Mr. Son stared blankly at the characters written on the sheet of paper in front of him. He peeled his eyes off of the paper and looked at the picture of the two girls.

 

Falling in love.

 

Wasn’t it supposed to be in between a man and a woman? Wasn’t being attracted to someone of the same gender something you would have to be influenced to do?

 

Didn’t it depend on how the person was raised?

 

No.

 

He certainly did not raise his daughter to be that way, so why?

 

Mr. Son’s thumb slid over Irene’s smiling face in the picture, his grip on the picture frame tightening.

 

Why?

 

His thumb then traveled to Wendy, who seemed even happier than Irene.

 

‘The way they look at each other in this picture, does it not remind you of the way we looked at each other?’

 

Unwanted tears started to blur his vision as he remembered his wife’s words.

 

Love.

 

Something so incomprehensible it couldn't be defined by the Bible, society, or morals. Not even a dictionary could explain the perplexity behind love.

 

The only thing that can define love is the gentleness in the eyes, the smiles that exude warmth, joy, and the change in one’s behavior.

 

A single drop of his tears landed on the glass of the picture frame as he looked down at the picture.

 

‘Why do you look so happy, idiot?’

 

[The next morning]

 

Irene tightened the knot on her red cape and dramatically put her sunglasses on. She gripped the steering wheel and looked at Ms. Kim, who gave her a look.

 

“...Why the cape?” the older woman asked.

 

Irene peeled her eyes off of the woman and looked forward.

 

“Ahjumma, when you’re looking for small little Son Seungwan in a big city, you need to be extra so that she’ll hopefully notice you first before you do. Also, make sure my irons are okay,” Irene replied.

 

Ms.Kim gave the girl a look.

 

‘Are you sure you don’t have a cape ?’

 

Irene the car’s engine and exhaled.

 

“Alright, Ahjumma. Let’s roll.”

 

After receiving no reply, Irene looked at Ms. Kim, who had her hands folded together in her lap and eyes closed. Her lips moved rapidly to form words Irene couldn’t hear. A few seconds later, Ms. Kim opened up her eyes.

 

“Okay, I am ready to roll, or whatever you kids say nowadays.”

 

‘Lord I pray that you will lift this Wendy deprivation off of Irene so I can go back to being sane. Thank you.’

-

 

 It had been five hours ever since Irene started looking for Wendy and she was starting to lose hope.

 

Where the hell was that small ball of fluff?

 

Irene got out of the car after parking it and walked along the sidewalk, shoulders slumped and head tilted down in shame. Ms. Kim followed behind and couldn’t help but feel pity at the sight of Irene’s cape covered back profile.

 

Five hours.

 

They visited almost every street around the area, almost every store, park, you name it.

 

No sight of Wendy anywhere.

 

Irene sighed in exhaustion and halted to a stop.

 

‘Where in the are you, Wendy?’

 

She was sick and tired of this Wendy deprivation. Exhausted. Drained. Weary. Yes, Canada was a very beautiful country, but Irene wanted to experience it with her one and only.

 

Irene had tried looking for Wendy before a thousand times, of course, but to no avail. That tiny human being was good at playing hide and seek.

 

Irene’s head turned towards a store; an art store, to be exact. Art stores always intrigued her, no matter how big or small. Her feet directed her into the store and she was greeted with color.

 

The smell of different art utensils mixed together hit Irene.

 

Different shelves were neatly filled with art supplies; brushes, pencils, markers, canvases that came in different sizes, high quality sketch books, and more. The place was an artist’s heaven.

 

The customers were just(Irene assumed) college art majors who had an upcoming project and working adults.

 

“What are we doing in here?” Ms. Kim asked, forgetting that Irene was an art freak.

 

“In memory of Wendy,” Irene said quietly and made her way into an aisle.

 

Her eyes traveled across the different color palettes, until they landed on a pastel blue.

 

Pastel blue.

 

Wendy’s color.

 

Irene’s fists clenched up as she looked at the color that seemed to taunt her. She grabbed the palette and crushed it in her hands due to its ability to remind her of Wendy.

 

“Ma’am, are you doing okay?” a voice spoke up, startling Irene.

 

She turned and was greeted by a man who was way taller than her. He wore a red cap and looked to be in about his 30s.

Unfortunately, Irene did not understand English very much, but she could make out that the man had asked if she was okay(English classes really came in handy in these situations.)

 

“Ah...yes,” Irene said hesitantly.

 

“I’m sorry about that. We’ve been looking for someone who ran away for about five hours now and she got sidetracked,” Ms. Kim said fluently and clearly.

 

“Have you guys contacted the police?” the man asked with deep concern. Ms. Kim shook her head slowly.

 

“See, this girl here is a bit...odd. She wants to find this person by herself. The girl we’re looking for has brunette hair and is short. She goes by the name of Son Seungwan, or Wendy. If you see her, well, uh..call the Son Hotel and ask for Mrs. Son,” she replied with a smile.

 

“Wait, Wendy Son?”

 

The mention of Wendy’s name from the man caught her attention.

 

“Do you know her?” Ms. Kim asked.

 

“Why yes! I was her guitar and piano teacher 6 or so years ago. I wasn’t sure what happened to her, but I’m surprised she’s still here. Her mother is a great friend of mine. I own this art store by the way,”the man replied.

 

Irene could make out the words ‘teacher’, ‘6 years ago’ and ‘mother.’

 

‘This guy knows Wendy?’

 

“If I may ask, why did Wendy run off? Did something happen?” the man asked with genuine curiosity and worry. After all, he taught Wendy for about 5 or more years.

 

“Well, uh Wendy broke up with her girlfriend due to some drama and ran away. It’s always drama with these youngsters, right?” Ms. Kim informed, receiving a laugh from the man.

 

“I’m assuming it’s this young lady right here?”

 

Irene felt uncomfortable. She barely understood any English and felt deep regret for not paying attention in those classes. What could she say? English was and is a tough language. What with their past tenses and unlimited vocabulary.

 

“Ah...yes. This is the problematic girl. I am sorry, but we must go. It was nice meeting you, Mr. uh…”

 

The man’s face lit up with a smile.

 

“Call me Matthew. Matthew Douma.”

-
 

 Irene and Ms. Kim were about to exit, until Matthew called out again.

 

“Hey, young lady?”

 

“Yes?” Ms. Kim and Irene answered at the same time.

 

Irene grimaced and nudged the older woman.

 

“Not you.”

 

Matthew chuckled.

 

“That Wendy, I know her. She was a bright and passionate kid and I’m sure she still is. What I’m saying is, if she really loves you, she’ll come back. I know I can’t wait to see my wife back in Korea again. Good luck, kid. Sure hope Somi won’t have to go through that.” he said, mumbling the last sentence.

 

Ms. Kim smiled and led Irene out of the store.

-

 

    After Ms. Kim explained to Irene what Matthew said, Irene started thinking very deeply.

 

‘Will Wendy come back to me?

 

“Don’t feel so down, Irene. I've known Wendy ever since she was younger. That kid can't live without her source of happiness,” Ms. Kim stated and put a hand on Irene’s slumped shoulder.

 

Irene sighed dully, but then a small smile crept up her face.

 

“I don't know when you started talking to me like I'm your friend, but I'm glad you're here to help. Let's go, ahjumma,” the girl said and started walking towards the car.

 

Ms. Kim stood there, dumbstruck.

 

‘You turn me into an insane conniving woman by forcing me to help you break into a home and I don't get a single thanks?!?!?!’

 

“Hey, do you know Seunghee-unnie’s number?” Irene asked before unlocking the car.

 

“No. She changed her number and I've never really been close with her. Why don't we ask Mrs. Son?” Ms. Kim replied.

 

-
 

    

    Mrs. Son and Mr. Son seemed to be busy that day. They didn't come home at all. Irene turned off the treadmill and stopped running, exhausted and tired.

 

She untied her hair and sat down on the edge of the treadmill, panting rhythmically. Ms. Kim handed her a water bottle.

 

The girl was clad in a grey sports bra and joggers--much to Wendy’s loss.

 

“Taking all your frustration out?”

 

Irene chuckled and smiled.

 

“I have been ually, emotionally, and physically frustrated for two months because of her. That girl, I swear.”

 

Ms. Kim was about to speak up, until Irene’s ringtone (which was Wendy singing ‘I’m Yours) pierced through the peaceful atmosphere of the workout room.

 

“Hello?” Irene answered.

 

“IRENE ING BAE BECAUSE OF YOU AND THIS HUGE LUMP ON MY HEAD AND THIS BLACK EYE I CAN’T DO MY PHOTOSHOOT YOU HOE!!”

 

Irene held her phone away from her ear at a safe distance and flinched at the loud screaming of none other than Jeon Ahreum.

 

“AND YOU LEFT AN IRON IMPRINT ON MY ING CHEEK! YOU’RE RUINING MY CAREER!!”

 

Irene waited for Ahreum to calm down and pressed her phone against her ear again.

 

“YOU BROUGHT THAT UPON YOURSELF DON’T BLAME ME! AND YOU LOOKED JUST AS HIDEOUS BEFORE I BEAT THE OUT OF YOU WHAT WERE THEY THINKING HIRING YOU?!”

 

Ms. Kim sighed as the exchange of swear words and screaming ensued. Her ears were going to shut down at this point. She couldn't believe she survived the times when a younger Wendy would invite her friends over and rampage throughout the home.

 

Good times indeed.

 

Irene sighed and calmed herself.

 

“Yah, how did you get my number? You should work for the FBI instead.”

 

Ahreum hung up with a huff. Irene smirked and turned off her phone.

 

‘I’ve won this battle.’

 

She screwed off the lid and took a drink out of the water bottle, staring off into space.

 

‘I will find Wendy and I'll make sure everyone sees how much I love her.’

 

“Ahjumma, I'm taking a shower. You can go rest. There's nothing to clean since this place is now basically a ghost town anyway.”

 

“Alright, Irene. We'll search for her tomorrow?”

 

Irene put down the water bottle and wiped with the back of her hand.

 

“Yup.”

 

-

 

    Wendy sighed and set down her guitar. Two months. She couldn't stay away from Irene forever; plus, they were still in Canada.

 

“Food’s ready!” Seunghee beames as she walked into the room.

 

“I don't feel like eating,” Wendy mumbled and picked her guitar up again.

 

Seunghee put a hand on her hip and glared at her sister.

 

“Yah, ya need to gain some weight.”

 

After receiving no reply, Seunghee’s expressions softened up. She made her way to the bed and sat down beside Wendy.

 

“I know you love her, Seungwan. You can't hide from her forever. She's probably out there looking for you like a mad woman.”

 

No reply. Seunghee heaved a sigh and looked at her now red-haired sister.

 

“I saw it, Wan-ah. The way she looked at you. The way her eyes seemed to sing lullabies. The way her lips curved up when she smiled, as if they had a million things they wanted to say but chose not to because her eyes and ears were too busy focusing on what you had to say.”

 

Wendy’s soft strumming halted and she set her guitar down in her lap.

 

“I know I can't hide from her forever. And I do love her, I just- I don't know.”

 

Wendy couldn't find the right words to explain what she was feeling.

 

“You just what? You're afraid? Seungwan, please. With the way Irene looked at you, I'm sure Ahreum had something to do with it. You can be so naive sometimes,” Seunghee teased.

 

“I didn't plan on leaving for two months. It’s just… I was caught up in the moment. After I sent her that message, I immediately regretted it. How am I supposed to face her after that? I'm still thinking of ways she would react if I just show up out of the blue after 2 months.”

 

Seunghee gave Wendy a hard slap on the back, making the younger girl jerk forward.

 

“What was that for?!”

 

Seunghee only laughed as a response.

 

“You are over thinking! Who knew after all these years, you would still have trouble with this kind of stuff? Just go back to her! She won't react in any violent way possible, I promise. Who would do that after not seeing their loved one for two months?” she questioned.

 

Wendy fiddled with the guitar strings and bit her bottom lip.

 

Irene.

 

“I’ll…think about it.”

 

Seunghee looked at her little sister and walked through memory lane. Wendy had always been scared of facing her problems head on. If she had to, it would take her a while before she could fix them.

 

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