Present Day: Joy and Irene's Apartment, 7:42 PM

"So Kang Seulgi was a confident gay, huh?" Joy smirks.

Irene laughs at her best friend's remark. She takes a minute to ponder if Seulgi was indeed a confident gay. "Hmm, I don't think so. I almost ended up asking her to be my girlfriend first! And this is me we're talking about." Irene divulges and Joy immediately nods in understanding. "Instead of being a confident gay, I think she was just really persisent, honest and spoke her true feelings. She was simple and endearing." The corners of Irene's mouth twitched upwards. "Annoying at times," Irene chuckles. "But nevertheless endearing." Irene smiles wistfully, feeling a wave of nostalgia hitting her.

Joy notices the look on her Irene's face and sees a mixture of longing and happiness written all over her best friend's features. She really loved her. No. She really loves her. Joy thinks to herself. 

"Tell me more about her." Joy offers a gentle smile and reaches out to touch her best friend's hand. "I need to know what tactics she used on you and what kind of person made you reject all those guys and girls I set you up with." Joy withdraws her hand and crosses her arms across her chest.

"To be honest those people you set me up with weren't just really my type." Irene admits as Joy gasps in shock. "And she didn't use any tactics on me. She was just.. well, Kang Seulgi."

Flashback: Springmont University; Finals Season, First Semester of A.Y. 2011 - 2012

Seulgi and Irene were currently at Seulgi's favorite coffee shop, working on their Philo 101 final paper requirement. They were in the middle of the pair discussion regarding their assigned book, Freedom from the Known.

"So basically, what you're saying is that you agree with the idea of the book?" Irene questions.

"Yup." Seulgi answers with a huge grin. 

"Are you sure you read the book?" Irene's eyebrows contort in confusion. She opens her copy of the book and attempts to re-read some pages she bookmarked.

Seulgi laughs at her partner's skepticism. "I read it, okay? I didn't want to be a burden and.. I didn't want you to get mad at me." Irene lightly blushes at Seulgi's admission. "To be honest, this is the first book I finished and I actually liked it. I might read books more often from now on." Seulgi states nonchalantly and picks up her copy.

"Thank you for not being a burden then." Irene replies with a sarcastic smile. 

Seulgi just laughs and shakes her head. "What do you not like about the book?" Seulgi moves on to another topic.

"Everything just seems confusing to me and some parts are inconsistent! Like the book says so much stuff but it all just sounds like vague sounding buzzwords in my head whenever I read it." Irene complains. "Take for example this part, "A mind that is confused, whatever it does, at any level, will remain confused; any action born of confusion leads to further confusion. I see this very clearly; I see it as clearly as I see an immediate physical danger. So what happens? I cease to act in terms of confusion any more. Therefore inaction is complete action." I'm like what? Where is the logic in all of this? What do I get from this? Well, duh. If you stop being confused then you won't be confused! But it doesn't explain clearly how to get to that point of not being confused? I can't just suddenly stop being confused!" Irene rants.

"You can." Seulgi answers simply.

"What? How?" Irene demands.

"Just stop being confused." Seulgi tells Irene as if it was the easiest thing in the world to do.

"I swear to god, Kang Seulgi!" Irene rolls her eyes at her partner.

"What? I'm serious. If you stop being confused about whatever you're confused about and just let it be, then you won't be confused anymore." Seulgi explains. But upon seeing the confused look still on her partner's face, she decides to elaborate.

"The title of the book is Freedom from the Known right?" Seulgi asks to which Irene nods cutely while pouting. "Well, you gotta free yourself from knowing the answer. Simply let the answer be no answer. Inaction is complete action."  

"Oh, I see it now. But then see? It's inconsistent. Because I didn't stop being confused, I asked you and found the answer." Irene points out.

"But now you're confused about it being inconsistent, right? Any action born of confusion leads to further confusion." Seulgi wiggles her eyebrows at her partner.

"You're right." Irene's eyes widen in realization. "Wow, you're really good at figuring this out."

"You just think too much." Seulgi pats Irene's head but Irene immediately swats Seulgi's hand away. "And this book just resonates with me a lot. I'm the happy-go-lucky type, which I'm sure you already know by now, and this book perfectly matches my personality. You don't always have to know the answer or figure out what's right or wrong, you just have to simply be." Seulgi smiles and takes a sip of her iced americano.

"I guess you're right. I see your point and the idea of the book, but maybe this book is just not for me." Irene concludes and shuts her book close.

"Honestly, I figured you wouldn't like it." Seulgi chuckles.

"How?" Irene asks her partner, intrigued by how Seulgi analyzes her.

"We kinda have opposite personalities if you haven't noticed." Seulgi points out.

"Hmm.. You're right about that. And of course, I did notice. Why else do you think was I annoyed with you the first time I met you?" Irene acknowledges.

Seulgi can't help but laugh at her partner. "Why do you keep laughing at almost anything that I say? Am I that funny to you?" Irene remarks.

"It's nothing." Seulgi shakes her head. "I just find your existence to be the most entertaining one in this world." Seulgi smiles at Irene.

Irene just narrows her eyes at Seulgi. "As for me, I don't understand your existence in this world."

And Seulgi just laughs yet again.

After their initial discussion, they both fall into a moment of comfortable silence. Irene was in the process of reviewing her notes and starting to create an outline for her final paper. Seulgi, on the other hand, had her book open and was already starting to type away on her laptop to work on her actual final paper. They were both lost in their own worlds, occassionally taking a sip of their ordered drinks and taking turns in taking a bite of the single slice of purple yam cheesecake that they ordered to share with each other. It was the new item on the coffee shop's menu and both of them had been wanting to try it since it was introduced into the menu.

One of the many things they discovered as they spent a lot of time working together is that they share the same taste in food. So whenever they would come to that coffee shop, they would just usually order a single pastry, cookie or cake that they both wanted to try and just share it with each other.

Though at first, as expected, Irene wasn't too keen on the idea of sharing her food with Seulgi. But during that one time that they ordered the same food and both had leftovers again, Seulgi pointed out that it would be better to share food next time since they usually order the same thing anyway. Irene protested as usual, but Seulgi reasoned that they keep wasting too much food.

At the present time, sharing food had become a norm for them. Irene actually enjoyed the experience even, not that she would ever admit that to anyone even if she died though.

"Why did you take Computer Science?" Seulgi looks up from her laptop and asks out of nowhere.

"Seulgi, I already answered that question before. And why are you so interested in my life?" Irene protests, still keeping her eyes on her notes.

"Just answer my question again, please?" Seulgi urges her partner. 

"Fine." Irene sighs. "I took it because I didn't know what else to take and it seemed applicable in a lot of fields." Irene looks up for a second and explains with a lack of enthusiasm for the topic at hand. 

"There are a lot of other degrees applicable in a lot of fields too. But why Computer Science? What or who influenced you to choose that path?" Seulgi further questions her partner.

Irene doesn't know where Seulgi is taking the conversation that was taking place at the moment but she decides to go along with it. "Uh... my parents, I guess? They told me it would be practical to take it since technology would soon become "an irreplaceable tool in the coming years" as they would put it." 

"So your decision was influenced by your parents." Seulgi repeats then proceeds to read a line from her copy of Freedom from the Known out loud. "If we learn about ourselves according to someone else, we learn about them, not ourselves." Seulgi pauses. "I'm sure there's something that you're truly passionate about but would rather not pursue. Why is that?" 

"Like I said before, I don't know. I don't really have time to give it too much thought and I don't intend on doing so. I choose to be free from the known." Irene replies with a smug look on her face. "Also, I hate to break it to you, genius, but your decision to take up Business isn't all just you. It's also influenced by your family's upbringing." Irene counters. "Anyway, while I still don't understand your fascination with my life decisions, I would much rather focus on my final paper right now." Irene taps her notebook with her pen impatiently.

 "Right, sorry. This is me shutting up." Seulgi zips shut and does a locking motion before placing the imaginary key in Irene's hand.

"You're such an idiot." Irene laughs and throws the imaginary key back to Seulgi. 

Seulgi pretends to catch it and feigns shock. She s with the imaginary key and reprimands Irene. "Hey! You could've just lost the key! How am I to ever speak again without this precious key?" Seulgi caresses the imaginary key which appears to be in her left palm.

"Really, Seulgi?" Irene says with a dumbfounded look on her face.

"Just kidding." Seulgi giggles. "Anyway, it's already 5:43 PM. Online enlistment's about to end. Have you finished yours?" Seulgi reminds Irene.

"Of course. Who do you think you're talking to? Why? Haven't you?" Irene asks to which Seulgi answers by sheepishly shaking her head.

"You're hopeless, Kang Seulgi. You better hurry. You've only got about 15 minutes left." Irene scolds Seulgi.

"I'm almost done, okay? Chill." Seulgi calms Irene down. "But I still have an extra GE slot left. I don't know what I should take so I've been holding off on that." Seulgi explains. Truth be told, she had been reserving that slot and planning to ask Irene for her schedule so she could try and take the same class as her again during the upcoming semester.

"What are you taking next semester?" Seulgi grins widely at Irene.

Irene immediately realizes what Seulgi was trying to do and her face contorts in horror. "Oh no. No, Kang Seulgi. I've had enough of you this semester." 

"Oh come on! You don't mean that! Besides, it's not even guaranteed that I'll get the slot, or that you'll get the slot." Seulgi hopes to cajole Irene. "Plus, if we become classmates again you won't have to be bothered to talk to other people again and start over. You'll already have me!" Seulgi points to herself with both her thumbs and smiles widely.

"That doesn't sound very inviting at all. And what if I want to meet new friends?" Irene teases Seulgi. If she were being honest, she'd admit that she has actually gotten used to the girl in front of her and wouldn't mind spending another semester with her. 

"Please?" Seulgi pleads. "I promise to be your personal driver for the whole semester and drive you anywhere. Plus! We can always study here together and you won't have to worry about me being a bother since I promise to behave during class and even when we're studying together." Seulgi convinces Irene with a hopeful smile.

"And who says I'd want to keep on studying with you even after this semester?" Irene asks in a taut voice, attempting to mess around with Seulgi.

"I-I guess no one. I just really like spending time with you." Seulgi nervously confesses. "But I guess that's fine if you don't want to." She continues in a small voice and this just melts Irene's defenses.

"English 11, section WFW-1027." Irene gives in to Seulgi's request. "That's every Wednesday and Friday at 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM. Does that fit into your schedule?" She asks Seulgi.

Seulgi's previously dull expression lights up upon hearing this. "Yes! I actually left my morning schedule open because I knew you liked taking morning classes." Seulgi beams.

"So you've been planning to take the same class as me again, huh? I thought you just didn't know what to take." Irene eyes Seulgi suspiciously.

"Both are true!" Seulgi hurriedly exclaims in a defensive tone. "And like I said, I really like spending time with you, Irene." Seulgi smiles genuinely which effectively shuts Irene up.

"There! I'm done. I guess we'll just find out next semester if we're gonna be classmates again. I hope we both get the class. I really want to see you again." Seulgi leans forward to rest her chin on both of her hands and smiles broadly at Irene.

"Well, I don't. But I guess we'll see." Irene sticks her tongue out at Seulgi and returns to her previous task of working on her final paper.

Present Day: Joy and Irene's Apartment, 8:11 PM

"Let me guess. You guys both got the class." Joy predicts.

"Well, that's kinda a no-brainer at this point. We probably would have never talked again after Philo ended if we didn't become classmates the following semester." Irene points out.

"Unless, Kang Seulgi somehow managed to keep on appearing before you, which at this point I wouldn't be surprised with anymore. The girl likes you! It's so obvious even if she doesn't say it. You did notice right?" Joy confirms with Irene.

"I mean, yeah. But of course, I didn't want to assume. She was actually a really friendly person and just naturally plain-spoken." Irene clarifies the situation.

"Okay, that's valid." Joy agrees. "You obviously like her too though. You give in to her way too easily. Although, it's only obvious for me now since I already know you. If I was Kang Seulgi and I didn't know you better, I'd probably have given up right away." 

"I told you she was persistent. Now that I'm looking back on it, I think I was kinda mean to her back then at the beginning." Irene ponders.

"You were! And not just kinda." Joy picks up her own wine glass and takes a big gulp. "I know you're like drop dead gorgeous and all that , but I don't think anybody would be that patient to deal with you. This Kang Seulgi is really something else." Joy downs her wine glass and pours herself another one.

"Woah. Slow down with the wine, tiger. I thought I was the one going through something here?" Irene jokes.

"We're all dealing with stuff here, Joohyun. If you're dealing your post breakup existential crisis, well I'm dealing with the fact that I now really need to know what happened to you two!" Joy whines.

"Well, I could just skip to the ending if that's what you want." Irene suggests.

"Of course that's not what I want!" Joy immediately cries out. "I want you take even longer and tell me everything." Joy faces Irene and holds both of her hands.

Irene pulls both of her hands away from Joy and pushes Joy a little farther from her to give herself some personal space. "Anyway, what were we talking about?" Irene tries to recall.

"You being a meanie to Kang Seulgi." Joy responds while hugging the wine bottle close to her and making an angry face.

"Right. I wouldn't have it any other way though. If that was the way to get Kang Seulgi's attention, then I'm glad I did it. I honestly can't imagine not meeting her the way that I did in this lifetime." Irene smiles warmly.

Flashback: Springmont University; Second Semester of A.Y. 2011 - 2012

During their second semester in Springmont, Irene and Seulgi continued their normal routine of studying together in that cozy coffee shop that Seulgi had introduced to Irene during their first semester. They had already gotten used to each other's study habits and had actually become good study buddies. Of course, even with their considerably more.. peaceful relationship, their playful exchange of teasing remarks never changed. Irene was still her old mean self while Seulgi was still well, Seulgi.

Irene and Seulgi were currently in their favorite coffee shop, previously only Seulgi's favorite coffee shop, working on their respective school work. Irene was currently working on their English 11 homework while Seulgi was in the middle of completing one of her requirements for her major.

"Hey, stupid. Can you pass me the cookie? Stop hogging it all to yourself." Irene grumbles.

Seulgi, for once, was completely focused on doing her homework and didn't notice that she had pulled the plate too far away from Irene's reach. "Oh, sorry. Didn't notice that I was hogging it." She passes the plate to Irene and immediately returns her attention to her homework.

Irene pinches a crumb off the cookie and puts it in . As she was chewing, she observes the serious girl in front of her. She had noticed that everytime Seulgi works on something related to her major, the girl would be completely different from the Seulgi that she knew. The annoying idiot that she knows transforms into a passionate and determined worker. Irene decides that she really likes this side of Seulgi. No. She really admires this side of Seulgi.

"Hey, loser. Aren't you getting tired of me being mean?" Irene wonders aloud.

"Aren't you