Wendy and Irene don’t have much time for each other even when they are literally on the same land.

 

 

Taeyeon and Jessica are busy preparing their wedding along with other friends.

 

 

 

 

“Seulgi, can you double-check the schedule with the staff ?” Chorong shouts from the waiting room.

 

“Roger that ! Wait a sec ~”

 

 

“Wendy.” Chorong calls out the girl who is spacing out in front of the mirror.

 

“Huh ?”

 

 

“Did you tell the boss ?” Chorong asks very carefully in a faint voice.

 

 

“Yes.” Wendy answers with a firm nod.

 

 

“How did he say ?”

 

“He said he will back me up.”

 

 

“But-”

 

 

“Done. Everything sticks to the original plan.” Seulgi hops in.

 

“Thanks.” Chorong smiles.

 

 

“But you guys don’t look okay.” Seulgi may be thick sometimes but she cares about her loved ones. 

 

 

“I am just tired.” Wendy closes her eyes and sighs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Two days ago*

 

 

 

“Wendy, are you sure about that ?” 

 

“Sir, I am.”

 

 

“What if she holds back ?”

 

“You have my words. I guarantee you, she will not.”

 

 

“Then you have my words too. Don’t fail me, although you’d never done so.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Irene.” “Bae Joohyun.” 

 

“Yes ?”

 

 

“Are you okay ?” 

 

“I…. I am.” 

 

 

 

From the look of her eyes, her voice, her little gestures, her everything told her the opposite.

 

 

 

“Don’t tell me you filmed a bed scene today.”

 

“No.” 

 

 

She frowned.

 

 

“Then what is it this time ?”

 

“I am just tired.” 

 

 

 

"Me too. I am tired too." Wendy thought.

 

 

 

“We will be filming the same show three days later.”

 

“I know.”

 

 

“Are you nervous ?”

 

“No.”

 

 

“I am.”

 

“Why ?” 

 

 

“I don’t know….. Screwing up ?”

 

“You always hit those notes and kill those moves perfectly.” 

 

 

“So do you……  Joohyun-ah, tell me.”

 

“Tell you what ?”

 

 

 

“Whatever that is bothering you.”

 

 

“I love you.”

 

 

“Please.”

 

 

 

She almost begged her. 

 

No, she begged her. 

 

She encircled her body with her own. 

 

 

 

Closer, harder, stronger, until she finally spoke again.

 

 

 

“I think they are pushing me harder since they suspect I am seeing someone.”

 

 

 

“Even Sooyoung’s words didn’t help ?” 

 

 

She didn’t let go. She still held her so closely.

 

 

 

“They’ve never trusted me, Seunghwan-ah. I am just an investment. All they want from me is to be absolutely obedient. They are ready to ditch me when my popularity fades. Before that, they are squeezing my every bit out.” 

 

 

 

She finally hugged her back.

 

Slowly, steadily, firmly.

 

 

 

“Come here.”

 

 

She placed her head on hers. 

 

 

“You have me. You will always have me. Always.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Taeyeon’s apartment*

 

 

 

“Park Sooyoung, if you are not helping, please go back to your dorm and do your homework.”

 

 

Taeyeon knocks on the washroom door where a giant excuses herself 5 minutes ago  trying to order chicken delivery.

 

 

“Unnie, I am hungry.” Joy pouts opening the door. “You are all meanie, Wendy-unnie, Seulgi-unnie and even you.”

 

 

 

Jessica overhears the conversation and sweetly calls, “Taengoo-ah, let’s eat now. I’m hungry too.”

 

“Taengoo-unnie~~~” Joy follows suits and does her aegyo.

 

 

 

“Fine…..” Taeyeon rolls her eyes in defeat and picks up the phone.

 

 

 

 

 

Joy happily claps and scoots to the side of Jessica.

 

Jessica gently pats her head while humming some random melodies and flipping through some catalogues.

 

 

Taeyeon returns after ordering and smiles mockingly seeing such scene, “Oh how sweet you two.”

 

 

“Well, I am not the one who is getting married here.”Joy fishes her phone out as it vibrates in her pocket. “Aww, Seulgi just texted me.”

 

“Go spend your time with her then, kid.” Taeyeon gestures the tallest to leave some space between her and Jessica.

 

 

“Alright ~ I’m leave you two after I had my chicken.” Joy puffs her cheeks.

 

 

Jessica just watches the two bickering like 3-years-olds with a smile plastered on her face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joy is gone like a wind after devouring her favorite food, leaving the couple at the house.

 

 

Taeyeon looks at the messy dinner table and sighs before she gets her hands on cleaning it.

 

 

 

“What’s up with the long face ?” Jessica says standing on the side. 

 

“Already feel like a housewife.” Taeyeon shakes her head chuckling.

 

 

“So Joy is our lovechild ? Not Wendy or Irene ?” Jessica carries onto her intended joke.

 

“Either way, I am already a housewife. Oh lord mercy me.” Taeyeon flashes her other half the cleaning cloth in her hand.

 

 

“You know I can be such a klutz.” The slightly taller wraps one arm around the other’s neck. “Thank you for putting up with me and thank you….  For marrying me.”

 

“Not yet ~” The slightly shorter breaks away and continues her work. 

 

 

“But you agreed !”

 

“Yes, but not yet done.”

 

“So you are telling me that you might leave me again as some last minute decision ?”

 

“No~ Don’t be that serious ……” 

 

 

“I am very serious here.” Jessica shoots an icy glare folding her arms.

 

“So let me be serious first too…” Taeyeon clears putting down her cleaning tools. “I’m marrying you and only you. And I’m going nowhere only if I’m with you.”

 

 

“Good with sweet words now, ain’t you ?” Jessica’s obviously into them but she’s trying hard to appear not to.

 

“I’m happy to be a housewife, you know.” Taeyeon cracks a smile. “Only for a house where you are there.”

 

 

 

“But baby I’m comin’ home,

Yeah it’s gonna be a late night.

Good night.

 

Will I be okay?

If I keep running like this,

Won’t my breathe stop ?

 

After a while when the morning opens its eyes,

And my dizzy life comes to a stop.”

 

 

(“Shoebox”-Epik High ft. MYK)

 

 

 

Irene has deleted her draft messages for Wendy the 43rd times.

 

 

She was hoping to reach her somehow during her hectic schedule but she just can’t come up with the words.

 

 

 

“What’re you doing ?”

 

Sounds like an overly-attached girlfriend. 

 

 

“How’re you ?”

 

What ? Are they strangers ?

 

 

“Are you doing fine ?”

 

Certainly comes from her mom.

 

 

“Busy ?”

 

Not if she replies.

 

 

“Miss me ?”

 

Eww, surely a desperate call from a mammal in mating season.

 

 

“It’s me.”

 

Yes……  As if Wendy hasn’t saved her contact from the start or something.

 

 

 

Irene knows it’s a sign.

 

 

 

A sign that she really loves this person.

 

 

She has never be stuck like this before.

 

She was only being chased before she met her.

 

 

Tables turned.

 

 

A hankering for her but she hates to have it displayed for everyone to see.

 

 

 

“Irene, we’ll start whenever you are ready.” 

 

 

 

Then she sighs and throws her phone to Sooyoung, whom has been busy texting Sunny all the time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Why don’t you just call her ?” Sooyoung hands her back her phone after the shooting is over.

 

“I don’t know what to say.” Irene unlocks it and stares at it blankly.

 

 

“Why ?” 

 

“I don’t know. I feel guilty.”

 

 

“You’re doing nothing but your job.”

 

“This is not what I was signing up for.” Irene grits her teeth.

 

 

“I know girl…. You just wanna sing and dance. But to get fame, you need to do more than that. It’s how the game is played. You’re indeed lucky, ‘cause this is a big company that you could just focus on being an artist. If you know what I mean.” Sooyoung side-hugs the younger girl.

 

 

“I know. I know everything you said. That’s why I am so…. bothered.” 

 

 

 

“Then this is what you should tell her.”

 

“I did. But it ends up giving her more pressure, unnie. I don’t know now.” Irene hangs her hand low recalling their recent conversations.

 

 

They did not go far from their works, latest schedules, performances.

 

Wendy has to deal with the plan where Irene would switch agency.

 

 

“Even you really do, she is willing to take those pressure. She deserves to know.”

 

“I feel so weak. I can’t do what I want to.”

 

 

“I thought we have all talked about it.”

 

“You brought it up first…..”

 

 

 

“Irene, look. I’m sorry too. It hurts me to watch too. I don’t see you overworking, playing nonsense drama roles too. I want to see you happily owning the stage with your singing and dancing too.”

 

 

Sooyoung holds Irene’s shoulders and looks at her sincerely.

 

 

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t let it out on you.”

 

“It’s okay, Irene. I’m on your side. Don’t blame it all on yourself.”

 

 

 

 

“Let’s head to the practice room now, unnie.”

 

 

 

 

“There’s nothing in between the first train and the last train,

Work is just a hamster wheel, just walking in the same place.

The sweat of 365 days is all for you,

You know this, how can I leave out a single day?

 

I’m coming home.

I might be a little late.

But the time that passes while going home,

This silence is the world’s only absolute peace.

 

Never home without you,

All alone without you,

Baby I’m on my way home.” 

 

 

 

Irene twists the key and opens the door.

 

All she see is a figure snuggling on the couch.

 

 

It is not exactly pretty but she lifts a smile because of this.

 

 

The long hair covers half of her face.

 

One arm lifted above her head, another dropped from the couch to the floor.

 

 

It looks a little like a murder crime scene if you have some white chalk around her. 

 

 

Irene squats down and suddenly thinks of how Wendy described her dozing off while she was cooking the first day they met.

 

She must have been sleeping like that and Wendy must have been looking at her like this.

 

 

She wonders if Wendy had the same loving eyes for her as she does now.

 

 

She pulls out a blanket from the bedroom and gently covers it on the soundly sleeping figure.

 

“I’m home.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wendy wakes up at the noise from the kitchen and notices the blanket. 

 

She knows she’s home.

 

 

 

“Hey, champ. Still have the energy to cook ?” She asks the sight of Irene’s busy back.

 

“You’re awake.” 

 

“Do you need some help ?” Wendy rolls up her sleeves.

 

“No, you sit and wait. You were practicing all day.” Irene wipes her hands on her apron before pushing the snowman out of the kitchen.

 

 

“You were running around for your schedule too.”  

 

“I feel like cooking today, okay ? By the way, I came up with a new rule.” Irene goes back tending the pots and pans while Wendy is standing behind her peeking from her shoulders.

 

 

“A rule for what ?”

 

“Let’s not talking about work at home.” Irene throws a grin towards the nosy snowman.

 

 

“Sounds good. I agree.” Wendy chuckles again, it sounds rather melodic for the other girl. “So….  What are you cooking today ?” 

 

“Those Korean dishes that you’d never get them right.”

 

 

“Oh you are mean. You should teach me when we have time.” 

 

“Sure. When we have time.”

 

 

 

Irene chuckles along with the derpy snowman and it seems her stress has long gone away.

 

Maybe she should not doubt and worry that much.

 

 

 

“Babe I’m coming home,

If you wait a little bit, I’ll be standing at the door.

You won’t ever be alone,

If it’s too late, I’ll be laying by your side when you open your eyes.

 

Uphill roads and downhill roads,

I’ll take off my worn out shoes now.

Leaving my footsteps and footprints,

In this shoebox here.”

 

 

 

“Seulgi said she took Joy to the theme park today and Joy punched a guy who played ghost in the haunted house.” Wendy laughs reading the texts while they are lying casually on the bed. 

 

 

“They’re lucky that they aren’t fined or arrested for that.” Irene dries her hair with a huge towel walking out from the washroom.

 

 

 

“Oh it supposed to be a romantic trip. But I think it turned into a hilarious one. Joy also texted me saying Seulgi nearly forgot her existence and left her alone at the souvenir store.”

 

Irene sits next to the laughing Wendy and takes a glimpse of the phone screen, “Where did she go then ?”

 

 

“Ice-cream parlor. Next to the store…. Oh my god…. It’s so…. epic.” Wendy wipes her invisible tears. “The bear has a sweet tooth. She is obsessed with ice-cream and all sorts of candy and cakes.”

 

 

“So she forgot her own girlfriend ? If I were Joy, she would get her kicked.” 

 

“Trust me, only Joy can kick her .”

 

 

“How about you ?” Irene stares at the happy snowman not knowing a clue.

 

“Eh ? What about me ?” A confused Wendy is a cute Wendy.

 

 

“Is it only me can kick your ?” Irene raises her eyebrow pointing the she’s referring to.

 

“Well….” Wendy thinks for some seconds. “Taeyeon could but her own is constantly getting kicked by an ice princess so yeah….. You can do anything to it too.”

 

 

Irene throws the wet towel on her face and yells while escaping back to the washroom, “You ert. I am not talking to you.”

 

 

Wendy removes it from her face and shouts back, “I am only talking about mine, not yours. Which part of it is ert ?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Sera said she wanted to propose to Hyuna too.” 

 

“Really ?”

 

 

“Yep. They have gone through long enough. They have been kind of together since I was a teen in Canada.” 

 

“I’m happy for them~”

 

 

“I’m glad Sera made the right choice coming back with me.”

 

“So everyone got someone to kick their asses now.”

 

 

“It’s what all you care ?”

 

“No……Not really, I care for something more.”

 

 

“Like …. ?”

 

“When is our turn ?”

 

 

“Our turn for what ?”

 

“Don’t play dumb on me, good student Son Seunghwan.”

 

 

“What whatever student Bae Joohyun ?”

 

“When ? Tell me.”

 

 

“Soon, Joohyun-ah. Soon.”

 

“It’s my answer too.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Hyun-ah.”

 

“Hm ?”

 

“Welcome home.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi guys ~ It's approaching the end.

This is my very first story and you guys have been showing me so much love since. 

 

I promise I will write more good stuff for you guys !!!!

 

That aside, my next update will be...... *a roll of drums*...... The short sequel for "You Will Think Of Her" !!

Then Seulgi x Joy's one will be up after this one ended. Most probably.

 

So as usual, tell me your opinions and I shall deliever some better chapters ~ :D

See you soon

xo