Chapter 3 (Updated on February 05, 2022)

Two days have passed and they are now on their way back to Seoul. Two days after her failed attempt in trying to get a leap of faith and yet she still couldn't get over the fact that she missed out her chance. For Seulgi, Irene could've been the one for many things. The urgency of wanting to know the girl more was just too strong for her to let the opportunity just pass. But time was something that she doesn't have a hold on to. No matter how much ounces and tons of courage she has, time was still not on her side. And so, she came into a consolation that maybe, it wasn't just really meant to be.

That Irene was just a passing phase.

Someone temporary.

Someone that just passes in your life but was not meant to stay.

And even with a pang of regret, she accepted that fact. 

She came out of her trance from looking outside the car's tinted window and took a glance at the older girl sitting beside her. Even with her eyes closed, Seulgi knew that her sister wasn't sleeping. Something that the older girl usually do. She studied the face of Taeyeon and noticed the dark circles surrounding her eyes and felt sorry for dragging her along into her trip in finding her perfect muse for this term's final project.

Taeyeon is not one to refuse a favour especially when it comes to her sister. And even when that favour consisted of going back to the place where her life started and likewise ended, she couldn't say no to the puppy eyes that the younger girl has been giving her the entire week. Seulgi had asked her to bring her to a place where Taeyeon once found inspiration when she was just starting in being a photographer and only one place came into her mind. One place that she hadn't visited for years. Jeonju. Her hometown. Their hometown. 

"Unnie?" the younger girl asked.

Silence.

"Are you okay?"

"Hmm."

Seulgi looked straight into the car, bowed her head, and played with her fingers. "I-I.. u-uh.. Sorry for forcing you to go on this trip unnie. This was very inconsiderate of me" she said softly but clearly.

She felt movement on the other side of the car and noticed that her sister has moved closer to her. Taeyeon took hold of her sister's left arm and leaned her head on her shoulder, closing her eyes.

"It's fine, you babo" she said, smiling.

"Are you sure, unnie? I-I know that Jeonju means a lot to you though you may not say it to me. But you know you can always talk to me, right?"

"I know, Seulgi-ah, I know" she smiled and decided to just take a nap while leaning comfortably on her sister's shoulders.

The car ride was peaceful for both girls were in deep sleep throughout the entire trip. It was already dark when they arrived home in Seoul and both, looking tired and drained, greeted their parents who were waiting for their return.

"Aigooo, my babies have returned. Did you eat well on your stay at Jeonju?" the woman asked with her arms wide open. Though already in her late 40s, she still looked so young and beautiful.

"Yes, umma" Taeyeon replied while hugging the older woman, then gave a soft peck on her cheek.

"Did Seulgi give you a hard time, TaeTae?" the woman asked again.

"No, umma. Though you must talk to her about stalking strangers around" Taeyeon teased, looked into her sister and stucked her tongue out.

"Unnie!" the younger girl protested.

"You just came home and now you're already like this" a man in eyeglasses standing beside the woman said. He opened her arms as Taeyeon turned to her and hugged him. 

"I was just teasing her, appa" Taeyeon chuckled and let go of her father.

"Stop pouting and hug your mother, Kang Seulgi!" the mother of the two said, locking her youngest daughter in a tight embrace.

Seulgi returned the embrace just as tight and did the same to the man. 

"Now go wash and change, I know you're tired from the long trip" their mother shooed them into their rooms.

"Ne!" both girls said in unison and went inside their separate rooms on the second level of the spacious and elegant penthouse. 

- - - - -

This was the earliest that Seulgi had come to school. She adjusted the strap of her messenger bag hanging on her right shoulder as she walked along the long and broad hallway of the campus. Some of the students stopped and stared as she, whose golden hair was tied in a loose ponytail and was wearing a white cotton sweater designed with blue and red stripes across the chest, red skinny jeans and a white flat oxford, mindlessly find her way towards the campus cafeteria. Coming from a well-off family, having a pretty face and acclaimed as the rising photography genius next to her sister, attention was something that Kang Seulgi couldn't help but get.

But despite the fame, Seulgi remained rooted to the ground. Probably one of the most humble people, as described by her friends and classmates. She has always been intell