A/N: This was written to take my mind off the stress brought by my exams.

 

I was listening to these songs, so if you want to listen while reading, please be my guest, I recommend it :p

 

Adele-When We Were Young

Adele-Chasing Pavements

(Yes, I'm a fan.)

 

___________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

"Joohyun?"

 

"Seungwan?"

 

...

 

Wavy ash-purple hair laid loose on her exposed shoulders, her soft chocolate eyes gazing down at her as she pursed her velvet soft lips, her hands gripping her black purse tightly, as she fidgeted uncomfortably in her black tube dress, a contrast from her milky white skin.

 

Wendy averted her eyes from the beauty in front of her-someone who used to be hers.

 

Someone she used to call 'hers.'

 

Realizing that the older girl was still standing up, Wendy coughed and was also about to stand up, a force of habit, thinking of pulling out the blood red elegant chair across her, but Irene was faster as she pulled it out and sat, although hesitantly.

 

"L-Long time no see...." Her voice was as low and sultry as Wendy remembers, clear as day, but it saddened her seeing that Irene wasn't comfortable with her.

 

"It's been...2 or 3 years?"

 

"3 years, 7 months and 24 days."

 

'Why did I let you go?'

 

Fingers played with the hem of the tablecloth, Wendy adjusting her blazer, brown locks falling as she pulled on her ponytail tightly.
 

///

 

A scream echoed throughout the apartment room 143, where two people were laughing out loud.

 

"Seungwan-stooop!" Irene grinned as tears formed in the corner of her cat-like eyes, her legs kicking out wildly as a girl younger, but stronger than Irene held her by the waist and lifted her up in the air, spinning her around.

 

"That's what you get for kissing me without brushing your teeth first!"

 

Irene stuck out her tongue before jumping out of Wendy's grip. "As if you haven't done that a million times to me!"

 

"But you did it after I brushed!"

 

Irene shrugs before pulling her to the bathroom. "Then let's brush together again!" Wendy rolled her eyes, yet, her lips grinned.

 

'You planned this, didn't you?'

 

As if Irene read Wendy’s mind, she winks at her.

 

'Nobody knows me like you do.'

 

///

 

"I...I didn't think you were my blind date." Irene said quietly, breaking the icy silence and Wendy felt a pang of bitterness.

 

Was this her first blind date? Or is Wendy one out of a million others? Irene looked at her carefully before a ghostly smile became present on her sculpted-like face.

 

"It was Joy's idea. I've met with only two others. They were just some rich men who talked all about their wealth."

 

The way Wendy's eyes glowed with hope didn’t go unnoticed by the older girl.
 

///

 

"Joohyun?"

 

"Hm?"

 

Brown strands of hair fell on Irene's face as she made herself comfortable, sitting in-between Wendy's legs. Wendy laid her head on top of Irene’s and wrapped her arms around her as well. Irene's eyes were focused on the television, the only source of light coming from it, its light directly hitting the girl, lightening up her features with her long eyelashes, as her face scrunched up in concentration, her thin lips pouting.

 

The girl with golden locks felt a tug on the corner of her lips. "Why did you choose me?"

 

It was a question she always had in her mind ever since the day Irene decided to run away from her parents' house, avoiding the arrange marriage her family planned out. Wendy was insecure. Irene was out of her reach-the rich girl, the face of Daegu, the girl every man wants, a treasure that Wendy could never afford.

 

This time, Irene twisted her neck slightly to look at her, "What do you mean?"

"Th-There are plenty of guys out there...They could have given you the world! What could I give in compare--"

Irene shut her up with her lips, pushing Wendy as her back leaned into the black sofa behind her.

 

It was a quick one, and after, Irene stared at Wendy, her eyes sparkling. "Because you were different."

 

"Wh-What?"

 

"While all of the men who courted me gave me money, planes, cars, just-every expensive thing they could buy, you caught my attention."

 

“Because I was a girl?” Wendy said jokingly.
 

Irene chuckled.

 

"No, silly, because you didn't buy anything, instead just made me a cup of coffee. With a note, saying, "A coffee to start your lovely day, but it isn't as lovely as you.""

 

Wendy let out a laugh.

 

"Simplicity is the best."

 

"Planting a garden of roses is simple?"

 

Wendy placed her hands gently on both sides of Irene's cheeks and closed in, and in a soft voice, "I'd have done more for you. You deserve the world."

 

Irene hummed and placed her hands on top of Wendy's hands before closing her eyes, pink painting her cheeks, the warmth spreading throughout the blonde’s body.

"You could have just bought flowers."

 

"Too common. Plus, it took me three weeks trying to figure out what flowers that would be perfect for you, but I still didn't do a good job because you're beauty overpowered the garden of different colored roses."

 

Irene laughed, her eyes glistening with tears, her smile widening.

 

"I love you."

"I love you too."

 

She was happy.

 

She was so happy.

 

 

///

 

The waiter placed the two mugs, blue and pink, on the table filled with silence. The waiter coughed awkwardly before shuffling away.

Irene was about to take the pink mug before Wendy quickly took it and gave the blue mug to her. Irene quirked an eyebrow, her face puzzled.

 

"It-It was mocha latte..."

 

"O-Oh...Thanks."

 

'She remembers.'

 

Eyes locked on one another, and hearts ached as memories flooded their minds, the familiarity still there.

 

///

 

Irene made a disgusted look before pushing the cup of mocha latte in Wendy's direction. Wendy tilts her head in amusement as her girlfriend crossed her arms and huffed.

 

"What's wrong with you?"

 

"I don't like the flavor."

 

"Oh, you can have mine then."

 

Irene blinked twice. "But you also hate mocha latte." It surprised her when Wendy swiftly drank the liquid before coughing and making a distorted face, "I hate you more."

 

"Yah!"

 

"I'm joking! I'll love you forever and ever!"

 

Were they empty promises?

 

///

 

"You didn't iron it well enough."

 

Irene unconsciously reached out and ran her fingers through the fabric of Wendy's black blazer. Small, but firm, she grabbed hold of the cloth, careful not to touch her directly. Wendy flinched at the physical contact, before chuckling weakly.

 

"Well, I can't iron properly...I-you were always the one..." She stops in mid-sentence, almost choking.

 

Irene gazed up at her eyes but Wendy lowered her head. Irene frowned, guilt rushing through as her eyes saddened. Wendy moved slightly, trying to avoid her touch, but her hand surprises her as she took Irene’s hand in her trembling one.

 

A silent message was passed between them, words not needed at all.

 

'I miss you.'

 

'I still love you.'

When did things start to change?

 

‘Was it the right decision?’

 

///

 

“S-Seungwan…Welcome back…”

 

Wendy nodded mutely passing by her girlfriend with a grim expression. Irene bit her lower lip, as she grabbed her white button-up shirt tightly. It’s been two weeks since Wendy had been going home very late and it worried Irene. Bags were visible under her once twinkling eyes, now dimly-lit and filled with exhaustion, her cheeks hollow and sunken, and her body skinnier and paler.

 

“What are you doing every night that gets you so tired?” She was desperate to know, two weeks before, they were laughing and cuddling as if they were the only people in the world, and now-not even a kiss or a hug at all.

 

“Work.” Wendy said simply.

 

“What kind of work? I could help you if you want-We could do this together-”

 

“No need. I can do this on my own.” It was blunt but it cut through Irene cleanly.

 

“I just want to help you. You look tired these days…Are you perhaps hiding something from me?”

 

Wendy shot her an irritated look as she shook her head and sighed exasperatedly, “Please, Irene. Can’t you trust me? You’re starting to get on my nerves.” The way she said it came as a shock to the girl, and anger started to cloud her mind as well. Wendy had always been patient with her, and Irene also tried to be patient during these past weeks.

 

Irene.

 

Wendy called her Irene.

 

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, Seungwan. But would you listen to yourself? You never said these things to me before.”

 

“There’s a first for everything.”

 

It was their first fight.

Not knowing that the end was coming.

 

///

 

“You go by ‘Wendy’ now?”

 

Irene sipped from the blue mug as she stared outside the window of the fourth floor of the five-star restaurant. The morning before, Joy came barging into her shared apartment with Seulgi. ‘Irene unnie, you can’t believe your next blind date!’

 

‘What are you talking about, Joy?’

 

‘The person’s rich! She signed both of you up to dine in the most expensive restaurant in town!’

 

‘What’s new?’

 

Joy stared at her mischievously.

 

‘Trust me, unnie. She’s different from the others. Her name is Wendy.’

 

“That’s what they called me in the office. It stuck.”

 

“I see. I’ve heard you’ve earned more than enough money for being…alone.”

 

Wendy was silent before speaking up with a pained voice.

 

“The money was never meant for anyone else, but you and me and our future family.”

 

Irene showed her a forced smile, eyes dimming.

“I knew.”

 

“But I wished you never kept it to yourself.”

 

Wendy didn’t answer quickly. She waited for a minute or two, before trembling lips opened.

 

“…I’m sorry.”

 

‘For everything.’

 

///

 

“Why did you do that?!” Wendy yelled.

 

“I didn’t know you had a meeting! I was just going to give you your lunch!”

 

Irene couldn’t see clearly through tear-filled eyes, her face wet and tears dripping down her chin. Wendy face palmed and groaned. “Joohyun, it was an important meeting! I told you that I have work today and not to call me, but you didn’t listen! You never listen!”

 

Irene slammed her hands on the kitchen table. “How dare you say that to me! I always listened to you! I always did! But you’re the one who never listened to me!”

 

“Joohyun, you don’t listen, you just hear me but it passes through your other ear!”

 

“Excuse me? Are you even-Seungwan, listen to what you’re saying yourself!”

 

Shouts and screams stopped them from truly listening to each other. Hoarse voices filled the room and crying, their ears blocking out everything, including their own voices.

 

///

 

“You aren’t seeing anyone?”

 

Hope peeked out from Wendy’s voice, as Irene eyed her. “Wendy, do you really think I’d be here if I were seeing anyone else?”

 

Wendy.

 

Not Seungwan.

 

Still-

 

She mustered up the courage, as she coughs. “Th-Then…”

 

“Do I have a chance?”

 

 

 

.
.
.
.

 

 

“I gave you chances, Wendy, not just one.” Irene answered sadly.

 

Three years. It took her three years, just a little more and Irene would slip through her fingers, unable to be held again by her.

 

///

Seven months.

 

“Maybe we should break up.”

 

Irene stared blankly at Wendy who kept her gaze on the television, although her ears heard nothing except for the pained voice of Irene. She laughed bitterly after a while the food being cooked in the kitchen, forgotten. “W-What?” Wendy took a deep and shaky breath, “Irene, we’ve been fighting for these past months…We tried fixing it. We really did but we keep falling apart-”

 

“You want to throw away 4 years and five months?”

 

“Irene…”

 

“Don’t call me that!” Her voice choked as she held the tears back, snapping at Wendy.

 

Wendy stayed silent, wondering why she didn’t feel anything at the moment.

 

“We tried to fix it…” Irene starts, her hands furiously wiping the dripping tears. “But Seungwan-You’ve forgotten….It’s like you’re not in a relationship with me. You’re doing everything by yourself, I tried, Seungwan…I tried to understand you!”

 

With pale lips, she cried.

“But you stopped trying to understand me.”

 

Wendy didn’t dare move from the sofa, she listened to Irene’s sobbing and she stared sadly at her. Wendy couldn’t hug her. But she wanted to. She didn’t want to end it, but she couldn’t give Irene the happiness she deserved. “You deserve the world….But I can’t give it to you.” Wendy was surprised when her voice came out drowned.

 

A deafening silence followed. Wendy lowered her head and she hears Irene’s footsteps going farther away from her. Irene didn’t sleep the night, instead, packed all her things without a word.  Wendy follows her out the door the morning after, and Irene stops at the doorstep, turning back to her with puffy red eyes.

 

“You didn’t understand, Seungwan.”

 

“You were already my world. You gave me more than I wanted, you made me happy. But you threw it all away.”

 

She inhales before turning away.

 

“Maybe…Maybe we’re too young to understand.”

 

Irene leaves after that, closing the door behind her, officially separating both of them.

 

Wendy silently went to their, scratch that, her kitchen and sees the heated ddeukbokki on the dinner table. She sits down and took the fork before slowly eating her favorite food.

 

And she realizes too late.

 

She realizes as tears fell into her food and she drops the fork.

 

The girl cried louder, sobs and hiccups heard only by the walls.

 

///

 

“I was afraid…I was afraid to face you.”

 

For the nth time that night, the two locked eyes together, and this time neither of them turns away. It was the eleventh hour of the night, people around them leaving, a few staying and conversed quietly.

 

“I love you. I never stopped. I wanted to get you back…”

 

Wendy stood abruptly, earning the attention of the others, employees and customers alike, startling Irene as well. She approached her, not minding the stares of the people behind her, attention on the girl she wanted to get back ever since the day she left.

 

“But I wanted to become more mature. I wanted to see you after I learned my lessons, b-but I was afraid you were already seeing someone else.” Wendy’s eyes watered, and although her heart ached, she knew Irene felt the same, maybe even worse.

“I thought of moving on. I really did-maybe you didn’t want me anymore…We were young…We were too young to understand the world then-But please believe me, I do love you. I love you so much. I miss you.”

She knelt down, as her legs becoming jelly-like and she didn’t bother covering her face tainted with tears.

 

“I miss your kisses.”

 

“I miss your hugs.”

 

“I miss your laundry and fabric softener obsession.”

 

“I miss your love…”

 

“I just-

“I just really love you.”

 

 

‘Please come back to me.’

 

 

The whole restaurant was silent, watching the two, anticipating what’s next. The emotions overflowed from Wendy’s voice, although her speech a bit sloppy from the tears and sobs, was emotionally-inducing. Some of them were crying, feeling the pain and sadness.

“My days are incomplete without your surprise kisses every morning and night. Nobody is there to greet me when I get back from work. Everything was empty. My life was empty without you, Bae Joohyun.”

 

Wendy covered her face as the pent-up heartache she kept with her for three years finally burst out, in front of many people nonetheless. Eyes were on the girl who stayed silent. She stared at the younger girl with an unreadable expression, she stood up and some gasped thinking she was going to leave, and Wendy knew she might.

 

But Irene bent down and threw herself at Wendy, pushing herself through her arms. “You idiot! Pabo! Stupid!” She yelled out curses as she pounded on the brunette’s chest, surprising Wendy. “It took you this long! Damn it, Seungwan! I waited for three years! I thought you were never going to come back! I thought you didn’t feel anything when we broke up!” She cried out loud and Wendy feels her shirt wet, and so was her face. She wraps her arms around Irene, so tight, that she was sure Irene wouldn’t disappear. Wendy laughed soundly through tears and pulled the sobbing girl closer to her.

 

“I love you…I love you so much.”

 

Irene only sobs louder before wrapping her arms around her.

 

Wendy scoops her up in her arms as she motioned the restaurant to stay silent and left a large amount of money on their table, making all of the people inside promise not to report about this in case they wanted to be on the news tomorrow.

 

Wendy removes her blazer and covers Irene as they left, but when they were out of the building, she closed in swiftly and takes the familiar pair of lips in hers and Irene responds by wrapping her arms around her neck, a smile forming in her lips.

 

 

‘I won’t let you go anymore.’

 

‘You better not.’

 

 

But even if Wendy did, she’d still stay.

 

 

 

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