Kenny walked into the Community Centre, holding Karen's hand. The room was filled with messy, dishevelled adults; homeless people that were down on their luck, and treated as more of an eyesore by the residents of South Park than anything else. There were only a few people that treated them as human beings.

One of them was PC Principal, the principal of South Park Elementary and an activist for just about anything and everything PC. Although he helped fund the soup drive, he was far too busy looking after his PC babies to be there in-person.

Another two were classmates of his: Heidi Turner, and Gregory, a boy who had previously attended school at Yardale with a 4.0 grade-point average. The next was Mrs. Testaburger, who worked on the City Council as their token humanitarian.

The last volunteer was her daughter, Wendy Testaburger. A smart and passionate girl known for fighting a variety of causes, even when everyone else considered them 'gay', and also for being Stan's on-again-off-again girlfriend. She looked like she was just about to step away when she saw the two approach, and then stayed and greeted them. "Hi Kenny. Hi Karen." She smiled at Kenny's younger sister, who blushed and hid behind Kenny.

"Hi, Wendy."

Kenny wanted to laugh. It wasn't hard to tell that his sister had something of a crush on the older girl. When the soup drive first started, the McCormick family were considered 'not poor enough' to benefit, given that they still had a house, however shitty it may have been, and that Kenny's dad was working. It was Wendy who convinced the City Council to at least let little Karen qualify, and the two hit it off very quick. For an only-child, Wendy seemed to have a knack at getting along with children, and Karen liked 'how pretty' she was, and 'how nice she smelled'.

"Here you go. Sorry I can't give you more." Wendy gave Karen one bowl of soup, a little more than she usually pours out. "Make sure you blow on it, okay?"

"I will."

"I was about to go on my break. You wanna come sit with me?"

"Okay!"

Kenny and Karen followed Wendy behind the counter, a place usually off-limits to the homeless that came to eat, and into a breakroom. Karen sat at a table, and made of show of blowing on her soup before digging into it. She beamed and kicked her legs. "It's so good! Thank you, Wendy!"

"You're welcome," Wendy said, even though it was just store-bought soup that, to her at least, wasn't actually that good. She glanced over at Kenny, who was looking back at her, and bit her lip. "Hey, you mind if Kenny and I head out for a minute? We have something school-related to talk about."

"Mhm." Karen was so focussed on eating that she didn't offer more than a simple nod. Wendy turned on a TV in the room, which started playing an episode of the Queef Sisters.

Kenny followed Wendy through a door that led to a storeroom, and after closing the door behind them, Kenny removed his hood and the two of them kissed. To most residents of South Park, Wendy was Stan's on-again-off-again girlfriend, but the truth of the matter was that the two hadn't been together for a while now. The truth of the matter was that Wendy had officially ended things with Stan some time ago, and had even go so far as to block his number to avoid his pleas for another chance. The truth of the matter was that Kenny and Wendy were secretly seeing each other, sneaking off whenever they could to do things like this.

"How much time d'you think we have?" Kenny asked, his voice no longer muffled by his hood.

"Gregory and Heidi take their breaks later."

"Karen loves Queef Sisters, so I guess we've got a while." With that, the two of them removed their coats and let them drop to the floor, then returned to kissing.

It all started a few months ago, after Stan had yet again ended things with Wendy. Or maybe it was Wendy who ended things with Stan? Regardless, the two were once again 'off', and as expected, Stan started trying to win her back through a series of gestures. Telling her he'd changed, telling her he was under a lot of stress, telling her she means the world to him. Pretty much anything except apologising. Wendy was so aggravated that she called Kenny and asked him to meet her, as Mysterion.

The two had already retired Mysterion and Call Girl when everyone else stopped playing superhero, but that night, Wendy needed to let off some steam, so the two of them tracked down a drug ring and shut it down. Wendy sabotaged their online network to turn the buyers and the suppliers against each other, and then when the two sides were busy fighting it out, they ran in there and beat them up.

It seemed to help, but she was still annoyed. Kenny had only meant to offer some advice when he told her, 'You're too good for someone who treats you like crap. You deserve a partner who sees you as more than just a trophy. Someone who actually wants to be with you.' But apparently, she had been so touched by his words that she kissed him. Kenny had mixed feelings at first, but lost in the moment, he kissed her back, and the two spent a good few minutes making out on the roof of some guy's house before they finally realised what they were doing. Wendy thanked him, whether for the night, the advice or the kiss, he wasn't sure. She then left without another word.

The next day, Wendy and Stan were holding hands on the way to school. She had given him another chance. Over the next few months, any time the two would fight and breakup, Wendy would confide in Kenny. It was bothersome, but she needed to vent, and apparently her girlfriends were no good for that. When she was finished, she thanked and kissed him, and they would just make out for several minutes.

Sometimes, they would meetup as Mysterion and Call Girl, but other times, she would find some way for them to be alone together. In the library after school, at Stark's Pond, in the movie theatre showing the latest Disney remake. The two had even found excuses to visit each other's houses sometimes. Every time, it would be a mere rebound on Wendy's part, and every time, Wendy would give Stan another chance, and every time, Kenny couldn't blame her one bit because he realised he had the exact same fucking problem. No matter how many times Wendy would use him and then run back to Stan, he just couldn't bring himself to say 'no' the next time.

Then, one month ago, something happened. Something far bigger than any of the other times Wendy and Stan broke-up. Wendy grabbed Kenny by the wrist and pulled him to her house. She didn't say anything the whole way, and her face was a dark mixture of anger and hurt. It looked like she was trying not to cry. When they got there, Wendy pulled Kenny to her room, slammed the door, and started kissing him, far-more aggressively than usual.

Kenny sank into the kiss at first. They removed their coats as usual, but when she reached down for his pants, that was when he stopped her. The furthest they'd ever gone was him feeling her chest over her shirt – this was a big step up, and while Kenny didn't mind, he didn't want to take advantage of Wendy's feelings like that. That was when he realised how fucked he really was. How much he'd fallen for the girl who, only months ago, was just 'his friend's girlfriend'.

When he stopped her, Wendy began crying. She broke down in front of his eyes, saying how stupid she was and how much she hated Stan. Clearly, he'd done something bad. Kenny sat her down on her bed and handed her tissues. After a few minutes, Wendy started to calm down, and told him what had happened.

"Stan wasn't responding to my texts at all! He wasn't even reading them! He was just using that fucking AI the whole time! The nerve of him!"

Kenny had heard something about a student using AI to cheat on their tests, but apparently, that wasn't all it was used for. Still, this reaction seemed a little extreme to him. Sure, it was a shitty thing to do, but like, 90% of their fights stemmed from the fact that Stan paid little-to-no attention to Wendy, and showed so little interest in whatever was going on in her life. This was hardly anything new.

"The worst part, the thing that has me so mad, is that this time I trusted him so much, I told him some… things. Things that are hard to talk about." Wendy brought her legs up to her face and wrapped her arms around them. "I thought we were finally communicating, and I told him all my deepest secrets. I've never let myself be so vulnerable before, I always try so hard to be strong, but I thought with him, I could just let it all out. But he wasn't listening! I poured my whole heart out, and he couldn't be bothered read even one fucking text! And he still has those texts! Fuck! What if he shows them to everyone?! What if he already has?!"

"If he'd already shared them, I'd know," Kenny said. "I'd be one of the first people he'd show them to."

"Well, he still has them."

Kenny hummed. "Well, maybe we could ask someone to help erase them from his phone. I think I know a Call Girl that can help with that."

It took Wendy a few seconds to react, and when she did, she laughed, though only lightly. "Oh, yeah. I'll uh, I'll take care of that tonight." There was a tense silence between the two for several moments. "Sorry. You can go now."

"… Do I have to?" Another silence, and then Wendy shook her head. "I'm not good at this kinda thing, so I don't know what to say. We can go back to kissing, if you want." Kenny realised how bad that sounded right away. "If you want! Uh, maybe I should just go."

Wendy sniffed, wiping the tears from her face. "No, please don't. Sorry I did all that. I just… I was so mad, I wasn't thinking straight. Sorry."

"I don't mind. It was nice."

"Fuck, why do I keep doing this? Why do I keep thinking he'll change? I keep thinking we're like meant to be together, that it'll be different every time, but it's just always the same! You were right. He doesn't care about me, I'm just a prize to him. A trophy girlfriend."

Kenny scratched the back of his head, sighing. "I mean, I think he does like you, but he loves himself more. Not gonna lie, Stan's been acting more-and-more like his dad ever since they started up that farm."

"Christ, you're right." Wendy shuddered as she imagined an older Stan, running around and screaming at people over the smallest of things, acting entitled and playing the victim card whenever he could. An alcoholic who denies he has a problem. And there she was, his wife, broken and defeated, the two of them fighting every day. "I… I can't fix him, can I?"

"Why do you have to fix him?" Kenny asked. "If he's not right for you, why not just forget him? Fuck, it's like the universe is giving you all these signs and you're just ignoring them." Another silence passed, and Kenny was worried he'd gone too far. "I mean, it's not like there aren't plenty of guys out there. Like Gregory. You two were pretty happy before."

"Mm. He was… cool, but I dunno, looking back on it, I think it was just a crush. I don't see him that way anymore."

"Well, how Tolkien? Or Jimmy? They're both nice. Doesn't even have to be a guy. You and Bebe would be pretty hot together."

Wendy couldn't help but laugh at that. "I don't go that way!"

"How'd you know? Maybe you just need to give it a try, and I can be the ref!"

Wendy laughed harder, leaning aside to give Kenny a playful shove. "… Bebe and I have kissed, actually."

Kenny's eye shot open at that. "Seriously?"

"Uh-huh. Just practice. It was nice, but no, I'm sure I'm not like that."

"Fuck, that's a nice image, though."

"… Is that it?"

"Huh?"

"Is that all the people you could think of, that I might be interested in?" Wendy leaned into Kenny, resting her head on his shoulder. "There isn't anyone else?"

"…" Kenny swallowed. This entire conversation, his mind had been screaming at him to just ask her already, but it didn't feel right. Not just because he felt like he'd be taking advantage of her, or because of his friendship with Stan. He was worried that this would just be another rebound. That he would just do the same as Wendy, and would be getting his hopes up for nothing. 'Come on, Kenny! It's now or never! If she says no then you can put it to rest forever. Just ask her already, you pussy!'

"Ken? I think you're a pretty cool guy. You don't always show it, but you're actually kinda sweet, y'know? And way more passionate about things than the other boys. When you wanna do something, you just do it."

'Yeah well, what's the worst that can happen? I die?'

"I know I've just been using you to feel better this whole time, every time Stan and I fight, and I always go back to him after. So I understand if you hate me now, and want nothing to do with me, but-"

"Bullshit!" Kenny startled Wendy with his sudden outburst. "Dude, if I hated you, I would've ended this ages ago! Of course I wanna be with you! I…" Kenny's face turned red. "I think I like you, Wendy." 'God damnit, I'm such a fucking pussy.'

Wendy was also blushing. "I… think I like you, too."

"But how do I know this isn't just gonna go the same way as always? How do I know that you're really done with Stan this time?"

"I am! I swear, this time, it's over for good!" Wendy took out her phone and navigated to Stan's number. In front of Kenny's eyes, she deleted it, and all of the texts and calls between them, and then for good measure, she blocked him. "I'm done with him now. I can't fix him, and I don't want to fix him! I want somebody who cares about how my day went. Who'll answer when I call, who'll show up to my volleyball matches to support me."

'Ah crap. I didn't think this through… Ah well, small price to pay.'

"And who'll comfort me when I'm feeling… vulnerable."

Kenny wrapped an arm around Wendy and pulled her into a hug. "So… we're not just making out anymore, right? We're like… going out now?"

Wendy smiled, returning the hug. "Yeah, I guess we are."

Though Kenny remained silent, his mind was exploding in celebration. 'Fucking yes!'

The two remained huddled like that for some time, before Wendy decided to resume the kissing from earlier, this time with a more-gentle approach.

Back in the present, the two were still kissing even after several minutes had passed. Kenny's hand at some point found its way beneath Wendy's shirt, and she was tempted to let things go a step further, but… "We should stop," she said, breaking off the kiss and backing away. She straightened her shirt and reached down for her coat.

"I think we still have time."

"I know, but if we keep going, I don't think I'll be able to stop." Wendy picked up Kenny's coat along with hers and handed it to him. "We can't go further, not here."

Though it was a disappointment, Kenny knew she was right. The two put their coats back on and Wendy took a moment to tidy her hair. "Tonight, then?"

Wendy nodded. "Yeah."

The two left the storeroom and returned to where Karen was watching TV, only to find that she wasn't the only one there. Gregory was sitting with her, watching along until he heard the two return. "Finished your 'discussion'?" he asked, standing up and walking towards them.

"Oh, uh, yeah!" Wendy replied, her face turning red. "Gregory, you normally take your break later, right?"

"Yes, but I needed to speak with you. Stan is here."

Wendy's face turned to confusion, and Kenny… wasn't sure what he was feeling, but he didn't like it. "Why?" Wendy asked.

"To try to 'win you back', obviously. He says he wants to speak with you, and seems very insistent."

"Well, tell him I'm not interested. I've made it clear it's over between us!"

"Yes, I did consider it, but I didn't want to cause a scene. Besides, you know it would only be a temporary solution. That boy is very persistent."

"What are you saying?"

"I think you should tell him that you've moved on. That you're already with another."

Wendy and Kenny were both surprised to hear him say that. "W-What do you mean?" Wendy asked, glancing over to Kenny for a brief second. "Who?"

"Wendy, please. I attended school at Yardale, where I had a 4.0 grade-point average. It's not exactly difficult to deduce what's going on between the two of you."

"You haven't… told anyone, right?" Kenny asked.

Gregory looked at Kenny for a moment, then back to Wendy. Out of everyone in the class, he was the only one who still couldn't understand Kenny's muffled speaking. When Wendy translated, he answered, "No. I have no interest in gossip, and there's no benefit in sharing the secrets of my classmates."

The two breathed sighs of relief. So at least it wasn't out in the open yet. But that certainly seemed to be what Gregory was suggesting. "We can't do that," Wendy told him.

"Why? Are you afraid of how he might react?" He turned to Kenny. "Or of hurting him, because he's your friend? Because if so, I think you'll find lying to him to be even worse. I think you should tell him the truth now, lest the situation escalates to a point where somebody gets hurt."

Kenny and Wendy looked at each other, silently weighing their options, whilst Gregory returned to his seat in the breakroom. "He's right, you know," Wendy said. "Even if Stan was a total douche… we should still tell him. He won't be able to move on otherwise."

Kenny knew from experience how dramatic Stan could get when something bad happened in his life. How difficult he found it to move on. But he also knew how fast Stan could recover once that bandage had been ripped and he had time to process it. He was sure that Stan could handle it this time, too, but that wasn't what worried him. He didn't want to risk losing his friendship.

Wendy took Kenny's hand. "We'll tell him together, okay?"

Kenny was worried, but when he felt Wendy's hand in his and stared into her eyes, he knew that it was something he had to do. He loved Wendy, but their relationship couldn't stay secret forever. It was time to rip off that bandage, and whatever happened, he would deal with it.

Together, the two left the Community Centre and approached Stan, waiting for them outside.