[ final part ]

[ Irene ]

Chatters and gossips filled the cafeteria about the Sadie Hawkins Dance next week as I searched for our group’s table. The school year was near the end, and I—I’m not exactly looking forward for it. For four years, I’ve walked through the hallways of the school, each memory imprinted in my mind. Most of it, of course, were memories of Wendy and me. I remembered how she gets detention once in a while. She would stand outside the classroom, with her arms raised up. She will sneakily put it down, and put her headphones in, singing in the hallways that will only get her into more trouble. She’s the single, most insufferable person  I’ve met! She’s a complete dumbo and still leaves her stuff everywhere. She acts like a kid and still thinks like a kid… but I wouldn’t want her to change. No, it wouldn’t be her if she did. It’s been four years, and a few things still don’t change, thankfully.

However, sometimes, when I look at Wendy, I noticed slight differences about her. She has a little bit more sense of responsibility. She rarely gets punished now, and she’s even helping the student council, despite the fact that I was the one who dragged her in.

Other times…? Well, she gets me along with her trouble.

“You’re dead to me, you dumb moron.” I groaned, massaging my shoulders after an hour of lifting my arms up. Wendy was walking next to me, groaning from pain as well, but her eyes grew wide open after what I said.

“Me? It’s not my fault!” She spat back, totally flabbergasted.

“IT IS! Who told you to even sneak between your classes just to throw paper planes at me? During my class??? Stupid idiot!”

“W-what?! It’s not just a paper plane, Irene! Why don’t you open it up and read what it says?? I even can’t believe how mean you are to me right now!”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” I rolled my eyes before finally finding Seulgi and Joy in a table. I sat between them, making the couple groan. Across us was Eunji and Naeun, who was typically in their own world. Yeri was on the side, munching her food happily.

“Wow, somebody is in a bad mood.” Seulgi noted.

“Well, somebody is being stupid during class and managed to drag me into trouble! Who wouldn’t be in a bad mood?”

I almost felt sorry after saying that. I noticed how Wendy’s face fell.

Okay, maybe I went a little overboard. It’s just—lately I found myself getting impatient and frustrated for the little things, especially when Wendy is concerned. And it makes me feel crazier that I couldn’t pinpoint why I was mad. I mean, sure, I have no right to be mad at her.

But perhaps, just perhaps, if Wendy wasn’t soooo clueless, she’ll understand.

God, she’s so annoying.

“Is that stupid somebody perhaps Wendy unnie?” Yeri asked.

I instinctively rolled my eyes, making Joy and Eunji scream awwww. They even both stood up to hug Wendy, tapping her back as if to comfort her.

“Don’t worry, Wendy! Even if you’re stupid and a complete brainless idiot, we don’t think that way and WE STILL LOVE YOUUUUUUU!”

That got me up on my feet and smacked their faces away from Wendy.

“That’s it! Oh hell no! Wendy IS MY IDIOT. TAKE FIVE ING STEPS BACK!”

Will someone just bury me ten feet below the ground. Stupid mouth, why do you keep saying embarrassing things about Wendy???

I blushed, turning away and burying my face on my hands. I was embarrassed to say the least. The students are all silent in the cafeteria, all eyes directed at us. Even our friends were looking at me as if I grew nuts. All but Seulgi who was grinning widely, muttering something about I knew it!  I literally couldn’t say anything more.

I just want to melt into a pool of water right there and then, but then I noticed Wendy putting down another paper plane in front of me.

“Read it.” She mouthed.

Slowly, I found myself unfolding the origami, and when I finally got to read the words written inside… let’s say I embarrassed myself more.

“Will you be my partner for the Sadie Hawkins Dance next Friday…?” I muttered out, a bit confused at the question. It took me three seconds for the information to sink in and then… “But I’m no boy, Wendy.”

Wendy, and the rest of the girls laughed out loud at what I said.

I glanced at this light colored hair girl, and I found myself laughing along.

I’ve known her since I was thirteen, had a crush on her since then. Lately, I found myself falling for her (hard) and I think… there’s no way stopping it.

“So, you’re answer?” Wendy glanced at me, her eyebrow raised up, waiting for my answer.

I rolled my eyes. “After embarrassing myself in front of all these people… of course I’ll say yes idiot.”

[Wendy]

My ears were ringing. It was a Saturday and I almost felt like collapsing against the door, my eyes stinging in both frustration and betrayal. At some point, I just want to hide in a corner of my room and cry my eyes out. I needed to be alone, and yet the continuous rapping against the door outside was almost driving me insane.

It was supposed to be a nice morning, even so when there were no classes. However…

Endless, that was Irene’s knock on the bedroom’s door for a full minute now.

“Wendy, please! Open up! I said I’m sorry!” She cried, twisting the doorknob over and over again. I locked it when I came in, and I was wishing she’ll stop soon. My head was throbbing in pain.

I tried to shut my mind out of thoughts of her. I was hurt, really I was. She keeps speaking like it was no big deal, as if it was a simple accident. But for me? No, it’s not!

“Wendy, come on… Let’s talk this out like adults. Stop being childish, okay?”

I’ve had enough.

I opened the door and tried to look at her eyes. I couldn’t. Not when I remembered her betrayal just this morning. I couldn’t believe her, especially when she’s my best friend… especially when I trust her with my whole life.

“What? Me? Childish?” a hollow laugh escaped my lips. “Oh yeah right, I’m the childish one! You cheated on me, Irene! What do you expect me to feel?”

We shared an eye contact, and oh how I wish I didn’t let it happen. After three seconds, her lips formed a smile. She let out a giggle, and the surge of anger in my chest vanished immediately. I would’ve hated her for all my life but we all know that that could be a pure joke.

Instead, Irene took a step forward and planted a kiss on my cheeks before pinching my nose.

“Ah, for goodness’ sake, Son Seungwan! It’s just a game of Battleship, not the end of the world! You know I always win.” She laughed some more before hugging me by the waist, smiling as if she’s trying to convince me not to be mad anymore.

“Yeah right, because you cheated! You peeked at my strategy!”

“Ugh! Fine! I’ll let you win the next round after buying the groceries. For now, let’s go… we promised your mom to be back by 12, right?”

A sigh escaped my lips.

“I guess we could…” I mumbled. “And probably get our dresses for the dance as well?”

“You’re not wearing a dress.”

“What?”

She chuckled. “You have to wear a suit! You’re my date! I’m the one wearing a dress!”

“But Ire—“

“And no buts! This is a Sadie Hawkins Dance. You’re the one who asked me out so I’m the girl in this relationship!”

“…”

My mind literally resembled those three dots above. And no, I’m not talking about the dance and how it all works or how, in all honesty, that it was the girls who ask a boy out during Sadie Hawkins Dance. I was thinking of her last sentence. She said… I’m the girl in this relationship!

Those words had threw me off like how she did when I asked her out for the dance, like that moment when she called me her idiot and telling our friends to take five steps back.

Her feelings were always clouded with her guarded, calculating eyes. And yet, lately, she seems different, good different.

She’s keeps taking me in surprise, I was lost for words. And it’s amazing. You know, how you get to be so talkative to one person but they could also be the ones to leave you speechless.

Irene was the one who cleared , looking away with blushing cheeks.

“I-I was just s-saying—for the dance—w-we’re t-together—and all—and I—I—w-we should go now.”

I nodded my head, quite flustered as well. “Y-yeah s-sure, let’s go.”

And no, it wasn’t awkward. Our eyes met and her orbs held the same glint as the photos in her nightstand. I know I had the same expression. And I also know we we’re both happy with what we have right now. I could look at her for a long time, and I wouldn’t even be sick of it. And well, Irene…

I’ve known her since I was twelve and I never thought it’ll be the start of forever. I mean, I can still remember the times we would run around the patio, drenched in mud and when I look at her now? Wow, she’s still the same, but is very much beautiful.

I’m truly in love with her.

And I swear—

“Hey, kelp head! What are you thinking?” Irene asked once we reached the supermarket.

I almost said you but was able to stop myself.

The supermarket wasn’t packed with people, thankfully. Irene was standing next to me, holding a list of things to get and probably already organizing a plan on how to get the ingredients. I just ignored her and happily pushed the cart, running straight to the chips station and took three packs of my favorite potato chips.

“SON. SEUNG. WAN. You did not just do that!” Irene freaked out, pinching my ears. “We’re not supposed to buy any chips. That won’t go with our budget. You put all of that back in the shelf, right now.”

“No can do, missy! My favorite potato chips are calling for me. See?” I grinned wider before dumping a mountain of the chips to our cart just to piss her off.

Irene released a huge sigh before cracking a grin.

“You’re such a troublemaker sometimes.” She surged forward and poked my sides, giggling. “Put all of those back to the shelf now! We have a short budget, you kelp brain.”

“I can’t keep even three packs?” I gave my best puppy eyes.

“Tss.” She frustrated pinned her brown locks on her ear.

“And a chocolate drink?”

“Do you want a punch?”

“No, I want my chocolate drink!”

“WENDY!”

“And I want my best friend too!” I flashed a wide grin, engulfing my best friend in a hug. “I’ll buy it with my own money, how about that? And you want to buy something too? My treat!”

“Ugh, fine.” Irene gave up and pinched my cheeks hard. “But you’re buying me something later.”

“Okay, call!” My eyes gleamed with happiness. Little moments like that starts to flutter my heart more each time Irene’s around. I think I’m already a fool for her. And each time I share a moment with her, a part of me starts to anticipate. I’m happy being around her. I feel complete being around her.

I felt Irene tugged on my arm, hugging it like how a girlfriend does to her lover. Then she whispered in my ear.

“I feel complete being around you too.”

[Irene]

Taylor Swift songs were playing in the radio, while I was perfectly wrapped up in my dorm’s couch, a book of architecture in my hands and a contented smile on my lips. I was having a peaceful life and that’s how I expected my weekends should be. The thing is… plans don’t always go the way you want them to be.

I heard three repeated thuds, which finally got my attention after being totally absorbed on my book. When I looked up, I was greeted by a frown on Wendy’s lips. There’s a remote control on her hands and a big RC car moving on the floor, hitting the feet of the couch repeatedly.

“You’re ignoring me.” She mumbled with a frown.

I found myself shrugging, a small grin on my lips. “Five more pages, Wendy. Then we can hang out.”

Her frown turned into a pout, still standing next to me. “But you said that fifteen minutes ago! And I’m pretty sure you’ve gone over 300 pages by now! Irene~~~ Let’s hang out, please! I’m boooooored!”

“Oh come on, kelp head.” I snorted. “It’s a Saturday! And there’s no homework and nothing to do! We had a great lunch at your place and now we should laze around as much as possible!”

“And people say I’m lazy?! What is this?!”

I ignored her, letting her throw tantrums on the floor like a childish little kid she always is. I focused back on my book, flipping another page when I noticed a photo card left between the pages.

It was a photo of Wendy during the summer vacation about three years ago. She was wearing a pink rash guard and a summer hat on her head while grinning widely in the camera. I remembered that she emailed this to me. I kept it since that time, occasionally looking at the photo when I did miss her. It’s always hard not to anyway. Someone who is as messy and as childish as Wendy is hard to get rid of.

“Hey, why are you looking at that page for too long? You’re purposely making it longer for me, huh?” Wendy tried to snoop in but I quickly slammed the book shut. A fake chuckle escaped my lips, “It’s nothing! I’m done reading now! I realize it’s no fun—so… what do you want to do?”

 I figured that anyone would’ve noticed me faking it but Wendy. She barely notices anyway. Wendy is one heck of a clueless, dense idiot that wouldn’t notice it despite the words already laid out in front of her.

“Mmm… Well, I don’t actually know.” Wendy slumped her shoulders, gesturing me to move on my side of the couch so she can lie down as well. Figuring that she could fall with the obvious lack of space, I put out my left arm and let her use it as a pillow.

Clingy… somehow I noticed the casual differences lately. Wendy and I have never been this touchy until—well I’m not sure when it all started. It’s suddenly just there, big enough for me to notice it.

Gosh, why am I terribly in love with her?

“You’re overanalyzing something again.” Wendy noted, putting her arms around my waist and snuggling closer to me. “You’ve got that I’m-thinking-about-something-important-look again.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Wendy, I don’t have that I’m-thinking-about-something-important-look.”

“You do.”

“Do not!”

“You TOTALLY DO!”

I gave up. No one wins against Wendy’s stubbornness. Got that from a first-hand experience.

Silence enveloped us after Wendy’s fit of laughter. She has her eyes closed, breathing heavily as if she’s seconds to fall asleep. I just found myself looking at her from time to time. No way will I stare at her longer than three seconds. It just makes me blush and makes my heart unreasonably beating erratically.

It went on for half an hour or so before Wendy finally decided to get up.

“How about I play the guitar for you?”

Wendy rarely plays the guitar. She only does it on special occasions. That’s why I liked witnessing her play and sing. It makes me feel special somehow.

“I guess that could work.” I mumbled, smiling a bit.

She quickly got up to her feet and searched my room for my small guitar. I don’t exactly play. I just bought it because it reminds me of this kelp head. Sure, she might be stupid with school but at least she’s amazing in music and math. She’s already set on for life.

I sat up straight on my couch while Wendy took the spot on the floor. I told her to sit next to me but she refused. She said that she feels closer to me when she’s on the floor. Don’t ask me why. Wendy’s weird.

She tuned the strings before finally starting to strum the first chord. I just listened to her sweet voice which was totally different from the way she usually acts. When she sings, there was something in her expression. It was something raw and genuine, expressions she get to show that was always hidden with her bright smiles.

Wendy wasn’t as awesome as some might think. But when she sings? She can take my heart as quick as lightning.

[Song Info: Mary’s Song (Oh, My, My, My) by Taylor Swift]

She said
"I was seven, and you were nine

I looked at you like the stars that shined

In the sky, the pretty lights."

And our daddies used to joke about the two of us

Growing up and fallin' in love

And our mamas smiled, and rolled their eyes

And said, "Oh, my, my, my"

There were also the casual smiles on her lips; her confidence booming as each note floats in the air. It reminds me of that concert night from a year ago, when she performed in front of a lot of students. I was really proud of her.

It was also the night when I kissed her in the cheek.

And come on, I know everyone wished it was her lips that I kissed that night.

Take me back to the house in the backyard tree

Said you'd beat me up; you were bigger than me

You never did, you never did

Take me back when our world was one block wide

I dared you to kiss me, a