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The bell chimes 11:45 pm and he is very upset. He’s supposed to have his happy ending by now! There’s only so much waiting on a man a guy can do.
“Prince Changbin! Your shy and retiring husband-to-be is getting antsy!” Jisung yells.
He bangs his fists on the door some more and kicks it twice again for good measure. The clock is ticking! The door swings open to reveal…an old woman?
He screams. All his dreams are ruined in just a few moments. He watches her leave with a look of disgust.
“Mr. Han! Please, down here!”
Glancing around, he sees nothing until he notices movement below him. The voice couldn’t have come from this cute little frog.
“Allow me to introduce myself. I am the real Prince Changbin.”
No, no, no. Frogs do not talk. He does the first thing that pops into his head and smashes him with a nearby book. But wait-
“Did you say Prince?” Jisung feels hope blossom once again.
Oh, this is even better! A chance to be a real fairy tale prince!
He peels him off of the tabletop with several apologies. Really, this is his fault. How was he supposed to react to a talking frog?
“I need your help, Mr. Han,” Prince Changbin says. “I was turned into a frog by the Shadow Man. But more importantly, your friend Felix tried to help, and he was turned into a frog, too. You can help us return to our bodies if you kiss me before midnight.”
“What’s in it for me?” He’s already skeptical of this story, but he has hopes and dreams to consider. He’ll risk everything if he could become the prince he’s always wanted to be. “Are you going to marry me if I kiss you?”
He thinks about the proposition briefly. “Yes, if you give Felix the money he needs for his restaurant. His happiness is worth whatever you ask me to do. Felix is my Evangeline.”
Aww, he coos internally. That’s so sweet. He has no idea what Prince Changbin is talking about, but he looks so earnest with his little hand on his chest, gazing up at the moon.
“Anything you want, sugar.” He reapplies his lipstick to ready himself for this momentous event.
His dream is finally coming true! And his best friend will achieve his dream, too!
“Pucker up, buttercup.”
He purses his lips and leans down enthusiastically. He fully expects this kiss to be very gross and slimy, but anything for a dream.
“Wait!” a voice calls.
Prince Changbin twists around quickly. “Felix?”
“Felix?” Jisung asks, confused.
A smaller frog – Felix? – hops over. Prince Changbin and his friend tearfully argue about what they were about to do. Felix confesses his love and Jisung changes his mind instantly. There is absolutely no way he could marry a man his best friend is in love with. There may not be a written best friend code, but this is certainly on it. He witnesses the scene before him with tears in his eyes. This – two frogs holding hands and cuddling – this is what true love is.
“Felix, you found it. The true love fairy tale I’ve always longed for.” He wipes his eyes and sniffles. “I’ll kiss him. For you, honey. No marriage required.”
He lifts Prince Changbin up to his level. Leaning in, puckering his lips yet again, he attempts to kiss him. The clock striking midnight interrupts them before his lips land on the target. He insists the clock might be fast and kisses him anyway, hoping some platonic best friend magic exists so it will work. His lipstick stays and so do their frog forms.
He failed. He failed his best friend in his moment of need. What a horrible friend he is.
“I’m so sorry,” Jisung says.
He sets him back down, expecting them to be upset. Instead, Felix still looks happy. Maybe true love does conquer all. Maybe he isn’t a bad friend.
“Felix! Changbin!”
A… crocodile? alligator?! runs toward them. Jisung braces himself, uselessly. Felix and Prince Changbin hop away to meet their apparent friend, deserting him on the steps. The moment seems solemn as the night grows colder and rain drops begin to fall as if the sky is crying. Jisung looks up at the sky as the rain picks up and pours down over them. He feels both sad that his dreams have tragically perished and thrilled that Felix has achieved love and happiness. Hope reluctantly starts to flutter in his chest. If Felix could find love as a slimy little frog, Jisung should have no trouble at all finding love on his own as a beautiful, lovely rich man.
“Thank you, Felix,” he says as he fades away with the scene change.