"Hyun-ah."

"Huh?" Irene dropped the pencil she was absentmindedly rolling between her fingers. She looked at her boyfriend's concerned face, the worry lining his sharp features and handsome face. So handsome.

"Are you okay?" His one arm, slung around her shoulders, moved from its place and settled beside its owner. He shifted his body to face Irene and propped his chin upon his fist, his elbow resting on the back of the couch. He leaned into the couch and waited patiently for a response.

Irene's eyes flicked to the ground. Was it Seulgi who gave her that pencil? "You're staring at me so intensely, Bo Gum." 

"I'm only worried about you."

Fingers wrapped around Irene's own, giving them a comforting squeeze. There was so much Irene wanted to say, to spill. She couldn't bring herself to. She'd cut Seulgi deep for no reason. She'd pushed Seulgi away and sent her into the arms of that damn YooA who waited to snatch Seulgi up. Irene hated how YooA looked at Seulgi. She hated how Seulgi looked back, a wide smile full of teeth shining at the younger girl. YooA always laughed, Seulgi laughing too, and Irene always left as soon as possible. There was no use in making herself hurt more than she already did. Her heart beat faster as she thought about the bear's smile. Irene missed being able to make Seulgi smile like that, with real happiness. Real hope.

Love.

It seemed that now, all she made Seulgi do was smile sadly. A small smile, not even half the size of those gifted to YooA. 

Irene managed to look her boyfriend in the eyes. She wanted to tell him everything. She wanted to spill all that plagued her mind in the hopes that he'd save her from herself and hold her close, whispering sweet nothings in her ear while her hair. His touch was so calming.

However, Irene couldn't bring herself to say anything. Her boyfriend, no matter how amazing, couldn't help her now. She didn't want to burden him with a problem he couldn't solve. She didn't want him to become just as broken, tearing himself up inside as he knowingly watched Irene and Seulgi's friendship fall before his feet in tatters that only Irene, not him, could piece back together. 

"Don't worry," Irene finally said, pressing her forehead against Bo Gum's. She ran a hand through his hair. "There's just a lot on my mind with school."

Bo Gum's lip quirked up at one corner. "Class President, Bae Irene, you work yourself too hard." 

"You're the one leading the team to victory time after time," Irene answered back with a smile of her own, snuggling into the crook of his neck and pressing a hand to his chest. His heart beat so strongly against her touch. It felt so real. Too real.

This was reality, and she wished it was a nightmare. That way, she could wake up. 

Seulgi-ah... Do you miss me too?

"She doesn't hate you, you know," Yeri said. She stretched her body across the bed and yawned. "This bed is soft. I might just fall asleep."

I wish I could fall asleep. That way, I could wake up. Wake up from this terrible dream. Is this what it has come down to? My life was so full, but now there's a hole just for you. I feel like an incomplete puzzle. I'm missing pieces. I miss you. Do you miss me too? When we look at each other, I see the hurt in your eyes. Can't you see I'm hurting too? Words that should come so easily instead flow like tar, the slow glops landing at my feet when they are instead meant to land at yours. Our paths used to cross and intertwine like best friends' should. How come now it seems like I couldn't find you if I tried?

"You zoned out again." Yeri flicked Seulgi's temple. "Knock, knock. Anyone in there?"

"Ouch, Yeri," Seulgi grumbles, flinching back. She was caught up in her dramatic thoughts again, recently plagued constantly by the older girl. It seemed that this way of thinking was the only way she could hope to sort out her feelings at all. Everything hurt.

"Yah! Pay attention, won't you? Yah, Kang Seulgi."

Nothing had really happened between Irene and Seulgi to make them like this. Seulgi had thought maybe Irene didn't accept her. Couldn't accept her. Except now, maybe Seulgi had been wrong all along. Maybe she'd cause this unsealable rift and driven away someone who'd given her the world. Irene was so caring and sweet. That's why everyone liked her. She was just so nice. Her