… thanks for the concern.” She finishes that with an uncharacteristic giggle, and has Joy looking over at her with a bemused expression.

“Now it’s my turn to ask. What’s gotten into you?”

“To be really honest, it’s the first time seeing you be concerned about someone else’s life other than your own. It’s quite a refreshing change, you know.” Joy is taken by surprise by Seulgi’s off-hand comment, but doesn’t let it show.

“Well, never too late to start, right?” Joy shoots another grin at Seulgi. “For Joohyun’s sake, let’s see what we else we can learn about this Taek person, then.”

*

Seungwan storms towards the towering skyscraper that houses both offices and a large shopping mall, altogether owned by one singular businessman. It just so happens, she thinks as she strides in with hands balled into angry fists, that this businessman has chosen to get on the wrong side of her.

She elbows her way past the secretary standing guard and, flinging the doors to her client’s office open, charges in with fire in her eyes. And runs straight into a pri