Seulgi’s used to this. She sees Irene standing in the back of the house, watching the place. She has a drink in her hand and she’s leaning against the wall with a stony face that keeps Seulgi’s relatives away from her. Seulgi’s relatives already know Irene well. However, that doesn’t stop them from being wary around the petite, yet nevertheless intimidating figure.

“I’m going to go check on Irene,” Seulgi says.

“Go ahead, honey,” Mrs. Kang replies, patting Seulgi gently on the shoulder.

“She’s not a mean person,” Seulgi murmurs.

Seulgi’s mother nods in agreement. “I know she isn’t, sweetie. I understand.”

Seulgi makes her way through the crowd and towards Irene. Seulgi understands Irene fully. The woman is reserved and prone to being a silent, yet sturdy figure around everyone else with the exception of Seulgi. Irene lacks the openness that one needs to have people wanting to be around her. She’s too closed off and off-putting that it stops others from socializing with her.

Irene seems to spot her coming and the change in her expression is instantaneous. Irene goes from looking like she wants to murder a person to a kid who was given candy. It was amazing, really, how that was possible.

“Hey, Hyun,” Seulgi says, reaching the older girl.

Irene’s eyes soften and clear, seeming almost clear enough for Seulgi to see through to the older woman’s soul. Only Seulgi has an effect like that on Irene, and Seulgi knows it. She never takes advantage of it, though. She wouldn’t even dream of it.

“Hey, Seul. Having fun?”

Seulgi grins and pecks Irene on the cheek. “It would be better if you stuck around with me and not the wall.”

Irene looks sheepish as she rubs the back of her neck. “Right. Sorry, it’s just habit.”

“I know, you dummy. Let’s go, hm? My mom wants to see you.”

Irene’s eyes widen. “What? Why? Did I do something wrong? What did you tell her?”

Seulgi grabs Irene by the shoulders. “Hyunnie, calm down. Isn’t it normal to want to see your daughter’s girlfriend?”

Irene still looks skeptical, but allows Seulgi to tug her away from the wall and towards the older woman who has a striking resemblance to Seulgi. Seulgi feels Irene’s fingers press into her hand, and she naturally squeezes back. Seulgi finds it cute that Irene still has a fear of her parents even after seven years of knowing one another.

“Hello, Irene.”

Irene bows ninety degrees towards her mother and Seulgi’s mother giggles behind her hand, eyeing Seulgi. Seulgi laughs and watches as Irene straightens up with a faint hue of pink across her cheeks.

“Hello, Mrs. Kang.”

“Oh, don’t be silly, come here,” Mrs. Kang says, abruptly taking a hold of Irene’s arm and pulling her into a hug.

Seulgi can’t help the smile that spreads across her face at the sight of Irene awkwardly standing in her mother’s embrace, hands hovering uncertainly in the air beside the older woman’s waist. Mrs. Kang lets her go after a solid thirty second and Irene clears , moving to take her designated spot beside Seulgi again.

“Is Dad going to come soon?” Seulgi asks.

Mrs. Kang checks her watch before nodding. “He should be home anytime soon. He had a few more things to take care of at work.”

Seulgi notices Irene shrinking backwards beside her. She grabs the older woman’s hand and keeps her firmly at her side. Understandably, Irene has an unfavorable view on parents. Having always been the victim of fierce quarrels between her own mother and father, Irene had grown up in a world without love nor care, left to guard her heart within her own hands.

Seulgi rubs her thumb against the back of Irene’s hand and she feels the tension that she could feel in the older woman fade away. The door abruptly opens and Irene sees her father walk in, clad in his business suit.

Irene immediately tenses up again, her hand turning into a fist, and the muscles in her forearms rippling ever so slightly. Seulgi laughs to herself. Her father, despite being a businessman, is the kindest person she knows. Seulgi also knows that her father has taken a liking to Irene. He respects her position as an officer, and Seulgi couldn’t be happier.

Now, it’s just a matter of Irene’s trust in her parents.

“Oh, Irene! How are you doing?”

Irene immediately pulls her hand away from Seulgi’s grip and executes another ninety degree bow to her father. She watches as her father smiles warmly at Irene. When Irene straightens up, her gaze never meets that of the tall man’s.

“Hello, sir.”

“Hello, Irene. Is my daughter treating you well?”

“Always,” Irene says, looking straight at Seulgi.

Seulgi winks at the police officer, receiving a cute, reserved grin in return.

“She’s treating me well, too, Dad. If you were wondering,” Seulgi says.

“Oh I know she is. Much more dependable than you, my princess.”

“Hey!”

The man shrugs, a warm smile across his face, before ruffling Seulgi’s hair and making his way towards t