06- Perplexed

The ardor in the way her hands move, the splash and the swoosh of the paint and paintbrush are the only things she hears. The pigments of the color of the sea and the color of the afternoon sun are the only things she sees. Her eyebrows met in the middle, her tongue peeked out of a bit as she made the last few needed . Her hands lifted off of the canvas along with the paintbrush, her eyes scanned the splashes of colors in front of her, blending, meeting, chaotically placed but it was the best art that she had created.

A painting of a sunset-- warm, soft, bright, beautiful--made her sigh in glee, remembering soft brown eyes, fluffy cheeks, and a voice of an angel. This certain painting was her...well, everything she makes her feel.

“Seul? Are you going with me to the crafts bazaar?” her sister called out from downstairs. She smiled, eyes turning into crescents from happiness, before standing up.

“Yes, unnie~ Cominnnggg~”

Walking around the crafts bazaar made her and her sister very excited. Pulling one another to look at the different booths that sell quirky, pretty things. They spent the entire afternoon going around the place, buying things here and there--she found this great hand-made paintbrush that the owner was all too happpy to engrave it with her name. She also bought little trinkets for her friends like that pink wooden jewelry box for Yeri that she'll give to the the maknae tonight.

They were now looking at an accessory booth that her sister gravitated to, talking about giving Taeyeon a simple cloth braided bracelet, but picking up another thing. Her eyes wandered on the table and stopped at a necklace, eyeing t carefully as memories of her best friend flooded her mind.

“You like?” A voice broke her train of thought. She looked up, seeing the friendly smile of the vendor and probably the creator of the jewelry she’s looking at. She smiled, looking back at the piece of necklace like it has a pull on her. “This here,” the vendor started, pointing at the silver part of the pendant that has uneven circular carvings, “represents the moon on its fullest form. And this,” the vendor then pointed to the golden star straight smacked in the middle, “can be taken out and it forms another necklace, see?” And indeed, one necklace became two.

“wow” she breathed in awe.

“Wow indeed. I only made one of these and have been waiting for the perfect customer that fits it.” The vendor smiled.

“Why did you only make one pair?”

“Why do you think?” She scrunched her eyebrows, looking at the gentle smile, a flash of warmness enveloped her as she looked at the vendors eyes, wrapping her in a feeling of familiarity but not quite having grasp it yet. One thought flashed through her mind.

Wendy.

And her eyes lit up.

“I’ll take it. How much?”

“You’re my last customer so I’ll give it to you for free.” Her eyes widened.

“No, I can’t possibly-- please I’ll pay for it-- you don’t--” the vendor giggled, pulling her hand and placing the necklace on her palm.

“It belongs to you now and remember, she’s confused but she will know.”

“What do you mean?”

“Goodluck, Seulgi.” The vendor grinned.

“How--”

“Seul, are you finished?” Her Yuri unnie called out. She looked at her and nodded.

“Yeah, I was just--” the lady was gone.

“Weird.”

“Ah, Seulgi, thank you for this headband! I really like it~” Irene grinned, donning the little purple gift she gave her on her head. She grinned back.

“It suits you, unnie~I’m really glad you like it.” Irene nodded,

“Next time, let’s go there together with the others~”

“Who’s going where?” A figure sat down beside her, looking expectantly while a taller one placed her arms around the oldest.

“Seul got me this headband! It looks great, right?” Wendy cocked her head to side before looking back at her with a raised brow, questioning her intentions. She rolled her eyes at her cute best friend before rummaging her bag and pulling out a small silk bag and a beautifully wrapped box, handing the first one to Joy and giving the second one to Wendy.

“How come Wendy unnie’s gift is wrapped?” Joy asked, smirking as her face slowly flushed pink. Irene giggled and tug on the tallest arms to open the bag who rolled her eyes and complied, eyes growing wide with excitement as she pulled out a little stuffed chicken leg keychain.

“OHEMGEEEEEEE” Joy squealed, “THIS. IS. SO. CUTE!”

“You’re welcome~” she grinned, before looking at Wendy and telling her to open hers. The latter nodded and carefully unwrapped her gift, slowly revealing a light blue box. The smallest opened it and was met with five different mini porcelain pastries keychain lined up inside the box.

“Thanks, Seul…” Wendy whispered, her fingers running through the keychains, slowly and with awe.

“It’s no biggie. I knew you’d like it~” she smiled, eyes turning into crescents, making her features look more like a bear while her hands gripped on the necklace inside her pocket.

“UNNNIIIIIEEEEEEE” a swish of light brown hair smacked her right in the face making her step back to regain balance while her hands caught the person hugging her. “UNNIE UNNIE UNNIE UNNIE!!!”

“What’s wrong, Yeri? What happened? Are you hurt? Are you--” came her worried questions, trying to push the girl gently away from her so she could inspect her for wounds and bruises but Yeri wouldn’t budge and instead tightened her embrace on her.

“I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE EARLIER! MY LIFE FLASHED BEFORE MY EYES! AND THE SAD THING IS I DIDN’T SEE ANYTHING! I HAVE NO LIFE!!!”

“What are you talking about?” Joy asked, tapping the youngest to get her attention.

“TIFFANY UNNIE!”

“What about her?” Came Wendy’s inquiry.

“I listened to Yuri unnie and gave Tiffany unnie a chance to drive me to school today.”

“Did you get into an accident?” Irene asked, looking at Yeri with worried eyes.

“No.”

“Then why did your non-existent life flashed before you?” Joy rose her eyebrows.

“I WAS JUST SO SCARED OK. YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TIFFANY UNNIE WAS. She just talked and talked and talked! Her attention wasn’t even on the road! She kept on looking at me and I kept on telling her to focus on driving! I was so scared for my life!”

“So basically, nothing really happened?” She asked, combing the youngest’s hair through her fingers. It always help in calming her down even when they were kids and it’s obviously still working now as Yeri leaned into her touch comfortably. She smiled, eyes going through the different expressions on her friends faces before landing in deep browns she can create an entire galaxy for.

She observed the quick flashes of emotions in those eyes before it settled to something she knows is irritation. She scrunched her brows, looking a bit confused, stopping the hands running through Yeri’s hair before sitting beside Wendy who had immediately took hold of her hand and held it. The younger one stared at her and she stared back, feeling like her best friend wants to tell her something but before she could ask,  Wendy relaxed and looked away.

It was lunch time when she snuck out towards the art room to get the sketch pad she had accidentally left there last friday. She opened the door and was surprised to see her exchange student friend sitting crossed legged on her usual space and flipping through a sketchpad--her sketchpad.

“Hi Seul.” Krystal glanced at her briefly before going back to flipping another page of her sketchbook.

“Hey yourself. You know that’s mine, right?” She asked, walking on over and sitting on the chair beside the girl who smirked.

“You know I came from California, right?” She rolled her eyes and nodded, puzzled as to how this connects to her question. “This is her?” She knows who she’s asking. This sketch pad is filled with drawings of her anyway.

“Isn’t it obvious enough?” She asked, cocking her head to the side and Krystal’s laughter filled the room.

“You’re really something.” The californian girl smiled at her, eyes searching her face before shaking her head and looking back at the sketch pad, “have you ever considered applying for art schools abroad?”

“What?”

“With your skills, you can get accepted in great schools.”

“.............”

“There are a lot of great art schools in L.A.” Krystal looked at her and smiled gently.

“But… my unnie and my friends...”

“I’m not ordering you to go there...but looking at your art skills, the schools there would help you improve even farther than your limits.” She looked down, eyebrows meeting in the middle as she tried to evaluate what her friend had just said. “Just think about it. I’ll text you a list of art schools if you want.” She heard the pause in Krystal’s voice before the latter continued, “Besides, you won’t be alone… You’ll have me.” The last part was barely a whisper but she heard it. Loud and clear. She felt her heart jump and they both stayed quiet for a while before she smiled and looked at the other girl.

“I’ll think about it.” Krystal looked a bit shock but a smile slowly formed on her lips.

“Really?!”

“I mean, it’s obvious that you’ve already fallen for my charm. Tsk. I don’t blame you, I know I’m irresistible.” She grinned as Krystal mirrored her expression.

“Careful there, bear, or your head might hit the ceiling by how big it’s getting.” they stared at each other, eyes challenging before they both bursted in giggles, shoulders bumping into each other. A loud clearing of throat made them stop and they both looked at the entrance.

“Seulgi, your lunch is getting cold.”

“Coming, Wen~” She smiled, standing up and turning to the girl beside her who’s handing her back her sketch pad. “Do you want to eat lunch with us?”

“Nah, I already ate but thanks anyway. Your friend’s waiting for you.” Krystal looked at Wendy with a smile on her face.

“Seul.” she heard her best friend call out a bit sternly and she waved goodbye to Krystal before walking towards Wendy who had quickly pulled her and wrapped her arms around hers and pulled on her to start walking. It was quiet the whole way to their lunch place.

Her entire being feels hot. There’s a feeling that’s enveloping her that she can’t make out when she heard her Seulgi and that girl talking. She was about to push the door to the art club open then when she heard the faintest “You’ll have me.” being said. She was curious, that’s why she stopped to listen. This might just be another confession from another unimportant person that her bear would stutter to reject.

Boy, was she sooooo wrong.

Seulgi. Her Seulgi was actually saying things akin to flirting. She can hear her heartbeat through her ears and all she wanted to do was stop whatever it is that her Seulgi is doing or so the galaxies help her, she would break something. She had immediately called on her best friend and had pulled her out of that room and away from that girl before anything else even happened.

Their friends were eyeing them when they finally got to their lunch spot. She was still holding on tightly to a quiet Seulgi, afraid that her best friend will go back to that girl.

“Something happened?”Joy asked. She stayed quiet, biting her lower lip and thinking what the hell has gotten into her. She heard Seulgi sigh beside her.

“Wendy’s having her ‘no one is good enough for Seulgi’ moment again.” Seulgi explained and she scrunched her eyebrows some more before smoothing them and nodding in approval. Her best friend is right is what she had finally concluded about this certain feeling she was having. That’s the only explanation for feeling like this. She’s very protective of her best friend, after all. Besides, she has Irene unnie in her mind now.

Her thoughts wandered back to last weekend.

“Something’s different. I feel different.” she said, looking at Joy, “Don’t you think so?”

“Hm?” Joy looked up from her math homework, looking at her face in search before shrugging, “I don’t see anything.”

“But I feel it.”

“What do you feel?” Taeyeon entered their living room, placing down some snacks and drinks for them.

“I feel different, unnie.”

“Of course you do. You’ve started to age.” the eldest smiled. The cookie dropped from Joy’s hand along with hanging open. Her own eyes widened and a gasp was caught on .

“Congratulations, Wendy. You too, Joy. Who would’ve believed you’d find your soulmates at the same time after, what? Like 70 years?” Taeyeon laughed before patting both their heads and walking out. She and her sister looked at each other.

“Who the fudge is my soulmate?!” Joy’s eyes were wide, unbelieving. A flash on orange invaded her mind before she shook her head and swooned.

“It’s Irene unnie.”

“What?! My soulmate is Irene unnie?” She looked her sister point blank and raised her brows.

“MY soulmate is Irene unnie. I don’t know who yours is.” Joy rolled her eyes at her. “I really think it’s her. It’s Irene unnie~” She swooned.

“Are you sure, unnie?”

“I mean, how could you explain me suddenly aging?”

“It could be another person you’re overlooking.” Joy commented.

“Joy’s right, Wendy. Don’t go jumping to conclusions you’re not 100% sure about.” Jessica suddenly piped up from the hallway.

“I’m decided that I’m going to confess to her!~” she announced and her sister sighed in defeat.

She looked at Seulgi, weighing if she should tell her her plans but uneasiness filled her and just decided against it. Her bear will know it someday. Preferably when Irene accepts her feelings. She looked at the eldest who was busy handing Joy a tissue to wipe her face filled with chicken crumbs.

“Hey, Irene unnie.”

“Hm?”

“Let’s go by the park later before we go home~”

“Okay?” Irene smiled at her in question before looking at Joy. “Oh, we can buy that ice cream there that you wanted to try!” Joy shook her head.

“Sorry, unnie. I’m going to Yeri’s today~”

“You are?” Yeri and Seulgi asked and Joy shot them a look before saying with gritted teeth.

“Remember? Tiffany unnie will tutor us for our next math exam?”

“O-oh! Yeah, right! I-I almost forgot.” Yeri smiled a bit uneasily. She inwardly thanked her sister.

“I guess it’s just you and me then, Wendy~” Irene smiled.

“You and me, unnie.”