"Talk to me!" Joy managed to exclaim while panting.

After a long silence and a couple of tear fall, Irene opened to speak.

"Let's talk somewhere else." She turned around without even looking at Joy. She leads the way for Joy and Irene was surprised that Joy would follow her.

"Why does she have the time to follow me? Doesn't she have any plans today with her girl?" Irene wondered. Still annoyed with everything she witnessed awhile ago.

Irene brought Joy in an empty alleyway. And she initiated the confrontation.

"Why did you have to lie about being single?" Irene asks.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Joy responds with a tone of confusion in her voice.

"Why are you lying? I saw you in the train!" Irene exclaimed a bit loudly, almost choking.

"So you're thinking that Seulgi is my girlfriend? Irene, all you have to do is ask. She's like a sister to me. Why would you believe that I would lie to you? 'Cause I would never. Honestly." Joy blurted out with emotions.

Irene was silent for awhile but she somehow managed to speak "I'm sorry." while being a little bit ashamed of herself.

"You know what, Irene, maybe we may not know each other a lot yet but I actually expect you to trust me. Because I would never lie to a friend. Especially to you."

"I'm sorry, Joy. The truth is, maybe I overreacted because I was jealous..."

Joy was startled by Irene's statement.

Irene continued "Don't you notice? That I'm into you? I'm already into you, Joy. I know that you know what I really meant when I told you that I like you. Isn't it obvious enough? The way I look at you. The way I smile at you. My action says it all. I'm not expecting anything in return because I am hard to love. Unlike you. I mean, who wouldn't fall for you? You make me smile without even trying. You are beautiful without even trying. You make this awful world seem perfe–"

Irene's mouth was suddenly shut by the softest lips that had ever existed in this universe.

In that moment, Irene had confirmed that she is in love, for sure. She has surpassed the infatuation stage. That she had fallen for Joy as hard as she had fallen for Taeyeon. Or even more, actually. She loves Joy with every molecule of her being and it's driving her crazy. But she doesn't mind being insane.