“You brought her here? Why?”

“What do you mean? I told you what happened at the airport already. Don’t make a big deal out of it, please. You can't expect me to leave her at the airport and head back to Seoul, right? My main purpose of going back was for her.”

“She hurt you, Seungwan!”

Wendy stops dead in her tracks; she can’t deny that claim because there’s nothing truer than that. It doesn't help that her family members were the ones who witnessed her multiple break downs due to the treatments. To say that she pushed her limits is a severe understatement; Wendy broke herself over and over again. She didn't just get hurt though; she got her heart broken into several pieces, put her own life in danger, ended up in a pit of depression and most of all, lost her will to live. Can Wendy really say that all the suffering was worth it? It's too difficult because Irene is literally sleeping in her bedroom with her pillow clutched tightly to her chest... to sum things up, Irene is by her side once more.

Holding onto the cloth in her hand, Wendy tries to pretend that she’s too busy baking to pay attention to whatever her sister is trying to find out. She doesn’t want to answer these questions right now, not when Irene is sleeping in her bedroom with Wendy’s pillow within her grasp.

“Y-You’re making carrot cake?”

“Yes?”

Seunghee’s jaw drops for a moment two before she regains her senses, glaring at her sister. She marches over to where Wendy is standing, “You never even baked that for me once! You always said we didn’t have the necessary items!” With the saddest expression on her face, Seunghee continues to stare at her sister’s unbelievable actions.

Wendy sticks her tongue out at Seunghee playfully, mixing in the necessary batter with all her might. It's not like she baked for anyone else either; her entire family never got to try her carrot cake She only began baking again after a year of treatment; everything remained the same except she never baked carrot cake anymore. Everything that reminded Wendy of Irene, she avoided like the plague. The necklace always around her neck that never seemed to be expensive or mean anything special, Wendy took it off and hid it away in one of her drawers. She stopped going to high places as much as possible; it only reminded her of how Irene would cling to her due to her acrophobia.

“This one is for her, Seunghee. I will make one for you tomorrow.”

“Ugh,” Seunghee mumbles in disgust, swiping some cream into . She doesn’t even look back at her sister when she mutters some words that are clearly meant for the latter. “Whipped fool.”

Shaking her head at her sister’s rather unfriendly sentiments, Wendy goes back to her baking; she knows her priorities well (ironically). She knows how much Irene loves her carrot cake, and she wants it to be the best she’s ever made. Wendy doesn’t know if the members have ever attempted to make it for Irene back home but she’s going to do it anyway. It’s always different baking for the one person who means the world to you; Wendy puts a 150% effort for the cake to turn out decent. At least Irene won’t feel too put off in her house where her sister is practically waiting for catch Irene for something.

Irene’s definitely in dreamland, considering the flight from Seoul to Toronto is pretty long and it can’t be that comfortable in the plane for so many hours. Wendy can at least whip something delicious for Irene to have when she wakes up.

“Son Seungwan…” Wendy mumbles, stirring the mixture in even more firmly. She continues talking to herself as she begins doing the more complicated parts of the whole process. “Please don’t, don’t mess this one up like your whole life.”

When the carrot cake finally goes into the oven, Wendy pushes herself atop the kitchen cabinet and takes a seat comfortably. Swinging her legs back and forth, Wendy can't seem to stop herself from smiling. She doesn’t know why the feeling of being sweaty doesn’t bother her this time; it usually annoys her a tad bit when her clothes begin sticking to her body but today is different. There is no hint of annoyance or the least frustration, and everything has been going fairly well despite not being pre-planned. The sense of doubt is still floating in the air though, heightening Wendy’s caution about the whole cake.

That also reminds her… about the members.

Wendy hops off the counter and hurriedly gets her phone, finally turning it on to see an influx of messages and missed calls. She smiles when she starts seeing death threats from her members, some messages even stating that neither she nor Irene can enter the dorm until they do something to make it up to them. Wendy is only too happy to comply to her members’ unreasonable and out-of-worldly demands, having spent a few weeks actually thinking about how it would be like to return to the dorm.

DING!

“Oh, that’s fast?” Wendy moves to the oven and squats in front of the machine, her excitement doubling when she sees the cake falling into shape already. She gets excited at the tiniest bit of success; it means one step closer to impressing Irene again.

While Wendy is busy fawning over her half-made carrot cake (that’s not really at the edge of success just yet) to pay attention to anything else, another person watches her with a heart-wrenching smile on her face. She admires the Canadian for being so positive and hardworking at everything she does, even if it’s something that’s not important compared to other things. Leaning against the door frame, Irene tilts her head slightly to peek at what Wendy is currently so engrossed in; it isn't often to see Wendy so quiet when she's alone. Her heart goes into overdrive when she notices the familiar variety of ingredients laid out across either end of the table; she knows too well what Wendy is making now.

Irene places a hand over her chest, taken aback when she feels how fast her heart is pumping. She’s pretty sure that even years ago, Wendy never made her heart pump this quickly before. This feeling is fairly new and strange to Irene too.

“Seungwan?”

Wendy spins around with her apron on, a surprised expression on her face. She didn’t expect Irene to wake up so early; her carrot cake still requires an hour or two before it’s ready. Wendy wants to untie her messy apron and make herself look a bit more presentable in front of Irene… only to be stopped by Irene herself.

“Don’t take it off,” Irene mumbles softly. She walks forward and wraps her arms around Wendy’s waist, tying the strings of Wendy’s apron into a bow again. Their faces are so close together and it's making Wendy dizzy. The effect that Irene has on her is now more emphasized, her hands clenching into fists to control the urge to burst into a smile. “You look amazing with an apron on…”

Irene stares at Wendy who’s blushing profusely in amusement, both her cheeks and the tips of her ears a matching shade of red now. She can feel her heart soaring at the adorable sight, seeing Wendy blush because of her was something she only witnessed a couple of times on their dates. They didn’t get to go out on dates or normal outings often; they didn't manage to spend a sufficient amount of time together like couples usually do too. Their relationship had been rushed way too fast; there was no time to have heart to heart talks to trash things out. Talking about their problems before sleeping proved to be unsuccessful, especially with one of them being jaded and the other not wanting to be a burden.

Wendy tries to move away, gulping nervously when Irene doesn’t want to loosen her arms. She can’t deal with staring at Irene so closely when all she does is think of the latter’s lips. Her eyes keep darting to and fro from that tempting pair of lips.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“To bake?”

Just when Wendy thinks Irene has caught on, the bunny pushes her away and hops onto the counter like she did a while ago. She flashes Wendy an innocent grin and swings her legs, waiting for Wendy to continue her baking. She’s completely enjoying how flustered Wendy is, a shocked expression still on the latter’s face.

“Seriously, Bae Joohyun… ditching me for carrot cake now?” Wendy mumbles, her thoughts in a practical whirlpool. She doesn’t pay heed to the giggling; it’s obvious that Irene is laughing at her.  

It doesn’t take long for Wendy to get focused on her original plan after there's silence between them, finishing up the last touches of the cake. She wants to make this cake perfect and that means not getting distracted by anything. Irene never really explained why she liked her carrot cake so much, because Wendy doesn’t taste the difference between hers and store-bought ones. Sometimes, Wendy tries to guess the reason but others, she prefers to cherish the moment. It’s not every day Wendy finds herself doing better than other people, neither is it common for her to be chosen over others. There’s no reason for her to complain yet; being chosen after three years is no easy feat.

Ironically, Irene finds herself falling in love with Wendy all over again. She thought she loved Wendy at her best and at her worst years ago, attributed their downfall to the lack of time and understanding. Now that she watches Wendy silently from the back like this, Irene realizes that they just didn’t love each other enough.

“Seungwannie?”

“Hmm?” Wendy answers, not tearing her eyes off the cake and garnish lying in front of her. She cautiously places a few cuts of carrot atop the nicely sliced piece, unaware of why she’s being called. Her attention is only diverted when she feels Irene’s arms around her waist. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

There are tears in Irene’s eyes, threatening to spill over. She nuzzles her face into Wendy’s back, pressing herself closer to Wendy. The same scent, the same warmth, the same everything – Irene can’t get enough of it, and she probably won’t ever. The feeling that Wendy gives her is truly one of a kind; it's a mixture of security and happiness all balled into one. It is one thing to feel secure with one person, but Irene feels like she's on top of the world whenever Wendy is by her side. They don't have to be doing anything in particular, they could be lying in bed watching a movie together and Irene's heart would be at ease. People won't believe her even if Irene is being honest anyway. 

“Don’t turn around. I just want to hold you like this…”

Wendy feels worry cloud her mind all of a sudden, but the better part of her knows that Irene can handle herself. She uses her free hand to put more decoration onto the cake, the other hand gently caressing Irene’s forearm to let her know that she’s always here. If there is anything Irene needs more than anything even after so many years, it's the knowledge that the people she needs will always be there for her. 

It is only after hearing several deep sighs and breaths that Wendy changes her mind, turning around to face Irene despite the constant pushing. She knows it’s a sign that Irene is not okay even when she proclaims to be.

“Joohyun, what is it?”

Wendy frowns even more when Irene looks down immediately, hanging her head. This isn’t the same person that Wendy knows; Irene doesn’t run away from confrontation like this. She thinks for a moment: what have they done since meeting each other at the airport? Barely anything. She brought Irene home and told the woman to catch a nap before tea break because of the jet lag. There are barely any photos of them together in her bedroom, not many monuments that couls possibly remind Wendy of Irene either. It is almost impossible for Irene to think of something and end up being this upset out of the blue; they were just fooling around a couple of minutes ago... there wasn't an issue then.  

Cupping Irene’s cheeks, Wendy forces the leader to look at her. She gently runs her fingers under Irene’s eyes, feeling tears on her fingertips. It's become a habit whenever they're within this close proximity; Wendy notices how much Irene is trying to hide by her facial features. She takes note of the tiniest details; it helps her to identify the kind of problem Irene is going through if she doesn't say so verbally.

“Why are you sad?” Wendy asks, her eyes looking at Irene with so much love in her eyes that Irene would have fallen over if she wasn’t being supported by the table. She doesn’t have a good-enough answer for that, because Irene doesn’t know how to describe it. “I’m getting worried here, Unnie. Just tell me why? Please?”

“I’ve realized, just how selfish I was.”

That line is offensive, not to Wendy but to Irene. Everyone knows that line does not apply to Irene, definitely not to Wendy either. To put it in that manner makes Wendy a little angry: Irene’s lack of attention does not mean she was selfish. It’s normal to miss out on a few things but it doesn’t equate to being selfish at all.

Wendy makes a face, using one hand to cup Irene’s face and the other wrapping around her waist. She forces the leader to look at her properly, this time not giving her the option to look away. If she doesn’t get the chance to convey the message, Irene is going to sweep it under the carpet tomorrow. Irene is meticulous and detailed about everything, following up on her members’ problems but when it comes to hers, she tries to deny that it’s bothering her still. For years, Wendy tried to break through that shell and it lasted well until their relationship began to spiral downwards. She doesn't want Irene to retreat into her own protective cover again, not when they're finally together and probably ready to welcome each other. 

Irene doesn’t mind that Wendy is getting pissed, because she knows where her mistakes lie. The one flaw that Wendy has is that she doesn’t like to admit when her loved ones have done her wrong; she defends everyone to her death.

“Baby, let’s not deny it anymore,” Irene says, unknowingly using her term of endearment for the younger woman. She doesn’t realize it until she feels Wendy’s hands freeze, her cheeks turning red. “O-Oh! Sorry… that came out weird.”

Of course, weird isn’t the right description at all.

There’s no other words to describe the word she had just used; Irene has no excuse for that. She has already gotten too comfortable within hours; their behavior is not that far off from a normal couple. Wendy is still the same gentlewoman who decides to make her some good desserts to enjoy during tea; she still ensures Irene gets sufficient rest even without schedules. Whatever she has experienced today is basically what Wendy does for her on a daily or weekly basis at the least; it’s really not that difficult for Irene to get caught up within her emotions again. Let’s not even mention how Wendy is being all loving and inquisitive to her problems, because it’s giving Irene all the excitement and memories from their past.

“It’s okay,” Wendy finally finds her voice again, dropping her hands from Irene’s face. She tries to hide her own disappointment at being such a coward; it would be good if she could muster up some courage. “I’ll finish up the cake while you go and rest. We will talk about this as you eat.”

There is clearly no more room for discussion when Wendy moves back to stand behind the marble counter after letting go of Irene, finally sprinkling more chocolate bits atop the cake. Wendy can't help but agree with the members; it is indeed one of the weirdest concoctions she has ever tried to come up with in her life but because Irene has an extremely sweet tooth; one that works just fine with Wendy’s passion for baking. Although Irene never fails to throw some snide remarks at Wendy when she fails to have a successful outcome, she finishes all of Wendy’s baked goods without a word of complaint. It’s practically an unspoken agreement between them; Irene will always treasure Wendy’s effort for everything she does.

Irene sits on the shallow seat, resting her chin on her palms. She knows Wendy means for her to go and wait in the living room but she’d rather stare at Wendy all day; there is no other more desirable sight than this. If there is a sight that Irene loves more than Wendy singing her heart out on stage, it’s when the younger is baking. Wendy sincerely enjoying herself and trying to improve is a sight Irene wants to be there for.

Wendy gulps audibly, her smile coming out a little deformed when she hears Irene snickering to herself. “Joohyun, you’re making me blush again. I can’t concentrate if you keep doing that and it’s going to ruin my cake and tea!”

“With your skills, Wan? I think not.”

True, Wendy doesn’t mess up often and when she does, it’s usually because of a very good distraction. Some good examples would be when the two satans chase each other around the kitchen, or when Irene keeps touching her inappropriately. She, however, thinks the current situation can be added to the list effectively. Knowing that Irene's eyes are fixated on her is enough to give Wendy a soon; the expectations that follow don't fall, they rise instead. If Wendy isn't as good as the other members on stage, she can continue trying to perfect her other hobbies and passions. Furthermore, it is one of the traits that Irene loves about her... and it's still a method that she can use to make Irene fall for her more.

With a deep breath, Wendy starts brewing the tea that Irene loves with her carrot cake. She waits for the water to boil nervously, her fingernails tapping on the surface. The longer she spends with Irene in this silent tension, the tighter her nerves become. Who wouldn't start doubting their self-confidence when Irene is watching them like a hawk?

Deciding that her teasing is probably enough to last for the rest of the day and the week, Irene takes out her phone. to check up on the members. She smiles heartily when she finally sees the type of messages that usually come from the girls. It’s funny how the younger ones are always threatening both her and Wendy like they’re the bosses of them. It is pretty amusing to watch though; the way the maknaes think they can get away with bullying Wendy yet shut their mouths the moment Irene shows her face. Wendy might be the softie between them but Irene loves feeling protected by the latter.

[Yerim]

Yah, Unnie.

I can’t believe you left us here

We deserve to see Wan-unnie

[Baechu]

Who’re you fooling?

I know you wanted to come here

You can’t fool your mom.

[Sooyoungie]

Stop!!

Hogging!!

Seungwan-unnie!!

[Baechu]

shut up

she’s mine!

The nerve of them to complain about her hogging Wendy? It’s not like Wendy is complaining anyway. Unless Wendy opens and tells Irene with her own mouth that she wants Irene to stop hogging her, Irene isn't going to stop. Wendy is not and was never theirs to begin with; as if Irene is going to let those two go near Wendy now that they’re being annoying. She furiously types back a reply, explaining why she owns Wendy still, even if they’re not officially together again. No one in the dorm is going to question that unless they prefer sleeping outside of the dorm when she goes back home. Wendy might for being such a clingy koala, especially since Irene teases her for the same exact thing.

When Wendy looks up and notices the huge scowl on Irene’s face, she can only guess that their members have been poking fun at the leader. With the amount of knowledge she has of the eldest, Wendy can easily expose what Irene is feeling right away. Irene will end up locking herself in the bedroom until she begins feeling scared in the room – that would be the cue for Wendy to step up as her knight in shining armor. Her phone has been lighting up multiple times now and Wendy wants to save it for the next time she gets to use it on Irene.

“Son Seungwan, what kind of information have you been feeding those two satans? They’re in love with the obnoxious idea that you’re theirs… those little brats. Why are they so insistent on their opinion that you belong to them? Ugh!”

Watching silently as Irene continues to try and get an answer out of Wendy, the latter just laughs aloud – Irene should know by now that the two maknaes will always , even if Wendy doesn’t know what is being said. Wendy however, does adore the cute rant that’s oozing jealousy everywhere.

“I do belong to them too…”

“Excuse me?” Irene narrows her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest in slight astonishment and shock. She is not going to stand here and watch Wendy give into those two satans and their wrongful way of thinking. “They’re not single, y’know.”

Seeing as Wendy doesn't see or know the importance of agreeing with Irene right now, the older woman huffs and starts stomping out of the kitchen. She fails to see Wendy trying so hard to stifle her laughter, even biting on her own fist to stop. When was the last time Irene got this jealous? Jealous over a mini incident and all of it being in good fun? Wendy doesn’t remember. The last incident that happened brought so much unwanted drama to them, resulting in a cold war and a falling out after. Wendy finally witnessing the slightly possessive side of Irene again feels all too new; she makes a mental note to thank the younger ones for bringing out Irene's inner not-so-mature-or-cool side that is rarely seen. 

Wendy is finally satisfied with the result of her cake and freshly brewed tea; she expects to see Irene downstairs in less than ten minutes or so. She hums a song to herself, slightly wiggling her hips to move with the rhythm. Irene will definitely enjoy the tea snack that Wendy has prepared; it has been more than three years since Irene has had carrot cake after all.

Of course, Irene herself is buried under the covers. She wonders if Wendy is going to come and get her, or will Wendy be waiting for her downstairs like a smug child. Although Wendy is known as the member that is most teased and bullied, Irene begs to differ completely. If there is anything that Wendy specializes in between the two of them, it’s the teasing and jokes Wendy makes about her. 

“Joohyun-ah… time to eat! Unless you want me to finish it! If you want, you can get changed before coming down... I'll wait for you. Take your time, okay? I promise, there'll be enough for you if you come downstairs soon.”

Why is Wendy always so good at reading her?

Irene mumbles an answer and gets up from the bed, instinctively walking towards the cupboard. She slides it open and her heart swells like a balloon, seeing some clothes that she bought for Wendy in the past still hanging there. The other white hoodie that Irene insisted on buying for Wendy because she was in one of her moods; there is also a really gorgeous looking strapless dress, black in color and very pleasing to the eyes. If only Wendy was here with her in the room, Irene could be making sure the Canadian understands what exactly her aim is. Wendy’s reaction will serve Irene’s purpose.

“Aigoo… I’m just going to wear my own clothes,” Irene sighs, realizing that it might not be a good idea to wear any of the clothes that make Wendy go nuts just yet. She walks around to where the luggage are usually placed when Wendy comes home, only to find it empty. “Wait… where the hell are my clothes?”

“Oh my God…”

“SON SEUNGWAANNNNNN!!”

*

“Yes, we don’t have a way to contact her. However, this booking is associated with two phone numbers, and we had to call this one because the first one wasn’t answered. We would appreciate if you could contact Miss Bae for us while we hold her luggage.”

“I will let her know. Thank you so much.”

The members (and Taeyeon) watch in an almost laughable silence as Yeri continues to converse with the airport duty managers, some stuttering along the way but her words are understood nonetheless. The youngest was the only one who was in the living room at the time, hence picking up the phone – with lots of regret, to be honest. She finds it absolutely unbelievable that Irene was smitten enough to follow Wendy out of the airport without her most precious luggage. It is the same luggage Irene makes sure no one goes near because she paid a bomb for it, and it’s a branded one too. Now they find out that Irene didn’t wait for them to update her about her baggage, leaving the airport with another person.

Yeri has never once felt that she might be more mature than her members; today marks the first time she thinks so in years of spending their lives with each other. She pinches the bridge of her nose in frustration, apologizing profusely to the airport staff with as much English as she knows.