Like what you hoped for, the week turned out better than the last ones.

Irene did fulfil her promise to drop by every now and then to your crowd; sitting there and chatting like old times. She always greets your table with a big smile and happy face.

And to your satisfaction, she gives her biggest and brightest smile to you.

It’s like as if nothing has changed; like nothing ever went sour or like nothing really happened to make the situation weirder; as if there wasn’t anything eating you up inside every time she gets near. There wasn’t that much in the first place anyway. You probably just blew the whole thing up in your own convoluted paranoia of the changes that may or may not happen between the two of you.

To be frank, you liked the way things are turning out.

Until that one time when the little traces of the dreaded changes surfaced and just made it visible to almost everyone especially you.

“Wow. I can’t believe that Irene-unnie talked to us after such a long time!” Yeri said after Irene walked off to return to her original table during lunch time.

“I know right?! That’s like the first time that that happened ever since her dating that rich guy” Joy added. “I kinda missed having another goddess besides myself sitting on this table.”

Yeri gave her a scowl and you immediately know that it will be followed by another bickering session between the two. Wendy shook her head and smiled.

“Well they are right. I also miss having her here. We can’t deny that her having Suho as her boyfriend really made her drift apart from us.”

You were just so happy that you just nodded to all of their remarks. Your face just can’t seem to get rid of the smile that you got from seeing her just a few minutes ago.

“I don’t see the big deal” Krystal said in a sarcastic tone. “I mean, why can’t she just sit here? You guys are her friends, right?

Well, you weren’t really sure if it was intentional because it’s Krystal and she always sounded bored or sarcastic every time she speaks.

“Well unnie it’s not that simple” Yeri answered her. “You’re new here so you wouldn’t really know how much image her boyfriend possesses.”

“He’s that guy right there right? That guy that has his hand around her shoulder with the Superman hairdo? “, she pointed. Naturally, your eyes followed her hand and you saw the ‘hand-around-her-shoulder-part’.

Welp.

That wiped that smile of yours.

That bummed you out so you just settled on lashing your irritation out on your poor salad.

“Yeah that’s him. He’s like one of the most popular kids in school; partly because of his looks but mainly because of his family’s wealth. He throws the wildest parties I swear. He’s kind of a prick though.”

You scoffed.

“Kind of?” you said a little too loud and a little too aggressive towards your salad. You looked up to see the four of them looking at you weirdly. Krystal was giving you a curious look. Joy and Yeri began to snicker while Wendy tried to hide a smile.

“Hmmmmmm” Krystal said, returning her gaze to the popular kids table. “Well the only interactions that we had might support that claim.”

“How so?”

“Well, let’s just say that I don’t trust a guy who wears sunglasses at night and throws parties on a Monday.”

You heard that while you were drinking so you almost choked.

Krystal smiled and turned to Wendy.

“That’s just Kim Suho for you” Wendy said. “I don’t know what his deal is.”

“So is he like the one that makes Irene sit there instead of here?”

“You could say that. He’s very territorial when it comes to her. I can’t even believe I’m saying that to someone who has dumped the same girl like-YEOUCCCCCCCCCCCCCH!!” Wendy shot Joy a look to which the younger girl answered with wide eyes. It took her some time but then she realized her mistake and quickly turned towards you.

“Geez Seul-”

“What?” you answered nonchalantly. They exchanged looks and were probably having some sort of telekinetic conversation about whether or not you were bluffing.

Your friends were always super touchy on that subject so they tend to have these weird scenes where one of them says some stuff out loud and the other one will do their best for you to not hear it. It was kind of bothersome and ridiculous but you appreciate them nonetheless.

“It’s fine guys. Don’t be like weird about it” you waved your hand off and in effort to make it more believable, you just returned to eating your mutilated salad; hoping for their stares to go away.

Looks like your facade wasn’t really fooling the three of them, so you thanked the heavens when Krystal spoke up just as Joy was about to say something.

“I still don’t get it” she says, crumpling her juice box and tossing it aside. “I mean, is it really a big deal for her to sit here instead of there?”

“Well Irene-unnie turns moony eyed for him every time soooooo” Joy raised both hands and “All he has to do is ask. I don’t really know. They have a very strange dynamic.”

“Suho likes Irene sitting there because having someone that gorgeous as his girlfriend boosts up his ego more” Yeri quipped in. “Honestly, Irene-unnie could do better.”

You looked over at Suho’s table again and gave it a bitter glare.

He was whispering something at Irene’s ear and she gave him a weird look. You’ve known her for too long to know that her expression says that she didn’t like whatever he said. Even though you had absolutely no idea on what he said, it irked you that Irene will still choose to sit there instead of where you were.

Alas, you were just a mere spectator.

They were super close to each other and doing those cliché lovers gestures. Suho had a hand over her shoulder and was practically hugging her. Irene had her head at the crook of his neck. It was PDA for gods sakes.

“Man that’s kind of crappy of her” Krystal broke your silent musing.

You froze when you heard that.

In fact, everybody else did too.

It wasn’t really news to you that Krystal wasn’t really fond of Irene.

You kinda had the inkling that it was the same for Irene as well.

She did meet you at an awkward time when Irene blew your plan together. You were really glad that someone actually befriended you and managed to cheer you up when you were really down in the dumps. When she became your friend, you just naturally assumed that she’ll eventually warm up to Irene.

But that didn’t really pan out.

It was evident in what she just said and your overprotective instincts with Irene surfaced almost immediately in defense.

“What do you mean by that?”

Krystal shrugged.

“Well, I just noticed that she’s the kind of person who’ll abandon her friends just to hang out with someone that she probably talks with like 24/7.”

You gritted your teeth to make yourself calm. You didn’t get Krystal’s deal with Irene.

“But she’s making an effort. I mean she did just come here to sit and talk with us, right?”

“Well she did for like about ten minutes. Then she took off.”

“I think that you’re judging her too rashly.”

“Hmmmmm... Well she definitely has her own crowd there.”

“I mean if you give her a chance instead of just making snarky remarks like that, I think you’ll like her fine.”

Your tone came out as accusative; full of unsaid feelings and irritation.

It wasn’t really fair for her to judge Irene like that; she was new and barely knew her. She didn’t know her like you do and for her to say stuff like that behind Irene’s back was plain rude.

Then again, it wasn’t really fair for you to snap at her like that when she’s just saying her opinion.

Opinion that somewhat resonates with you more rather than your own deluded reasons.

“Woah. Calm down there” Krystal raised both her hands and smiled. She didn’t seem to be mad or pissed that you lashed out on her. If anything, she seems more amused. “I’m not looking for a reason for you guys to throw me out of this table.”

The other three were silently looking at each other. Wendy was the first one to speak.

“Nonsense Krystal, we’re already your friends” Wendy assured her and gave you ‘what-do-you-think-you’re-doing-look’. Krystal gave her a smile. You were left to ponder with your raging thoughts while looking at your unappetizing food.

The bell rang signalling the end of lunch break.

The younger two went and bid their goodbyes as they head towards their class together. Wendy said that she had something to pick up at the teacher’s office so she gave you and Krystal the head’s up to go ahead.

Before leaving, Wendy flashed you another look.

You can’t really look at Krystal after what just happened so you found yourself lingering a stare at Irene’s general direction. Their table was nearer the entrance so some of their posse has already gathered their things and left. Suho still had his stupid arm around her and they were both heading to class together.

I can do that.

I can even carry her bag for her. I’ll tell her cooler jokes that’ll make her laugh more.

He isn’t even doing his job right.

Your luck must’ve really been acting up because as you were about to turn away, Irene looked at you.

Directly at you.

She must’ve been confused at first as to why you were creepily gawking at her and her boyfriend. You kind of panicked and just froze there; your face probably contorted to an expression between constipation and just sheer dread.

But she waved at you with her phone in her hand and she smiled.

Oh the way she smiles