A muffled plea cut across the 5th grade classroom during free time as Seulgi pinched one of her classmate's mouths shut.

"I told you! No swearing!" she chided, her strength not allowing her classmate's lips to form any more bad words. Seulgi's grip was tight enough to keep her friend's mouth shut but not too tight that it would hurt them. Seulgi wouldn't hurt a fly.

Her friend tried their best to make as much of a coherent sentence as possible but ended up in a mess of garbles and gibberish. They knocked on Seulgi's shoulder three times almost like a tap-out in a wrestling match. Seulgi's hold loosened up a bit just enough for her classmate to speak comprehensively but still a bit muffled.

"I'm sorry, Seulgi. I'll t-try my best not to swear anymore." they said, pleading both in words and through their eyes.

Seulgi's teeth show as she grins and lets them go before she gives them a hearty rub on the back, "No harm done, just promise me you won't do it again."

"Gotcha. Though that did sting a bit, thanks for looking out for me." They genuinely smiled back.

It was the last day of the academic year before they all went their separate ways for Christmas break. They'd all written out New Year's resolutions and Seulgi's was "I'll try to stop my classmate from using bad words." It wasn't an ordinary resolution but it did mean well and that resolution pretty much stuck around. Not just with that particular classmate but all people around her. She'd scold even her older brother sometimes which surprised him at first but knew his baby sister had good intentions.

 

---

 

Going through different stages in life, Seulgi could count on one hand the things she truly detested. One is forgetting to bring her specs because Seulgi has a horribly high grade on those and without them she can hardly see the lecture board. Another is when her roommate Joy leaves the heater in the shower on too high so Seulgi feels like she's melting her skin away when she just wants to freshen up.

But alas if there's one thing Kang Seulgi really disliked, it's a potty mouth and if there's one person that's an exemplary example of the latter, it'd be Son Seungwan or Wendy as many like to call her by the name she was called when she lived in Canada.

The shorter girl was more liberal with the color of her words and Seulgi found it exhaustingly overbearing a lot of the time. She was tired of hearing it all like "Oh my ing God, Seulgi you need to check this out." "Holy , that exam was a ." The only time Seulgi has ever considerably liked it that Wendy cursed was when she saw Seulgi at the time she picked up her and Joy on one of their night endeavors with Yeri a freshman, Joy a sophomore and Irene their upperclassman but close friend. Yeri had just turned nineteen and being the excited teen she was, what better way to celebrate her coming of age than in the club?

Wendy had gone up to Joy and Seulgi's 4th floor dorm so they could meet up later with Yeri and Irene in front of the amphitheater building then sashay their way into the club. Wendy rang the doorbell one with a long ring then a short one so the residents know it's Wendy or so Joy’s instructions would tell. She heard particularly loud voices come from the inside.

"Seulgi, the door! I'm still in the shower!" Wendy heard Joy's voice echo from apparently the bathroom.

"Hurry up! We're gonna be late because of you." Seulgi calls as her voice, which was sweeter than literal honey in Wendy’s ears, drew closer and closer to the door with each click of her heel.

The door swung open and Wendy could almost feel and hear the smack of her jaw as it dropped to the floor. “Oh my .” she says in disbelief under her breath (which she hopes was quiet enough for Seulgi not to hear and spoiler: Seulgi heard).

Seulgi stood against the door frame with one arm still on the doorknob. She was clad in a black two piece with a halter top and a pencil skirt that reached past her knees and her sleek black hair all tied up high and her bangs looking as lively as ever.

Wendy didn’t know what to reckon when it came to Seulgi’s wardrobe outside of class but she definitely wasn’t expecting this. She didn’t expect Seulgi to wear her same large sweaters and loose pants she’d always have on but she just didn’t think the slightly older girl could look so good. Devilishly so.

Wendy must have been ogling for too long because Seulgi looked down at her with a slight tug on her lips. “Yes, yes we get it. It’s shocking that the girl who accidentally wears non-matching shoes in the morning can dress so well.”

“U-uh, yeah! I thought I had rang on the wrong dorm for a second there.” Wendy said, wishing her sad excuse for a laugh didn’t come out as nervous as she felt. Seulgi pinched Wendy’s arms at the joke cracked by the girl with subtle purple dye in her hair. “Ow! What the ?” Wendy yelps in between a groan and a giggle.

“I’ve told you before,” Seulgi laughed, her hand remaining on Wendy’s arm, “no swearing in the dorm nor making fun of my non existent sense of fashion.”

“But you didn’t have to do it so hard.” Wendy defeatedly muttered under her breath, rubbing the sore spot Seulgi left. She still hadn’t gotten over the initial surprise of how Seulgi looks tonight. Seulgi couldn’t have possibly styled herse-

“Before you ask and make fun of me more, yes Joy did dress me up but that isn’t the reason why she’s only in the shower now.”

“What happened to ‘no lying in the dorm’?” Joy hollers from the bathroom.

“Can it, Joy!” Seulgi growled, before leading Wendy to the couch to wait for the sophomore.

 

---

 

this. that. Holy . Motherer. Seulgi swore she was this close to shoving down an entire bar of soap and a sprinkle of detergent down Wendy's throat. It was six in the afternoon, their last period Theories of Learning class (an extra class Seulgi and Wendy chose to take) before they could all go back to their dorms and sleep ‘til the following day’s afternoon yet Seulgi was at her wit’s end. It had been 39 minutes into their hour and a half class and Wendy had managed to curse more than Seulgi can count on her fingers and the rest of her classmates'. She knew Wendy’s known to be an unlucky person but this is too much as the shorter girl continues to manage to drop multiple pens and accidentally write in the wrong color on her notes (again).

Seulgi really tried to listen attentively to their topic about positive and negative reinforcement, and punishment as Wendy muttered away.

Their teacher spoke loud enough for all in the lecture hall to hear, no need for a mic, “Based off of the names alone, you can tell a lot about what we are discussing. It’s about knowing the type of person you are dealing with and what kind of repercussions you need to have to encourage or discourage a behavior.”

He flipped the slide and presented a child making a mess of the walls and the carpet, “Once this happens what will you do?”

People didn’t bother to raise their hands anymore. They all answered in unison dragging the last word, “Scold them.”

“Yes of course but it isn't as simple as that. The difference between negative reinforcement and punishment is that negative reinforcement encourages a behavior while punishment should decrease a behavior. So here either you use verbal scolding or better yet give the child reason to not do the unwanted behavior. A little incentive to act accordingly. The reaction to the child refraining from the unwanted behavior may be material rewards or something as simple as emotional praise or maybe even a high five or a kiss. They are in fact children. ”

Wendy knew Seulgi hated it when she swore but at the moment she was too preoccupied as her colored pens (which she uses to keep her notes interesting) keep rolling off of the long table and as she shifted to get them, her thighs felt like they were getting sandpapered by the numerous splinters under the desk. She decided to move them from the edge of the table she was on to the side she was beside Seulgi.

Yet again, the orange pen falls. One curse for the pen falling and another for her thigh scraping the coarse table underside. She grumbles another rather profane word from her diverse dictionary as she bends down to retrieve her ballpoint. The follow up cuss was on the tip of her tongue when she straightens out her back but inevitably the bad word got lost on its way out as she caught a glimpse of her seatmate for the first time the entire period.

It’d be an understatement to say Wendy thought Seulgi glowed more than the sun. Coral streaks beaming from the sinking sun just outside the window on Wendy’s opposite side stained Seulgi’s skin in a way every beauty mark, even imperfection (which hardly mattered to Wendy), was shown and Wendy couldn’t help but feel her heart want to jump out of her chest and out the window in that instant. The crease between her eyebrows grew more prominent as she tried her best to understand the lesson. Her glasses glinted sunshine off of its metal frame making it seem like the material was golden yet nothing would be more golden than Seulgi’s natural beauty. It was almost as if there were dustings of glitter on Seulgi’s cheeks that seemed to gleam and reflect the light right into Wendy’s dilated eyes. Wendy wished she could keep this moment forever despite the insistent, sporadic butterflies in her stomach that just wouldn't leave her alone whenever she was around Seulgi.

“Wendy, you might burn a hole into my head if you keep looking at me like that.” Seulgi said as she pushed up one of Wendy’s pens before it fell without taking her eyes off of Wendy who was flustered at being blatantly caught staring.

“There’s just been something on your face since the class started.” Wendy said, hopeful she didn’t stutter or seem as nervous as she her clammy hands were feeling.

With one of Seulgi’s eyebrows touching her bangs as the brow quirked up she asked, “Huh? What’s on my face?”

“A look. I don’t think anything he’s saying is getting through to you.” Wendy chuckled, trying not to smile so much and look like she enjoyed each second she teased Seulgi.

“What the…” Seulgi groaned and laughed at how Wendy could be so funny at almost seven in the evening when everyone’s exhausted, “At least I’m trying!”

 

---

 

Going through different stages in life, Wendy could count with both her hands and feet the things she truly detested. One is having to walk all over to the other side of campus for her first class on the eleventh floor of the building that is virtually elevator-less with all the people getting in line. If Wendy had wanted a cardio workout (which she never really ever wished for), she’d go to the gym in her own time and not before 7:30 in the morning. Another thing that peeved Wendy was the way her roommate Irene seemed to just love leaving the blinds in their dorm drawn. The unhindered sunlight spilling from the window made Wendy feel like she was melting her skin away when she just wanted to sleep.

But alas if there’s something Son Seungwan really disliked, it's a nag and if there’s one person that’s an exemplary example of the latter, it’d be Kang Seulgi or Slowgi as Wendy would like to call her.

Wendy didn’t like the way Seulgi would just squeeze the life out of her arm when she swore. Seulgi may not look like it but she packed a punch (but in a rather pinch-like scale). She didn’t like it when Seulgi would constantly badger at her like she was Wendy’s mom. They’re in college for God’s sake. And Wendy, disliked it especially when Seulgi would always somehow managed to make Wendy’s heart want to race right out of her chest in the blink of an eye.

Wendy had no idea what was really going on inside of her head, having a particularly painful crush on Seulgi when so many boys constantly kept asking her out (to which the days older girl politely declines always). The two were classmates for about 3 years now and it’s maybe been around that amount of time that Wendy has been feeling for Seulgi this way. Wendy just wished she had the same confidence these guys had to ask Seulgi out but she doesn’t even know if Seulgi’s into girls. She’s terrified of what could happen to their friendship if Seulgi wasn’t comfortable with it.

It was a no brainer that Wendy definitely felt immensely happier with Seulgi beside her (once she gets past the initial butterflies in her stomach) but all Wendy really wanted to do was make Seulgi happy. Not in exchange for something. Not so Wendy could say the other owed her. Wendy firmly believed that for someone as amazing of a person as Seulgi was, she only deserves the best. Despite the fact the Wendy often turns into a mumbling mess when it came to her feelings for Seulgi she really did try her best to show her appreciation through actions.

Though her actions may not be clearly remembered by her fellow occupational therapy major friend the following morning.

It was the start of a health break and there was a party being held at one of the sororities. Everyone wanted to take the edge off, so all five of them decided to just get crazy to celebrate the end of the semester. The sorority house looked much smaller from the outside but the inside was almost pure architectural genius plus the pool was of quality. Lights strobed through the room and out into the yard which wasn’t as cramped as Wendy had expected it to be. It had been less than an hour since the two decided to sit at the poolside bar and Seulgi was just going crazy on the drinks. This semester had really taken a toll on her and she had zero hesitation downing one drink after the other.

Even if Seulgi clearly won’t remember anything Wendy has done for her this night, that’s alright. Wendy wasn’t the type to keep score. But she was keeping track of the drinks Seulgi was having and she may have just lost count.

Wendy slowly slid her hand towards the less than sober girl trying to distance Seulgi from more alcohol. "Hey, I think that's enough for one night. Don't you-"

"No." Seulgi snatched back the drink just as quickly as she horked it down.

'My God, she's really going at it.' Wendy mentally sighed. It's these circumstances that Seulgi is at the point of no return. The point being farthest from sobriety.

"Honestly, we both know you can't hold your alcohol as well as you'd like." Wendy said as she drew near Seulgi, trying to reason with her. "It's either you're going to end up spilling your dinner right into that pool or you're going to wake up with the absolute worst hangover."

Seulgi scoffed, taking another swig.

Wendy placed her hand on Seulgi's back, "I know you don't want either of those things to happen. So, how about we just head home for now. I think you've unwound quite enough."

Seulgi turned her head to Wendy and looked her square in the eye or Seulgi thought she did but it proved difficult for all three of the Wendys she was seeing.

"Look at you lecturing me about drinking. Do you ever listen to me when I tell you not to swear?" Seulgi's eyes narrowed, her words slurring.

Wendy couldn't help but laugh seeing the serious look in Seulgi's face in comparison to how flushed and out of it she also looks. "Even when you're dead drunk, you manage to scold me for my potty mouth. You really are one of a kind, Kang Seulgi."

Seulgi suddenly stands, towering over Wendy (more than usual). Stray hairs escaped her bun falling over eyes and ears as she looked down at the already smaller girl.

"And you think you're real cute, huh? The way you have color coded notes, the way your giggle is so bubbly, the way you're so flustered after I scold you time and time again?" Seulgi jabbed a finger at Wendy's chest. "Well, guess what? You are."

That was not the direction Wendy thought this conversation was taking. This is all either really happening or Wendy took some serious shots that she has no memory of.

Seulgi was unbelievably close to Wendy now. Her arms had found a way to snake around Wendy's neck and the foreigner completely missed how it happened. At this point, Wendy's face had turned just as rosy as Seulgi's despite having not taken a single drink the entire night. The second Wendy felt Seulgi's warm skin come into contact with her own, she squeaked an all too embarrassing noise.

"And that." Seulgi said, booping the tip of Wendy's nose. "You're very cute when you do that."

Wendy's surprised her flustered being lasted this long without passing out.

She feels a heated hand cupping her cheek and Wendy almost flinched until she was met with Seulgi's soft hazel eyes. Though her eyelids looked heavy and hooded, there was something about Seulgi's eyes that didn't seem so clouded as they would usually look once she was intoxicated.

Was Wendy seeing sincerity? Or does she just want to make herself believe that Seulgi actually meant these things.

"You know if you weren't cursing more than half of the time, I would've kissed those pretty lips of yours by now, Seungwan." Seulgi whispers, almost to herself alone but because of the nearly non-existent space between her and Wendy, the foreigner (much to her gay dismay) heard every word.

Before Wendy could power through all her stuttering and mental short-circuiting, she felt Seulgi's weight shift and her breath against her neck. Seulgi had finally passed out from all the drinks. Wendy found herself letting go of a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"I'd like to hold you to your latest statement but you've out and that wouldn't be very nice of me now, would it?" Wendy smiles to herself as she fishes her phone out of her pocket and dials Joy. She wraps an arm around Seulgi making sure the tall drink of water doesn't fall into the nearby pool.

"Hey, you ready to go? Your roommate's out cold."

'Ha! I told you Seulgi wouldn't last! Pay up, Yerim.'

 

---

 

Joy has waited far too long for this well deserved party just to end up bringing Seulgi back to the dorm too early into the night. Once Joy and Yeri found their way to where Wendy and Seulgi were, they got comfortable on the two seats beside Wendy.

"Uhm, is there or is there not a whole mass of Seulgi passed out on top of me right now?" Wendy huffed at the lack of any support from the younger duo.

"Hmmm, I can't really tell. Maybe a drink or two will clear up my vision?" Yeri said, quirking a brow at Wendy.

"If you think I'm treating you a drink, you are getting farther and farther from one, Yerim." Wendy grumbled as she adjusts her weight to better support Seulgi's own. "What was the point of calling you two here if you were only coming for the bar?"

The two shrugged as Joy called out for three mojitos. "Don't worry, unnie. I came here to give you the keys to our dorm so you wouldn't have the trouble of having to bring her to yours."

"You really think I can carry Seulgi all the way to your building by myself?" Wendy groaned, now wrapping two arms around Joy's unconscious roomie as she kept slipping.

"A hundred percent believe in you." Joy said tipping her glass to the exasperated occupational therapy major.

"Cheers." Yeri said, raising her glass and then taking a long sip.

"I'm flattered you think I can actually pick her up but it's really not gonna happen. Seulgi may be slim but almost all her weight comes from her muscles."

"Come on, she can't be that heavy. Pass the unconscious out of control drinker over here." Joy said, settling her drink in her farther hand and opening the other arm to try Seulgi's weight.

Wendy's out of breath by the time she passes Seulgi to Joy but Joy was completely unfazed by the sudden weight in one arm. It was either Joy seemed to work out more than she looked or Wendy really needs to get into shape.

"See? No sweat." Joy said pulling Seulgi closer with one arm and taking another sip with the other.

"I'm calling Irene-unnie." Wendy said popping her phone out for hopefully the last time tonight.

 

---

 

"You know you could just tell her, right?"

Wendy was snapped right out of her thoughts to the sound of Irene's voice and the sound of keys rattling out of a pocket. The three were right outside Joy and Seulgi's dorm when Irene's words caught Wendy off guard.

"Tell her what?" Wendy stammered. She didn't know what the older girl was getting at but she didn't like where it was headed.

 

"That you love her, Seungwan."

 

Click went the lock on the door. Click went something in Wendy's head that reminded her that Seulgi was literally latched onto her.

"Unnie! She's right here!" Wendy panic whispered, urging Irene to shut it with a finger to her own lips.

"Oh please, she's not waking up 'til at least 11 tomorrow morning." Irene said, holding the door open for Wendy to drag Seulgi inside onto the couch.

Wendy managed to lay Seulgi down the couch but also fell flat on her own in the process. Wendy decided to stay down, recognizing her lack of strength to do more than sit up right. Irene sat beside the end of the couch where Seulgi's legs were and removed the taller girl's shoes. She threw them off to the side and leaned back on the couch.

"It's been what, three years since you've known each other? Don't you think it's about time you tell her how you truly feel? It isn't like you'll always be together like this, not with your senior year drawing near." Irene said turning her gaze to Wendy who was becoming uncomfortable on her spot on the floor. How Irene found out, she has no idea. At this point, it's too late to deny it now.

The only thing lighting up the place was the meter and a half lamp Joy never turned off after leaving the dorm. The lamp shrouded the dorm in a warm light just as far as the two ends of the couch, giving everything in its radius a touch of tangerine.

"I'm terrified, unnie." Wendy said as she drew her knees against her chest. "Not because I'm not completely out if I do tell her; I couldn't care less about what others might think about me. I've only ever cared about what Seulgi might think."

Irene slid off the couch and huddled next to Wendy. Seldom did Wendy ever put her walls down but Irene knew when she does, it's hard to put the younger girl back together.

"It's mortifying thinking about how she might react. This thing I already have with her is so irreplaceable, I can't imagine what might happen if I tell her and she isn't happy about it." Wendy's eyes began to sting. God, how many nights has she spent crying over this? Over her?

Irene wrapped an arm around Wendy's shoulders, pulled her close and immediately, Wendy leaned against Irene's chest. Irene could still hear Wendy's faint sniffling despite how much the other girl tried to mask it.

"You always about how she's always so slow but you aren't one to talk. You aren't as sharp as you think you are."

"Hm?" Wendy mumbles from Irene's embrace.

"We both know her well enough that whatever happens, whatever may become of us, she'll be there for us always. That's just how amazingly compassionate she is."

Wendy scoffs yet it comes off more defeated, "Do we really deserve her?"

"Probably too good for this horrid world". Irene chuckled.

"But I do know what she deserves." Irene said, her grip tightening around Wendy's shoulders. "She deserves someone to make her feel like they'd be there for her too, whatever the weather. You don't have to keep running away from this."

At this point, Wendy had her weak arms wrapped around Irene's waist. She was just sobbing into Irene, hoping the clothes muffled her cries enough.

"Also for Seulgi to have passed out, she must be dead drunk and if there's one thing I know about what happens when she's drunk, she's also dead honest." Irene leaned her head against Wendy's own and rubs circles on the other's back.

"Whatever Seulgi told you when she was still conscious, she meant it. Now, it's up to you whether you believe it or not."

Eyes heavy and stinging from the tears, Wendy took a moment to close her eyes and just be in the comforting hold of Irene who's probably the most level headed and most caring person she's ever had the pleasure of calling her close friend.

 

---

 

Wendy couldn't talk to Seulgi after that night onward and a whole semester passed by once again. It was like her fears were even stronger than ever knowing any moment she could just come out with it and tell Seulgi her feelings. When Irene gave her that little sliver of hope, it felt all the more real and it definitely made Wendy's stomach do all sorts of flips.

Wendy would always make up some dumb excuse to leave whenever Seulgi was around. She hadn't even finished her lunch once but as soon as Seulgi would sit down on the same lunch table as Irene, Joy, Yeri and she, Wendy would awkwardly stay for a couple of seconds then suddenly have to be somewhere else.

Oh, I gotta do something for our org real quick. Crud, I forgot to hand in my paper to Doc J. Oh geez, I left our iron on at the dorm.

So on and so forth went the list of Wendy's excuses.

It was around five in the afternoon with the orange sun coating the campus in a golden glow when Irene and Wendy were walking back to their dorm. Though they weren't part of the same course, they were part of the same building so every Thursday they'd walk together, probably have dinner in one of the restos just outside campus for a change and then go back to the dorm to watch a movie.

"I don't remember the part in my advice where I said 'avoid Seulgi', Seungwan." Irene said, hints of irritation evident in her voice.

Wendy held her gaze low, guilty. "Unnie, I'm sorry. It's just hard. It just seems all so real after that night that I couldn't handle it."

Irene frowned at seeing how down this was making her roomie. "You haven't avoided Seulgi since you guys became friends. Don't you think this is hurting her?"

"A part of me wants to believe Seulgi's dense side is in control as of the moment but I feel like I'm just trying to be naively positive." Wendy sighs, kicking a rock on the campus' brick path.

The two roommates were in the quad now. Surrounding them was a more serene environment as most classes had ended and few students were roaming about probably deciding where to eat for dinner. Wendy would remember brushing shoulders with numerous students during the busy hours in the morning with everyone rushing to class but now the view of the central fountain was clear as day. The gargoyles spewing water towards the top statue of a woman carrying a vase on her head which also made a small waterfall trickle right back into the fountain. The water shimmered as the image of the setting sun flickered behind the water.

Wendy always loved these walks and they'd always leave her breathless but today something else knocked the air right out of her. Seated at the rim of the fountain was a tall figure with mismatched shoes feeding the turtle residents of the fountain.

Wendy couldn't focus. "Oh my god, unnie is that-"

"Seulgi!" Irene called from about 20 feet away.

Though Seulgi and Wendy are classmates for most of their classes, their minor subjects aren't the same so during days like this, their buildings are different. Seulgi turned to look at who called and smiled brightly.

'There's enough things making me squint at the moment. Can you stop being one of them? I actually want to see.'  Wendy grumbles in her own head.

"What brings you here?" Irene asks the third year sitting by the fountain.

"Nothing in particular. Just basking in the sun maybe before I shut myself off in my textbooks soon." Seulgi chuckles with Wendy echoing the laughter, sharing the sentiments of her friend. "How about you guys?"

"Just headed out to get some dinner. Wanna tag along?" Irene suggests.

Wendy was nice but she was this close to pushing Irene right into the fountain. Wendy swallows hard, racking her brain to make up some excuse.

"Oh sure. Where did you guys have in mind?" Seulgi said as she stood up and grabbed her satchel from beside her feet and shoving her phone into her bag.

"Oh, uh actually, I gotta head back to the dorm and get a head start on this anatomy and kinesiology quiz I got tomorrow." Wendy stammered out of her system.

"Huh? Really?" Seulgi said as her brows met at the center with confusion.

"Wendy-" Irene started just to be cut off.

"Yeah, uh, see you later, guys!" Wendy started walking towards the direction of their dorm but as soon as she knew she was out of sight, she booked it. She didn't want to stay in whatever situation that was.

Wendy took a sharp turn behind one of the halls and headed for the place she’s always used to clear her head.

“Good afternoon, Wendy. In a hurry, aren’t we?” The janitress greeted her usual visitor.

“Just gotta think some stuff through, Ma’am Joon.” Wendy rubbed the back of her head. She came here so often that she’d gotten quite acquainted with one of the staff in the hall their university had for performing arts students.

“Is it about that Seulgi girl again?”

Wendy felt her spit get caught in . “I- uh-”

“You talk out loud to yourself, dear. You’d be surprised the lengths your words travel in this theater.” Ma’am Joon chuckled to herself, sweeping the mop against the cold cement. She then turned her back on Wendy but Wendy heard Ma’am Joon’s voice as if it were right beside her ear. “Crazy acoustics, am I right?”

Wendy could just sigh and laugh along with the friend she’s made from her frequent visits. “You don’t mind if I stay a little?”

“Sweetie, when did I ever mind?” Ma’am Joon smiles at the college student. “Don’t forget to lock up, alright?”

Ma’am Joon threw the keys in Wendy’s direction (without looking back) and Wendy’s just a little astonished as it lands right in her palm.

Wendy slowly walked towards the stage as she heard Ma’am Joon close the double doors in the middle aisle of the theater. These moments that Wendy escapes to this place were the moments she could really think about things. Oh, the afternoons she’s spent thinking about how she feels about Seulgi. Wendy went up the side stairs of the stage lightly grazing the fake vines the theater club left from the recent original play that they held.

Wendy doesn't know. She doesn't know how to go about this. She's just been stumbling over herself ever since that night. Wendy was expressive with her words no doubt but whenever it came to Seulgi, its like no amount of words were ever enough. She'd just choke right then and there. She easily talks to anyone and everyone really. When reciting in class, the words just flow right out of her. So why is it that whenever it comes to Seulgi, her tongue ties into a knot leaving her speechless?

Wendy's mind raced, her face acquiring a hint of pink as she felt her frustration. She was mad at herself. She thought, 'You love her more than anything on this earth. But here you are avoiding her and most likely hurting her in the process. Does she deserve that?'

Wendy closed her eyes and sighed letting whatever melodies slip through her lips, putting the acoustics of the theater to good use.

 

"Oye cariño, solo pienso en ti

when I wake up in the morning until I go back to sleep.

How I wish you were mine.

I think of you all the time.

I always feel like I'm flying.

Baby, you make me feel fine."

 

Wendy opened her eyes as she gazed up at the makeshift galaxy the theater club made on the ceiling. Small twinkling lights spread across the overhead space left the theater dimly lit but as its own beautiful universe. Wendy let go of a breath she didn't realize she was holding and let her eyes just roam the pocket sized constellations.

Her hands were closed in tight fists. If her nails were long that day, they'd come back bloodied up. "Why can't I just tell you?" she sighed under breath, her eyes stinging in frustration.

A voice spoke right beside her ear. "Tell me what?"

Wendy jumped farther up the stage as she panicked to see where that voice came from. Her eyes travelled all around the theater trying to find the company she didn't notice she had. From the corner of her left eye, she spied a glint of what looked like- were those glasses?

"Hard to believe that I'm the one that needs glasses between the two of us." the lanky figure scoffed from far away but her voice was still so close.

Wendy's heartbeat started to pick up again and her breathing became erratic and labored despite having stood still.

"Seulgi?"

The visitor giggled from a distance and when Wendy's heart leapt at the familiar sound, that was when she was sure.

"Who else, you dumb?" Seulgi said as she paced slowly from the farthest part away from Wendy, at the end of all the chairs.

Wendy's eyes finally started to adjust to the dim light and saw the familiar few strands of bangs and shiny, thin rimmed glasses her friend (almost) always had. Wendy suddenly felt like it was a full house and there were hundreds of eyes on her. But that's how she always felt when it was just her and Seulgi: like the whole world was watching but rather her whole world was watching. Wendy fidgeted in place, wanting to jump off of the stage in a flash but suddenly frozen in place.

“Uhm, when d-did you get here, Seulgi?”

“Earlier than you, really.” Seulgi said as her hand brushed over the cushioned chairs of the last row.

Wendy felt the heat rush to her cheeks and ears. She really hoped Seulgi hadn’t heard her singing.

“This is where you review for our quizzes?” Seulgi said, eyes on Wendy from across the room.

“Uhm, yeah, hearing your voice echo back to you really helps with the memorization.” Wendy nervously rubbed the back of her hand. “How’d you know I’d be here?”

“Ma’am Joon told me a few weeks back that you spend your afternoons here pretty often.” Seulgi as she sat down on one of the red seats, resting her arms and her head on the backrest in front of her. “Wendy?”

Wendy’s heart felt like it wanted to rip her chest apart. “Yes?”

“Why have you been avoiding me?”

‘Oh ’ Wendy thought, ‘Aren’t theaters supposed to have escape chutes or something?’

“What? I haven’t been avoiding you, though.” Wendy hoped she didn’t sound as flustered as she felt. “I said I got a quiz to study for.”

“Seungwan,” Seulgi looked her right in the eye.

‘Oh, Jesus no, don’t use my real name.’

“We’re classmates. We don’t have an AnaKines quiz tomorrow.” Seulgi said, her eyebrow raised.

“Uhm, I-uh, have a make up test tomorrow.”

“It's the end of the semester, Seungwan.” Seulgi’s brows met in visible annoyance. “Just drop it. What’s this really all about?”

Wendy let out something in between a sigh and a sob. It’s really come to this. Wendy opened but she couldn’t find the words. She wanted to kick herself if it were physically possible. Her hands were shaking and her world was spinning way too quickly. “Uhm, I think I need to sit down for this.”

Wendy walked to the front of the stage and sat down, letting her legs dangle off the edge. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to avoid you- I mean I did but I just-” Wendy stumbled over her words all too often. For just once, she wished she could pull it together.

Seulgi stood up in the middle of the aisle, worried about her friend that looked like she was on the verge of tears and passing out. Wendy was right in front of her but still far across the room.

“I don’t know, Seulgi- I just can’t put it into words.” Wendy’s shining eyes met Seulgi’s across the aisle. A sharp pang lit up in Seulgi’s chest seeing her best friend in this state.

“Alright, it looks like you’re having a tough time so I guess I’ll give us a warm up.” Seulgi said as she dropped her bag in the chair beside her and putting her hands in her pockets. “It’s been a whole semester and you’ve been avoiding me as best as you can.”

Wendy felt something twinge again in her chest. She didn’t realize it but her hand was clutching onto her heart. Something inside her went crack.

Seulgi’s words grew louder as she drew closer to her friend. “We’ve been friends for so long. I’m not dense enough to not notice you’re being checked out lately.”

Crack.

“I hardly know what’s been going on in your life. I don’t wanna sound entitled but this has only really happened now. I feel left out in a way.” Seulgi shakily said.

Crack.

“This semester was not easy and I knew you were having a hard time. But, gosh, you wouldn’t even let me be in the same table as you for more than 30 seconds.”

Crack.

Seulgi was a step away from Wendy with their eyes leveled at each other.

“I’d rather you get mad and shout at me than you ignoring me for what seemed like forever. You hurt me, Seungwan.”

Crack. This was it. The moment in time Wendy felt her heart was beyond fixing but it isn’t about her right now.

“But you know what?”

Wendy was waiting for that final blow to really crack her heart into pieces the way she deserved it.

“I’m not mad.”

Wendy blinked. “Huh?” Her eyes looked up to Seulgi and the way the soft lights just seemed to hug her classmate’s kind face made Wendy’s heart melt into a messy puddle in her chest.

“I know you, Seungwan.” Seulgi said, stepping closer to her friend. She stood right in front Wendy with her hands on Wendy’s knees. “You don’t do things without reason. So would you please just look at me and tell me what’s wrong?” Seulgi’s hand traced Wendy’s jaw to her chin and making their eyes meet one more time.

Seulgi could see the tears ready to drop from Wendy’s eyes, making her own eyes sting a little too.

“Seulgi, I wish I had better words. I wish I’d known what to do with my feelings earlier so we wouldn’t have had to go through all of this.” Wendy’s hands slid down from her sides to lightly lay them on top of Seulgi’s. “You know I love you. You and I have been the closest of friends since well, the start of our first year. But I want you to know that I feel something more than… platonic whenever it comes to you.”

Seulgi could feel Wendy’s grip getting tighter by the second.

“Since first year halfway through our second semester, I realized that I’m so… hopelessly in love with you, Kang Seulgi and these things that I feel for you have just been getting stronger and stronger as the days go by.”

Seulgi saw that one tear finally drop followed by another and another until Wendy was just crying her heart out.

“All these emotions have just been eating away at me and I don’t know what to do with them. I’m terrified, Seulgi. I already love what we have. Our friendship is irreplaceable.”

Wendy grazed her thumbs over Seulgi’s knuckles. “I don’t know what I’d do if I’d cause something to lose that.”

Silence hung over them. Seulgi didn’t say anything at all since Wendy’s confession. As the seconds passed, Wendy didn’t know what to do. felt like it was slowly closing up like all the words she’d just let go of wanted to crawl right back into .

 

“Lost in the words that you say to me

Y pasando tiempo juntos is the ultimate dream”

 

Wendy’s eyes went wide and looked up to see Seulgi with a faint blush on her cheeks as she sang the continuation of what Wendy was singing earlier.

 

“I'm on the top of the world, baby girl can't you see

I found my perfect girl, I want to make you my queen”

 

Seulgi raised her hand to cup Wendy’s cheek and wipe a tear away for her. Wendy couldn’t help but smile into touch.

 

“Time and time again I can be feeling real sad

'Cause mi sueño no se ha hecho una realidad

Pero el tiempo dirá, el tiempo dirá

If we go spend our lives together en lo que el mundo gira”

 

By the time Seulgi was done singing, Wendy felt like she had to pick up her jaw up off the floor.

“Yes, I know I don’t sing but it’s-” Seulgi started but was caught mid sentence as Wendy’s arms wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her closer. Initially startled, Seulgi blinked a few times before easing into the hug and settling her arms around Wendy’s waist.

“Does this mean…?” Wendy quietly started but once again couldn’t finish.

“Yes, Seungwan, I’ve loved you for so long.” Seulgi said, tucking her chin over Wendy’s shoulder. “I’m surprised you didn’t catch on. Guess we gotta get rid of the nickname Slowgi now huh?”

Wendy sniffled at Seulgi’s quirky remarks. This was new and unfamiliar but did it really matter this moment? All Wendy wanted to think about was how she didn’t have to hide anymore. “You wish. That nickname will never come off.”

“Oh and one more thing!”

“Hm?” Wendy thought about what else Seulgi could have up her sleeve.

“You don’t think I’ve forgotten what I told you during that one party, did you? You haven’t been swearing lately. Actually I don’t think you’ve sworn since that night.” Seulgi smiled, pulling away from the hug to get a good look at Wendy’s now flushed complexion.

The words rang in Wendy’s head like the party was yesterday. ‘You know if you weren't cursing more than half of the time, I would've kissed those pretty lips of yours by now, Seungwan.’

“You were holding onto my word since that night huh?” Seulgi smirked, her hands gently pressed against Wendy’s waist.

“U-uh, what? No! That’s ridiculous. I don’t even remember much from that night.” Wendy stammered, suddenly conscious about where her hands should be.

“Well, if that’s that I guess we should get a move on.” Seulgi said as she untangled her hands from Wendy’s body and stepped back. “We don’t want Ma’am Joon coming in here and-”

Wendy grabbed Seulgi’s hands and wrapped her legs around Seulgi’s waist, closing her in. “Yes, I remember that night vividly! I remember what you said all too often!”

Seulgi chuckled as she brings her arms around Wendy’s waist one more time. “See? Is being a potty mouth really worth missing out on this?”

With one gentle tug, the hand on the small of Wendy’s back pushed the two together into a sweet and overdue kiss. Wendy’s arms s around Seulgi’s neck and brought them even closer. She could feel Seulgi smile into the kiss. Wendy felt her heart giddy as she was over the moon. Once they separated, they were both gasping with faces flushed and a bit dewy.

“You really lasted a semester without swearing and here I thought I wouldn’t be able to use that discussion about positive reinforcement.”

 

---

 

Epilogue

 

“Come on. Let’s get out of here.” Seulgi said, grabbing Wendy and lifting her off of the stage. The smaller girl yelped and held on for dear life. Seulgi laughed as she settled her dear friend onto the ground. “Irene, Joy and Yeri are waiting for us at that new restaurant right outside campus.”

“This won’t really come as a surprise to them but I can’t wait to tell them about all of this. Not that Yeri and Joy would care but Irene-unnie’s been waiting for quite some time now.”

“Well,” Seulgi said, wrapping her arm around Wendy’s shoulder, “Joy said that the last person there was paying so I hope you got your wallet ready!”

Seulgi bolted leaving a confused Wendy to scramble and get a move on. “You little !”

The two went darting out the double doors and running through the halls. Black shadows dashing over the deep orange sunlight. As they were hurrying down the stairs, Seulgi a floor further down than Wendy, the latter called out. “Seulgi!”

“You are not going to make me slow down for whatever, Seungwan. Not today!”

“You left your bag in the theater, idiot.” Wendy said as she was catching up to her classmate.

Seulgi stopped in her tracks, exasperated at her own forgetfulness. “!”

Wendy finally caught up and gave Seulgi a little peck on the cheek as she passed by. “We can do that later, sweetie.”

“You cheeky little-” Seulgi said but wasn’t allowed to finish.

“Uh-uh you’ve already sworn more than me in the last 4 months but I’ll let it slide because it’s special day.” Wendy smiled, getting a huge lead on Seulgi by the time she finishes her sentence. “See you at the restaurant!”

Seulgi could only shake her head and smile.