I R E N E ‘ S   P O V

 

 

 

 

You know what’s my favourite part in road trips?

 

 

 

 

 

 

The drive back home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

How the sky turns into an orange and pinkish hue

 

 

 

 

 

How the tires smoothly pass the concrete road

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and most importantly

 

 

 

 

How Wendy holds my hand while focusing on driving

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You okay love?” wendy spoke for the first time since we left Daegu, my hometown. My parents called us for a family gathering and asked if we could come see them

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Yeah, just feeling a bit sleepy….” I said

 

 

 

 

“You’re always sleepy” she chuckled

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Go sleep if you want, i’ll wake you up at the next stop.” she said while her eyes were fixed on the road 

 

 

 

 

“But you’ll get bored…..” i hesitated

 

 

 

 

“I won’t, i could look at you sleeping all day, and never get tired” she cheekily smiled while my cheeks turned pink

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Cheesy.” i said while smacking her shoulder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Aw, my already hurts from driving and now you’re doing this to me” wendy pouted. I swear this thing is the cutest in the world

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Awww don’t worry, i’ll give you a massage when we get home” i winked at her

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I wish we could stay longer” seungwan said while caressing my hand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Sigh, me too. I really missed them, but it seems like they missed you more than they missed me” i pouted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Maybe because I’m a charmer” wendy winked while i was making faces

 

 

 

 

 

“Nah, you’re still a derp to me” i said

 

 

 

 

 

“But I’m YOUR derp.” she corrected

 

 

 

 

 

“Yeah yeah, this derp is mine” i said while she slightly chuckled

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Wan-ah?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Yes?”

 

 

 

 

“Will you go back to work tomorrow?” i asked her. She ran her finger through her hair and heaved a sigh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Unfortunately, yes. Dad wants me back at the company for a meeting and we have a new project that will start next week” she sighed. It’s only times like this when we get to stay together for a long time, roadtrips are kind of our thing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“And I, will also be back at the office unless my hell of a manager will kill me” i sighed sadly for our little vacation is ending

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were heading towards the exit when seungwan went straight forward

 

 

 

 

 

“Hey, you missed our exit!” i told her

 

 

 

 

 

 

she just smiled at me and said 

 

 

 

 

 

“Who told you we’re going home already?”

 

 

 

 

i just let her drive the way and savor our time together

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a few moments later, the sun was already down and the only light i can see was the lights of the car and the postlamps outside, seungwan the radio in case i was getting bored

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Oh! I Like this song!” she exclaimed when 5 seconds of summer’s Long Way Home started playing on the radio. She started to sing the lyrics dorkily too. I smiled as memories came flashing in my mind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take me back to the middle of nowhere

Back to the place only you and I share

Remember all the memories?

The fireflies and make-believe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

|| Flashback ||

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Where are we going?” young joohyun asked her seemingly excited best friend wendy

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You’ll see when we get there” she said

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“But my feet is getting tired. And it’s dark already wan-ahh…. What if a monster comes and gets us?” the younger chuckled at the girl, feeling more scared than ever

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Monsters? Really unnie? And I thought you were older than me” she snickered

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Yah! I can’t feel my legs anymore wan-ahh. I can’t walk anymore” joohyun whined while putting her hands on her knees, panting and catching her breath

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moments later, she sees wendy going in front of her and crouched down, looking like a hunchback

 

 

 

 

 

 

“What are you doing you look silly!” Irene said

 

 

 

 

 

 

“What’s it look like I’m doing, I’m giving you a ride!” she said while patting her back

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Why?” wendy rolled her eyes at the older, wondering how is she younger than the latter

 

 

 

 

 

“Duh, you were whining for about, the whole walk, about your tiny leg-“

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Yah! You have smaller legs than mine so don’t even” irene huffed

 

 

 

 

 

“Don’t complain, just hop on!” Irene hesitated for a bit, then wrapped her short arms around the girl’s neck

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Am i too heavy?” she asked as wendy started to walk

 

 

 

 

 

“Nah, I can’t even feel a thing.” she lied. Irene was a bit heavy. But she didn’t want her to feel guilty

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Are we almost there? Why did I even agree to go with you” irene pouted as if wendy could see it

 

 

 

 

 

“Because you love me” wendy turned around to face her and showed off her grin

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Yeah yeah whatever seungwan” irene pinched the latter’s cheeks, because true to what she said, she does love seungwan

 

 

 

 

 

Even more than friends or bestfriends

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“We’re here!!” Wendy exclaimed as she put Joohyun down. Her shoulders feeling a bit sore. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“So uhh, remember the times when you couldn’t find me anywhere? When I decided to skip classes?” Wendy asked

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Yeah, and I had to look at every nook of the school to find you” irene crossed her arms while wendy just scratched her nape 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Well, this is where I’ve always been” she pointed at the wide field of grass, with water flowing just below the hill, coming from the waterfall at the far east side of the scenery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Woah….” Irene marveled at the sight of the crystal clear water. Now she knows why Wendy was always hard to find. It’s hard to keep your eyes away from the sight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Nice right? This could be our secret hideout!” irene chuckled at the kid. Rubbing her hands furiously, looking like a person who was an evil plan

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Who are we going to hide from anyway?” irene asked

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“From Mrs. Song! She always scolds me whener I pick her flowers at her front yard” wendy pouted. Irene laughed, remembering the time Wendy gave her a bunch of lavenders, then ran away afterwards, with the fat Mrs. Song chasing behind her

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“That’s because it takes time to grow beautiful flowers you dumbo!” irene smacked her forehead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wendy took out the little picnic mat she put in Joohyun’s bag and laid it out on the grass

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I wonder how you found this place?” irene said while lying on the picnic mat with wendy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I saw a wisp and I followed it’s path” wendy joked and irene laughed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You silly kid”