“Thanks. Keep the change.” Stephen said to the taxi driver as he carried out his luggage.

After four long years of being away from home, he was back in Seoul where he had left his past.

Stephen checked the time and figured he had time for a cup of coffee before heading home.

“A caramel coffee, please.”

“Coming right up.” The waitress said as she went back inside the café.

Stephen was sitting outside of the café, watching as familiar faces passed by. The feeling was nostalgic, but it was short-lived when he saw a girl running up to him and taking the seat in front of him.

“Thanks.” The stranger mumbled as the cup of coffee was set on the table.

“That’s-“

Stephen sighed when the girl picked up his drink and took a long sip of it.

“-mine.”

“Whoo! I really needed that.” The girl wiped her lips with the back of her hand.

“Glad you enjoyed it.” Stephen replied sarcastically.

“That was yours, wasn’t it?” The girl smiled unapologetically at Stephen, who nodded.

“Sorry.” She said without feeling the least bit sorry.

“That’s alright. You looked like you needed it more than me.”

“Yeah, sorry again. Running three miles straight from crazy ex-boyfriends tend to make a person thirsty.”

“Crazy ex-boyfriends?” Stephen repeated. He did a double take on the girl’s features. No doubt, this girl was pretty, so it wouldn’t be a surprise that she had many suitors.

“Oh, ! They found me!”

“Wha-“

Stephen’s word was lost in the air as the girl pulled him along with her.

“Stop!” One of the ex-boyfriends shouted behind them.

“Keep running!” The girl shouted at Stephen who was slowing down in his pace.

Stephen groaned at the lack of energy he had but continued to run with this stranger.

“In here.” The girl said, pulling him past these huge black gates and toward a huge mansion.

Once they got inside the mansion, both of them were panting like they just ran a marathon.

“We’ll be safe here.”

“I think I’m going to die.” Stephen, who was lying on the ground and breathing hard, confessed.

“Weakling.” The girl stated as she laughed at the man who glared daggers at her.

“Come on. You didn’t even run that much.” The girl decided to playfully kick Stephen’s side, making him groan and mumble curse words.

The girl sighed as she lied next to Stephen. “I’m Krystal, by the way.”

Stephen turned his head to her. “Stephen.”

“Really?” Krystal asked in disbelief.

“Yeah. Why do you sound so surprised?”

“Nothing. The name Stephen isn’t a really common name in Korea. I’ve only ever heard the name from my sister.”

“Maybe people are finally realizing just how awesome the name is.” Stephen replied with a cocky grin.

“You wish.” Krystal nudged Stephen with her elbow.

The two lied on the floor for a good five minutes.

“Well, it was nice running for dear life but I think I should go now.” Stephen announced once his heart rate returned to normal.

Just when Stephen turned the doorknob, Krystal held his arm. “Wait-“

“Krystal, is that you?”

Stephen turned around to see an older man with white hair on the sides standing just a few feet away from them. Appa Jung?! Stephen thought.

“Hi, dad.” Krystal replied indifferently, never releasing her hold on Stephen’s arm.

“Oh, who’s this handsome gentleman?” A woman descended down the steps and slid her arm around Appa Jung.

Stephen bowed politely. He was about to introduce himself when the sight of two familiar figures left him momentarily stunned.

“He’s my boyfriend.” Krystal answered for him as she hugged Stephen’s side.

“B-Boyfriend?” The blonde figure whispered, but it was loud enough to make Stephen sweat nervously. Stephen was too speechless by the sight of his two childhood friends to deny being Krystal’s boyfriend.

“Stephen!” Taeng released his hold on the blonde’s waist and ran to join the group hug.

Jessica stood her ground as she stared at Stephen in shock.

“Why didn’t you tell us you were going to bring your boyfriend?”

“I don’t have to tell you anything. You’re not my mom.” Krystal spat as she pulled Stephen from Taeng’s bear hug and up the steps to her bedroom.

“It’s okay.” The older woman hugged Appa Jung to calm him down.

“I don’t know what to do with her.”

“Don’t worry so much. Now go upstairs and take a nap while Jessica and I make us some lunch.”

-Meanwhile in Krystal’s Room-

“You’re Jessica’s sister?!” Stephen hissed. He should have known. They both had the same icy cold stare. And how could he forget that this was the mansion that he used to play in with Jessica and Taeng.

“Yeah. And I’m guessing you’re the Stephen that my sister used to talk about.”

Stephen nodded. “But why has she never mentioned you?”

“Well, after our parents divorced, I went to live with my mom in America while Unnie stayed here with our dad. I never contacted my dad or Unnie until a few years ago when my mom passed away, which is probably why you don’t know me.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.” Stephen looked genuinely sympathetic.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m over it. At least I finally got to meet my dad and Unnie.”

“But who was the woman from before?”

“My dad’s fiancée.” Krystal huffed irritably.

“Aah.” Stephen replied.

“I hate her. Now I’m stuck being here for the rehearsal dinner.”

“That .” Stephen laughed at the sulking Jung, but soon stopped when Krystal suggested the most ridiculous thing possible.

“Please pretend to be my boyfriend.”

“No way.” Stephen answered in an instant. He was already freaking out about suddenly reuniting with Jessica and Taeng. There was no way he was going to stay here any longer.

“Please! I can’t go through this rehearsal dinner without you. For some reason, you make it tolerable for me to be in the same room as that gold-digging fiancée of his. Please it’ll only be for two days.”

Stephen stopped pacing and stared at Krystal, who was practically on her knees begging.

“I don’t know anything about you. I at acting. I’ll probably be awarded the worst boyfriend of the year by the end of this rehearsal dinner.” Stephen admitted, hoping to change Krystal’s mind about making him her fake boyfriend.

“Just follow my lead and you’ll be fine. So will you do it?”

Stephen took a long minute to think it over before sighing in defeat. This was the same reason why he lost Jessica… because he was a pushover and wanted to make others happy while ignoring his own happiness.

“Consider Stephen Hwang your temporary fake boyfriend.”

“Oh my god! Thank you! I love you so much I could kiss you!” And she did just that. She wrapped her arms around Stephen’s neck and planted her experienced lips onto his inexperienced ones.

“Lunch is…”

Stephen lightly pushed Krystal back as he looked to the door only to see Jessica standing with hung open.

“Unnie! What did I say about knocking before entering! We were in the middle of something!” Krystal scolded her sister who was now turning tomato-red.

“Sorry. Um, lunch is ready.” Jessica mumbled softly before leaving the fake lovebirds alone.

“Ready, boyfriend?”

“Yeah.” Stephen replied absentmindedly as the thought of Jessica catching Krystal and him kissing replayed in his mind.

-Dining Room-

“Here, honey.”

Stephen couldn’t stop blushing when Krystal said his nickname so affectionately.

Taeng chuckled at the excess amount of PDA. “I still can’t believe you two are dating.”

“Believe it. We are happily in love.” Krystal stated proudly before pecking Stephen’s cheek.

“Krys…” Stephen practically whined with a flushed face.

“You’re so cute when you’re embarrassed.” Krystal didn’t have to fake her emotions because she truly did find Stephen cute.

“I’m going to check on the dessert.”

All eyes were on Jessica, who stood up and walked quite dramatically into the kitchen.

“Steph, can you get me a drink?” Krystal smiled sweetly at her fake boyfriend.

“Uh, sure.” Stephen hesitated to go into the kitchen, but he didn’t want to look like a lazy boyfriend by denying Krystal her drink.

The moment he entered the marble kitchen, his eyes caught sight of his childhood friend pulling out a tray of brownies from the oven. Stephen was about to do a cowardly move and sneak into the fridge, grab the drink before Jessica could notice him and then run out of there until her dolphin scream had him running to her.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?” Stephen frantically moved her away from the steaming hot tray.

“I’m fine.” Jessica said as she held her burning finger.

“Let me see it.” Stephen held her wounded finger gently before blowing cold air on it.

That seemed to make matters worse. The heat on her finger started to spread to the rest of her body as Stephen continued to blow on her finger.

“Does it still hurt?” Stephen asked worriedly.

Jessica was tempted to smooth out the creases between his eyebrows, but she knew better than to do so.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore. Thank you.” Jessica replied as she stepped back to create some space between them.

Stephen gave the blonde a timid nod. He was back to being shy and nervous around his childhood friend.

“I better get Krystal her drink.” Stephen said, wanting to escape this awkward atmosphere.

As Stephen rummaged through the fridge to reach for the soda can, Jessica’s question made him freeze in his spot.

“Why did you leave?”

Jessica’s eyes never left him. She watched as Stephen slowly turned around to meet her gaze.

Her heart was beating erratically. She knew she shouldn’t care that he left her. The past was the past, and she loved Taeng now.

But she did care. She wanted to know why he went out of his way to create a distance and a line on their friendship that wasn’t there before.

“I-“

“I ing hate you! You will never be my mom, you gold-digger!”

Stephen seemed to have forgotten Jessica’s question as he rushed out of the kitchen and to the owner of those words.

Watching Stephen run out of the kitchen only brought back memories of him running away from her at the dance, running away from her when she wanted to mend their relationship, and running away from her and her feelings that she wanted so badly to profess to him. It hurt then, and it still hurts now. It wasn’t supposed to hurt. He had no right to affect her the way that he did. She thought her feelings for him were long gone, but the second he stepped into that door, she knew she couldn’t lie to herself any longer.

Jessica was still in love with Stephen.