“I love you…”

 

“Will you please leave?”

 

Irene suddenly felt like a knife was into her, she just said a word that hasn’t existed in her vocabulary until this moment and all she got in return was cold shoulder.

 

“I need space…” Wendy said without looking at Irene

Tears are on the verge of dropping any moment now and Irene is trying to fight to keep it all together “Wendy, I k—“

“I need you to leave me alone…” Wendy said firmly “So please, just go…”

 

Irene wanted to ask why, but she couldn’t. It’s already killing her that Wendy doesn’t want anywhere near her right after she tells her she loves her.

So without a word, she left.

 

Wendy gasped for air as soon as Irene left “It’s going to destroy you forever this time…” She whispered clasping her hand on her chest “Don’t do it. Stop it.”

 

 

Irene couldn’t hold back her tears anymore as soon as she got inside her car.

“Stop it…” She said hitting her chest “She doesn’t want you. So you better get your head straight and move on…”

 

 

“What is it?” Mrs. Son asked worriedly when she saw Wendy looking out at the window

“Nothing…”

“You’re not a good liar…”

“I did it perfectly earlier though”

“Well, I’m your mother; I always know when you’re lying”

 

“Omma, do you remember Joohyun?” Wendy asked looking outside

Mrs. Son looked at Wendy carefully; she knew better than anyone else what Joohyun is to Wendy’s life “Of course I do. Did you come to the lake again?”

 

Wendy shook her head “We’ve met again…”

Mrs. Son examined her and she was right. Just a mere thought of Joohyun can make her tear up, Wendy was supposed to be happy seeing her again but seeing how tears are forming on her daughters eyes she knew. “Did she finally gave you that gift?”

 

Wendy shook her head again “She doesn’t remember me…”

“It’s been 15 years it’s not impossible that she doesn’t recognize you and you weren’t exactly a catch back then” She joked, making Wendy smiles a little

“Did I ever tell you that she is my boss?”

Mrs. Son paused before she answered “I had a feeling that something is going on ever since you started that new job, but I didn’t expect it to be like that” Mrs. Son said “Did you tell her that you were that ugly kid who keep clinging unto her back then?”

Making Wendy smiles again “I’m still your daughter you know.”

“I still remember when you brought her home; you keep boasting that you have the most beautiful friend out there” Mrs. Son said with a smile

Wendy smiles “Beautiful as ever…”

 

“I’m sure she is, she’s such a lovely girl back then, I miss that little girl”

“Me too”

“So why are you moping out here then?” Mrs. Son asked “Why don’t you tell her that?”

“What if I tell her that and she disappears again? I don’t want to go through the same hell again and I’m sure this time I won’t make it out.”

“I don’t know what advice should I give you, this is something you should decide on your own. But always remember whatever decision you make, I’m always right here for you.”

 

 

 

Wendy breathes deeply one more time before she knocks the door. A surprised Irene welcomes her at the door.

 

“Wendy? What are you doing here?”

“Can I come in?”

 

Irene hesitated for a second then let her in.

 

“I was under the impression that you don’t want me anywhere near you” Irene said heavy-heartedly “So why are you here?”

“I wanted to apologize for what happen earlier” Wendy starts “I shouldn’t have acted that way, I’m sorry…”

“You don’t have to apologize…” Irene said looking at her “That’s how you feel; you should never apologize for your feelings…”

“I know, I just…” Wendy paused “you’re my boss” she lied.

“So you didn’t come here because you feel sorry, you come here because I’m your boss” Irene scoff at her hurtfully “Because I’m your goddamn boss”

 

Wendy looked away. I wanted to see you so bad.

 

“If you’re afraid that I’m going to fire you, don’t worry. I know the difference between personal and professional” Pain wrapping on her voice.

“I did—“

“You know what” Irene cut her off “I’m actually hurt by the fact that you came here for your goddamn job and not because of me, I actually thought I was more than a job to you,” She laughed bitterly

“You’re wrong…” Wendy said firmly “I’m worried about you. This is why I’m rendering my resignation effective immediately”

 

“W-what?” Irene asked still processing what Wendy just said “Do you really hate me that much?”

Wendy smiles weakly “You were more than just a job to me.” You are my person. “That’s why I need to go. I don’t want you to get hurt every time you see me”

 

“Lie.” Irene stated “You’re a liar”

 

“I’m not lying…” Wendy told her “But if that’s going to make you feel any better, you’re right. I’m a big fat liar.”

“Stop acting like you care about me!” Irene couldn’t hold it in any longer “Just admit it, you hate me and it makes you sick being in the same room as me, just admit it!”

“I don’t hate you; I could never hate you…” Wendy confessed. I’m scared.

 

“Leave! I don’t want to hear any of your lies!” Irene screamed “Leave!”

“After this, you can hate me all you want” Wendy said “I know I don’t have the right to but before I go, there’s one thing I’d like to ask.”

 

“What for? You’re leaving anyway…”

“That’s why I should ask this”

“What for?”

“Closure…”

 

Irene laughed mockingly “Closure? Really? You’re going with that?”

“What you said to me earlier…”

“You mean earlier when I told you I love you and you just threw me away?”

“How can you say that? What makes you say that?” You don’t even remember me. “Irene you don’t even know me”

 

“Because that’s what I feel, because that’s what you makes me feel.” Irene answered

Me too. Wendy thought

 

“I know it hasn’t been that long since we met and I know that most of those time I was nothing but a terrible boss to you—“

“Terrible? Try horrendous” Wendy argue

“Fine. Guilty as charged…” Irene said in defeat “That’s because I’m your boss, that’s how I should act”

 

Wendy furrowed her brows “Okay, let me get this straight, you don’t smile, you don’t laugh, is that written in secret CEO book? You are more than rude, do you know that? Do you even know what apologies means? How to say sorry? Or it didn’t exist in your vocabulary too?”

 

Irene looked down “I’m sorry…”

“Great” Wendy said with sarcasm “And I know you are a big time CEO and you’re paying us to do things for you but would it actually hurt you to say thank you and appreciate what other people are doing for you?”

“I know, I get it, okay… but that’s you” Irene reasoned “That’s not who I am.”

Funny, because that’s how I remember you. At least that’s who you used too.

 

“I know I’m not perfect but at least I don’t pretend someone I’m not”

 

And that’s it. My question for 15 years has now been answered. On why she disappear without me knowing, why she left without a word.

That’s it.

That’s why.

Why she can’t remember nor recognize me. What happened 15 years ago that I am holding dearly inside my heart was all nothing but a deception.

 

“You don’t pretend someone you’re not?” Wendy scoffed “Don’t make me laugh… you’re every bit of a fraud.”

To say Irene wasn’t hurt is a lie. She maybe a terrible boss but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t true with her feelings “You didn’t have to go out of your way and say those words for me to get your point that you didn’t want me. You’ve made your point right after I tell you I love you. I know what ‘no’ means, I’m not stupid.”

 

“I never took you for a fool. If there is someone stupid here that’ll be me. You see, stupidity is my forte, I ne----“

“Was it fun?” Irene cut her off “Does it feel good seeing someone who treats you for months looking miserable like this? You’re probably making fun of me inside your head, laughing at me thinking I deserve this”

“I never mad—“

“Do you want to hear it? Want to know what I’m feeling right now? Fine…” Irene said as she looked at Wendy with sorrowful eyes

“My throat starts burning, my stomach tightens, I could feel my lungs closing up, my tears rushing up to my eyes faster than I ever dreamed possible” As tears run down her face “And I could feel my heart breaking inside me...”

 

Wendy clenches both her hands tightly. Holding back, fighting hard not to go to wipe her tears and take Irene in her arms. She cannot throw herself again like she did 15 years ago.

 

“Now you know what it feels like…” Wendy looking at her with heavyhearted eyes “Can you imagine what it feels like living with that for 15 years?”

“Because I can…”

 

Irene eyes turns soft, worries and concern registered on her now swollen eyes. She didn’t know Wendy is bearing a weight like that

 

Wendy grits her teeth, trying to fight back the tears that are coming “It’s like dying every day and you didn’t know how to stop it. So you just died and wake up still dying the next day”

 

“Let me help you…” Irene speaks softly “Let me help you forget that past, use me if you have to…”

Wendy laughed mockingly “You helping me? You don’t really remember, don’t you?”

 

“R-remember what?”

“It’s because of you that I’m dying every day for 15 goddamn years!" Wendy screamed as tears dropped continuously “It’s because of you. It’s because of you…”

“Wendy, I-I have no idea what you’re saying…” Irene looking at her oblivious “We met 9 months ago, you must be mistaken me for some—“

 

“Bae Joohyun!” Wendy looking at her heavy-hearted “Joohyun-ah…”

 

‘Bae Joohyun!” 12 year old Irene turn to looked and saw Wendy running to her “Joohyun-ah~”

‘Joohyun-ah~ looking for me?” 10 year old Wendy flashing a smile

 

“Yah Bae Joohyun! Where have you been?!”

“I wa---“

Wendy trapped her in a hugged before she could finish her sentence “Do you have any idea how worried I was? I thought something bad had happened to you”

Irene smiles “I’m sorry… I won’t disappear like that again…”

“You better be…” Wendy said still hugging her

“I promise…” Irene smiling as she hugged back “I won’t ever disappear like that again, I promise, Seungwan-ah”

 

“S-seung—seungwan?” Irene asked trembling followed by tears “S-seungwan? Is that you?” Reaching her hand to her face “Seungwan-ah…”

 

 

Wendy closed her eyes at Irene’s touch. She misses this.

The way Irene can calm her just by touch.

The way Irene says her name

She miss this, she miss everything about her.

 

‘Seungwan-ah, see you tomorrow” 12 year old Irene smile at Wendy

Wendy nodded with smile “its Saturday tomorrow, meaning play all day!”

Irene chuckled “assignment first…”

“You’re like my mom” Wendy looking at her dejectedly “I’m going…”

“Be careful on your way, say hi to your mom for me”

“I won’t…”

“Aigoo…” Irene ruffling Wendys’ hair “stop sulking, I’ll give you something tomorrow”

Wendy’s face light up “Really?”

Irene nodded “So you better come, I’ll wait for you”

Wendy nodded enthusiastically.

 

 

“Son Seungwan!” Mrs. Son runs towards Wendy, sitting silently near the lake “What are you doing here? It’s already 9 PM. I’m so worried about you”

“I’m waiting for Joohyun...” Wendy plainly said “She said she have a gift for me…”

“Why don’t we go home and you can go to her house tomorrow, sounds good?”

“I can’t, what if she comes here and I’m not here”

“I’m sure she’s at home already, she must have fallen asleep like last time”

 

 

“She didn’t come again?” Mrs. Son looking at her daughter poorly, it’s been a month and Wendy keeps coming back at the lake every day waiting for Irene

Wendy shook her head weakly “She said she’ll wait for me…”

Mrs. Son took little Wendy for a hugged “I’m sure she has her reason…”

“She promise me she won’t disappear…”

 

Wendy took Irene’s arm off of her “I keep coming back to that place every day hoping that one day you’ll be there waiting for me like you promise.”

“Seungwan-ah, I’m sorry, I di—“

“Do you know how long it took before I accepted the fact that you’re not coming back? 10 years, it took me 10 long years. For every day that I’m sitting there I’m imagining what you would look like. That maybe we have cross paths already and just didn’t recognize each other and probably we won’t recognize each other anymore, I won’t even recognize you anymore”

“But I was wrong…” Wendy smiled bitterly “Because you see, 9 months ago when I walk-in inside your office, I knew in that moment, I knew for sure that it was you.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Irene asked in tears “It’s been 15 years, how could I know it was you?”

Wendy smiled bitterly “Irene, it didn’t take me a second to know it was you. And as if 15 years isn’t long enough, for 9 months, I waited and waited and waited but nothing. You won’t even know it was me if I didn’t tell you”

“I know I was just some kid you met when you were young but it should’ve meant something, right? Because those memories of you are still here” Wendy pointing at her heart “It’s been 15 years and you’re still here…”

Irene cries “I’m sorry… I’m really sorry”

“What’s your sorry going to make? You think your sorry can take the pain away? I was 10 but I would’ve understand why you had to go, why you had to leave! But you didn’t. You didn’t give me a chance to understand you, to see you one last time, to hear your voice for the last time, you just left.”

“Give me a chance, one more chance…” Irene pleads “One more chance… just one”

“Chance to what? To break me all over again? Chance to make promises you’ll never keep? Chance for what Irene huh? Chance for what?!”

 

“Chance to love you again…”

 

“I already gave 15 years of my life to you; you’re not getting any more of it”

“Wendy, please…” Irene pleads taking Wendys’ hand “I’m begging you…”

 

Wendy’s tears dropped again “At least this time we have a proper goodbye”

Irene shook her head “Wendy, no… please…”

 

“Goodbye, Joohyun-ah…”

 

 

 

 

 

THE END….

 

 

 

 

This is the 2nd time that I did a One-Shot and it's not Soshi so how is it?

 

--- Serenity