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In South Korea, in a quiet neighborhood where neighbors still borrow sugar and gossip louder than sirens, two families lived side by side for over 25 years.
The Kims and the Lees.
They were best friends. Drank together. Cried during dramas together. Bought the same rice cookers.
And most importantly, they had one dream in common:
> "Our children must grow up as best friends. Maybe even… get married!"
That's how Kim Min-Jae, a shy boy with a constant frown, and Lee Soo-Min, a loud girl with a punch like a steel hammer, were pushed into a fake friendship contract starting at the age of 3.
On paper, it sounded sweet.
In reality?
It was war.
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Scene 1: The "Playdate" Incident
"Min-Jae-ah! Go play with Soo-Min!" his mother would chirp.
Soo-Min would already be in the living room, smiling like an angel…
until their moms left the room.
The second the coast was clear:
> "Touch my Barbie again and I'll feed you to the neighbor's dog," Soo-Min hissed.
> "You taped my robot's arms to your teddy bear last time!" Min-Jae barked back.
It always ended the same way:
A spilled juice box.
Someone's hair getting pulled.
A parent running in yelling, "Aigo! What happened now?!"
But in front of adults?
They were Oscar-level performers.
> "Soo-Min is my best friend!"
"Min-Jae is like my oppa~"
Secretly, they were just waiting for the day they could escape each other forever.
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Scene 2: Years of Friendly Violence
From kindergarten to high school, their story never changed.
Group photos: Standing next to each other while secretly elbowing.
Family trips: Fighting over who gets the window seat.
Texting: Only for insults or memes making fun of each other.
They had a mutual agreement:
> "We pretend in front of our parents. That's it."
They even had a scoreboard:
Min-Jae: Once locked Soo-Min in a bathroom stall for 20 minutes.
Soo-Min: Cut the buttons off all of Min-Jae's school shirts before exams.
True love? No.
True pain? Definitely.
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Scene 3: The Seoul Announcement
Then came that day.
Over dinner, their parents dropped the nuclear bomb.
> "Kids, great news! You both got into universities in Seoul!"
"And guess what? We got you an apartment—together!"
"You'll live like siblings! It'll be so efficient. So cozy. So economical!"
Min-Jae's chopsticks fell. Soo-Min choked on her kimchi.
> "What kind of horror movie logic is this?!" Soo-Min screamed.
> "I'll live in a cardboard box before I share a roof with her!" Min-Jae snapped.
But it was too late. The lease was signed. The rent was paid.
Their parents smiled proudly and clinked glasses.
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Scene 4: The Ride to Hell (aka Seoul)
The day they moved to Seoul was supposed to be hopeful, exciting, the start of adulthood.
Instead, it felt like a prison transfer.
Their parents waved happily as the moving truck drove off.
Inside the truck, Min-Jae and Soo-Min sat on opposite sides like rival mafia bosses.
> "Don't you dare use my shampoo."
"Don't you dare bring smelly ramen into my kitchen."
They stared out the window, already planning how to build a wall in the apartment.
Soo-Min opened her diary and wrote:
> "Day 1: Trapped with the enemy. Send help. Or poison."
Min-Jae updated his phone notes:
> "Operation: Outwit the banshee. Priority #1 — buy noise-canceling headphones."
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To Be Continued...