Rosé is blaming herself.

She took Lisa to that party. She told her to try to tell Ms. Kang how she feels. She was at fault.

Not Lisa.

And after all of that, not once has Lisa raised her voice at Rosé. Rosé knows she's angry, not with Ms. Kang but with herself. But not once did she vent it out on Rosé.

Rosé wants her to.

She has already left Wendy at her room, they didn't exchange any words. She doesn't know what happened, but it was clear that Wendy wants to be alone.

They're in Lisa's room and Rosé is dreading to start a conversation.

"Lisa.....I-"

"Don't worry Chaeng, I'm okay." She smiles.

Your eyes say otherwise Lis.

Of course Lisa wasn't fine. Even though she would never admit it but Rosé knows it isn't just a stupid crush. Lisa really likes Ms. Kang.

But the situation can't be helped anymore.

"I'll just stay here tonight." That is the least Rosé can do.

"No. I want to be alone right now."

Rosé can't just leave her alone right now, not when she can see her breakin, right in front of her eyes.

"Lisa please jus-"

"I said I want. to. be. alone." Their is a sense of finalization in her voice. Rosé knows she can't argue with that.

"Look about Ms. Kang-"

"I don't want to talk about it." Lisa's voice starts to break a little.

"Lis if you-"

"It was just a ing stupid crush." Lisa raises her voice. Tears are about to fall, and though having a high volume her voice is weak.

"It was just that.....and...and I don't c-care- I don-" Lisa's voice becomes quieter and sobs take over.

Rosé rushes to engulf her into a warm hug. Lisa gives in and cries her heart out in Rosé's embrace.

Rosé can still hear little 'just a stupid crush' again and again.

Lisa is trying to convince herself, it is just that.

As much as it hurts to see her friend like this, there's no other alternative. Lisa has to let it out, one way or another.

She will also have to push her feelings down, down so deep that they're not visible anymore.

Rosé puts Lisa to bed, and she falls asleep almost instantly. She hears light snores. She runs her hands over Lisa's cheeks, rubbing her swollen eyes.

"It'll get better Lis, slowly."

--

Wendy slumped against the bed as soon as she reached her room.

Ji-Hoon has called her multiple times, but she doesn't bother to pick her phone up.

She's can't get them out of her head, she's trying so hard to. But thier intertwined hands, thier smiles, thier hugs, just won't go away.

It's killing her.

She knows she has no right to be angry with anyone.

She was the one who left 12 years ago.

But questions are flooding her mind.

Are they in love?

How long?

Did they think about marriage?

Did she move on right after I left?

How could Seul....?

Her legs move themselves and she gets out of her room. She doesn't know where her legs are taking her.

She finds herself in front of Rosé's room.

She looks at the time in her phone : 2.48

She moves her hand to knock but she can't, it is really late and the chipmunk must be asleep.

She turns around but the voice of the door unlocking stops her.

Rosé is standing in front of her, with the softest expression ever. That's it, it's the trigger for her.

She jumps into the other's arms and tears start coming out. Her heart is aching, her eyes are aching from all the crying she's been doing.

But why?

She has no right to cry.

She isn't crying because she still loves Irene. She can't be in love with the same person over 12 years, right?

Yeah, she doesn't love Irene.

"S-she....they are-" Wendy sniffs and says in between sobs.

"She loves her."

"T-they're.....in.....love, chippie."

Rosé doesn't say anything. She must be confused, but she doesn't pull away to ask any questions.

She just listens.

After some time, Wendy finally moves away. Rosé drags her inside and makes her sit on the bed, she then brings a glass of water.

She settles beside Wendy.

"Now, drink this, calm down and tell me everything." Her voice is calm, gentle.

She offers the glass, which Wendy takes with shaky hands. She puts it all down in one go.

She knows she can't hide it anymore. This would be the right time to tell Rosé.

She regains herself and prepares to tell her everything. She doesn't stutter at all.

"The woman, with Seulgi, her name....it's I-Irene." Well, maybe a little bit. She still can't say the name out loud, without stuttering.

"Irene, I- we were uhh we umm-" She doesn't know what to say.

Irene meant the world to me once?

"Wendy just say it as it is, okay?" Rosé grabs the other's hand.

"I loved her." Wendy can tell Rosé is shocked, it's crazy how her jaw hasn't dropped yet.

"We- we dated for 8 years." There it goes, the jaw drop arrives.

Now, it's Wendy who's holding onto Rosé's hands. It seems like the girl would just die out of shock, anytime now.

It's crazy how she still manages to stay quiet and not ask any questions.

Wendy mentally prepares herself for weird reactions and tons of questions, after she says the next words.

"Then- then we got.....married."

"WHAT?" There. There come the questions.

Rosé gets up and drinks a big glass of water.

"I didn't know you- wait really?" Rosé tilts her neck, so much that it might break.

"Uhhh yeah, I- I propose-"

"Emeged! You must be like totally in love. Wow!" Rosé massages her temples, Wendy can tell she's thinking hard.

The delighted expression on her face drops down after a few minutes and a sad (or rather pitiful) expression comes on.

"But...but Ms. Kang...she-" Rosé stops, thinks again, probably trying to get the right words out, but then she just gives up. "I'm so sorry Wendy."

Of course, she's feeling bad for me.

But she shouldn't.

When Wendy left Irene, she knew what she was signing up for.

Irene could date anyone.
 

I just didn't think it would be Seul.
 

Did she like her even when we were- No, no, no that can't be.
 

The questions start coming again.

"You don't have to feel sorry for me." Wendy pulls her legs up and crosses them.

"I was just a bit shocked, you know? I-I mean Seulgi, she....she saw it all. She ing saw it all." Wendy wants to say more, but she knows it wouldn't mean anything.

She can't help it now.

Rosé opens but then closes it, it looks like she's hesitating to say something.

"What?" Wendy asks.

"Wendy, I think....uhh you should.....you know talk to them." Rosé looks down, avoiding eye contact.

Wendy wants to, badly, but what would she say?

They probably hate her, and just want her to go away.

They looked happy.

Together.

"I don't think there's a need for that." Wendy looks at Rosé.

"Let's just complete our job quickly and get out of here and go home. Live just like before, forget all this ever happened."

"But you won't." Rosé mumbles quietly. Wendy looks at her again, and sees a serious expression.

"You won't just forget, they were an important part of your life. What the hell even happened, that left you in this condition..."


 

"So weak."


 

The words are said so quietly, subtly but