When Irene feels the brightness of the always welcome sun seep through her eyelids, she stretches her arms and flutters her eyes
open. The birds are chirping outside her window, the trees are rustling under the soft breeze, and the sun's warming everything up.
She almost feels as if she could break into song. And she does.

Singing songs in the morning had somehow become a hobby of hers. A glance at her clock tells her it's already nine. She had slept in. 
​But no worries—her days as of late have all been relaxed and lazy in the best way possible. And these slow days have only been memorable
because of Seulgi.

Speak of the devil. Irene's cellphone rings mere moments after she wakes up, and to say that Irene is surprised by the sender of the
text is an understatement.

Seulgi: Good morning, Hyun. It's lovely out, isn't it?

Irene: Where is my Seulgi?

Seulgi: What?

Irene: Is the world ending?  Give Seulgi back to me.

Seulgi: Funny, Hyun- ah.

Irene:  Why are you up so early? Are you okay?

Seulgi: I'm fine. Stop worrying,  I just wanted to say good morning.

Irene: Good morning, Seul. :) And you're right. It is beautiful outside today.

Seulgi: I know. Made me think of you.

Irene's fingers freeze on her keypad. What

does that even mean? Before she can come up with a witty response, though, Seulgi sends her another text.

Seulgi: Hey, I gotta go, I'll call you later, okay?

Irene: Okay.

Irene: I miss you.

Seulgi: Miss you, too. For reals now—bye!

Irene: Bye! :D

Seulgi chuckles to herself as she tucks her phone back into her jeans.

My Seulgi… She likes the sound of that.

Irene checks her phone for probably the hundredth time that day. No messages, no missed calls, nothing. Seulgi did say she would call her later, and she did say the night before that she had something planned for today. But, as it appears, it is not so. The day's almost over anyway. The last bits of sunlight are disappearing under the dark clouds, and the moon's beginning to shine through the greyness.

Irene heaves another sigh and flops onto her. She should have known.. A prank that’s just it.

Seulgi smiles to herself. This is an excellent plan if she does say so herself. Never mind it took her an entire day to get it together. It's all going to be worth it because Joohyun will love it.

Seulgi can already imagine her face. Her lips will curl into that cute smile, her nose will crinkle just the tiniest bit, and those beautiful eyes will glimmer with genuine happiness—the kind that only Irene has, the kind that makes Seulgi want to smile along with her.

When Irene's phone rings, Irene doesn't even bother to crack a smile. Four hours ago she might have.

"Hello?" Irene answers dryly, only rolling her eyes at the caller ID.

"Hey, Baechu."

"Hi."

"Is everything alright? You sound kind of tired."

Irene huffs. "Yes. Everything's fine."

"Oh…okay," Seulgi says unsurely. "Well—"

"You said you'd call."

Seulgi grins to herself. "And here I am calling."

"Do you think this is funny?"

"I mean, I guess it's a little bit funny."

"Do you have anything to say, Seulgi? 'Cause I'm hanging up now."

"Wait, hold on, Hyun-ah Seulgi glances up at the glowing window. It's dark out tonight.

"Don't hang up."

"What do you want?"

There's some scuffling, and suddenly the ambience on Seulgi's end sounds strangely distant.

"Seulgi…? Am I on speakerphone?"

"Look out your window."

And that's when the gentle strums of an acoustic guitar floats through the phone. As Irene squints her eyes in confusion, she quickly shuffles over to her window, pulling it up and sticking her head out.

Seulgi smiles up at her as she continues strumming a very familiar looking guitar that makes her look even tinier than usual. With a wink, she begins to sing. "You're a part-time lover and a full time friend. The monkey on your back is the latest trend. I don't see what

anyone can see in anyone else but you…" A grin slowly crosses Irene's face as she takes her phone off her ear, enjoying every note

drifting out of Seulgi's lips.

When Seulgi finally finishes the song, she opens her arms and shrugs.

Irene laughs, more to herself than anything. "I love Juno," she says.

Seulgi her head and places a hand behind her ear. "I can't hear you," she calls up to Irene.

Irene smiles and tries again. "I love Juno!" she yells.

"I know," Seulgi tells her with a grin. Irene rocks on her heels and sends Seulgi a flirtatious smile. Then she beckons Seulgi up with a waggle of her index finger.

Seulgi smirks as she starts to expertly climb the tree outside Irene's house.  When Seulgi's finally high enough to look Irene straight in the eyes, Irene extends her hand, prepared to tug Seulgi in as usual.

Seulgi takes her hand but, instead of making a move for the window, she cranes her neck and leaves a gentle kiss on the back of Irene's hand. She lets her lips linger in place as she glances up at Irene, finding her as red as a tomato. She chuckles as she lifts her head up again. God, if she could just kiss those pink ears and those rosy cheeks…

Irene coughs awkwardly, and Seulgi quickly lets go of her hand. "Here," Seulgi says as she hands Irene the guitar, "put this inside, and I'll come in myself." Irene nods and takes the instrument while Seulgi worms her way through the window.

She hops into Irene's room and jumps onto the bed right away. "Sorry I took so long to call," Seulgi says as she bounces on the bed.

"I spent the whole day learning how to play that song." Seulgi pouts when she lifts up her hands and shows Irene her calloused fingers.

Instinctively, Irene takes the hands into her own and rubs gently at the tips. "Does it hurt?" she asks.

Seulgi shrugs. "Nah, not really." And with that, she pulls her hands away from Irene, using them as a pillow instead as she lies down

on the bed. "Where'd you get the guitar anyway?" Irene asks.

"Wendy."

Irene nodded, and Seulgi just grins at her. “Jealous?”

“What I’m not!” Irene denies. "Besides, you liked it," Seulgi says. Irene opens to protest, but Seulgi cuts her off. "In fact," Seulgi says

smugly, "you loved it."

Irene purses her lips but gives in at last. "Fine, I did." "And that's all that matters." Seulgi pats the empty space next to her. "C'mere, Baechu."

Irene looks away with a small smile before padding over to Seulgi and flinging herself onto the bed. "Are you staying the night?" she asks softly.

Seulgi turns to look at her. "Do you want me to?" Irene gazes back into those brown eyes, only inches away from her. "Yeah."  "Okay."

____________

I tried