02- Sereness

Splashes of colors is what she sees, hands dipping then gliding along the white expanse, leaving trails of blue along its way. Her gestures are effervescent but her emotions are of that of a warm spring morning, her mind vacant of any thoughts, and her ears hearing nothing but the splish and splash of colors. She stirs a bit, eyes never straying away from the colors in front of her as her hand dips once again and overlapped the blue with oranges and peach--though it’s closer to pink.

“That’s a nice sunset you’ve painted~” a voice brought her out of her thoughts, a sudden crash of mixed noises infiltrating her peaceful mind and heart. She blinked, hands gripping the paintbrush that stopped short in the middle of the canvas she’s painting on, then tries to focus herself. She looked up and saw her friend, Irene.

“Oh.” she paused, looking back at the painting she’s doing, “Thanks, unnie.”

“Wendy’s looking for you.” she looked up and saw the smile donning the older one’s lips.

“Why?” Irene shrugs and she looked at what she painted one more time, the brush stopping where the blue and orange would’ve just met in the middle. She placed down her brush before standing up, staring at the painting one last time and heart feeling warm at the sight before smiling and turning back to Irene who was waiting for her. “Let’s go?”

“Alright.”

She saw her at the end of the hallway, near the library where her friends were at. She saw her look up and she was met with those familiar eyes that had started carrying the growing constellations from inside her. They held gazes for a moment and it seems that she knows that her best friend needed help with something. She quickly walked over.

“What is it?” She asked, eyes searching Wendy from head to toe to see if the latter is hurt anywhere and let out a sigh of relief when she didn’t see any bruises or swelling.

“I need a hug” to say that she was taken aback from that request in an understatement. Her eyes widened at that as she took a step back in shock.

“E-excuse me?”

“Hug.” Wendy stated, too cutely in her opinion. She bit her lip in defeat as she pulled the younger one into an embrace, the latter’s head fitting perfectly around the curve of her neck, arms resting at her back as she was pulled in tighter. She imagined her heart will be beating wildly at this skinship (that’s so rare because she’s stingy when it comes to that) but its beating is calm, like this feeling is already way too familiar for her that instead of her heart going crazy, it is rather enveloped in sereness. She felt Wendy sigh into their hug, body melting into hers like they are part of each other.

“Joy’s teasing me again.” the brunette whispered after a while and her lips quirked upward.

“Your height?” she heard her grumble at that question and she had to laugh at that, placing her hand on top of Wendy’s head and caressing the younger one’s hair.

“But you are small.” the smaller one looked up at her, eyes squinted in a glare and she can’t help but grin as she continued,  “which is great because then it’s easier to fit you in my heart!” that earned her a scrunched up nose, a look of disgust, and a small slap on her arm.

“Ohmygosh, you are sooooo cheesy!” Wendy rolled her eyes at her and got out of the hug which made her feel like something was tugged out from inside her. She scrunched her eyebrows at the feeling before looking back at her best friend with a grin.

“But it did make you feel better~ Admit it~”

“Hmmm...yeah yeah.” she can see the small smile and it’s enough to make her giggle, pulling the latter to start walking to where their other friends are.

She was picked up by her unnie as always and she can see the happiness radiating from the older one, she smiled curiously.

“Did something happen today, unnie?” she asked and it seemed to get her Yuri unnie’s concentration at the latter glanced at her for a bit before returning her eyes on the road, smile getting big. They can’t hide anything from the other even if they tried. They know each other and trust each other too well for secrets to not be said.

“I ate lunch with a new friend today.”

“Oh, cool! Did Tiffany unnie and Sooyoung unnie join you?”

“No. It was just me and her,” her sister paused before smiling, “Jessica.”

“Like a date?!” she was shocked. Her unnie had always been firm about the ‘no relationship. Seulgi is first, graduating is second’ thing and hearing her sister going out for lunch with someone is really making her go speechless.

“It was not a date.” Yuri emphasized the word, “She owes me for the ride I gave her earlier and lunch is the payment. Besides….” her sister paused again, she noticed the passing of emotion in her sister’s eyes but it was too quick to actually distinguish the feeling. “She’s nice and I feel comfortable around her.”

“Hmm” she hummed in understanding before asking another question, “What did Sooyoung unnie say? And Tiffany unnie? You know how protective they are of you.”

“Well… they were both….uhm… they can’t believe that I went out to lunch without them. I also think they spied on me.” she laughed because that is something that her unnie’s two best friends will do. “Y-YAH! Stop laughing!” and that made her laugh some more.

“When can I meet your new friend?” she sing-songed the word and her sister glared at her playfully.

“Stop that! I’ll let you meet her sometime.”

“I can’t wait~”

The sky was gray on this particular morning as she got up from the bed. Eyes still half-lidded as she made her way to the bathroom to wash the sleepiness away.

“Seul?” her sister called from the other side, she hummed a response after rinsing her face. “Do you want me to give you a ride to wherever you’re meeting with your friend?”

“I can take the bus, unnie~”

“NONSENSE!!!! WHAT IF SOME ERT GRABS YOUR HUH?! No, I’ll drive you!” she rolled her eyes at her sister. Why did her unnie ask her if she wanted a ride if she’s going to not be allowed to commute anyway?

“She’s crazy.” she whispered to herself as she got out of the bathroom, her sister glaring at her.

“I heard that, you bear! I’m just worried about you...And besides, I’m also meeting someone around that area so it’s okay.” she quirked an eyebrow in question but her Yuri unnie only shrugged as she pats her to move a bit faster.

She finished getting ready and had texted Wendy that she’s about to leave the house which the latter replied to quickly with ‘Okay, Seul!~ I’ll be waiting there then. Get here safely!~’ she smiled at that before grabbing her bag and walking out of the room.

“Here, Seulcub, I think it’s going to rain later. Better be sure. Text me if you’re finish and I’ll get you.” her sister handed her an umbrella, arriving in front of the place she's meeting Wendy, looking all worried like she’s going to get lost or something. She smiled before hugging the older one, bun bouncing in place.

“Thanks, unnie, I will. Enjoy your date.”

“It’S NOT A DATE!” and she laughed, eyes turning invisible as  she jumped out of the car and waved goodbye to her sister. Entering her favorite ice cream shop and scanning the room, eyes immediately landing to those familiar round ones and her heart was washed by calmness once again. She smiled, walking towards her best friend and plopping on the seat beside her.

“Did you wait long?” she asked, bumping shoulders with the younger one.

“Nah, I just arrived myself.” Wendy smiled, “Let’s get started?” she nodded and they started reviewing and doing their assignments together.

She was in the middle of her sketches for her art class when rumbles from the sky made her look outside the window. It was grayer than this morning and she frowned looking back at the beauty beside her who was too busy with the music sheets and lyrics she’s reviewing. She nudged her.

“I think it’s going to rain heavi--” and it’s as if the skies heard her because just then, rain had started to pour out from the clouds, big droplets of water cascading down the window, nothing can be seen from outside because of the sudden downpour. She frowned some more. “Do you have an umbrella?”

“Yes, don’t worry.” Wendy gave her a smile that comforts her entire being. Her eyebrows are still furrowed with worry though.

“Unnie will pick me up in a few, we can drop you off in front of your apartment.”

“It’s okay, Seul~ My house is quite near here, just a few minutes walk.” Wendy assured her but she’s still not budging.

“It’s dangerous to walk in this kind of weather though..” she frowned and Wendy giggled.

“It’s more dangerous driving in this weather.” she countered, “Don’t worry about me, Seul, just get home safe with your sister.”

“But--” Wendy leaned her head on her shoulder and that shut her up.

“Thank you for always caring for me.” she let out a small breath as Wendy tugged on her hands. She can feel a smile being painted on her lips.

“Of course, just for you.”

“You’re like the bestest best friend I ever had.” the younger one whispered and she had to scoff at that.

“I’m your only best friend.” and Wendy giggled, pulling her head off of her shoulder and looking at her, eyes locked with each other and she can see the little twinkle in the latter's eyes.

“What if I told you, I’m actually a hundred years older than you?”

“Then I’ll ask you what’s your secret for looking eternally beautiful.” Wendy’s eyes widened, mouthing hanging open for a few seconds.

“That was….smooth...” the smaller one whispered, looking down and is that redness on Wendy’s cheeks she’s seeing? She laughed.

“Wasn’t the answer you were expecting, huh?”

“Nope. I’d expect you to say I’m a vampire or some supernatural being.”

“Well, are you?” she rose her eyebrows.

“If I told you then I’d have to love you more than I already do.” and she can feel the warmness enveloping her heart, up to her cheeks, and to her ears as she looked away from Wendy, feeling shy and breathless. She heard the latter giggle which made her cheeks even more warmer than before. Thank God her phone vibrated signalling a text from her unnie and saving her from further becoming one with the tomato family.

“Unnie’s here. Are you sure you don’t want us to drive you home. It’s really no big deal.” She asked once again, worry lacing her tone and Wendy smiled at her.

“Don’t be a worry-wart~ I’ll text you when I get home, okay?” the brunette places a palm on her cheek, thumb rubbing up and down in comfort.

“......okay...” she said in defeat as she pouted and gathered up her things before standing up and leaving. She looked back once more and saw Wendy waving at her, she waved back unenthusiastically, before opening her umbrella and exiting the ice cream shop. She can’t help but feel unease.

She entered her sister’s car and almost had a heart attack when she saw someone seated on the back seat.

“Seul, this is Jessica, Jessica, Seul~” her sister introduced and she gave the brown eyed one a smile akin to a bear. Jessica giggled.

“Nice to meet you~” the older one said and she smiled some more.

“Nice to finally meet you, unnie!~ Yuri unnie hasn’t stop gushing about y--”

“ALRIGHT! Seatbealts on!  We’re going to drop her off of her house first, okay? Okay? LET’S GO.” She laughed at her sister’s cuteness before looking back at the ice cream shop where she could barely see the reflection of her best friend fixing her own things on the table they’re in. She frowned once again, feeling perturbed for some reason as she watched the shop disappear from her eyes.

She sighed, pouting at her useless bag filled with useless things. She can’t believe she forgot her umbrella at a time like this! Seulgi had left minutes ago and if she’d known that her umbrella was nowhere near in her vicinity, she would’ve accepted the ride that her bear offered.

Her bear.

Her bestfriend.

Seulgi’s different from all her other past friends. Seulgi’s someone for keeps, someone she needs, someone who’s welcome to be a constant in her life. But the idea of it possibly being the bear is unbelievable. Yes, she admits that the first time they met, she felt at ease, like she knew the older one from somewhere before but that’s impossible because she would know. She would remember meeting someone like Seulgi in her hundred years of existence. She looked out the window, staring into the blurred surroundings.

She misses her mothers; her and Joy’s mothers to be exact. She wishes they were still here, to at least help her in deciphering this unexplainable feeling she gets whenever she’s with Seulgi--it’s affection, that she’s sure of, but is it love? It’s a shame her parents left the earth fifty years ago, happily dying because of old age, bodies turning into stardusts. Even in death, her mothers, Seohyun and Yoona, had to be together. She guesses that’s what soulmates really are--inseparable.

She picked up her things and exited the booth she was occupying, the rain falling even harder than before. Clutching her things closer to her, she exited the shop and took a deep breath before sprinting into the rain, immediately getting drenched by the heavy droplets. She stopped mid-way, under the comforts of the roof in the bus stop near her home, panting, feeling hot and cold at the same time. The bus stopped in front of her, opening its door and the passengers flocked down, hurriedly opening their umbrellas or going under the shade of the roof. A cloth--jacket was wrapped around her back and she look up in surprise.

“Wendy...” the person who gave her the jacket looked at her worriedly. Her breath caught in as she was mesmerized by the eyes looking at her.

“I-Irene unnie...”she stuttered, looking away and blushing. She wasn’t particularly close with the older one, they’re rarely left alone because Joy usually pulls Irene with her along with Yeri.

“What are you doing here? Why are you so drenched?”

“I...uhm..kinda forgot my umbrella..” she smiled sheepishly and Irene looked at her with a frown on her face.

“So you ran in the rain?”

“Yeah…..” the older one huffed.

“C’mon, let me walk you home. You live near here, right?”

“Ah, unnie, I don’t want to intrude!” she exclaimed, cheeks turning red and heart kind of leaping.

“It’s no biggie. Besides, it’ll do you no good to wait for the rain to let up, you’ll only get more sick waiting here. Now c’mon, lead the way~” Irene ordered her, opening the purple umbrella and pulling her closer. She can feel her face warm up and her heart starting to beat a little wildly as the two of them walked close together towards her home.

“H-here we are” she mumbled, stopping in front of an apartment building.

“Okay, please go take a hot shower once you get home.”

“Do you want to come in? You can have tea and Joy’s there also.” Irene smiled, something on the older one’s eyes seemed to light up before it dimmed out in a flash, then she shook her head.

“Nah, I also have to get home. My dad would get worried if I’m not back before six.” the older one waved a goodbye at her before starting to walk in the rain again. She watched, hugging her things closer to her chest, trying to stop the beats of her heart before realizing something.

“Ah! Unnie! Your jacket!” she called out and Irene halted, looking back at her before grinning.

“Just return it to me tomorrow~ Now go up and get warm~” she nodded her head enthusiastically, lips splitting into a wide grin, and heart hammering loudly, brain bogged up with blurry images of smiles and twinkling eyes.

A/N: Yay~~ I'll try and update every Wednesday (GMT+8 timezone) 
Tell me whatchu think?~