Things had been going so well—almost too well. The trip to the resort had been a dream: lazy days hiking the wooded trails, evenings around the fire pit with Suho and Yeji sharing old college stories, Tae sneaking off with Kook for quick, breathless fucks in hidden spots. Yuna complained about bugs and bad Wi-Fi, but even she seemed less bitchy, or maybe Kook just didn’t care anymore. Back home, the “lessons” continued—stolen moments that felt less like teaching and more like loving. Tae whispered “I love you” every time they finished, and Kook said it back, meaning it more each day. He felt alive, wanted, like a man instead of a doormat.

But secrets have a way of unraveling.