003

 

____________________

 

 

After tying up her shoelaces perfectly, Seulgi picks her bag and stands up, ready to go to school. Though before she takes another step to the front door, a woman’s voice calls out from the living room.

 

“Seulgi, are you going to school?”

 

“Yes, Mom.” Seulgi replies, turning her head to her mother and nods.

 

“I have to attend a meeting, let me drop you off at school.” Her mother says, looking at her watch before walking over to grab her car keys.

 

“It’s okay Mom, I can take the bus like usual.”

 

“No, I’ll drop you off with car.”

 

With that said, Seulgi nods to herself and stands on the front door, waiting for her mom obediently. It’s pretty rare for her mother to drop her off with car. Usually around this hour, her mother is either having a phone call, already out of the house, or still sleeping in her room after tiring herself off the day before.

 

Her mother doesn’t even stay so much at home, she usually goes out of the city for business, meetings, projects and everything, leaving Seulgi with her younger brother at home, taking care of the house.

 

Her father isn’t much different, even worse. He rarely stays at home through the year, flying overseas or out of the city for business. In return, Seulgi’s family is pretty loaded in exchange of the busy parents who rarely stay at home.

 

But despite being extremely busy, Seulgi knows that her parents still care a lot about their kids. It’s clearly shown when they take a break just to celebrate someone’s birthday in the family, or how they always attend parent-teacher conference even though they have to arrive at another city by night, not to mention how they always ask for the report card and stare at the grades.

 

Sure Seulgi often throws a tantrum or pout everytime her parents leave for work, but as she grows up, she starts to see a lot of things behind her parents.

 

Even though they’re busy, they still try to keep track of their kids, watching them grow up and try not to miss a thing about them. Remembering their birthdays, scolding them over the phone, asking the maids to keep an eye of them everytime they’re not around. Her parents are busy, but they still put a lot of efforts for raising her and her brother.

 

Seulgi has never thought much about her parents’ effort, but after having a late night talk with Irene few days ago, she realizes that she’s very blessed and lucky to have this kind of parents in her life.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

Mrs. Kang muses from the living room, walking towards her daughter with a bag and car keys on her hands. Seulgi gives a small smile and nods, walking out of the door and to the car.

 

The ride is quiet and pretty awkward, if Seulgi may say. It has been a while since she spent some time with her mother just the two of them. She vaguely remembers those days when she’s still close with her mother, she was around 5 years old when they played in the garden, trying to plant some flowers but ends up getting dirt on her face. It’s a very beautiful memory considering how her mother got busy and she grew up, creating a small gap between them.

 

“You let your hair down today.”

 

Her mother muses, snapping Seulgi out of her thought as he quickly turns her head to the older woman.

 

“Oh, yes, I’m just trying something different.” Seulgi hums, playing with the end of her hair, wondering if it’s a good idea to change her hairstyle so suddenly.

 

“Keep it.” Her mother replies. “I really like it when you let your hair down like that.”

 

Seulgi can see her mother’s smile, making her wrinkles slightly more evident as her lips are stretched to the sides.

 

Her mother is getting older, the realization hits Seulgi as she trails her eyes to some white strands that’s hidden under her mother’s black hair. Somehow, thinking that her mother is getting older makes her sad. Will her health be okay? Won’t she get too tired if she keeps on working like this? Shouldn’t she rest more? Did she get enough sleep?

 

Many questions come and cross her mind, yet she bites her lips, hesitating to speak out any of her thoughts.

 

“Seulgi.”

 

“Y-Yes, mom?”

 

Mrs. Kang sighs softly, making her daughter tilts her head in confusion.

 

“I’ve been thinking about—retiring from my job.” She says softly, as if hesitating to speak. “What do you think?”

 

Seulgi blinks rapidly, leaning back to her seat as she stares at her mother with wide-eyes. Did she hear it wrong?

 

“Retiring?”

 

“Retiring.” Her mother nods. “I’ll stop working and stay at home—I don’t know, probably doing some gardening or just take care of the house.”

 

“I think—“ Seulgi trails off, darting her eyes to the side as she searches for the words to say. “I think that’s great.”

 

“Great?” Her mother eyes her questioningly.

 

“Great,” Seulgi nods shortly. “You can stay at home and rest, and spend time with us… And do your gardening hobby.”

 

Mrs. Kang turns her eyes back on the road and smiles widely. Despite the wrinkles on her face, Seulgi still thinks that her mother is one of the most beautiful women she has ever seen.

 

“Okay, then. I have to pay back all those years I’ve spent flying around the world and not spending time with my precious kids.”

 

Seulgi blinks again before finally breaking into a light laughter, turning her head to the road as she laughs with her mother. It feels so nice like this. Seulgi hopes that once her mother retires for real, they can spend more time together like this. It would be wonderful.

 

Maybe they can plant some flowers again, what should they be—sunflowers? They will look pretty on their backyard.

 

“So, how’s your days at school? Tell me about your friends.”

 

“Well…” Seulgi stars up, her lips in thought as she speaks. “You know I’ve always been a quiet kid, so I don’t really talk at class but—there’s this one transfer student named Irene.”

 

 

____________________

 

 

 

“Ahhhh! I forgot to buy a new lipgloss.”

 

Seulgi jumps slightly at the sudden burst from Yeri. She turns her head to the girl who’s puckering her lips in pouty manner as Joy laughs at her.

 

“You can borrow mine if you want.” Wendy hums from the side, looking up from her magazine for a moment before back on reading again.

 

“Your lipgloss color is too pink, it’s not my color.” Yeri whines softly.

 

“Then what kind of color that you like?” Irene asks before slurping on her orange juice.

 

Somehow, Seulgi ends up eating her lunch in the cafeteria with the other girls, Wendy, Yeri, Joy and of course, Bae Irene. She never really has her lunch in crowded place like this before, but now she oddly enjoys the cheerful atmosphere.

 

The cute sight of Yeri and Joy who often fight but make up a second later, Wendy who always laughs even at the lamest joke ever, and Irene who smiles so brightly like the sunshine.

 

Seulgi likes quiet and calm place, so it’s not really a perfect atmosphere for her, but she likes it.

 

“What about you Seulgi-ah?”

 

“Hm?”

 

Seulgi snaps her head to Irene who’s smiling at her.

 

“What kind of color do you like for your lipgloss? Is it the deep colored ones like mine?” Yeri asks cheerfully, pointing at herself.

 

“I—“ Seulgi gapes. “I never really—use lipgloss, or buy it, or think about it…”

 

There is a silence follows as the other girls stare at her, and Seulgi starts to wonder if she says something wrong. Maybe she should lie and says that she likes a random color? Maybe red would be nice? Her mother often wear red lipstick after all.

 

“So—you never wear make up and anything like that?” Wendy blinks and Seulgi bites her lower lip before shaking her head lightly.

 

“Oh…” Wendy hums before turning her head to the other girls.

 

Seulgi watches as the other girls stare at Wendy, as if having conversation with their eyes. She wonders if they’re planning something, which is answered a few seconds later when Wendy suddenly pulls out a lipgloss.

 

Feeling that something bad is about to happen, Seulgi is about to move away, but both her hands are grabbed by the other two girls, Joy and Yeri.

 

“Alright, Irene, put this on her, I’m gonna keep her head steady.” Wendy says, handing the lipgloss to Irene.

 

“Why do you need to hold me like this? It’s not that I’m going to run away.” Seulgi lies, furrowing her brows at Wendy who is leaning closer.

 

“Well, can’t take the risk.” Wendy replies cheekily and places her hand on the back of Seulgi’s head, keeping her in place.

 

“Relax, Seulgi, don’t press your lips together like that.” Irene coos, moving closer as she opens the lipgloss.

 

Seulgi frowns at the shiny-glossy liquid on the tip of the applicator, it looks glittery, shiny and sticky. What good does it bring by putting that suspicious substance on her lips?

 

“Come on, Seulgi, this is not a poison, it’s a lip gloss.” Irene coos again, poking on Seulgi’s cheek.

 

Knowing that none of them would give up and she’s left with no other choice, Seulgi stops pressing her lips and just shuts her eyes closed. Praying that she can still open after Irene applies the sticky substance on her lips.

 

It tickles. There is something poking on her lower lips, brushing it softly, and it tickles so badly that Seulgi has to shift her head slightly.

 

“No, no, don’t move.”

 

She hears Irene speaks in front of her, and she knows that the girl is so close. But how close?

 

Somehow, the curiosity takes over and Seulgi opens her eyes, only to be greeted by the sight of Irene’s beautiful face, so close, too close from her own face.

 

Seulgi is completely distracted by the beauty in front of her. Irene’s soft skin, her long lashes, her double eyelids, her perfectly shaped eyebrows; the perfection of her face. Perhaps it’s because of being held by the other three girls, or it’s because of how Irene applies the lipgloss, but Seulgi can feel her heart beats almost twice faster at the moment. She doesn’t even realize that she pauses her breathing until she has to takes a sharp intake of air since her lungs demand for a supply of fresh air.

 

At the sound of Seulgi’s gasp, Irene lifts her gaze from the other’s lips to—the other’s eyes.

 

Irene pauses her movement abruptly, her eyes widen slightly as she stares into the pair of eyes in front of her. Looking at her own reflection on Seulgi’s black orbs. They’re black and shiny like obsidian and Irene is entirely lost inside those beautiful eyes.

 

Somehow, they end up staring into each other’s eyes, admiring the beauty and getting lost in them. For a moment, they forget about their surrounding, their activity, and the people around them. They’re stuck in their own world, just the two of them.

 

“Is it done yet?”

 

It’s Wendy’s question that snaps both girls from their trance, pulling them back to the reality as Irene jerks back and Seulgi blinks rapidly, wondering what just happened between them.

 

“It’s done! Take a look.” Irene says cheerfully, cutting off the awkward moment smoothly.

 

With that said, the three girls release their holds on Seulgi and leans over to take a look at the said girl’s face.

 

Seulgi blinks at them and slowly leans back, feeling uncomfortable at how they stare so close and so intensely at her. Yet she doesn’t feel anything when Irene stared at her so closely earlier.

 

“Woah… You look pretty!”

 

Joy is the first one to react, followed by Wendy and Yeri who nod their heads vigorously.

 

“A-Am I?” Seulgi blinks rapidly, staring wide-eye at the girls.

 

“Wait, I’ll get a mirror.” Wendy quickly rummages through her pocket and takes out a mirror. Does she bring her mirror everywhere? The question is soon forgotten when Wendy shoves the mirror to her face, making her staring at her own face in the mirror.

 

Seulgi blinks at her own reflection. Sure her lips are peach-colored now, sure her complexion magically looks brighter, but aside from that, there’s no particular difference.

 

“I look just the same…” Seulgi hums, earning a disapproval look from the other girls.

 

“You’re already pretty, so you just look prettier.” Irene hums softly and Seulgi quickly snaps her head to her.

 

“What?”

 

“What?” Irene echoes the question.

 

“What did you just say?”

 

“You look prettier.”

 

“No, before that.”

 

“You’re pretty.”

 

In that moment, Seulgi can feel a heat creeps up to her face, making her skin feels like burning up. She doesn’t need to look at the mirror to know that she’s blushing.

 

“Omo! You’re blushing.” Wendy squeals.

 

“I am not.”

 

“Your cheeks are so pink, you look even prettier. It’s like you’re wearing a blush on.” Yeri adds

 

“I am not.”

 

“You also look good with your hair down like this.” Joy adds.

 

“I am not.”

 

The rest of the lunch break is filled with Seulgi denying all the compliments that are thrown to her, trying to ignore the evident flush on her face.

 

 

____________________

 

 

 

“Seulgi.”

 

The said girl turns her head to the girl who’s sitting next to her in the bus, Irene.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Do you have anything to do after this? Aside from going home, of course.” Irene blinks in expectation.

 

“Um, no. Not really.” Seulgi says softly, shaking her head.

 

“Oh, then can you accompany me—shopping?”

 

“Shopping?”

 

“Yes, shopping.” Irene nods.

 

“Well, sure…” Seulgi darts her eyes and nods, not really against the idea since she really doesn’t have anything to do at home.

 

“Alright, let’s get off here, quick!”

 

It’s all Irene says before she grabs onto Seulgi’s hand and drags the girl out of the bus, yelling to the driver to wait until they get down safely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“How about this? You like this kind of clothes?”

 

Irene asks as she pulls out a bright-colored tank top and places it in front of Seulgi, making the girl cringes at the cloth.

 

“Uh no, the color and the model… I don’t like it.” Seulgi shakes her head lightly.

 

Irene nods firmly before putting the cloth back to its place, rummaging through the other aisles.

 

It started from Irene wanting to buy a pair new shorts and somehow, it now becomes Irene trying to find perfect clothes for Seulgi.

 

The girl doesn’t realize a thing until Irene drags her into the third clothing store.

 

“Um, Irene?”

 

“Yes?” Irene responds as she rummages through the clothes.

 

“Why are you searching the clothes for me? Aren’t you the one who wants to go shopping?”

 

Irene finally moves her gaze from the clothes to Seulgi, smiling innocently at her. “It’s not fair if you do nothing expect watching and waiting for me, so I’m gonna find you some nice clothes too.”

 

“But—“

 

“Oh, how about this one?”

 

Irene pulls out a cute frilly-lacy dress in front of Seulgi and the girl has never look so horrified over a piece of clothing because what the hell are those laces. In the end, they exit the store without buying anything, earning a dirty look from the worker.

 

Moving from the clothing store, Irene somehow ends up stopping in front a game center when they pass it. It only takes couple of seconds until Irene drags her inside to play some arcade games.

 

“Have you ever played this stuff before?” Irene asks as she gestures to all the arcades.

 

“Well, long time ago.” Seulgi nods, eyeing the familiar arcade that she played once when she was a lot younger.

 

“Good, let’s play again then.” Irene says happily before scurries over to the cashier to buy some coins.

 

Seulgi totally doesn’t expect that they will end up playing games like a kid, as if they’re back to their early elementary years. Bae Irene, a girl with full of surprise, a girl who walks her own path, do things in her own way, living carefreely like the clouds in the sky.

 

But Seulgi likes it.

 

Seulgi likes it when she shoots the zombies right in the head with her guns while Irene panics around as if the zombies are going to eat her for real.

 

Seulgi likes it when she turns the wheel swiftly, reversing through a sharp corner smoothly while Irene bumps her car into the wall, but still laughing happily.

 

Seulgi likes it when she catches a cute bear plushie from the crane machine, and Irene decides to pick it up for her. Seulgi laughs when Irene fails to pick the bear up for the fifth time, telling her to stop wasting her coins since she’s not that desperate for the cute bear.

 

Seulgi likes it when Irene turns to her with a wide smile, her eyes sparkling brightly with interest and Seulgi—Seulgi finds herself smiling along, not because of the pounding music from the arcades, not because of the children who are running around, but because of the sight of Irene’s smiling face.

 

It’s the light flowery fragrance that comes out from Irene’s smooth black hair, making Seulgi feels like taking a lock of her hair and inhales it.  

 

It’s the feeling of Irene’s hand brushing against hers before the girl takes her hand and drags her over to an arcade.

 

It’s the way Irene cheers in amazement when Seulgi hits the highest score before throwing her arms around Seulgi, squeezing the air out of her.

 

It’s the way Irene laughs while clumsily trying to step on the arrows in the perfect time as they play the DDR.

 

It’s because of Bae Irene, the perfect yet imperfect girl.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the time the sun sets, Irene is the only one who has a shopping bag with her, while Seulgi only has her schoolbag with her. They’re sitting across each other in a café nearby, picking the seat next to the window and watch the street as they eat a big parfait on the table between them.

 

“In the end, you didn’t buy anything.” Irene sighs softly before taking a spoonful of the ice-cream.

 

“It’s okay, I really had fun.” Seulgi chuckles as she puts a spoonful of ice cream into .

 

“Really?” Irene blinks and Seulgi nods.

 

“Really, I laughed too much I think I sprained my face.” Seulgi hums and Irene giggles happily.

 

“Well, I hope I won’t make your sprained face even worse.” Irene says as she rummages through her bag, making Seulgi tilts her head questioningly.

 

Seulgi watches as Irene takes out something fluffy and brown colored from inside her bag, a pair of round ears poking out and Seulgi recognizes it as the same bear she saw in the crane arcade earlier.

 

Her jaw drops slightly as she blinks at the bear, barely holding onto her silver spoon as she stares between Irene and the bear, gaping in silence.

 

“For accompanying me today.”

 

Irene smiles, handing the bear to the other girl and Seulgi has to take a few seconds to process everything before taking the cute fluffy bear with her hands, staring blankly at it.

 

“Irene, you really don’t have to…” Seulgi gapes, staring wide-eye at Irene.

 

“I have to.” Irene nods. “Besides, that little bear looks like you.”

 

“Like me?” Seulgi blinks, looking down to examine the bear’s features before looking up to Irene again. “Which part?”

 

“I don’t know.” Irene shrugs playfully. “It just reminds me of you.”

 

Seulgi looks down at the bear once again, pursing her lips in order to hold back a stupid smile.

 

“When did you get this?”

 

“When I told you I’m going to the washroom.”

 

“Oh, no wonder you took so long.”

 

Irene snorts at the words, lifting a hand to muffle her silly laughter.

 

“Thank you, Irene… Really…” Seulgi chuckles softly, pressing the bear against her chest before putting it carefully inside her bag, making sure it’s not squeezed or dirtied.

 

“You’re welcome.” Irene chuckles, though her face falters immediately when he glances over at the parfait in front of them. “It’s melting! Quick, quick, eat it.”

 

Seulgi quickly lifts her own spoon as starts eating the parfait with mad speed, pausing for a little while when her brain freezes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Will your mom be okay for you going home this late?”

 

“Irene, it’s still 8 pm, it’s not that late.”

 

The two girls chat happily as they walk down the sidewalk, somehow having their hands holding on each other.

 

Seulgi doesn’t remember how it happened though. Maybe it’s the time when Irene asked her to hold her shopping bag for a moment since she had to tie her shoe. Maybe it’s the time when Seulgi pulled Irene when the girl was about to cross the street when the light was still red. Maybe it just happened naturally, walking next to each other, hands brushing, and then holding onto it.

 

Seulgi barely realizes that a car has stopped next to them until the window is rolled down and the woman inside the car calls out to her.

 

“Seulgi?”

 

The said girl turns her head to the car and blinks in surprise.

 

“Mom? What are you doing here?” Seulgi asks, walking over to the car, unconsciously slipping her hand away from Irene’s hold.

 

“I was meeting with a client and is about to go home now.” The woman smiles before turning her eyes to the other girl beside her daughter. “Hello, are you Seulgi’s friend?”

 

Before Seulgi can introduce the girl, Irene already makes her way to the car and bows politely at the woman.

 

“Good evening Ma’am, my name is Bae Irene, I am Seulgi’s classmate.” Irene smiles brightly.

 

“Irene…? Irene—oh, you’re that Irene!” The woman says happily, earning a look from Seulgi and a confused face from Irene.

 

“Mom.” Seulgi frowns, making the woman snaps her attention back to her before chuckling.

 

“Alright, Irene you live in the same area as us right?”

 

“How did you know, Ma’am?” Irene blinks in surprise.

 

Seulgi shots her mom another look, praying that she won’t tell Irene about how Seulgi blabbers everything she knows about Bae Irene when her mother asked about it in the car on her way to school, because it’s so damn embarrassing.

 

“Well, that’s good. Get in the car, I’ll take you home.”

 

“Thank you Ma’am, but I can go home by my own, it’s not that far from here.” Irene smiles sheepishly, gesturing vaguely at the street in front of them.

 

“Just come with us.” Seulgi nudges, smiling at her.

 

Irene lifts her gaze and stares at Seulgi for a moment before nodding obediently and gets inside the car too.

 

“So, Irene, which school did you come from before moving here?” Seulgi’s mother asks as she drives.

 

“I studied at X high school before.”

 

“Oh? That’s a prestigious all-girls school right? Why did you move here?”

 

Irene freezes momentarily at the question before smiling again.

 

“My family moves here.”

 

Seulgi twitches her eyes at how dry and fake Irene’s smile is, totally different from what she saw all day. Irene’s answer for the question is not making sense either. Seulgi knows how rare her family stays at home and how her house is mostly empty, so what difference does it make for Irene to move school or not? Her family is still the same.

 

Then it hits Seulgi.

 

Up until now, Irene always tells her about everything, but not about the reason she moved school.

 

 

____________________

 

 

 

“So, what kind of boys do you like?”

 

Seulgi almost chokes on her water at Wendy’s question. What a way to start the topic in early morning before class.

 

“I like the handsome type of course, like Sehun… Oh, he is so handsome…” Yeri says dreamily.

 

“Hmm, I don’t really have a type, I guess?” Joy shrugs, eyes not leaving her phone as she scrolls.

 

“Ah, boring, what about you, Seulgi?”

 

“What?”

 

Seulgi blinks rapidly, looking at Wendy and the other girls who now have their eyes on her, waiting for the answer.

 

“I—I think I like the quiet type…” Seulgi says softly as if afraid that the students around them will overhear the conversation, even though they’re busy with their own worlds.

 

“Quiet…?” Irene asks softly, her eyes blank and empty as she stares at Seulgi.

 

“Y—Yeah, I think…?” Seulgi frowns as if unsure of her own words.

 

Sure she likes Song Minho, the super cool and quiet guy in her class, but now she realizes that she hasn’t really search for him every morning in class, she doesn’t get really excited hearing his voice, and she doesn’t really stare at the male when they’re having PE class.

 

Maybe she doesn’t like Song Minho that much anymore?

 

“What about you Irene?”

 

Wendy throws the question to Irene and the said girl freezes on her spot, face faltering as she looks over between the girls.

 

“I—“ Irene trails off, darting her eyes away as if ignoring the question.

 

Seulgi squints slightly at how Irene bites her lower lips and shifts uncomfortably on her seat, as if she’s nervous about something, about the topic, and Seulgi can’t help but to wonder why since the topic is not even that serious or heavy, or personal.

 

Maybe it’s too personal for Irene? What kind of guy does she like anyway?

 

Seulgi furrows her brows at the thought. That’s right, what kind of guy does Irene like? Maybe the loud and cheery type like Baekhyun? Or maybe the funny and energetic one like Sehun? Or is it the calm and sweet type like Jongin? Or maybe—

 

“Irene likes older guys, and by I mean older, it’s muuuuuuch older.”

 

Seulgi snaps her head at the voice, staring at Nana and her friends who are laughing like crazy women.

 

“Shut up, Nana, nobody asked you.” Wendy yells from her seat before rolling her eyes, earning another laugh from Nana and friends.

 

Seulgi gives them a dirty look before turning back to Irene, only to find her—distracted?

 

Irene tilts her head down, staring at her own hands that she clasped tightly that her knuckles are turning white, her back is tensely straight and she keeps on biting her lower lips.

 

Never once Seulgi catches Irene in this kind of state.

 

Irene is always happy, always cheerful, always positive. She smiles as bright as the sun, as warm as the sunlight and as beautiful as a flower field. Irene is cheerful, kind, brave, and tough.

 

So who is this Irene beside her? The girl who is so nervous as if she’s going to be swallowed by the earth. The girl who clasped her hands to tight that Seulgi starts to worry about the blood circulation. The girl who doesn’t dare to move an inch as if afraid that she’s going to be caught by something scary.

 

Who is this Bae Irene?

 

“Irene?”

 

Despite the soft call from Seulgi, Irene flinches on her seat before snapping her head up to stare at Seulgi.

 

“Y-Yes? Did you call me?” Irene stretches her lips into a smile, but Seulgi can see clearly how forced it is. Irene doesn’t look good with that kind of fake smile.

 

“What’s wrong? You have been quiet and spacing out.” Seulgi frowns, staring worriedly at the other.

 

“Oh, I—I’m fine!” Irene nods. “I’m just thinking about something like—did I turn off my room’s light when I leave for school this morning!” She says, chuckling lightly.

 

The other girls blink at her before laughing along, talking about how silly and cute Irene is, but Seulgi doesn’t laugh along, because she knows it’s not the truth.

 

“Don’t worry, Irene. Nana just likes to bully the girls for some reason. She thinks she’s the queen of this school.” Yeri whispers, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

 

“Thank you, Yeri.” Irene smiles dryly.

 

She doesn’t know since when, maybe it’s because Seulgi has always been an observant and sharp person to begin with, but she has been able to tell whether Irene is lying or not, whether her smile is fake or real, whether she’s pretending to be okay or not.

 

Seulgi knows that something is definitely wrong when Irene is acting out of herself through the whole day.

 

She spaces out a lot, having a thoughtful look most of the times, almost bumps into a lot of things while she walks, not responding when being called, and most definitely, she doesn’t smile at all.

 

The only smiles that she gives are the fake ones, the strained painful-looking ones so Seulgi doesn’t count them as smiling. Because she knows that Irene’s heart is not smiling along, because Irene’s real smile is much more beautiful than that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seulgi lies down on her bed, holding her phone in her hand as she stares at the contact ID on the screen.

 

Bae Irene.

 

The girl has been too quiet for her liking today, just today. She was still cheery and bright when she arrived at class, but suddenly she turned all quiet and nervous for the rest of the day.

 

She briefly remembers that the change of attitude happened when they’re talking about the type of guys. She wonders if the topic offends Irene in some way or too personal for her liking or—there’s something wrong.

 

Seulgi can’t help but to worry, to wonder if something is wrong with her friend—no, her best friend.

 

After taking a deep breath, she presses the call button and places the phone against her ear, looking up at her room ceiling as he other hand squeezing onto the bear plushie.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Irene.”

 

“Seulgi, what’s wrong?”

 

Irene’s voice is still so soothing even when she’s talking through the phone.

 

“I’m just wondering—if you’re doing okay.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I mean—you have been acting a bit weird today… I was just wondering if you’re sick or something is wrong.” Seulgi says softly, fingers flicking onto one of the bear’s ears.

 

There is a chuckle from the other side of the phone, Irene’s chuckle.

 

“I’m fine, Seulgi. Thanks for worrying about me.”

 

“You sure you’re really fine?”

 

“I am very sure.”

 

“Well, if you say so…” Seulgi trails off, darting her eyes to the wall.

 

“I think I was about to have my period, that’s why I’m acting weird.”

 

“Mhm, that makes sense.”

 

There is another chuckle follow and Seulgi chuckles into her phone too, enjoying the talk she’s having with the girl.

 

Somehow, they end up continuing their pointless talk through the phone, talking about how Seulgi is too comfortable on the bed and is too lazy to turn off the light. Talking about Irene who walks over to the fridge to find some food. Talking about how Seulgi’s phone starts to heat up from talking too long.

 

“Oh right, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

 

“Mhm? What is it?”

 

“Why did you move school?”

 

There is a silence follows and Seulgi adds her explanation.

 

“I mean, if your family moved here, I don’t think it will affect you or anything—I mean, they rarely stay at home and your house is rather new, so I assume that they just bought the house before you moved here.”

 

There is another silence and Seulgi wonders if she shouldn’t ask that, or if the call gets cut off. She lifts her phone to check the screen, only to see that the call is still connected. Frowning slightly, she presses the phone back against her ear.  

 

“Hello…? Irene…?” Seulgi asks carefully to the phone and finally, she hears a rustling sound from the other line.

 

“Seulgi, I’m really sleepy now, I’m sorry… Can we talk tomorrow or sometime later?”

 

“Oh—“ Seulgi gapes. “Sure, sorry for keeping you up so late.”

 

“It’s okay, Seulgi.” There is soft voice, followed by a soft chuckle.

 

“Um, Irene.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Are you really fine? Is there really nothing wrong?”

 

There is a beat of silence before she hears Irene sighs softly into the phone.

 

“Nothing’s wrong.”

 

Seulgi her drying lips before sighing into the phone. “Alright, good night, Irene.”

 

“Good night, Seulgi.”

 

The call ends and Seulgi lifts her phone, only to frown when she notices that it’s still 10 pm, a bit too early for Irene to sleep.

 

But then again, she said she’s having her period and as a girl, Seulgi understands just how much a simple period can affect a girl’s mood and energy. She moves over to place her phone against the nightstand before lying back down on the bed.

 

Maybe Irene is really fine, maybe she’s just being overly worried and nosy.

 

Seulgi sighs to herself as she lifts the teddy bear, squeezing it a few times before clutching it against her chest and closes her eyes, feeling herself drifting into a peaceful slumber.

 

But something manages to slip through her mind in that moment.

 

When a girl says nothing, it always means something.

 

 

---

A/N

Sorry for all the typos and grammar errors, I've been so tired lately hahaha;; 

So yeah, I guess some of you are able to sense the drama coming aaaaaand no, it's not really about bullying because it's too cliche, who has the heart to bully such a precious girl like Irene after all? *coughs* you'll get the answer on the next chapter!

Oh btw, I want to share this funny story. So before I dated my ex, I used to kiss some girls and stuff, somehow my ex found out and he called me disgusting and told me not to kiss a girl anymore bc it's gross and everything, of course I didn't do it since I was still dating him, but the way he called me disgusting hurt me a little bit. BUT THEN few days a go, I heard from a friend that my ex might be dating a guy now hmm talking about hypocrite >_>

Please do know that english is not my first language so you might find a lot of grammatical errors and broken english, I am so sorry!

Comments, subscribes and upvotes are much appreciated, thank you so much!

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoy the story!

♥