Mrs Son stares at her daughter and her friend in slight exasperation; she did not expect this to happen when she changed her mind set and decided to accept their relationship. The mind-set of the younger generation is probably serving to be one of the biggest confusions in history. They’ve already found each other after so many years of hurting and suffering but Wendy, her goofball of a daughter, decides to start all over again as friends? As her mother, she doesn’t know whether to feel sorry for Irene or Wendy because that suggestion is one of the dumbest she has ever heard. Rather than waste some more time, it would make more sense to catch up on each other's lives and then get a move on in their love-life.

How does Wendy even get these things in her head?

“You’re telling me… the two of you aren’t a couple anymore?”

Answered with a nod.

“Joohyun, please tell me this is a joke.” Mrs Son turns her gaze to Irene; no matter what doubts she has about their relationship now, this whole arrangement is not going to be worth it.

“Umma, we’re serious about this. We’ve already talked it out last night so please don’t ask anymore, okay? I… I think we both need some time to get to know each other again – none of us remained the same from three years ago. We need to know how much we have changed or blossomed from our past mistakes.”

Irene, for one, agrees with that statement. She hates the fact that they have to remain friends when Wendy – that tempting, gorgeous woman – is right beside her. Disagreeing should have been something Irene continued to push but she cannot bear to push Wendy anymore. Wendy has truly grown out of her old skin and become a confident woman; one that can stand up for herself and work for what she believes. Although Wendy stated that they would rekindle their romance as friends again, she still reassured Irene that their ending would be similar – Wendy will make sure they become a couple again. That’s the only thing that Irene is holding on to for now, and it’s giving her encouragement.

“I’m okay with it, Auntie…” Irene swallows deeply. She knows what Wendy is trying to explain but her parents’ expressions are already showing their confusion. “I think we just need a bit of time to readjust to each other again so we can make things better.”

It doesn’t take a genius to know that Irene isn’t fine with the whole arrangement but if she herself says she’s fine, then no one is in the position to actually object to it. Once Wendy’s mind is made up, it’s more difficult to change it as compared to years ago. It is a good thing for Wendy, because it means her independence is only becoming stronger instead of always being led by the nose. Just like what her members have been telling her since years ago, Wendy is learning to fight for herself now. If they could see the woman she has become, they would definitely be proud of her effort and results.

Wendy takes a peek at Irene, her heart feeling a pang of guilt when she sees the sad gaze in her eyes. She knows Irene isn’t that happy with their situation, but Irene is willing to try for her sake. If that isn’t enough to score brownie points with her, Wendy would truly be heartless.

Jumping into a relationship again doesn’t seem plausible; they might end up in the same position as they were in again. It doesn’t seem to be a very smart idea to give in to their desires.

“I think I’ll go back to my room first,” Irene finally says, breaking the awkward silence between the four of them. She doesn’t want to be the cause of any misunderstandings or arguments.

The moment Irene takes her leave and disappears up the stairs, Mrs and Mr Son switch their places and sandwich Wendy between them. They need to understand what the heck is on their daughter’s mind before they can even try to help the couple with their current situation. Wendy groans when she finally understands what her parents are trying to do; it might be difficult to change her mind but it doesn’t apply to her family members. To them, Wendy is still the obedient and loving daughter whose kind heart is more of a weakness than a strength. When they use the right words and tactics, Wendy does see the other side of things. Besides, it might be a good idea to see what consequences there will be if they wait for too long.

“I don’t get it, Seungwan. You spent so long trying to get my approval and even tried to protect Joohyun when you thought I scolded her.” Mrs Son says slowly, recalling all the memories of Wendy being protective of her love for Irene.

“I’m… I’m terrified, Umma.”

The truth is, Wendy still fears every day that she will lose Irene the moment she makes a mistake; perhaps the same way Wendy didn’t say a single thing when the company was trying to push their fanservice. Wendy should have protested but she didn’t. Not wanting to look petty and too overbearing, Wendy tried her best to swallow down the amount of fanservice Irene and Seulgi were pushing. If she had known that this would be the cause of their downfall, Wendy wouldn’t have maintained her silence. It was a peaceful night that Irene had spent in her room despite the odd distance between them on the bed but Wendy couldn't sleep; her heart raced whenever she thought of Irene leaving the room.

“Oh darling…” Mrs Son feels her entire frame relax, taking her daughter into her arms. She didn’t expect this to be the reason for Wendy’s reluctance to get back together with the love of her life. With one hand resting on Wendy’s head, Mrs Son decides to take another approach. “She came all the way here to find you, Seungwan. Doesn’t that tell you something?”

“What if I’m not enough? What if she finds out that she doesn’t love me that much and wants to leave? I’ve lost her more than once, Umma… it’s going to kill me if it happens again. I love her so much and it scares me that it hasn’t lessened over the years.”

Seeing as her sister and their parents are busy in a conversation, Seunghee decides not to interrupt. She quietly shuts the front door and tiptoes her way across the living room, wanting to make a beeline for her room before she interrupts. When she spots Irene sitting at the top of the stairs with her knees to her chest, she can’t bring herself to say whatever she wants to Irene either. Irene looks upset enough by the conversation that is going on below; for goodness sakes, her tears are flowing down her cheeks like an endless waterfall. Anyone's anger would disappear when they see this side of Red Velvet's charismatic, cold-looking leader; it is a side that only her members get to see and it isn't often either.

Now, Irene had no intention to eavesdrop whatsoever but she came down to get herself a drink and overheard Mrs Son asking Wendy what the purpose in being friends again was. She wanted to know Wendy's inner-most feelings and the only way would be when Wendy is talking to her parents. 

“Irene…” Seunghee mumbles, taking a seat beside the younger woman. She doesn’t want to say anything else but Irene is practically sobbing beside her and if Wendy catches them, she’s going to bite her head off. “What’s wrong? Why are you sitting here?”

Irene sniffles into her palm, trying her best to stop sobbing and whimpering before she even tries to speak. If she can’t even calm her emotions, then there’s no point opening at all. Irene knows what a mess she can be when she’s in the midst of having a breakdown; her words don't come out coherently, neither do they make sense. Right now, all that's playing in her mind is how much Wendy fears that they’re not meant to be in the end. While Irene was struggling to get in contact with Wendy, she never thought about the possibility that they wouldn’t eventually be together. The thought of Irene going back home alone without Wendy is killing her inside too; she doesn’t want to be without Wendy ever again. 

To know how scared Wendy is to be with her… it really makes Irene’s heart shatter in all ways.

“I’ve really hurt her… I love her so much, Unnie.” Irene whispers, looking down at her hands that’s wrapped around her knees. She shakes her head slightly, shutting her eyes to stop herself from shedding tears again. “I want to badly to make it up to her and show her that I’ve changed but she’s so scared. I’m scared I’m going to hurt her again. I fear myself too…”

There are so many other ways that Wendy and Irene can develop together but this is the one thing that’s hindering them from actually becoming the best versions of themselves: fear. Irene fears that she’s going to hurt Wendy and cause her to go through the same pain. Wendy is afraid she’s going to get hurt again – her trauma is so deep-seated that it’s a practical nightmare to live in. If they don’t get help to offset the trauma and pain they both went through, the chances of actually being successful in trying again doesn’t seem high. The amount of effort they're both putting in is admirable, not everyone who goes through the same problems can come out of it a better person instead of someone unrecognizable instead. 

“Joohyun, don’t give up so soon. I know it doesn’t sound good for the two of you right now but Seungwan loves you; I promise you that. I’m not a fan of you and you know that but there’s no one else worthy of Seungwan – that’s for sure.”

Seunghee takes the sobbing woman into her arms, one hand resting on her head and the other holding her phone. Her initial intention was to make sure she didn't disrupt the conversation downstairs but she doesn't have a choice anymore, not when Irene is a mess. If they misunderstand her as the one who made Irene cry, she might as well be ignored by Wendy till the end of the week. With that one free hand, Seunghee manages to send a coherent message to Wendy, one that can be understood even if it doesn’t tell the whole story. Come to think of it, maybe the events of tonight will change things up between Irene and Wendy. It just might push Wendy to initiate some sort of contact that could make Irene feel better.

Without hesitation, Wendy springs up from her position and runs towards the stairs. However, there is an unexplainable pain in her system when she registers how Irene is nuzzling her face into her sister’s neck. She takes a deep breath and makes her way up the stairs to where they’re sitting, eyes fixated on Irene’s hunched back.

“Unnie… Unnie, it’s me,” Wendy whispers, a hand rubbing Irene’s back. She knows Irene has a tendency to hide her tears as best as possible, and it always takes a bit of coaxing to get the woman out of her shell. “I’ll bring you to our room, okay? Please, come on. Look at me.”

Irene sniffles a few more times, turning her head slightly to see if Wendy Is really there. She feels her heart leap with joy when she sees Wendy’s open arms; Wendy’s overwhelming care for her can’t be replaced. She didn't mean to get any sympathy from anyone by crying at the stairs alone but can she really pretend that she doesn't want Wendy to hold her tightly? She would be a fool to actually reject that hug now. Trying to ignore the stares boring into her head, Irene wipes her tears away with her sleeves before gently holding Wendy. She isn't too unaware that they're literally on the stairs right now; if both she and Wendy were to topple down the stairs as a result of a tight embrace; it's not going to look pretty at all. 

Wendy holds the railing with one hand, the other supporting Irene up as well – not that Irene is being very helpful; she’s literally clinging onto Wendy for dear life. She feels a slap on her and immediately turns around to glare at her sister.

“Stop it,” Wendy mouths.

Seunghee smirks and sticks her tongue out as she stands up as well, making air quotation marks with her fingers, “just friends.”

With a groan bubbling from the depth of her chest, Wendy walks with Irene huddled to her side. She knows how clingy Irene can be and it doesn’t surprise anymore but walking with Irene’s head buried into her neck is another level of clingy. Irene is not going to move from her place just like what fans used to call her: a koala completely attached to her tree. She has found the tree again, and it doesn’t make sense for her to let go. She already knows what this whole scenario looks like: judging by the expression her sister gave her a moment ago. So much for being friends until they've found some sort of direction, Wendy thinks. She should have known that it would be impossible for her to actually keep up that with that claim.

Irene curls her arm around Wendy’s neck even more; she’s just going to cling onto Wendy and make sure they don’t sleep in separate rooms tonight. As long as she gets to spend one night just watching Wendy sleep peacefully with her around, Irene will be satisfied.

“Joohyun… can you let go of me now? I need to get some clothes so I can shower,” Wendy requests awkwardly, naturally rubbing the back of her neck. She can feel Irene's body pressed up close against hers and it's making her feel warm all over. “I smell really bad right now and I need to take a bath. Unnie… come on! Stop being a baby!”

“Oh, shut up and hold me.”

Wendy makes sure her lips are zipped up, not wanting to turn the nice atmosphere in to something else. It’s bad enough that Irene is using her no-funny-business tone, what’s worse is that Wendy is obviously not going to argue with her. She can't bear to start a problem with Irene when all she wants is for them to be on good terms again. Who's actually going to back off from their current position when it brings back so many wonderful memories? Wendy's arms move the exact opposite way her mind is telling her to, tightening around Irene's body instead of pulling away and putting some distance between them. The best part of this is Wendy realizing that Irene still fits perfectly in her arms; there’s no one that can ever be embracing Wendy the same way Irene does.

Irene lays her head upon Wendy’s shoulder after turning around fully, face turned towards Wendy’s neck. She presses herself closer to Wendy’s body, feeling both the curves of their bodies fit one another. It is frankly a miracle that Irene isn't already a sobbing mess with the way Wendy is hugging her like she's the most precious person in the world. 

“I love you so much, Seungwan.” Irene looks up and places her finger atop Wendy’s lips; she doesn’t have any intention of forcing the younger woman to respond now. She just needs Wendy to know that she isn’t going anywhere, no matter how long it takes. “Just believe me, okay? You don’t have to say anything.”

Without another word, Wendy feels her entire body stiffen when Irene retracts her arms around her. She watches with a wavering gaze as Irene moves to stand in front of her, their faces not far away from each other. Her breath is effortlessly stolen, seeing the way Irene gracefully prances around her. She almost feels like a lamb under the watchful eye of a predator; it’s not a new feeling though, Irene gives her such a dominant vibe. That same vibe is what made Wendy attracted to Irene in the first place, the feeling only became stronger when Irene revealed the more adorable side of her. Wendy couldn’t grasp the concept of looking so cold and picture perfect yet is actually nothing but a true softie at heart.

Irene curses whenever she comes into this situation, having to tiptoe just to plant a kiss on Wendy’s forehead. She rests her hands on Wendy’s broad shoulders, pushing herself up to let her lips linger there. Between them, Wendy loves cuddling and hugs, more so kisses on the forehead because she feels the raw emotions of a person.

“I’ll be here with you,” Irene whispers, closing her eyes when her lips land upon Wendy’s forehead. She can feel Wendy's grip on her waist tighten just that little bit and it makes a smile appear on her face - there's no better feeling than to know you're wanted by the person who keeps trying to deny it. 

This woman… I truly love her so much, Wendy closes her eyes as she pulls Irene’s body flush against hers. She told herself to pull away whenever Irene came near but it’s coming to naught as expected. Irene's heart is thumping so quickly in her chest that it softens the mold that Wendy forced aroud her own heart; she wasn't trying to protect her heart from getting hurt again, she was trying to prevent the same person from coming in. 

Thinking about it now, Wendy wonders if she actually makes sense; she for one is definitely not being fair to Irene’s feelings. Her mother’s words still run through her mind like a broken record, replaying the same message repeatedly. While it is true that Irene flew all the way here to meet her, Wendy needs something more than just that. Besides missing a person, there is also the possibility of missing the memories alone. Wendy needs time to figure out if it’s both or just the latter. There's no doubt of her feelings for Irene; the love is clearly still there but whether the relationship is good for them is something else to ponder over. Toxic relationships don't last long for one reason: they just don't fit each other and love is not enough. 

“Thank you, Unnie… for coming here to get me.”

Irene cups Wendy’s cheeks, “I would do anything for you, and I mean it more than ever. I just hope you'll find it easier to have me around because I don't want to leave you again. I've missed you so much...”

Ditto.

*

Joy watches in utter silence as Seulgi holds a mop in one hand, the other bringing around the pail filled with water. She woke up to the sound of something dropping against the marble-tiled floor; it has to be the fastest time Joy has ever taken to get out of bed. Seulgi wasn’t lying on the mattress that had been laid out on the floor, neither had she been in the guest room so Joy panicked and ran out. She might have expected everything else in the world but Seulgi doing house chores isn’t one of them and probably won’t ever be. Neither of them do chores at home because Wendy and Irene always finish before they can even move, so the scene of Seulgi actually working her lazy off alone makes Joy want to combust. 

“You know I can clean up after myself, right?”

Seulgi decides not to retort Joy, trying her best to keep her silence at the sudden defense; she knows too well that Joy loves piling up her chores and clearing it all at once. Joy is one of the biggest and messiest people Seulgi knows, not that she is going to say that outright. Joy would have her head for it.

“I know, Sooyoung. Don't worry…” Seulgi says as she bends down and picks up a stray piece of clothing on the floor. She turns around with a small grin, “I just want to do something for you since I have nothing to do right now.”

Joy’s heart doesn’t show any sign of slowing down as Seulgi continues to stare at her with that cheeky expression of hers. She always finds herself more stunned whenever Seulgi's eye-smile appears afer looking so mischievious. The older woman looks fantastic and completely admirable. even to her own members.  Joy wonders if this is what being a fan feels like; being so near to each other and having her heart threaten to beat its way out of her chest. In the past, Joy was aware of how quickly her heart beat but she didn’t realize the effect Seulgi had on her whole body. Seulgi could make Joy want to combust with anger but it doesn’t overwrite the fluttering sensation in her tummy whenever she's nearby. 

Clearing nervously, Joy prays that Seulgi doesn’t catch on to her true reason for her long silence. She knows how obvious she can be sometimes but hopefully, Seulgi’s obliviousness comes into play. Moving to sit in the kitchen instead, Joy takes the time to scan through her place. Now with Seulgi coming over, she has to start buying groceries instead of living on instant noodles and packed food. 

A sigh leaves her lips, Joy resting her chin atop her fists, “I can’t believe history is repeating itself… so much for trying to stop her from coming into my life again. Park Sooyoung, you are so screwed and that’s on that.”

Seulgi stands by the door, a smile donning her face as she leans against the wall. She knows how much Joy wants to stay angry and pissed at her but she’s glad she’s broken through those walls. Her heart always has a gaping hole that needs to be filled with no one's existence but Joy; it's always been that day, it just took some time for her to figure that out. Since the very first time Joy had begun to avoid her and stick close to Wendy, Seulgi felt a burning sensation in her chest that no one ever knew about. Besides struggling to come to terms with her feelings for another member after their group distanced from each other a tiny bit, she wondered if Joy would ever speak to her again after what she put her through. 

Now knowing that Joy is not as repulsive towards her as before, Seulgi at least has the courage to go on pursuing the latter. Her mistakes have been tragic and deep but Joy deserves so much better; it’s a matter of time before Joy realizes that Seulgi’s sincere this time. Hopefully, she doesn't make any dumb choices that could ruin this opportunity. 

“Sooyoung-ah… do you want me to make breakfast for you?” Seulgi offers, averting her gaze when Joy’s eyes la