Visitor
HERSHEIrene woke up seeing the beam of morning light from the window. She stretched her arms out and looked around. The moment the unfamiliarity of the bedroom hit her, she got up.
She brought a hand to her head after a terrible ache surged. The last thing she remembered is feeling her legs getting numb, then Seulgi and Eric are carrying her to the parking lot. She's not sure what happened after that.
She scanned the room. She saw a table alarm clock on the bedside table and realized it's already 10 am.
She found her purse nearby and fished for her mobile phone. She frowned because her battery is empty. Her mom would definitely kill her for not even calling.
She stood up from the bed and wandered around the room, wanting to find out whose house she's in right now. There's a picture frame on the table near the window. It's Seulgi's graduation picture with an older man beside her, probably her dad.
Irene's eyes widened.
She panicked. She can't contain the idea that Seulgi saw her in that kind of situation. She's more embarrassed with the idea that Seulgi will see her now in her haggard appearance. And what's worst is she can't remember a thing from last night. What if she'd done something that she shouldn't?
She slapped herself for having a dirty mind. Then she scanned herself, still wearing her clothes from yesterday. And Seulgi is nowhere to be seen.
She found Seulgi outside the room, sleeping on the couch. Finding the scene cute, Irene bent a little to inspect Seulgi's face.
She touched Seulgi's nose with a fingertip. Seulgi didn't move. Irene smiled. She stopped when she realized that what she's doing is silly.
---
Seulgi is standing near an abyss.
She looked around to check if anyone was with her. There's no one.
Then she saw Joy standing on the edge of the other cliff in front of her. She wanted to go there but there's no bridge anywhere. The cliff is too high, and she will die if she falls into the river below.
"Joy!" she called out.
Joy didn't turn.
"JOY!"
Joy didn't seem to hear her.
She took a few steps back and strode forward, running fast. Upon reaching the edge of the cliff, Seulgi jumped as high as she could. She thought she will make it--she was sure she could--but due to unknown elements, while in the air, she saw the gap of the cliffs became wider, making her land on both hands holding onto the edge of the other cliff.
"Joy! Help me!"
She tried to rest her right foot on a stone bump but it cracked and fell immediately. She looked up and saw Joy staring down at her.
"Joy, help me! I don't wanna fall!"
"Seulgi."
She heard a voice. She was sure it wasn't Joy's. She didn't even saw Joy's lips move. She looked around and there's no one else but them. She looked up again.
"Joy, please! Don't let me down again..."
"Seulgi!"
The voice was louder this time. She felt her world shaking and everything is falling into the abyss. Her left hand slipped its grip from the stone. She's now hanging with one hand.
The quake's intensity increased. Little by little, the cliff's edge cracked. She fell, having the last glimpse of Joy looking down at her.
---
"JOY!" Seulgi cried out, getting up from the couch.
Irene didn't move. Seulgi's face is leveling hers, eyes locked into hers.
Seulgi looked down, gasping for air. She's sweating.
"Seulgi? Are you okay?"
Seulgi slowly nodded. She covered her chin and mouth with a hand and looked away.
"You're... you're having a nightmare... I had to wake you up..."
"Yeah... Sorry about that. Thanks, Irene."
"Are you sure you're okay now?"
"Mmm-mmm. Don't worry. I'm fine."
"Okay." Irene moved away and sat on the other end of the sofa. "Can I use your phone? I need to call my mom. My battery's empty. I'm pretty sure she's already worried about me."
Seulgi removed the blanket from her body and stood up from the couch. "Sure. Go ahead. Just do your thing. I'll just wash my face."
Irene watched Seulgi walked away. Her mind is full of unexplainable feelings towards this Joy girl that she's heard for the third time now.
---
That surely was a weird dream.
Seulgi stared at her reflection in the mirror, making sure she looks refreshed now.
She went out of the bathroom and heard Irene talking on the phone.
"Sorry, mom, my battery's drained. Yeah, I'm with a female friend right now. I'll be home in a few hours. I love you too, mom. Bye."
Seulgi smiled at the term "friend". That's an improvement.
Irene smiled after seeing Seulgi. "Can you tell me how I end up here in your place?"
Seulgi threw the towel on her right shoulder as she walked to sit on the couch. "You passed out on me, Bae."
Irene sat on the couch next to Seulgi's. "Sorry about that."
"I don't know where you live. After driving Eric home, I don't know where else to go."
"How did we make it up here?"
"I carried you on my back." Seulgi tapped her shoulder. "You're heavier than I thought," she said, letting out a soft laugh. "Do you remember anything from last night?"
Irene shook her head. "Just hazy memories."
"Do you remember getting here in my room?"
"Not that part."
"I see."
"Did something..." Irene hesitated.
"Huh?"
"Seulgi, did we..." Irene scrunched up her face and waved her hand like there is more to say that she cannot say.
Seulgi didn't get it at first. She waited for Irene.
"Did something..." Irene trailed off, still hesitating, "... you know... you and me..."
Seulgi's jaw dropped when she deciphered the message. "No! No! No, Bae! None of that!"
Irene's face is red as a tomato now. "I'm sorry for even asking that." She looked away. "It was stupid."
They sat there in silence and awkwardness until Seulgi cleared .
"Umm... I'm going out for a while to buy something. Would you like to take a shower and refresh before I drive you home?"
"Love to, but..." Irene smelled her blouse. "Do you mind lending me a blouse or a shirt?"
"Feel free to check my closet. Grab anything you like." Seulgi pointed at her closet.
Irene looked in the same direction and went back to Seulgi. "Thanks."
"There's an extra disposable toothbrush in the bathroom. You can use it."
"Perfect."
---
Irene is skeptically staring at the disposable toothbrush in her hand, thinking how many women had Seulgi brought there already.
Then she noticed the magical mouthwash beside the toothpaste.
After brushing and testing out Seulgi's mouthwash, Irene went out of the bathroom with the towel wrapped around her body. Seulgi said she'll be out for about an hour, enough time for Irene to finish fixing herself. She opened Seulgi's closet and ran through the clothes. She chose the white button-down shirt to wear.
While drying her hair in front of the mirror, she noticed a reflection of a room behind her. Out of curiosity, she walked there to check. She the lights and her eyes widened at what greeted her.
"Oh. My. Gosh."
A collection of different pictures of people are in the room. Some framed and some are not. Almost all variations are there; men, women, children, elders, babies, black, white, etc...
And what's making it special is all those people were captured smiling naturally.
As her eyes roam through the room, one specific picture caught her attention. It is the biggest frame hanged on the wall. It is a portrait of a woman who's wearing a white satin dress, or lingerie probably. She felt the positive aura of the image in front of her.
Irene's smile faded when she realized it was taken in Seulgi's bedroom.
But then, she heard the front door open. She quickly stepped out of the room, seeing Seulgi in the dining area.
"Hey," Irene greeted, her hands on her back.
"Hello--" Seulgi turned to her and stopped like she'd seen something surprising.
"Um... do you mind if I use this one?" asked Irene, sensing that Seulgi is looking at the blouse she's wearing.
"No, no... You look gorgeous in it," Seulgi remarked, walking towards the table.
Irene bit her lip, feeling shy.
"Come here, Irene. I got us ramen."
Irene squealed upon hearing it. "Really? You bought ramen?"
Seulgi smiled. "It's authentic."
"Wow! I've been craving this food since last week!"
Seulgi sat down in front of Irene. "Yeah, that's what you told me last night."
Irene blinked. "I did?"
"Mmm. You specifically requested me to buy you ramen." Seulgi squinted her eyes and puckered her lips out. "'Could you... buy me... a ramen tomorrow?'"
"Eeeeeeiiii! I hate you!" Irene hit Seulgi's arm.
Seulgi laughed. "You're so cute when you're drunk. Do you know that?"
Irene wasn't prepared for that. She couldn't respond.
"Do you remember anything else you said last night?" asked Seulgi.
"Like what?"
"You said Eric's house doesn't look like a happy house."
Irene's jaw dropped. "I SAID THAT!"
"YES!" Seulgi squinted her eyes again and pouted her lips before mimicking Irene's tone. "'It doesn't seem to look like a happy house to me...'"
"Uuuuggghhhh! I hate you, Kang!" Irene covered her face. "This is embarrassing!"
"You were also calling me names last night, you know."
"I did? What did I call you?"
Seulgi just smiled.
"What are you smiling at?" asked Irene.
"Nothing. C'mon, let's eat."
---
After a while, a sound from the door caught Irene's attention. The door opened.
Seulgi stood up from the chair, her eyes bulging.
Seeing Seulgi's reaction, Irene trailed the latter's line of sight and noticed a person standing by the door. It's the same girl in the big picture hanging in the room.
"Hi there, bear. Long time no see."
Comments