Chapter 17:

 

Baechu: Seulgi 5 more minutes. I’m sorry :( 

 

Gomdori: It’s ok :) 

 

Baechu: :) 

 

Gomdori: <3 

 

Baechu: See you. 

 

Gomdori: <3 <3 <3 

 

Waiting at the basement of the building, Seulgi just smiles when she sees that Irene does not reply, but has read her message. 

 

It will take more time for Irene to loosen up and become less embarrassed when doing cheesy things like sending hearts to each other. But Seulgi is alright with it. 

 

As long as Irene is happy. 

 

She leans back into her seat and opens the camera application in her phone. It is time to post another picture this morning, as per routine. 

 

Seulgi holds up her phone and angles it perfectly at a 45 degree angle, before taking pictures after pictures of selfies. 

 

Usually, Wendy will be giggling at her from the back seat when she takes the photo, but Wendy is away for a workshop at another school today. 

 

It feels unusually quiet this morning. 

 

Afterwards, she goes to her gallery to pick the special few photos out of hundreds of them. 

 

“Waiting for Hyunnie <3” 

 

She beams to herself, finally satisfied with the caption after countless of revisions. Then, she clicks on the post button and held her breath to wait for the first like. 

 

As per routine, tons of likes and comments stream in like the river within seconds, sending a bout of adrenaline through her body.

 

She reads them instantly. 

 

“Beautiful :)”

 

“Unnie is so pretty!” 

 

“Y’all are a good match.”

 

“Where is Hyunnie?” 

 

“Seulgi looks happy.” 

 

Happy? 

 

It reminds her of the conversation they had in the fast food restaurant a few days ago. 

 

“Your happiness is now dictated by other people whom may not even know you.” 

 

She looks at the number of likes and comments streaming in. Then, for the first time in her life, she felt a sense of emptiness. 

 

All these numbers that she has chased for the past few years, suddenly feel so distant. 

 

Why does her reason of happiness suddenly seem so bleak?

 

Seulgi turns off the notification button of her iPhone and throws it inside a compartment in her car. 

 

But after a minute, she takes her phone out and switches on her mobile data to see the stream of likes flow in again. It starts to feel weird how she derives comfort from reading all the nice comments. 

 

“Morning!”

 

Seulgi jumps up from her seat in shock and the latter just looks at her in amusement. 

 

Irene sits down and then places a hand on Seulgi’s. She gazes into Seulgi’s eyes and asks, “Is everything okay?”

 

“Yeah.” Seulgi smiles back and pats Irene’s hand to reassure her. Then, she immediately keeps her phone back into the same compartment, a little too quickly. 

 

“Seulgi.” 

 

“Yes?”

 

“Aren’t we going to school?” 

 

“Huh? Oh.” Seulgi chuckles out of embarrassment and starts the engine to set off. 

 

A few minutes later, Seulgi hears the latter clear , rather awkwardly. Then, Irene begins her sentence. “By the way, regarding what happened last Sunday...I’m not usually like this.” 

 

Since last Sunday, Irene has not mentioned about the incident at all, while Seulgi has respected her feelings and keep mum about it too. Until today. 

 

“What do you mean?” Seulgi turns to face Irene who just casts her gaze elsewhere, out to the houses outside of the window. 

 

Irene swallows the knot in then mutters, “I don’t break down so easily.” 

 

“Noted!” Seulgi chirps back, causing Irene smacks her on the arm lightly and tell her. “I’m being serious."

 

“Okay.” 

 

“It was only because it’s Wendy.”

 

“I know.” 

 

“So, forget about what you’ve seen yesterday. Okay, Seulgi? Okay? Okay?” 

 

Eventually, the captain cannot control her laughter, which escapes in the form of a chuckle. 

 

“Stop laughing!” Irene scolds her, then her lips morph into a pout. And, Seulgi cannot help but stare at them. 

 

She realises Irene has started to put on lipstick these days, which makes her lips look even more kissable. She bits her own lower lip and looks away first or both of them will end up dying in a car crash. 

 

“I’ll never forget what happened last Sunday for the rest of my life.“ Seulgi teases her further and pinches Irene’s cheek. The image of Irene being vulnerable, crying in her embrace is still fresh in her head. 

 

How can Seulgi even forget? 

 

“You looked so cute. I like it so much.” She laughs. 

 

Irene feels her cheeks warming up, as she splutters back, “W-Why would you like it when I cry? Its so embarrassing....ugh.” She groans as the flashbacks enter her head involuntarily again. 

 

“It was the first time you showed me a vulnerable side of you.” Seulgi suddenly admits. She pauses for a moment then continues, “It felt like you needed me.”

 

Normally, Irene would shoo away the latter for her sweet words, but this time it felt like Seulgi really meant it. So, she just reaches out to place her hand on Seulgi’s, which is on the steering wheel. 

 

Seulgi turns to face her with a growing silly grin. She removes her hand from the wheel to slide her fingers between Irene’s smoothly and hold her hand. 

 

“I am happy that you’re opening up more to me everyday.” Seulgi beams. She cannot wait for the day her girlfriend fully place all her barriers down. 

 

Seeing the bright brown orbs looking back at her with a glint of affection matching her own, Seulgi realises that maybe this is what true happiness should feel like. 

 

——

 

For the first time in a month, Seulgi and Irene walks towards the side of school gate to meet Bogum who is waiting for their other friends. 

 

Well, they took longer than expected because Irene literally had to drag Seulgi there. The captain finally agrees after a long time, but she places a permanent arm around Irene’s shoulder while her other hand is holding onto her girlfriend’s hand tightly. 

 

To outsiders, it may seem like it is too much but Seulgi knows it is better to play safe. She wants to make sure her actions will be more than enough to put Bogum in his own place. 

 

“Hi Bogum!” Thus, Irene ends up greeting him with a heavy koala latched onto her body. 

 

“Good morning.” Bogum smiles at the both of them but then he notices the missing third person yet again. He asks worriedly, “Is Seungwan feeling better?” It is the same question he has repeated for the past few days. 

 

“Yup. Don’t worry, Bogum.” Irene reassures him for the umpteenth time. 

 

Bogum bits his lips slightly, then he just shakes his head and continues, “It is all my fault. I’m sorry. Seungwan must have been so angry at you.”  

 

“It’s okay. I’ve already told you Seungwan and I are cool about it.” Irene wants to lift her hand to pat his arm, but realises Seulgi is holding her back.  

 

“Seulgi...” She frowns at the captain, who just smiles in return. 

 

“I’m still sorry.” Bogum continues to apologise, looking so sad like he is going to have a mental breakdown soon. 

 

“I should be the one who’s sorry.”

 

“I’m sorry.” 

 

“I’m more sorry.” 

 

Suddenly, the two friends hear a loud groan and a third person apologises, “I’m sorry but I’ll have to take Hyun away now if y’all continue to apologise.” 

 

Bogum chuckles lightly in return while Irene just rolls her eyes at her bear. 

 

“Seulgi...”

 

“I’m just saying.” Seulgi shrugs. 

 

“Anyway, y’all can go in first. I’m still waiting for Jihyo and Suho.” Bogum tells them with a polite smile. 

 

“Great.” Seulgi cannot wait to get her girlfriend away from Bogum as soon as possible. She tries to lead them away but Irene has other plans. 

 

She suddenly says, “Bogum, I’ll wait with you.” 

 

“Really?” His face brightens up.

 

Irene nods to Seulgi’s horror, then she even informs her, “Seulgi-yah, you can leave first.” 

 

“B-But” 

 

“Jackson!” Irene calls the boy who happens to walk past them at the right timing. He immediately runs towards them and chirps, “What’s up?”

 

“Both of y’all are in the same morning class right? Seulgi can walk there with you!” Irene suggests, and he nods happily while the other girl shakes her head unhappily. 

 

“KkangSeul, come on.” Jackson beckons Seulgi to move, but her arm remains latched onto Irene’s shoulder. 

 

She looks down at Irene with a sad pout, “Hyun-ah, I don’t mind waiting with you and...Bogum.”

 

Irene notices how Seulgi narrows her eyes at Bogum while calling his name, which makes him look away uncomfortably. 

 

Of course Irene knows Seulgi minds.  

 

So, she decides to spare Seulgi the pain and tells her, “Seulgi, our classrooms are in different corners of the school. Go with Jackson.” Irene tries to remove Seulgi’s hand from her, but the latter refuses to budge. 

 

“But I wanna be with you.” The softness in her eyes almost manages to convince Irene otherwise until Jackson suddenly comments. 

 

“Aren’t you being a little too clingy?”

 

And, Irene just breaks out into a burst of laughter. So does Bogum. 

 

Seulgi stares wide-eyed at Jackson and scoffs in disbelief, “Me? Hell, no.” 

 

Jackson raises an eyebrow at Seulgi and the captain notices how his eyes trail down to her own arm, which is hung around Irene and her hand, which is also holding Irene as well. 

 

Seulgi gulps and her hands quickly spring away from Irene in a flash. 

 

When Seulgi sees Irene bitting her lips while trying to hold in her laughter, she just clears awkwardly, “C’mon Jackson lets go.” 

 

Seulgi turns and walks away first in small, quick steps without waiting for Jackson. She cannot wait to get out of the situation as soon as possible. 

 

The boy soon catches up, and the first thing he gets is a hard smack on his arm. 

 

“Jackson! Why did you say that?” 

 

“I was just speaking the truth.”

 

“I am not clingy.” 

 

“You are.” 

 

“Am not.” 

 

“Just saying, the number one dating tip I can give you is don’t be so clingy.” 

 

“I am not!” Seulgi grumbles, “But anyway, why is showing my affection for girlfriend even bad?”  

 

Jackson chuckles, in a way like a relationship expert that has received this question many times. Then, he explains plainly, “It may make your partner feel suffocated instead of being loved.” 

 

“Suffocated from my love?” Seulgi scoffs. She does not understand why would anyone think of that, when all she wants is her girlfriend to cling onto her 24/7. 

 

Jackson shrugs, “Well, I’m just saying you should be careful, especially when your girlfriend is more of the independent type.” 

 

“You have a point.” Seulgi purses her lips and then keeps quiet for the rest of their journey to the classroom. 

 

——

 

When the recess bell rings, Irene places her pencil case into her bag, which she has pre-packed five minutes ago so as to not keep her bear waiting. 

 

She slips her bag onto her shoulders and walks out of the classroom with a spring in her step, excited to tell Seulgi how she has topped the class again. 

 

When she opens the door, she greets an unfamiliar view, where there is no bear in sight. 

 

Irene stands at the door and looks around the corridors and classrooms for any sight of her captain. However, all she sees are students streaming for the cafeteria. 

 

“Has her class been delayed?” She mutters to herself and then takes out her phone to check the messages. 

 

Gomdori: I went to the cafeteria straight after lessons ended! See you here :)

 

She blinks, wondering if she has seen the message correctly. 

 

Something is wrong with Seulgi. 

 

——

 

Irene concludes that someone is definitely wrong with Seulgi during their physics lesson. 

 

From the start of the lesson till now, Seulgi has not looked in her direction once. She even seems to be paying attention as Irene noticed Seulgi writing down notes on her textbook. 

 

This sets off alarm bells in Irene’s head. 

 

“Seulgi-yah, are you okay?” Irene whispers to Seulgi, who just turns and looks at her blankly. 

 

“Yes.” Seulgi nods with a small smile, that looks rather unconvincing. Then, she turns back to the screen. 

 

Something is definitely wrong. 

 

Irene sighs, “Seulgi...”

 

“What?” 

 

“What’s wrong?” 

 

“Nothing.”

 

“Then what are you doing?”

 

“Listening in class like you’ve always wanted me to?” Seulgi smiles innocently. 

 

“I know but-“

 

They are interrupted by loud knocks on the whiteboard. 

 

The professor looks at the both of them and shakes his head. “Kang Seulgi, I’ve asked you a question just now.” 

 

“Huh?” 

 

“What’s the answer to question 19?” He points to the projector screen, where it shows a kinematics question. The top right hand corner of the screen indicates that it is a higher order thinking question. 

 

“Oh.” 

 

Before Irene can whisper to her the answer, Seulgi has already opened to reply. 

 

“20 km/h.” 

 

The next screen flashes the correct answer, which matches Seulgi’s. Everyone in the classroom simultaneously gasps. 

 

Even the professor also stares at Seulgi in shock. He asks her worriedly, “Seulgi-yah, are you okay?”

 

She just chuckles and nods. To be honest, it is a little embarrassing to have everyone stare at her like she is a genius. She take note to thank Wendy later for lending her textbook to her and for having pre-completed all of the exercises. 

 

Seulgi tries her best to ignore the piercing gaze coming from her girlfriend and just looks straight ahead. Luckily, Irene does not comment much. 

 

Or else, her self control will really break. 

 

Right after the bell rings, Seulgi turns to Irene and smiles, “Lets go to the rehearsal now.” She finally offers her hand. 

 

“I’m going to the council room first to help out with the logistics.” 

 

Seulgi pouts but then she just shrugs it off. “Okay, I’ll see you later.” She stands up and waves goodbye to Irene.

 

“Wait.” Irene interrogates the latter who is already by the door, “Um where are you going?” 

 

Seulgi is never someone who leaves first without her. 

 

Seulgi turns around and informs Irene with a smile, “I’m going to the dance studio to pick up my outfits. Is anything wrong?” 

 

“Oh nothing.” Irene forces out a smile. “Come here.” 

 

Irene reaches out for Seulgi from her seat and the bear immediately lunges forward to receive her hand. Seulgi finally reveals her bright eye smile as she holds onto her girlfriend’s hands tightly in her own. 

 

Then, the captain sighs. 

 

“Nervous?” Irene asks her. Maybe Seulgi is simply just nervous for today’s performance. 

 

“No!” Seulgi chuckles, but does not reveal her real reason for the sigh. She brings up another question. “Hyun-ah, will you be there in time to watch my rehearsal?” 

 

“Yup. I’ll make sure I’m there.” 

 

“Okay. I’ll look out for you from the stage later.” Seulgi caresses Irene’s cheek and then flinches away, a little too suddenly like she is electrocuted. 

 

“Okay...” Irene furrows her eyebrows at Seulgi, who just looks away. 

 

“Alright. All the best, emcee of the day.” Seulgi  pats Irene’s head mindlessly.

 

“Seul-“ 

 

And then, Seulgi scurries out of the classroom. 

 

It leaves the latter wondering if she is really in such a rush that she cannot just walk her to the council room like she usually does. 

 

Thus, Irene just sets off alone to the council room. Once she opens the door, the other members greet her quickly then goes off to do their individual tasks hurriedly. 

 

Irene goes to Wendy, who is sitting in front of a laptop and double checking a few details on her piece of paper. 

 

“Hey Wannie.” She settles down beside her busy friend, who just greets her with a nod without looking. “Joohyun, can you help me collect a delivery now?” 

 

“But I just sat down...” Irene pouts, to which the girl just states without emotion. “Doesn’t work on me.”

 

“Eeesh.” Irene purses her lips together and unwillingly asks, “What is it?”

 

“Go to the main gate to collect some flowers that I’ve ordered for all performers.”

 

“Wait what?”

 

“Flowers.” Wendy stops typing and looks at her like she is supposed to understand what that means. 

 

“Flowers?”

 

“Yes, flowers. Something you give to your friends when they are performing during concerts?” Wendy arched a brow. “Don’t tell me you didn’t get anything for them?” 

 

“I didn’t know!” Irene widens her eyes in horror. Since when is this a tradition?

 

“Isn’t it basic courtesy?”

 

Well, apparently it is not in Irene’s encyclopedia of knowledge. 

 

“Well, I-I...um. Can I steal your flowers?” 

 

“No! They are from the council for the performers.” 

 

Irene panics, “I need to give something to Seulgi and to Sooyoung and to Yeri and to Jongin oh my god.” She suddenly has a mental breakdown. 

 

“Just focus on your bear.“ 

 

“Right...” She quickly runs through her mind about what to get Seulgi, then an idea pops up in her mind. It is not perfect, but it is also not typical like simply flowers. 

 

So, Irene shoots up from her seat. “Wannie can I leave for a short while?” She asks with a sheepish grin, her body already inclined towards the door and ready to sprint. 

 

“No! The rehearsal starts in an hour!” Wendy nags at her. 

 

“But I need to get a gift for Seulgi!” 

 

“Just ask someone to buy on your behalf.”

 

“Who?”

 

“That’s for you to settle.” 

 

“What a good friend you are...” 

 

“Do you want to talk about what happened last Sunday again?” Wendy threatens with a side smirk. 

 

“Oops, okay. Sorry.” Irene backs off with a sheepish smile. She walks out of the council room and scrolls through her contacts. 

 

Who would be coming for the concert and also willing to help her? 

 

One person comes to her mind. 

 

She calls the number for the first time in her life. “Hi is this-“ 

 

“Hi Joohyun!” 

 

“Is this Amber...?”

 

“Yes! Hyunnie, why did you call me?” 

 

“Amber, are you coming for the concert later?”

 

“Yep.” 

 

“Great. Um, do you remember saying that you owe me a favour? For you know, um-“

 

“Yeah for hitting on you in the club.” The other girl coolly completes her sentence, making everything much easier. 

 

“Okay. Can you help me buy something?”

 

——

 

Irene walks out into the audience seats with her stage attire, a white button down and a pastel pink skirt. Meanwhile, Bogum trails behind her in a matching light pink suit, as he is the other emcee for the night.

 

Heads immediately turn in her direction, but she just ignores all of them and sits beside Wendy, while Bogum sits on her other side. 

 

“Hey!” Wendy greets Irene brightly, then her smiles visibly lessens when she sees Bogum. “Hi Bogum...” 

 

“Hey.” He returns a courteous smile and then both of them look away, making the girl in the middle of them the most awkward person ever. 

 

Wendy picks up the mike and announces, “Can we have the dance crew on stand-by for the opening?” 

 

A few of members for the starting performance arrive o