Chapter Text
Miyeon sat curled up on her couch, a blanket covered her like a cocoon. She hadn’t moved much in two days, only shifting from the couch to her bed and kitchen. She’d called in for work sick both days,
The coffee table was cluttered with a couple of empty ramyeon cups, a half-finished bottle of water, few cans of beers and a tissue box that was nearing its end. She’d barely eaten anything beyond the salty noodles since Thursday, when Jung Jaehyun dumped her.
They were only four months away from their three-year anniversary. She’d been planning to surprise him with a trip to Jeju Island where they could celebrate their love. She’d loved him with her whole heart, the kind of love that saw a forever in him. Marriage. Kids. Now it was all gone.
Almost 3 years of laughter, arguments, kisses, hugs, mindless sex, promises, and dreams gone in just five minutes. He hadn’t even bothered to meet her in person. He’d ended it over a phone call.
“I’ve met someone else,” he said as if he were discussing the weather. “She understands me better, Miyeon. I don’t love you anymore. I got bored.”
Bored.
She’d rushed to his apartment immediately after the call, desperate for answers, for something that might make sense. But when he’d opened the door, she’d seen her answer standing right behind him. The other woman, the “someone else” who had replaced her.
“Miyeon, you need to leave,” he said. He hadn’t cared. Not about her heartbreak, not about the years they’d spent together, not about the way her knees had almost buckled.
She didn’t even know what had gone wrong. When had it started? When had he decided she wasn’t enough?
She buried her face in her knees, hoping the tears to stop, but they fell anyway. Her sobs echoed faintly in the quiet apartment.
The loud knock at her door startled her from her misery. She still foolishly believed Jaehyun might show up to explain, to take it all back. But the rational part of her knew better. There was only one person who would knock like that,
Yuqi.
Her best friend. Her ride-or-die, the one who would march into hell and back if Miyeon needed her to.
She didn’t want to get up. She didn’t want to see anyone. She just wanted to drown in her heartbreak. But Yuqi wasn’t the type to leave just because she wasn’t wanted.
“Miyeon, open up!” It was Yuqi. Of course. “Cho Miyeon, if you don’t open this door right now, I swear I’ll call the police!” The knocks were loud and persistent.
Miyeon groaned, wiping at her tear-streaked face with the sleeve of her hoodie. She didn’t want to get up nor face anyone. But knowing Yuqi, the knocking wasn’t going to stop.
Dragging herself off the couch, she shuffled to the door, her steps sluggish. The state of her apartment wasn’t exactly guest-friendly. Tissues scattered across the couch, ramyeon cups, beer cans and dishes piled up in the sink, and looked like a frat boy lived here.
When she finally opened the door, Yuqi didn’t wait for an invitation. She barged in, not even a hello. “Oh, my God.” Yuqi stopped mid-step, surveying Miyeon’s living room. A hell.
Yuqi’s gaze turned to Miyeon “You look like hell,” Yuqi said bluntly but there was no judgment.
Miyeon managed a weak glare. “Thanks.”
Yuqi sighed heavily as she closed the door and followed Miyeon inside. Without warning, Yuqi stepped forward and pulled Miyeon into a hug. She felt herself sink into Yuqi’s embrace. “You’re allowed to feel like crap, okay?” Yuqi said. “But I’m not letting you sit here forever.”
“I am okay.”
“You’re not,” Yuqi replied, breaking the hug. She didn’t argue further, she didn’t need to. Instead, she grabbed a trash bag from under the kitchen’s sink and started tidying up.
Miyeon sighed. She hated it when Yuqi did this. It wasn’t the cleaning itself, but the way Yuqi swooped in and took charge, as if Miyeon couldn’t handle her own mess. And yet, after ten years of friendship, Miyeon knew better than to fight it. Yuqi never listened.
Instead of protesting, she quietly joined her, moving to the sink to start on the dishes filled the by Yuqi’s commentary about how “this was a new low, even for you, Cho Miyeon.”
By the time they finished, the apartment looked less like a disaster zone. Yuqi sat at the dining table, eyeing Miyeon, who was still scrubbing the last plate in the sink.
“What are you doing tonight?” Yuqi asked.
Miyeon didn’t bother to answer, knowing exactly where this was going.
As expected, Yuqi continued before she could get a word out. “Why do I even bother to ask?”
“I don’t need company if that’s what you’re getting at. I’m fine being alone.” said Miyeon as her hands moving to rinsed the last plate.
Yuqi shook her head, even though Miyeon couldn’t see it. “My girlfriend’s having a party tonight,”
Miyeon paused for a moment, setting the plate on the drying rack. “So?” she asked, her mind went to Soyeon. A party didn’t sound like Soyeon at all. It was probably Yuqi’s idea.
“You should come!”
“Yuqi, I…”
“I know what you’re going to say!” Yuqi interrupted, “You’re straight, and you don’t go to lesbian parties. Blah, blah, blah.”
Miyeon dried her hands with a dish towel, turning to face her friend. “Then why bother asking?”
“Because you need this. Good music, drinks, food, and absolutely no straight couple drama. Just a bunch of lesbians who might hit on you, but I promise they’re respectful lesbians!”
Miyeon didn’t respond immediately. It wasn’t that she couldn’t think of a reason to refuse, she had plenty, but the energy to argue simply wasn’t there.
“Come on!” Yuqi pleaded, standing and slinging an arm around Miyeon in an exaggerated side hug. “Fuck Jung Jaehyun, honestly! You deserve way better than that loser.”
Miyeon hesitated. She could already feel herself being dragged into this, the way Yuqi always managed to bulldoze her defenses. Saying no was useless. And maybe Yuqi was right, maybe a party was exactly what she needed. At the very least, she could get drunk enough to forget. And who knew? Maybe after a few drinks, she’d find the courage to swipe through some dating apps and distract herself with something or someone new. Miyeon had always been wilder when she was drunk, anyway.
Yuqi didn’t tell Soyeon that Miyeon would be coming to the party. She knew better than to bring it up. Soyeon wouldn’t have liked it. Soyeon had seen this happen before. A straight girl wanders into their circle, catches a little too much attention, and things get messy. Miyeon didn’t belong in their world.
Yuqi didn’t see a problem. Miyeon was her best friend, and she needed this. That was all that mattered to her.
When Miyeon arrived at the front door, she was already regretting her decision. The place was loud with edm music and the place was dim accompanied with colorful party lights mix with laughters and conversation.
“This was a bad idea,” Miyeon muttered under her breath as Yuqi opened the door for her.
“It’s not a bad idea,” Yuqi said as she stepped aside. “You’re overthinking it.”
As soon as Miyeon stepped in, she scanned the place, there were probably only 20 people here, far fewer than she’d expected. Yuqi had hosted parties twice this size before. She could only imagine the headaches they’d given Soyeon. Even with the smaller crowd, Miyeon felt out of place.
Yuqi nudged her as she closed the door behind them. “Take off your jacket,” she ordered.
Miyeon slipped out of her coat Yuqi took it immediately, giving Miyeon a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “You’ll be fine,” Yuqi encouraged. “Go mingle!”
“Mingle?” Miyeon repeated. She glanced around the room which filled so many unfamiliar faces, “I don’t know anyone except you and Soyeon.”
“Exactly! It’s the perfect chance to meet new people,” Yuqi said, already heading toward the closet to stash their jackets. “Just relax and have fun!”
Most people were clustered in small groups, laughing and chatting with drinks in hand. A few were dancing in the living room. She stood awkwardly by the entrance, unsure of where to go or what to do. Yuqi had left her into the crowd. She thought it was asshole move by Yuqi. She wrapped her arms around herself. Why had she agreed to this?
Casually, Miyeon wandered into the kitchen, where the counters were stacked with food and drinks. There wass pizza, chips, sandwich and some kind of dessert she couldn’t name. Grabbing a can of beer, she popped it open and took a sip.
She helped herself to a slice of pizza, the cheese already cooling. Gross. Leaning against the counter, she took small bites, her eyes wandering over the guests. Everyone here looked comfortable. They were laughing, flirting, kissing, leaning into one another, playfully shoving shoulders or holding hands.
Miyeon couldn’t help but admire how carefree they all seemed, how comfortable they were in their own skin. Being queer in South Korea wasn’t easy, she knew that much from conversations with Yuqi and Soyeon. Yet these people carried themselves with confidence.
She tried to imagine herself in their shoes and she knew she couldn’t do it. Her thoughts were interrupted when her gaze landed on someone nearby.
A girl stood with a small group with her dark, shoulder-length hair with a bangs. She leaned slightly toward one of her friends smiling. It wasn’t just her lips, it was her whole face. Miyeon caught herself staring, thinking that it might be the prettiest smile she had ever seen.
The girl wore a flannel shirt over a plain white shirt, and blue jeans. She didn’t realize how long she had been watching until, suddenly, their eyes met. Miyeon froze.
The girl smiled again, even when she’d caught Miyeon staring and didn’t mind at all. She quickly looked away, her face burning. She stared at the slice of pizza in her hand and took a bite. What had she just done? Why had she been staring?
She forced herself to take another sip of her beer, When she dared to glance back, the girl had already turned her attention back to her friends. She then focused back onto her sad-looking-pizza.
Then there was a voice, “Hey.”
Miyeon glanced up, startled. It was her. The girl she’d been staring at seconds ago now stood beside her, drink in hand, the other tucked casually into the pocket of her jeans. Up close, she was even more striking.
“You were staring,” the girl said smiling.
Miyeon’s heart skipped a beat, and her grip on the beer tightened. “I… I wasn’t,”
The girl raised an eyebrow, “You were. It’s okay, though. Happens all the time.”
“Happens all the time?” Miyeon repeated,
“Not to brag,” the girl said with a shrug, “but I get that look a lot.”
Miyeon blinked. She believed it. Why wouldn’t people stare at her? That smile alone was enough to disarm anyone.
“You’re new,” the girl said, leaning casually against the counter. “I haven’t seen you around before.”
“Yeah,” Miyeon replied. ”Yuqi invited me.”
The girl grinned, “Yuqi always drags the pretty ones.”
“Uh, thanks?”
“I’m Minnie,” the girl said, extending her hand.
“Miyeon. Cho Miyeon,” she replied, shaking Minnie’s hand.
“You’re straight, aren’t you?”
The directness made Miyeon startled slightly. She’d never understood how these gays could tell just from looking. “What makes you say that?”
Minnie smirked,“Well... you look like you’re trying really hard to be comfortable. You’re stiff…”
“Well, you’re not wrong,” she muttered and glanced away.
Minnie laughed “You do know this is a lesbian party, right?”
Miyeon turned her gaze back to Minnie and nodded, lifting her beer to take a sip.
“What’s your story?” Minnie asked, pushing off the counter and moving toward the other side of the kitchen. She opened a bottle of wine, pouring into her glass and another one for Miyeon.
“My story?” Miyeon repeated.
“Yeah,” Minnie said, walking back toward her and handing her a glass. “Straight girls don’t usually come to lesbian parties unless something’s happened. Am I right?”
There it was again, they always could tell. Impressive she thought. Either way, there was no point in lying. “My boyfriend dumped me,”
Minnie rolled her eyes. She knew it. “Classic,” she said, taking a sip of her wine. “Let me guess. You’re here because you got tired of men hurting you.”
“No,” Miyeon said quickly, shaking her head. “Yuqi just thought I looked miserable crying at my place and dragged me here.”
“Was he worth crying over?” Minnie asked, tilting her glass slightly as she studied Miyeon.
Miyeon took a sip of wine, buying herself a moment before answering. “I don’t know. I gave him three years of my life. I don’t think it matters if he was worth it or not. I still feel like shit.”
“Fair point.” Then, after a beat, she added, “Mind telling me why he dumped you?”
“He said he found someone better than me,”
“No way! There’s someone better than you?” Minnie asked. Her tone was playful.
The unexpected comment made Miyeon laughed. And it came from an attractive stranger. She realized it was the first time she’d laughed since the breakup.
As the conversation continued and the drinks flowed, Miyeon found herself relaxing more and more. Minnie was fun to talk to, quick-witted, easygoing, and unafraid to make jokes and never crossed the line.
Meanwhile, across the room, Soyeon was in the living room, her eyes narrowing as she caught sight of Miyeon. Even in the dim lighting, she recognized her immediately. Soyeon’s brow furrowed. What the hell was Miyeon doing here?
“Yuqi,” Soyeon said, grabbing her girlfriend’s arm as she passed by.
“Hmm?” Yuqi hummed, turning with a drink in hand, her expression cheerful.
Soyeon tilted her head toward the kitchen, where Miyeon was standing beside Minnie. “Why is Miyeon here?”
“I invited her.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I knew you’d freak out,” Yuqi replied, rolling her eyes. “Relax, babe. She’s just here to have a good time.”
“She’s straight,” Soyeon pointed out the obvious.
“And?” Yuqi shrugged, taking a sip of her drink. “She’s not here to date anyone. She just got dumped. She needs this.”
“Song Yuqi,” called Soyeon. “You know how these gays are. They’re going to hit on her.”
“So? She can handle it. Not like she’s going to suddenly turn gay from a few compliments.”
Soyeon rolled her eyes, “That’s not the point.”
“Then what is the point?”
Soyeon crossed her arms. “She’s straight, Yuqi. You drop her into a party like this when she’s so vulnerable right now. You know what’s going to happen. These gays are going to hit on her, and it would get messy.”
Yuqi shrugged, “Miyeon’s a grown woman. She’ll be fine.”
“She’s talking to Minnie right now,” Soyeon pointed out, nodding toward the kitchen again.
“So?” Yuqi replied, raising an eyebrow. “Your best friend is the most harmless lesbian in this room.”
Soyeon scoffed. “Do I have to remind you about what happened with Minnie a few years ago?”
That gave Yuqi pause. Yuqi had only heard vague mentions of the story, half-formed details from Soyeon during a late-night cuddles and a few offhanded comments Minnie had made during conversations that Yuqi hadn’t paid much attention to. She’d never gotten the full story. “You’re overthinking it,” Yuqi said, ignoring Soyeon’s concern. “They’re just talking.”
Soyeon frowned and she glanced back at the kitchen, where Minnie was pouring another drink for Miyeon. Miyeon, for her part, looked far more comfortable than she had when she first arrived.
“Babe,” Yuqi said before leaning in to kiss Soyeon’s cheek. “You’re worrying about nothing. Trust me.”
Soyeon also knew there was no point in arguing with Yuqi. Her girlfriend meant well, her heart was always in the right place. Yuqi truly cared about Miyeon, and Soyeon could see that she was trying to help in the best way she knew how.
But Soyeon wasn’t just thinking about Miyeon. She was thinking of Minnie. Minnie had been through enough. Soyeon had seen the fallout from her last messy break-up with a straight girl who had no intention of staying. Minnie had been hurt badly. She’d been the one Minnie called at two in the morning, drunk and heartbroken.
Soyeon didn’t want to see Minnie go through that again. She knew her friend well enough to see the signs. Minnie wasn’t the type to fall easily, but when she did, she fell hard.
A few hours later, to be exact it was 1 AM, the party had begun to wind down, though the living room was still a little bit chaotic. Most of the guests had left and Only a few remained, dancing wildly in the center of the room, Yuqi among them.
From the balcony, Miyeon and Minnie watched the scene through the glass door. Miyeon leaned against the railing, her fingers loosely wrapped around a half-empty glass of wine, while Minnie stood beside her, sipping water.
“They’re still going,” Miyeon said disbelief.
Minnie smirked, nodding toward Yuqi, who was now doing headstand “Yuqi doesn’t quit. She’ll dance until the sun comes up if you let her.”
Miyeon then glancing at the couch. “And Soyeon?”
Minnie followed her gaze, “Passed out, huh?”
Soyeon was passing on the couch, one arm draped over her face to block out the flashing colourful lights.
“She lasted longer than I thought she would,” Minnie said with a chuckle. “But even Soyeon has her limits. She used to be a really heavy drinker.”
The breeze picked up and that made Miyeon shivered slightly. Minnie noticed immediately. Without a word, she shrugged off her flannel shirt, leaving her in the plain white tee she wore underneath.
“Here,” she said, wrapping it out around Miyeon.
Miyeon blinked, startled by the gesture. “Oh, no, I’m fine,” she protested, though she was clearly not.
“Stop being polite and take it. You’re shivering.”
“Thanks,” Miyeon said and their eyes met.
“Don’t mention it,” Minnie replied.
For a while, they stood in silence, she didn’t know how comforting it was to just stand in the balcony in a very expensive apartment of her bestfriend’s.
Minnie tilted her head slightly, studying her. “You’re quiet all of a sudden. What’s on your mind?”
“Just... thinking.”
Minnie turned her body angled slightly toward Miyeon. “Thinking about him?”
Miyeon sighed, “It’s hard not to. It’s like... every time I try to distract myself, my brain just loops back to him. Like some stupid, broken record.”
Minnie stayed silent, waiting for Miyeon to just unpack her feelings.
“It’s not even just that he dumped me,” Miyeon continued. “It’s how he did it. He didn’t even try to make it less cruel. Just... ‘I found someone better.’”
Minnie frowned. “I’m sorry that sucks.”
“He also said, ‘She understands me better. She’s better for me.’”
Minnie scoffed, shaking her head. “What a load of crap. That’s not about you, that’s about him. People don’t just decide you’re not ‘enough.’ He’s the one who wasn’t enough.”
Miyeon blinked, “I gave him three years of my life,” she said softly. “I thought he was my forever. Marriage, kids, all of it. And he just... walked away. Like I was nothing.”
Minnie shifted closer, her expression softening. “It wasn’t nothing. You mattered. He’s just too much of an asshole to realize that.”
“I keep thinking... what did I do wrong? Was I too much? Did I nagged him too much? Not good in bed?”
“I do know it’s not on you. You could’ve done everything right, and it still wouldn’t have mattered to someone who didn’t see you for who you are.” said Minnie softly like she meant it.
Miyeon turned to look at her, “Have you... been through this?”
Minnie nodded, “Yeah. A while ago. Took me a long time to stop blaming myself.” She paused, “But I learned that someone else’s choices don’t define my worth. And they don’t define yours either.”
“I don’t know if I believe that yet.”
“That’s okay,” Minnie said gently. “It takes time. But you’ll get there.”
Miyeon let out a soft laugh, “You sound like some kind of life coach.” she said before she finished her wine and was about to pour another one.
Without warning, Minnie reached out and plucked the bottle from Miyeon’s hand, setting it on the table behind her.
“Hey!” Miyeon protested.
“You’ve had enough,”
“No, I’m fine. I’m not even drunk yet.”
Minnie raised an eyebrow, “You’re clearly tipsy. Do you want me to call you an Uber?”
Miyeon shook her head, “No. I don’t want to go home yet.”
“Why not?” Minnie asked.
“It’s too quiet,” she admitted. “At least here. It keeps me from thinking too much.”
The music from the living room was softer. Minnie turned her gaze toward the living room. Yuqi was already on the floor, one hand clutching an empty bottle.“Typical,” Minnie commented.
She glanced at Miyeon, who was still leaning on the balcony railing, staring out at the bridge.
“Everyone’s left and passed out.” Minnie said, stepping closer. “So, I’m going to ask you again, do you want me to call you an Uber?”
Miyeon sighed heavily, “No. I’ll sleep here,” she pulled herself away from the railing. But as she took a step, she stumbled slightly, she was tipsy.
Minnie moved quickly, steadying her with a firm hand at her waist. “Easy there,”
“I’m fine,” Miyeon protested. “I can do this.”
They went back inside and Minnie grabbed some blanket to cover Soyeon and Yuqi. Then Minnie guided Miyeon through the hallway, her arm looped around Miyeon’s waist to keep her steady. Miyeon was giggling softly for no reason.
When Minnie opened the first guest room door, Minnie immediately slammed it shut, her face flushing.
“What’s wrong?” Miyeon asked.
“Nothing,” Minnie muttered. “Just two naked people asleep in there.”
Miyeon laughed. Minnie then moved to the next guest room and she opened it cautiously, relieved to find it empty. “Finally,” she sighed.
They sstepped inside and Miyeon immediately threw herself onto the bed. Minnie lingered at the doorway, her hand resting on the knob. “All right,” she said. “You’re good now. Get some sleep.”
But Miyeon sit up, she looked onto Minnie’s eyes. “Why don’t you stay?”
Minnie blinked, “What?”
“Why don’t you stay?” Miyeon repeated.
“Why do you want me to stay?”
“You’ve been nice all night, and you’re a good company… I don’t want to be alone.”
“Miyeon, you’re drunk,” she said gently. “You’ll be fine tomorrow.”
“I’m not that drunk,” Miyeon replied. “There’s plenty of space here, and I’d like your company.” she said as she pat the king size bed.
Minnie shifted uncomfortably. She wasn’t blind, Miyeon was beautiful and yes she was attracted to her. But Minnie had her boundaries. She would normally be okay with casual hookups but she thought Miyeon was different. On top of that, Miyeon was so vulnerable.
“Damn it,” she muttered. “Am i being needy and annoying right now?”
Minnie was about to say smething, but Miyeon pushed herself off the bed, stumbling slightly as she was tipsy and her legs weren’t strong.
“Whoaa!!!” Minnie said, moving quickly to catch her. She slipped an arm around Miyeon’s waist, steadying her as Miyeon gripped her shoulders for balance.
Miyeon’s face was close to Minnie’s while Minnie’s arm tightened instinctively around her waist, her other hand lightly resting on Miyeon’s arm. Their gazes locked. And then Miyeon leaned in, her lips brushing softly against Minnie’s.
Minnie’s body responded before her thoughts could catch up, and she kissed Miyeon back. The kiss was slow but it evolved when Miyeon’s hands slid up to wrap around Minnie’s neck and Minnie’s arms instinctively moved to Miyeon’s waist.
Minnie broke the kiss, pulling back slightly, though their foreheads remained pressed together. Her hands still resting on Miyeon’s waist. “I can’t… I don’t want to take advantage of you.”
Miyeon didn’t pull away. She stayed close, as she stared into Minnie’s eyes. “You’re not taking advantage of me,” she whispered, “I’m the one taking advantage of you.”
“You’re drunk. You’re not thinking straight. And I… I respect you too much to do this. You’re not even gay.”
Miyeon’s brows furrowed, “I just want you to fuck me.”
Minnie’s eyes widened. The Miyeon she had met just hours ago was sweet, and suddenly she changed into the wilder and bolder Miyeon. “I’m asking you, Minnie,” Miyeon continued, her hands tightening slightly around Minnie’s neck, pulling her closer again. “No strings attached. Just… sex.”
Minnie had found herself in situations like this before, friends with benefits, casual hookups, it was a dynamic she was familiar with and had always handled without complication. She wasn’t the type to catch feelings. It would be a lie if Minnie said she didn’t imagine fucking Miyeon. This should have been easy for her.
“Just sex…” repeated Minnie. It was more like a mental note for herself.
Miyeon leaned in again and her Miyeon’s fingers found the hem of Minnie’s shirt, tugging it up and over her head, then Minnie’s hands slid to Miyeon’s waist, pulling her closer to kiss her. Their broke the kiss as Miyeon fumbled with Minnie’s jeans, pushing them down her hips, and Minnie kicked them off.
Miyeon took off the Minnie’s flannel shirt and her plain black shirt in such rush motion leaving them with their innerwear. Minnie pulled her back into a kiss, to her neck as she unclasped Miyeon’s bra. At that moment, it was just lust for both of them.