Seulgi is smart and fast on catching up things.

Her brain just knows how to pick up important things during classes and her study session. It knows which information she needed in the exact time she wished for. It works like that. It always do. That is just how magical it is for Kang Seulgi and it helps her throughout her studies since she was still a little kid, up until now. So to say, it almost seem as if Seulgi has a super power hidden. She used to think like that when she was a kid, but no one has to know.

She still think that way, until Irene—Bae Joohyun—happened.

Seulgi admitted she has a certain attraction towards the beautiful older girl, but then who wouldn’t, right? Irene Bae is the famous Goddess of Peace from Daegu. All the guys have been dying to have the honor of standing next to her—how did Seulgi know this? Well, words after words come around the campus and the name ‘Irene Bae' is often being mentioned here and there. The girl is that popular. Seulgi didn’t care much about her popularity because not to brag but Seulgi have her fair share of popularity as well.

It still confuses her that Irene Bae came up to her and confessed her feelings for Seulgi. Not a crush. She told Seulgi that she loves her. It caught Seulgi's attention even more and it made Seulgi wanted to give herself a chance to experience ‘dating’—god knows how much she has missed the chance to do so since her second year of Junior High.

Her mother taught Seulgi that she has to be nice to people and her father taught her to be polite. Doing both was Seulgi's nature, it was easy. That is why even though she has no idea how to do the whole dating thing, she knows that being nice and polite to Irene is going to be a great first step.

It was proven with how Irene will smile back at Seulgi whenever she smiles at her. Her cheeks would redden too and Seulgi thinks she looks even cuter with that shade of red on her cheeks.

But here lies the first problem.

Maybe even the main one.

Kang Seulgi has no idea what's the second step and the rest of the other steps that follows after being nice and polite to Irene. She ended up settling with that first step throughout their first date. Ah, the first date… Seulgi recalls that time again. It was a little terrifying, if she has to be honest. They ate at a chicken restaurant, one of Seulgi's favorites, and Irene had been the one who suggested them to eat Seulgi's favorite food at Seulgi's favorite restaurant. Seulgi was excited and it somehow make Seulgi like Irene's company. But then Irene took her first bite and her stomach got upset. Seulgi never expected something like that to happen, so she panicked and brought Irene to the hospital. Turned out Irene had indigestion, she can't eat chicken.

Seulgi felt bad and promised to herself to take note about Irene's condition. It's too bad, Seulgi thought. Chicken is like the best food ever.

But on that first date, Seulgi also learned that Irene loves physical contact such as hand-holding. Later on when she explained to Irene about her being uncomfortable with skinship, Seulgi also let her to do skinship with her. Seulgi thinks she had to get used to it because Irene always seem like she's enjoying it so much. Hand-holding turned into linking Irene's arms around Seulgi's. And then hugs—to be completely honest, Seulgi mostly stiffen at the gestures when she was still not used to them. But she had already tell Irene that it may take several tries until she's used to Irene's skinship. Irene always understand her; she also often apologizes to Seulgi but Seulgi knows she doesn’t have to. Seulgi remembers how her mother told her that if someone apologizes, she has to try and accept the apology. Of course Seulgi can consider it if the damage was too much for Seulgi to bear but otherwise, Seulgi tries to accept.

For Seulgi, Irene never did a mistake.

Yet towards little things like slipping away and accidentally called Seulgi as ‘Bear’ or ‘Seul’, holding-hands until her palm sweats, tugging Seulgi closer to her when she links her arms and especially when she first kissed Seulgi on the cheek.

Irene always manage to leave a word of apology.

She really doesn’t need to, but Seulgi never got to tell her that. She doesn’t have to apologize because Seulgi didn’t dislike any of those. In fact, Seulgi is already used to it. Maybe not to the extend of ‘liking’ it but Seulgi didn’t mind it at all. Irene has Seulgi's permission—except the kiss.

No, that's wrong.

Not except but especially.

The first respond Seulgi can come up with was asking Irene if doing a kiss on the cheek was necessary. Because if it is, Seulgi can understand completely. Seulgi couldn’t explain what she's feeling when Irene's lips touched her left cheek. It felt like a surge of electrical force sparked on her cheek the moment it happened. Seulgi knew by that time that if she has to get used to this, it will take way longer than a simple hand-hold or a hug. Nevertheless, she was glad when Irene told her that it was important. It means there'll be more kisses for her to anticipate.

Irene also always giving her extra attention.

Almost beating her mother's record.

Seulgi thought no one can beat her mother's constant texts and calls just to check up on her. It's nothing like an obsessive kind of mother, just the enough amount but yes, her inbox and call logs filled with her mother's contact the most. But ever since Irene, it changes a little. Because the older girl told Seulgi that when she can't see Seulgi, she will send her a text and maybe call her too. Seulgi feels so special because Irene is being really sweet—cute and sweet, she must add.

Months passed and Seulgi have long admitted she likes seeing Irene smiles and she's happy to know that it didn’t take much to make Irene smile so genuinely whenever they're together. Seulgi really enjoys Irene's company each time Irene has the time to accompany her at the library, how Irene would subtly look at her way every now and then. It became a routine though not every single day they get to do it but Seulgi still like it. Because after all, Irene would always text her and see how she's doing. She likes the attention—really like the attention.

Seulgi has added Irene into her routine.

Every morning and night, Seulgi would expect a greeting text from Irene. Every time she goes to the campus, she'd catch a glimpse of Irene from afar, walking towards her building. Every study session Irene will mostly be there too and it will usually end with them having dinner together—Seulgi may not say it but she really prefers doing certain things like eating out together with Irene. Seeing Irene's smiles somehow giving Seulgi a sense of relief and she is so used to seeing it every day now. Though yes, they don’t see each other literally every single day, but still it is more often than not.

It felt so strange for Seulgi.

So weird.

“What’s with the deep frown, future CEO?” Seulgi snaps her head to the right, meeting her senior's smirk. Last time she met this senior of hers, her hair was all silver with coma bangs. Seulgi's frown deepened at the thought, making the other girl panicking a little. “Yah, Seul—You okay?”

Seulgi nods, her face relaxes. “You have carrot hair now.”

“Wow, thank you for the compliment, Seul.” Her senior from a different university—Moon Byulyi—deadpanned. This is just the usual conversation between them. “It’s your favorite color. At least show a little excitement.”

“Um, yay??”

Byulyi shakes her head, she gave up. Seulgi can be really slow at certain things and sarcasm might be one of them. “Forget it. Anyway, you seem to be thinking about something serious. What's up?”

“Well…” Seulgi wonders if she should tell Byulyi. Maybe Byulyi can help her figure things out because Seulgi knows Byulyi have been in a committed relationship with her girlfriend, Kim Yongsun, from the music department. They've been dating for two years. Byulyi must know one or two things about dating.

“Seul, you still there?” Byulyi waves her hand in front of Seulgi's face, waking her from her short trance. “Is it something serious?”

“Um, maybe. I'm not sure but there's this girl—”

“Wait,” Byulyi's eyes went wide, a hand on Seulgi's shoulder. “A girl? It's about a girl? Do you like someone, Kang Seulgi? Are you for real right now? Oh god, when did this happen? How did this happen? Is she pretty? She must be, right? Or else, how would she even got your attention—man! After so long…” She pretended to wipe a tear from the corner of her eye.

Meanwhile Seulgi just realized how she haven't really told anyone that she's been dating Irene Bae. Or ‘Joohyun' as she found out that Irene likes it better when Seulgi calls her by her korean name.

“Stop being dramatic.” She rolls her eyes at Byulyi. “It is about a girl. I don't know if I like her. Yes, I'm being real. It's been going on for a little over four months that we've been dating and yes, she is very pretty.”

“H, hold the—just… Did you just say you've been dating someone for over four months?!” At the sight of Byulyi's eyes widen in so much surprise, Seulgi frowns. She kind of thinks Byulyi's reaction was a bit too much.

“Uh, yeah… Did it really surprise you that much?”

“Did it rea—? Wait, did it really surprise me that much, you ask?” Seulgi innocently nodded. Byulyi takes a deep breath before she starts again. This time being calmer than earlier. “Alright… Kang Seulgi, you better listen to me well now.”

Seulgi blinks and looks at Byulyi, waiting.

“First of all, you don’t do relationship—heck, you never see anyone in a romantic way. It's always the endless cycle of people confess to you and you reject them. It's been going on for years, I swear.”

Seulgi opens to probably defend herself but Byulyi holds up a hand faster and told her to not cut her because she's not finished yet.

“Second of all, just how the heck did this happen? You just said it to my face that you're now dating a girl and it's been three—I mean, four months?! As your best friend, I think I deserve to be notified but okay, since you're such an angel, I forgive you for that.”

“Thank you,” Seulgi muttered. “And about how it happened… Um, it's not that complicated. Joohyun confessed and I accepted her.”

Byulyi's eyebrows raised, “Oh, so that's her name? ‘Joohyun’? She actually has a pretty name.”

“And a pretty face.” Seulgi added.

Byulyi had to narrow her eyes as she got more curious about the girl. For Seulgi to mention that the girl is pretty for twice already is enough prove. “Is that why you agreed? Because she's very pretty?” Byulyi isn't a hundred percent sure that Seulgi would date someone because they're physically attractive. It must take more than what's on the outside for Seulgi to even last with that girl for four months long.

And Byulyi was right because Seulgi shakes her head.

“No, it's not that.”

“Then what? You've been dating her for months now, Seul. There has to be something that makes you last this long with her.”

And at that, Seulgi smiles.

She doesn’t know why she smiles but she suddenly remembers Joohyun and it makes her happy. She doesn’t get it why the thought of Joohyun can make her smile and it makes her stomach feel funny. It makes her chest beat faster. Especially when the image of a smiling Joohyun come. She had no idea what it is, which is why she want to ask Byulyi about it. But whatever it is, she likes it. Seulgi likes it so much.

Before she delves more into her daydream about Joohyun, Seulgi turns her attention to Byulyi who is still waiting for her answer.

“I agreed because she loves me.”

Byulyi looks very skeptical right now.

She creases her eyebrows and take a better look at Seulgi who is still all smiley face. “She loves you.” No, that wasn’t a question. That was Byulyi making sure she didn’t hear it wrong nor say it wrong. Seulgi's short nod just confirmed it. “That’s the only reason? Do you even like her? Did your perhaps been crushing on her too?”

Seulgi shakes her head this time. “I felt like I want to try it, you know. I will admit she is very pretty and yes, it does attract me but aside from that, I also wanted to give her a chance. She said she will try to make me fall for her.”

Byulyi's eyes perked at the last sentence Seulgi said.

“And did you?”

The bear-like girl shrugs, eyes darting somewhere else that is not Byulyi's.

“Or are you?”