*** Irene ***

It's the last friday of the month. Finally, I can rest tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. 

Jisoo and I walking towards the canteen while discussing about the changes of the plans for the upcoming intramurals in our school. 

"Morning girls!" Seulgi suddenly poped up from nowhere. 

"Morning Sluggie!!" Jisoo cheerfully greeted Seulgi but with a different name. 

"Jichu!" Seulgi greeted her back while tapping her hand to Jisoo's head.

"Since when did her name change to Sluggie?" I asked. I didn't notice the closeness of these two, that they actually called each other by their nicknames.

I thought it was just me and Seulgi who called each other by nicknames. 

They looked at each other's eyes, like they talking through their gazes. In while, Jisoo suddenly laughed. "Since that night with Krystal? Right, Seulgi?" Jisoo said. 

I hate people who do that thing, like talking through their eyes. They supposed to use their mouths if they want to talk, right? 

"I think so," Seulgi replied with a grin.

"With Krystal?" I asked. I grabbed the handle of the door but Seulgi took off my hand from it and she opened the door for us to get inside first instead. I rolled my eyes to her which she noticed immediately. She raise her eyebrows for inquiry but I just ignored her and entered the canteen instead. 

"Krystal ate with us last week." Jisoo said without noticing what's happening between me and Seulgi. Seulgi on the other hand, just followed us. We have the same lunch break every friday, that is why she's with us now.

"That's all of a sudden, huh?" I said while sitting on the chair, putting my tray of food on the table. They both did the same except Seulgi seated beside me while Jisoo seated on the opposite side.

"Well, we had a little celebration." Jisoo said. "Wait, I need to get my coffee on the counter. I forgot to bring it." She quickly stood up from her chair and walked away. 

"What's wrong, Joohyun? Tell me." Seulgi whispered suddenly.

I shook my head hastily. "None." I said sarcastically. But honestly, I was kind of shocked of how quick Seulgi process the situation and quickly discovered that there's something wrong with me.

"Nope." She stared at me while I'm eating my food. "I know there's problem here. Come on, tell me." She said. Her tone isn't demanding but convincing. "Jisoo is still not here. You can tell me." She smiled. Even her smile is convincing too. 

I have no choice but to stop eating and face her. "I hate it when you're doing it." I said droopingly. 

"Doing what?" She said, mirroring my tone, somehow leveling the feelings of my eyes.

"You know, that kind of talking using your eyes." I said, made some hand gestures in front of my face. "You did that with Jisoo earlier."

She frowned while looking at the ceiling. Perhaps, recalling the events earlier. Then, she suddenly nodded. "Ahh.. I remember it." She said. "I'm sorry. I will try my best not to do that again." 

"It's not that I don't want you to do that again but at least let me know about what's happening." 

"I get your point." She nodded. "Copy, my lady." She said jokingly. 

"And about Krystal," I said. "What's the little celebration about?" 

She chuckle while staring at me sarcastically. "I promise your friends that I'll buy them fried chickens and sodas if our date will be successful." She explained. "I accidentally saw Krystal that day and invited her. Nothing more, nothing less. That was exactly what happened." She smiled. 

I stared at her eyes for a few seconds, detecting if she really said the truth to me. "Don't you dare lying to me, Kang Seulgi." I said. 

"Am not." She raised her hands like she's surrendering to me. "Why did you ask about Krystal?" Her lips twitched. "By any chance... are you jealous of her?" 

"No, I'm not! Why would I?" I just realized how high my voice was when I saw few students turned their faces to our table. I heard Seulgi giggled next to me. I bow my head to apologize because of my noise. Luckily, Jisoo didn't notice it. I saw Seulgi is still laughing beside me. "I'm not, Seulgi. Seriously, I'm not." I said in monotone while punching her shoulder.

"Ah!" She suddenly shouted, brushing the part of her shoulder that I punched.

I almost jumped from my seat when she shouted. "Was that hard?" I was about to put my hands to her shoulder when she suddenly burst laughing. "No, no, no." She shook her hands in front of her. 

"Kang Seulgi," I said sternly, trying to threatened her using my voice. 

She brush off her tears from laughing using her hands while fixing her posture. "Yeah." She nodded. "You're not." She said sarcastically. 

My words died when I saw Jisoo coming back on our way. "Something happened?" She asked while sitting on her chair. 

"Nothing," was all I said. I turned to see Seulgi, who is seriously eating her food like nothing really happened earlier. She acted to raised her eyebrows for inquiry, asking me what's-the-matter. If wearing poker faces is a competition, Seulgi is probably the champion. I sarcastically smiled at her and she did the same. Like I've always told to myself before, I can never win with this girl.

*********

My homeroom class isn't really boring except today. All Ms. Pizarro did is discussing the whole time. Worst is, we have to deal with it for the whole 3 hours. What an unlucky day isn't it?

I suddenly felt someone's head on my shoulder. I almost jump from my seat when it touched me. I immediately turned to see who it was. 

I almost forgot that Seulgi is my seat mate in this subject. She was sleeping and my shoulder supported her head. I move closer to her, putting her head on my shoulder in the most comfortable position, so she can sleep well. I bet, she's tired, really tired. The bags under her eyes told me. 

I can't help but travel my gaze to her face now that we are just so close to each other. I never saw someone who is still gorgeous when they're sleeping. She's like an angel when her eyes were close and so authentic when she's awake. A genuine girlfriend who never fail to surprise in so many ways. 

Like she did for me last time. I didn't expected to see her in front of the office. She waited for me, I don't know how long, brought some food and even hug me. I had no idea how powerful a hug can give until that night. The way she wrapped her arms around me, it wasn't tight, it was just so perfect for my taste. When she did that, my exhaustion immediately wiped out. She cheered me in the most unexpected way and surprisingly, I loved it.

I shook my head to set things away from my mind. I returned my attention to Ms. Pizarro, who is still discussing right now. Luckily, she didn't notice us. I jot down some important details about the lesson to my notebook. 

*********

"We won't have a quiz for next week." Ms. Pizarro announced after the bell rang. "I have a seminar to attend." So, spend the day freely." She said cheerfully. 

"We will!" We said in unison. 

"Good bye," she bid her good bye and immediately left the room. Students started to fade. 

Jisoo saw Seulgi was sleeping on my shoulder. She tapped my head to give me a signal that she and Jennie will leave first. Jennie laughed silently when she saw Seulgi's face. 

She get her phone from her pocket. "I need to document this." She said. "For future purposes." Then captured photos of Seulgi sleeping.

"We'll wait for you in the office." Jisoo half whispered. I nodded. They bid they goodbyes and I was left here with the sleeping Seulgi. 

I was about to wrapped my arms around Seulgi's shoulder to gently wake her up when Krystal suddenly show up in front of me, smiling. 

"Heavy, isn't she?" She said jokingly. 

"Kind of but I can handle." I said. 

I was shocked when she suddenly carry Seulgi to her arms in one swift move. I don't know if Krystal is just strong or Seulgi is just light that she did it in just one quick move. Seulgi was still sleeping like a baby when she's already in Krystal's arms. Her head are comfortably placed over Krystal's shoulder while Krystal's arms supported her .

"How did you do that?" I can't help but ask Krystal. 

She chuckle. "You don't have any idea how light is my best friend." She said. "She didn't eat her dinner last night too, that's why it was easy for me to carry her."

I nodded. "Ah---" I was about to ask her if where will she bring Seulgi at when she cut me off like she already read what's on my mind. 

"She live with me recently." She said. She jumped to arranged Seulgi on her body well. 

"With you!?" I said. I know that I was kind of shock but I don't care. "In your house?"

She nodded. "Yes. In my house." She said. "I need to go now, Irene. I need to put this slug in bed." She waved her hand to me to say good bye and leave the room immediately. I didn't even say my good bye to her because she walked so fast.

Do they really live together in one house? Seulgi? With Krystal? In one house? I thought there are just best friends but living in one house? She even carry Seulgi earlier like she always do that. Are they are just really best friends? 

My phone suddenly rang that made me go back to earth. I took off my phone from my pants and answered it. "Hmm?" I said to the other line. 

"Your uncle is here." 

My jaw automatically dropped when Jennie answered me from the other line. "What?" 

"Your uncle is here in office waiting for you." Jennie repeated. 

I suddenly stood from my seat and leave the room to go to the office. "What is he doing here?" 

"That's the question I wanted to ask you too." She said. "I thought he's here because of you." 

"I don't have any single idea why he's here." I said.

"Okay," she half-whispered. Maybe someone passes her so she minimized her voice. "Let's talk about that issue when you got here, okay?"

I nodded even she can't see me. "Okay."

"Be here." was Jennie's last words before she hang up the call. 

I put my phone inside my pocket. "Why is he here?" I asked myself. I keep asking myself but I'm certain that my uncle is here, is not because of me. 

*********

"Irene!" My uncle greeted me cheerfully when I entered the office. 

"Samchon," I said in a monotone. I closed the door behind me. "Why are you here?" I saw Jennie standing beside the window and Jisoo seated on the table. 

"Are you not happy to see me?" He said while crossing her legs. 

"I was surprised. You didn't tell me." I said. I seated on the chair in his opposite side. 

"I know. I planned to tell you in the first place, Irene, but he insisted." 

"He? Who's he?" I asked. 

"Siwon." 

I suddenly felt the gravity from the body. My internal organs was frozen all of a sudden. Hearing his name gave a huge effect to my body. I saw Jisoo eyes gone wide too. She knew who is Siwon and what he is to my life. 

"W-why?" I stuttered. 

"I don't know about his entire plan but what he only said was he'll come and visit your school, maybe he'll transfer?" My uncle said. 

I don't know how to process everything that I heard. He, Siwon, will come and visit my school? For what? 

Jisoo stood up from her seat and walked towards us. "Excuse me, Mr. Bae. But what's the exact date of his visit?" Jisoo secretly brushed her hands to my back. 

My uncle just shrugged. "I still don't know about it, Jisoo." He said. My uncle already know Jisoo since we were 1st year. "I didn't ask him about it either." 

I'm still stunned about the news. Why would he visit the school? What's his point? To transfer? That is so ridiculous!

My family, particularly to my dad's side, is close to Siwon's family. Our fathers ran the same business and they both became best of friends in a short period of time. That was just the beginning of our story. 

"Who is Siwon?" Jennie asked blindly.

"You don't know him, darling?" My uncle said sarcastically. "You're such a---"

I cut my uncle off when he was about to mocked Jennie. "Just tell Jisoo if you have the exact date, Samchon." I said when I finally collected myself. 

My uncle turned to me and smile. "I will, Irene." 

"I guess, that's all this talk was about." I quickly stood from my seat. "If you don't mind, Samchon, we still have a meeting to catch on." I said, demanded him to immediately leave the place. 

When my uncle got what I meant, he stoop up and fix his suit. "Let's call it a day. I'll call you when I already have the information." He walked towards the door and finally left the office. 

I throw myself to the sofa and sighed heavily. 

"What will you do?" Jisoo stood in front of me. 

"Face him." I said. "He left me no choice." 

"Who is Siwon, by the way?" Jennie asked again. She seated in front of me. 

I sighed heavily. I don't know if I'm ready to open up our history to another person already. But well, this is going to happen anyway, I guess. "He was my first boyfriend." I said. "He was also the first person who broke my heart."

Jennie doesn't know what to do when she heard my answer. If she will laugh, knowing that her best friend was a crap before over a boy. But she stayed quiet for many seconds before she spoke again. "Are still affected of him?" 

"Damn, I am since the day I met him." I said half whispered half-screamed. "I always told myself to forget him but his name will pop up somewhere and it makes me remember what he really meant to me. Oh God, when will this damn feelings of mine end?" I put my hands above my head. 

Jisoo slowly seated beside Jennie, looking at me with a concern face. 

"And Seulgi?" Jennie said suddenly. "How about her? Does she knows?" 

I gently shook my head. "Nope, she didn't." I said silently.

"What would you tell her then?" Jennie asked. 

"Nothing. As long as she doesn't know, I won't tell her anything." I said.