Wendy couldn’t help but be proud and tear up when the letter of acceptance came in the mail for Seoul National University, more specifically, the College of Music. She grinned at the paper for what seemed like an eternity, and couldn’t help but pray that her life was going to begin anew in Korea. She would make a new name for herself. She wouldn't just be the typical gay kid who did show choir and was socially awkward. She knew how homophobic the country that she was returning to was, and she hoped that it wouldn’t follow her.

But it was hard, especially when she closed her laptop and saw a little bear drawing that danced atop the apple-logo. She smiled weakly and tucked it into the purple case. It was funny how a case and a computer meant so much. How the little bear was Seulgi’s creation and how purple was representative of Yeri. Wendy squeezed her eyes shut.

She exhaled again and decided to focus. Focus on the beginning week of her college classes, and she enjoyed them deeply. She had decided to take a minor in English, easy for her of course, but it looked good when applying to jobs. So she would breeze through the classes. For her, her Korean was rusty. And she would ask for lesson transcripts and go to a nearby cafe. Adjacent to the College of Music and College of Nursing. That’s where you could find Wendy.

On this particular day, she was curled up in a cream sweater that hung loosely off her sleeves. A simple black face mask covered , aiming to not get sick despite the coughs that filled the warm cafe. She had to break down the transcript first, that was written in obnoxiously complex Hangul. So she had her fair share of translators, and would occasionally go up to Eunbi, a barista she had befriended and asked them about certain words. She would bow to them and tip them extra for every time that she had to do this.

She finally got onto working on her project despite the two-hour late start, and it was relatively simple despite the requirements. It was a paper contrasting the music popular in Korea currently as opposed to twenty years ago, and she couldn't help but feel excited. She began to outline points that she thought would be noteworthy.

She finished a list of sub-bullet points about Western influence when she felt a soft tap on her shoulder. “Seungwan-ssi. I’m sorry to bother you but… I think you need a break. Plus we close in an hour and I want you to get home before dark.” Eunbi explained, looking sheepish and their face was blushed. Wendy nodded repeatedly.

“Oh! I’m sorry.” She stood up and bowed to them, and smiled nervously. She tugged the mask off her face so her words wouldn't be muffled. “I’ll see you tomorrow probably?”

Eunbi laughed and waved her off. “I don’t work the rest of the week but maybe later.” She winked and walked away.

Wendy smiled at their fading form and began to pack up her stuff into her backpack. Which she held by the top handle because of the broken backstrap. Also the fear of being pickpocketed.

She realized how tired she was when she began to drag herself out of the cafe and towards the dorm rooms for the freshman and newly attending students. She was rubbing the sleep from one of her eyes when she accidentally elbowed someone's shoulder roughly. Despite this being normal in Korea, the Canadian part of Wendy had her spinning around and apologizing to them. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve been paying attention I-” She stopped when she saw the person turn around to face her, and was stunned by their beauty.

Their large, doe-like eyes blinked a few times and then they did a giggle. An extremely cute giggle, mind you. “It’s okay! I’m glad for finally running into you… Though I would have preferred it wasn’t literally.” 

Wendy spluttered again, her face becoming reddened and flushed. “Ah! I’m sorry about that still. But… Wait, you wanted to. Why?”

The heavenly beauty shrugged, “I have my sources, you’re the foreign freshman. And apologizing for running into people isn’t very Korean so I assumed.” Wendy puffed out her chest a little at this and jutted out her bottom lip.

“Hey! It’s called being polite.”

They only smiled at them. “I’m Irene by the way, but before asking for your number I should probably ask for your name.”

Wendy smiled at them. “W-.” She paused, remembering she wanted this year to be different. “Seungwan, but my English name is Wendy.” She introduced.

Irene mumbled. “Seungwan, Wendy, Seungwan~ Mm, I like that more.” She decided and winked at Wendy.

“Now about your number~” Wendy nodded back took their phone from them, and typed in the digits of her number. Irene smiled widely at them. “I’ll text you soon, okay?” Wendy leaned over, to seem them change their name from the ‘seungwan’ that was previously there to ‘cutie seungwan-ah <3.’

Wendy’s face heated up and she smiled at them. “I should get going now! Uh- Bye! Please don’t forget to text me.” And with that, she began to jog (or dead sprint) away from Irene her face heating up with embarrassment as she ran towards the dorms.

Two days passed and Wendy was sure that Irene wasn’t going to text but at noon she received a text message. ‘This is Irene, my friend Jennie is having a party tonight and I was wondering if you could come??’ Wendy stared at it, hesitating to respond before a second message followed, ‘i’d really like it if you come, seungwan-ie <3.’ At that her face flushed into a deep shade of red she responded with a quick and simple affirmation and a smiley faces and she inhaled deeply.

Immediately after she sent the text message, she felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. For two primary reasons, the first being there was a possibility this was a trick, and secondly that she probably wouldn’t even see Irene there. A frown tugged at her lips.

Walking into the warehouse was the worst thing Wendy had done in a long while. The party smelt of drunk teenagers and an assortment of drugs that definitely weren’t Korean. Her nose wrinkled. Her dress for this party fit in, a white blouse with a leather jacket and jeans. She wasn’t about to wear an expensive dress when it would inevitably get alcohol on it.

Three steps into the party a red solo cup was shoved into her hands, and Wendy wasn’t sure when time 

went by but the cup was empty and she was wandering aimlessly for more.

Her brain felt foggy, and Wendy knew this wasn’t a got decision. She wasn’t a heavy drinker in the slightest, and this alcohol left a burning feeling in . She saw a short woman strutting towards her and she awkwardly waved with a dopey smile.

“I thought I wouldn’t find you. Enjoying yourself?” Irene asked, she grinned and her eyes sparkled with determination. Her breath didn't stink of alcohol, and she seemed perfectly sober. Wendy’s eyes wandered downwards to where a bit of cleavage poked out of her tight black dress and her face flushed.

“Uh, yeah. Sorry, I didn’t think I’d find you. I thought you were tricking me, to be honest.”

“Now why would I do that?”

Seeing Irene’s earnest expression, Wendy sighed and swirled the amber liquid in her cup around. “Its happened before.” She peaked up and smirked. “I’m glad you didn’t.”

The two were quiet, and the silence was beginning to churn into something uncomfortable. Wendy was anxious, what did she do wrong? She didn’t think she misspoke. She turned around to check if anything was out of the ordinary. When her gaze returned to the person in front of her, Irene’s gaze was burning. Their ebony eyes seemed to have darkened with an expression unrecognizable to Wendy. “Why are you staring?” She asked nervously.

Irene leaned close to them, backing Wendy against the wall. She whispered a hot breath against her ear, “I want to kiss you right now.”

“Me too.”

Irene didn’t smile, and her eyes were fiery with lust. She leaned in and kissed her softly. The intensity rose slowly, but soon Wendy was clinging onto Irene’s hips. Her insistent mouth was parting Wendy’s waiting lips. Irene was evoking emotions and sensations she didn’t realize she was capable of feeling. Soon Wendy was kissing back. Irene was kissing Wendy with a fervent desire, want-- no-- a need.

The older woman pulled away. Wendy touched her own lips to check if it was just her imagination, but her eyes flickered up to see Irene’s lipstick smudged downwards. Irene smiled, her eyes were flaming with an emotion Wendy wasn’t positive about. “Seungwan-ah… Want to come with me?”

Wendy nodded eagerly, like a puppy. Irene smiled and grabbed around Wendy’s waist and escorted her upstairs. A soft click of a lock echoed behind them.

Irene didn’t hesitate. She pushed her lips against Wendy this time the lips had an urgency behind them, filled with a passionate wanting. Irene kissed along Wendy’s jawline and worked her way up to Wendy’s ear, which she nibbled on briefly causing Wendy to gasp in ecstasy. Wendy could feel Irene’s smirk when she whispered, her voice dropping in octaves, “You want this don’t you?”

“Y-Yeah.”

“Good.” Irene slid off Wendy’s leather jacket and moved her hand from Wendy’s hand to her lower back. She ground against Wendy and Wendy gasped, she hadn’t felt this before and Irene seemed like an expert.

Wendy pushed Irene away, and Irene looked like a kicked puppy. Her wide doe eyes stared up at Wendy. “I-I’m sorry. I’ve never done this before.”

Irene approached again, holding out her hand. “I’m a good teacher. Trust me.” She smiled, and the smile melted Wendy’s heart. She didn’t care about Irene’s intentions in that moment, because Wendy’s libido was skyrocketing and her was pulsating with neediness. Irene slid down to remove Wendy’s jeans, and carefully cupped Wendy’s heat.

“See, baby I can make you feel better.” Irene removed Wendy’s and watered. Irene ran a hand through Wendy’s slit, feeling the wetness that was made for her. Irene leaned forward and her folds, flicking her nub causing Wendy to gasp. Wendy grasped Irene’s hair causing Irene to make a low noise. Irene plunged her tongue in again at a furious pace, her hands gripping Wendy’s thighs. She leaned away to blow against Wendy’s .

“A-ah, Irene…” Wendy whined, her grip on Irene’s hair tightening. She was rigid and emitting tiny whines. Irene on her two fingers before plunging them into the heat of Wendy’s slit, causing a loud mewl from Wendy. Irene pumped her fingers in and out and curled them inside of Wendy. She could feel Wendy’s walls clench around her fingers.

Wendy let out a series of loud sounds, as she ed onto Irene’s hands. Once the walls loosened Irene slid her finger out and began sloppily the handiwork she had done. She smirked up at Wendy from her position on her knees. “I told you.”

These “flings” and the friends-with-benefits relationship became commonplace. Wendy would receive texts and go to reserved hotel rooms, and Wendy was being able to pleasure Irene as well now. She felt proud of herself.

Three months, two weeks, and five days after their first time having Wendy received a text. Unlike the ones before, this one was just an address. A follow-up text message simply said, “Now.” Wendy’s throat went dry.

Wendy walked into the hotel room to see Irene, her head in her hands and her eyes puffy. The door clicked behind her and Irene’s head snapped up. A manic grin on her face. “Wendy!”

Wendy was confused, Irene hated calling her Wendy. She loved the name Seungwan. Irene was walking towards Wendy with a look of desperation and reached her hands forward to cup Wendy's face in her hands. Irene pressed into the kiss with a sense of urgency, biting down on her bottom lip and tugging at it. Her hand gripping onto Wendy’s hair.

Wendy pulled away and Irene looked affronted. “What?” Irene said, her voice low.

“Is something wrong?” Irene shook her head and bit onto Wendy’s neck, hard until a bruise bloomed beneath her teeth. Irene left a trail of these and a hand around Wendy’s waist was squeezing. Her fingernails dug into Wendy’s sides. Irene pushed Wendy against the wall and began undoing her top, and 

Wendy shoved Irene away.

Irene stumbled to the ground and looked up furiously. “What the Wendy?”

Wendy was crying, and her tears were hot. Snot was dripping down her face. “Irene, what have you become?”

Irene stared at Wendy. Wendy looked exhausted, her neck was sporting hickeys and her cheek bore a bruise that Irene was pretty sure happened last week. Scratches adorned Wendy’s sides and chest. Irene sobbed and fell into Wendy’s arms, her chest heaving. “Dammit Wendy I used you. I ing used you. I -I.” She mumbled incoherent strings of words as her grip on Wendy softened.

She almost forgot how much everything hurt.

The two took a break, and Wendy took every measure to avoid Irene. One week before finals Irene texted her.

‘Hi! I want to see you again, I miss you <3.’

…

‘Not for , just for coffee. I need a study partner.’

Wendy sighed in relief and picked up her stuff and went to the cafe, waving to Eunbi on her way in she spotted the raven-haired beauty in the back corner. Wendy’s heart stopped, Irene looked gorgeous. Her hair was tied into a tight pony-tail, a loose yellow sweatshirt hung off of her, and she kept pushing off round spectacles.

looked up and smiled and Wendy practically fell over her own two feet when she went to great Irene. “Joohyun!”

“Seungwan-ah! I’ve missed you, I wanted to respect your privacy but… Studying its been hard, my grades have for a while and… Dammit I want to become a nurse and not get kicked out.” Irene massaged her temple.

Wendy put a hand on Irene’s shoulder and smiled. “You’re one of the best people I know, you can do this. Let me go get you a carrot-cake slice.”

“YES!” Irene cheered with glee, ing a sweater-paw in the air. She grabbed Wendy and the two hugged, Wendy fell into her embrace. The warmth was so familiar and Irene smelt like lavender and vanilla and regret.

It almost made Wendy forget.

Two weeks later finals were over and Irene burst into Wendy’s apartment with a look of happiness. “I passed! Seungwan it’s because of you.” She rushed over and planted a sloppy and passionate kiss on Wendy’s lips. Wendy would be lying if she said she didn’t miss the way Irene’s lips felt.

The two started to make out, Irene sat atop Wendy’s lap straddling her. She was gentle this time, her lips gently kissed Wendy’s jawline and she moved to the neck. Her were gentle, and she seemed to care.

Yet Wendy’s eyes were burning and she felt bile rising .

“What’s wrong?” Irene had pulled away, looking confused at how Wendy looked like everything was wrong in the world.

“You’re using me… Just for , and I love you too much.”

Irene’s eyebrows furrowed, and she stood up. She stared down at Wendy with an accusatory glare. “Can’t you see that I’ve changed! I’ve tried so hard to be better for you, you didn’t like it rough, you didn’t like me. So I tried, do you ing see how gentle I am right now. This isn't all about you, it’s mutual! It’s ing mutual you .”

Wendy was crying now, and the hot tears were forming, she grabbed Irene and dragged her out of the room, so the two were standing in the hallway.

“I love you so much Seungwan! I loved you since the day I met you and you’re doing this.” Irene stepped up and stared pleadingly. “Why won’t you believe me Son Seungwan. You are so ridiculous, I’m not the villain you are!” She screamed, and Wendy was sobbing, her chest hurt.

She closed the door roughly and she could hear the scratches of Irene. It went quiet aside from the quiet whimpers Wendy could hear from inside the hallway. A voice called out, quietly and filled with mourn.

“I know you can hear me Seungwan-ah. Please.”

“Don’t forget about me.”

Irene was Wendy’s eros