The blazing heat of the sun was screaming. Seulgi had to loosen her tie and the first two buttons to let herself breathe. She felt suffocated of the temperature. The sound her pen tapping continues as she held the cap of it between her teeth, eyebrows meeting. She’s been up the rooftop since lunch and yet she hasn’t answered any items in her math assignment—a make-up test actually. She didn’t get a good cut and that puts her chance of being captain at the edge.

“Aish—who does math in real life anyway?”

Seulgi didn’t like one bit of it. She wasn’t good at it to begin with.

Her attention shifted when the door of the rooftop swung open. It revealed her caramel-head best friend with a wide grin plastered on her face.

Wendy always knows where to find her. That’s one thing Seulgi is grateful of having a friend like her.

“You can stop stressing yourself now. We still have practice, you know.”

Wendy was right, she thought. She has wasted so much time and yet she hasn’t done anything. It’s time to focus more on her game now.

Math problems can mostly wait.

* * *

“…We’ll that’s it for today. You can turn in your research papers in my office anytime tomorrow.” Irene gave her students an encouraging smile.

“Class dismissed.”

The classroom was immediately filled with noise as students hurried their way out. Irene was used on erasing the writings on the board but this time, someone offered her a helping hand.

“Let me help you, Ms. Bae.”

Startled, she turned to the owner of the voice. She was relieved to know it was one of her top students so with a smile, she handed the eraser to the volunteer.

“Remind me again why you’re my favorite student, Wendy.”

The latter shyly smiled at the compliment.

The teacher fixed her things then noticed that the student was in her soccer uniform so she asked, “Practice’s over?”

“Ani. I—just happen to pass by and I saw you.” Wendy explained and looked away, gliding the eraser to the board. “So I thought I could offer some help.”

It was thoughtful of Wendy, Irene thinks.

Sometimes she wonders how she and Seulgi became friends. Wendy was the girl-next-door and Seulgi being the straightforward, rude, careless being didn’t go well if you think about it. But then Irene realized that their differences complement each other’s persona.

“Thank you, again for helping.” Irene smiled as she hugged her books to her chest.

Bowing her head lightly, Wendy returned the smile. “It’s always my pleasure, Ms. Bae.”

The student-athlete bid her goodbye then ran her way out. It was nice to have students like her, Irene thought. Her thoughts then wandered to Seulgi, who is probably working hard at the said practice. She may not be the brightest student Irene had, but she was sure that Seulgi was the most passionate out of them.

She then remembered the way Seulgi played on the field. She remembered how serious she becomes but at the same time, enjoys every bit of it. And it made Irene appreciate the latter—on how she gives her heart to the things that matters to her.

Click

Irene was snapped out of her thoughts and she found her sister, grinning like a fool in front of her. She was holding out her phone and it caused a frown to Irene’s smiling face.

“Caught you unnie!”

The teacher almost had a heart attack but here comes her sister, laughing at her priceless expression.”

“Yeri, how many times do I have to tell you, stop taking pictures of other people!” Irene frowned, ignoring her photo that her sister was showing her.

“But unnie~” Yeri sang as she trailed behind her sister.

She stopped right in front of her, shoving her phone to her sister’s face.

“Look! You were thinking of bear-unnie, aren’t you?” Yeri teasingly grinned when she caught Irene blushing.

“I wasn’t thinking of her.”

And Irene would be crazy if she thinks her sister bought that excuse.

Ever since her fake marriage, she had convinced Seulgi to at least pretend they were real whenever Yeri’s around. She didn’t want her sister thinking she married someone just to provide for their needs. And she never thought of taking advantage of the Kang’s wealth neither.

She just didn’t want to lose her job. But she won’t also lie that Seulgi’s grandfather’s offer was inviting. It was beyond inviting.

Irene hurriedly went inside of the faculty room and gathered her things, ready to leave. She still has to finish the exam papers she was making along with some activities that are yet to be checked.

“Unnie,”

It was just then Irene realized that Yeri was still tailing her. She slung her bag to her shoulder and waited for the younger girl to continue.

“Can I stay with you and Seulgi unnie tonight?”

Irene’s eyes widened and by her intuition, she grabbed her sister’s wrist and pulled her ‘til they were outside the faculty office. She didn’t want anybody hear her and Seulgi’s name getting link with each other. Especially not the idea of them living together under the same roof.

“Why?”

“My roommate went home to their hometown because of family emergency. It’s kind of sad to be alone…again.”

Yeri smiled at her. But Irene knew better it was the sad kind of smile. Ever since their parents separated when she was 19, and her mom died years after, it was a lot to take in. And to know that her sister still feels that emptiness whenever she’s alone, it was the last thing Irene wanted to happen.

“Alright.”

“Okay, gather around!” Moonbyul blew her whistle and ended their practice for the day.

After some words of encouragement from the coach, all the players rushed to take their showers. On the way to the girl’s shower room, Seulgi caught up with Wendy who was ahead and pulled her best friend on a headlock.

“I must admit, you played pretty well today.” Seulgi said as she ruffled Wendy’s hair.

The latter laughed because of Seulgi’s compliment. Wendy knew that her best friend’s opinion always—if not always, mostly matters to her. And so she couldn’t help but also feel proud of herself.

“Thanks Seul.”

“Naah, I’m just saying. You seem pretty inspired today.” Seulgi said and the teasing on her tone didn’t go unnoticed by the smaller girl—added by the dancing eye brows of Seulgi.

Wendy shoved Seulgi off of her while laughing. “Get lost! You stink.”

“So do you!”

There are a lot of things that Seulgi loves and being freshly bathed is one of them. With her duffel bag hanging on her shoulder, she ruffled her damped hair with her towel until she reached her car. After slipping inside, she threw her bag on the backseat, followed by her towel.

As the car’s engine came to life, Seulgi received a message. She briefly checked her phone.

From:
Irene Bae

Yeri’s staying with us tonight. I hope you don’t mind.

We’re at the nearby coffee shop, can you pick us up?

Seulgi’s eyebrows creased. It’s not like she doesn’t like Yeri. In fact, they go pretty well together but having to act like she was in love with Irene?

It’s a piece of cake for Seulgi to be charming and have anyone she wants to be under her spell but it’s her English teacher. Teacher!

And though she really doesn’t like this idea, a part of her still acknowledged and praise Irene’s visual. She’s just too pretty for a teacher. And Seulgi would be damned if she lies to herself she never checked out Irene.

To:
Irene Bae

be there in a minute.

It didn’t take that long for Seulgi to arrive. She stopped her car just across the said coffee shop and punched a text to Irene that says she just arrived.

“BEAR UNNIE!” Yeri enthusiastically greeted as soon as she opened the back seat.

She immediately leaned towards the driver’s seat and gave Seulgi a peck on her cheek. “I miss you unnie.” She pouted.

The latter wasn’t able to hold a smile. Yeri was indeed adorable and cunning in some ways. “It’s nice to see you too kiddo.”

Irene then entered and sat on the passenger seat and Yeri wore this expectant look as she looks at her sister.

It wasn’t that long before Irene realized the look on Yeri’s face. And so she reluctantly, swallowing a tiny lump, leaned and gave Seulgi a kiss on her cheek.

“Hi.” She said then awkwardly cleared .

“Hi.” Seulgi replied.

Irene immediately looked away and put on her seatbelt and Seulgi backed away. She glanced at Yeri once more before driving.

Irene played with her fingers and shifted on her seat than usual. Seulgi noticed this and a smirk crept to her lips.

‘You started this Ms. Bae—I’d like to see how long you can keep as long as your sister’s here’

On the other side, the grin on Yeri’s lips widened noticing how embarrassed her sister must be doing that in front of her.

“Bear-unnie,” Yeri started to break the ice. “I hope you don’t mind me staying with you guys tonight.”

Seulgi spare a glance at the rear mirror and smiled. On her peripheral vision, she watched Irene and when the said girl looked back at her, she then shifted her attention back to the road.

“It’s nothing, really. You’re welcome to come by anytime.”

Yeri made face of that statement.

“Eey~ You might be saying that but I know you don’t mean anytime as anytime.”

And this time, Seulgi’s laughter filled the car. Yeri was right and Seulgi almost forgot that the girl was cheeky and clever.

“Right, how honest. How’d you know that?” Seulgi asked as she narrowed her eyes.

“Secret.”

“Lame.”

“I have my reasons!” Yeri winked and giggled when she sees Seulgi at the rear mirror rolling her eyes.

“Still, lame.”

“Fine I’ll tell you.”

And with this, Seulgi’s ears perked up. But before Yeri could give her an answer, Irene offered her cold tea to Seulgi. Irene knew how much Seulgi wanted any drink when she’s from a very exhausting practice and as she