Irene lay on her bed like a demented woman, switching the lamp on and off with a smile on her face. She and Joy had gone shopping in Bed Knobs and Broomsticks in Malahide, and both girls had eventually agreed on the beautifully carved wooden stand and the cream shade, which matched the cream and wooden furnishings of the master bedroom (of course they had chosen the most ridiculously expensive one, it would have been wrong to spoil tradition). And although Seulgi hadn't physically been there with her as she bought it, she felt that they had made the purchase together.

She had drawn the curtains of her bedroom in order to test her new merchandise. The bedside lamp had a softening effect on the room, making it appear warmer. How easily this could have ended their nightly arguments, but perhaps neither of them wanted to end them. It had become a routine, something familiar that made them feel closer. How she would give anything to have one of those little arguments now. And she would gladly get out of her cozy bed for Seulgi, she would gladly walk on the cold floor for Seulgi, and she would gladly bruise herself on the bedpost while fumbling in the dark for the bed. But that time was gone.

The sound of Gloria Gaynor's “I Will Survive” snapped her back to the present as she realized her mobile phone was ringing.

“Hello?”

“Hi, baby, I'm hooooome!” shrieked a familiar voice. “Oh my God, Seohyun! I didn't know you were coming home!”

“Well, neither did I actually, but I ran out of money and decided to surprise you all!” “Wow, I bet Mum and Dad were surprised all right.”

“Well, Dad did drop the towel with fright when he stepped out of the shower.” Irene covered her face with her hand. “Oh Seohyun, you didn't!” she warned.

“No hugs for Daddy when I saw him!” Seohyun laughed.

“Oh yuck, yuck, yuck. Change the subject, I'm having visions,” Irene said.

“OK, well, I was calling to tell you that I was home, obviously, and that Mum's organizing dinner tonight to celebrate.”

“Celebrate what?”

“Me being alive.”

“Oh, OK. I thought you might have an announcement or something.” “That I'm alive.”

“O . . . K. So who's going?” “The whole family.”

“Did I mention that I'm going to the dentist to have all my teeth pulled out? Sorry, I can't make it.”

“I know, I know, I said the same thing to Mum, but we haven't all been together for ages. Sure when's the last time you've even seen Changmin and Juhee?”

“Oh, good ol' Changmin, well, he was in flying form at the funeral. Had lots of wise and comforting things to say to me like, 'Did you not consider donating her brain to medical science?' Yes, he's such a fantastic brother all right.”

“Oh gosh, Irene, I'm sorry. I forgot about the funeral.” Her sister's voice changed. “I'm sorry I couldn't make it.”

“Seohyun, don't be silly, we both decided it was best you stay,” Irene said briskly. “It's far too expensive to be flying back and forth from Australia, so let's not bring it back up, OK?”

“OK.”

Irene quickly changed the subject. “So when you say the whole family do you mean. . . ?”

“Yes, Changmin and Juhee are bringing our adorable little niece and nephew. And Suho and Yuju are coming you'll be pleased to know, Baekhyun will be there in body but probably not in mind, Mum, Dad and me of course, and you will be there.”

Irene groaned. As much as Irene moaned about her family she had a great relationship with her brother Suho. He was only two years older than her so they had always been close when growing up, and he had always been very protective of her. Their mother had called them her “two little elves” because they were always getting up to mischief around the house (this mischief was usually aimed at their eldest brother, Changmin). Suho was similar to Irene in both looks and personality, and she considered him to be the most normal of her siblings. It also helped that she got along with his partner of seven years, Yuju, and when Seulgi was alive the four of them often met up for dinner and drinks. When Seulgi was alive . . . God, that didn't sound right.

Seohyun was a whole different kettle of fish altogether. Suho and Irene were convinced she was from the planet Seohyun, population: one. Seohyun had the look of her father, long legs and dark hair. She also had various tattoos and piercings on her body as a result of her travels around the world. A tattoo for every country, her dad used to joke. A tattoo for every man, Irene and Suho were convinced.

Of course this carry-on was all frowned upon by the eldest of the family, Changmin. Changmin was born with the serious illness of being an eternal old man. His life revolved around rules and regulations and obedience. When he was younger he had one friend and they had a fight when they were ten, so after that Irene could never remember him bringing anyone home, having any girlfriends or ever going out to socialize. She and Suho thought it was a wonder where he met his equally joyless wife, Juhee. Probably at an anti-happiness convention.

It's not as though Irene had the worst family in the world, it's just that they were such a strange mix of people. These huge clashes of personalities usually led to arguments at the most inappropriate times, or as Irene's parents preferred to call them, “heavy discussions.” They could get along, but that was with everyone really trying and being on their best behavior.

Irene and Suho often met up for lunch or for drinks just to catch up on each other's lives; they had an interest in each other. She enjoyed his company and considered him to be not only a brother but a real friend. Lately they hadn't seen much of each other. Suho understood Irene well and knew when she needed her space.

The only time Irene caught up on her younger brother Baekhyun's life was when she called the house looking for her parents and he would answer. Baekhyun wasn't a great conversationalist. He was a twenty-two-year-old “boy” who didn't quite yet feel comfortable in the company of adults, so Irene never really knew that much about him. A nice boy, he just had his head up in the clouds a bit.

Seohyun, her twenty-four-year-old little sister, had been away for the entire year and Irene had missed her. They were never the kind of sisters to swap clothes and giggle about boys, their tastes differed so much. But as the only two girls in a family of brothers, they formed a bond. Seohyun was closer to Baekhyun; both of them dreamers. Suho and Irene had always been inseparable as children and friends as adults. That left Changmin. He was out on his own in the family, but Irene suspected he liked that feeling of being separated from those in his family he couldn't quite understand. Irene was dreading his lectures on all-things-boring, his insensitive questioning of her life and just the whole feeling of being frustrated by comment after comment at the dinner table. But it was a welcome-home dinner for Seohyun and Suho would be there; Irene could count on him.

So was Irene looking forward to tonight? Absolutely not.

Irene reluctantly knocked on the door to her family home and immediately heard the pounding of tiny feet flying toward the door followed by a voice that should not belong to a child. “Mummy! Daddy! It's Aunty Irene, it's Aunty Irene!”

It was Nephew Timothy, 

His happiness was suddenly crushed by a stern voice. (Although it was unusual for her nephew to be happy about Irene's arrival; things must be especially boring in there.) “Timothy! What did I tell you about running in the house! You could fall and hurt yourself, now go stand in the corner and think about what I said. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Mummy.”

“Ah come on, Juhee, will he hurt himself on the carpet or on the comfy padded couch?” Irene laughed to herself; Seohyun was definitely home. Just as Irene was contemplating escape, the door swung open and there stood Juhee. She looked even more sour-faced and unwelcoming than usual.

“Irene.” She nodded her head in acknowledgment.

“Juhee,” Irene imitated.

Once in the living room Irene looked around for Suho, but to her disappointment he was nowhere to be seen. Changmin stood in front of the fireplace dressed in a surprisingly colorful sweater; perhaps he was letting his hair down tonight. He stood with his hands in his pockets rocking back and forth from his heels to the balls of his toes like a man ready to give a lecture. His lecture was being aimed at their poor father, Frank, who sat uncomfortably in his favorite armchair looking like a chastised schoolboy. Changmin was so lost in his story he didn't see Irene enter the room. Irene blew her poor father a kiss from across the room, not wanting to be brought into their conversation. Her father smiled at her and pretended to catch her kiss.

Baekhyun was slumped on the couch wearing his ripped jeans and South Park T-shirt, puffing furiously on a cigarette while Juhee invaded his space and warned him of the dangers of smoking. “Really? I didn't know that,” he said, sounding worryingly interested while stabbing out his cigarette. Juhee's face looked satisfied until Baekhyun winked at Irene, reached for the box again and immediately lit up another one. “Tell me some more, please, I'm just dying to know.” Juhee stared back at him in disgust.

Seohyun was hiding behind the couch throwing pieces of popcorn at the back of poor Timothy's head. He stood facing the wall in the corner of the room and was too afraid to turn around. Yuju was pinned to the floor and being bossed around by little five-year-old Emily and an evil-looking doll. She caught Irene's eye and mouthed “Help” to her.

“Hi Seohyun.” Irene approached her sister, who jumped up and gave her a big hug, squeezing Irene a bit tighter than usual. “Nice hair.”

“You like it?”

“Yeah, pink is really your color.”

Seohyun looked satisfied. “That's what I tried to tell them,” she said, squinting her eyes and staring at Changmin and Juhee. “So how's my big sis?” Seohyun asked softly, rubbing Irene's arm affectionately.

“Oh, you know,” Irene smiled weakly, “I'm hanging in there.”

“Suho is in the kitchen helping your mum with the dinner if you're looking for him, Irene,”

Yuju announced, widening her eyes and mouthing “Help me” again.

Irene raised her eyebrows at Yuju. “Really? Well isn't he great helping out Mum?”

“Oh, Irene, didn't you know how much Suho just loves cooking, he just loves it. Can't get enough of it,” she said sarcastically.

Irene's dad chuckled to himself, which stopped Changmin in his tracks. “What's so funny, Father?”

Frank shifted in his seat nervously. “I just find it remarkable that all this happens in just one tiny little test tube.”

Changmin let out a disapproving sigh at his father's stupidity. “Yes, but you have to understand these are so minuscule, Father, it's rather fascinating. The organisms combine with the . . .” And away he went while his father settled back down in his chair and tried to avoid eye contact with Irene.

Irene tiptoed quietly into the kitchen, where she found her brother at the table with his feet up on a chair munching on some food. “Ah, here he is, the chef himself.”

Suho smiled and stood up from his chair. “There's my favorite sister.” He scrunched up his nose. “I see you got roped into coming to this thing as well.” He walked toward her and held out his arms to offer her one of his big bear hugs. “How are you?” he said quietly into her ear.

“I'm OK, thanks.” Irene smiled sadly and kissed him on the cheek before turning to her mother.

“Darling Mother, I am here to offer my services at this extremely stressful and busy time of your life,” Irene said, planting a kiss on her mother's flushed cheek.

“Oh, aren't I just the luckiest woman in the world having such caring children like you,” Elizabeth said sarcastically. “Tell you what; you can just drain the water from the potatoes there.”

“I hope you two won't be getting up to any mischief tonight. I would like this to be an argument-free zone for a change.”

“Mother, I am shocked the thought even crossed your mind.” Suho winked across to Irene.

“All right,” she said, not believing a word of it. “Well, sorry my babies, but there's nothing else to be done here. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes.”

“Oh.” Irene was disappointed.

Elizabeth joined her children at the table and the three of them stared at the kitchen door all thinking the same thing.

“No, Yuju,” squealed Emily loudly, “you're not doing what I tell you,” and she burst into tears. This was shortly followed by a loud guffaw from Changmin; he must have cracked a joke because he was the only one laughing.

“But I suppose it's important that we all stay here and keep an eye on the dinner,” Elizabeth added.

“OK everyone, dinner is being served,” announced Elizabeth, and everyone made their way to the dining room. There was an awkward moment like at a child's birthday party while everyone scuffled to sit beside their best friend. Eventually Irene was satisfied with her position at the table and settled down with her mother on her left at the end of the table and Suho to her right.

Yuju sat with a scowl on her face between Suho and Changmin. Suho would have some making up to do when he got home. Baekhyun sat opposite Irene and wedged in between him was an empty seat where Timothy should be sitting, then Emily and Juhee, then Seohyun. Irene's father got a raw deal sitting at the head of the table between Changmin and Seohyun, but he was such a calm man he was the best one for the job.

Everyone oohed and aahed as Elizabeth brought out the food and the aroma filled the room. Irene had always loved her mother's cooking, she was never afraid to experiment with new flavors and recipes, a trait that had not been passed down to her daughter. “Hey, poor little Timmy must be starving out there,” Seohyun exclaimed to Changmin. “He must have done his time by now.”

She knew she was skating on thin ice but she loved the danger of it, and more important, she loved to wind Changmin up. After all, she had to make up for lost time, she had been away for a year.

“Seohyun, it's important that Timothy know when he has done something wrong,” explained Changmin.

“Yeah, but couldn't you just tell him?”

The rest of the family tried hard not to laugh.

“He needs to know that his actions will lead to serious consequences so he will not repeat them.”

“Ah well,” she said, raising her voice a few octaves, “he's missing all this yummy food. Mmm-mmm-mmm,” she added, her lips.

“Stop it, Seohyun,” Elizabeth snapped.

“Or you'll have to stand in the corner,” Suho added sternly.

The table erupted with laughter, except Juhee and Changmin of course.

“So Seohyun, tell us about your adventures in Australia,” Frank moved swiftly on.

Seohyun's eyes lit up. “Oh, I had the most amazing time, Dad, I would definitely recommend going there to anyone.”

“Awful long flight, though,” Changmin said.

“Yeah it is, but it's so worth it.”

“Did you get any more tattoos?” Irene asked.

“Yeah, look.” With that, Seohyun stood up at the table and pulled down her trousers, revealing a flower on her back

Mum, Dad, Changmin and Juhee protested in outrage while the others sat in convulsions of laughter. This carried on for a long time. Finally, when Seohyun had apologized and Juhee had removed her hands from Emily's eyes, the table settled down.

“They are revolting things,” Changmin said in disgust.

“I think flower are pretty, Daddy,” said Emily with big innocent eyes.

“Yes, some flowers are pretty, Emily, but I'm talking about tattoos. They can give you all sorts of diseases and problems.” Emily's smile faded.

“Hey, I didn't exactly get this done in a dodgy place sharing needles with drug dealers, you know. The place was perfectly clean.”

“Well, that's an oxymoron if ever I heard one,” Juhee said with disgust.

“Been in one recently, Juhee?” Seohyun asked a bit too forcefully.

“Well, em . . . n-n-n-no,” she stuttered, “I have never been in one, thank you very much, but I am sure they are.” Then she turned to Emily. “They are dirty, horrible places, Emily, where only dangerous people go.”

“Is Aunt Seohyun dangerous, Mummy?”

“Only to five-year-old little girls with red hair,” Seohyun said, stuffing her face. Emily froze.

“Changmin dear, do you think that Timmy might want to come in now for some food?” Elizabeth asked politely.

“It's Timothy,” Juhee interrupted.

“Yes, Mother, I think that would be OK.”

A very sorry little Timothy walked slowly into the room with his head down and took his place silently beside Baekhyun. Irene's heart leapt out to him. How cruel to treat a child like that, how cruel to stop him from being a child . . . her sympathetic thoughts diminished immediately as she felt his little foot kick her shin underneath the table. They should have left him out there.

“So Seohyun, come on, give us the gossip, do anything wild and wonderful out there?” Irene pushed for more information.

“Oh yeah, I did a bungee jump actually, well, I did a few. I have the photo here.” She reached into her back pocket and everyone looked away just in case she was planning to reveal any more bits of her anatomy. Thankfully she only took out her wallet; she passed the photo around the table and continued explaining.

“The first one I did was off a bridge and my head hit the water when I fell . . .”

“Oh Seohyun, that sounds dangerous,” her mother said with her hands across her face. “Oh no, it wasn't dangerous at all,” she reassured her.

The photograph was passed to Irene and she and Suho burst out laughing. Seohyun dangled upside down from a rope with her face contorted in the middle of a scream from pure terror. Her hair (it was blue at that time) was shooting out in all directions as though she had been electrocuted.

“Attractive photo, Seohyun. Mum, you must get that framed for over the fireplace,” Irene joked. “Yeah!” Seohyun's eyes lit up as the thought hit her. “That would be a cool idea.”

“Sure darling, I'll just take down the one of you making your Holy Communion and replace it with that,” Elizabeth said sarcastically.

“Well, I don't know which one would be scarier,” said Baekhyun.

“Irene, what are you doing for your birthday?” asked Yuju, leaning across toward her. She was clearly dying to get out of the conversation she was having with Changmin.

“Oh, that's right!” shouted Seohyun. “You're gonna be thirty in a few weeks!”

“I'm not doing anything big at all,” she warned everyone. “I don't want any surprise party or anything, please.”

“Oh, you have to. . . ,” said Seohyun.

“No, she doesn't have to if she doesn't want to,” her father interrupted, and he winked supportively at Irene.

“Thank you, Dad. I'm just going to have a girly night out clubbing or something. Nothing mad, nothing wild.”

Changmin tutted as the photograph reached him and passed it on to his father, who chuckled to himself over the sight of Seohyun.

“Yes, I agree with you, Irene,” said Changmin, “those birthday celebrations are always a bit embarrassing. Grown adults acting like children, doing 'Rock the boat' on the floor and drinking far too much. You're quite right.”

“Well, I actually quite enjoy those parties, Changmin,” Irene shot back, “but I just don't feel in the celebratory mood this year, that's all.”

There was silence for a moment before Seohyun piped up, “A girly night it is then.” “Can I tag along with the camera?” asked Baekhyun.

“For what?”

“Just for some footage of clubs and stuff for college.”

“Well, if it'll help . . . but as long as you know I won't be going to all the trendy places that you like.”

“No, I don't mind where you g . . . OW!” he shouted and stared menacingly at Timothy.

Timmy stuck his tongue out at him and the conversation continued on. After the main course had finished, Seohyun disappeared out of the room and arrived with a bulging bag in her hand and announced, “Presents!!”

Timmy and Emily cheered. Irene hoped that Seohyun had remembered to get them something.

Her father received a colorfully painted boomerang that he pretended to throw down at his wife, Changmin was given a T-shirt with the map of Australia on it, which he immediately began to teach to Timmy and Emily at the table, Juhee quite comically wasn't given anything, Suho and Baekhyun were given T-shirts with erted pictures and a caption saying “I've been to the bush,” Irene's mum received a collection of old Aboriginal recipes and Irene was touched by the dream catcher made from brightly colored feathers and sticks. “So all your dreams come true,” Seohyun had whispered in her ear before kissing her on the cheek.

Thankfully Seohyun had bought sweets for Timmy and Emily, but they looked strangely like the sweets you could buy from the local shop. These were briskly taken away by Changmin and Juhee, who claimed they would rot their teeth.

“Well, give them back then so I can rot my own,” Seohyun demanded.

Timmy and Emily looked around sadly at everyone's presents and were immediately chastised by Changmin for not concentrating on the map of Australia. Timmy made a face at Irene and a warm feeling returned to her heart. As long as the kids kept on acting like they deserved their harsh treatment, it made it easier for Irene to deal with. In fact, she may even have bordered on enjoying watching them being given out to.

“Right, we better hit the road, Changmin, or the children will fall asleep at the table,” announced Juhee. The children, though, were wide awake and kicking Irene and Baekhyun repeatedly under the table.

“Well, before everybody goes disappearing,” Irene's father announced loudly over the chatter. The table grew silent. “I would like to propose a toast to our beautiful daughter Seohyun, as this is her welcome-home dinner.” He smiled at his daughter and Seohyun lapped up all the attention. “We missed you, love, and we're glad you're home safely,” Frank finished. He lifted his glass into the air, “To Seohyun!”

“To Seohyun!” everyone repeated, and they finished off what was in their glasses.

As soon as the door closed behind Changmin and Juhee everyone began to leave one by one. Irene stepped into the chilly air and walked to her car alone. Her mum and dad stood at the door waving her off but she still felt lonely. Usually she left dinner parties with Seulgi, and if not with her then she was returning home to her. But not tonight or the next night or the night after that.

* * * 

Irene returned her gaze to her reflection in her bedroom mirror. She didn't feel thirty. But then again, what was being thirty supposed to feel like? When she was younger, thirty seemed so far away, she thought that a woman of that age would be so wise and knowledgeable, so settled in her life with a wife and children and a career. She had none of those things. She still felt as clueless as she had felt when she was twenty, only with a few more gray hairs and crow's-feet around her eyes. She sat down on the edge of the bed and continued to stare at herself. There was nothing about being thirty worth celebrating.

The doorbell rang and Irene could hear the excited chatter and giggles of the girls outside. She tried to perk herself up, took a deep breath and plastered a smile on her face.

“Happy Birthday!” they all yelled in unison.

She stared back at their happy faces and was immediately cheered up by their enthusiasm. She ushered them into the living room and waved hello to the camera being held by Baekhyun.

“No, Irene, you're supposed to ignore him!” hissed Yeri, and she dragged Irene by the arm onto the couch, where they all surrounded her and immediately started ing presents in her face.

“Open mine first!” squealed Seohyun, knocking Joy out of the way so hard that she toppled off the couch. Joy froze in horror, unsure of how to react, then she burst into giggles.

“OK, calm down, everyone,” said the voice of reason (Yuju), struggling to help up a hysterical Joy. “I think we should pop open the champagne first and then open the presents.”

“OK, but as long as she opens mine first,” pouted Seohyun.

“Seohyun, I promise to open yours first.” Irene spoke to her as though she were addressing a child.

Yuju raced into the kitchen and returned with a tray full of champagne flutes.

The flutes were a wedding gift and one of the glasses had Seulgi and Irene's names inscribed on it, which Yuju had tactfully removed from the set. “OK, Irene, you can do the honors,” Yuju said, handing her the bottle.

Everyone ran for cover and ducked as Irene began to remove the cork. “Hey, I'm not that bad, everyone!”

“Yeah, she's an old pro at this by now,” said Joy, appearing from behind the couch with a cushion on her head.

The girls all cheered as they heard the pop and crawled out from their hiding places. “The sound of heaven,” Yeri said dramatically, holding her hand up to her heart.

“OK, now open my present!” Seohyun screamed again.

“Seohyun!” they all shouted. “After the toast,” added Joy. Everyone held up their glasses.

“OK, here's to my bestest friend in the whole world who has had such a difficult year, but all throughout, she's been the bravest and the strongest person I've ever met. She's an inspiration to us all. Here's to her finding happiness for the next thirty years of her life! To Irene!”

“To Irene,” they all chorused. Everyone's eyes were sparkling with tears as they took a sip of their drink, except of course for Seohyun, who had knocked back her glass of champagne and was scrambling to give her present to Irene first.

“OK, first you have to wear this tiara because you are our princess for the night, and second here's my present from me to you!”

The girls helped Irene put on the sparkling tiara that luckily went perfectly with her black glittery corset, and at that moment, surrounded by her friends, she felt like a princess. Irene carefully removed the tape from the neatly wrapped parcel.

“Oh, just rip it open!” said Yuju to everyone's surprise. Irene looked at the box inside, confused. “What is it?” “Read it!” Seohyun said excitedly.

Irene began to read aloud from the box, “It's a battery-operated . . . oh my God! Seohyun!” Irene and the girls laughed hysterically.

“Well, I'll definitely need this,” Irene laughed, holding the box up to the camera.

Baekhyun looked like he was about to throw up.

“Do you like it?” Seohyun asked, searching for approval. “I wanted to give it to you at dinner that time but I didn't think it would be appropriate . . .”

“Gosh! Well, I'm glad you saved it till now!” Irene laughed, giving her sister a hug.

“OK, me next,” Yuju said, putting her present on Irene's lap. “It's from me and Suho, so don't expect anything like Seohyun's!”

“Well, I would worry if Suho gave me something like that,” she said, opening Yuju's present. “Oh, Yuju, it's beautiful!” Irene said, holding up the sterling silver–covered photo album.

“For your new memories,” Yuju said softly.

“Oh, it's perfect,” she said, wrapping her arms around Yuju and squeezing her. “Thank you.”

“OK, well, mine is less sentimental, but as a fellow female I'm sure you will appreciate it,” said Yeri, handing her an envelope.

“Oh brilliant! I've always wanted to go here,” Irene exclaimed as she opened it. “A weekend of pampering in Haven's health and beauty clinic!”

“God, you sound like you're on Blind Date,” teased Joy.

“So let us know when you want to make an appointment, it's valid for a year, and the rest of us can book the same time. Make a holiday out of it!”

“Oh, that's a great idea, Yeri, thank you!”

“OK, last but not least!” Irene winked at Joy. Joy fidgeted with her hands nervously while she watched Irene's face.

It was a large silver photo frame with a photograph of Joy, Yeri and Irene at the Christmas Ball two years ago. “Oh, I'm wearing my 'spensive white dress!” sobbed Irene playfully.

“Before it was ruined,” pointed out Joy. “God, I don't even remember that being taken!”

“I don't even remember being there,” mumbled Yeri.

Irene continued to stare at the photo sadly while she walked over to the fireplace.

That had been the last ball that she and Seulgi had been to, as she had been too ill to attend last year's.

“Well, this will take pride of place,” Irene announced, walking over to the mantelpiece and placing it beside her wedding photo.

“OK, girls, let's get some serious drinking done!” screamed Seohyun, and everyone dived to safety, as another bottle of champagne was popped open.

Two bottles of champagne and several bottles of red wine later, the girls stumbled out of the house and piled into a taxi. Through the giggling and shouting someone managed to explain to the taxi driver where they were going. Irene insisted on sitting in the passenger seat of the taxicab and having a heart-to-heart with Kai the driver, who probably wanted to kill her by the time they reached town.

“Bye Kai!” they all shouted to their new best friend before falling out onto the curb in Dublin city, where they watched him drive off at a high speed.

They had decided (while drinking their third bottle of wine) to chance their luck in Dublin's most stylish club, Boudoir. The club was reserved for the rich and famous only, and it was a well-known fact that if you weren't rich and famous, you then had to have a member's card to be granted access. Yeri walked up to the door coolly waving her video store membership card in the bouncers' faces. Believe it or not, they stopped her.

The only famous faces they saw overtaking them to get into the club, as they fought with the bouncers to get in, were a few newsreaders from the national TV station who Yeri smiled at, and she hilariously kept repeating “good evening” very seriously to their faces. Unfortunately after that, Irene remembered no more.

Irene awoke with her head pounding. was dry and her vision was impaired. She leaned up on one elbow and tried to open her eyes, which were somehow glued together. She squinted around the room. It was bright, very bright, and the room seemed to be spinning. Something very odd was going on. Irene caught sight of herself in the mirror ahead and startled herself. Had she been in an accident last night? She ran out of energy and collapsed flat on her back again. Suddenly the house alarm began wailing and she lifted her head slightly from the pillow and opened one eye. Oh, take whatever you want, she thought, just as long as you bring me a glass of water before you go. After a while she realized it wasn't the alarm but the phone ringing beside her bed.

“Hello?” she croaked.

“Oh good, I'm not the only one,” said a desperately ill voice on the other end. “Who are you?” croaked Irene again.

“My name is Joy, I think,” came the reply, “although don't ask me who Joy is because I don't know. The woman beside me in bed seems to think I know her.” Irene heard Moonbyul laughing loudly in the background.

“Joy, what happened last night? Please enlighten me.”

“Alcohol happened last night,” said Joy drowsily, “lots and lots of alcohol.” “Any other information?”

“Nope.”

“Know what time is it?” “Two o'clock.”

“Why are you ringing me at this hour of the morning?” “It's the afternoon, Irene.”

“Oh. How did that happen?”

“Gravity or something. I was out that day in school.” “Oh God, I think I'm dying.”

“Me too.”

“I think I'll just go back to sleep, maybe when I wake up, the ground will have stopped moving.”

“Good idea, oh and Irene, welcome to the thirties club.”

Irene groaned, “I have not started as I mean to go on. From now on I will be a sensible, mature thirty-year-old woman.”

“Yeah, that's what I said too. Good night.”

“'Night.” Seconds later Irene was asleep. She awoke at various stages during the day to answer the phone, conversations that all seemed part of her dreams. And she made many trips to the kitchen to rehydrate herself.

Eventually at nine o'clock that night Irene succumbed to her stomach's screaming demands for food. As usual there was nothing in the fridge, so she decided to treat herself to a Chinese take-away. She sat snuggled up on the couch in her pajamas watching the very best of Saturday night TV while stuffing her face. After the trauma of being without Seulgi for her birthday the previous day, Irene was surprised to notice that she felt very content with herself. It was the first time since Seulgi had died that she was at ease with her own company. There was a slight chance she could make it without her.

Later that night Suho called her on her mobile. “Hey sis, what are you doing?”

“Watching TV, having Chinese,” she said.

“Well, you sound in good form. Unlike my poor girlfriend who's suffering here beside me.”

“I'm never going out with you again, Irene,” she heard Yuju scream weakly in the background. “You and your friends erted her mind,” he joked.

“Don't blame me, she was doing just fine all by herself as far as I remember.” “She says she can't remember anything.”

“Neither can I. Maybe it's something that happens as soon as you hit thirty, I was never like this before.”

“Or maybe it's just an evil plan you all hatched so you wouldn't have to tell us what you got up to.”

“I wish it was . . . oh, thanks for the present by the way, it's beautiful.”

“Glad you like it. It took me ages to find the right one.” “Liar.”

He laughed.

“Anyway, I was ringing you to ask if you're going to Baekhyun's gig Tomorrow night.” “Where is it?”

“Hogan's pub.”

“No way. There is no way I'm ever setting foot in a pub again, especially to listen to some loud rock band with screeching guitars and noisy drums,” Irene told him.

“Oh, it's the old 'I'm never drinking again' excuse, is it? Well, don't drink then. Please come, Irene. Baekhyun's really excited about it and no one else will come.”

“Ha! So I'm the last resort, am I? Nice to know you think so highly of me.”

“No you're not. Baekhyun would love to see you there and we hardly got a chance to talk at dinner, we haven't gone out for ages,” he pleaded.

“Well, we're hardly going to have a heart-to-heart with the ic Fish banging out their tunes,” she said sarcastically.

“Well, they're actually called Black Strawberries now, which has a nice sweet ring to it I think,” he laughed.

Irene held her head in her hands and groaned, “Oh, please don't make me go, Suho.”

“You're going.”

“OK, but I'm not staying for the whole thing.”

“Well, we can discuss that when we get there. Baekhyun will be chuffed when I tell him, the family never usually goes to these things.”

“OK then, about eightish?”

“Perfect.”

Irene hung up and sat stuck to the couch for another few hours. She felt so stuffed, she couldn't move. Maybe that Chinese wasn't such a good idea after all.

Im so sorry it took me so long to update, life has been crazy! but enjoy! :D