"So when will you take me to one of your favorite bars?"

Seulgi nearly fell off the chair at the sudden question. She barely kept her bearings as Irene looked at her straightforward. Seulgi should have just chosen Dare instead when Moonbyul picked her during their Truth or Dare game at their apartment. Moonbyul was very friendly and funny and Seulgi was delightfully surprised that Irene had the same- couple as her close friends and roommates. 

Until that Truth or Dare game that exposed her late nigt shenanigans. Wendy Son is a loud chatterbox when she's drunk. 

Seulgi thought about how to distract the very determined bunny from this subject. There was no way she was going to take Irene Bae Joohyun to the places where she finds her solace for the lonely nights. 

Seulgi locked her eyes with Irene who had never wavered from her gaze directed at her. Sometimes. she wondered what her senior was thinking inside her beautiful little head. As much as Irene's soulful doe eyes are the most beautiful she had ever seen, they're also the hardest to read. 

"Let's negotiate a bit." Seulgi muttered,"How about the bar we both haven't been to?"

She wasn't about to give up her freedom that easily. She didn't like feeling it. As she knew Irene didn't like how she deflected judging by that look of upset on her face, frown appearing across her beautiful feature. 

But Seulgi had been burnt too many times and she wasn't about to let Irene see that side of her.

"Fine", Irene thankfully relented but still pouting. 

Irene's phone vibrated and she picked up immediately seeing the caller. "Jennie-yah!"

Seulgi stood up to take their orders as Irene was busy with her call. She sighed. What was she doing?, she wondered to herself. It's like a sickness. The woman made her happy as much as she's miserable.In fact, Irene never asked for anything except wanting to listen to her stories and what she did for the day. It was weird.

Wendy's school and living expenses were covered by her parents. As much as Wendy loves her, she knew Wendy would rather live her life peacefully instead of keeping up with Kang Seulgi. 

Seulgi turned around a bit to see Irene smiling at her widely while she was still on call with Kim Jennie. It was as if Kang Seulgi was the only one in the world she sees.

And Seulgi didn't want to venture her torturous mind further than that.

"So you will be busy soon then?" The annual K-Con was near and Irene had decided to be part of Jennie's stylist team for the artists to promote their clothes.

"Yeah", Irene nodded, playing with her ice-cream cup a bit. They were now walking along the Central Park before they decided to part ways. 

"Does it tire you out? Studying and working at the same time?" 

"Physically,yes? But mentally no. It's the job that I enjoy."
 
Their similarity stopped there. Seulgi's physically fine but mentally exhausted. Irene went for the marketing as her major instead of the fashion design she used to dream of. 
 
Loss of inspiration, she said. 
 
"I'm glad to hear that."
 
"How about you? Do you enjoy what you're doing?"
 
"Well, it pays the bill." And Seulgi felt like she worked hard enough to pay for her sins of the night. So that she wouldn't feel guilty. 
 
Irene snorted as Seulgi laughed. "You dork. I'm serious!"
 
"Well, I'm happy when I get to see the results. It meant that I actually did something right."

It was true, the only happiness she got from her work these days was satisfaction from the results. But no fulfillment.

Seulgi realized her ice cream had started to melt which was also dripping all over her hands. She cursed herself mentally for not carrying a bag this time.Her hands were both sticky and she knew it was gonna stain if she touched her clothes. 

"You need help?" Irene gestured towards her cone as she started to her purse to find tissues.

"Y-yeah. There's some napkins in my back pocket, Unnie."

"Okay." Irene reached over and took out the napkins from Seulgi's back pockets. Seulgi froze and breathed in as she felt Irene's fingers brushing at her hips. 

Did she just-

Her napkins wasn't that deep in her pocket for Irene to having her hand touch her hips.Or was it her over-active imagination just working up?

"T-thanks." Seulgi's voice came out a little hoarse and she hoped Irene didn't notice.

"No problem." Irene just smiled at her lazily and continued to eat her ice-cream cup.

"We are going to have a break soon. Any plans usually?"

Seulgi wasn't about to confess waking up in different beds with different faces she never remembered. But she didn't want to lie.

"I usually have a horror movie marathon with Wendy."







 


"I'll be on my best behavior." Seulgi felt like a little child asking her mother for candy. She sighed as she sat straighter. 

"That's what worries me." Wendy replied impassive. Wendy nearly flew to Korea just to strangle Park Sooyoung with her stupid ideas. But she was right, annoyingly so. Wendy noticed Seulgi's lack of attachment towards her family's business and wealth. She gives it all because she sought perfectionism. The harder she works, the less scrutiny from parents about her personal life.

And she didn't have any dreams.

That was the main reason for her successful decisions in business, there was no biasness. It's scarier because she could burn it down if she felt like it.

Because she has no attachment to her work. If she's asked to walk away, she would walk away.

With Irene, Wendy noticed Seulgi became less aggressive. Her habit of sleeping around had also significantly decreased. They didn't address the matter but Seulgi's existence in Fridays nights at their apartment was obvious.

"Fine. I'll be supportive of you guys blossoming friendship."

"Really?" Seulgi's eyes shone like it was Christmas's Morning and Wendy's not sure if Seulgi herself realised it. 

"Just don't do anything stupid, Kang Seulgi."

She didn't have ill feeling towards Irene except that she changed her dear cousin into someone she never realised. Besides Irene was really mature and intelligent. 

And Irene might give Seulgi hope again.

But hope can be a double-edged sword and that's what Wendy's worried about.


_____
 

"Have you decided who you'll be bringing as your date to the wedding?"

Seulgi understood Taeyong had been trying to reach out to her ever since they met again two years ago. But times had changed. And Seulgi still couldn't forget easily that one of her closest friends partook in voting on school forum which humiliated her beyond measure. 

Wounds like that was hard to recover. 

She knew her friend had grown up and she could feel his apology in his actions. After all, who would actually work together with a 22 years old rich girl without her parents knowing?

"I'm bringing Wendy."

"Seriously?" She could hear his flabbergasted tone without looking up. They were in his crib with Mark working on the new possible venture to develop further in Seoul when they got back.Taeyong for his recognition, Mark for his talents and Seulgi for her parents.

Their mutual friend will be having a wedding ceremony in a few weeks and Seulgi was forced into a promise that was hard to fulfill. To bring someone significant in her life. 

"You have looks and brains. Surely, there's a lot of guys after you, including girls."

It was an open secret between them. They never asked, Seulgi never answered. 

"Wendy's pretty significant in my life." Seulgi frowned, resetting the data she just put into the system. She's really was bad at Math. 

"You can do better than Wendy as your date, Seul."

"Tell that to yourself, playboy." Seulgi muttered and Mark laughed at her retort, causing Taeyong to throw a pillow at his best friend. 

Her phone vibrated besides her laptop and she took a peak.

Miyayeah texted. 

It's really beautiful❤. You will see me wearing it soon.

Seulgi smiled. Well, the lady was pleased. Hopefully, she could call her soon and all would be back to normal.

____


It was finally the time to have their movie marathon.

Irene arrived to their apartment on time and Seulgi waited by the door to welcome her senior. The strong scent of Lavender reached her sense even before Irene came close to her. They shared a brief greeting and Seulgi let her senior in.

As Irene walked ahead into the apartment,