You can slander me because my life is just tragic---too bad seulrene aint anymore T T I have no one to be with being tragic 

Irene has never been this exasperated before.

Their team just lost because Seulgi took the flag from her and now this. She huffs some air and turned her head away from the scene.

“It should’ve been you, unnie.”

It was Dahyun, one of Seulgi’s cousins.

The said girl giggled when Irene still shows surprise of her bluntness.

“It’s you who should take care of Seulgi, not Somi.” She continues.

Irene eyes trailed back to where Seulgi was sitting and Somi drying her wet hair with a towel. And she regrets that she even pushed her to the river.

Irene was snapped back to reality when she felt a touch on her arm.

Dahyun apologetically smiled at her.

“The feeling is the same unnie.” She said that made Irene confused.

“What do you mean?”

“I never liked Somi in the first place.”               

“I-it’s not like that!”

And Dahyun’s laugh escalated from her denial.

“It’s ok, I won’t tell anyone.” Dahyun said after seeing Irene blushed.

When Dahyun left her side, Irene couldn’t help but glance again to where Seulgi was. The said girl was now laughing with the Somi girl and it took Irene a lot of strength to ignore the churning feeling inside her.

She doesn’t even understand why she feels that way.

She sees Seulgi coming towards her and Irene tried her best to look away and busied herself by helping the aunts prepare the food for lunch.

It was out of her comfort zone, really.

Because one, she was still in the process of getting comfortable without Seulgi’s presence and she doesn’t know who are the aunts she’s with.

They’re all alien to her but with smiling faces—at least. It was something she was thankful and not forgetting to smile back.

“You sure you’re going to ignore me?”

Irene’s jumpy, she knows it herself.

She can tell that Seulgi has this goofy grin on her face from the way she talked. And it couldn’t annoy her more when she was right.

“You’re one sulky little lady, aren’t you?”

Seulgi laughed when she gets an eye roll from the older girl.

It was also that moment that Seulgi knew the girl hate losing. Irene was a natural competitive person.

“It seems that you guys did enjoy the game earlier.” One of Seulgi’s aunts spoke.

Oh it was definitely fun for Seulgi.

”I got pushed by the river because someone’s salty of losing.”

Another laugh emitted from Seulgi when Irene immediately looked at her with widened eyes.

“I am not.” She said, emphasizing every word.

“Right.”

But really, Irene wasn’t feeling so salty about losing anymore. If she has to admit, she was being salty with Somi—but that, she won’t confess.

“Aah…newly married couples usually bickers at the smallest things. I still remember how my husband and I argue before.” One of the aunts beamed at them.

“But I hope you don’t fight too much! It’ll be miserable to see your beautiful marriage end.”

Irene jumped a little when she felt a hand sneaking to her back. When she turned her head, Seulgi was again too close.

“It’s nothing auntie. We were just teasing.” Seulgi smiled when their eyes meet.

“What you just said—will never happen to us.”

It was something Irene hated. Everything that they’re doing all that time was acting but the things that Seulgi says, they made it feel real.

Lunch with the Kang Family was surprisingly fun. Irene eventually loosened up.

She and Seulgi were able to solve their little conflict over the game because of meal—delicious meal that is.

“You know I shouldn’t be talking to you right now but the food is just so good I need to talk it out to someone!”

Seulgi laughed and gave more pork belly to Irene’s plate. Seulgi is grilling while her wife is sitting beside her; pleasured with the meat served to her.

“Well I shouldn’t be apologizing like this for winning but I guess it’s not that bad.” Seulgi started before adding, “It made you talk—to me.”

----

“How are you coping dear?”

It was Seulgi’s mother.

She smiled and wrapped an arm around Shinhye’s shoulder.

“I’m doing fine, mom.”

“And Irene?”

Seulgi stole a glance at Irene who was having a conversation with her grandfather near the barbecue. It was late but it seems no one would want to sleep the night off.

“I don’t know.”

It was a second apart when she felt a pinch on her side.

“Ow—what was that for?!”

“I know you’re giving her a hard time, you brat.”

There was a crease between Seulgi’s brows as she threw her mother a look.

“Says who???”

“Says me.” Shinhye spat back. “Even she doesn’t tell me, I just know Seulgi.”

It was anything but hard time, really. Seulgi didn’t do anything but kept her distance and be ignorant with her fake wife’s presence. Though she must admit there were teasing moments—which, she enjoyed very well.

“We’re…fine, mom.”

She met Irene’s pair of eyes and they both stared for a good five seconds before Irene gave a soft smile.

It was the kind of smile that’s contagious and Seulgi herself couldn’t help but do it in return.

There was a gentle breeze that brushed at their skins which made Seulgi smile wider when Irene shivered. She was like a fragile little kid, Seulgi thinks.

“Mom,”

“Yes dear?”

“I think I’m going to leave you for a moment.” She mumble