Seulgi was the first one of the two to wake up the next morning. It took her some time before she remembered where she was and what happened the day before. She furtively looked above the girl laying beside her to watch the hour. It was only 6:00 am but Seulgi was already feeling awaken. She turned comfortably to her right, just like she did the previous night before falling asleep. She tried to memorize the girl's features. Beginning from her flawless forehead, then the way her eyebrows were arched, her double eyelided eyes, her delicate nose and  even which seemed so kissable at the moment. Although the girl looked fragile, Seulgi was sure she was a lot stronger mentally than she was and would ever be.

She wished she could stay a little more but then the urge to get out of here rapidly grew in her though she did not know why.

She carefully tried to get out of bed without waking the older girl up. She did not want to disrupt her, since she seemed so peaceful in her sleep. It seemed the girl was free from any pain or any bother. She picked up her bag and took a last look at the girl. It was with a heavy heart that she cautiously closed the door of Irene's bedroom and made her way downtairs.

As she was about to reach the entrance, a voice surprised her from behind.

"Are you already going ?" It was Irene's mother whose voice was paused and relaxed. "Don't you want to eat something before going ?"

She was about to refuse, but when she saw the gentle look on Irene's mother, she could not bring herself to refuse.

"Is it all right if I eat a little something ?" Seulgi asked, quite unsure of how she should say to her that she wanted to eat something.

"Come with me." Seulgi put her bag down next to the couch then followed the woman inside the kitchen. "You don't have to be shy, you know. Just sit comfortably." Seulgi slowly nodded to her and sat down on the chair next to Irene's mother's.

"How come you're up this early ? Are you a light sleeper ? I'm sorry if I woke you up." The woman apologized to her.

"No, you didn't wake me up. It's just I'm used to waking up early." She paused a little, before softly whispering. "Even on Sundays." Seulgi's voice was filled with resentment and Irene's mother sensed it.

"Did you fight with your parents or someone related to your family ? Irene told me you ran away." Irene's mother said while preparing something for Seulgi to eat.

"I... I didn't fight with my parents. I just ran away because I thought that I couldn't live with them anymore and that it was time for me to leave." Seulgi said. Somehow, it was not difficult at all to be sincere with Irene's mother. Just like she had been with Irene the night before.

"And where did you plan on going like that ?" Irene's mother knew exactly what question to ask. "Did you think you could run undefinitely just like that ? At your age ?" Her voice was firm but it did not seem like she was reprimanding her. She sensed Irene's mother was trying to help her.

"I thought I could go to my friend for a little while and then... I don't really know what I would have done." Seulgi sincerely said. It seemed she could not hide anymore. "But I think I might just go back to my parents... I'm still not sure. I think I need a longer break from them. I don't know if it sounds right but... I think it's what I need."

"I can't tell you what to do. I think you're old enough to make your proper choices." The woman told her. "If you want to stay here a little longer or if you want to come again, you're absolutely welcomed in here." She then smiled at her. "I'm sure Irene is not the only who would love to see your coming back to us."

"Do you mean Yeri and Joy ?" Seulgi chuckled as she recalled the two over excited kids.

Irene's mother nodded. "But they're not the only ones. I would also be glad if you come again." She smiled tenderly to her. "Here, eat a lot." She passed the food to Seulgi.

"Thank you, I'll eat well." Seulgi then ate since she could not deny she was hungry, again.

Silence began engulfing them.

"I'm glad I met Irene yesterday. If not, I wonder where I would be at the moment." Seulgi said, still full but it did not seem to bother Irene's mother.

"I think I understand why Irene brought you home. When she saw you hurting all alone, she also saw herself in you and wanted to help you like she would want someone to help her."

Seulgi nodded her head, understanding what she was actually trying to say. Irene's mother wanted her to help Irene too and Seulgi also wanted to help Irene.

"You know Irene really well." Seulgi said with admiration in her eyes. God knew how much she would give to have a mother like Irene's.

"Of course, I'm her mother. I know her the best." She lighlty chuckled.

"Well, being her mother doesn't necessarily mean you know her well... Let alone know her at all..." Seulgi said with sorrow on her voice. She could not help thinking about her own mother. "My mother can't understand me the way you understand Irene." She then sighed before smiling to Irene's mother. "Somehow, I talked to you more sincerely than I ever could with my family. I envy you and your family as a whole." Seulgi's voice was filled with honesty.

"Why ? We don't have that much money and because of their father, we..." Irene's mother's voice faded.

"Irene told me about it." Seulgi reassured her she did not have to tell her anything about it.

"Did she ?" The woman seemed really surprised.

She didn't talk about it to her friends before, not even to Bogum.

"Yes. And I was not referring to money. I mean, you have everything that makes me feel at home."

"I'm asking you, please, try to help her in return." The woman's tone wasclose to pleading and Seulgi could not bring herself to refuse when she clearly knew she should help Irene in return. She also felt the need to help her. "We've been through a lot and even though she seems strong and rarely complains, I'm sure she suffers a lot. Yeri and Joy are still a little too young to perfectly understand what's going on but Irene... Irene suffers the most and I can't really help her."

Irene's mother than took Seulgi's hands in her own.

"Please take care of Irene. Even though she seems strong and rarely complains, I'm sure she suffers a lot. I think she brought you home because, when she saw you hurting, she also saw herself in you and wanted to help you like she would want someone to help her. I'm asking you, please, be that someone who will help her. Please, try to help her in return."

"I saw how you looked at her. You watched her every move, afraid she would get hurt although you've just met her." The woman added, her hands sill holding Seulgi's.

"How can you read me so easily ? We've only met yesterday." Seulgi was beyond surprised Irene's mother could see through her effortlessly.

"You're just the same as Irene. You want to appear tough, just like her. You're stubborn and determined like her." Irene's mother than stood up. "I'll let you think a little. Tell me what you want to do, I'll be in the living room."

"How am I determined when I don't even know what I am going to do from now on ? I'm confused..."

Seulgi then looked up to the clock hang on the wall. It was already 7:00 am. 

She took out her phone from her pocket and hesitated for a moment. If she wanted to go to Wendy's house, what would she do after ? She could not hide undefinitely like she had said to Irene's mother. She looked at her phone's screen. She had several missed calls, mostly from Wendy and also messages, from Wendy and her brother. She only listened to some of the vocal messages, already knowing what they were about.

"Your brother called me asking if you were with me. Where are you and what are you doing ?"

"Why aren't you answering your phone ? Are you all right ?"

"You're scaring me, Seulgi. You didn't do anything stupid, right ? Call me as soon as you got this message !"

She could clearly hear the worry in Wendy's voice. She suddenly felt stupid for not looking at her phone the day before. She would call Wendy as soon as she was finished with all those messages. She sighed and looked if she had any other vocal messages. She hoped her parents had tried to call her. To her dismay, only her brother called her. It seemed he even left some vocal messages too. She wondered if he sounded as worried as Wendy was so she decided to listen to them even though she knew his irritability.

"Where are you ? Mom and Dad won't stop bothering me about you. Get your here !" 

"I called your friend, she doesn't even know where you are ! Beware if you don't come back within the hour !"

She shivered when she heard the tone her brother used. She could not hear any worry in his voice. She felt sick in her stomach. He only called her because their parents told him to. She scoffed. Somehow, she already knew he would not care about her. Were her parents even caring about her ? Or was it because they feared she would not be back for her engagements nor for her lessons she had on Sunday ?   

She threw her phone on the table. She guessed she should come back, after all. She decided to call Wendy although it was still early and she knew Wendy would no be awake at this hour on a freaking Sunday as she would say. But she did not care, she needed to talk to her as soon as possible.

Wendy quickly picked up and nearly yelled at Seugi. 

"Seulgi !!! Finally, I got to hear you. Where were you ? Where are you ? Did you go back home ? Are you all right ? Why were you not answering your phone yesterday ? You got me so worried, you know ! Your brother called me at least ten times to ask me where you were ! Hello, Seulgi ? Is it you ? Are you here ?" Wendy spoke so fast Seulgi had some trouble catching everything she was saying. She could hear the worry in Wendy's voice and could not help feeling guilty for not responding to her the day before.

"Hello to you too, Wendy. I... Where are you ? Are you at your house ? Can I come ? I need to talk to you I... kind of run away yesterday and-" She could not finish her sentence.

"What ? Did you say you ran away ? Where did you sleep ? Did you even sleep ? Tell me where you are ! Tell me you didn't do anything stupid ! I'm gonna rip your head off if you ever did !" Wendy cut her off.

"I'm at a friend's house at the moment."

"What did you say ? A friend ? Since when do you have another friend apart from me ?" Wendy asked with surprise in her voice.

"Well, I made a friend yesterday. Actually, I don't know if we're considered friends but... Anyway, I slept at her house this night." Seulgi tried to clarify the situation to Wendy.

"Well, at least, you didn't sleep outside yesterday. Since when do you make friends so easily ? And even sleep at their house the same day ? Who is it ?" Wendy asked. "Whatever, that's not the problem right now. Why did you run away ? Is it because of you-know-what ?"

"Yes." Her answer was short enough for Wendy to understand it very well. "Are you at your house ?"

"Yes, I suppose you want to come, don't you ? To cheer you up, I'll make you some muffins !" Wendy knew what could make Seulgi feel better and she surely knew how to bake Seulgi's favorite cakes.

Seulgi smiled at Wendy's attempt to make her feel better. She suddenly felt like crying since she realized Wendy really cared about her and was maybe the only one who cared for her. Well, maybe she had found other people who would care for her, but she could not be so sure of it for the moment. It was safe to say she was not really sure since she only met them the day before.

"Well, I'm hanging up. I'm coming." She was about to hang up when she put her phone beside her face once again. "Thank you, Wendy. Really, thank you." Seulgi said, feeling so small at the moment.

"You're really feeling down Seulgi. Come quickly, I'll make you smile and laugh until you can't take it anymore ! See you !" Wendy then hung up.

Seulgi finally put her phone back on her pocket. She could not wait until she would see her. She really needed Wendy to cheer her up. She walked in the living room and saw Irene's mother sitting on the couch and watching what seemed to be a cooking show on TV. She then took her bag and put it on her back.

"Well, I'll be going. Thank you again for letting me stay and for cooking for me. Thank you really much. And I'll make sure to watch over Irene." Seulgi bowed to the older woman.

"Are you going ?" Irene's mother seemed disappointed by her choice of leaving but she could not abuse of her hospitality even more.

"Yes." Seulgi thought for a moment before asking. "Could I have a piece of paper and a pen ? I'd like to leave a note to Irene."

"Of course, wait here." Irene's mother then went to bring her what she needed.

Once Seulgi was done writing what she wanted to say to Irene, she folded the paper and hold it out to the woman with a smile.

"Would you mind giving it to her once she's awake ?" Seulgi asked her as politely as she could.

"Of course, don't worry." She smiled warmly at her and Seulgi nodded back at her.

"Well, this time I'm really going." She took back her bag but as she was about to go out of the living room she was interrupted by Irene's mother's voice.

"Wait ! Let me drive you home. And I'm not taking no as an answer." The woman took her car's key as well as her coat. They both put on their shoes before exiting the house. Seulgi could not help looking back at the house before leaving, wondering if she should have not stayed a little more after all. She followed Irene's mother inside the not-so-new car but Seulgi did not mind.

"Are you going home right now ?" She asked as she was starting the engine.

"No. I'm heading to a friend first. Could you drop me off there, please ?" Seulgi shyly asked, feeling she was asking too much favors from the woman.

"Sure, no problems. Just lead me the way." Irene's mother said to which Seulgi only nodded in response.

The journey to Wendy's house was short and none of the two spoke. Once they were arrived, Seulgi 

"I don't know how many times I've already said it but I'll say it again. Thank you." Seulgi said once again, her voice sincere and thankful. 

"You're welcome." She smiled. "Take care of yourself !" She then drove away.

Seulgi entered Wendy's house without knocking, afraid she would wake up Wendy's parents. 

"You don't have to worry about my parents ! They aren't here for now ! They won't come back until tonight !" She heard Wendy calling out to her.

Seulgi did not reply and once she saw Wendy in her living room, she ran to her and hugged her tightly.

"Ouch ! Are you that happy to see me ?" Wendy said, trying to joke but stopped immediately when she felt Seulgi was sobbing in her arms. "Shh, I'm here, Seulgi. I'm here for you."

They spent nearly the rest of the day, talking and laughing at silly things they would find on Internet. It was all Seulgi needed to feel better, spending a day doing anything but worrying about her parents. She would come back to them once the day would come to an end but for now, all she needed was to take her mind off all that was happening, just like any other teenager would.