XVII.

Things still felt surreal.

From the way the world seemed to appear a brighter place, with each hour passing in a day bringing forth to further bloom, like the blossoming of flowers on a spring day, only that Wendy blossomed instead, through feelings nurtured by a surprisingly sweet Ms. Bae. To the way everyone around Wendy seemed to be singing glorious gospels, hymns of harmonious praises, whenever she walked past them or talked to them.

Surreal in a sense that in each waking moment of Wendy, she had to come to terms with how she was in love with someone who loved her back, in particular, a woman who she had subtle, unripe feelings for, essentially grown to something Wendy needed to take a breather for; that technically Wendy was in a relationship and with Ms. Bae Irene Joohyun at that.

The alarm of the clock always came a beat late, minutes after Ms. Bae’s usual morning message. A simple yet sublime, ‘Good morning, Wendy~ I hope you slept well’. Words that felt like tiny sparks, sending her heart afire, making it tight and consequently making it quite difficult for Wendy to get some oxygen into her lungs.

A morning pill. That was Ms. Bae. She would always be ready for Wendy in the morning, waiting outside her apartment complex in her black Porsche gradually leading, as each days elapsed, to Ms. Bae waiting inside Wendy’s flat as Wendy got ready herself. She would brew a hot drink, usually tea, as she waited, trying to operate a normal kettle, with much struggle at first but eventually getting used to it. At odd times, when she grew bored of sitting around after making a brew, she would come up to Wendy and give her a hug from behind, which never failed to take Wendy by surprise.

“How long are you going to be still?” Ms. Bae would ask her, as she breathed in Wendy’s scent; scent of something fruity and sweet. Wendy’s scent just right after her shower, clad in a vest and her work trousers, in the midst of getting changed.

Wendy felt herself heat up. “C-Can you please knock before coming into my room?”

“How can I knock when there’s no door to knock on?”

“There’s a wall right there,” Wendy said, turning around to face Ms. Bae, to point to a wall that separated her room from the kitchen.

There was a giggle that left Ms. Bae’s lips, resembling that of a harp’s sound, before she spoke, “But we’re girlfriends, technically. Things like this should be okay between lovers.”

“I-It hasn’t been that long since we became official.”

“So?”

“So? Some privacy would be appreciated here.”

“But I don’t want to leave right now,” Ms. Bae said, snuggling closer, closing the already short distance between their bodies. “Besides, you’re fully clothed anyway. There’s no harm done.”

“I know but—”

“But?” Ms. Bae asked, inching her face closer, seemingly intoxicated by Wendy’s fragrant scent, by her beautiful eyes, and most especially by those luscious lips as they moved to speak out words of utter wonder.

“I-Isn’t this too fas—”

A kiss. A morning kiss. One of the many kisses that usually happened in the morning, at Wendy’s flat, when it was just the two of them.

It wasn’t that Wendy minded it. Ms. Bae’s kisses were always transcendent, akin to a refreshing mist on a scorching day. Wendy’s oasis. It started out soft, gentle, careful, Ms. Bae’s lips slightly teasing, making Wendy want more. Ms. Bae cupped Wendy’s cheek, casually pushing back Wendy’s hair, fingers sending tremors to Wendy’s body, like pebbles thrown on a still lake, creating ripples of tension with each drop. And it didn’t fail to make Wendy draw a gasp as each second that felt like delightful decades passed, with each movement of Ms. Bae’s lips beckoning a response from Wendy’s own lips.

Wendy shivered as her back touched the cool wood of her wardrobe, not helping with the trembling of her body from the kiss that grew ever fervent, becoming more passionate with each fleeting moment. Wendy’s lips demanded more, an agitating desire to explore more and receive more that it led her to wrap her arms around Ms. Bae and pull her closer, tighter.

A breathy moan escaped Wendy’s lips when she felt another cool touch on her skin, but this time up her vest, on her waist. The touch moved, tiptoeing to her stomach and then slowly ascending somewhere higher.

Ms. Bae winced, pulling back from the kiss, at the unexpected bite on her lip. “Ouch,” she said frowning, a pout on her lips once more.

Wendy leaned back on her wardrobe, keeping her arms wrapped around Ms. Bae’s neck, in desperate need of a steady foothold in a dizzying world. She blinked a few times, trying to clear the blur in her vision, and at the same time, huffing puffs of warm breath, a dismal attempt at stabling her breathing.

“Oops sorry, Ms. Bae,” Wendy said, the words coming out almost a slur.

The pout deepened into something more irresistible. “Ms. Bae?” Irene said, sounding quite offended.

“O-Oh—oh sorry, I-I-Irene?” The name still felt a bit awkward to Wendy.

“Irene,” Irene repeated, firmly. “Or you can call me Hyunnie. Whichever works.”

“H-Hyunnie?” Isn’t that too intimate?

“Hyunnie kind of sounds like honey, doesn’t it?”

Wendy laughed. “I’m sorry but what kind of lame connection is that?”

Irene furrowed her brows, proceeding to hit Wendy, though very lightly, on her arm. “I’m being serious.”

“H-Hyunnie?” Wendy said, avoiding Irene’s gaze; a gaze that lured Wendy in, captivating as those eyes of Irene were.

“This is upsetting me, Son Seungwan. Try and sound more natural.”

“It’s hard. I can’t—I’m not used to it.” And Wendy wasn’t used to being called Seungwan either, especially by Irene and it reminded Wendy of the past, of how Irene’s voice mimicked chimes whenever she said Wendy’s birth name. Wendy gulped, feeling Irene’s gaze lingering on her, on her neck, on her lips. She held a breath as she felt Irene inch closer, Irene’s hot breath some mere distances from her skin. “C-Can I not call you Irene for now?”

“…Fine,” Irene said, flatly, letting go of Wendy’s waist. “Hurry up, we’re going to be late.”

“Are you mad? You sound mad. Don’t be mad. I-I’m ju—”

“I’m not mad.”

“Then why are you walking away?” I wanted to hug more…

“Because the tea’s getting cold.”