*~*~*~*

 

Irene surprisingly rose early the next day.

Or rather, she can’t sleep that much at all.

 

She didn’t seem to mind it though. Some of her other housemates was actually saying that she looks more ‘blooming’ than usual (to which she berated them relentlessly, arguing that she always look like that).

For the first time in a while, she had the opportunity to have breakfast with Yeri’s family and the rest of the boarders. She took a seat across Yeri and beside Mina.

“Oh, Irene! It’s been a while since we’ve all had breakfast together” the cheery woman greeted. Irene replied with a generous smile and bowed down a little.

“Looks like someone had a nice night” Yeri teased. Irene shot her a challenging look and kicked her shin beneath the table.

“Why? Did something good happen Irene-unnie?” Jisoo asked from the other side of the table. She was munching on some egg on rice.

“Nothing” Irene quickly replied but Yeri wasn’t gonna let her have breakfast peacefully.

“You came in pretty late unnie, went somewhere?”

“Just went drinking with Joy and Wendy like usual” Irene answered curtly.

You’re not gonna get me this time twerp.

“Really? So was Joy-unnie and Wendy-unnie the one who dropped you off in front of the gate at almost four in the morning?” she asked smugly. The collective ‘ohhs’ and shrieks were scattered around the table. Even Mama Kim was intrigued (she’s basically the grown version of her cheeky daughter so it wasn’t really a surprise).

“Are you finally entertaining a suitor?” Mama Kim settled her chopsticks down and turned her instigator mode on.

“I-it’s not that Mama Kim-“, Irene wasn’t sure why she was stuttering all of a sudden. At the corner of her eye, she saw Yeri whisper something in Jisoo’s ear; making the other girl giggle and turn to Jennie who was sitting beside her.

I live in a house full of blackmailers and Yeri is the hell spawn ring leader of it all.

“Then who was it?” Mina asked curiously. The younger girl was not looking at Irene at all. Instead, Mina was discreetly playing her game on her lap. Mama Kim has told Mina countless times to participate more when they were talking so Irene guessed that this was her effort to do so.

Well, at least one of them is not that interested.

“Then who was it unnie?” Jennie enthusiastically asked.

“Just a friend”

“But we just enumerated all your friends earlier and you claimed that it wasn’t neither of them” Yeri teased.

“Yah! Joy and Wendy aren’t my only friends!”

“Then who else?”

 

Okay. They got me there. I rarely talk about my friends and yes, I barely have any since moving here in Seoul.

She paused for a second; considering

 

“I ran into Seulgi on the way up..”

 

The rest of the table looked at her all at once.

“Seulgi... You mean the hot girl next door?” Jennie asked.

“Yes- wait what do you mean hot girl?”

Jennie squealed.

“Yeah right unnie. You didn’t notice that aspect of Seulgi when you saw her” she sarcastically replied.

“We were like dying to know her name ever since she dropped you off here when you were passed out from drinking!” Jisoo said. “What a way to make a first impression by the way.”

“Yah!”

“Are you close with her unnie?” Mina suddenly butted in. Irene wasn’t sure of what she should be surprised off; the fact that Mina has said more than 5 words for once or the fact that the topic of Seulgi seemingly intrigued her.

“See? That’s how influential Seulgi-unnie is!” Yeri said. “Even the timid Mina is intrigued!”

Mina blushed furiously with that. She hurriedly answered in defense.

“It’s not what you think!” she quickly responded. “It’s just that, Seulgi-unnie is apparently one of the lead scorers in the main server of the game that I’m playing right now! Think about it! If I just make her a part of my guild then we’ll-“

“Okay enough of that lame gaming stuff.” Jennie interrupted. “So? How did you guys know each other?”

“Does she know about your seriously high alcohol intake?” Yeri teased.

“Are you guys close?” Jisoo added.

“Hey Irene-unnie, can you ask if she’s willing to add me on my game and we can probably go on a few missions together? She won’t regret it! Honest!” Mina earnestly requested.

They were all looking at Irene with amused faces and the eldest of them has her head swirling in a pool of confusion.

“Do you like her?” Mama Kim added.

That question served as the cherry on top that made the whole table erupt with shrieks, teasing, and a whole lot of snide commenting. Irene spent breakfast defending herself, while having a permanent blush on her face; and the rest of the day avoiding any extra teasing from the others.

 

Because of the fact that it’s her against all of the other ladies in the house, she didn’t have that many choices on where to hide. The fact that it’s also the weekend and all of them are cooped under one roof didn’t help either.

At lunch, Mama Kim asked her to help on preparing their food. All was going pretty fairly until she redirected their conversation towards the food that, apparently, Seulgi likes. She didn’t have the heart to argue with the elder woman so she just politely nodded and defended herself like earlier.

Jennie and Jisoo are also being tremendous pains in the ; taking turns on asking and teasing Irene wherever she go inside the house. Whether she was at the living room watching television; or at the veranda reading a book; even while Irene was taking a bath (to which Jennie earned a flying shampoo bottle to her forehead and Jisoo slipped while laughing at the other girl’s fate). Even Mina was sending her requests to be forwarded to Seulgi on LINE.

But the worst of them all is Yeri. Unlike the others, she didn’t tease or make fun of Irene. Instead, she just sneaks around every corner of the house; just waiting to give Irene a condescending look while sipping her tea (Irene can’t believe that the younger girl really embodied the ‘sipping tea’ meme).

 

 When it was finally night time, Irene was thankful that the day was nearing its end. However, the teasing continued up until dinner time. Came the time when Mina’s message count reached a hundred and Yeri’s ‘sipping tea’ meme facade turned to the ‘sipping banana milk’ meme (they ran out of tea), Irene had enough.

That’s it. This house is full of lunatics and I’m in the middle of it all.

“Mama Kim, I’m going to head out!” she yelled as she reached the front door. She fetched her running shoes from one of the racks and changed into them. “I’m going out for a run! Going to get some fresh air.”

“Unnie but you never run! Who are you kidding?” Yeri teased.

Honestly, she can’t go around that household without being verbally abused.

“I exercise!”

“Yeri don’t be rude!” Jennie scolded the younger girl. Irene was glad that she finally came around. But no sooner from saying that she added, “Maybe she finally developed a beer belly from drinking too much.”

“Yah!”

Irene grabbed the handle and was about to slam the door when Yeri yelled again amidst their laughter echoing.

“If you see Seulgi-unnie, tell her we said hi!”

 

Irene had her face contorted when she finally got out of their gate. She was so irritated of the excessive teasing that she got in the span of one day that she mindlessly kicked a rock near her feet.  The rock rolled down the downward street. Irene grinned at her small victory that she raised both her hands above her head and started a silly victory jig.

Someday, I’ll kick Yeri the way that I kicked that rock.

 

“Joohyun-ssi?” a voice called out.

 

Irene froze at her spot. She slowly retracted her arms to her side and heaved a deep breath before turning to face the person who called her name.

 

“Seulgi. Fancy seeing you out tonight” she said nonchalantly.

“What were you doing just now?” a smile threatening to show upon her face.

“I was just-uh- stretching! Hah! That’s right. I-I was planning on taking a run” Irene quickly responded. “To catch some fresh air, you know? How about you?”

The girl in front of her was smiling and for some reason, she was feeling a little flustered.

“You could say that I’m also doing the same” she answered back. Irene looked at her and she realized instantly that Seulgi was dressed more suitably for a run than her. She puffed her cheeks a little and is all of sudden irked for no reason.

“Oh, Joohyun-ssi, can you hold this for a second? I forgot something hang on” she said while handing a bundle of chains to the other girl. Irene looked at her puzzlingly but before she can demand for an explanation, Seulgi disappeared inside her house. Confused, Irene carefully examined the chains handed to her.

 

They look.... familiar.

After a few seconds of pondering, she widened her eyes in panic.

 

She vaguely remembered her second encounter with Seulgi where she allegedly lost her dog. ‘Allegedly’ because up until that moment, Irene believed that that was another one of Seulgi’s lame lies that she use in order to drive people away. But now, looking at the leash in her hands, she was convinced that the other girl had a dog. A big dog and Irene wasn’t the greatest fan of dogs.

What if that dog is as big as me?! If I remember correctly, it’s one of those dogs that they use in police missions and whatnot. Should I just escape? I can just leave the leash and chain here and just walk off. I’ll just say that something came up and that I needed to go! Yes! I just might do that.

But no matter how many lame excuses she thought off, she still remained glued to her spot. When the gate opened again, Irene braced herself for some loud barking.

 

But it never came.

“Sorry to make you wait, this little fella had a problem with one of my chargers once again” Seulgi said. Irene probably looked dumb just standing there with her eyes closed. “Are you okay though?”

When Irene opened her eyes, she was welcomed by a ball of grey in the other girl’s arms. She gave Seulgi a bewildered look before turning to fluffy ball in her arms.

“This is Pringles the dog” Seulgi said proudly while holding Pringles near Irene. “He’s a bit of a troublemaker because he, yet again, chewed one of unnie’s controller chargers. But- he’s still a good boy. Aren’t you Pringles?”

The sight of Seulgi baby talking her pet dog was really fascinating.

 

For one, it made Irene giddy all of a sudden.

Wait a minute...

 

“Wait, so you’re meaning to tell me that THAT’S Pringles? The dog? The one you used to lie to the man from some nights ago? The supposedly big dog according to the picture you showed us?”

Seulgi gave her a triumphant smile.

“Yep! See Joohyun-ssi? I don’t lie harshly. I do have a dog named Pringles” she happily said.

“But that wasn’t Pringles in the picture.”

“Yeah but-“

“And clearly, he wasn’t missing that night.”

“True. But-“

“And you didn’t really contact the police back then.”

“Geez!” Seulgi exclaimed, obviously flustered. “Fine fine fine. I concede. But can we just admit that it was a sensible lie considering that it had some basis and it DID kinda sorta got you out of-“

“Yeah yeah yeah” Irene interrupted. She didn’t really want to hear about her blunders again so she waved her hand off.

“Damsels in distress can’t be choosers” Seulgi quipped.

“Doesn’t it go like, ‘Beggars can’t be choosers’?”

“Well, you don’t look like a beggar because you’re too pretty and my version makes me look like a hero” Seulgi smiled.

 

Irene can feel her face flush.

What does she mean by that?!

 

They began their walk with Irene walking beside Seulgi who was holding her puppy in her arms.

“What breed is he?” Irene decided to ask.

“He’s a grey pug” Seulgi enthusiastically answered. “I only had him for a little less than 3 months but he’s quite attached himself to me. Wanna pet him?”

Irene gave Seulgi an inquisitive look.

“Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite!” she laughed.

“I’m not really the biggest fan of dogs so you better not-“, Irene didn’t have the chance to finish because Seulgi placed Pringles in her arms without warning. The smaller girl was about to panic due to her wariness of dogs and inexperience in handling them when surprisingly, Pringles nuzzled himself comfortably in Irene’s arms.

“See? No need to be scared!”

“You don’t know that!” Irene snapped back. “You’re lucky that your dog is sleepy that’s why he didn’t notice me!”

“Nonsense!” the other girl said. “Remember what I said back then? About Pringles being able to smell whether or not a person is bad?”

“You mean that remark wasn’t just for show?”

“Ouch. Am I really that big of a liar to you?”

“Meh.”

Seulgi shook her head and giggled.

“Well, that part was true alright. Pringles is wary of people and usually wilds off when he senses that they’re bad or something” she turned to Irene who met her gaze. “Are you that surprised that Pringles sensed you as a good person?”

“Yah! That’s not what I meant.”

Seulgi continued to snicker.

“Well, Pringles is right though. You are a nice person Joohyun-ssi”

Irene can’t see her face but at that moment, she was pretty sure that she was red all over.

How can she say that with a straight face? And I’ve been literally rude to her for almost the majority of our meetings!

A lot of things were running in Irene’s mind during that moment.

She didn’t notice that she just continued on walking with Seulgi with an extra adorable dog in her arms. Their shoulders brushing off with each other from time to time and just talking casually as if they’ve done this a thousand times before.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Irene saw Seulgi next when she was walking home from another tiring day at work.

This time, she was 100% sober and alcohol-free.

“Are you some sort of a creep who only appears at night?” Irene playfully asked as she neared Seulgi who was at the same overlooking rest stop. She stopped drinking her apple juice and greeted Irene with her signature smile.

“Joohyun-ssi! Surprise to see you walk in a straight line” she joked.

Irene clicked her tongue at that remark.

“Yah! What do you mean by that?!”

“Well, judging from our brief history of encounters, you’re always drunk.”

“What do you mean always drunk?!”

“Just kidding” Seulgi said in between laughs. Irene walked near her and playfully slapped her shoulders. “I’m just glad that you’re going home this time without running into some trouble.”

“Couldn’t you’ve just said that?”

And just like that, Irene found herself laughing yet again in the other girl’s presence. It’s been almost a month since Irene met Seulgi in one of the most bizarre ways possible. She admits that the other girl annoyed the heck out of her at first but as circumstances forced them to meet more than intended, Irene found herself comfortable with Seulgi.

Irene found herself having more conversations with the other girl. She now usually take night walks during the weekends just to have little chats with Seulgi. And even though she doesn’t want to admit it, she sort of wishes to see Seulgi at her walks home during weekdays.

The other girl just makes her feel... safer.

And it’s just not those two incidents where Seulgi practically saved her. Irene also found the little things that the girl next door did endearing and fascinating; even though they’re on purpose or not (because she wasn’t really sure too).

 

Like that one time when Irene was the only one left home because Yeri and her family went on a vacation and the rest of the boarders had prior commitments that required them to stay out of the house. Irene half expected to just go home to a darkened empty house. Instead, Seulgi was waiting for her on their front steps with a big grin.

The other girl also nonchalantly asked for her number one time (to which Irene became super flustered) so that when she comes home drunk again, she can contact Seulgi immediately.

   Mama Kim (in the spirit of teasing Irene) also always makes sure that Irene knows about Seulgi’s habit of inquiring whether or not she arrived back ‘safely’ at their house yet.

Irene also noticed that Seulgi rarely uses lights (judging from her windows) but she always seem to leave her front porch light on. When she asked her about this, Seulgi surprised her with her answer.

“I turn it off when I’m sure that your home.”

“Ergh.. What a creep...”

“Hey! It’s not my fault that I always hear your loud gate open in the middle of the night!” she defensively said. Irene wasn’t still convinced but Seulgi added, “I don’t really like the thought of you going home to the dark.”

It’s the little things that really make Irene realize that Seulgi has been a good person right from the start.

 

“Why are you smiling all of a sudden Joohyun-ssi?”

“Am I?” Irene surprisingly asked back.

“Yeah. You’re kinda scaring me” Seulgi joked.

“Well, I’m just thinking about things.”

“May I ask what these ‘things’ are?”

“Hmmmmm... You’re part of it” Irene said all of a sudden.

Seulgi pretended to be flustered and clasped both of her hands on .

“A-aren’t we going too fast Joohyun-ssi?” she playfully said in a stutter.

That earned her a combo of attacks on her shoulders. Irene felt her face burning from shame. Why did she say that in the first place?!

“That’s not what I meant!” she hurriedly replied. “What I meant is that I’m j-just thankful that I get to be friends with someone that saved me twice and has been patient with my rash attitude.”

Seulgi smiled and Irene wasn’t sure if she was imagining it but she saw the other girl’s ears get red too.

“You’re flattering me too much” Seulgi said without looking at her.

“It’s true! You’re kind and even though I thought of you as a nosy and irritable person at first, you turned out to be rather kind and dependable-“

“I’m not that dependable.”

Irene furrowed her eyebrows. Seulgi was still looking at the view below; not meeting her gaze.

“But you are! You’re always there and-“

“Look Joohyun-ssi!” Seulgi suddenly exclaimed. Irene was kind of taken aback at Seulgi’s sudden change of tone. 

Seulgi realized her mistake and her face suddenly showed signs of worry.

“I-I’m sorry.. B-but can we change the subject? I-I’m just getting embarrassed by all these compliments coming from you.  Be careful, it might get into my head and make me insufferable” she added the joke hurriedly.

Irene gave her a dejected look.

What was that? I was just saying these nice things for her and her she is lashing out on me all of a sudden?

She was about to give Seulgi a piece of her mind when she saw a slightly different expression looming in the other girl’s eyes.

For the first time, Irene saw loneliness in Seulgi’s usually happy face.

So she just resorted to giving a shaky laugh to the other girl. They continued their talk and walked home as if nothing out of the ordinary happened.

When they neared their homes, Mama Kim emerged from Seulgi’s home with some cleaning supplies.

“Oh, you’re back!” she greeted. “I just finished cleaning your house Ddeulgie-yah~.” Mama Kim suddenly went in to pinch Seulgi’s cheeks like a little kid. The girl can’t help but get red all over. Irene had to look away for a second to register the cuteness of that situation.

“Mama Kim! I told you not to call me that anymore” Seulgi wailed. “I’m not little kid.”

“Aigoo, so hot headed! You should only say that when you can finally look after yourself! Your house was a mess! Haven’t I taught you countless times to separate your clothes from your under-“, before she could finish, Seulgi covered Mama Kim’s mouth with her hand and looked at Irene. The other girl was trying her hardest to not burst out laughing. Mama Kim seemed to have read in a little too much with their current setup that Irene swore that she saw Yeri’s smug face flash on her mom’s.

“Ohhhhhh~ Irene? Is that you? You were with our Ddeulgie just now?” she said in a very high pitched voice; her eyes glinting of mischief.

Seulgi looked at Irene puzzlingly.

“Irene-?”

“We just met halfway the hill” Irene answered hurriedly. “How about you Mama Kim? What’s that about Seulgi’s laundry?”

The girl in question shot her a look and pleadingly turned to the elderly woman.

“Well, well looks like someone is interested~” Irene ignored Seulgi’s jeering face. “Just kidding! I was just commenting on how this lady right here can’t seem to do household chores the right way!”

Mama Kim playfully put a hand on Seulgi’s head and ruffled her hair a little.

“And you’re supposed to be 25 years old!”

Irene’s eyes widened with this new information.

“S-Seulgi’s 25 years old?” Mama Kim nodded in affirmation. Seulgi was not sure why Irene was so surprised.

“My, you didn’t know Irene-ssi?” Mama Kim suddenly placed a fist on top of Seulgi’s head. “YAH! Kang Seulgi! What did I tell you about introducing yourself properly to others! Geez! This kid! Have can you treat your unnie properly with that attitude?”

“U-unnie?”

“HUH?! You haven’t been calling Irene your unnie?! Why you little-“. She was about to reach in for another knock on the head when someone from their house called out.

“MRS. KIM! YERI MADE SOME TOXIC WASTE IN THE KITCHEN! SHE’S ABOUT TO BOTCH DINNER! COLLECT YOUR SIRE!”

“Wha-?” she suddenly straightened up; a look of panic spread on her face. She bellowed at the top of her lungs, “YAH! KIM YERIM! DON’T TOUCH ANOTHER THING IN THAT KITCHEN OR I SWEAR TO GOD I’M GOING TO MAKE AN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT AND UNLEASH ALL YOUR PICTURES!!”

She hurriedly bowed and excused herself from the other two. Mama Kim was about to enter their gate when she remembered something. She turned to the younger girl and gave her a smile.

“You can join us for dinner Ddeulgie-yah~ it’s been a while. I’m sure he would’ve-“

“Sure auntie” she interrupted.

“I cleaned the whole house except-“

“I think I heard some plates breaking—“

That made Mama Kim dash inside without another word more. Seulgi chuckled to herself before turning to Irene once more.

“Soooooo, that was awkward... I-I never thought that Joohyun-ssi or rather, ‘Irene-ssi’ is older than me. I just automatically assumed that we’re the same age.” She laughed and added sheepishly, “That’s a compliment by the way.”

Irene snapped back to reality and blinked at Seulgi.

A lot happened and her mind was taking a while to process it all.

“S-sorry what was that?”

Seulgi laughed.

“Nothing~” she smiled once more and adjusted Irene’s blazer that’s slipping off her shoulders. “You should go inside, Irene-UNNIE. Dinner’s waiting or rather, Yeri’s deadly dish.”

Irene was still fixated on something but she can’t put it into words.

“Yahhh! What’s that unnecessary emphasis on the word ‘unnie’, DDEULGIE?”

Seulgi smiled.

“It sounds cuter when it comes from you actually.” That made Irene stupefied. “Well, Mama Kim said that you are older than me so I’m saying it as a sign of respect.” Irene was about to say something back when Seulgi’s phone suddenly rang. The younger girl excused herself and opened her cell phone. She furrowed her eyebrows and squinted at the message that she was reading. “Dang a miss call”

She looked at Irene and bowed down.

“Sorry Irene-unnie. I have to take care of this.”

Seulgi bowed down again. She was about to enter her own home when Irene stopped her.

“Hey!” she called out. When Seulgi stopped to turn at her, she said, “I thought you were going to-“. She hesitated a little, “-to have dinner with us? I mean, Mama Kim was the one who said it.”

And like usual, she was answered by a smile.

Only this time, there’s

“I’m sorry unnie. Maybe next time” she gave Irene one last glance before entering her gate and shutting it behind her.

Irene ended up going inside too. She was a little disappointed that Seulgi wasn’t able to join them but something about this recent meeting of theirs (apart from the information overload that changed a number of things). She walked slowly towards the front door.

Something about tonight that struck her as out of ordinary.

Maybe it was learning that she’s actually 3 years older than Seulgi.

Or the fact that Mama Kim may have exposed Seulgi and her apparent lack of talent in doing chores.

Maybe it was finding out about Seulgi’s adorable nickname that Mama Kim knew from way back.

Irene looked at the house neighboring theirs; its windows show no signs of light whatsoever.

Irene can’t help but feel a little worried.

This was a usual scene but it’s not supposed to be like that, right?

Just what on earth is wrong with me? Why am I worrying about trivial things like this?

A sound of someone faceplanting snapped Irene back to reality. She shook her head and proceeded to enter their house.

Her thoughts revolving around a certain somebody.

 How that certain somebody managed to plague every corner of her mind more than she wants to admit.

How that person previously irked her but now seems to instantly make her smile on whatever she does.

How that very girl manage to radiate energy and happiness wherever she goes.

Except that night.

Somehow, Irene only saw an emotion which she never thought would be associated with the younger girl; it was there, in her eyes and on the expressions on her face. She remembered Seulgi’s earlier outburst and how she avoided some of Irene’s and Mama Kim’s questions.

For some reason, Irene felt it too. She can feel it gnawing her bit by bit; bothering her nonstop.

And Irene was positive that it started when the other girl no longer uttered her name.

What on earth made you make that face Kang Seulgi?

 

*~*~*~*

 

Irene didn’t saw Seulgi the following night.

Actually, she didn’t see the other girl for the rest of the week.

Came the weekend and Irene didn’t even bother going out on her nightly walks. She just reverted back into cooping inside her room that she shared with Yeri and wrote some new articles on her ‘fabric conditioner review/blog’.

“Uwaa~ I didn’t expect to see you here Irene-unnie” Yeri said as she entered their room.

“What? This is also my room so why is it a surprise that I’m here?” she immediately shot back. She wasn’t really in the mood for one of Yeri’s teasing sessions so she figured that she might as well get ahead.

Yeri raised both of her hands in surrender and sat on her bed.

“I don’t know. It’s just that you’re rarely here ever since you decided to go all health nut on us by having these night runs out of nowhere.”

Irene just rolled her eyes at the younger girl.

A few minutes past between them without saying anything. Honestly, it was a relief. Irene didn’t really want Yeri nosing up on her business. The said girl was surprisingly minding her own business by just scrolling quietly on her phone.

Huh. Maybe I judged her too fast.

After half an hour of writing a well constructed review on the new variant offered by Downy, Irene decided that it was still early. So she dragged her to her work table near the window to start on some work that she brought home with her.

Might as well do something productive.

She barely even started on her paperwork when she immediately found herself staring outside. More particularly: at the house next door. The lights were dimmed and almost no sound came from there; it is as if no one even lived there. Irene swallowed the bitter taste in .

Tch.

“Are you worried about Seulgi-unnie?” Yeri suddenly asked.

“Wha-?” Irene turned to face her so fast that she fell out off her swivel chair and straight to the floor. She gently massaged her shoulders and sat up immediately. It was a surprise that Yeri wasn’t laughing (although Irene could barely see Yeri’s huffed cheeks and tight grip on her sheets).

“I asked if you’re worried about Seulgi-unnie. But what you did just now just confirmed it already” she shrugged.

Irene opened but no sound came out. No words formed a coherent sentence in her head.

“Seulgi-unnie’s just like that. She’s always been sort of a loner ever since. It’s not that rare of a sight to see her cooping inside her house.”

“E-eh? Is that so? Hmm...” Irene tried to sound as uninterested as possible. She hummed a little why aimlessly flipping through the papers on her desk.

“Yeah. Seulgi-unnie is a good friend. She always had my back ever since we were little. She gave me plenty of candy and usually tells jokes that are so lame. But she’s a great unnie nonetheless. She helped me a lot with a number of things and usually greets me with a big smile. She’s like that; sociable at times but is secretly a loner.”

“I-I’m not-“

Yeri raised her eyebrows.

Crap.

“I’m not going to make fun of you for worrying about someone unnie” Yeri said. “And I can’t really blame you. Mom’s been in and out of her house more than usual.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m going to tell you this because you seem restless-“ Yeri sat little straighter to face the older girl more, “-I mean that like you, she must’ve notice that something’s... off with Seulgi-unnie.”

Worry spread on Irene’s face.

“Do you have any idea on what may have bothered Seulgi lately?” Irene pressed on Yeri further.

Yeri sighed and shook her head in doubt.

“I can’t be too sure unnie” she replied. “I met Seulgi-unnie when I was really young and she left for Busan when I was 10. We barely had the time or the knowledge to talk about adult stuff.”

Irene’s shoulders fell upon hearing that.

There must be something that I can do...

 Yeri looked at her unnie and she can’t help but feel a little sad too. She put a reassuring hand on Irene’s shoulders and gave her a small pat.

“Seulgi-unnie barely changed. She’s still the same person that I used to play way back then. When I saw her the next day after she dropped you off passed out-“ Irene gave her a glare. “-I wasn’t surprised that she checked on you. It’s a very Seulgi thing of her.”

Irene can’t help but smile.

Seulgi has proved once again that she’s a dependable person.

“What surprised me more was seeing her after such a long time” Yeri got a little caught in telling her story. She was chuckling to herself. “Come to think of it, she surprised us by moving in so suddenly but not showing up at the funeral for her grandfather a week prior.”

Irene stopped smiling.

“W-what?”

Yeri stopped telling the story.

“E-eh? D-didn’t you know?” Yeri scratched her head. “That house belonged to Seulgi-unnie’s grandfather who recently passed away. I think that it was willed to Seulgi-unnie that’s why she decided to stay in Seoul.”

Irene was dumbfounded at this recent discovery.

“That ahjussi next door really resemble Seulgi greatly. Come to think of it, maybe that’s why Seulgi-unnie came for vacation here often when she was young.”

Irene didn’t know what to say next so she silently whispered a prayer of thanks when Yeri didn’t demand her to do so. They stayed awake for an hour more before Yeri announced that she probably should get some sleep because she had an exam tomorrow.

As Irene lay there in bed that night, her restless thoughts seem to arrive on Seulgi alone.

What are you doing right now?

Her curtain left a small crack that let some of the pale moonlight shine in the room. Irene stared at it longingly.

What are you feeling right now? I’m drawn to you by this feeling tonight and it’s telling me to help you.

I hope you’ll help me do it.

Because I think that I can.

And these feelings are nearing their breaking point.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Another week went by without a trace of Seulgi.

Sometimes, Irene hear some faint sounds coming from the house next door which makes her immediately rush to the nearest window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the other girl. At night when she gets off at work, Irene declined Joy’s numerous offers to drink to go home straight. She always took the well lighted route and always takes a break at the rest stop overlooking the city.

She wanted to say hi to Seulgi; maybe even ask her how her day went.

 She briefly considered getting wasted with Joy and Wendy one time due to desperation because that seemed to have lured the other girl in the past.

When she got home on a Thursday, she heaved a heavy sigh as she paused to look at Seulgi’s house.

It’s still the same.

Dimly lit and showed no signs of any living creature in it whatsoever.

I just want to know if you’re okay...

After a few hours of just lying on her bed, Irene can’t help the restlessness that was building up inside her so she decided to go grab a drink downstairs. She tiptoed towards their room’s door and shut it carefully in order to not wake up Yeri’s soft snores and quiet mumbling (Irene was pretty sure that Yeri was once again channelling her apparent British alter ego, ‘Katy Kim’).

It was pretty late already and Irene was pretty sure that everyone except her was already asleep. She proceeded to descend the stairs and went straight to the kitchen. When she was about to open the door to the dining area, she heard someone talking.

“Are you sure that she wasn’t there, darling?”

“I checked every room of the house” an exhausted voice said. “She’s not the type to rebel like this.”

“But what if-“

“She wouldn’t do that. We’ve known her ever since she was a kid and-“

Irene couldn’t stop herself from bursting through the door. Mr and Mrs. Kim were startled.

“I-Irene?”, Mrs. Kim gasped. “I thought you were already slee-“

“It’s Seulgi, isn’t it?” Irene said in a shaky voice. “You’re talking about Seulgi, right?”

Mr. Kim looked at her wife with a searching look. His spouse just gave her a reassuring nod and turned to Irene; her eyes were kind of tired but she still managed to give Irene a weak smile. She stood up and put her hands on Irene’s shoulders.

“How about you sit down first dear and we’ll talk you through it, okay?” she said in her usual warm voice. It kind of reminded Irene of her small talk with Yeri last time; the younger girl also gave her this reassuring vibe through her words.

Maybe Yeri isn’t that pure evil as I thought.

Mama Kim proceeded to fix tea for the three of them. While waiting, Irene can’t help but grow a little more worried. She accidentally met the gaze of Yeri’s father, which she rarely sees at home, and he gave her a tiny nod.

When Mama Kim set the drinks on the table, sat next to her husband.

“I suppose that you already have an idea on what’s going on right? Yeri probably already sat you through it-“, with that, Irene bowed her head. She was kind of embarrassed on butting in on what apparently was a big deal. “No need to bow deary. I think that it’s kind of a good thing; considering how close you’ve gotten to Ddeulgie.”

“You had no idea. We had no idea” said Mr. Kim in firm voice. “We just forced this belief on each of us that she was okay... Apparently, that was the biggest mistake.”

The room went silent for a second.

A bitter taste was building in Irene’s mouth.

“D-did s-something happen to her?” Irene was trying her hardest to prevent herself from stuttering too much. Her eyes were already starting to water.

“Calm down Irene, nothing happened to her” Mr. Kim said. “But-“ he added, “-we’re not really sure ourselves.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Mr. Kim hesitated at first. His wife put a hand on top of his. He took a deep breath.

“Her house was empty. I was forced to use the spare key that her family left us in cases of emergency. We searched it but she wasn’t there. We tried calling her but she’s not picking up. Her cell phone rings though. Maybe that’s a way of letting us know that she’s alright. Still....”

“She hasn’t been answering her door ever since this morning so I just assumed that she was sleeping due to exhaustion from work. I decided that I was going to bring her dinner because it’s not a rare case for her to skip lunch, but never dinner-“, Mama Kim continued. “So I knocked at the front door which was locked for some reason. She never does that because she always anticipates her dinner at 7:00 pm. I sort of panicked but I didn’t want to alarm you guys. So I just called Yeri’s dad and decided to take action between the two of us. We’re worried with her because she’s been acting a little distant these past few days. She rarely finishes her food and I-“, Mama Kim stifled back tears.

“Do you have any idea why she acted like that?” Irene asked. The urge to just rush out the door and look for the missing girl was growing stronger by the second.

“We don’t really know why or what may have triggered her... We want to call the police but we think that’ll just drive her away more-“, Mrs Kim wasn’t able to finish her sentence because Irene suddenly shot up from her seat.

“I’ll find her” she said firmly.

“But nobody knows where she is. She’s been a little off for a week. Maybe it’s due to stress or god knows what... We’ll help-“

“No. I mean, can I ask you to just stay here in case she comes back?” Irene asked them. “Seulgi can be very unpredictable and we she may just have taken a stroll somewhere near. I’ll go look for her. It’d be better this way.”

“But-“

“You have to trust me. I’ll find her for sure” Irene said with a tone of finality as she dashed out of the house.

She said that earlier to offer some sort of comfort towards the nice couple. But as she began running aimlessly in the neighbourhood, she remembered that she had no plan whatsoever. Her steps began to slow down. She looked left and right to the streets and began to formulate a rushed plan on how to draw out the younger girl.

She plucked her phone out of her pajama pockets and checked the time.

11:34 pm. It was nearing midnight.

She remembered something vital and began scrolling through her contacts. There she saw a contact that she’s never used before. She rapidly began typing a message while still walking; her feet seemed to know where she wanted to go.

I know that you gave me this number to use in cases when I run into trouble and need help but-

She started running faster.

I need to find you Seulgi.

Maybe at this moment I just need this one thing-

 

 

I need you.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Irene reached the rest stop faster than how long it usually takes her. She looked at the empty benches and the deserted shed. The vending machines were giving of a pale glow that cast over the empty place.

No one was there.

She checked her phone once again to see if she already replied to her message.

She hasn’t.

It was 11:48 pm.

Irene didn’t want to get her hopes up that she’ll immediately find Seulgi with a plan like hers. It was a big disaster considering how much thought she put into it. She plopped down at one of the benches and couldn’t help but feel discouraged.

All of those times and moments where Seulgi just seemed to sweep in and help her... She couldn’t repay those. She thought of all the times where even though she was sort of rude and dismissive towards the Seulgi, the younger girl still managed to talk to her; joke with her and most of all, gave her a smile that seemingly had a magic of its own.

That smile.

God that smile.

The girl on the bench looked at the sky casting over her night. Coincidentally, the moon was a bright crescent one; very much like the ones that forms when the girl she’s missing that very night smiles brightly.

It’s kind of surprising how one individual managed to leave her imprint on Irene in the span of only a few weeks.

It’s also kind of surprising that she’s been yearning for that smile even though she’s only come to know it recently.

She just wishes that she’s okay.

Please be okay.

There’s so many left that I have yet to tell you.

And there are a lot of things that you haven’t told me.

Irene silently sat there and whispered her simple wish to the wind. She just hopes that if it was even possible, the wind may blow it to the direction of the girl in her thoughts.

 

What am I even saying? Maybe I am going crazy-

 

“Irene-unnie?” a voice from behind her said.

 

Well so much for my grand soliloquy.

 

Irene rose so fast that her legs didn’t anticipate the force that she put into standing up. She ended up feeling a slight sharp pain in her ankle. Seulgi was quick to react and immediately rushed to the older girl’s side.

“Are you okay unnie? You texted me out of nowhere and I got here as fast as I could” worry was spread across the younger girl’s face. Her eyes were wide and she was offering one arm to Irene.

Meanwhile, Irene was stuck at looking at Seulgi’s face.

Something was off...

Then she realized that it was the familiar smell that seemed foreign when it comes to Seulgi.

 

“Are you drunk?” she blurted in a very sharp tone.

Seulgi blinked at her and turned her gaze to the ground. She finished helping Irene back to her seat and settled down beside the older girl quietly. The familiar space that she leaves whenever they sat together was put between them. But both of them knew that there’s something more that’s contributing to that space that night.

And Irene was the first one to break the ice.

“I’m going to repeat my question” her voice was icy and Seulgi shivered there on the spot. “Are you drunk?”

Irene felt Seulgi’s uncomfortable shifting beside her. She turned to the girl and saw that she was still looking at the ground. She cleared , prompting Seulgi to sit straighter and meet her gaze. The drunk girl let out a weak laugh.

“L-Looks like I’m caught” she said sheepishly while rubbing the back of her neck. “It was just a few cans though! I’m still as sober as Hyoyeon’s new song!”

Irene scrunched her nose at the joke. She noticed that Seulgi was trying her hardest to regain her usual cheery composure. But that night, with her eyes a little dimmer than usual and her smile faltering ever so slightly; Irene knew that Seulgi was not okay.

Watching her like that, Irene felt a pang in her heart.

This was her chance.

“Actually I came to a friend of mine to let him watch Pringles for the night” Seulgi continued her story hurriedly. “I was just planning to drink a few bottles on my way home to help me sleep. But this ahjussi kept on giving me additional bottles and soon I found myself in the middle of a drinking game with this old lady! She was at least a hundred years old but boy can she hold her alcohol!”

“Why didn’t you tell anyone where you’re going? We’ve been worried sick!”

Seulgi stopped abruptly and scratched her head.

“Well I am old enough to go drinking by myself aren’t I?” she shrugged. “I don’t think that asking for permission is needed-“

“Why haven’t you gone out of the house for almost a week?”

That made Seulgi more confused.

“H-huh? Do I need to? Like-“

Irene cut her off.

“Why did you drink at night? I thought you don’t like that?”

“I never said-“

“Why didn’t you even tell me that you’ve been missing sleep? I could’ve helped you know? Yeri is an expert on that; she’ll surely be able to help...”

“Irene-“

 

“Why have you kept so much from me when I’ve been relying too much on you all this time?!”

 

That last one came out as a scream and both of them became taken aback. Irene was trying her hardest to keep her emotions under control. But the feeling of worry earlier was replaced by the feeling of frustration and anger. She doesn’t even know if she has the right to feel this way. She was unsure of a number of things at that moment.

But if there’s one thing that she can say for certain; it is the desperate need to tell Seulgi something.

 

 

Seulgi just stayed dumbfounded there for a second.

Before she went all red and started screaming at Irene with all that she has.

 

 

“What do you want me to say?!” she shrieked in a broken tone. Seulgi run her hands in her hair. She was breathing heavily and panic was displayed on her face. “That I’m too weak? Do you expect me to just admit everything? Admit things that I haven’t even admitted to myself?!”

Irene shut ; it was not ideal having Seulgi scream at her like that but if it’s the only way to let the girl speak her mind then she’ll just have to make do. Irene could sense the pain and the agony in Seulgi’s voice. She can really tell that the girl in front of her has reached her limit.

“I want to become the person that everyone makes me out to be. I don’t want to ruin anybody’s impression of me...” she said. “I get weak and tired at times but I know that I can still make it. You can still put so much on me and I’d be more than willing to help!”

She paused as she put one of her hand on her face.

“I-I just want to be like him...”

Silence.

Irene didn’t really know what to say. She knew that the stuff that Seulgi was saying was probably some intense personal matters. She needs to be careful on whatever she was going to say.

Her feet seemed to move on its own as she reached her hand first then pulled Seulgi in for a hug.

“I need to be strong, unnie. He was always strong and dependable. I try my hardest unnie, I really do...” she said in a muffled sob on Irene’s shoulders. “I want to be just like him... But I can never be like him because I wasn’t here when the time came where it matter the most...”

“Shhhhhh.. There there.. It’s okay..”

Seulgi continued to bawl her eyes out on the older girl’s shoulders. Irene had an inkling on whom Seulgi was talking about. She recalled the stories from Yeri and her parents and pieced together some sort of explanation on the sudden change in the younger girl’s actions.

“He did everything and when both my parents had little time for me. Grandpa all that I am today; saying that I should never hesitate to help others when they need help. He’s always been there for me and I-“, she choked a little prompting Irene to rub her back.

“I wasn’t even here to say good bye...”

Irene froze.

She can feel the sadness of the girl in her arms get to her. Irene just stood there with Seulgi in her arms. Irene saw that Seulgi’s face was starting to go red due to her crying and the cold air so she gently tugged her tugged her closer for warmth.

Minutes passed and Seulgi’s crying seemed to have subsided. She started rubbing her eyes and gently pulled away from Irene’s embrace. Her gaze went forward and she just stared at the night sky for a few seconds.

“Well that was awkward” she said in a weak chuckle. “Didn’t mean to go all melodramatic on you unnie, I’m sorry.”

Seulgi heaved a heavy sigh. Irene was staring at her and her gaze fell upon on Seulgi’s hands. It took a lot of her remaining courage but she managed to bring herself to reach in and take it. She felt Seulgi stiffen a little at the touch of Irene’s skin on hers.

“U-unnie?” Seulgi turned to look at her.

Irene just met her gaze and gave her a reassuring smile.

“Tell me more” she whispered.

“A-about what?” the younger girl was stuttering; partially because of the effect of crying but mainly because of the loud thumping of her heart at the sight of their hands mashed together.

“About him” Irene answered simply. She looked at the night sky that they loved looking at so much. “He seems wonderful. And he must be a very loving and thoughtful man if he raised someone like you.”

Under the pale light of the horizon, Seulgi can barely make out Irene’s face. Several shadows casted on it and her eyesight wasn’t the very best. But at that very moment, Irene seemed to be glowing.

 

And it shone a light on Seulgi’s dark day.

 

She smiled and nodded.

  

The two of them sat there with their hands together; with Irene listening intently to Seulgi’s stories about her late grandfather. The younger girl told Irene that he was the one responsible for raising Seulgi for the majority of her childhood because both of her parents were busy workaholics who barely had any time for her. He’d frequently volunteer to look after young Seulgi.

Irene noticed the transition of Seulgi’s tone from droppey and mopey to a more cheerful one; especially at parts when her grandpa’s name was mentioned. Seulgi also said that her alibi saying that her granddad was a retired military officer was true. In fact, their neighbourhood had a Neighborhood Watch Association established by him personally. Child Seulgi would often tag along with them along with the dog which apparently was the mother of Pringles; a black pug named Doritos.

At that, Irene can’t help but let out a small laugh.

“Your grandpa’s dog was named Doritos?”

“Yeah actually. It was his favorite chips before he had to lay it off.”

“So he named his dog Doritos?” Seulgi nodded and Irene’s face just lit up on pure admiration. “Wow. You’re really alike”

Seulgi held Irene’s hands tighter.

“Yeah... Maybe we are..” she whispered. “You know what? I really tried my hardest to be like him you know?”

“Hmmmmm” Irene hummed in response as she gripped Seulgi’s hands back; they were cold and she offered her warmth wholeheartedly.

“He was my role model growing up. Children needed that and in my world, he was the only dependable adult at that time. I remember all the stories about him from his friends in the Neighborhood Watch saying that he was made president not only because he was the one who thought of it but because everybody in this area trusted him dearly.”

“That’s really cool of him”

“Yes it was.. Unlike me-” Seulgi sighed. “I just managed to make everybody around me worry about something that I did. I even managed to make you come out of the night just to look for me...”

“It’s nothing really I wanted to do it on my own.”

“But if I were my grandpa this exact thing wouldn’t have happened. If it was him, he wouldn’t have acted so rashly. He would think about-“

“That’s exactly it. You’re not your grandfather.” Irene caught her off. That immediately made Seulgi’s face fall a little. The younger girl was about to pull her hand away but that just signalled Irene to hold on it tighter.

 “I’m not finished” she added. Irene knew that she had to hurry up because Seulgi was still unstable as heck. She looked at their hands and gently lifted his thumb and rubbed it on the other side of Seulgi’s hand.

“You’re not your grandfather” she repeated in a firmer tone than earlier. “But that doesn’t make you any less of a good person than he is; and I can vouch for that personally.”

Seulgi can’t help but feel a little flustered being complimented like that on the spot. Add the fact that they were holding hands and were really close with each other.

That moment, Seulgi just wanted for time to stand still and just look at Irene’s twinkling eyes.

“You’re not your grandfather but you’re a good person and I’m really lucky to have met you. You’re modest and humble. I know how much adoration Yeri has for you judging from her stories and you’re ridiculously popular in our household.”

Seulgi scrunched her eyebrows.

“I-I don’t get that... why?” she asked incredulously.

Irene recalled all those comments about how Jennie and the others called Seulgi “hot” and their incessant swooning over the girl in front of her. She momentarily got lost and had to clear and shake her head a little to get back on track.

“Look, my point is-“, she looked at Seulgi with an expression that says everything except giving up on the girl in front of her.

 “-you’re a wonderful person just as you are! You shouldn’t feel the need to compare yourself to someone else because you are who you are. You’re funny, smart, and really kind towards drunk strangers that you randomly see being ambushed in the streets.”

 

Seulgi laughed.

Irene felt the feeling in her stomach grow stronger.

 

“And most of all, you’re a very caring person. You treasure these memories and hold them very dear to your heart. It’s good that you take after your grandfather but you have to remember that you’re Kang Seulgi; you’re your own person. You have differences; be it on strengths or weaknesses.”

 

A tear managed to escape Seulgi’s eyes.

“B-but what if I just mess up again Irene-unnie? What if I just can’t do the right thing? Grandpa did so much for others and-”

“Say my name” Irene interrupted.

Seulgi blinked back at her.

“Huh? I-Irene-unnie?”

“I said; say my name” Irene repeated.

Seulgi didn’t really get the whole shift of Irene’s mood. She had to force herself to wrap itself on their current situation. Then she found herself remembering that time where she had her first actual conversation with Irene.

 

She remembered the older girl’s slip of the tongue.

“Joohyun”

 

Then Irene leaned in and closed in the remaining space between them.

 

It was an innocent kiss.

Honestly, Irene just found herself leaning in without even thinking.

The emotions that she’s been suppressing from earlier just came powering up the unbelievable feat of courage to make that happen. She closed her eyes and Seulgi just found herself closing hers too. When they broke apart, both of them were blushing furiously. Seulgi was about to say something but Irene beat her to it.

“There. Thank you.”

Seulgi was confused.

“P-pardon?”

Irene faced her and let go of the hand that was holding Seulgi’s hand. She held the other girl on both sides of her face, squishing her chubby cheeks. Seulgi noticed that her ears and cheeks were still red.

“I said thank you for saying my name.”

That didn’t answer a single thing in Seulgi’s mind. Irene continued.

“You said that your grandfather did something for tons of people right?” she turned to Seulgi who nodded in response. “Well there. You did something for me.”

“You wanted a kiss from me?” Seulgi blurted out.

“No! I mean- I wanted to but-“, heat was creeping up on her face again. She let Seulgi’s face go and stood up and walked towards the railing overlooking the cliff. Seulgi followed her instantly.

“I just-“ Irene struggled to fumble with her words. “I never really tell my real name to anyone that easily. But when it came to you, it just came out naturally. And I think that mere fact alone tells whole lot on what I genuinely think about you as a person.”

 

They were like two kids playing push and pull. Neither was meeting the eyes of the other.

Irene was blushing hard.

Seulgi was looking at the ground trying to hide the smile that the older girl managed to leave on her face.

 

.It took a lot but Seulgi reached in again to hold Irene’s hands.

Only this time, she intertwined their fingers together.

 

“That small thing?” Seulgi broke the silence. Irene frowned at her.

“Small thing? Do you even-“, Irene was feeling inexplicably irritated with the cute face of the taller girl holding her hands. She scrunched her nose and faced her.

 

Seulgi had the tendencies to be like this all the time.

 

So Irene just leaned in once more as an explanation.

 

“I didn’t want to be mushy and stuff but you left me with no choice” she said as soon as their lips broke apart. “When you said my name, I didn’t tell you to correct it because it felt... nice. It felt good and comforting; add that to the fact that you always come showing up at my side when I need you.”

Irene studied Seulgi’s dumbstruck face. She bit her lip and smiled.

“It was not a grand gesture; it may pass of as ordinary but it did something great to me. And I think that’s what matter the most. ”

 

She pressed their foreheads together.

“When you say my name, I always seem to feel like I’m home. And making me feel like that with just one little thing says a lot about you.”

 

The wind continued to blow and along with it—maybe not permanently, but for the moment—Seulgi’s mind became at ease. She stood there smiling while sobbing a little. Her state at that moment may come off as a little weak but she was assured that it doesn’t matter.

Because she was holding the hand of someone that makes everything instantly better.

 

 

*~*~*~*

 

Irene accompanied Seulgi to the nearby cemetery at the top of the hill.

 

They didn’t waste any much time because they immediately went there after their long talk; it was already the morning anyways and Irene reckoned that Seulgi has kept this matter waiting for too long already.

There was a small stall near the gate of their destination that offered some incense and candles so they figured that they should bring some with them. When they reached the grave that belonged to Seulgi’s family, both of them offered their proper respects and prayers. Irene excused herself and let Seulgi ponder on her own. When she glanced back, Seulgi was sporting a small smile and was holding some flowers that they may have illegally plucked at one of the paths they passed by earlier.

Just the sight of her kneeling down there and probably giving herself her long deserved peace of mind eased all Irene’s worries about the younger girl.

By the time Seulgi finished, she saw Irene leaning her back on a tree and smiling at the sight of the other girl approaching her.

Irene reached out her hand and Seulgi immediately took it.

 

They smiled sheepishly at each other and started their way back home.

 

“How are you feeling?” Irene asked. They were swaying their intertwined hands between them.

“A little worn out. Haven’t had any sleep but you already know that” Seulgi replied with a wink. Irene scoffed. She rolled her eyes but she was glad that Seulgi was regaining her usual confident tone.

“Well you owe me a big one for this. If I ever wound up looking like a zombie because of tiredness from work and lack of sleep, I’ll blame the damages to my paycheck on you.”

Seulgi answered her with a small laugh.

When they arrived at their houses, both of them already noticed that Seulgi’s house lights are on.

“Yikes. I might have to stay awake some more.”

“Want me to come with you? I’m partially at fault too. I kinda forgot to send them the message that I already found you.”

The taller girl faked a gasp.

“Ohmalord you did not!”

“You can’t blame! I panicked and I had to rack my brain to figure out the right thing to say!”

“For the record you did; you said all those things just right and just perfectly” Seulgi gave her an assuring smile. Both of them blushed on the spot.

“Aish!” Irene was the first one to let Seulgi’s hands go. “I thought all this mushy talk is over!”

Seulgi’s laugh filled her ears and truthfully, she turned to mush on the spot. The younger girl gave her hand a light squeeze before letting go. They nodded at each other and Irene made Seulgi promise to call her immediately after talking to Mr. And Mrs. Kim.

Irene was about to enter the gate when Seulgi called her out.

“Joohyun”

She completely dropped the honorifics and that made Irene froze. Her ears perked up and she can feel blood rushing on her cheeks. She slowly turned to face her.

“Uwaaaaa~ You really do like me saying your real name! Do you have a kink like that?”

The already flustered girl can’t believe what she was hearing. Irene was about to berate Seulgi relentlessly and tell her off for her weird conclusion.

 

But she didn’t.

Because she just found herself wrapped in an embrace by the taller girl; she heard her silent snickering along with the beat of her heart that seemed to match hers. A quick peck on the cheek was stolen and Seulgi rushed off.

“For good luck! I am still quite nervous” she waved off. “See you, Joohyun!”

 

And Irene just can’t help but laugh and feel a little hopeful of the days to come.   

 

 

 

---

A/N:

I added a kiss! Hahaha~
I specifically remember you guys being a little disappointed with "Turn" because it didn't have a solid SeulRene kiss. So for all those people, here yah go :)

 

Thank you for reading~ I hope you liked it!
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below~
'Till next time~ :D