Irene’s face paled at Jennie’s pissed off countenance. Her baggy clothes not helping at the boiling atmosphere. Jennie standing confidently, with droplets of water transparent on her one-piece school’s swimsuit, and a towel resting on her shoulders — a y afterlook following after swimming.

Supposedly y. Not for the fact that Jennie looked like she’s about to tear Irene’s limbs apart.

Irene caught Jennie after swimming practice session, leading them to converse about the inevitable topic that’s been occupying her mind for three days. She knew her request was a crazy one, but she’s desperate to make her parents barbecue party bearable in the slightest. Never wanting to cause her parents to worry for their shut-in daughter during no classes’ days.

“What?” Jennie asked incredulously, right hand on her waist. Never really the type to mask her irritation towards Irene as her eyes glinted with hostility.

Irene braved herself to repeat her sudden request or begging invitation. “This Saturday. We’re having a barbecue party and my parents ask me to invite Wendy and my friends. Will you please be there?”

“You’re nuts, Irene. Crazy, I tell you.” Jennie chuckled dryly, her hands gesticulating at Irene’s amount of craziness. “Why are you inviting me-” she pointed at herself and then to Irene- “when your parents wanted to invite your friends. As far as I know, our relationship is not to that extent. Including Wendy.”

“I know, I’m insane for asking you this much, but I don’t know anyone else to invite,” Irene said defeatedly.

Jennie’s annoyed look was casted aside with new amusement on her eyes. “You, Irene Bae, who got the highest entrance exam score for transferees, and a varsity player who’s even competing for the archery club together with Wendy, knows no one? Are you kidding with me?”

“Who’s kidding with you, Jen?”

Irene turned in surprise with the familiar voice. Wendy?

Wendy Son, all flesh and fresh was standing shock as she locked eyes with Irene. An Irene whose appearance wasn’t her usual look, sporting a big black hoodie and covering her head with the cap as she sneakily went inside the women’s locker room for swimming club. In huge contrast with Wendy’s plain white tee, matched with a simple blue jeans and sneakers that still made her look chic despite the simplicity of the outfit.

“Come here, Wan,” Jennie called over Wendy to come nearer. “Talk with this crazy girl whom who’ve slept with. Her mind must’ve hit wild that time.”

“Ah, eh,” Wendy replied incoherently, scratching her nape, while her other hand swung an expensive looking bag awkwardly. “What are you doing here, Bae? Do you need something from Jennie?”

Irene inhaled deeply. Being faced with Wendy only after three days when she dropped her off without bidding farewell and asking her something insane wasn’t faring well on her side. “Please come to my house on Saturday with Jennie. My family’s having a barbecue party, and my parents specifically invited you to compensate for everything.” She scanned Wendy’s face, trails of pink hues sprinkling on her cheeks.

Wendy smiled bashfully, gripping her hands on the expensive looking bag — another Chanel tote bag that she recognized the owner. “Compensate me? I didn’t even do anything for your parents.”

"Not what you did for them, but what you did for me.” Irene felt her cheeks burned as she uttered those words, alongside with a pair of dangerous eyes that would cremate her alive. Catching Jennie with transfixed eyes on her, right eyebrow quirking upward. “But, it’s probably because of the chocolates you gave my mom last time,” she added with haste.

“Oh, did they like it?” Wendy asked optimistically.

“They did.”

Wendy tightened her jaw for a millisecond. “And how about you? Did you like it?”

Irene was taken aback for a moment, remembering her sister forcibly shoving a piece chocolate in . “I-I did.” Recalling that she wasn’t able to give her thanks to it, it’s never too late to say it at this moment. “Thank you for the chocolates, by the way.”

Jennie’s coughed made the two pairs of eyes turn their heads to the maker of the sound. “Wan, my clothes.”

Wendy handed the bag to Jennie. Holding the bag, Jennie looked back to Irene. “If you wouldn’t mind, I’ll be needing my privacy.”

Irene nodded with understanding. “Please let me know if you’ll come.”

“We’ll be there, Bae!” Wendy expressed excitedly.

Jennie gripped a hold of Wendy’s hand, taking a quick glance at Irene’s direction. “We’ll discuss about it.”

Walking around the campus absentmindedly after the unfolding events an hour ago, Irene bumped into someone, stumbling her balance. Almost falling down, a pair of hands caught her right on time.

She was greeted with beautiful azure eyes and a familiar ginger hair that descended finely on her face. Standing up properly, she was able to recognized the girl as Wendy’s newest target. No wonder, when the girl perfectly fitted the ‘dream girl’ concept.

Ginger prettily smiled at Irene, right hand still on her waist until Irene’s balance was perfectly back to normal. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

Even her voice sounded angel-like. Was this the reason as to why Wendy even skipped practiced last time? Irene supposed it was, when Ginger’s concerned looked also look cherubic. Her striking blue eyes, serene and cool – too pretty, unlike her own darker ones, who mirrored her unexciting character. Always on the edge of competitions and wanting to prove something, in spite not knowing the exact reason why. All she knew was that she’s nothing, but a blank canvas without any of her achievements. Too white. Dull and boring. Unlike the girl in front of her who radiate a glowing aura with just her mere presence alone. No wonder Wendy couldn’t care less about practice, when she could do something more fun with Ginger.

Irene shook her head mentally as she’s met with azure, albeit looking upward with the girl’s height.

“Um, no,” Irene muttered. “Thank you for catching me on time...” She smiled at Ginger, masking away her insecurities at the beautiful girl who looked far too innocent for Wendy to have.

“Name’s Amelia, but you call me Lia,” Amelia said, her lips tugging to form a smile that almost blinded Irene’s vision. “You’re Irene Bae from the archery, aren’t ya?”

Amelia wasn’t the first person that recognized her, the only difference was the question she had gotten. The usual question she would’ve got was: “Hey, you’re that Irene Bae at Wendy’s party, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am.