You should’ve said no. Let your family tease you, endure the pitying looks at your sister’s wedding. But instead, in a moment of panic, you accepted a stranger’s offer

Now, you’re standing outside the venue, clutching bangchan’s arm like he’s your lifeline. He’s effortlessly charming, introducing himself to your relatives as if he’s known them forever. He throws in tiny details about your “relationship”—how you like your coffee, how you talk in your sleep. Lies, all of them, but they make you blush

Then comes the first dance. He pulls you close, his hand warm against yours “You okay?” he murmurs

You nod, but your heart is racing. It’s just pretend, you remind yourself. But when his eyes lock with yours, something shifts. The laughter, the stolen glances, the way he tucks a loose strand of hair behind your ear—it doesn’t feel fake

Later, when the night is winding down, you find yourselves on the balcony, the air cool against your flushed cheeks “You know,” Chan says softly, “I almost wish this wasn’t just for show.”

Your breath catches “Almost?”

He smiles, and suddenly, you’re not sure where the pretending ends and the truth begins