Unfortunately, I Need You

13

Jungwon plopped himself onto the bed, exhausted beyond measure. His muscles ached from the relentless back-and-forth trips he had been making all week, helping Sana move into their new home. He hadn’t attended football practice for the past few days and hadn’t even bothered to give an excuse. He was just too tired.

He had been busy with more pressing matters—helping Sana pack up her dorm and move her things to their shared house.

His own belongings were minimal, just a few boxes that he could throw into the car without much thought.

But Sana?

That was a different story. Her room was packed with bags, shoes, clothes, and seemingly endless decorations that were not only unnecessary but downright overwhelming. There were times when he questioned whether Sana had some secret storage unit somewhere, given how many things she had crammed into her dorm room.

He had met her friends so often during these trips that he was no longer awkward around them. They joked, teased him about Sana, and even helped with the move.

The once-tension-filled atmosphere had lightened considerably. But it hadn’t made the move any easier. By the time he was done, Jungwon was certain he had worked harder in those few days than he had in any football practice.

Just as he was about to drift into sleep, the buzzing sound of his phone jolted him awake. He groaned, reaching over to see who was texting him at this hour.

It was Dongwon, his football team captain. And from the looks of it, Dongwon was pissed.

"When exactly are you finally going to practice? I'm not even mad if you're already a pro. The problem is your gameplay is messy, and you dare not come to practice for a week straight! Make it make sense!"

Jungwon sighed, staring at the message for a long moment before typing out a quick, sarcastic reply.

"Maybe next time, don't arrange a wedding for me. I have a wife and a wedding I need to take care of. Handle the consequences."

He knew it was unfair to pin this on the team, but he couldn't help it. Dongwon had been on his case ever since the engagement, pushing him harder, making comments, and acting as if Jungwon's absence was a personal affront.

And Jungwon knew Dongwon had been one of the people who supported his father’s decision to push him into this forced marriage. So, he didn’t care if his reply was a bit sharp. He wasn’t in the mood to cater to Dongwon’s mood swings.

His phone buzzed again, and Jungwon rolled his eyes. This time, it wasn’t Dongwon. It was his personal group chat with Sunoo, Sunghoon, Ni-ki, Jay, and Jake—the boys he could always rely on for support.

"Jungwon, aren't you coming to practice anytime soon?" Sunoo asked.

"If you're asking because Dongwon told you to, then no." Jungwon replied quickly.

"No, it's not Dongwon. We’re just checking in on you," Ni-ki chimed in.

Jay added, "I seriously think Dongwon’s got issues at home or something. Why else is he always mad at everything?"

"Exactly! We were all playing just fine, like usual, and he still found a way to nitpick," Sunghoon complained.

Jungwon smirked at their comments, relieved they weren’t siding with Dongwon. His friends had his back.

"I'll probably come tomorrow after class."

Immediately, the chat exploded with excitement.

"See you tomorrow! Bring along an axe in case Dongwon tries to attack you," Jake joked, making Jungwon chuckle.