“Kim Yerim! You didn’t do the dishes again!” Irene shouted from the kitchen.

Wendy was in front of the TV, playing with her phone when Yeri shouted back from her room. “I’m sorry, Unnie! I got a phone call and I-. I’ll do it now!”

“Too late. I’m doing it right now.”

“Sorry…,” Yeri whimpered behind her room door.

Seulgi walked into the kitchen to take some cold tea. Irene turned to her and said, “Did you unpack your laundry?”

“Um….”

“The laundry lady will come in an hour, Seulgi. Go unpack it now.”

Seulgi, without saying anything, retreated to her room and did what she told.

Wendy smiled. “You okay? You seem tense.”

“I swear to God these kids wouldn’t last a day without my supervision,” Irene grumbled.

“It’s our day off. You could let them off the hook for once.”

“Day off from work, Wendy. Not from life. What about your laundry? Have you unpacked them yet?”

“Yes, it’s downstairs.”

Irene finished the dishes and walked to the TV room with two glasses of cold tea. She handed one to Wendy before sitting on a sofa.

“Thanks,” Wendy said.

“You’re not going anywhere?”

“Nah. We have an early schedule tomorrow so I’ll just stay home and watch something.”

“That’s good work ethic,” Irene said. “Unlike Joy who ran off with Eeteuk-oppa to God knows where.”

“He’ll take care of her. He’s not a bad man.”

“But he’ll bring Joy home late, I’m sure. She needs to rest. Which reminds me,” Irene took a deep breath and yelled out, “Yeri drink your vitamin!”

Yeri came out of the room and smiled at Irene. She scurried to the kitchen to drink her vitamin.

“What are you doing in your room?” asked Irene.

“Um, nothing.”

“Playing games?”

“Um.”

“You are still recovering from a very bad flu. Go rest. Watch something and stop playing games.”

“Come on, Unnie, cut her some slack,” said Wendy.

“And let her get the fever again?”

“I’m just saying playing games could do no harm.”

“It strains your brain and exhausts your body. Rest, Yeri,” said Irene.

Yeri walked to the room, head hung low.

“No. You can do whatever you want, Yeri. Don’t listen to her,” Wendy said.

“Excuse me? I am taking care of her.”

“You’re being a mean step mother.”

“Because I want her to be healthy.”

“And stresses her out psychologically?”

“Playing games for hours could do that for me. Go read a book or something.”

Yeri raised her hands. “It’s okay. I’ll rest. I’ll stop playing. I’ll get something to read.”

“No. You can go out and play soccer if you want.”

“Wendy!” Irene raised her voice.

“Unnie. You’re being unreasonable. Just because you relax by reading books, doesn’t mean you have to force that to Yeri. Reading books can be boring. Maybe that’s why you’re boring too.”

Irene looked at Yeri long and deep. She stood up, put her glass down and grabbed her coat. She left the dorm.

Wendy sighed.

“Unnie, really, it’s okay. I’ve been playing for quite a while too. I’ll get a book and read. You don’t have to argue with Irene-unnie,” said Yeri.

“I know…,” Wendy said under her breath.

“Should I go get her?”

Wendy grabbed her own coat and walked to the door. “No, I’ll do it. Sorry. Go rest.”

**

Wendy found Irene by the garden just outside the dorm. It was the end of January and Wendy could still see the white fog coming out of every time she breathed. Irene was looking to the street with her hands in her coat pocket.

“Unnie.”

Irene turned at Wendy before returning her gaze to the bustling Seoul road.

“Hey,” Wendy stood next to Irene.

The two were silent for a while.

“Unnie. I’m sorry,” said Wendy.

“Listen,” Irene took a deep breath, “I don’t want Yeri to get sick again. Because if she does then Joy will get sick, and then I will get sick. It’s just how the sickness pattern goes in the dorm. And if I get sick then you will get sick. We live in a very small dorm.”

“I know.”

“And if you get sick, then… I don’t want it to happen. So sometimes, I need to be a little strict. Because I’m the oldest.”

“Yes, I understand. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry. I said in front of Yeri, too. It was uncalled for.”

Irene shrugged.

“Are we good?”

“Yeah, we’re good.”

“Can I get a hug?”

Irene rolled her eyes. “Sure.”

Wendy hugged Irene. She closed her eyes and breathed in the familiar scent of Irene. This was what paradise must feel like, she thought. “I love you.”

“Hmm?”

“I,” Wendy cleared , “I love you. Like a dongsaeng loves her sunbae.”

“I love you too.”

Wendy broke the hug and awkwardly turned around. She didn’t want Irene to see her red face. “I’ll see you at the dorm.”

Irene nodded and let Wendy went ahead.

That was an unintentional confession. Wendy knocked her head with her fist to pull her back to reality. But the hug was amazing. She needed that. 

**

Wendy was hanging around in front of the TV when Joy returned to the dorm around eight. She looked like she had fun. Wendy told her to get a shower before going to bed. Joy complied and around nine, she went into her room. Five minutes later, Wendy followed Joy.

“Hey,” said Wendy.

Joy smiled back. “Unnie.”

“Can you keep a secret?”

“Yes. What’s up?”

Wendy closed the door behind her and sat next to Joy. “This is a big secret. I was going to keep it to myself and let it die with me but it is so huge that I almost burst open myself. I have to share it with someone.”

“Oh, my. That’s a huge responsibility on my part.”

“Right? It’s because I trust you so I am confident in telling you.”

“What is it?”

Wendy took a deep breath and said, “I like Irene-unnie.”

“Yeah, I like her too.”

“No, no. I like her. Like… I love her.”

Joy narrowed her eyes.

“I’m in love with her.”

“In love… you mean…..”

“Yes.”

Joy gasped. “Oh, my God! This is huge!”

“Shush!”

“Wha-, since whe-, how-, does she-?”

“Relax. She doesn’t know and I hope she will never know. I’m trusting this to you and only you, okay? Don’t tell anyone.”

“This is so biig.”

“I know, right?”

Joy smiled. “I don’t know what to tell you except, good luck, I guess. I don’t think you will ever confess, right?”

Wendy shook her head.

“It must be hard being the way you are in this society. And thank you for making me your confidante.”

Wendy smiled and hugged Joy. “Thank you for understanding.”

“Anytime, Unnie.”

**

Yeri found a book online and was reading it until around ten, a knock came to her door. Irene came in.

“Hey, Unnie. I was just about to go to sleep.”

“Oh,” Irene stood on the doorway.

“What’s up?”

“Do you have time?”

“Sure.”

“There is something I need to tell you.”

“Okay.”

“It’s kind of a big secret and I have to share it with somebody.”

“Oh, boy. Okay.”

Irene stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

--