Joy stared at the girl seated beside her for the longest time.

“Will you please say something before I go crazy?” Wendy whined, burying her fingers deep into her hair.

“I don’t even... what exactly is her problem?” Joy cocked a brow. She seemed more confused than Wendy was. “I mean, bipolar disorder is a real condition, you know. Maybe she should get herself checked out or something.”

“Don’t be mean, Joy.”

“Now I’m being mean?” The girl looked almost agitated. “I really don’t get why she’s playing at the whole hot and cold thing. And the last thing I want is for you to get hurt again.”

“She’s not as aloof anymore,” Wendy commented. Funny how she was already willing to defend Irene. “Ever since that incident, we’ve started texting. Granted, she hasn’t been saying much but… I don’t know… at least it’s something?”

Joy smacked her forehead and sighed, “She’s still seeing that boy, isn’t she?”

“Yeah…”

“Exactly my point. She’s just playing you, Wen. I don’t like the way things are right now and I think you should stay away from her.”

“But--”

“She’s not being fair to you. She probably hasn’t even figured out which team she’s playing for and is just feeling her way around. Do you really want to be her test subject?”

Wendy took another sip of her banana milk calmly, “It’s not as bad as you think it is, Joy. I’ll be fine. Besides, it’s not like we’re dating or anything. We’re just friends, and that’s good enough for me.”

Joy scoffed, “You’re basically telling me it’s totally okay if we started making out at your place with your parents home.”

Her words made the girl think again before she spoke up a little later, “Well… we didn’t exactly make out--”

Joy interrupted the terrible excuse with a snort, “Oh my goodness. I can’t believe you, Wen. You are so obsessed with this girl it’s not even funny.”

“It’s all good.”

 “In what way is that--”

“One second,” Wendy set the milk carton aside and fumbled around in her bag for her phone that was vibrating. A small smile graced her lips when she saw the name on the screen. “It’s Irene.”

“Awesome,” Joy muttered under her breath, crossing her arms restlessly as she watched her friend take the call.

“Hey, Irene,” Wendy started, lips stretching into a wide, silly grin. “Yeah, I am. And you? Uh huh, that’s good. That sounds great! Yes, of course. Alright, I’ll see you later then? Yeah, okay. No problem. Okay, bye.”

Joy cleared the moment Wendy hung up, obviously anticipating some sort of explanation.

“She wants to study together after school.”

“Ah, I knew it!” Joy snapped her fingers at once. “That’s, like, code for getting it on. I’m so proud of you, Wen. You’re finally going to--”

“Yah! We’re gonna be studying in school, you idiot!”

“Ooh… so she likes attention from the public, I see. That sounds exciting,” the cheeky little thing wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“Park Sooyoung!”

“Whoa, scary Wendy,” Joy raised both hands in defeat. She knew the girl meant business whenever she used her full name. “For argument’s sake, though, if you had to choose between Irene and me, who would you pick?”

“Gosh, don’t make me do this. You know it’s impossible for me to decide.”

“Yah!” Joy swatted her friend’s arm because it was not the answer she was expecting. “Bros before hoes, Seungwan.”

Wendy chuckled, “We’re not bros.”

“Ugh! Sisters before hoes, whatever.”

Wendy draped her arm over the girl’s shoulders warmly, “I’ll always have your back, Joy. Don’t you ever doubt that.”

There was no reason why her sincerity should be questioned, and Joy hugged her friend back tightly. “Love you, Wenwen.”

“Love you back.”

- - - - - - - -