Messy Scribbles

 

Wendy's older sister is a distuingished doctor, and one of the best among the doctors at their city, Wendy might proudly add.

But her older sister, whose name is Seunghee, has been living apart from Wendy and her family for quite some time now. Few weeks after graduating from university, Seunghee has to move out to a different city for the work she applied for.

It was bittersweet. The whole family was proud of the eldest daughter, but living separately from each other was a difficulty they were saddened about. They were all teary eyed when Seunghee said her goodbyes to the family, the very day she moved out. Wendy admitted that she would be missing her older sister very much. Even at times when they were stuck in the middle of teasing and doting on each other, Wendy also cherished the moments when her older sister gives her some good advices over her personal problems. And it was true, as the weeks pass by, Wendy has indeed been missing her older sister from time to time.

Writing letters have been the relieving bridge between the two daughters. Truth to be told it was slower than the usual messaging they do in social media and texts, but the upside is the letter gave them more capacity for longer messages and conversations with more depth. Also, seeing Seunghee's own handwriting on the paper was making Wendy feel closer to her, as if her older sister was just by her side all along.

Although sometimes, Seunghee was giving Wendy a pain in the neck- Seunghee's handwriting in particular.

At first when they began writing letters with each other, Wendy can still familiarize Seunghee's handwriting and read Seunghee's letters peacefully and continuously but as the times goes on, as more letters got exchanged, her sister's scribbles is turning more unreadable.. turning more messier.

Wendy even joked about it once to Seunghee, about how Seunghee was achieving her full doctor potential by having a messy handwriting. Seunghee retorted back at Wendy then, including and drawing an angry stick man in the letter.

It didn't occur to Wendy to suggest improving the written letters to her sister. After all, Wendy was still able to read Seunghee's letters even with the messy handwriting. 

This one day, however, is the worst handwriting Wendy has ever witnessed in a letter.

After hours of trying to decipher what the letter says, Wendy gave up. The handwriting was too terrible that no amount of staring at the messy scribbles could decode any possible sentences. Wendy can only make out some words.

 

Wendy rolled around her bed. She sighed. She needs to know what Seunghee told her in the letter. What if there's something important her sister mentioned? Then after contemplating, Wendy just decided to message her older sister on social media to ask what the recent letter is all about.

"Unnie..." Wendy typed in as a greeting once she saw her older sister being online.

"Wendy!! Hey!" Seunghee replied back happily.

"Unnie, are you mad at me?" Wendy asked.

"What makes you say that?"

"I can't understand your handwriting!" Wendy typed, "Pretty terrible..."

"Deal with it, Wendy." Her older sister replied back. Wendy felt like her soul left her body.

"Unnie, can't you just tell me what you've written in the letter?" Wendy told her bitterly.

"Sorry Wendy-" Seunghee's message came as fast as speed of light.

"What? Why?"

"I have to go. Work calls." The message bubbles popped up one by one, "You know how busy your sister is. Bye."

"WAIT." Wendy quickly replied. But it was too late. Seunghee left and went offline just as quick as she came online.

Wendy gave a sigh, a second sigh she mustered that day.

 

"Hey."

Wendy cast her eyes at the person who greeted her, and her breath automatically hitched by the sight of her friend, Irene.

Irene seemed busy. She went back to her table right after squeezing Wendy in a tightest hug which Wendy returned with equal pressure.

Wendy joined her friend and made herself comfortable with ease on an opposite chair. She didn't engage Irene in a conversation right away. She might disturb her. She just studied her for a while.

But truth to be told... if she has to be honest with herself... maybe Wendy doesn't mind observing and staring at Irene all day and night.

She was a beautiful sight to behold. The way Irene chews her lower lip between her teeth, how engrossed Irene's eyes in reading the texts on the book, how Irene's head is tilting a little to the side as she reads.

She's hardworking, nice and pretty... that's right, Wendy has the biggest crush on her closest friend. But Irene doesn't know that.

Needless to say, Wendy just wants to keep her feelings for her friend as a secret.

Wendy was still observing Irene with the highest interest when Irene removed her eyes from reading the textbook. She lifted it up to stare at Wendy's eyes.

Wendy's heart jumped at that sudden eye contact.

"You look troubled." Irene said.

"Yeah, no kidding." Wendy affirmed. Gladly, she recovered from the fluttering real fast.

"What's the matter?"

"My sister has just given me a letter that I can't read properly."

"And?"

"My sister and I write each other letters but this time I can't understand her handwriting so I was hoping you could read it for me."

Wendy brought it with her, and she handed it over to Irene after grabbing it from her handbag.

Irene carefully unfolded the letter. "And what makes you think I can read this?"

"Because youre a pharmacist."

"Well to be honest I can't read everything that is written in perscriptions," Irene admitted, sighing. "But I'll try reading this."

"That's fine." Wendy beamed a smile, "Just read anything you can read."

"Okay," Irene shrugged and cleared . "Here we go..."

Wendy keenly sat up straight and offered her ears.

"Seungwan, my baby sister, how are you doing?" Irene began reading, with slight pauses in between since she was trying to understand what's written, "As always, I am missing you and mom and dad so much. But of course, I'm always doing my best as a doctor, making sure everyone stays healthy! Someone gave me a box of doughnuts after his wife recovered. The husband was so happy. It was nice..."

Irene paused. A long silent pause.

Wendy suddenly felt on edge because of the pause.

Irene gave Wendy a stare, a very hard-to-read stare before she set her eyes back on Wendy's sister's letter.

Wendy wondered why Irene was doing that when Irene continued reading, "By the way, how are you and Irene doing? Did you finally tell Irene that you have romantic feelings for her?" Irene dropped the letter and asked her friend, "Wendy, you have a crush on me?"

"OH MY GOD!"

Wendy squealed and snatched the paper away from Irene's hands.

It just occured to her. Wendy can't believe she let Irene read Seunghee's letter when there's a possibility that she might spill Wendy's most treasured secret from her friend. But it's already too late, the information was already read by Irene. Irene knows now that Wendy has a crush on her, and Wendy can only hide in embarrassment by crouching and hiding under the tall table.

"Wendy! What on earth-" Irene was surprised at her friend's reaction, "Wendy, get up from there and answer me."

Wendy didn't say anything and hugged her knees and legs instead, her face a burning, blushing red. She has stuffed Seunghee's letter in the pocket of her jeans.

How am I going to face her now? Wendy mentally asked herself in panic. Her heart was beating so fast.

"That is such a weak way to hide, Seungwan." Irene said.

Irene stood up from her seat. Wendy watched and listened as Irene's legs circled around the table and her footsteps padded the floor.

Wendy chanted repeatedly in her head. She's coming nearer! What to do what to do what to do-

"Hey." Irene has appeared in front of Wendy. 

Irene crouched as well to be in Wendy's level and to have herself face-to-face with her. But Irene lost her balance during the process and stumbled forward, so Irene almost had her face bump against Wendy's face but fortunately, she quickly gripped one hand on the table's leg and the other hand on the table's top to steady herself.

But even so, her nose almost brushed against Wendy's.

Wendy gave a weird squealing sound in because of their distance.

"Um hi..." Wendy mumbled. She was feeling so embarrased that she lowered her head and tried to squeeze further, which she can't do because she was stuck in between Irene and the table's legs.

"So?" Irene tilted her head in the tiniest bit to the side and stared at Wendy. Wendy can feel Irene's breathing against her cheeks, "Is it true? Do you really have a crush on me or not?"

Wendy's heart was leaping. Wendy can't look at Irene directly. Her eyes kept on darting from Irene's eyes to Irene's lips to the space behind Irene.

"Er..." Wendy wasn't sure if their recent position was helping clear her mind. Irene's outstretched arm, the one with the hand gripping the table's leg, was sticking to the side of Wendy's face.

"Come on... I won't remove myself from here and keep asking you until you answer me." Irene demanded.

The moment has finally come when Wendy has to face this scenario, and Wendy can only lie about the question Irene wanted answers for.

"My sister was just joking around.." Wendy said, and did her best maintaining eye contact, "You know how siblings are... siblings love to tease each other and Seunghee was just teasing me because you and I hang out with each other a lot.. So it's not true... It's just a joke."

"Hm." Irene thought for a moment.

"If you're not going to remove yourself I'm going to tickle my way out of here." Wendy warned and showed her hands at Irene as a threat.

"Well, okay..." Irene said.

Irene finally stood up.

Wendy felt both relieved and disappointed at the same time. Relieved, because it seems like Irene won't ask her about it anymore, that she believed what Wendy said. Disappointed, because the distance they shared a while ago was thrilling.

It took seconds for Wendy to follow suit and stand up because she was still nervous, and when Wendy lastly removed herself from under the table and stood up, Irene has stretched her hand at Wendy.

"What is it?" Wendy asked, looking cluelessly at Irene's closed fist.

"I'm giving you something I wrote. Just take it. Go look at it when you get home." Irene said.

"...Okay," Wendy said as she took a piece of folded paper from Irene's hand.

"You should go home now." Irene said to her.

"But, it's seven o clock..."

"I'm going to sleep early. And don't you need to cook something special for your parents today."

"Oh right" Wendy headed for the door, then stopped midway, "Thanks for.... letting me visit today at your house and um, for reading the letter." Wendy gulped. 

"Just visit me again sometime." Irene smiled at Wendy.

"Sure."

"Bye, Wendy."

"Bye."

 

Wendy was eager to open the piece of paper Irene gave her before she left.

So she went home as fast as possible and tried her best not to peek at it. Whatever it was, it must be something important and Wendy hurriedly went inside her house and to her room to finally see what's inside it.

It felt all anti-climatic when Wendy opened the note, and found out that it was just another paper full of messy handwriting.

"What?" Wendy mumbled, "Why?"

Wendy groaned in frustration. No matter how hard she stared at it, she can't read it easily as well.

Wendy plopped down on her bed. And stayed there for a minute.

Then she had an idea. 

If she had Irene read Seunghee's letter then she can make Seunghee read Irene's note to her.

Giddy with excitement, Wendy rushed to her laptop and messaged her older sister.

"I have some favor to ask." Wendy typed. She's feeling lucky because her older sister was currently online.

"What favor?" Seunghee asked.

Wendy took a picture of Irene's note and sent it to Seunghee, "Can you read this for me?"

"What is this? Where is this from?" Her older sister replied.

"Did you know Irene accidentally found out I have a crush on her?" Wendy said, "I let her read your letter because you won't tell me what's written on it then she read about my secret crush on her when you asked me if I confessed to her already. I have to save myself by lying about it and telling her that you were just teasing me."

"OOPS, MY BAD." Seunghee said.

Wendy sighed at her older sister's remark. "She gave me this note afterwards but I can't read it." Wendy said, "So in short, you owe me for exposing my secret and what you're going to do is to read this note for me."

"It's not my fault. You're the one who let her read my letter." Seunghee replied.

"That's because you won't tell me what's written in your letter."

"Okay, fine." Seunghee typed back, "I'll read the note for you but promise me one thing Wendy."

"It depends on the promise."

"Just confess your true feelings at Irene."

"NO, THANK YOU." Wendy groaned. She massaged her forehead.

"It's so painful to see you gushing about Irene a lot and go heart eyes whenever you see her but you look like you're trying so hard every single time not to scream I LOVE YOU at her face. It's a painful thing to witness for someone who knows what you really feel... Just tell Irene you have a crush on her."

"But... it just feels weird... because we've been friends for a long time... what if she doesn't like me back?"

"Then just tell Irene that you want to stay friends with her. Your friendship is strong, I don't think it'll just go away easily like that. Plus, Irene is very understanding and she would like to keep you as her friend." Her sister told her.

It was a sad thought, but it's better than having their friendship completely thrown out if Irene didn't like her back.

"Okay... I'll tell her." Wendy decided, after thinking about it for a long time.

"Good."

"Now, can you read her note for me?" 

"Only after you confessed your feelings at Irene. Then you can come back to me."

Wendy almost fell off her seat, "Why does it have to be like this..."

"Because you can't keep your secret forever. Tell me if you finally confessed, okay? I'm going now." 

Wendy watched helplessly as her older sister logged out. She held her face and sighed. She's so screwed.

 

 

The next day, Wendy came back to visit Irene at her house during the afternoon. The sun was warm on her skin and Wendy was nervous as she stood by the door and rang Irene's doorbell.

It was the time. The time when Wendy was finally going to tell Irene the truth and she was feeling tensed up to her bones.

"Hey Wendy." Irene greeted her once she opened the door.

"Hi." Wendy said shortly.

Irene gave her the usual greeting hug she always gives Wendy, and Wendy inhaled Irene's familiar vanilla scent when Irene squeezed her dearly.

"Come in," Irene offered, "Do you want something to drink?"

"Juice is fine. I brought some snacks with me. I have cookies and some macarons." Wendy said as she followed Irene inside. Wendy's hands were fidgeting when she tried to hide the one piece of rose she bought from a flower shop earlier. It was currently stored inside the paper bag she was carrying.

"Just put it here." Irene went to the kitchen and pointed at the table.

"Okay." Wendy layed down the cookies and macarons on the top. 

She made sure the rose was still inside the paper bag and that Irene won't see it. The good thing was Irene's too busy pouring juice for her to notice.

"Irene..." Wendy called her.

"Yes?" Irene looked at Wendy and headed over the table, carrying two glasses of orange juice in hand.

Wendy gulped. It was now or never, "I have something to tell you."

"What is it?" Irene sensed the seriousness in Wendy's voice. She gently placed the two glasses far aside and leaned on the table by her arms, giving Wendy her utmost attention.

Wendy has to confess to her now, while she was still feeling brave enough to muster the courage to tell it to her, and Wendy took a deep breath before saying, "Remember what you've read from my older sister's letter? When she said something about me having romantic feelings for you?"

"Yeah?" Irene said. They were staring at each other's eyes deeply.

"Well... it's true." Wendy confessed, "I have a crush on you. I really have romantic feelings for you. That's the truth." She grabbed the rose from the paper bag with amount of care. Wendy cleared and handed the rose gently to Irene, "I like you Irene."

Irene didn't say anything at first. She just stared at the rose Wendy was holding outstretched.

Then suddenly, a smile was growing on her face. 

"Why are you smiling like that?" Wendy was nervous.

Irene took the rose from Wendy's hand. She said, "Finally."

"Finally? What do you mean by finally?" Wendy asked.

"Have you read the note I gave you last night?" Irene asked, smiling.

"No, I haven't. I can't read it..." Wendy can't directly say to Irene that it was because of the messy handwriting.

"Do you know what I wrote there?"

"No."

Irene can't stop smiling. "I like you too, Wendy. That's what I wrote." Then leaning forward, Irene placed a kiss on Wendy's cheek.

Wendy blushed hard. "R-really?"

"Really." Irene confirmed.

Wendy absentmindedly touched the spot on her cheek where Irene just kissed her. "Wow..."

Irene adored the single rose in her hand with an appreciative smile, "You are such a dork."

Wendy gave a shy smile in return.

Irene kissed Wendy again, this time on the other cheek.

"You kissed me again." Wendy mentioned. She wasn't complaining though. In fact, she loves it.

"That's because I'm so happy."

Wendy smiled. She guessed she doesn't need her older sister to read Irene's note anymore.

 

 

 

Days earlier before Wendy received her older sister's letter, a plan was forming and brewing.

"Hello it's me, Irene. Your younger sister's friend." Irene messaged Wendy's older sister.

"Oh hey Irene." Seunghee replied, "How's my younger sister doing?"

"She's doing fine. Listen, can I ask for a favor?"

"Sure, anything."

"Wendy is driving me crazy. Like it's been a long time and yet she still hasn't confessed her feelings for me. It's so obvious she has feelings for me but Wendy just won't tell me truth. I just want her to tell me the truth. I'm done with all the pushing and pulling."

"I agree with you there. Sorry, my younger sister just needs something that will make her confess. Believe me, her romantic feelings for you is intense. I told her so many times to confess already but she just wouldn't do it."

"I like Wendy so much as well. That is why I have the perfect plan to make Wendy confess her feelings to me."

"I'm listening." Seunghee was interested to hear the plan.

"Please send Wendy a letter with messy handwriting. I'm sure that if Wendy won't be able to read it, she'll make me read it. Then I'll read it for Wendy and I'll mention how you're curious whether she already confessed her feelings to me or not. Upon mentioning that, I'll ask Wendy if she really has a crush on me."

"That's actually a nice plan. I'll do it."

"Really? Thank you so much!"

"What if she still doesn't confess though?"

"We're going for Plan B. I'll give her a note with my own messy handwriting. Then she'll probably turn to you and ask you to read it."

"I'll tell her then to confess to you first before I read it."

"Yes, that will be good. Thank you for this."

"No problem. I personally can't wait for my baby sister to confess. Good luck, Irene."

"You too."

 

 

 

Present Time

"It's a success." Irene sent the message to Wendy's older sister.

"Oh it's about time." Seunghee replied, "Good job Irene."

"It's all thanks to our teamwork."

"Take care of my younger sister."

"I will." Irene said.

 

"What are you doing?" Wendy said while watching Irene. She was sipping from her orange juice drink.

"Just checking my phone."

"You're so cute..." Wendy commented.

"Come closer." Irene said.

"Yes?"

Irene leaned in, and kissed Wendy on the lips.

Wendy saw it coming, but she was still blushing nonetheless. "I love you a lot." Wendy mumbled.

"I love you too."