Yejin's POV
I ended the call, dropped my phone on the bed, and closed my eyes.
For exactly two seconds.
Then it hit me.
My eyes flew open.
"…Oh. Oh no."
I shot upright so fast my head spun, the hangover roaring its displeasure. My heart began to pound, not from alcohol this time, but from realization. Tall. Broad shoulders. In Sora's kitchen.
There was only one man whose description could possibly fit.
"Oh my God," I breathed. "I know him." But now he has a bleeding head. I'm so dead!
I practically launched myself out of bed, yanking my robe from the hook and slipping into it while hopping on one foot. I didn't even bother fixing my hair. Priorities.
If Sora called the police before I got there, my bank account and possibly my freedom would never recover.
I rushed out of my apartment and nearly collided with Hanna, who was calmly walking towards the dining table, sipping coffee like the world wasn't on the verge of imploding.
"Watch out! Where are you going?" she asked, eyebrow arching as she watched me sprint past.
"To stop Sora from calling the police!" I yelled over my shoulder.
That made her pause mid-bite of her toast.
"…Police?"
Too late. I was already out the door, bolting down the hallway toward the apartment at the very end of the third floor. Sora's place.
I didn't even knock.
I burst inside.
The first thing I saw was Sora, curled up on the couch, hugging her knees to her chest like a distressed cat. Her eyes were wide, fixed on the kitchen floor.
The second thing I saw—
—was Yeongjae.
Tied up.
On the floor.
Unconscious.
Shirtless.
Bleeding.
I froze.
"…Wow," I said faintly. "You really went straight to felony, huh?"
"Did you call the police?" I asked quickly, moving closer.
Sora shook her head. "No. I mean, I wanted to. But I know him. And I want to hear his explanation first."
Relief flooded me so hard my knees almost buckled.
"Good. Very good," I muttered, rushing toward Yeongjae. "Okay, we need to untie him. Right now."
I crouched and reached for the rope—
—and Sora grabbed my wrist.
"Hey! What are you doing?" she snapped.
"Sora," I said, deadly serious now, "listen to me. We have to untie him and pray to God that his company doesn't sue us into another dimension. I ordered this so it is signed under my name."
I started untying him.
She stopped me again.
"Wait—stop!" Her grip tightened. "What order? What did you sign?"
"I'll explain," I said, exasperated, "but first we need to untie him. Look at his head—he's bleeding!"
"No," she said firmly, blocking my hands. "Explain first. Yejin, what is going on?"
I rolled my eyes and blew out a long sigh.
"Can't you recognize him from last night?"
She blinked. "I do. I bumped into him outside my pet shop. Then I met him again in the plaza and did a tarot reading for him."
I stared at her.
"…What?"
"You met him before the party?" I asked slowly.
She nodded. "Yes. Why?"
My stomach dropped.
"Okay. That complicates things," I muttered.
"What?" she pressed.
"He was the one sitting beside you last night," I said. "One of the boyfriends-for-hire I booked."
Her brows knitted together. "What? He was the masked man beside me last night. How could I recognize him? He was wearing a mask."
"He took it off," I said. "Don't you remember?"
She shook her head. "No."
"Well," I sighed, "you were extremely drunk, so I'm not surprised."
Her eyes flicked back to Yeongjae. "Then why is he in my house?"
I swallowed.
"Because," I said carefully, "I booked him for three days."
Her head snapped toward me. "You what?"
"I thought since it's the weekend, you could use some help," I explained quickly. "You know… Relax. Recover. Enjoy. And Young Kens Incorporated was offering a three-day package at a discount, so—"
"You booked a man," she interrupted, "to stay in my house."
"Yes," I said. "A professional man."
She looked like her soul was trying to exit her body.
"The boyfriend-for-hire service is basically a maid, assistant, and emotional support human rolled into one," I continued, holding up my hands defensively. "They clean, cook, watch your dogs, do groceries, accompany you to places—with sweetness and care. No romance. No sex. No funny business. Very clear boundaries."
She stared at me.
"Basically," I added, "a fake boyfriend with a chore list."
Silence.
"…And you didn't think to tell me?" she asked softly.
"It was supposed to be a surprise," I said weakly.
She rubbed her temples. "Well, I am surely surprised! So you're telling me I knocked out my hired help."
"Yes."
"With a baseball bat."
"Yes."
She leaned back against the couch, laughing hollowly. "Of course I did."
"We can dismiss him anytime, but we also have to follow their terms and conditions. To protect both parties," I said.
"Which includes not assaulting them?" she muttered.
"Surprisingly, yes."
"How did you even come up with this idea?" Sora asked.
She glanced at my phone as I pulled it out. I brightened slightly and unlocked my screen. "Funny you ask."
I showed her the website.
Young Kens Incorporated.
She leaned over, curiosity momentarily overpowering panic. "Wow," she murmured, scrolling. "So their clients are the Barbies, and they are the Kens, this is genius! You can actually see their profiles, as well."
"Only after signing up," I said. "Without their membership login, you won't see the list. It also depends on your membership level, to which list you'll see. Yeongjae was supposed to be for VIP clients, but it was his first gig, so it's like he's an intern. Their boss offered him to me at the last minute so he could gain some experience for a discounted price, and after seeing his picture, I said yes."
Her lips curved into a small, reluctant smile as she browsed. "Well, he does look handsome. Look, this one I remembered last night…"
"Just handsome? Look at him, he is literally an angel sent by the gods," I said, looking at Yeongjae on the floor.
"Oh, this one is cute, look! You should have booked him too last night," Sora said, completely focused on my phone.
I tilted my head in disbelief as she pointed to another handsome man on the screen. "Seriously, Sora, you're wishing that I booked three men for you last night?"
Sora didn't even look at me and continued checking the Young Kens' profile list. "Yeah, why not? It was my birthday, so three boyfriends wouldn't be bad. You've got to have them all while you can, right?" Sora laughed loudly, making me laugh too at her ridiculous joke.
"My God, Yejin! Why didn't you tell me about this before? Look at these handsome men, I want them all! So handsome, so manly, so cute! Look at those abs and muscles. I think that's one of their requirements to get the job; each and every one of them is fit and good-looking. They are making me drool!" Sora exclaimed with an excited voice, and it's contagious.
On the floor, Yeongjae groaned softly. Still unconscious, though.
Both of us froze.
Sora's smile vanished instantly.
And in that moment, I knew—
Whatever I had set in motion last night?
It was already far beyond my control. I am doomed!