Chapter 6:

“Hey, are you okay?” 

Seulgi finally breaks the silence after they have been sitting together for a few minutes without talking and during that time, Seulgi noticed the dark expression looming on the other girl’s face. 

Irene looks at Seulgi and nods, “I’m alright.” 

“Maybe you’ll feel better if you tell me about it. I saw Bogum leaving on my way here.” Seulgi suggests, as if she knows what is happening between them too. 

“It’s complicated, Seulgi.” Irene replies, her eyes are still distant while staring blankly at the empty space in front of them. 

“I could keep up.” When Irene looks up to meet her eyes, Seulgi smiles in an inviting way that is hard to resist. So, the girl spills her feelings in a moment of heat.

“Let me use an analogy. By the way, it’s not my problem, just something I heard about.” Irene clarifies quickly. 

Despite knowing it is a lie, Seulgi still nods, “Okay.” 

The literature student ponders hard about what can be a good substitute for her and her friends...suddenly the perfect example pops up in her mind. “In the peaceful kingdom of bread spreads, Peanut Butter, Jelly and Jam are best friends. However, one day Jam tells Jelly that she likes Peanut Butter. However, Peanut Butter later implies to Jelly that he likes her. Jelly is scared that she will hurt both her friends. So, Jelly does not know what to do.” Irene groans after her long monologue because of how stupid it actually sounds. 

She turns to Seulgi, expecting the dance captain to be zoning off or to laugh at her weird analogy but the girl seems to be seriously considering the situation, judging from her scrunched up eyebrows. 

Seulgi unexpectedly asks, “So Jelly is worried that her best friend Jam will be angry?” 

“Yes, Jelly doesn’t want Jam to misunderstand.” 

“Does Jelly like Peanut Butter?”

“No, but Jelly does not know how to reject Peanut Butter without hurting him.” 

Seulgi purses her lips and replies honestly, “I don’t know what advice to give. I’m sorry, I’ve never been in such a situation before.” 

“It’s alright. Thanks for listening to me, Seulgi.” Irene gives Seulgi a small smile and the latter smiles back in return too. 

Seulgi continues to tease the latter, “Maybe, Jelly should just get together with Koko krunch. Koko Krunch likes Jelly too and who knows, they may taste good together!” Seulgi glances at Irene with a suggestive smile, confusing the latter. 

“Koko krunch?” When did a cereal suddenly intrude the Spread Kingdom? 

Seulgi points to herself and Irene then realises what the dumb bear is implying. She smacks Seulgi’s thigh hard and hisses, “Get lost. That sounds like the worst combination possible. How did you know it was about me anyway?” 

Seulgi rubs her sore spot with a pout and replies, “I may be bad at physics but I’m not dumb, Joohyun. I know who you’re talking about.”

Irene only sighed as a reply. 

Seulgi continues, “I didn’t know Wendy has such bad taste. Maybe I should teach her a lesson.” Seulgi smiles to herself while thinking about it and she receives another slap on the thigh from the fuming girl beside her. 

“Don’t you dare touch my friend!” Irene barks. 

“Are you jealous?” Seulgi narrows her eyes on Irene and leans in, causing Irene’s heart to race again. Before she can get any closer, Irene flicks the latter’s forehead causing the poor girl to stumble backwards and fall onto the ground. 

“That’s really mean!” Seulgi complains indignantly, picking herself up from the ground as she meets Irene’s satisfied smirk. 

“You begged me to flick it just now, don’t you remember?” 

“Fine, you win. Anyway, I don’t get why all the girls swoon over Bogum. I mean I understand why they like me because I’m charismatic and girl crush material but Bogum?” Seulgi asks Irene, with a look that indicates she really does not understand why. 

Irene shrugs and replies, “I guess he’s tall and handsome. He’s also very kind and takes care of people well. He’s boyfriend material I guess.” 

“I’m also girlfriend material but why does everyone want to date him and not me? I recently lost in a popularity poll on the school forum against Bogum for the person you would bring home to your parents.” Seulgi frowns and turns to Irene. “Am I not attractive enough?” 

Irene spares a look at the dance captain, whose light brown hair cascades down her face perfectly, covering her monolid eyes which adds a charismatic touch to her otherwise soft features. She recalls how cool the bear looks when she dances and makes a conclusion that Seulgi is attractive indeed, which is why she is so popular with the girls. 

However, there is something else about her that just breaks the deal. 

Finally realising the reason, Irene informs Seulgi, “You’re someone who people swoon over for being an eye candy but they would never date you if given the chance to.”

The narcissist’s face suddenly lights up, “Is it because I’m too attractive and they’ll feel inferior in comparison?” 

“No, it’s because your personality .“ Irene tells her seriously. Later, she felt a little bad about her harsh words when she sees Seulgi’s sad puppy eyes appearing again. 

“That’s really mean.” Seulgi pouts for the umpteenth time. 

Irene finally apologises when she sees Seulgi’s sulking expression lasting longer than ten seconds. “I’m sorry.”

Seulgi changes her frown to a smile again and beams, “I’m just kidding. I’m not angry at you.” 

Irene chuckles and she suddenly realised that she actually feels much better after talking to Seulgi. She looks at the latter in the eyes and never in her life has she thought she would admit, “If you aren’t chasing me, we can actually become friends you know.” 

Seulgi raises her eyebrows, “Why? Do I seem like a good friend?” 

“It’s hard to admit but you're a good listener." 

“But I don’t wanna be friends." Seulgi rejects her with a goofy smile, "I want to be your girlfriend.” 

“Ugh, why are you so obsessed with the idea of dating?" 

"It's fun?" 

"Dating is so overrated. I can have fun with just being single and with my friends too. Why do I even need someone else to make me happy?" Irene speaks her mind with a frustrated tone, as she really does not understand why people date when they should be focused on studying in high school. 

"That’s true but for me, I want to date to fall in love." Seulgi suddenly reveals and the cocky smile on her face visibly softens when she meets Irene’s eyes.

"Why?” 

Seulgi ponders for a while and replies, “I like the idea of focusing on something I like and falling in love so hard that it is all I think about. Like how I love dancing, I want to feel that way towards a person too.” Her thoughtful reply takes Irene by surprise, who simply nods in agreement. 

“Well, I’m sorry to say that person won’t be me. I have no interest in dating at all,” Irene reveals. When she sees Seulgi’s doubtful expression, she points at the latter with a smirk, “Especially not you.” 

Seulgi only smiles in return, “You’ll date me one day. I just know it.” Her confident gaze makes Irene look away and she scoffs. “Whatever.” 

They both laughed together after Irene’s reply and continued to chat about random things like normal friends do, until the discipline master caught them slacking and ordered them to clean another two more classrooms. 

—-

From that day onwards, Irene and Seulgi can be considered friends, even though Irene often says Seulgi is only “half-a-friend”. 

Luckily for Wendy, car rides are no longer as awkward as before and she does not have to deal with the wrath of a sulking Irene every morning. Instead, a new problem arises for the poor girl...

“Can you two just stop talking for a while!” Wendy bursts out in the middle of the car to interrupt Seulgi and Irene. 

The two immediately turned around from the front of the car to look at her. 

“What’s wrong?” Irene asks her with a face full of concern. 

“Thank god, y’all are finally not arguing anymore. Sometimes I prefer our awkward, quiet car rides even more than this.” Wendy grumbles. 

Seulgi sees Wendy crossing her arms from the rear mirror and she chuckles, “C’mon Wannie. Joohyun and I were just having an intellectual discourse.” 

“About the use of social media.” Irene adds, as she narrows her eyes on her current debate opponent, Kang Seulgi. “Let’s continue.” 

For about a week since that morning, Seulgi and Irene has been having banters about everything under the sun on the car ride to school. Ranging from which cafeteria food is the best, to the best flavour of flavoured milk, to the most good looking teacher. And today, they are having a discourse about the pros and cons of social media because Seulgi asked Irene ten minutes ago why has she not had a social media account yet. 

“Social media, particularly Instagram, is purely a narcissism fuelling engine for youths like you, Kang Seulgi,” She points at the latter who shrugs, “to fuel your ego by seeing how many likes and followers you can attract.” 

“And what is wrong with that?” Seulgi asks in a teasing tone. 

“A lot of things!” 

“Oh gosh...I give up.” Wendy mutters to herself as she slumps down onto the backseat and tries to sleep to ignore the impending battle that is about to resume again. 

“Many youths do suffer from a lack of confidence today and I think social media is a good way for them to express themselves freely and garner support online, in order to boost their confidence in real life.” Seulgi replies quickly and smirks at Irene, who presses her lips together firmly to think of a counter argument. 

“That’s not true. It is precisely social media that is causing youths to compare themselves with unrealistic beauty standards. This erodes their confidence, rather than boost it.” Irene beams proudly after saying her counter statement. “Are you tongue-tied now, Kang Seulgi?” 

Seulgi simply smiles and replies, “I can’t help it if I’m that good looking. Maybe, those people who are insecure should just not use Instagram instead.”

“You’re really such a cocky , Kang Seulgi. Ugh, why am I even talking to you.” Irene turns away from Seulgi to face the streets outside instead. 

“So is this finally 2-2? We are tied, Joohyun.” Seulgi recites their scoring system, as the two of them have made a bet regarding this a few days ago. “Remember if I reach 5 first, you will have to date me for punishment. If you reach 5 first-“

“You will leave me alone forever.” Irene replies her in frustration. The more competitive girl is still upset about losing their debate earlier on. 

“Or I can give you a better offer.”

“What?” 

“Why not you date me instead? For as long as you like.” Seulgi jokes knowing she will receive a smack on her arm from Irene in return. However, the dance captain likes it whenever the other girl hits her, for some reason. 

Seeing the school is still a few minutes drive away, Seulgi suddenly says, “Since I won, can you do something for me?” 

“I’m not going to date you.” Irene retorts, still sulking about her loss. 

“Can you accept a present from me?” Seulgi surprises her instead as she suddenly reaches out to take a small bag from the storage compartment and passes it to Irene.

Irene looks into it and sees a box, which contains another bottle of perfume. And it is a different one, yet still expensive. 

“You are really persistent aren’t you? The perfumes must have already cost you up to a thousand dollars.” Irene looks up from the bag and nags at Seulgi, who shrugs and replies, “It’s alright. I’m using them anyway.” 

“Really?” 

Without a warning, Irene suddenly leans into Seulgi while she is driving. The petite girl takes a small sniff of Seulgi’s neck and goes back to her seat the next instant. During those torturous few seconds, Seulgi’s whole body froze like ice from the sudden intimacy. Even after Irene goes back to her own seat, Seulgi can still feel the phantom feeling of Irene’s warm breath on her neck. 

Irene muses, “You are wearing the first perfume you tried to give me. You smell good.” 

“I-I always do!” Seulgi replies nervously and tries her best to keep her focus on the road. 

Irene takes out the perfume and does a quick test. Surprisingly, the scent perfectly complements Irene’s senses and she sprays it again on her wrist to relive the scent. 

Seulgi peers at her and asks cautiously, “Do you like it?” 

“Hmm, well. I do like it.” Irene admits and places the pe