Day Twelve. 8:30 PM.
It started with a power cut.
One second, Soo-Min was scrolling Instagram, the next —
ZAP.
Blackout.
She shrieked.
Min-Jae yelled from the kitchen, "I DIDN'T DO IT!"
"I wasn't accusing you—yet."
"You always accuse me when the lightbulb goes out."
"Because last time you replaced it with a boiled egg."
"It was an experiment!"
---
Scene 1: Confession Game Begins
The building's generator failed, so the tenants all gathered in the hallway with candles, blankets, and Bokki meowing dramatically like he missed Wi-Fi.
Mrs. Park lit up her scented candle.
Mr. Han: "Who brought horror board games?!"
Ye-Rin: "Let's play something fun while we wait. Like… a confession game."
Everyone oohed.
Ye-Rin grinned. "Rules are simple. We go in a circle. You confess something real. Or you wear the 'shame crown.'"
She pulled out a paper tiara that said 'I HAVE NO SPINE.'
Min-Jae muttered, "I hate this already."
Soo-Min: "Let's play."
---
They went around the circle:
Mr. Han: "I once ate all the snacks in the laundry room and blamed the raccoons."
Mrs. Park: "I spy on your apartment with binoculars."
Min-Jae: "WAIT, WHAT?!"
Mrs. Park: "You two are more entertaining than Netflix."
Ye-Rin: "Your turn, Soo-Min."
She took a deep breath.
"Okay. I… may have once recorded Min-Jae singing in the shower and used it as my alarm clock."
Gasps. Laughter.
Min-Jae choked. "YOU WHAT?!"
"It was motivational. You hit the high note in 'My Heart Will Go On' surprisingly well."
"You're evil."
"Next confession, Min-Jae."
He hesitated.
Everyone watched.
"I… I lied about why I broke up with Ji-Yoon. It wasn't about distance. It was because I realized… I liked someone else."
Gasps.
Ye-Rin: "Ooooooh."
Soo-Min stared.
Min-Jae looked at her.
Then quickly down at Bokki.
---
Scene 2: Alone Again
Later, back in the apartment, Soo-Min couldn't stop thinking about the confession.
Min-Jae was pretending to do laundry, badly. He dropped a sock four times.
She approached.
"Was it true? What you said?"
He looked up.
"Yeah. I didn't say who, but… yeah."
A pause.
"Was it… someone I know?"
He blinked.
"You know her very well. You fight with her a lot. She's currently holding a sock hostage."
She looked down. Realized she was holding one of his socks.
"Oh."
He stepped closer.
"I'm not good at this. At saying things. But I'm trying. For you."
She whispered, "You're doing okay."
---
Scene 3: The Almost Kiss, Round Two
They sat on the balcony.
Rain had stopped. Air smelled fresh.
She turned to him.
"I've liked you for a while too. Even when you were annoying."
"That's… 95% of the time."
"Exactly."
They leaned in.
Closer.
Almost.
Then—
MEOW! 😾
Bokki launched himself between them.
Knocked over a flowerpot.
Spilled Min-Jae's drink.
They jumped apart.
"WHY DOES HE ALWAYS DO THIS?!"
"HE'S LIKE A FURRY CUPID'S CURSE!"
Bokki sat proudly. Tail flicking like he had done the world a favor.
---
Scene 4: Late Night Text
Later that night, she got a text from Min-Jae.
> "Bokki won this round. But I'm not giving up. Goodnight, not-so-grumpy girl."
She smiled.
Texted back:
> "Then I'll keep fighting back. Goodnight, frustrating boy."
Bokki meowed once from the kitchen.
Judging. Watching. Plotting.
---
End of Chapter 13