[ At Different Times ]

Wendy was silently hurting. Her girlfriend, Joohyun, is seemingly ignoring her for months with only lame sorry text messages and endless excuses to make up for it. As her heart was slowly getting tired on her love, she ends up meeting a middle aged woman named Irene on the bus stop on her way home. Like fate.

[A/N: This one , even I myself can say that. Heavily unedited as well because well that's me! I'd probably edit this one if I have my sanity sooo maybe later this week. this one is quite angst btw :D]

“I’m sorry, Seungwan! I have softball practice tonight. I’d make it up to you this weekend okay? –Joohyun unnie”

“Liar.” Seungwan huffed, “You barely even remember me anymore…”

A sigh escaped the high school student’s lips before staring at the gloomy weather up above. The bus stop was strangely deserted at that time, but then it was late at night anyway. A few cars were passing by and there was no passerby may be because of the impending storm. Tugging on her jacket tighter, Wendy sniffed. I’m going to get a cold by tomorrow morning. This !

Soon enough, flashes of lightning started to brighten up the sky. Seungwan flinched on her spot because of the thunder, especially since she was alone. Of course, her girlfriend was more of a scaredy-cat between the two of them but even strong high school girls get spooked out by loud noises and flashes of light right?

She was about to dial her girlfriend’s number again, silently hoping that the latter will answer and probably comfort her, but to no avail.

Joohyun unnie is seriously getting close to getting the Rotten-Girlfriend Award this year huh…? The high school student childishly thought, getting more and more disappointed in each second.

Well, no one can really blame Seungwan for thinking like that.

It has been close to five months when Joohyun started aloof and distant from her. It was a gradual process. First would be their skipped weekend dates that used to be some kind of a routine. Then their silly Sunday movie night until it was their routine lunches and now, even their time going home was disrupted. Seungwan didn’t want to complain though. Joohyun was now in college and was probably having a hard time adjusting to her new campus. Just how could Seungwan try to become a burden with all of that right?

ZAP!

Seungwan was taken out of her trance. That last thunder was a loud one that her insides started shivering from both the cold and the fear. She was dead ready to call a cab now instead of waiting for a bus that—mind you—is half an hour late now.

“Ah, this is seriously annoying! How am I supposed to go home now? L-look! It started raining as well! I’m so doomed!” She cried dramatically, dropping her whole body on the bench and closed her eyes. “I’m tired…” she mumbled, sniffing. “If only Joohyun unnie can be here…”

ZAP!

Seungwan ignored the loud thunder. Instead, she started listening to the constant drops of the rain in the bus stop’s roof, casually creating harmony out of it to calm down her nerves.

She might’ve fallen asleep for a bit when someone suddenly spoke up near her, with a small giggle leaving out their lips.

It was a woman, Seungwan noted as she opened her eyes. It was a very beautiful woman, and probably the prettiest she has seen in her life.

Ok, maybe not exactly the prettiest, because Joohyun will still be the most beautiful in her eyes, but the woman was a close second. Thinking about it, the woman actually looks like an older version of Joohyun!

“You’re drooling in your sleep, kiddo.” The stranger muttered with a soft smile on her lips. Despite the bright smile, Seungwan noticed how the woman’s stare faltered for a bit. The woman blinked twice before awkwardly laughing and turning away. It was the usual office clothes, a simple pencil skirt and a blouse of thin material. Seungwan almost swore she noticed the red, puffy eyes of the stranger and a few tears that seem to threaten to spill.

That didn’t matter though. Seungwan quickly wiped the corner of her lips, only to find out that the woman was right. There was a sticky liquid and she quickly wiped it away with the sleeves of her jacket. Embarrassing… Seungwan thought. You are one heck of an embarrassment Son Seungwan.

The woman laughed again, albeit this time, shyly. “I’m sorry if I seemed rude. I needed shelter from the rain and you happened to take all the space from the bench. I would like to take a seat too.”

“OH! I’m sorry!” Seungwan immediately scrambled up from her position and hugged her bag to give room for the older lady. “Forgive me, I was just having an exhausting day, Ma’am, and didn’t expect anyone to be here. Only a few people take the bus from her at this time, you see.”

“Ohhh… I see.” The woman casually took a seat beside her. “I didn’t know that. If I only knew—well, at least I’m here right now, right? You’re no longer alone.”

“Yeah--?” Seungwan glanced at her in confusion. “Oh! Yes, I guess you’re r-right.”

“Are you always this fidgety?”

“N-not really, no—I-I… It’s just that you s-saw me drooling—and I-I—I rarely embarrass myself in front of strangers s-so I didn’t know how to act…” Seungwan lamely explained. “…Ma’am.” She added.

The woman giggled again, “Don’t call me ma’am. I’m not that old. I’m turning twenty-nine in March.” She took a glance at Seungwan and extended her hand. “My name’s Irene, by the way. You can just call me that… or you can add an unnie if you want.”

“Oh! My girlfriend’s birthday is in March too!” Seungwan finally cracked a smile, like the usual social butterfly she was and shook the woman’s hand. “I’m Seungwan!”

Seungwan couldn’t put a finger on it though when she noticed how Irene’s stare faltered for a moment as well.

After the introduction, they were caught up in small chitchat before silence enveloped them. It was all about the rain and the thunder and the bus who is still nowhere to be found.

It was nearing 11 PM when Seungwan noticed the woman rubbing her arms due to the cold. Like a person with immense chivalry, the high school student removed her jacket and placed it around Irene with a sheepish smile.

“You seemed cold.” Seungwan reasoned, seeing the surprised expression of the older girl.

“B-but you—“

“Don’t worry about me. Besides, I still have this hoodie with me!” Seungwan showed off the hoodie in her back, with a ‘02’ in the back as well as her girlfriend’s last name, Bae. “It’s my girlfriend’s!”

“Y-you seem to like her a lot.” The lady noted, in a strange tone.

“Yeah, I do.” Wendy huffed sadly. “But she’s rarely around these days.”

“Mmm?” the woman mumbled. “Y-you can not tell me if you’re uncomfortable though.” She quickly added right after.

“No, it’s okay. It’s just that, she’s kinda busy these days. She’s a college student you see. She has a bright future ahead of it, some things adults said. I-I didn’t want to burden her.” Seungwan explained. “But at the same time, it feels like she doesn’t care about me anymore. And I—I wanna know that she still does… that she didn’t change despite all the pressure.”

Irene didn’t know what to say. She wanted to hug the younger girl but her limbs wouldn’t move. They were strangers after all. It might seem weird.

So instead, Irene settled with a sad smile and a hopeful remark. “Talk to her… M-maybe she’d realize what she’s missing and return to your arms again.”

“Thanks for the advice, Irene-ssi!” Seungwan grinned. “Oh, the rain has stopped! And there’s my bus!”

When the bus arrived, Seungwan finally carried her back and readied to board. Irene didn’t move from her spot though.

“Irene-ssi? You’re not coming?” Seungwan asked.

“Not my bus, Seungwan… Mine is right after this one.”

“B-but I don’t think there are any more buses after this…?”

“There is,” Irene informed her. “It leads to Suwon.”

“Ahh… The countryside. Well then, goodbye! Irene unnie?”

“See you again, Wendy-ah!”

- - - - - - - - -

“You shouldn’t be too nice to strangers, Wan-ah…” Joohyun reminded her the next day as the two were hanging out on Joohyun’s apartment. Well, not exactly. Wendy was lying down on the older girl’s bed as the other one was walking to and fro, dressing up because apparently, she has a group project to do.

“But Irene unnie is nice.” Wendy pointed out. “And sweet too.”

“And you like her now?” Joohyun added a hint of annoyance in her voice.

“Hey… what’s up with you, unnie? Why are you being grumpy today?”

“I-I—“

“You’re not even spending time with me today. This is our fifth date in a row that you’re canceling; do you even know that unnie?”

“No, I-I—“

“Are you seriously leaving?” Seungwan asked with sadness and disappointment evident in her voice as she glanced at her girlfriend who can’t even look at her in the eye.

“Can you stop being childish for once?” the words left Joohyun’s lips faster than anticipated. And it totally caught Seungwan off-guard. “I’m stressed out because of college, Seungwan, and I need to fit in, otherwise—“Joohyun sighed, rubbing her temples. “Look, I’m sorry, Wan… I’m just… busy, so busy lately… and I know I’m being a rotten girlfriend but I’ll make it up to you soon okay? I love you.”

With a hasty kiss on her cheek, Irene left. Wendy just stayed in her bed, fighting the few tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

Make it up to her? Seungwan could swear Irene said that for fifty-two times now.

- - - - - - - - - - -

“Why do you look so gloomy on a gloomy day like