~Anning~
I woke up with my face smashed into Hana’s couch pillow, drool everywhere, head pounding like I’d been hit with a hamr. Which, fair, because we’d demolished that pint of mint chocolate chip, half a bucket of fried chicken, and enough soju to forget our nas last night. Hana was already in the kitchen, banging pans around like she was trying to wake the dead.
"Rise and shine, princess," she yelled over the sizzle of sothing that slled like bacon. "I made hangover food. Eggs, bacon, rice, and that spicy kimchi you like because apparently I’m your personal chef now."
I groaned and rolled over, pulling the blanket over my head. "Five more minutes. My soul still hurts."
"Your soul can hurt with food in it," she shot back. "Get your ass up before I eat it all."
I dragged myself to the table, hair looking like a bird’s nest, wearing her oversized t-shirt and sweats. She slid a plate in front of , piled high, and sat across with her own. We ate in silence for like two minutes, which for us is a record.
"So," she said, mouth full, "you gonna mope all day or are we pretending to be functional humans?"
I stabbed my eggs harder than necessary. "I don’t know. Moping feels productive right now."
She snorted. "Productive. Right. Because crying into ice cream fixed everything last night."
"It helped a little," I muttered. "You calling amazing while I shoveled chocolate in my face? Chef’s kiss."
"Yeah, well, you’re welco." She leaned back, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "But seriously, Ning. We can’t sit here forever. Your dad’s an asshole, Min’s an idiot, life’s a ss. What do you wanna do today? Movie marathon? Shopping? Burn his car down?"
I laughed despite everything. "Tempting on the car. But no. Let’s just... watch sothing stupid."
"Deal. I got that new action movie where everything explodes and nobody talks about their emotions."
We migrated to the couch, plates balanced on our laps, and started the movie.
I shifted. Then shifted again. Crossed my legs, uncrossed them, pulled the blanket tighter, threw it off. My skin felt too hot, too tight, and there was this ache low in my stomach that had nothing to do with hangover.
Hana paused the movie and side-eyed . "Okay, what the hell is wrong with you? You’re wiggling like you sat on a cactus."
I buried my face in my hands. "Nothing. Keep going."
"Bullshit." She grabbed the remote and turned it off completely. "Spill. You’re making anxious just watching you."
I groaned, flopping back against the cushions. "Fine. It’s... I’m ovulating. Okay? Like peak stupid horny ovulation. My body’s screaming for touch and skin and anything and it’s driving insane."
She blinked at , then burst out laughing. "Oh my goodness. That’s what’s wrong? You’re in heat-lite mode?"
"Shut up," I snapped, but I was laughing too because it was ridiculous. "It’s not funny. I feel like I’m gonna crawl out of my skin. I need... I don’t know. Sothing."
She wiped her eyes, still giggling. "Girl, why didn’t you say so? We can fix that. Club tonight. Drinks, dancing, hot strangers who don’t know your family drama. You find soone to scratch the itch, I babysit from afar. Done."
I stared at her. "You serious?"
"Dead. You need to get laid or at least heavily made out with. Doctor Hana prescribes one night of bad decisions."
I bit my lip. "I don’t know. What if I just... make everything worse?"
"Worse than tossing and turning on my couch like a possessed worm? Doubt it." She grabbed my hand. "Co on. We’ll get cute, dance our asses off, and if you hate it we’ll co ho and finish the movie. No pressure."
I sighed. "Fine. But you’re buying first round."
"Obviously."
The place was packed, lights flashing, bass thumping so hard I felt it in my chest. We danced imdiately, Hana dragging to the floor, hands in the air, laughing like idiots. Guys looked, girls looked, nobody cared. It was perfect chaos.
After like an hour my skin was still screaming but in a good way now, sweaty and alive. Hana leaned in close to my ear. "I’m gonna go sit for a bit. Feet killing . You keep dancing. Have fun."
"You sure?" I yelled back.
"Yeah! Go wild. Text if you need rescue."
She disappeared into the crowd and I kept moving, eyes closed, letting the music take over. That’s when I felt hands on my hips. Not I turned and there he was tall, cute smile, dark hair falling in his eyes. He leaned in.
"You’re gorgeous," he said, loud enough over the music.
I laughed. "Thanks. You’re not bad."
We danced. Close. Then closer. His hands on my waist, my arms around his neck. He slled good, not overwhelming, just clean and warm. We made out right there on the floor, ssy and hungry, and it felt good. Finally so relief from the ache.
He pulled back, grinning. "Wanna find sowhere quieter?"
I nodded before my brain caught up. "Yeah."
He led through the crowd to this dark corner booth, half hidden. We sat, or more like fell into each other. Kissing turned into hands under shirts, my leg over his lap, grinding slow and desperate. The ovulation was screaming yes yes yes, body on fire.
He whispered against my neck, "My place is close. Or bathroom? I don’t care, I just need... "
And that’s when it hit .
His mouth on my skin felt wrong. Not bad, just... not right. Not what I wanted. I kept seeing Hana’s face instead her laughing at this morning, wiping my tears last night, holding my hand in the car. Hana who never left. Hana who got like nobody else.
I froze.
He pulled back. "You okay?"
"I... yeah. Just. Give a second."
I grabbed my phone, hands shaking, texted Hana: where r u??
The reply ca fast: headed ho already. u good?
Shit.
I looked at the guy. He was still smiling, waiting, hand on my thigh.
"You’re really hot," I said, and he grinned wider. "But I can’t do this. I’m sorry."
His face fell. "What? Why?"
"Because I’m an idiot," I muttered, sliding out of the booth. "And I’m thinking about my best friend. Bye."
I didn’t wait for his reaction. Just bolted through the crowd, heart pounding harder than the bass.
The ride felt endless. My skin was still buzzing, ache worse now because I knew exactly what it wanted and it wasn’t so random guy.
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