Days without having communication with each other got Seulgi and Irene distracted. Seulgi can’t focus with her final requirements for graduation while Irene can’t concentrate with her work.

 

The two of them aren’t used to not having their ‘dates’. Those might be unplanned and random hangouts but in their own perspectives, they still considered those things as a ‘date’. It feels unusual for the both of them to end the day without hearing each other’s voices or seeing each other’s faces.

 

One early morning, Seulgi decided to go out and jog around their neighborhood to get some fresh air. She told to get hold of herself and think clearly.

 

Seulgi jogged for an hour just to clear her thoughts. But she can’t still keep Irene off her mind. She’s even aware that it’s her 23rd day of being Irene-less. Seulgi stopped jogging and rested on a bench at the children’s park for a while. She wiped her sweat and calmed her breathing.

 

“It’s my first time seeing you around here early in the morning.” A familiar voice said to Seulgi.

 

Seulgi looked up and sees Tzuyu smiling at her. She looked down and sees the other girl handing her a bottle of water. Seulgi reached for it and didn’t bother drinking it.

 

“Thanks.” Seulgi said as soon as she calmed her breathing.

 

“You’re welcome.” Tzuyu said and takes a seat to the empty space next to her.

 

“I didn’t know that you always go out early in the morning.” Seulgi initiated the conversation.

 

“Well, you don’t always go out in the morning so you didn’t know.” Tzuyu replied sarcastically and chuckled.

 

Seulgi shakes her head and smiled. She thinks that Tzuyu has a point in there so she didn’t argue further. Seulgi then closed the lid of the bottle and started playing with it.

 

“So, how’s school? When’s graduation?” Tzuyu asked to keep their conversation alive.

 

Seulgi sighed and said, “Stress, as usual. It’s a month away from now.”

 

Tzuyu noticed the dark circles under Seulgi’s eyes. She knows that the stress is not just coming from her studies but from something else, from someone else. “Is it about that girl who was waiting outside your house that day?”

 

As if understanding what Tzuyu was is pertaining to, Seulgi just nodded her head weakly. Then she started confiding all the thoughts and happenings that were bothering her these past few days.

 

“Maybe you really just misunderstood everything.” Tzuyu said as she was trying to understand everything that Seulgi has told her.

 

“What if I didn’t?” Seulgi said worriedly.

 

Tzuyu heaved a sigh and said, “Do you want me to tell you my thoughts and be honest with you?”

 

Seulgi looked at the younger girl and nodded.

 

“I just assessed based from your story that you’re being too unreceptive with Irene-ssi and you’re being too swayed by your emotions. It just makes you selfish and biased. You should’ve let her speak and explain her side.” Tzuyu bluntly said.

 

“I…I don’t know.” It was what Seulgi had only managed to say as she was already clueless with what she’s going to do especially that everything that Tzuyu have said makes sense.

There was a moment of silence between the two of them. Tzuyu let Seulgi to recollect her thoughts and just stayed there in case she still needed some advice.

 

Suddenly, a nonstop buzzing erupted from Seulgi’s phone. She took it out from her track suit pocket and swiped the screen. She was shocked when she received messages from Irene.
 

JOOHYUN

Hey. Something urgent came up in the hospital.
8:49AM

I don’t know what time it will end but I’ll try to make it to your performance.
8:49AM

I hope you understand.
8:50AM

Enjoy your performance!
8:50AM

Fighting, Kang Seulgi! See you later. ^^
8:50AM

Seul, I’m really sorry about today.
2:51PM

I assisted Yuri unnie on surgery. It just got finished.
2:51PM

Where are you? Should I go to you?
2:52PM

She scanned everything and realized that those were Irene’s failed messages that day as it was indicated in the message details on when did the sender exactly sent the message.


Guilt started to flood Seulgi. She mentally scolded herself for being stupid and selfish and for not believing in Irene.
 

Seeing the guilt and regret written all over on her friend’s face, Tzuyu placed her hand on Seulgi’s shoulder and squeezed it as if telling her to go to Irene and apologize.
 

Seulgi nodded and smiled at her friend in gratitude then she left the park and immediately headed her way to the hospital.
 

When the breathless Seulgi arrived in the hospital, She went right away to the nurses’ station and asked for Irene.
 

“Irene-ssi is still in the operating room assisting Taeyeon-sonsaengnim. The operation will probably last for three to four hours so they’ll finish during lunch.” The stationed nurse informed her.

“Thank you.” Seulgi said before leaving.

“Perhaps, do you want me to get you something, Miss Kang?” The nurse asked her politely.
 

Seulgi remembered that the hospital is owned by her sister’s family so the people around here also knew her. She smiled at the nurse and said, “It’s okay Jimin-ssi. I’ll just go somewhere. Thank you by the way.”

Seulgi left and decided to just head out. As she walked through the hallway, she gazed at the digital clock stuck on the wall. It reads 9:30am. Even though she is impatient to see Irene, Seulgi just considered it as a chance to think on what she could say and apologize to her.
 

Seulgi found herself in the hospital’s mini park, and started walking back and forth. She just couldn’t help but to feel nervous having negative thoughts of Irene not accepting her apology and not wanting to see her again.

It was already lu