realizations and dispositions
Found You in FragmentsThe night air blows and the two women are forced to break apart.
Stepping backward, Irene pulls Wendy inside the house. The latter reluctantly follows, heart beating louder and faster with each step. She’s been here countless times before but she can’t help but feel awkward and nervous due to the recent upturn in their friendship.
Wendy eyes the dimly lit dining hall, remembering the framed family photo and questioning herself if she really wants to be here right now. This is the home Irene shares with her children and she dreads seeing the room she shared with her husband.
She takes a breath of relief when Irene steers them to the living room. Plopping down on the sofa, Irene tugs on Wendy’s wrist, pulling her down to sit beside her.
Wendy was a hundred percent sure of what she wanted when she rushed to get here. But now, she finds it difficult to find the words to explain it.
Still thinking of what to say, Wendy startles when Irene leans in and rests her head on her shoulders. Her arms wrap around her waist, tightening its hold when Wendy takes a deep breath.
“I don’t know where to start,” Wendy admits. She trails her hands down Irene’s arms. She squeezes Irene’s freezing hands with both of hers to warm them up.
Irene hums, eyes fluttering close in comfort. “It’s alright. We still have time.”
Wendy smiles as Irene yawns, nodding at the thought of having a tomorrow to look forward to. There is no need to panic now.
---
When Irene wakes up the next day, it takes her a while to figure out why she’s on the sofa rather than her cozy bed. The clock above tells her that it’s about time her kids get up for school. How she ends up getting a comfortable sleep, especially on this firm couch is a mystery.
Groaning and dragging her feet towards the bedrooms, she hears voices and chuckles coming from the kitchen. One voice, in particular, catches her attention.
She doesn’t remember dreaming tonight. But, she recalls whispers and auburn locks and soft lips and it makes her feel so warm. It feels like a dream, but the lingering feeling in her chest assures her that it’s real.
Turning in her heels to look at the source of laughter, she naturally smiles at the sight. Minhyuk, Yeri, and Wendy are eating breakfast together.
“Good morning, Irene!”
Wendy sees her first as she sits facing the doorway. Her two children lean to kiss her when she walks closer.
“Sit down and eat, mom.” Yeri smiles and points to the chair Sehun used it to sit on.
“Jisoo left early to meet with Jennie and Nanny Jin is giving Mina a bath right now.” Minhyuk adds, taking a huge bite of the pancake.
Irene sits at the edge of the dining table. When she catches Wendy’s eyes that sparkle even this early in the morning, something fills in her chest.
It takes all her willpower not to tackle Wendy into a hug right then and there. She feels elated with something she cannot name yet. Is it gratitude? Love? Is this love?
---
Minhyuk aimlessly takes his books from his locker with his mind drifting elsewhere. It’s still a little early and the hallways are almost empty when he arrived. He had taken up Aunt Wendy’s offer to drive him. With Jisoo out for breakfast with Jennie, he was left alone with the older woman.
Aunt Wendy is a family friend he feels most comfortable with. Although, it’s not like there is any other choice. He never actually sees Aunt Seulgi often, being abroad and all. And it’s awkward being close to Aunt Solar, especially since he harbors feelings for her daughter.
He has never been alone with Aunt Wendy before, aside from the few English tutoring sessions. She is kind to him, motherly even. But something is intriguing about her, as if her walls are built so high up not anyone can get in. He wonders if it’s because she is a professor and is an expert at keeping her private life away from prying kids like him.
He closes his locker and is startled to see who is standing beside him.
“How long have you been standing there?!”
Sowon is still leaning by the locker, looking at him with a puzzled expression.
“About five minutes? I kept calling your name. Something wrong?”
He shakes his head. “Just a little sleepy.” He simply says instead, realizing that he was just overthinking. “Why are you here so early?”
Sowon sighs deeply. “I don’t know. I guess I’m rebelling…”
Minhyuk can’t help but chuckle at that. He knows she used to be a troublemaker and has many issues with her parents but…
“You’re rebelling by coming to school early? Isn’t that the opposite of what teen rebels usually do?”
Sowon raises an eyebrow at him but it’s not as intimidating as others would see it.
“I avoided my mom this morning by leaving early. Someone drove her home last night but I pretended to be asleep when she walked to my bedroom. I have a strong feeling she’s planning to introduce me to whoever it is.”
This isn’t a new topic between them. Sowon told him she was happy at the mere fact that her mother told her before anyone else.
But maybe meeting them is a different story.
“Are you sad about it?” Minhyuk asks, gauging her expression if it was a safe question to ask.
“Not really. I see how happy she is. But, I am nervous. I haven’t really been a good daughter.” Her arms are crossed against her chest as she kicks invisible pebbles with her feet. Minhyuk feels the need to comfort her. The sadness she usually keeps masked is resurfacing bare again.
“Hey. Don’t think that. You’re a good daughter. And if you’ve made some mistakes in the past, you sure are making up for them now. You do your best in school. You’re even here in school this early!”
Sowon finally smiles as she looks at her friend. She speaks the next words with a puff of determination.
“She’s going to like me! We’ll get along well and make my mom happy!”
The first bell rings and the two walk towards their classrooms.
“That’s the spirit!” Minhyuk cheers her by holding his fist high up before…
“Wait, she…?” He directs his question to no one in particular.
“Yeah. She’s a dance instructor where mom…”
The rest of her answer is drowned out by Minhyuk’s thoughts as he recalls his half-asleep conversation with his sister.
“Minhyuk, please get up now or you’ll be late. Mom and Aunt Wendy are sleeping downstairs. I’m leaving now.”
He didn’t know why she seemed pissed off. It was way too early. Now he knows why.
Sowon turns to him when he abruptly stops walking. Her expression contorts to worry at his pale expression.
---
Jisoo is just glad when the bell finally rang. Today’s lessons have been so tiring and she just wants to go home and rest. Unfortunately though, Jennie has training today so she’d either walk home alone or go with Minhyuk and Sowon. That is, if they bother to wait for her.
She takes her time putting her things inside her bag and she nearly startles when someone slams a hand on her desk.
Sana is smiling brightly, and she shifts her gaze from Jisoo to Nayeon, signaling the other to come closer.
“Geez. You almost gave me a heart attack.” Jisoo comments but stops rearranging her things to listen to her friend. Nayeon walks over to her desk wearing her backpack, ready to go home.
“I was rushing to get to you. I had to tell Jennie and Jeongyeon first before their training. Anyway, I’m celebrating my birthday on Friday and of course, you’re invited!”
“Sure.” Jisoo smiles and shrugs her shoulders, putting the rest of her things one by one inside her bag as she listens.
“After school? Are we going to your house?” Nayeon asks.
“Nope. We’re going to the Skating Rink! My cousin will be there too with his friends, so you know,” Sana drags the last word as she wiggles her eyebrows, “we can also meet some boys!”
“Oh! I can pretend I can’t skate and have one of them catch me as I fall!” Nayeon muses as she gazes away and puts the back of her hand against her forehead for a dramatic effect.
“I’ve seen their pictures and they’re handsome! They’re a year older than us, too! Jisoo? Aren’t you excited?”
Sana exaggerates her pout and makes her friend guilty.
“I am excited for your party,” Jisoo starts. “But I’m not really interested in meeting boys right now.”
“Oh. Because of…” Nayeon trails, and when she continues, Sana speaks at the same time.
“Jinyoung?”
“Jennie?”
“Huh?” was all Jisoo could say. She’s over her relationship with Jinyoung, although nothing much has happened between them. And Jennie? What does that have to do with Jennie?
“Aren’t you two an item? Or is that a secret?” Sana asks with her eyes growing wide. Jisoo chances a glance at Nayeon for explanation but the latter is frowning and frantically shaking her head.
Nayeon clears . “Well… Jennie is protective of you. I doubt anyone would dare get past her. Because you’re best friends right?”
“Yeah?” Her mind is tired and if this conversation is confusing her. Might as well just leave it for another time.
---
Irene consciously fixes her bangs on the rearview mirror as she waits for Wendy outside their college building. She chooses to stay inside her car. The place plagues her with memories, mostly happy, but also melancholic.
The moment she sees Wendy step out and brace the wind, her heart skips a beat. Somehow everything feels new yet familiar at the same time.
It was awkward when Wendy gets in. Not because of Wendy, really. The woman is all smiles as usual. After unnecessarily watching her buckle her seatbelt and get comfortable in her seat, Irene drives out the gates to her favorite restaurant a few blocks away.
Irene lifts her right hand to comb her hair behind her ears. She was pretty confident at the salon an hour ago when the stylist finished with her new cut, making her feel more sophisticated and much younger. But now, it just feels new and too much. She just wants to hide under an oversized hat.
“You’re beautiful.”
She knows f
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