Kim Yeri knew that the key to a good story was a well laid plan. The exposition was already there, now it was time for the rising action. 

The gang was all huddled together in Seulgi and Joy’s dorm. Well everyone except Wendy and Irene. Right when they got back to school, Wendy was sent off to a scholar camp and had been mainly communicating very sparingly. Apparently scholar camp was also merged with nature and they felt that they needed the students zen. Zen apparently includes limited access to phone and internet service. Everyone was holding up fine. Even Irene, who had been just as absent as Wendy had. Nevertheless, the gang was up to their old tricks again.

“It would seem that we have a new task at hand ladies, gentleman, and Joy.” said Yeri. Joy rolled her eyes at her dig but kept her attention on the short girl. “Now that Wenrene have decided to get married, we MUST act accordingly. I’m thinking we separate them. Maybe make a ransom note for Irene so that Wendy can save the day...I don’t know I need ideas!”

The other girls gave her a bewildered look. All were confused and slightly scared of where there young friend was going with all these plans. Trying to diffuse the situation, Sunmi threw in her own suggestion. “Okay, we aren’t trying to recreate the plot from Taken, I say we throw them a nice engagement party, maybe some dancing, an ice cream bar?”

“Oh sure, let's go with the BORING suggestion! In the words of her greatness: Thank you, next.” Yeri’s harsh tone received a pout from Sunmi, and a puffed out sigh from Seulgi. “I don’t want nice, I want pranks! I want something that will really push our power couple to the test!”

“It sounds like you are setting them up for some quirky rom-com where we set out to do something that nearly destroys their very stable relationship, then one makes a grand gesture of love and that leads us straight into their wedding…” Joy said thoughtfully.

“YES! This is why we are a dream team. That’s exactly what we need! A problem that our two heroes need to face, something damning, something epic!” A door slamming open concluded Yeri’s insane speech. The girls and Sungjae all went over to Joy and Seulgi’s dorm door to see what the raucous was. Peeping out they see Wendy scurrying off in their direction, followed by Irene.

“WAIT! IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK!”  

“Is that Wendy? Did she get back early?” Sungjae asked with genuine curiosity. The girls nudged him to stay quiet.

“She is walking down here pretty quickly...what do you think happened?” Seulgi whispered.

“You think our heroes have encountered their big problem?!” Yeri exclaimed. The closer Wendy rushed towards them, the better handle they had on what seemed to be happening. Curiosity seemed to deepen even more when the oncoming girl zoomed past them, wiping floods of tears from her face in the process. The question was on everyone’s face as they all watched the girl rush down the hall towards the exit.

“Oh my god…” It was Sunmi’s startled expression that had everyone’s attention snap back to her, though her eyes were trained down the hall. A gasp caught on everyone’s lips as they saw a man exit Irene and Wendy’s dorm room, shirtless and all ready to wrap his arms around the girl who was looking towards them right now. “Sungjae…”Sunmi whispered to  him,”I need to grab onto Joy very tightly now…” Confused but obliging to the demand, he nearly didn’t trap her in time before the sheer force of Joy’s strength tried to propel her forward.

“HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO HER! I WILL END YOU!” Joy’s outburst and thrashing made it all the way to Irene’s ears who looked at them as she pushed the man’s arms away. “LET ME GO!” With one last tug, Joy broke free and took off after Wendy. Seulgi’s rage seem to be having a tough time controlling itself. She walked slowly towards her friend and stood before her and the man who she now recognized.

“Suho, what are you doing here.” It was phrased as demand more than a question. Irene’s eyes were wide with fear and Seulgi could only imagine how much distrust hers conveyed. The man stared hard at the bear like girl, clenching his jaw as he tried to remove her angry glare from Irene. “Are you going to answer me or stand there trying to protect her all day?”

He huffed out an angry sigh before pulling Irene closer to him. “She is supposed to be with me Seulgi, you’ve known this since we were kids, I was promised to her.” She finally looked at him, taller than when they had last seen each other, broader shoulders, and muscles packed on. He was a far cry from the young thirteen year old boy who cried when he saw Irene and Wendy holding hands. “Son caught us kissing and well…” he left off with a chuckle.

“Kissing?” This time the voice came from Yeri, a little sad and a little dejected. “You kissed this sack of male ego?”

“Oh look, it’s the pipsqueak, run along now mouse, before I get a trap for you.” Suho said flicking her head.

“HEY!” It was a voice that the girls had not heard in a long time. An angry and unheard volume for it’s owner. Down the hall walked a very angry Taeyeon. She was a senior and more than that, she was Yeri’s older sister. “You touching my sister with your gross hands? Who let you in here? You don’t even go to our school.” The blonde girl came to the front of the  group with her own group of friends. The nine of them who all took seats in student government and had more than enough connections to get Suho arrested for breaking and entering.

“Oh just what I needed! A reason to exercise my right to kick your ! Come on, I still haven’t forgotten what your friend said about TaeTae and I. Lucky for you my sister is the top judge in the district, unlucky for you, I can have you committed with a snap of my fingers. Please give me a reason.” Tiffany, Taeyeon’s girlfriend had her phone out already.

“Lay off me freaks. I’m just here for Irene. At the risk of sending me to a holding cell though, I think i'll bow out. Don’t forget what I said Irene. I will be back.” With that the tall man took his leave, scurrying past a majority of the group while putting his shirt on.

The attention returned back to Irene, everyone waiting and expecting an answer from the silent girl. Seulgi gave her two seconds before she decided to tear into her. “I’ve known you since we were born Irene Bae, and I also know that you are beyond a doubt infatuated with Wendy. What I don’t know is why on earth you decided to do this to her?” Everyone’s gaze stayed on the girl who was still wide eyed and fearful. It wasn’t until Taeyeon scooted up to her and looked at the marks on Irene’s neck that it all clicked.

“Did he hurt you?” Irene’s eyes gave Taeyeon all the response she needed. “Pani, call your sister. We have a major issue.” With that, Taeyeon and her friends left, kissing Yeri’s head as they departed. Seulgi was already examining Irene’s neck and face, the bruises finally beginning to take some shape.

“He forced that kiss on you didn’t he?” Irene’s tears trailed down her face but answered with a nod. Sungjae and Saeron both let them know that they would look for Wendy and Joy before they took off. Irene’s sobs finally escaped,  wrapping herself tightly in Seulgi’s embrace. “It’s okay, you’re okay, we are going to fix this okay?”

Irene nodded once again, her gaze going to the hamster doll that she had received when she and Wendy weren’t speaking. “Hey there Bugs, don’t worry, as hurt as she thinks she is now, when she finds out she may actually kill the guy,” Sunmi said with some humor. Irene gave a small laugh as she tried to compose herself. “And i’m sure that Yeri’s incredibly hot older sister will get us what we need to send that creep off.”

Seulgi looked at her with a miffed expression. “Must we always talk about how hot you think she is?”

Sunmi gave her a cheeky smile before she wrapped herself on the other side of Irene. “Oh come on Hunny Bear, Bugs needs the laughs right now. So I think that she is hotter than the surface of the sun, I also  think you are hotter than the sun’s atmosphere .” Irene smiled at their sweet bickering. Yeri slammed into her front wrapping her arms around Irene’s shoulders.

“Oh Irene, not only am I sorry that I am probably getting taller than you, but I am also sorry that I thought you were no better than the traitorous cheater in my rom-com. Come on! We need to get you your fiance and send a creep away! To the problem resolutions!”

They all began walking towards the exit, Yeri happily leading a fearsome Irene, followed by Seulgi and Sunmi. “So,” Seulgi said, “Is the surface hotter than the sun’s atmosphere or the other way around?”