Kang Seulgi prided herself in being one of the only women in SWAT, it made her feel like she had proved something to all the men in the world that told her she’d never make it in a man's world. It wasn’t easy, it was a lot of sleepless nights, a lot of bruises, a lot of seaweed soup from Irene and deep tissue massages from Wendy.  

All Seulgi thought about during her SWAT school were Irene and Wendy, she woke up to them, and came home to them. They were a comforting staple, and they were always there. Then Joy came into the picture. Joy was, and continues to be surprising. Where Wendy was gentle with Seulgi’s bones and feelings, Joy was unapologetic, brazen and honest. Even Joy’s best friend Katy was brutal like Joy, the duo didn’t care about what other people thought, they just did and said what they felt. 

Wendy balanced Joy out, but by balancing Joy she was being removed from Seulgi and Irene. Instead of deep tissue massages for Seulgi’s aching body, they were gentle kisses and whispers for Joy instead. If Irene noticed how Seulgi was feeling she didn’t say anything. When Joy first came around it was fine, Wendy hadn’t been completely focused on Joy yet. She still made it home for family dinner as they called it, when Wendy started missing it, she began bringing Joy around.  

Wendy maintained the big things, dinner, movie night, camping, it was the small things that went away. Wendy didn’t rely as much on Irene and Seulgi anymore, she didn’t offer massages, she didn’t make smores with them on the roof top. Her time was spent on Joy, which Seulgi knew was the correct way of things. But it didn’t stop Seulgi from feeling sad, her best friend was getting distant. And for lack of better word, it .  

Sure, it was cool, having Joy around. The more the merrier, but damnit Seulgi wanted her best friend. Not her best friend and Joy, and by extension stupid Katy. Seulgi missed Wendy, so when Wendy said she and Joy were looking for a place together Seulgi realized the gravity of the situation, Wendy would be gone soon. She needed to do something, and she needed to do something fast. Seulgi’s plans may have been weird, but she was certain it would work.  

Step one of the Convince Wendy to stay with Joy plan, (the name needed work) was to make a big dinner. Maybe a cake, that was more Irene’s expertise but Seulgi could just ask for some help and Irene would be right there, or, she could trick Wendy into helping her and they could spend even more time together.  

“Hey Wen, can you help me with something?” Wendy turned to Seulgi who had entered her room in a cooking outfit, topped off with a tall chef’s hat. Wendy grinned, and nodded detangling herself from Joy’s long arms.  

“What’s up Seul-bear?” 

“Well, as you know, it's about time for rooftop smores. And I wanted to know if you would help me, Irene isn’t feeling all that well. So, can we do it together?” Seulgi asked with eyes Wendy could only describe as hopeful. How could Wendy say no? Wendy looked into her room, looking longingly at Joy's sleeping figure.  

“Of course, buddy, let's do this.” during their time together they baked cakes, set up the smores, talked and laughed and Seulgi nearly forgot she was trying to convince her best friend to stay.  

Nearly. Seul-bear doesn’t forget anything! “So, Wendy, how’s the house hunting going?” Wendy shrugged. 

“Eh, it’s a work in progress. It's a lot of nos. We haven't found anything that we like just yet.” Seulgi nodded, fighting the smile off of her lips. Good, she still had time. 

“Well, why don’t you guys just stay here you know? It's been the good ole trio for so long, why break it up you know?” 

Wendy smiled; her lips puckered. “Well, I mean. I'm tired of walking in on you guys so much, and I'm sure you guys don’t wanna hear us when we get our freak on. Besides, can't have a roommate forever. You know?” Seulgi shook her head, no she didn’t know.  she would have to talk to Irene about their life, maybe they could narrow it down to once a week, no, Irene couldn’t handle that. Maybe one every other day? Irene might have a heart attack maybe not, . Maybe once a day, instead of three times a day. They could probably stay out of all the public spaces in the house.  

“well, I'm sure Irene and I could tone ourselves down you know?” Wendy shook her head again, smiling.  

“I couldn’t do that to you guys. I couldn’t make you guys stop doing what you’ve always done, I'd feel bad. Just think. Once were gone, you guys can have everywhere.” Wendy laughed. Seulgi didn’t find anything funny though, stupid sweet, considerate Wendy was making this hard.  

“But I mean. Are you sure? We’re family.” Wendy raised a brow and sat down the marshmallows.  

“Seul, I could go back to Canada and wouldn’t change a thing. We'll always be family. Just cause I'm moving out doesn’t mean anything. It just means you won't wake up to me, you’ll visit me or I'll visit you. You've always wanted a paint studio; you could turn my room into that.” Seulgi pouted and hugged Wendy. 

“I’m just nervous I guess.” Wendy patted Seulgi’s head. 

“You’re adorable Seul”, in that small moment, Seulgi felt safe again. Like everything would be okay, Wendy was right. They would always be family, maybe she didn’t need to do this whole plan.  

“Hey Wendy babe”, Joy called from somewhere, Wendy’s whole body lit up and she was gone in seconds. Seulgi was still standing there, arms out stretched in an empty hug. She looked in the direction her best friend had sprinted off into and sighed, she would need to finish her plan. With just one call, and Joy was winning again. 

Later on in the night, Irene sat in Seulgi’s lap nipping at her neck and trying to ignore the fact that Seulgi seemed hesitant. She continued to ignore it when Seulgi turned them over, being slow, she just assumed they were going for romantic rather than rough. But then, Seulgi had practically shoved a pillow in her face and Irene had shoved her off the bed, gasping for air. This was not the kind of choking she was into. “Seul, what the hell!” 

Seulgi jumped up, mushing Irene and shushing her. “Shh, you’re being too loud!” 

“Too loud?” 

“Yeah! If you’re too loud Wendy is going to leave!” Irene sighed, she knew this day would come, she just hadn't expected Seulgi would take it so hard.  

“Jagi, she’s going to leave whether I'm loud or not.” 

“Maybe she won’t.” 

“No, baby she will. She's in love, she’s tired of waking up without Joy. She doesn’t want to travel for them to be together. She wants to just walk down a hall, not hail a taxi.” 

“Yeah, but Joy is always here.” 

“Yeah, but eventually Joy has to leave. Do I ever have to leave you?” Seulgi shook her head pouting, “imagine if you had to, wouldn’t you want to just live with me?” 

“Well, then why doesn’t Joy just move in with us.” 

“They want privacy honey, they want to shower together, sleep together. Maybe they want table top like us.” 

“They can do that! Just clean the table!” Irene cooed at Seulgi, cupping her cheeks. 

“You’re so cute baby. But we both know that’s not going to work. C'mere, give me a hug.”  

“I just don’t want to lose her”, Seulgi mumbled again Irene’s neck. 

“You’re not losing her baby, she’s just not going to be a hallway away anymore. Now we get to drive to her.” 

“What about the rooftop marshmallows? Or, movie days, or our family dinner?” Irene bit her lip to not coo at Seulgi again, who had begun to tear up. 

“Baby, we’ll still do that.” 

“Nu-uh! She’s going to be gone, she’ll be too busy for us.” 

“Seul, you know that’s not true. She'll always be around, you know that. Besides babe, you were never going to win. Joy asked me if she could marry Wendy.” Seulgi gasped, jumping back and nearly falling off the bed. 

“No! Really?” Irene nodded, smiling gently. “Damnit, she’s good.” Seulgi sighed in defeat. Maybe she should talk to Joy, make her promise not to steal Wendy for too long. Yeah, that’s what she would do. Seulgi smiled up at Irene, at least she still had Irene.  

Irene was always there, with kisses and gentle touches. Without Irene, she’d die. Who was Seulgi without Irene? Irene put the I in Seulgi. Without it, she’d just be Seulg. And Seulg just sounds stupid. It's okay that Wendy is leaving, she’s not leaving the family, and hey! Maybe they could move Katy in, yeah, she’s crazy. But she’s similar in body proportion too Wendy, just cover and she’s another Wendy. Tiny too. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Wendy is trying to stack a box on top of three boxes I've stacked, if I didn’t find her struggle so cute, I'd have helped. But she's on her tippy toes, grunting and her shirt is by her belly button and her face is red and I can’t help but think she’s the cutest thing I've ever seen. “Amor, do you need help?” 

“No, I've got it baby.” I bit my lip at the strain in Wendy’s voice. Holy she’s so cute, I'm marrying this little muffin. I bet god took his time with her, I hope I do him proud in loving her. 

“Here, let me”, I said, lifting the box onto the other three. Wendy pouted; I kissed her forehead. “I love you”.  

I giggle at the pink on Wendy’s face, “I love you too baby”. I was about to kiss her again when Seulgi came flying into Wendy’s soon to be vacant room. 

“Um, Joy can I talk to you.” I looked to Seulgi and then Wendy.  

“Yeah, sure no problem”, I kissed Wendy’s lips again, “I’ll be back. Don’t stack things too high amor, you’ll get hurt.” I followed Seulgi out of the room. “What’s up Seul.” 

“Okay, so listen. You need to come over every Friday for the family dinner. Every other Tuesday, because Irene says it can't be every Tuesday, we need to either go to you, or you come to us for movies and tacos. And, when you get married, you need to bring us to the honeymoon because that’s two very long weeks. You'll miss movies and our family dinners, or you can double up, it’s up to you”, I blinked at Seulgi as continued to drone on with things we would need to do.  

I grinned; she must think I'm stealing Wendy from her. Irene told me about Seulgi’s melt down a couple months back. Who would have thought, six pack SWAT agent Seulgi would be brought to her knees because of this? I pulled Seulgi into a hug, her voice stuttered, clearly shocked. “W-what are you doing?” 

“Just huggin you my lil ninja.” 

“Oh, um okay.” 

“Hey, Seul. You know that I would never try to keep Wendy away from you right? You guys were here first, you gave her to me. Without you guys, there would be no Wendy and me. I only want to fill in the spaces with my love that you guys can’t. I know, her moving scares you guys. But I only want to make her happy. I want to have a family with her you know?” I felt Seulgi nod against my chest. 

“Promise you wont steal her away?” 

“Pinkies”. 

"Okay good, because she's my best friend. And just because you saved my life once doesn't meet you get to just do whatever you want okay? she may be the love of your life, but she's me and Irene's soulmate okay?" I nodded again.

"I got it." Seulgi huffed, dusting herself off. 

"Good. Well, the moving bus is downstairs. so, lets start moving this stuff okay?" 

"I'll start moving stuff. But, hey Seul."

"Yeah?"

"Even if I tried to take Wendy away from you guys, she would just leave me. Sure, she's in love with me and we're going to get married. But you guys are family, always will be."