Seulgi, somehow, had done it again.

Irene groaned at the odd stares they were garnering from passersbys and glared at the girl next to her who was too focused on her own little happy bubble to notice. She growled quietly as a nearby child pointed at Seulgi, eyes widening in shock.

“Mommy, look! It’s a bear!”

It’s not like Irene hadn’t heard those words many times before; in fact, she often used the term of endearment for her girlfriend herself. This situation, however, threw endearment out of the window entirely.

It was the hat.

Brown and fuzzy and comfy and cute with bear ears on top is how Seulgi described it. And Irene would have been perfectly fine with that - if it weren’t for the fact that the brown and fuzzy and comfy and cute fur with bear ears on top were situated on top of a ing motorcycle helmet. She knew that her girlfriend could occasionally have a terrible taste in fashion, but this?

Really?

“Seulgi,” she hissed, earning a confused look from the girl beside her. “Take a look around us.”

Seulgi blinked, peering around for anything strange. She shrugged. “Is there something wrong?” Squinting at the various stores around them, she suddenly jumped into a fighting stance. “Is there somebody bothering you?” Eyes darting around frantically, Seulgi threw a few punches. “Where are they?”

Firm hands grasped her wrists, and she relaxed her stance. “Seulgi - just -” Irene sighed. This put ridiculous to shame. “Seulgi, no. But look around and tell me what you see.” There were so many damn people watching them. How could she miss that a second time?

Slowly turning around in a circle, Seulgi took in their surroundings before facing Irene again. “Ah, well - we - we’re in a mall?” Irene rubbed her temples in frustration. More often than not, she wondered exactly why she was dating this girl. This was some sort of new headassery and Irene wasn’t sure she was all that prepared for it. Seulgi was looking at her expectantly, though, so she sighed heavily in response.

“Goddamnit, Kang.” Irene turned around and headed towards the food court. A deadbeat of silence enveloped her as she walked away before she swore she could hear the confusion radiating from her girlfriend.

“Wait, Irene! Is it - is it those cacti over there? I know you like cacti.” Footsteps sounded behind her.

“No? Um, hold on - “ Irene quickened her pace. “Hey, wait up!” The footsteps quickened until she could hear slightly labored breathing from a few steps behind. “Uh… are there, like, birds on the roof? Oh, babe, I just noticed that there’s a glass roof, is that what you wan- oof.”

A loud thump sounded and a crash followed after, prompting Irene to turn around. Seulgi looked up at her apologetically from the tiled floor, trash littered beside her and the trash can itself rolling down the hallway. Irene rolled her eyes.

“Go get it.” Seulgi nodded, dusting herself off and sprinting in the direction of the trash can. Irene slumped against the side of a directory and sighed for what - the tenth time in an hour? Eleventh? Why was it so damn hard just to have a normal date? Glancing around, a large brown object stood out from the corner of her eye.

Seulgi’s hat was sitting innocently on the floor, trash free and ridiculous as ever. Irene looked down the hallway. Seulgi was still going after the trash can. Scooting over in the most innocuous way she could, Irene quickly snatched up the hat, dashed over to a nearby restroom and placed it in one of the stalls. A triumphant smile on her face, she crossed her arms.

God ing finally.

“Irene!” At the sound of her name, Irene jumped and sprinted out of the restroom. Seulgi stood beside the now upright and tidied trash can. But she was frowning. “I cleaned it up, but I can’t find my hat. Do you know where it is?”

“Uh… nope, no idea.” Irene smiled the best fake smile she’d ever smiled in her life. “You know what, though? How about I buy you another hat later?”

Seulgi shrugged. “Okay. I gotta pee, though. Be right back.”

And with that, Seulgi breezed right past her, into the relief rooms where Irene’s secret of the day was hidden.

“.” Pinching the bridge of her nose, Irene gave herself some emotional support.

Maybe she didn’t go into that stall. Maybe if she did, she didn’t notice it. Maybe somebody took it. Maybe it rolled away. Maybe -

She blinked, noticing a dark presence in front of her. Irene looked up to find Seulgi with the hat back on her head, and, needless to say, a rather upset expression. Did she really put that on after it was on the bathroom floor? Her girlfriend gestured to the hat.

“Why was this in the stalls?” She pouted, making Irene grimace. Of course she felt bad, but more so for the fact that she got caught than anything else.

“Well…” Irene