Unpacking was never a good thing for her especially if she had been used to unpack in the same house for seven years. The feelings dragged and it didn’t go unnoticed by her best friend.

Krystal knows it was hard on her.

But she did have to try.

“How do you like your own place?” Krystal asks, forcing a smile.

Coming to the building, Seulgi didn’t know what was in store. Seulgi was so out of it. Her head was still hung up on Irene and all her worries that nothing registered.

Not even her grand gift

“My own place?”

“My sister wants you to have it.”

“Why?”

“They want your song Seulgi. They want you in Yuri’s company. And this… Is an incentive.”

“But I don’t have the proper training…”

“Seulgi… Have you even heard yourself sing?” Krystal smiles and tugs her inside a room.

It was a room that was going to be called Seulgi’s music studio in the near future.

She presses play and a familiar acoustic plays across the room.

It’s just me waking from a dream
That one star, that has become dark again
Goodbye, I greet it clumsily
I turn and say, today’s road is so long

In the same time span, just for a minute
In the same space, stay for a minute
In that short moment, everything
Stops for us, in that moment
Why did we not know that was a miracle?

Seulgi closed her eyes, her own voice digging to her. Krystal places a hand on her shoulder with a small smile on her lips.

The song, of course, reminded Krystal of Irene.

I, who stopped that day with this old story
I’m spending more time away than when I loved you
Beyond the Milky Way, in a distant, far away place
I, who cross our white memories
Since at least, even in dreams, it’s okay

Let’s meet again, one of these nights
Let’s meet again, one of these nights

Oh, I can’t forget easily
Even if I turn the calendar, I’m still in the same place

Seulgi stops the songs then slowly turns to Krystal who was still rubbing her shoulder.

“Why would Yuri want this?”

“It has the feels Seulgi.”

“But it won’t sell.”

“Let Yuri worry about that. It’s her judgment.”

“But I don’t want to disappoint…”

Krystal places a finger on Seulgi’s lips making her stop. It took everything for her not to because it would only make things complicated.

Seulgi still loved Irene.

“You won’t. Just for once, let us take care of you. You have been taking care of Irene all these years. It’s time people take care of you too. Do what you love. We’ll be there for you. In time, Irene would be there for you too.”

Krystal pats Seulgi’s cheek and allows the latter to check on the equipment.

“If this is overwhelming, you should see the art studio then.” She says finally smiling wider as Seulgi’s eyes finally twinkled.

It had been a while, but Krystal was thankful. Seulgi was starting to be happy again.

@@@@@@@

It was a few days of her wedding and Irene was less than thrilled to say the least. She knows she should have more enthusiasm but Seulgi leaving was bothering her.

She was missing her Seulgi-Bear and she knows it.

“I will be out by tomorrow. You can handle the sitting arrangement right?” James was checking the wine glasses as he made the pick.

Irene nods and watches him uninterested. She tries to remind herself what part James she liked or fell in love with.

Surprisingly, she doesn’t remember.

She does remember Seulgi dating Chaeyeon at the time. The woman was pretty and extremely nice. It surprised her when Seulgi decided to break up with her.

Irene would have thought Seulgi wanted to marry her.

She was perfect for her best friend.

Leaning against the bar, Irene watched as James took a sly look at the waitress.

Seulgi would never do that.

Seulgi had taken her to a friendly date more than once. True enough her friend never looked anyone else but her.

Irene blinks as more memories of Seulgi invaded her mind.

That perfect breakfast

That perfect lunch

That perfect dinner

A kiss goodnight

A warm smile in the morning

A loving embrace when she felt bad

She looks up to James who was complaining about the wine now. He was saying something about the wine being non-vintage for the partners that were coming to their wedding.

Irene pulls out her phone and scrolls through the pictures and saw one that Wendy took during one of her birthdays.

She smiled a little realizing how in love she looked at her best friend.

She looks at James again.

Memories reminded that he had never been there through the hard times. He was always away on business. He cared if it had something to do with his career.

The person beside her was always Seulgi.

Placing a hand on her face, Irene starts to wonder.

Why did she even want to marry James in the first place?

@@@@@@@

“You’re single and back in the saddle! We should celebrate!” Amber raises her glass for a toast which Kai, Krystal and Luna gladly joined her.

Seulgi just smiles in reply which earned her a few light pokes on the shoulder for her silence.

“See that girl over there?” Amber wraps her arm around her shoulder and then forces her to look at who her friend was talking about.

“That’s Chungha, one of the best dancers in the planet. She’s nice and friendly. And from what I heard, she is pretty badass under the sheets.”

Krystal choked on the information and slapped Amber right away.

“She is still recovering! How does a one night stand solve that?”

“Well it was just a suggestion. Chungha is really nice Seulgi. Think Beyonce.”

Seulgi smiles once more and take Amber’s arm off of her. Taking one last shot, her hand found Krystal’s and tugs her to walk away.

“Not feeling well?”

“I have to pass a paper tomorrow. So I need to wake up early. I left a few of my sketch books at Irene’s. Could you get them for me? I’d rather not see her at the moment.”

“Sure. Have you told her you’re in Seoul though?”

“No.”

“Seulgi…”

“She has her own life now. I… I’d rather let her have what she wants.”

Krystal nods and hugs Seulgi’s arm as they leave the bar.

@@@@@@@

James puts the car into a halt just in front of Irene’s house. They just had dinner with the Executives and truthfully, she wants some alone time with him.

She tries to kiss his cheeks and he turns to kiss hers. He was about to kiss her lips when his phone rang.

“Don’t answer it.” Irene sighs, lips almost touching her fiancé’s.

“I have to take this.” He moves away making her pout.

But like always, Irene gets shoved to the side to whatever call it was James had to take.

Getting out of the car, Irene thought, since Seulgi was no longer around, maybe he could stay over the night. James was always on the go and with Irene now free of a roommate, they can have more time together.

“James, stay over please?” She tries the best aegyo she could but her fiancé merely took a finger up without even looking.

Getting into the living room, she was about to call out for Seulgi when she stopped herself.

Old habit