Seulgi's POV

"Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?

 SpongeBob SquarePants!

 Absorbent and yellow and porous is he!

 SpongeBob SquarePants!

 If nautical nonsense be something you wish,

 SpongeBob SquarePants!

 Then drop on the deck and flop like a fish!

 SpongeBob SquarePants!"

The TV was on, the popcorn was ready, the pyjamas were on and so started my weekend. I loved Spongebob, even though I'm too old to watch it. This was the only way there was for me to past time. 

Or you could see those video files Wendy sent you. 

I ignored my subconscious and continued to keep my eyes glued on the TV. This was a distraction, a way to avoid all the security issues I will start to face once Irene decides to take some form of action. Moreover, that e-mail was the first thing Wendy has sent in over a week. No calls or no drop-bys, just a big file with CCTV footages. I sound petty and childish but I don't care. Even though she said it's important. 

Just watch the videos, stop being a coward. 

Shut up, I'm not a coward, I'm just mad.

Stop being a kid, grow the up Kang Seulgi. 

I mentally let out a scream and turned off the TV and opened the large attachment file. I got a call from Wendy as soon as I opened it. 

She must have been watching me. . 

"Hello, traitor.", I nonchalantly said and noticed that Wendy held her breath and let it out in a frustrating sigh. 

Maybe she is actually a traitor. 

"Irene is making her moves isn't she?" I asked, waiting for an answer. I could almost hear Wendy's hesitation but she decided to fess up. 

"Yeah, she asked me, no, commanded me to make you stop seeing Joy. Little does she know I'm the reason you even started seeing her." A pause. " I'm sorry for this Seulgi but I can't help you out now. I need you to stay the away from her, do you hear me? It's for your own good. If you don't listen to me, they will send someone else to do my job and I don't want that." she said, every word dripped with regret, anger and worry. 

I didn't want to admit to myself that I had been reckless in the first place to even go visit Joy. I was heavily warned against it and somehow, SOMEHOW, Irene stopped monitoring me and I finally felt the freedom to go visit the love of my life, even though it wasn't under the circumstances I would have liked it to be. Hearing Wendy telling me not to visit her pierced my heart and I could feel my heart ache slowly creeping back. I felt happy just by seeing her even though she didn't even know me. I had to laugh at the way the universe works and felt the tears creeping to the edge of my eyes. 

Get a grip, Seulgi. I scolded myself and tried to converse with Wendy without a shaky voice. I failed miserably. 

"It's not your fault, Wan. I understand. It's just so hard you know. What did I ever do to deserve this?", I ended up breaking down into tears and sobbed uncontrollably. "At least, Joy doesn't deserve any of this and she's happy. That's a good thing, right?", I managed to ask without choking over my tears. It wasn't really a question. I just wanted someone to reassure me that Joy was happy without me and that I can finally let go of her. 

"You're right Seulgi. Joy is happy and that's the only good thing out of this. I sound harsh but you're gonna have to put a pause on your trip on Joy's memory lane, literally speaking. She is in a good place and you can't help her in the future if you're dead. You can come back and see her after a while after things get a little less intense. Till then, stay low, Slug. I love you and I really am gonna try and get you and Joy together. I love playing cupid after all." I laughed a little at her proclamation and wondered how Wendy knew just the right things to say to calm me down. 

"Oh, and also, you have 24 more hours," she said with a hint of delight.

"Of what?"

"Are you really that dense? You can go see Joy for the next 24 hours but not more than that, okay? Enjoy. I love you!", she cut the call before I could say something and I was just sitting there with the biggest grin on my face and a pounding heart. But I also had a decision to make. Should I use this day to spend more time with her or just stay home and try to forget about her. 

Option A is the only option available. Go to her, coward.

---

I decided that it was better to spend time with her than mope around my house watching Shinchan and Spongebob. I also had a very valid reason. I had left my painting there to let it dry and I'm going to retrieve my painting, no other ulterior motives like memorising her beautiful face and her infectious laugh or just maybe even stealing a kis-" NO! You are NOT about to do that, Kang Seulgi. Keep your hormones to yourself. 

Okay, so maybe not that. I sighed and made sure that no one followed me while going to Joy's house. Firstly, Taemin's car wasn't there and that put me in a bright mood. Secondly, that means she could spend some alone time with Joy and maybe drop some vague hints about their happy times together in the dorms of the agency's training academy. I could only wish that she remembers something before I leave, for good. With another frustrated sigh, I knocked on the door. The door was swung open on the second knock and, wow, she looked so beautiful when she smiled. I had to control myself from just staring at her face for the next century and actually tell her that I came to pick up my painting. 

"Hey, Seulgi. I was wondering when you were gonna show up to get you're painting.", she grinned at me while tugging me inside the house. I looked at her hand over mine and smiled widely before answering her. 

"I slept in a little.", I sheepishly said and tried to hide my disappointment when she dropped my hand.  Sheesh, Seulgi. Get a ing grip over yourself. 

She smiled at me again and motioned me to enter the art room. I followed her without any questions and kept on staring at her in a rather obvious way. She shyly turned away and faced my painting when she caught me gawking at her flawless face. ! 

" I really love this. I know I've said it before but, this has captured my heart somehow. Do you know what that feels like?" she asked me with a baby-like curiosity and a bright smile. God, that smile. I'll do anything for that smile. 

I ignored the butterflies in my stomach and answered her. "Yeah, I know how it feels. The feeling of falling in love with a piece of art is just something very intimate and special. It's a magical experience and everyone needs to go through that in their life.", I said while trying to avoid her eyes. Her perfect, beautiful eyes with all her emotions on display. 

She hummed in reply and proceeded to hand my painting out to me. Her face suddenly brightened up, as if she remembered about that one time when we went hiking and she fed a pig and how he followed them around.  Shut up, Seulgi. 

"You said you'll paint me one day. Wehn are you going to do it?", she asked me with hopeful eyes that made me want to pull out a canvas and do it right then and there. 

"Oh, I haven't forgotten about it. In fact, we can do it right now. What do you say?", In spite of my head screaming not to do it, I found myself asking her to be my Muse. She grinned so wide and I swear she even jumped up a little and clapped her hands like a kid. She made me so soft, what the .

"YAY! I have been looking forward to this, you know? Even Taemin hasn't asked me to be a model for one of his paintings.", she sighed but quickly replaced it with a shy smile. She must have gotten hold of how excited she was for being a complete and total stranger's model. I was surprised by her reactions too, but I had no time to register my observations. I quickly guided her to the brightest corner of the room where the balcony opened to show a beautiful street with another apartment on the other side. With the orange leaves of the trees in the background, Joy looked angelic and I took a second to admire her. To admire art. 

"You look so beautiful, Joy.", I said without thinking. This is the second time and I scolded myself and bit my lower lip to hide the smile that was slowly covering up my face when I saw Joy blush at the compliment. 

"You're even more beautiful, Seugli", she said. It was my turn to blush. I waved the compliment away and asked her to smile for the painting, and started to sketch the outline. I took my own time to analyse every feature of her face and tried to get it as perfect as possible. It took me some time to draw her lips as I was far too distracted by it, I kept on forgetting to get the shape on my mind. She must have noticed it because she her lips once and her bright smile once again turned to a shy one. 

After half an hour or so, I finished the painting and was trying to prolong the time so that I could shamelessly stare at her and blame it all on observation for painting. However, I couldn't do it forever so I gave her a sign that I finished it and called her over to see the end result. I was nervous since I haven't drawn her in a while but as soon as I saw her face, I rejoiced. 

"Holy ! Wow, I actually look really pretty. How did you do that? Oh my god", she exclaimed with a wide, satisfied smile on her face. I was happy at that moment. So happy. 

"Because you are really pretty. It's all you, not me.", I whispered in a lower tone since we were standing pretty close. It was a very sincere statement and I obviously meant every word. She turned around to face me and I felt time slow down, making my breath hitch in my throat and I possibly let out an audible gasp due to our close proximity. She either didn't notice my reaction or chose to ignore it. She smiled sheepishly and thanked me. I smiled back. "You should keep this. Keep it safe, okay? You might wanna show this to your grandchildren one day and tell them how a beautiful and highly talented professional artist made a painting just for you.", I said in a lighter tone to dissipate the apparent tension that was brewing in the room. 

She laughed at my elaborate and specific tale. "Don't worry, I will protect this with my life. I probably have tears in my eyes just by looking at it. It's so beautiful. Thank you, again." she said and unexpectedly, pulled me in for a soft hug. I gasped at the physical contact and the warmth that started to spread through my heart. I hugged her back as delicately as possible and sighed when I smelled her shampoo. She hasn't changed her shampoo. At least she remembers that.  I quipped in my head and felt her pull away from the hug. It was brief but I felt ecstatic and I just knew my face had one of the silliest grins. 

And then reality hit me. I wouldn't be able to visit again. I wouldn't be able to come back here, again. I wouldn't be able to hug her or make her laugh or see that shy smile of hers. Just like that, my mood turned sombre but I held up my facade so that Joy didn't know. I decided it was best to leave now. 

"Joy, I have to go. It's getting late.", I informed her she nodded her head. 

"Aww, you're already leaving. I like spending time with you. You feel like an old friend to me.", she said and I was sure she was just voicing out her thoughts at this point. I smiled one last time and left the room first, followed by her. I reached to open the door. 

"Will you come again? I'm sure you don't need classes anymore but will you come again?" she asked me with so much hope. I felt terrible to disappoint her. 

"Of course, Joy. I'll come again.", I said with a strained smile. She caught me off guard once again as she pulled me into a hug again. However, this time, she also pecked my cheek before pulling away. She shut the door and went inside, leaving me walking in the empty street with a blushed face and jumbled toughts and bittersweet moments of my last day with Joy.