Business owner Kim Ji-won and lawyer Kim Soo-hyun are under intense family pressure to marry. Ji-won's parents want her to wed her ex, photographer Ji Chang-wook, while Soo-hyun is bombarded with blind dates, including persistent heiress Seo Ye-ji...
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It had been a few weeks since Ji-won and Soo-hyun officially started dating, and the change in their dynamic was palpable.
What was once filled with hesitation and “what ifs” had now blossomed into something real, something warm and solid.
Their friends—Krystal, Hae-in, and the rest of the group—couldn’t have been happier, but with the new relationship came a flood of curiosity.
It was a Saturday evening, and the group had gathered at a cozy café for their usual hangout.
As Ji-won and Soo-hyun sat side by side, comfortably close, the inevitable question finally surfaced.
“So,” Krystal began, her voice laced with excitement, “you two are together now, huh?”
She leaned forward, eyes sparkling with curiosity. “You’ve been keeping us in suspense long enough! How did it finally happen?”
Hae-in grinned from across the table, clearly just as interested in the story.
“Yeah, we need the details! How did you two go from ‘just friends’ to this?” He gestured at the pair, who were clearly enjoying each other’s company more than ever.
Ji-won and Soo-hyun exchanged a quick glance, both of them trying to suppress a smile. Ji-won bit her lip, leaning into Soo-hyun slightly as she remembered the awkward beginnings of their romance.
“Well…” Ji-won started, chuckling softly. “It wasn’t exactly as simple as it looks now.”
Soo-hyun laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, you could say that.”
Krystal’s eyes widened with excitement. “Oh my God, you’ve been holding out on us! Spill!”
Ji-won playfully rolled her eyes before looking back at Soo-hyun. “Okay, okay. So, you guys know we’ve been friends for, like, forever, right?”
The group nodded eagerly.
“Well, over the years, I think we both kind of knew there was something more, but we never really talked about it. I mean, we were both so focused on staying friends that we didn’t want to ruin anything,” Ji-won explained, glancing at Soo-hyun, who smiled fondly at her.
Hae-in leaned in, intrigued. “So what changed?”
Soo-hyun took over, his voice steady. “Honestly, I think it was a combination of things. We were spending more time together, and those ‘non-dates’ we kept going on… well, they started to feel like something more. But neither of us wanted to admit it.”
Krystal laughed. “Non-dates! I knew it!”
Ji-won smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, those ‘non-dates’ were just an excuse to be around each other more. But even though we both felt something, we were too scared to actually say it out loud.”
“So what finally pushed you two over the edge?” Hae-in asked, his arms crossed in anticipation. “Because you both looked like you were about to burst for weeks.”
Ji-won glanced at Soo-hyun, who gave her a teasing look. “Well, funny enough, you two had a lot to do with that.”
Krystal blinked. “Wait, us? How?”
Soo-hyun chuckled. “Remember when you and Hae-in practically forced us into that ‘friendly’ outing a few weeks ago? The one where you conveniently disappeared after we sat down?”
Ji-won’s eyes sparkled with amusement as she nodded. “Yeah, that was the moment. After you both ditched us, Soo-hyun and I just… started talking. Really talking.”
Krystal gasped, covering her mouth in mock surprise. “No way! Do you mean my masterful plan worked?” Hae-in, looking equally surprised, leaned back in his chair. “I had no idea we’d actually help. I thought we were just giving you a gentle nudge.”
Soo-hyun smirked, shaking his head. “More like a giant shove, but it worked.”
Ji-won grinned, playfully nudging Soo-hyun’s arm. “Yeah, after you two left us alone, it kind of forced us to talk about everything we’d been avoiding. I mean, we were sitting there, holding hands, and it just felt… right."
“And you weren’t scared anymore?” Krystal asked, her voice softening slightly as she realized just how delicate the situation had been.
Ji-won nodded. “I was still a little scared, but I realized that I was more afraid of not knowing what could happen between us than of taking the risk. So, we talked about it—about how we felt—and it turned out, we were both on the same page all along.”
Soo-hyun smiled, his voice calm. “Yeah, once we put it all out there, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted. Honestly, things have been easier since then. Being together feels… natural.”
Krystal let out a squeal of excitement, clapping her hands together. “Oh my God, this is so much better than I imagined! I can’t believe we were part of the beginning of this love story!”
Hae-in laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe it either. I mean, you two have been circling each other for ages. It was about time.”
Ji-won laughed along with them, her cheeks flushed with happiness. “Yeah, I guess we owe you guys a thank you.”
Soo-hyun nodded. “Seriously. If it wasn’t for that little push, who knows how long we would’ve stayed in that awkward limbo.”
Krystal leaned back in her chair, looking extremely pleased with herself. “Well, I’m just glad you two are finally together. You’re perfect for each other, and honestly, it was getting painful watching you both pretend like there was nothing going on.”
Ji-won smirked. “You weren’t exactly subtle about wanting us together, you know.”
Krystal shrugged with a grin. “What can I say? I just know a perfect match when I see one.”
Hae-in nodded, raising his cup. “Well, here’s to finally seeing this happen. I think we can all agree it was about time.”
The group laughed, raising their cups in a mock toast. Ji-won and Soo-hyun exchanged a glance, their hands subtly brushing under the table as they smiled at each other. The journey to get here hadn’t been easy, but with the support of their friends and the courage to finally be honest with each other, they had found something worth holding onto.
And as the conversation shifted to other topics, the two of them couldn’t help but feel grateful for the gentle, and not-so-gentle, nudges that had brought them together.
Krystal’s eyes flicked between them, a mischievous grin still playing on her lips. “You know, I’ve always been good at setting people up. Maybe I should make a career out of it.”
Ji-won laughed, shaking her head. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
But deep down, she knew Krystal was right. Sometimes, all love needed was a little push from a friend to find its way.
