Nɪ-Kɪ Oɴᴇsʜᴏᴛs

-38-Hᴏᴏɴᴋɪ(💗)

Ni-ki stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his floral-patterned shirt, which fluttered slightly as he moved. The sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating his youthful features as he practiced his best smile.

“Okay, Ni-ki, you can do this!” he said, giving himself a pep talk. “Just one week of pretending to be in a relationship, and then you’re free to explore the next destination. Just like always.”

As he grabbed his camera, his phone buzzed. A message from Jake, his childhood best friend, popped up.

“Don’t forget to look like you’re in love! I’ll be watching every moment on social media. No pressure!”

“Ugh,” he groaned, tossing his phone onto the bed. “Why did I even let him convince me to go to this wedding?”

But a moment later, his resolve strengthened. “It’s just a week. Just a week!”

Meanwhile, across town, Sunghoon stood in his tiny studio apartment, surrounded by the remnants of a chaotic kitchen. He wiped his hands on a towel, glancing at the clock.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” he muttered to himself, staring at the invitation for the wedding he didn’t want to attend. “Plus-one? Really?”

His aunt’s voice echoed in his mind. “You need to meet someone, Sunghoon! You can’t just work all the time!”

“Yeah, well, maybe I like working all the time,” he shot back, though he knew she wouldn’t hear.

He glanced again at the wedding details. “Fine. Just a week. I’ll survive. Just like I survive everything else.”

The next day, Ni-ki arrived at the luxurious wedding venue, the stunning backdrop of the ocean glimmering in the distance. As he stepped out of the car, he felt an electric buzz of anticipation.

“Time to find my ‘boyfriend,’” he whispered to himself, scanning the crowd.

“Ni-ki!” Jake’s voice boomed as he waved him over. “You look fantastic! Where’s your plus-one?”

“Somewhere,” he replied, rolling his eyes. “I’m sure he’s just as thrilled as I am.”

Just then, he spotted Sunghoon, who looked entirely out of place in his crisp black suit. He stood with his arms crossed, surveying the crowd as if he were judging a cooking competition.

“Great,” Ni-ki muttered under his breath. “That’s my plus-one?”

With a quick breath, he approached him, plastering on a bright smile. “Hi! You must be Sunghoon!”

He glanced at Ni-ki, his expression unreadable. “Yeah. Ni-ki, right? Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too! So, um, do you like weddings?” Ni-ki asked, trying to break the ice.

“Not particularly,” he replied, his tone flat.

“Same! But we can pretend, right? For the sake of appearances?” Ni-ki suggested, nudging him playfully.

“Sure,” Sunghoon said, although his eyes betrayed no enthusiasm.

The event kicked off, filled with laughter, clinking glasses, and the soft strumming of a guitar. Ni-ki found himself trying to pull Sunghoon into the festivities.

“Come on! Let’s dance!” he exclaimed, tugging at Sunghoon’s sleeve.

“No.”

“Why not? It’ll be fun!”