When the Stupid Cupids received summons from their Olaf the following day, they knew something was up. Joy, in particular, knew she was in deep .

When she walked into the HQ, the sight that greeted her confirmed her assumptions: she’s going to be flayed alive.

Their usually bright and bubbly resident snowman was seated on her usual chair with a grim expression. The purple fringe almost covering her eyes added to the brooding aura surrounding her. Joy had never considered her Wendy-unnie to be capable of being scary. But welp, looks like she is.

in a deep breath, she strutted inside with her usual confidence. If she’s going to face death, she’d go down fabulous. Besides, Wendy would just have a word with them. She loves me too much to skin me alive.

“You’re looking gloomy today, Sunny,” she offhandedly commented, hopping up the piano. She could feel the older girl’s eyes setting on her before a sigh was heard.

“Park Sooyoung.” Wendy called and Joy tried not to flinch at the rare use of her complete real name. Wendy said it in that calm but authorative tone only parents are capable of pulling off. Joy shuddered.

“Yes?” she feigned innocence and batted her lashes. It always worked on her dad. Wendy shouldn’t be much different.

“Come sit here.” The older girl gestured to the seat across her—the one Seulgi usually occupies.

Joy raised a brow, “Why? What about Seulgi-unnie?”

“I already finished talking to her and Yerim.” Wendy simply answered and gestured to the seat again, “Come on. Sit.”

A one-on-one talk. A one-on-one talk is never good news. The signs that Joy’s in deep trouble just keep on piling up. She ran a quick list of blackmail materials to defend herself with in case Wendy isn’t the angel they though she was as she moved to sit on Seulgi’s chair.

“What’s this all about? Why are you so serious?” she had the nerve to inquire when really, she already knew.

Wendy’s lips thinned into a line. “Joohyun-sunbae has diagnosed trauma with cars.” she looked at Joy, no doubt trying to gauge her reaction, “Did you know that?”

Joy decided to come out clean. “Yes.”

Wendy’s brows creased, “Then why? Why carry on with that operation? That’s a little bit too much, don’t you think? I understand you’re doing this dating agency thing to practice your people-reading skills and try to apply it to real life situations. You’re brilliant, Sooyoung so I know you’re aware how hard it is to cope with uncovered bad memories.”

She paused her rant with a sigh, shoulders sagging. “Sooyoung, you’re sly and cunning but I didn’t know you’re this heartless.” she shook her head in disappointment.

Listening to all these, Joy didn’t even bat an eyelash. She had seen this coming and hearing Wendy speak up confirmed her assumptions and she mentally noted to start her plan which can be conveniently done now thanks to the older girl’s actions and words.

Let’s hope this works.

“Do you want to quit, then?”

Wendy blinked, “What?” she asked, sounding scandalized as though Joy had just accused her of murdering her grandmother.

“Do you want to quit?” Joy repeated calmly, “This agency is capable of hurting people and is led by a heartless like me. Do you want to quit?”

Wendy’s expression told Joy she thought what she was saying was crazy.

“I never said that.” The purple-haired girl replied, “I’m having this talk with you as an unnie who cares, Sooyoung. Not as Olaf of Revel-LOVE.”

Joy was disappointed, yes. She was hoping she could get Wendy to leave their little organization. Things would be easier then and the girl won’t have that stupid contract and morals to hold her back. Wendy was a little too obsessed with following their stupid rules as though it was actually legal.

(Truth was, she had just copy pasted it from Google and revised some stuff here and there)

But she also couldn’t help but feel relieved. She was right. Their Seungwan-unnie loves them too much and while Joy wanted her to quit, a part of her also didn’t want her to.

Wendy took Joy’s hand between hers, “You’re a good person, Sooyoung. I know that and I want you to acknowledge that too. You don’t need to go to such extreme measures next time. I know Joohyun-sunbae’s a tough target and you were probably pressured. It’s okay to give up a lost cause, you know? You don’t have to keep our record flawless. We’re human and that’s okay. You of all people should know.” she smiled.

Joy was right. Wendy would never be capable of chewing his people up. This girl is just too kind for her own good. Her mental list of blackmail materials vanished as she flashed a cocky lopsided smile.

“Oh? And why should I?” she said in her usual condescending tone, “As far as I’m concerned, I’m more than a mere mortal,”

Wendy laughed and Joy realized how much she missed the sound.

“My bad. Please forgive me, Goddess Joy.”

She grinned, “That’s more like it.”

Right there and then, Joy’s resolve has been completely nailed in. She would go after Olaf’s happiness and stuff it down .

This kind unnie deserve more. So much more.

***

Ever since that “car accident”, Irene Bae was constantly with Park Bogum and Wendy was not surprised.

The girl had been assisting their client from walking around the campus to feeding him his meals. Park Bogum looked especially smug today and Wendy lowkey wants to wipe that gloating smirk off his face.

(A smirk that she helped put on)

Wendy pushed back the bile rising up whenever she spots the two because no matter how picture perfect they were, all she saw was a baby and his grumpy nanny with Irene Bae’s ever stoic face and Park Bogum’s bright smiles like a kid given a candy. She proceeds to avoid the older girl religiously even though she’s worried about her condition after hearing about her trauma from her sister.

Okay, so maybe she did leave a small box of healthy carrot cake in her locker to cheer her up but other than that, Wendy had actively swerved out of her way.

Now, she’s on the way to her next class when her phone vibrated in her pocket. She fished it out without much thought, mind too distracted with memorizing terminologies for her quiz in history.

“Hello?” she mindlessly greeted the caller.

“Wendy.”

She abruptly halted at the voice and briefly checked the name on the screen before taking a deep breath with a grimace. Her grip on the device tightened, knuckles turning white.

“Chairman.” the term rolled coldly off her tongue, though she did her best to sound nice. It’s fine though. She could tell the man was trying to sound the same but he ends up monotonous anyway, as though it’s the kindest tone he can muster. “You called.”

“Yes, well, I heard from your aunt that you asked for help from the hospital?”

Her aunt. Of course. How could she not have foreseen this phone call?

“Yes, sir. It was for a project.”

“And what about the sedan you took from the main residence?”

“I gave it to charity.”

A hum. “Very well. I hope you’re behaving alright there.”

Wendy clenched her jaw at the fake concern, fully aware of the underlying threat, “Yes, I am sir.”

“Good. Stay out of trouble, you hear?”

Wendy almost scoffed. If anyone could hear their conversation, they would find this man a caring father. But she knew better. She knew how he worked and right now, she’s being deadass threatened.

One wrong move. She knew he actually meant to say, One wrong move, little girl and you’re flying back here and finish a degree in business.

Through gritted teeth, she replied. “Yes, sir.”

The man hummed and the call ended. Wendy’s hand fell down to her side limply. Her palm stung and she realized she had been clenching her fist way too tight, nails digging deep into her skin. The urge to punch somebody slowly ebbed out of her flesh.

In the distance, the bell sounded and she immediately resumed moving.

Screw that man. She has a quiz to ace.

***

Wendy aced the quiz.

She’s not going to let some damn old geezer to get in the way of her grades.

So feeling like she had just successfully punched the devil himself in the face, she went to the theatre for their practice for their musical rendition of Romeo and Juliet with a spring on her feet, not minding for a moment that she would be acting all lovey-dovey with Park Bogum and the possibility of Irene Bae being there as well.

She had no idea why she was dreading to meet the older girl but for some reason, she just was. Perhaps it’s because she witnessed how chummy the latter had been with Park Bogum lately. Maybe because she felt awkward and also a lot guilty for knowing that everything was a set-up.

(Or maybe she’s just feeling a bit green with envy)

As she stepped in the room, it turns out that what she felt didn’t matter yet. Irene Bae wasn’t there. Wendy recalled the older girl’s schedule that she had memorized by heart and frowned. Her senior has a two-hour break at this time just like Wendy. Their free periods coincide quite well.

“Wendy,” the director of their play, Jung Eunji, called as soon as she spotted her. She looked quite exasperated. “Thank heavens. Come on, you might be able to convince him.” she dragged Wendy to the stage.

“Convince who?” Wendy asked, confused.

“This guy,” Eunji pointed her co-actor, Park Bogum, who sat on the stairs, surrounded by their frowning staff.

Wendy looked at the guy then back to the director questioningly, “Why? What’s up with him?”

“He’s been insisting that he won’t practice the kissing scenes with you until the final performance and that’s alright but now he’s saying that he won’t be doing the scenes with skinship as well which is, like, the entire thing.” Kim Sejeong, their scriptwriter, huffed in frustration. She turned to Park Bogum, “Are you, like, allergic to Wendy or something?”

Park Bogum was quick to deny, “No, no, that’s not it. It’s just that I respect Wendy very, very much. I won’t dare to lay a finger on her.”

Everybody looked at him as though he just grew another head. Or lost his one and only.

Eunji sighed and shook her head, “Bogum, if you’re going to be like this, you might as well just give up this role while it’s still early.”

“Okay, everyone,” Wendy stepped in. She knew that the guy needed the musical to gain credits. “I’ll talk to him. Give us a moment, please.”

Though grumbling, the students left them alone and Wendy sat right next to Park Bogum.

“Hey,” she started, “Is this because of her again?”

The guy grudgingly nodded. “What do I do? I’ve gotten myself into this and now I’m trapped.”

Wendy heaved a sigh. Irene Bae sure is throwing her weight around. “What did she promise you this time? That you’ll practice those scenes with her instead?”

“No. She just said that if I do those scenes with you, she’ll get jealous and stay away from me.” He said, ears turning pink. “We’ve progressed so much thanks to you guys. We’re gonna start as friends and bloom into something more.” he added in a whisper.

Jealous, eh? Start as friends and bloom into something more? Wendy pursed her lips and tried to gain control of her emotions. The squeeze on her chest and the developing tic on her left eye were irrational. She had no right to feel anything about that.

“I see.” She stood and looked down at Park Bogum, forcing out a smile, “I’ll try to talk to her then. In the meantime, go practice your other scenes. Tell Eunji-sunbae about it too, will you?” without waiting for a reply, she jogged out of the theatre, heading straight to the girls’ restroom to clear her head.

***

The moment Joohyun received Wendy Son’s text, she literally tripped over her own foot in haste of getting to the music room. She did nearly embarrass herself in front of a large number of the student body when she almost slipped on the wet floor of the jam-packed cafeteria.

(Amazing how the simple words “meet me in the music room?” had her channelling her inner Usain Bolt)

Since Park Bogum’s car accident, Joohyun had always wanted to talk to Wendy Son. Being with the younger girl had always comforted and calmed her down. Ever since her not-so-pretty past had come to gaunt her again, she had been having nightmares and sleepless nights. She had become more wary of cars and travelling to school had been a huge challenge.

It turns out she had run too fast though because when she arrived at the said room, the girl wasn’t there. Nevertheless, Joohyun entered, taking her time to walk around and look at the various instruments.

Few minutes later, the door opened. Joohyun looked up and saw the girl she had always wanted to see. She immediately felt a sense of relief; something her jumpy self haven’t been having ever since the accident.

“Joohyun-sunbae. You’re already here.”

“Mm. So,” Joohyun watched as Wendy Son sat on the couch at the corner, “Why did you call me here? Our practices are over, I believe, since we’ve already performed it.” she tried to sound nonchalant but the lilt in her voice still showed.

“Yeah, well,” Wendy fiddled with her fingers, “I called you here because of a different practice.”

“Oh? I wasn’t informed we’re partnered up for another project,” she replied, mild amusement seeping in her tone, the mirth in her eyes showing her present good mood.

Wendy Son chuckled, though a bit skittish, “No…we’re not. It’s…” she pursed her lips, “It’s about the play. Bogum told me about it.”

Ah.

Joohyun made a show of blinking and tilting her head to the side. “About what?” she played dumb.

It was apparent in the younger girl’s expressive eyes and brows that she’s trying to gauge the sincerity behind Joohyun’s words.

“About the kissing scenes and the other intimate scenes. How you made him promise not to practice it with me.” Wendy Son made sure their gazes were locked, “Why did you do that?”

Joohyun felt her cheerfulness melt down. Her eyes hardened along with her voice. “Why? You actually wanted to do it with him? I remember you gushing about how perfect he is and all. Do you like him?” she fired.

The blunt question obviously caught the purple-haired girl off-guard. “What? No! I mean, he’s great but I’d never like him that way.”

The air loosened up a bit. “Then why do you ask?”

Wendy Son shrugged, “I’m just curious. It’s a platonic question. I just really want to know why.” she paused, “Or maybe, maybe you’re the one who likes him! Since you’re getting riled up and all.” a cheeky grin spread on her lips, “He told me about it, you know. That if he gets touchy with me you’ll be jealous,” she wriggled her brows suggestively.

“But I will.” Joohyun simply replied, gazing into Wendy Son’s eyes, “Hell, I really will.”

“Ooh, so you’re jealous of me, Bae Joohyun-ssi? For having such a handsome leading man and—”

“Stop it before I shove a clarinet down your throat.” she threateningly lifted the said instrument.

Wendy Son had the nerve to grin, “I bet you’ll look good with a clarinet. Squidward did. And the both of you have a grumpy disposition—okay! I’ll stop! Please put that down, it’s quite expensive.”

Joohyun put the instrument back into place and sat beside the younger girl with a sigh before meeting her gaze.

“I won’t be jealous of you, Seungwan.”

For a moment, she swore, her words left Wendy Son in a daze. The latter just sat there, gaping at her and she prayed that the girl won’t be dense for once.

Then she broke into a grin and let out a scoff, “Yeah, right.”

Disappointed but not surprised, Joohyun sighed. She looked down. “I made him promise that because…I just…I thought you’d be uncomfortable so…”

Wendy Son chuckled, “Aww, that’s cute but really, I’m fine with it. You’re such a protective mom,” she replied Joohyun’s glare with a grin, “Please take back that promise? Bogum’s such a good, obedient boy. He always insists not to practice those parts anymore all because of this and everyone is losing their heads.”

Joohyun pursed her lips. She had never liked the idea of Park Bogum and Wendy Son clinging on to each other. She had painstakingly managed to get the guy agree to her about it. But if it can’t be helped…

“Alright. I’ll tell him that the deal is off.” she finally decided, “The kissing scenes, however…I still won’t let you do that.”

Wendy Son pouted, “Oh, come on, sunbae! I’m a big girl! I can handle a kiss or two.”

Joohyun raised a brow. “Can you really?”

“Of course!”

“Do it with me then.”

Sly. Oh, how sneaky and cunning of you, Bae Joohyun.

(And maybe a bit selfish and greedy

Okay, a lot selfish and greedy

Maybe even frustrated)

Wendy Son blinked a few times, nonplussed, before answering with a, “What?”

“That scene. If it’s so important and if you can really handle it then practice it with me.”

Wendy’s brows shot up. Is this girl for real? She thought and tried to look for signs of humour in her face but found none. Is this girl for real?

“We’re friends. We’re both girls. What’s the harm in doing it with me?” Irene Bae continued to reason out it almost sounded like she’s blabbering.

Oh, Wendy could site countless hazards in practicing the scene with Irene Bae, alright. It was harmful. Very harmful. She knew what could happen to her and she knew where it would lead.

Yet she still chose to deny. Agreeing that yes, indeed they were friends and were both girls and that it’s completely, totally platonic, ignoring her growing list of why she shouldn’t agree to such absurd offer.

So she found herself nodding, trying to prove to herself again (albeit in vain) that it was nothing, Irene Bae was nothing. She could survive faking a kiss with the senior. No big deal.

Irene Bae reached out and took hold of her hand, “Your hand is like a holy place that my hand is unworthy to visit. If you’re offended by the touch of my hand, my two lips are standing here like blushing pilgrims, ready to make things better with a kiss.”

The fact that the older girl had memorized the lines and delivered them with proper emotion despite her previous, quite depressing practice with Park Bogum surprised Wendy but she said her lines despite the stifling atmosphere surrounding them.

“Good pilgrim, you don’t give your hand enough credit. By holding my hand you show polite devotion. After all, pilgrims touch the hands of statues of saints. Holding one palm against another is like a kiss.”

Irene Bae scooted closer and Wendy could feel her cheeks starting to flush. “Don’t saints and pilgrims have lips too?”

Staring into the older girl’s eyes made her feel like drowning and melting both at the same time. Amazing how a pair of dark brown orbs can carry so much weight. Her gaze read of thousands of messages all at the same time, so jumbled that it confused Wendy.

She’s acting. It’s all acting. Just acting.

“Yes, pilgrim—they have lips that they’re supposed to pray with.” Wendy replied in a daze, more immersed in Irene Bae’s eyes than in her role.

Don’t look into her eyes for too long, warned the small voice in the back of her mind.  You might fall in love.

Well, it’s too late for that now, isn’t it? she replied.

 “Well then, saint, let lips do what hands do. I’m praying for you to kiss me. Please grant my prayer so my faith doesn’t turn to despair.”

When those eyes drops to her lips, Wendy’s breathing hitched, shivers running down her spine. Alarm bells rang in her head, warning her yet the loud, erratic beats of her heart drowned them all.

“Saints don’t move, even when they grant prayers.” her own gaze shifted down to the supple pink lips.

“Then don’t move while I act out my prayer.”

Irene Bae slowly leaned in to close the distance between them and Wendy gripped hard on the remaining self-control in her hands. She painstakingly stayed still, holding her breath silently let it go when the older girl stopped with only an infinitesimal space between them.

Fragrant lavenders made her so dizzy in intoxication she could feel her fingers loosen, one by one unraveling, succumbing into desire and letting go of control.

“Now my sin…” Irene Bae trailed off, her labored breaths hitting Wendy’s cheek and lips. “Has been taken from my lips by yours,” slowly, the older girl moved out of her personal space, finally allowing Wendy to catch her breath.

“Then do my lips—” Wendy’s voice cracked and she cleared , “Then do my lips now have the sin they took from yours?”

“Sin from my lips? You encourage crime with your sweetness. Give me my sin back.”

And Irene Bae broke into her comfort zone again, intoxicating lavenders invading her senses once more. Her hand seemed to have developed a mind of its own, cupping a soft, smooth cheek, thumb moving on its own in a gentle caress, forefinger gingerly curling behind a cute, large ear.

Warm, labored breaths fanned her parted lips and Wendy realized how close they were then. Butterflies roared and cheered and multiplied, clogging her chest, making flowers grow in her lungs. They egged her forward, closer and closer.

Cold fingers curling around the back of her neck snapped her out of her trance. As though splashed by startling ice water, her eyes fluttered open.

No. she squeezed her eyes shut, Son Seungwan, no.

She put a firm hand on Irene Bae’s shoulder. “Up until here.” she uttered the same words the older girl had said, her voice coming out raspier than normal.

She watched her slowly open her eyes that still had a dazed look in them and Wendy drew back, the other girl’s hand on her neck falling limp back to its owner’s side.

The music room was silent save for their irregular breaths. Both of their faces glowed so red it could pass for a stoplight.

Wendy tried to wrap her mind around what just happened. We almost kissed, she realized and flushed even harder. No. It was just acting. A practice. Platonic. No strings attached.

(The small voice in the back of her head scoffed, Yeah, right)

She took a deep breath. “You...” she broke the ice, “I…I never thought you could act.” she commented in hopes of breaking the stifling tension.

Irene Bae, however, wasn’t about to cooperate. She fixed Wendy with those intense, dark eyes of hers and replied, “I can’t.”

Wendy’s heart did triple axels despite her mind’s reprimands. She shook her head, shrugging off whatever the older girl could have possibly meant.

“I, uh, I think you did well.” she cleared , “Very well, actually.”

“Thanks.”

Complete silence stretched on for four seconds, Wendy counted. The study was wrong. It takes less than four seconds for a silence to be awkward. At least with Irene Bae it did.

Wendy squirmed in her seat, uncomfortable. “So, uh, you’re gonna let Bogum practice with me now?”

Hesitantly, Irene Bae nodded, “Except for the kissing scenes.”

“Okay. We can deal with that.” Wendy mustered her courage to meet the older girl’s gaze, “So, um, I’ll go now. I sort of just sneaked out of practice to meet you.” she stood to leave but the hand suddenly gripping her wrist stopped her. She looked at Irene Bae questioningly. The latter was staring intently at her hand with a frown.

“…sunbae?”

“What happened to this?” fingertips gingerly left feather light touches on her knuckles that have turned to a colorful artwork of red, blue, and black.

Wendy tried to pull away but Irene Bae’s grip only tightened partnered with a withering glare. She sighed, “It’s nothing, sunbae. Just…just a scratch.”

“A scratch.” Irene Bae deadpanned, “Do you think I’m dumb, Seungwan?”

Seungwan. There she goes again, using Wendy’s other name so familiarly and causing havoc in her system. Wendy clenched her jaw, uncharacteristically feeling a surge of anger rise yet as she looked into those eyes filled with genuine worry, she couldn’t help but yield. She felt her eyes growing hot, tears pooling in frustration, emotionally overwhelmed by what could be and could not.

(Who does she think she is, playing with her feelings like that?)

Not thinking straight, Wendy forcefully yanked her hand away, eyes dimming and voice cutting.

“It’s none of your business, sunbaenim.”

Without turning back, she stormed out of the room.