XXIX.

Irene was staring at the ceiling of Yeri's bedroom for a good long ten minutes when she heaved a sigh and shifted her position on Yeri's bed. Irene had been sent here. Wendy's mother was adamant. The living room or Yeri's bedroom. Of course, Wendy's bedroom was off-limits. Can't have two gays sleeping together in one bedroom. No, no, we can't have that, Irene recalled Wendy's mother saying.

She could hear Yeri's light snoring from down below, where the younger sister slept, on the padded mat. Whilst, on the other hand, Irene comfortably lied on the well-cushioned mattress. Yeri refused to sleep in the living room, finding it creepy and too open to sleep in and when Irene had offered herself to sleep there, Wendy's mother was more than happy to but Yeri cried out saying, "We can't have a precious guest sleeping there! She's family now!" Irene nearly choked out of surprise, forgetting that the little maknae believed that she and Wendy were somehow betrothed and off to the wedding aisle.

But family, eh? Being part of Wendy's family? Wendy being her wife? What would that be like? Irene had kidded around before with Seulgi, referring to Wendy as her wife and all but now, presented with the hard fact that it could happen and that she herself felt the urge and responsibility to be the proposer in the relationship, she couldn't help but feel slightly... nervous.

Irene shifted on the bed again. Why couldn't sleep come? She felt the cold air waft through the blankets as she moved her limbs about and it reminded her of how big Yeri's bed was despite it being made for a single person. She wondered then if Wendy had fallen asleep. Did Wendy miss her the same way she badly missed Wendy now? How she could give anything to hug her throughout the night and feel her warmth, her soft, supple arms and tummy, smell her distinct hypnotising scent...

Sighhhhhhhh. This was going to be a long night.

Maybe a glass of water could help. Yeah, water down her desires and ease her off to sleep. Irene, with light and gentle movements, got up and out of Yeri's bed and shuffled her way to the kitchen, hardly making a noise. The moonlight seeped in through the kitchen windows giving her enough light to make out which was which. She grabbed a glass from the dish rack and poured herself water from the pitcher that was on the table. She took a sip and swirled the water in the glass, staring intently at it all the while, and it took her back to the events at dinnertime earlier.

Wendy’s mother said. “It’s nice to see of you, Ms. Bae—“

“Call me Irene, please.”

“—Irene,” Wendy’s mother continued, “to care for Wendy so much. So,” she paused, as if to create effect and depth, gathering the fog of tension once more around the table. “How long have you two been going out?”

Irene coughed, taken completely aback by what Wendy's mother had said.

Wendy's mother smirked, a bit of whimsical joy coating the edges of her smile. "I know love when I see one. I've been there before. Do you both really take me for a fool?"

Irene quickly stood up and gave a bow, as perpendicular as her body could go and said, "I'm very sorry, Mrs. Son for not telling you beforehand, but I love your daughter very much. She has changed me and given me life. I don't think I can ever live without her."

There was a silence so thick that it felt compellingly terrifying. Yeri looked with wide eyes at Ms. Bae, not believing the whole situation. A top and famous conglomerate bowing down to her mother? Never in a million years! But here it was.

Wendy's mother was serious for a moment then much like the quickness of seasons changing and the leaves turning red in the passing of a day, her expression softened to that of a mother who had been touched by sincerity. She looked at her daughter, who, from where she sat was blushing like a smitten teen who had fallen in love for the first time.

"Wendy's found a good one then, eh?" she finally said, cutting off the silence and Irene straightened up and looked at Wendy's mother, founding her in a warm smile similar to that of Wendy's.

A good one. Irene sniggered, remembering the words Wendy's mother used to describe her. Of course she was a good one. She had the looks, the money, the power. What more could Wendy's mother ask for in a daughter-in-law—

"What are you sniggering at?"

Irene nearly dropped the glass on her hand upon hearing the voice.

"W-What are you doing still up at this hour, Wendy?" she asked.

"I could ask you the same thing. I came here to get some water. Can't sleep too, huh?"

Irene placed the glass down on the table and approached Wendy, taking her hand into hers, pulling her closer. "I miss you."

Wendy smiled, sheepishly. "We're in the same house. Chillax."

"How are you? Do you not miss me at all?"

"We've literally seen each other four hours ago, just before we went to bed."

"Hmph," Irene said, pouting afterwards. "Meanie."

Wendy laughed. "Is this really the great and cold-hearted Ms. Bae? It's like I'm talking to a different person."

"Love has enslaved me to you."

"Okay, lover girl. Let me grab some water. I'm really thirsty."

"Thirsty for me, I bet."

"Pfffft. Behave. You're in my mother's house!"

"Okay, okay," Irene said, defeated. She offered her glass to Wendy and Wendy took it, refilling it up with more water. Irene watched as Wendy drank from the glass, finding herself staring at the undulating movement each gulp Wendy's throat produced. Hot damn.

After Wendy had finished her glass of water, she placed it on the table, wiped her lips with her pyjama sleeve and then said, "I'm sorry about my mother earlier. She's usually a lot more... toned down. I never expected her to put you on the spot like that."

Irene blinked and gulped her way back to reality. "Nah, nah. It's alright. I understand where she's coming from."

"Sorry about Yeri too. She's always a fussy one."