Seulgi has been questioning for a while about when she and Irene had gotten so… touchy.

Not that she's complaining, like, at all. It's not a complaint, just… an observation. Because the last time Seulgi checked, she's pretty sure that she wasn't the biggest fan of skinship, but it's suddenly more apparent than ever that she's linking arms with Irene on the way to and from schedules, hugging the older girl tight when it's too cold, and offering her shoulder whenever her leader grew sleepy in the long car rides to and from events.

When had Irene opened up to her? During their trainee years? Debut? Seulgi can't quite pinpoint it. When had Irene collapsing tiredly into the younger girl’s lap become something natural? When did Seulgi cease questioning why Irene would wind her arm around Seulgi’s?

(She still remembers the very first time Irene caught her off guard. They'd been sitting on one of SM’s comfortable sofas, and someone had called Seulgi’s name from behind. Naturally, Seulgi had twisted in her seat, putting her hand on the cushion behind Irene in the process.

Seulgi had nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt Irene’s soft hand grab her own.

“Is this your hand?” Nineteen-year-old Irene had asked, cocking her head curiously.

“Of course it's my hand,” Seulgi had giggled nervously, trying to calm her accelerating heart down. “Whose else would it be?”

Irene hummed, her head rocking back and forth to a sound no one else could hear, before she tugged insistently on Seulgi’s hand, pulling the trainee’s arm around her own waist.

Before she knew it, Seulgi was frozen solid, an arm around the most beautiful, giggly girl in the world, and she had no idea what to do about it.)

Seulgi thinks she's going to get a headache at this rate, as she stares up blankly at the ceiling, late at night. She really should get some sleep. She and the girls have a radio show to take care of tomorrow.

Well, everyone except Joohyun-unnie.

Her gaze softens in disappointment. Irene wouldn’t be at their schedule tomorrow because KBS still thinks that Irene is still their precious child and is sending her overseas for a three day MC gig-- without the rest of Red Velvet. And the problem isn't jealousy, but rather unease. Seulgi isn't used to not seeing the older girl for more than a day or so, nor is she used to being in a completely different country as Irene. The feeling is strange, admittedly.

And just like that, I'm attached.

“I'll be fine,” she mutters to herself quietly, careful not to disturb Wendy across the room. “I can deal.”

--

The next day, Seulgi wakes up to find Irene’s room empty, just like the shallow pit in her stomach. What is it again…? Disappointment?

Nevertheless, she goes to the radio show, happy like the No-Jam Seulgi she always is, (and even happier when she gets to talk about Irene, but if Wendy, Joy, or Yeri notice, they don't say anything-- but they do snicker behind the palm of their hands).

Just as she thought: Seulgi can function just fine without the older girl. Everything is fine. Irene would be proud.

--

She struggles not to pick her phone and call Irene that night-- she figures that Irene would be tired after the first day of MCing.

(Or maybe Seulgi’s just trying to prove something to herself.)

--

The three days of Irene's absence pass by painstakingly slow, but Seulgi manages to make it work somehow. She passes the time by watching dramas for the most part, camped out on the dorm’s couch.

Joy and Yeri don't question anything, they just giggle and run into their shared room to talk about who knows what.

Wendy laughs and offers Seulgi a bowl of popcorn before heading off to their own room as well.

Oh yeah, there's nothing stopping me from finishing 13 Reasons Why now.

She doesn't even register the opening of the dorm door, or even the shifting of the couch until she gets the odd feeling that she's being watched.

Cautiously, Seulgi lowers the volume of the drama, slowly turning to the right, the source of the weird feeling.

“Peek-a-boo!” The smaller girl shouts, her hands raised and curled above her head in the classic ‘scaring position.’

Not ever being one to scream, Seulgi’s eyes widen in shock momentarily before breaking out into a face-splitting smile.

“Joohyun-unnie!” Seulgi exclaims exuberantly as Irene laughs and launches herself at Seulgi, tackling her into a hug.

“Hi Seul,” Irene grins up from where she's snuggled quite comfortably in Seulgi’s arms. “Miss me?”

“N-no…” What a lie. What's the phrase again? You don't know what you have until it's gone? Seulgi would argue that you don't know what you're missing until she left, only to come back after an absence that was, in her honest opinion, way too long.

Irene pouts, puffing out her cheeks indignantly. “Really?”

Whoa, when did our faces get so close to each other's...?

“I-I was fine without you here--”

“Are you really sure, Seul?” Irene looks at her imploringly, with those for eyes of hers, a hand curling into the hem of Seulgi’s hoodie, and Seulgi is a goner. Yeah, there’s the touchy-nature that Seulgi’s been so desperately deprived of these past few days.

“Damn, I missed you," Seulgi breathes through her lips, because it's the truth, because both of them know that it's true, and because she's so damn weak for the beautiful girl in front of her.

And it's enough - more than enough, even - to get that signature curl of Irene's lips, and just like that, everything is worth it.

“Good,” Irene murmurs, leaning forward to press her lips against Seulgi’s own pair, smiling into the kiss with the way the taller girl tugs her in closer; Seulgi is beyond adorable. When they pull away, Irene leans her forehead on Seulgi’s, smirking.

“It would be awful if my own girlfriend didn't miss me.”

--

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