The next day was about as beautiful as they came. It was April, and in Applewood that meant an even 71 degrees with a pleasant breeze moving the trees in delicate patterns.

Seulgi looked forward to spending the next hour or two outdoors. Already she could tell it was going to be a great day. There was just something about it. She set out for Irene’s house just after 4.

While she’d never been there before, she knew the neighborhood well enough, so it didn’t take long to locate Irene’s block. The quaint street felt lived in, comfortable, and screamed of backyard barbeques and block parties. She kind of liked it.

Along her route, she passed overturned tricycles beneath shady oak trees, sturdy houses with colorful doors, and more “welcome” signs than she thought to count. It was a happy place and it fit Irene to a tee.

Upon arrival, she didn’t knock immediately and instead took a moment to study her task. The dilapidated shutter, while a pretty powder light purple, sadly needed more than just a re - hanging, as did its three neighboring counterparts. The finish was cracked on all four and there was evidence of sun bleaching. Not to mention the fact that the hinges were rusty and would need to be replaced entirely.

“So what’s the verdict?”

Seulgi turned to see Irene standing on the porch behind her. “I don’t think I have the heart to break it to you.”

Irene sighed. “I can be big about this. Give it to me straight.”

Seulgi walked to the nearest window and ran her hand across the wooden shutter. “I think if I just re - hang this one, you’ll be right back here again in a few months.”

“So they have to be replaced entirely?” She sat in defeat on the steps of the porch. “I lied. Not feeling big about this at all. How much is that going to cost, do you think?”

Seulgi could sense Irene’s immediate hesitation when money became a question, confirming her suspicions. “You know, I think we could save a few dollars if we just did a little rehab on these guys. Save their little shutter lives. It seems the humane thing to do. What do you think?”

“I think a pardon’s in order. So we can actually do that?” Irene asked in an adorably hopeful voice. “The rehab thing?”

Seulgi took the spot next to her on the steps. “We can. Well, I can at least. You can tell me jokes that aren’t exactly funny and I’ll feign amusement at your attempts.”

Irene shot her a look of outrage. “I’ll have you know that I’m incredibly funny and half this town will back me on this.”

“They’re laughing because they like you and you do this thing where you light up on the punch line. Regardless of the bad joke, it’s kind of cute.”

Irene considered this scenario before seeming to reject it entirely. “Uh-uh. I’m funny. You’re jealous. End of story.”

“See? You’re even kind of cute when you’re angry. Well done.”

Irene slugged her hard in the shoulder. “Stop patronizing me.”

“Ow. I’ll definitely try. Color me intimidated.” She rubbed her upper arm.

“Thank you.” Irene paused and floated back down to sincerity. “But back to the shutters. It sounds like more work than you originally agreed to. I don’t want you to feel obligated to —”

Seulgi pointed at her. “Back alley agreement, remember? Don’t you dare renege now. I don’t know how we’d get past it.”

Irene nudged her shoulder playfully with her own. “You’re right. We wouldn’t. But how much work are we talking about?”

“Not as major as you’re probably projecting. I’ll pick up some supplies today and see how far I get before dark. I can always come back tomorrow to finish up if need be.”

Irene nodded. “I guess I should be honored. Once the news that you’re back in town hits the masses, I won’t have you to myself anymore. Everyone loves you, you know. It’s kind of annoying.”

“Nah, I’m pretty boring. No one will pay me much attention.”

“Are you kidding? Attention is one thing you’ll never be without. People notice when you walk in a room, Seulgi. You must know that. Then you turn on the charm and they’re gone forever. It’s always been that way.”

“Those were my wild child days. Things are different now. I’m different.”

“If you say so.” They stared out at the street and watched as an elderly woman walked her Yorkshire terrier past the house. “So…are we going to talk about it?”

Seulgi squinted. “I think you’re going to have to be more specific.”

“This used to be easier.” Irene turned to her more fully and took a moment to study her, her soft honey brown eyes full of concern. “How are things really ? And please remember who you’re talking to.”

Seulgi pulled her eyes from Irene’s and stared hard at her hands. She could still see right through her and whether Seulgi wanted it to be or not, her guard was now officially down.

Irene had a way of doing that to her. She broke through all the barriers to just…her. “So things have been a little all over the place. Not so great, actually.”

Irene leaned back on her hands patiently as if she had all the time in the world. “Okay, tell me.”

And she would because that’s what she did with Irene. “The short version of a long story is that I feel a little, what’s the word…lost? God, that sounds so cliché that I can’t believe I just said it. Erase the word lost from this conversation. I guess I just don’t know what I’m doing anymore.”

She raised her hands in helpless wonder and let them drop, then sat quietly for a moment thinking how to best explain. “I work day and night because that’s what it takes. Shooting schedules, contracts, location scouting, talent management, and long hours on set. But I’m not shy about putting in the time. I’ve ascended the studio ladder ahead of schedule, which should feel great, but it doesn’t and I don’t know why. I should be reveling.”

“So revel. What’s stopping you?”

She shook her head. “It feels hollow. I have friends that I tolerate, and girls…well, let’s just say the revolving door’s had quite a workout, and you know what? I’m too tired for that. What exactly is my purpose in life? Because it’s all wearing a little thin.”

Irene grinned in amusement and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You’re 22.”

“What?”

“You’re only 22 years old.”

“Exactly. And what do I have to show for it?”

Irene laughed. “A pretty impressive résumé to start with.”

“Yeah, well, the studio has placed me on a temporary leave of absence. Did I forget to mention that particularly flattering part?”

“Okay. Wow. What prompted that?”

Seulgi hesitated, not sure she wanted to share what had been a tragically weak moment for her. “They might have taken issue with the fact that I poured a pitcher of ice water over a high profile actor’s head in front of an entire working set.”

Irene covered , though the smile was hard to hide. “Seulgi, you didn’t. You can’t do things like that.” But she was now laughing, which only made Seulgi laugh too.

“Listen, that guy had it coming. He’d been hitting on me since day one of the shoot, and no matter what I did or said, politely I might add, he wasn’t getting the message. It was time he learned to keep his damn hands to himself.”

“And you thought the ice water would —”

“Make it a bit more clear. Trust me, it did.”

Irene shook her head, trying to regain composure. “You could have gone to movie jail.”

“I still might.”

“Will this hurt your career long - term?”

Seulgi considered this. “Maybe. I don’t know. It’ll definitely be hot gossip for a few weeks.” She stood, strolled to the suicidal shutter, and turned back. “If I apologize profusely and fall on my sword, that kind of thing, I should be able to get back in the studio’s good graces. I would just have to, you know, find the motivation to actually do that and I’ll be honest, it’s eluding me in this moment.”

Irene shook her head in amazement. “Only you, Kang Seulgi, only you.”

“I’m a work in progress. This is not news to me.”

“And thus, you’re here. To regain your bearings, to steady the ship —”

“To spend time with the people who are important to me,” she said seriously and inclined her head to Irene as an example of that. “Whom I never should have stayed away from for so long.” She hesitated before pressing forward because it was a delicate subject matter for both of them. “When her plane went down…I didn’t know how to be here anymore. Nothing felt right.”

Irene nodded solemnly, her eyes a little haunted at the topic shift.

“I think it was a way to cope with losing my sister, but in hindsight, it was so incredibly selfish of me that I can’t stand myself for it. I mean, my parents, you.”

Irene got up and moved toward her. “Don’t do that. Everyone deals with grief differently. I stopped eating for 8 months. Your brother felt the need to fix every broken appliance in a 20 mile radius. And the town erected a commemorative plaque. So you took some time away from us all, I don’t think anyone holds it against you. I, for one, don’t. There’s no manual for dealing with loss, and we all had to find our own way through it. But you know what? You’re here now and it’s pretty great. Why don’t we leave it at that?”

The sentiment alone, the fact that Irene understood, infused her with such gratitude, such relief that it was all she could do to nod mutely and fight the damn lump in .

They stood in silence for several moments, each lost in thought.

Finally, Irene looked at her tentatively as if trying to make a decision. “Can I tell you something?”

Seulgi tilted her head. “You can tell me anything.”

“I’ve decided to start dating again.” She ran a nervous hand through her hair. “What do you think about that? And you can be totally honest. Even if it’s to tell me I’m insane.”

Seulgi paused with the information before offering Irene her most encouraging smile. “I think that’s great, Hyun. Sincerely.”

“You do? You’re not just trying to make me feel okay about it? Because the prospect of telling your parents is more than I can process at this point, and it was one thing in theory, but now that the day is here, I’m having all kinds of doubts and thinking maybe I should just call her and —”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down, bunny.” Seulgi grabbed Irene by the shoulders and steered her back to the steps where she sat them both dow