The Fall Guy? Not This Time

While I was eating, I came across a post on X. [Found out my girlfriend has a nasty disease and is pregnant. I want my buddy to be the one left holding the bag. What should I do?] I was just about to comment that the poster was out of his mind when I scrolled down and realized people were actually giving him advice. [That's easy! If you two are close, just invite him on a trip.] [Get your girlfriend and your buddy drunk in the middle of the night, then have them stay in your buddy's room. When the time comes, catch them in the act. You can break up and push the kid onto your buddy to take responsibility…] Reading that comment, I couldn't help but laugh in disbelief. I was about to show my friend this mind-blowing post so we could rant about it together when he suddenly looked up at me and asked, "Tyler, are you free this weekend? How about we go on a trip?" Chapter 1 I froze for a moment. Then I asked, "What made you suddenly want to go on a trip? Isn't it a bit rushed to squeeze it into just the weekend?" I'd met Simon Huck back in college. He was the only close friend I still kept in touch with after starting work. We used to travel together during long holidays. But this time, the suggestion came out of nowhere. With only two days over the weekend, a trip felt a little too tight. Hearing my concern, Simon waved it off and explained, "Come on, I just saw a post saying there's an EDM festival in Payne City this weekend. We haven't hung out in ages. We've been working like machines every day—might as well take this weekend to relax together." I hesitated. "I'm free this weekend, sure. But going to an EDM festival with you… won't your girlfriend mind? It's usually couples who go to those. It'd feel kind of awkward bringing me along." At the mention of his girlfriend, something flickered in Simon's eyes. He broke into a grin. "What's the problem? I'll just invite her too. The three of us can go together! Don't overthink it. Just treat it as a chance to unwind." With that, he lowered his head and immediately opened a ticket-booking app. But by then, something already felt off. A trip? The three of us? Wasn't this exactly like the post I'd just seen? I shot Simon a probing look as he busied himself with the tickets. A thought crept into my mind. Could he be the one who wrote that post? The idea flashed through my head, then quickly vanished. I scoffed at myself—there was no way something that coincidental could happen. Besides, I'd known Simon for five years. I knew exactly what kind of person he was. There was no way he'd do something like that. I hurriedly reassured myself, letting out a quiet breath of relief, and let him go ahead and book my ticket. Until, suddenly, he said he needed to use the restroom. As he stood up, a waiter approached with a dish. Simon didn't notice in time, and they collided. His phone slipped from his hand and skidded across the floor, stopping right by my feet. In the next second, I went completely rigid. Because a notification popped up on his screen: [Did your buddy agree to the trip? I'm waiting for an update.] A chill ran down my spine, and goosebumps prickled across my skin. Could it be… Simon really was the one who made that post? Chapter 2 The moment Simon went to the restroom, I immediately opened the post again. The original poster had updated it just a second ago. [Guys, quick update—I made it happen! I told him I'd bring my girlfriend along, and he agreed without hesitation. Good thing we're tight. He didn't suspect a thing. 'Victory emoji.'] My heart dropped. I kept scrolling and saw several new comments. After Simon's reply, most of the silent onlookers couldn't stay quiet anymore. One after another, people jumped in to tear him apart. [Is breaking up really that hard? You'd rather scheme against a buddy who trusts you? Are you even human?] [Meeting someone like you is the worst kind of bad luck. I hope your buddy sees this post and realizes what you really are. Disgusting.] [Stop pushing this kind of garbage to me. I'm so mad I'm about to get a lump in my chest! Idiot!] But the poster wasn't affected in the slightest. He fired back at each comment. [I'm not stupid. If I break up, my girlfriend will definitely demand money and use the baby to threaten me.] [Besides, if you were in my shoes, you'd all find some sucker to take the fall too.] [And honestly, I've never liked the guy. Just some rural nobody—why does he always have girls hovering around him? Always acting like some perfect gentleman…] [Anyway, I want him socially ruined, condemned by everyone… And I get to dump my girlfriend on him. Kill two birds with one stone!] The more I read, the more shocked I became. By then, I was completely certain—the poster was Simon. Just like he said, I came from the countryside. I was the only one from my village who made it into college. Because of that, I'd always felt inferior during my university years. I didn't have many friends. Simon was the only one willing to hang out with me. From freshman year to graduation, and even after we started working, I'd always treated him like a real brother. So it never once crossed my mind that, behind my back, he saw me this way—looked down on me, resented me… even wanted to ruin me. The sudden betrayal hit hard, leaving me both furious and sick at heart. My hand trembled as I gripped my phone. It wasn't until Simon stopped replying to the comments that it hit me—he was probably on his way back. I quickly put my phone away, took a deep breath, and forced my expression back to normal. By then, I had already made up my mind. Not only would I refuse his invitation, but I would also keep my distance from him from now on. Just as the thought settled, Simon walked out of the restroom. He sat back down and said, "Tyler, give me your ID number. I'll book your ticket right now. And don't worry about the cost—I've got it. Consider it my treat for coming with me." He slapped his thigh and laughed. But to me, that smile felt like provocation—mocking, taunting, laced with ridicule. I forced down the anger surging inside me and replied, "Simon, cancel the ticket. I'm not going." "What?!" Before I could even finish, Simon blurted it out loudly. Realizing he'd overreacted, he quickly cleared his throat. "I—I mean, why the sudden change? Isn't this a bit too abrupt?" I put on an apologetic tone. "I thought it over just now. The timing feels too tight. And I've been swamped with a project lately—I'll probably need to work overtime this weekend. "So I'll pass this time. Let's go somewhere together during the next holiday instead. You can go to the EDM festival with your girlfriend. I won't play third wheel." At that, Simon's smile completely vanished. His expression darkened. "But we already agreed on this. Backing out now—isn't that a bit much? Are we even best buds?" In the past, whenever he played the "best bud" card, I would always give in. As long as he wanted something, I'd do my best to go along with it. But now that I'd seen his true face, I finally understood just how foolish I'd been these past five years. I let out a self-mocking laugh and lowered my head, continuing to eat. When Simon saw that I wasn't responding, he grew anxious. Just as he was about to speak, I picked up a napkin, wiped my mouth, and stood up before he could say a word. "Sorry, Simon. It's getting late, and I still have work to finish. I'm heading off. As for the trip, next time—I promise I'll go with you." With that, I turned and walked away without looking back at his expression. It wasn't until I got home and opened X that a new notification popped up at the top of the screen. Simon had made another post. Chapter 3 [Damn it, he backed out! What do I do, everyone? Please help!!! How can I get him to agree to come out?!] Aside from the commenters cheering him on, the same user who had first offered advice reappeared. [Does it have to be your buddy who takes the fall?] [Can't you just find someone else?] Simon replied, clearly displeased: [No. It has to be him. I just don't like him. You have no idea—during lunch today, the way he acted all high and mighty pissed me off. Anyway, I want to see him socially ruined and condemned by everyone!] I stared coldly at Simon's comments. The last trace of goodwill I had for him vanished completely. After that, the other user suddenly went silent—they had likely moved the conversation to private messages. After my shower, I opened Simon's post again. This time, he sounded pleased. [Done. Got him to agree. This weekend, I'll be back with good news for everyone.] Reading that, a flicker of confusion crossed my mind. Had he switched targets? Just as I was puzzling over it, I noticed my younger sister had sent me over a dozen messages. I'd been so focused on Simon's post earlier that I hadn't noticed the notifications. When I opened them, panic surged through me. She had sent a screenshot. [Bro, Simon asked me for your ID number. He said he's treating us to the EDM festival—is that for real?] [Can I go?! You didn't reply, so I just said yes…] I never expected Simon to go around me and message my sister directly. Anger flared instantly. I called her right away. "Don't go to the festival. Tell him to refund the tickets." She sounded confused. "Why not? It's free. And I already agreed—wouldn't it be rude to back out now?" She hesitated. I took a deep breath. "Just don't go. And from now on, talk to him less. Better yet, delete him." Hearing that, she immediately asked, "Did you two have a fight? Is he asking you out to make up? You've known each other for five years—you know each other inside out. What could you even fight about?" Her words made my chest tighten. Yeah—five years. I had always treated him like a real brother. After graduation, we even joined the same company. Whenever projects were assigned, if he wanted a particular one, I'd give it to him without hesitation. I never argued, always handing over whatever he wanted. Thinking back on all those moments only made it hurt more. My sister kept trying to persuade me to go to the festival with her. I didn't want to hide it anymore. I told her everything about the post. She was stunned—and furious. She immediately blocked Simon. "He's unbelievable. How could he set up his friend like that? You've known each other for five years!" She cursed under her breath. I tried to calm her down. "Alright, just don't confront him about it. I'll handle it myself. As for the festival, turn him down and tell him to refund the tickets." She agreed, then warned me, "Now that you've seen who he really is, stay far away from him. People like that are scary—you never know what they'll do behind your back next." I nodded. Then I called Simon. At first, when I brought up the festival, he seemed momentarily stunned. Then, as expected, he started playing the "best bud" card again. "Tyler, do you even see me as your best bud? I just want to treat you to a festival. Is that really so hard?" I let out a cold laugh to myself before replying, "But I don't want to go. Why do you insist on me going? Is there something special about this festival?" At that, Simon fell silent. Sensing my suspicion, he stopped pressing me and simply hung up. I thought that would be the end of it. But the next morning at work, our manager suddenly announced that we'd have a team-building event on Friday and Saturday. Chapter 4 At first, I didn't think much of it. As early as last week, our manager had mentioned the possibility of a team-building event. I just hadn't expected it to land on this Friday and Saturday. After briefly going over the destination, he added with a smile, "This time it's a countryside retreat. We'll be teaming up with another department. All of you who are single—maybe you'll find someone." Then he turned to Simon. "You've got it easy. You can go with your girlfriend—consider it a company-sponsored trip." Hearing that, I frowned. Instinctively, I glanced at Simon. He was already looking at me. Our eyes met, and I clearly caught the flicker of smug satisfaction in his gaze. No way… Could it be that our department being paired with his girlfriend's department had something to do with him? After the manager finished speaking, everyone went back to work. Only then did I open the post I hadn't checked for the past two days. By now, nearly five hundred new comments had piled up. I scrolled through them one by one. The more I read, the angrier I became. Another user had offered him fresh advice. [If they won't go willingly, then find a way to make sure they have no choice. Tell me your situation.I'll come up with something for you.] Simon quickly laid it all out. [We work in the same department. My girlfriend is in another department. Our company is planning a team-building event soon—does that count as an opportunity?] The other user replied excitedly: [Of course it does! Team-building is even better! When the time comes, everyone in the company will know they spent the night together. You think he won't take responsibility then?" Simon: [But team assignments are pretty random, and there are a lot of people. There's no guarantee I'll even be near him…] The user immediately shot back: [Are you stupid? Someone has to be in charge of the arrangements. Find out who it is, get close to them, and see if you can pull some strings to get placed together.] For the sake of breaking the ice, the company always randomly paired two departments and had them compete against others during team-building. I kept scrolling until the very end. There, I saw Simon's reply: [Thanks, man. I found the person in charge and gave him a gift. I told him I wanted to be grouped with my girlfriend, and he agreed!] Then, almost immediately, Simon posted another update: [The plan is progressing smoothly. Just got confirmation—I've been grouped with my girlfriend's department! Everyone, wait for my good news.] I looked up at Simon, who was humming to himself across from me, and felt a chill settle deep in my chest. Without hesitation, I stood up and headed straight for the manager's office. "Mr. Bailey," I said, "can I opt out of this team-building event?" Chapter 5 The manager rejected my request on the spot. He even issued a formal notice, emphasizing that unless there were special circumstances, everyone was required to attend the team-building event. With no other choice, I agreed. On Friday morning, we set off from the company. After arriving at the venue, the first thing everyone did after getting off the bus was head to the hotel to check in and get their room assignments. I was assigned a room with another colleague. After dropping off my luggage, I stepped out of the room—and the moment I opened the door, I ran straight into Simon. He was standing right outside, staring intently at my room number. The instant he saw me, he quickly looked away. Then he broke into a smile and slung an arm over my shoulder. "Tyler, you're still mad, aren't you? What happened last time was my fault. We're best buds! Don't stay mad at me, okay?" Since that day, I hadn't spoken a single word to him at work. I wasn't angry—I just wanted to use the distance to slowly cut him out of my life. But I couldn't make it too obvious yet. So I snorted and brushed his hand off. "I'm not mad. I'm not that petty. I know you were just trying to invite me out." Seeing my softened attitude, Simon immediately seized the moment. "Yeah, I was just being stupid back then. I didn't mean to force you or make things awkward. I promise—nothing like that will ever happen again!" I let out a sigh, pretending to reluctantly forgive him. "Fine. But don't let it happen again." At that, Simon nodded eagerly. Then came what he really wanted. He looked at me and asked, "Since you've forgiven me… Tyler, can I stay in your room tonight? Ashley said she's sharing with her coworkers, so I'm on my own. You're the closest one to me here, so… can I switch and stay with you?" He put on a pleading smile, trying to win me over. But at that moment, all I could think about was the post I had just read. Earlier in my room, I had checked it again—and Simon had posted another update. [Already at the team-building location! What should I do next? Anyone got advice?] That same user replied: [Find an excuse to share a room with your buddy. That way it'll be easier to make your move. Get them drunk at night, and when no one's paying attention, bring your girlfriend into your buddy's room. That'll do it.] Simon had eagerly liked the comment. He had even said he'd send the guy a cash reward once it was done. Sure enough, not long after posting that reply, he showed up at my door. First, he tried to smooth things over and get my forgiveness—then he moved straight into executing his plan. Meeting his pleading gaze, a sudden thought crossed my mind. Since Simon had no regard for our friendship and was willing to ruin me, I'd let him taste regret and misery for himself. A cold smirk formed in my heart, though my face remained calm. I placed my hand lightly over the back of his and said gently, "Alright." "Really?!" Simon clearly hadn't expected me to agree so easily. He chatted with me excitedly for a few moments, then we headed downstairs together. On the first floor, everyone was gathered around having a barbecue. My gaze swept across the crowd before landing on a greasy-haired, pot-bellied man standing in the corner. Jay Heston was a colleague from my department. Not only was he older, unhygienic, and sloppy, but his character was just as bad—he often harassed people in our department in private. To us, he had never been a decent person. An hour earlier, he had approached me about switching rooms. "Tyler, can you swap rooms with me later?" I had asked, puzzled, "Why do you want to switch? Is your room not good? Why not ask the front desk?" Jay had awkwardly rubbed his oily hair. "My room's too big. I don't like it—I prefer smaller rooms. The front desk said there aren't any available, and no one's willing to switch with me… "So I thought of you guys. You and Simon could share my big room. It's a perfect idea, don't you think?" At the time, I had refused. But now, it seemed only fitting to let one bad man deal with another. A flicker of anticipation stirred within me for what tomorrow might bring. I walked over to Jay and smiled. "Jay, still looking to switch rooms?"