Conquered

HERSHE
"Is the pasta good?" Seulgi twirled her fork into the mound of spaghetti.
 
"Mmm-mmm." Irene could only nod while she chews her food.
 
After the fireworks display, Seulgi suggested the nearby Italian restaurant for dinner. Irene agreed to it immediately, not in the mood to go home yet.
 
They waited for almost 30 minutes for the food to arrive. Irene usually gets mad at things like this. But today it didn't bother her. Talking to Seulgi made her forget her hunger for a while.
 
Seulgi's phone rang. She took it out of her pocket and glanced at the caller ID and smiled.
 
"Excuse me. I need to take this." Seulgi stood on her feet.
 
Irene's eyes followed as Seulgi made her way outside the veranda. There, Seulgi stood with one hand in her pocket while talking to whoever on the other line is, occasionally laughing and giggling. Seulgi found a hanging paper-cupid on the tree beside her and began playing by twirling it with her fingers.
 
That's when Irene noticed the heart and cupid designs hanging all over the place. She looked around the restaurant.
 
'Four days to go before Valentine's Day, who's your date?'
 
Then it hit her: four days remaining.
 
She doesn't mind going out alone or staying indoors during this season but this time she seemed kind of excited about it. Her eyes jumped back to the person on the veranda who's still busy talking on her phone.
 
"Hmm. Should I give her a present? But what would I give her? Wouldn't it be awkward to give her something on Valentine's Day?" she told herself.
 
Her excitement was drained when Seulgi laughed heartily. Disappointed, Irene pursed her lips.
 
"Who could she be talking to? Please, somebody, tell me it's not Wendy again."
 
Wendy's role in Seulgi's life is bugging her. Her curiosity about the real deal between the two is rising. The first and last time they met, Seulgi introduced Wendy as a friend. But who knows what could have happened after that. The only thing Irene knows is it's not impossible for Wendy to be a fangirl too.
 
After a few more minutes, Seulgi returned. "Phew! Sorry about that. It was my aunt. She said she misses me."
 
"Aren't you visiting her?" asked Irene. The sour face from the misconception earlier turned into a sweet smile.
 
"I'm busy. She's busy." Seulgi went back to her pasta. "And I don't like her giving me free food every time I visit her restaurant."
 
"Restaurant?"
 
Seulgi hummed. "Remember, I mentioned before how I love going to Tosokchon Samgyetang restaurant? My Aunt Victoria owns that place."
 
Irene dropped her hand on the table. "No way."
 
"Yeah. The food there is expensive, but they are exquisitely great," said Seulgi, stuffing a forkful of spaghetti into . "I don't want my aunt going bankrupt just because my food is always on her whenever I go there."
 
"Well, you must be her favorite niece."
 
Seulgi smiled. "Of course. I'm her only niece. She's my dad's only sister, and she doesn't have kids."
 
Irene couldn't be happier. They've known each other for half a year now but this is the first time she heard other things about Seulgi aside from Joy issues before.
 
"Hmm. I guess Valentine's is already in the air, huh?" said Seulgi, looking around at the posters in the area.
 
"For sure people will line up at malls again to buy flowers and chocolates," said Irene. "Restaurants will be full again for sure."
 
"Hmm. Speaking of that. What do you say about me bringing you to Aunt Victoria's?"
 
Irene felt happy. "I'd love to. Why don't we do it next week?" she suggested, hinting for Valentine's date.
 
"Umm." Seulgi scratched the tip of her eyebrow. "Unfortunately, I won't be here next week."
 
"You won't?"
 
"Yeah. Well. It's my dad's birthday on the fourteenth so I'm visiting him on that day."
 
Irene felt embarrassed thinking Seulgi knew what she was pertaining to. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear.
 
"So, where are you going this time?"
 
"Indonesia. I've filed for vacation leave from 12th to 14th. I'll be flying tomorrow afternoon. Aunt Victoria called so I could pick up her gift for dad."
 
Irene focused her eyes on the spaghetti to hide her disappointment.
 
That's from Monday to Wednesday. She won't see Seulgi for four days straight. She's wondering now if she how will she be able to survive that.
 
---
 
"So... we're here..." said Seulgi as they arrive in front of Irene's gate.
 
"Thanks. I had fun. Real fun," said Irene.
 
"You had fun making fun of me."
 
Irene chuckled. "I didn't know you had a comedian side."
 
Seulgi rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Right."
 
"You should be proud. It's not every day I enjoy a date like this."
 
"I'm honored, your highness." Seulgi bowed.
 
"Thanks to my friends in the horror house, they made my day complete."
 
"Ugh. Until when are you gonna make fun of me?"
 
"Let me be. I won't see you for four days, you know," said Irene.
 
A smile slipped across Seulgi's mouth. "Awe. Does that mean you will miss me?"
 
"You wish."
 
"I'm sure you will. Right? Right?" Seulgi's poking Irene's arm.
 
"What makes you think so?"
 
Seulgi scratched her head for an answer. "Uh... I don't know. Because I'm surely gonna miss you?"
 
"Aish. Why do you love messing your hair like that?" Irene reached to fuss with Seulgi's disarrayed hair. "And yes, of course, I'd miss you, dumbo."
 
"Awe. I'm so touched."
 
"Crazy." Irene was about to playfully slap Seulgi, but the latter caught her hand out of instinct.
 
Seulgi is started caressing her hand, squeezing it as she smiles at Irene.
 
Then she brushed a strand of hair away from Irene's forehead. Seulgi's hand trembled, but Irene loved the feeling of those fingertips making the barest contact on her skin.
 
Seulgi leaning closer, planting a soft kiss on Irene's forehead. "Thank you," she whispered, almost inaudible.
 
Irene closed her eyes. It was oh so magical that she'd like to stay like that for a little while.
 
However, they had to pull away from each other when a headlight from a passing vehicle flashed for a second.
 
"I, uh, I better go now," said Irene, hooking her bag on her shoulder. "I'll see you next week." She went out of the car and sneaked a peek before closing the door. "Take care, okay? And enjoy the trip."
 
"I will. Thank you. Goodnight, Irene."
 
"Goodnight, Seulgi."
 
---
 
Irene's knees were weak she collapsed on her bed immediately. She was glad that her mom isn't home yet because it had saved her from the possible interrogation on how was the hangout with her 'friends'.
 
And now she's back to staring endlessly at the ceiling. She's no doubt happy, but at the same time, she feels scared of the changes she's feeling lately.
 
Scared of that thought that maybe she's losing it now.
 
As far as the dating game is concerned, Irene had always had her guard up; full gear defense. Yes, she goes out with boys but she's too cautious around them. Although the case is a bit different, because it's a girl this time, but Irene never felt things from previous dates before the way Seulgi had made her feel or even made her do without inhibitions.
 
She mentally counted all the notable firsts she experienced that day:
 
First time she totally enjoyed a date.
 
First time she had admired the fireworks display despite the loud noise.
 
First time she made the first move to hold her date's hand.
 
First time she had eaten at that Italian restaurant.
 
First time she'd thought of going out with someone on Valentine's Day.
 
She stopped for a moment before admitting one last thing on her mind. She touched her forehead, trying to recall how it felt earlier. Her heart flutters on the memory of it.
 
"..." she said in an exhale with her eyes darting quickly around the room.
 
This time she knows it. Whatever defense she had tried to establish all throughout these years; that blockage has already been blown away.
 
The battle for maintaining her sanity is over. Her guard is already torn down. She just smiled at her realization because she never thought it was possible to get such happiness from one person only.
 
She knows it's useless to pretend to be strong anymore, because whatever mask she puts on to pretend how tough she is it will just boil down to one thing:
 
Seulgi had definitely conquered her.
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Comments

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cutieeexd #1
Chapter 52: can’t wait for your next story, author :((( i miss u and ur works huhu i hope you’re doing well 💗
Seul_rene14 #2
Oh I'm so back to read this again!!!! Author-nim are we getting any new seulrene fic?
rilakchaerin91
#3
Chapter 51: Love it!🫶🏻
serene09
#4
Chapter 51: rereading 10x already ..
please comeback authornim
railtracer08
357 streak #5
Chapter 52: That was a ride alright. Really felt like locking them together in a room at times just so they could actually talk 😂. At least everything worked out in the end
Oct_13_wen_03 35 streak #6
Chapter 51: 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍
sseulrene23 #7
Chapter 52: I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR NEXT STORIESSS🥹🤩
sseulrene23 #8
Chapter 52: I fricking reread all your stories like 10 times
sseulrene23 #9
Chapter 52: thanks for the shoutout?
sseulrene23 #10
Chapter 52: LOVE YOUR STORIES