XI.
My First and LastWendy woke up feeling incomplete. She opened her phone and hoped that Irene texted her but she received none.
She must be exhausted last night, Wendy thought.
"I'm gonna message her and maybe, visit her after work."
She busied herself for the pictorial of a new girl group and editing the pictures that's why she didn't notice the time.
She overheard the two staffs gossiping about two famous models who were caught dating.
"They are a super cute couple. I envy them."
"Look at them, visual overload."
"Unnie, the pictures are done and we are going to pick the photo for the magazine cover," Saeron said; interrupting.
"Oh, thank you Saeron! You can go home now. I can manage."
"Are you sure unnie?"
"Yes, I'm sure. You can go now. I think Yeri misses you."
Saeron blushed. "Unnie, that's not true."
"You're blushing Saeronnie," Wendy .
"It's just hot here unnie. I'll go first."
"Take care, Saeron!"
--------------------
It was six o'clock in the evening and Wendy didn't receive any call or message from Irene.
"What happened to her? She didn't answer my calls or messages. I'll go check up on her after I send this email."
But what shocked Wendy the most was seeing Irene on Dispatch's front page, with a guy hugging her.
The photos showed how Song Mino and Irene Bae were being intimate to each other like hugging, Mino kissing Irene's forehead, and holding hands.
Insiders revealed that the two used to date each other 3 years ago. They parted ways when Mino decided to pursue his international modelling career and left Irene in Korea.
Did the two make up? Are the two sweeter than the second time around?
Their agency, Hwang's Fashion House, said that they would release a statement as soon as they talk to the two.
Wendy didn't know what to feel. She felt her chest aching again and it didn't help her to calm down. She badly wanted to talk to Irene to know the answer. Half of her was scared, half of her just wanted to end this undefined emotions she had.
She settled her things and went inside her car. She was planning on seeing Irene.
She ended up in Hwang's House of Fashion. She saw a lot of reporters lining up on the entrance.
"Bae Joohyun, please pick up your phone."
Wendy dialled Irene's number continuously but it always directed her to a voice mail.
She lost faith but she saw a black van stopped in front of the building. She saw Irene being hugged by Mino and circled by a bunch of bodyguards.
She wanted to comfort Irene. She wanted to hug her. It should be her protecting Irene from all the flashes of cameras and reporters.
But she couldn't.
She just let them passed over her.
Wendy walked over to her car and dialled Seulgi's number. She asked the bear if she was free tonight and if they can have dinner but the bear declined her offer by saying she had tons of work to do.
"Don't overwork Seul. Eat on time," Wendy said before ending the call.
Guess what Son Seungwan, you're all alone now.
And Wendy drove away. She didn't know where to go but she just drove and drove until she reached a bar downtown.
She sat in front of the bartender and ordered a strong drink.
"Must be a hard day ma'am?" The bartender started a conversation.
"Yes, a very very hard day," Wendy replied while gulping her drink.
"Can you give me a bottle of whisky?"
The bartender looked at her.
"Don't worry. I won't get drunk, maybe wasted but I'll be fine."
"You're gonna have a painful hangover."
"It's okay. It's just hangover."
The bartender handed the whisky bottle to Wendy.
"Thank you..."
"Eunji," the bartender said.
"Thank you, Eunji."
--------------------
Seulgi's phone was ringing nonstop. The bear was kinda irritated. She had a deadline and she needed to finish her drafts. She felt bad for declining Wendy's offer but she promised herself that she would make it up to her best friend.
Seulgi answered her phone. It was just a number so she didn't know who was calling her.
"Who is this?"
"It's me unnie. It's Yeri."
"Oh Yeri, why did you call?"
"Have you seen Wendy unnie?"
"No, why?"
"You don't know the news?"
"What news?"
"Oh my god unnie, are you dumb? Are you living in a monkey century? Open your SNS account."
"Wait Yeri."
Seulgi opened her Naver account to see Irene and Mino's dating article.
"What the hell Bae Yerim? Mino is back and what the is this?"
"Unnie, Irene unnie didn't do anything. She's just friends with Mino oppa and they're just workmates."
"Whatever. Irene needs to explain. Bye Yerim. I need to find Wendy."
And Seulgi ended the call and dialled Wendy's number.
'The number you have dial is out of coverage area. Please try again later.'
Seulgi went to Wendy's apartment, only to be met with darkness.
"Damn Seungwan, where are you? I should have know that there's something going on that's why you decided to call. God damn it."
Seulgi said while throwing a pillow.
--------------------
"Eunji, can you give me another bottle of whisky?" Wendy waved her hands at the bartender.
"Are you sure you want more, Wendy?"
"Yes Eunji. I'm good. I'm fine. I feel better."
"Yes you're fine. You keep saying that phrase over and over again. Here's your whisky Wendy. I hope it will lessen the pain you're feeling right now. We know liquors make us numb for the meantime," Eunji said, still looking at Wendy.
"I need to escape from reality, for the meantime. I need to feel numb. It's a safe way to protect my heart. I know it won't help me but it gives me time to settle my emotions and think clearly," Wendy explained, stirring the ice on her whisky.
Wendy let herself drown into the taste of the whisky. She didn't taste anything except the bittersweet feelings she had now.
She was a coward for running away. Yes, it was true. She wanted to talk about it with Seulgi but her best friend was busy and it was okay. Being alone was her forte. She was really used to it. The time she had now will help her understand things in a different perspective before she jumps to a conclusion. Before she thinks that Irene didn't care at her at all.
"Give me the usual please," a black-haired girl slumped her way to the bartender's side."
"Oh, long time no see Dr. Kim. Having a hard time?" Eunji said while handling Jisoo a cocktail.
"It's been a really stressful week for me. Aside from a lot of accidents and operations, there's one thing that keeps on bugging me." Jisoo said while sulking.
The two stopped their chitchatting when they heard a glass being broken. They saw a girl clutching on a chair, about to pass out.
"Wendy! Are you okay?" Eunji walked towards Wendy and helped her to sit on the sofa.
"Sorry, the glass slipped from my hands." Wendy explained, still holding her chest.
"Wendy? Wendy Son?" Jisoo was looking directly at the two girls and out of curiosity, she walked closer to them.
"I'm asking you Wendy if you're okay not the glass. Here drink this." Eunji handed Wendy a bottled water.
"I'm okay. My chest is kinda itchy but I'm fine. Thank you Eunji and sorry." Wendy said, looking like a lost hamster.
"Let's go. You need fresh air," Jisoo said to Wendy.
"Dr. Kim, you're here! Don't worry I'm okay. I'm fine." Wendy smiled.
Don't smile like that Wendy Son. You're blinding me, Jisoo said to herself.
"I don't have a choice now," Jisoo said while giving signals to Eunji.
Jisoo and Eunji carried Wendy to the doctor's car.
"Thanks Eunji."
"You're welcome Jisoo. This is the first time I've seen you helping a person whose not a part of your family and not a close friend too."
"She's not a stranger. She's a volunteer so we knew each other. And I'm just doing you a favor, Jung Eunji."
"Okay okay Kim Jisoo. Thank you. Don't be so defensive. Just take care."
"Bye."
And Jisoo drove away with Wendy on the backseat.
"Love comes in unexpected ways," Eunji muttered while looking at the shadow of the car.
The two ended up in an open soccer field. Jisoo
Comments