Wendy truly believed as a child that her big sister was a hero. Wheein seemed to always save the day. Broken vase? Wheein would sweep it up and hide it and have a story ready before their mom ever found out. 

 

Veggies? Wheein would always eat them, saving baby Wendy from the vile green creatures. Bully’s? Wheein would jump onto the back of any monster and beat them to a bloody pulp. Wheein was her supergirl and she never failed. 

 

Which is why when Joy and Wendy broke up a year into their relationship Wendy begged Wheein to come stateside. Being the big sister she is, Wheein did just that. When Wheein arrived at Seulgi, irene, and Wendy’s shared apartment Irene had opened the door with a sad smile. “She’s in her room listening to boys to men again.” 

 

Wheein grimaced and patted that big S on her chest and walked to her baby sister’s room. Wendy was hugging a teddy bear and making a sound that was between a wail and what could only be described as a birds mating call. It took Wheein a couple moments to realize that Wendy was singing and no trying to call Joy to her with voodoo magic. “ITS THE END OF THE ROAAAAD! BUT I CAN'T LET GOOOOO! ITS TOO MUCH FOR ME!” Wheein grimaced and forced her legs to move to her hurting baby sister. 

 

“Wendy honey?” Slowly, very slowly. So slowly it was nearly creepy Wendy to her back, the room fell silent. Wendy opened as a beat once again picked up. “Girl you know we belong together. I don’t have time for you to be playing my heart like this”, Wheein stared in mild disgust as Wendy began speaking in a deep voice matching the man on the track. “Please don’t” Wheein begged, already seeing where this was going. 

 

“Don’t Wendy.”

 

“WE BELONG TOGETHER. AND YOU KNOW THAT I'M RIGHT.”

 

“Wendy please stop screaming!”

 

“WHY DO YOU PLAY WITH MY HEART. WHY DO YOU PLAY WITH MY MIND. SAID WE'D BE FOREVER.” 

 

“Wendy this isn’t even singing anymore.”

 

With bulging eyes Wendy continued on “SAID IT'D NEVER DIE!!”

 

“Wendy please for the love of god!”

 

“ How could you love me and leave me and never say goodbye. When I CAN'T SLEEP AT NIGHT WITHOUT HOLDING YOU TIGHT. GIRL EACH TIME I TRY”

 

“Wendy!”

 

“I JUST CURL UP AND DIE!!”

 

“Wendy you give lesbians a bad name”

 

“Although we’ve come to the end of the road. Still I can’t let go. It’s unnatural. You belong to me I belong to you!” 

 

Finally Wendy trailed off as the deep voiced black man spoke soulfully through the speakers. When Wendy took a deep breath Wheein ran to the boom box and quickly ripped the cassette tape out. “No. Absolutely not. We are not doing this”. Wheein said, placing the tape on the side. She turned to Wendy and groaned as Wendy leaned under her bed and pulled out her IPod classic, she slipped in the headphones and began wailing again. “Are you kidding me?” Wheein grumbled. 

 

Outside Irene and Seulgi sat leaning their ears against the door, “it’s so sad” Seulgi mumbled. 

 

“I know. Totally ruined End Of The Road for me”, Irene said shaking her head. 

 

Seulgi blinked, that was not where she was going with it but it’s fine she could roll with it. 

 

Inside Wheein was mounted over Wendy’s hips trying to wrench the large IPod out of Wendy’s hands. “Give it to me!” Wheein yelled. 

 

“NEVER!” Wendy grunted. 

 

“Stop this!”

 

“KILL ME!” Wendy yelled, before bucking her hips and dislodging Wheein who toppled off the bed with a loud squeal. She shot up from the side of the bed, hair over her face. She blew harshly to move the hair aside. 

 

“Are you serious right now?” Wendy glanced at Wheein before rolling onto her side, she grabbed her Motorola Razor from under her pillow, pushed the side button to pop open the phone and stared at the photo of she and Joy smiling on the screen. “Will you just talk to me?”

 

“What is there to talk about? We broke up.”

 

Wheein rolled her eyes, “yes. I know that part. But I’m asking why. What happened. Who broke up with who. The five W’s Wendy. I need em.” Wendy sighed and flipped the phone shut before rolling back to face Wheein. 

 

“I broke up with her.” Wheein nodded, pinching her thigh to not shake her sister and ask why with bulging eyes. 

 

“Okay. Why?”

 

“Because!” Wendy exclaimed before instantly deflating, “I feel like I’m dating not just her but her entire family. They are everywhere, they influence everything she does. But she’s too scared to put her foot down. She still lives with her parents Wheein. It’s like I’m dating a scared little child and I’m not old, but I’m too old for that.” 

 

Wheein nodded, mulling over the information. She ran a finger gently down Wendy’s face and stopped over her eyebrows. “Do you think that taking ibuprofen over 600 milligrams is too much?” Wendy lifted a brow in a non verbal duh. 

 

“Yeah, obviously. Anything over that is horrible for you.”

 

“Even though doctors regularly prescribe ibuprofen 800 for cramps? Tooth aches. Swelling.”

 

“Yeah well, you shouldn’t do it.”

 

“Who told you that?” Wendy blinked confused. 

 

“Daddy did. He said it would really mess up your stomach. So it’s bad. `` Wheein smiled brightly. 

 

“Yeah, family influenced you. And now you don’t take ibuprofen over 600 milligrams. Would you have let Joy do it?”

 

Wendy shook her head, “I’d rather give her Tylenol.” Wheein nodded. 

 

“Exactly. So you were influenced by family. And Joy switched up and did things your way. Like your family.” 

 

“That’s different though.”

 

Wheein shook her head, “how?”

 

“It’s about her safety. It isn’t detrimental to our relationship.” Wheein nodded in understanding. 

 

“If you and Joy moved in together would you have gotten a pet if she asked?” Wendy shrugged. 

 

“I don’t know. If we got a cat we’d have to declaw them, they are vicious.” 

 

“Stop right there. See, that’s a weird thing that could have caused a problem in your relationship that is based solely on the fact that daddy is a psycho.” Wendy sat up. 

 

“Okay. Fine. What’s your point?”

 

“That when you get into a relationship with someone you become a unit. A team. And a team is more than two people Wendy, it’s a group. So yeah, when you chose to date Joy you chose to date her quirks. Her good habits. Her bad habits. Her parents. Her family. Just like when Joy chose you she chose me, she chose our freak show father which bless her soul because daddy can be insufferable. But she did it. Because that’s what it means to be with someone.”

 

Wendy wipes her face indignantly, she shouldn’t even be crying. She should be trying to move on. Wendy pulled her knees up to her chest. “So you’re saying I made a mistake?”

 

Wheein shook her head and smiled and stood up from the floor, “scoot over”, Wendy did. Wheein pulled Wendy’s head to her shoulder. “I’m not saying that. That’s only the second W. I have more questions. More things to go through.”

 

“Okay. What else?”

 

“You said being with Joy is like being with a scared little kid because she won’t put her foot down.”

 

“She lets her mom do whatever she wants. Maya says jump and Joy asks how high.” Wheein chuckled. 

 

“I see where that can be annoying. Have you ever asked her why?”

 

“She says I wouldn’t understand because I’m not Puerto Rican.” Wheein nodded. 

 

“Have you ever tried looking at it from her perspective?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I mean, have you ever wondered how she might feel? Maybe you really wouldn’t get it. Joy would never understand how sheltered we were. Joy will never understand bowing to an elder you don’t know. Joy will never understand poutine. Joy will never understand chuseok. Joy will never understand why we don’t like pets. Joy will never understand not playing sports or not rough housing. Joy won’t understand because she isn’t Canadian or Korean. But we understand. No one will ever understand why we let daddy show up unannounced to our house. Just recently he popped up in the bushes of my backyard and Byulyi nearly kicked him into the heavens.” 

 

“Seriously? He still doing that to you?” Wheein laughed. 

 

“Yeah man. And Byul hates it. And Byul doesn’t understand it. But Byul just lets it be.” 

 

“I’m really starting to feel like you’re telling me I made a mistake.”

 

“No no. We have more W’s to go through Wannie. What did Joy do?”

 

“Well, like two months ago I asked her if she would be my date to this Gala for work. And she said yes, but last minute her mom asked for a ride to queens and Joy was an hour late and I just sat at the table looking like an idiot.”

 

“If you were on a date with Joy and daddy called you saying he needed you, would you leave?”

 

“I mean, if there was something wrong. Yeah, he’s my dad.”

 

“Okay. Well, apply that to Joy. That’s her mom.”

 

“Yeah but her mom did that on purpose. She just wants Joy all to herself!”

 

“Daddy once prohibited Joy from dating you. Remember that? Remember when he stuck around for nearly a month just to disturb you and Joy and you never said a thing.”

 

“Yeah but that’s dad, that’s just how he is.”

 

Wheein chuckled and eyed Wendy, “well honey. That’s just Joy’s mom, it’s how she is.” Wendy groaned before tucking her head further in Wheein’s neck. “I already know you broke up with her a week ago. So that’s. Why. When. What. Where did you do it?”

 

“Here, we got into a big oh fight. She stormed out and I told her to just stay gone because I didn’t have time to be dating a child.”

 

“Well goddamn.” Wheein laughed. “Irene is definitely influencing you. So after our discussion what do you think you should do?”

 

“It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s been a week and she hasn’t called me or emailed me. Not any type of contact. Nothing. It’s over.” Wheein cooed as Wendy’s lip trembled. 

 

“Listen baby girl, nothing is truly over until you give up. And if you love her, which I know you do. And if she loves you, like I know she does. Then you’ll be okay and you’ll find your way back to each other.”

 

“You think so?”

 

“I know so.” 

 

Unbeknownst to the two sisters, Wendy and Joy would find their way back to each other and it would happen just like everything else in their lives. Chaotically. 

 

Four days into Wheein’s two week stay they made their way to 5th ave to enjoy some sushi. And who would pass them? None other than Katy Kim holding Joy’s hand and making a joke that Wendy knew was probably stupid. 

 

Wendy watched them walk. Joy seemed thinner, was that even possible in a week and four days. Not that Wendy was counting. Joy seemed paler. Tired. And why the hell was she holding hands with Katy? Since when do they hold hands? Wheein stared at her sister with a slight smirk. There was no way her plan couldn’t work. 

 

Wendy would see Katy. Think she was moving in on her territory and rush in. And beg Joy to come back. This. Is. Full proof. Only. Wheein didn’t expect for Wendy to be such a pansy. She didn’t expect Wendy to immediately start ugly crying and break out into the loudest choking sobs she had ever seen in her nearly 30 years of life. 

 

She didn’t count on Joy immediately recognizing Wendy’s cries. She would have been ecstatic to see Joy immediately rushing over to Wendy. She would have been so excited to see them together again. But maybe Katy is actually on drugs because she was playing her part way too well and she was pulling Joy away saying some seriously hurtful things like. “She’s flat chested.” Like Katy could really talk, it is not her fault that the Shon family doesn’t have s! The nerve!

 

“She won’t understand you” Katy said. 

 

“She’ll leave again.” Katy whined. 

 

Wheein was about to bust a cap in a es but suddenly, cops were showing up because of the commotion and Seulgi! 

 

“Seulgi? What are you doing here?” Wheein asked. 

 

“Today’s patrol duty. A different team is on usual duty. I’m patrolling the streets. What in the world is going on here?” 

 

Wendy was still making a cry that sounded like a dying whale and a Howling wolf, Katy was yelling hurtful things and Joy was just trying to get everyone to shut up. 

 

How could the plan go this bad?

 

“Everybody! Relax!”

 

“Joy unhand Wendy!” Seulgi said. Joy didn’t, she was saying something but nobody could hear it over Katy yelling flat chested and clapping for no reason. 

 

“Guys. Guys enough!” Seulgi tried getting in between to break it all up but something must have happened because she fell back into Wendy and Seulgi’s rookie partner came sprinting out like Rambo and did the only thing he could think to do. 

 

He pulled out his taser and Wheein shot her hands up to explain everything but the poor man misunderstood and a chorus of OH echoed into the morning sky as Wheein went down in a taser glory twitching and . 

 

At least Wendy and Joy reconciled in the ER waiting room. 

 

———/////———/////————/////———/////———/////———/////———/////

 

I took a deep breath and then turned right back to the car, I can’t do this. Absolutely not. Wendy was glaring at me when I got back in the car. “What!” 

 

“This is the fifth time you’ve come back. Just admit it Joy. You talk a big game, but at the end of the day you’re too scared to back it up”. My mouth dropped, Wendy rolled her eyes before laying a finger under my slack jaw and closing my mouth. “You know what they say. You are what you eat.”

 

My brows lifted in confusion, what in the world does that mean? Is this a Canadian thing? “I don't get it.”

 

“You eat . You are one.” Oh! What is that by my feet? Ah yes, my jaw. 

 

“Women! That was so vulgar. Oh my god the language in this Christian car. I’m gonna have to pray for you because you are just swimming in sin today.” Wendy once again rolled her pretty little eyes at me. Don’t worry amor. I’ll ask Jesus to put in a good word for you. Sinner. 

 

“Babe we have been here for an hour. Just go in there and talk to your mom.”

 

“It’s hard! Especially when I don’t have you.”

 

“Yeah well you told me not to go with you.”

 

“I thought it was fair since you spent all morning getting our passports. I was trying to be sweet and chivalrous by letting you rest.”

 

Wendy tapped my cheek a sad smile on her face, “baby. No. You need all the help you can get for this. You’re a pansy. But you’re my pansy.”

 

“I hate you.” I grumbled. 

 

“C’mon miss chivalrous let’s go face the evil queen and slay her dragon together.”

 

I groaned as Wendy climbed out and began making her way across the street. I’m going to die. I don’t know what Wendy put in our eggs but her balls are the size of planets. She is not scared at all. She knocks on my parents door and grabs my hand and pats my cheek with her other. If I didn’t love her so much I’d punt her condensensing across the building. 

 

“Ah! Mis niñas!” (Ah! My children). My moms pulls us in for hugs and I can just sense from Wendy’s smile that she is about to doom us all and I am not prepared. Oh man. I should have taken a shot before this. Holy . Oh dear god. Oh man! 

 

Okay. Okay. Calm down. Oohhhh! I AM NOT READY. 

 

“Where’s cristobal?”

 

Oh dear god. LORD SAVE ME!

 

“Oh he just leave bath. Ju want coffee?”

 

Lord if you can. Save me and my future wife from the wrath of my mother. I promise to open a nunnery. 

 

“Oh yes. We have had the longest morning.”

 

Jesus? Is that you?

 

“Ay no. What did ju guy do?”

 

Lord shield me as I run!

 

“We went to get our passports. We were there all freaking morning. And this one! Kept leaving to go to the bathroom every time I asked her for something.”

 

Lord. In Jesus name I pray for my safe return. I hereby sacrifice Wendy. Hey ow! “Why did you hit me mom?”

 

“Why you no help Wendy?” I shoot wendy a confused look. 

 

“When did you need help?”

 

“Earlier at the passport place.”

 

“Oh”, I shrug. “I had to pee”.

 

“Every forty five seconds?”

 

“Well why did you have a request for me every forty five seconds.” Wendy glares. Oh you y curvaceous beast. Sit on my face. I wink at Wendy and stick my tongue out in a tease, she shoots finger guns at me and I’m pretty sure I’ve died and gone to heaven. 

 

“You stay tonight?” I smile at my mom and shake my head, “we weren’t planning on it mama. Wendy and I have work tomorrow morning.” My mom smiles sadly and leans forward to kiss Wendy and I. “Quere cafe Mari?” (Do you want coffee mari?)

 

“Sure mama”, when my mom steps away to get us coffee Wendy squeezes the ever living life out of my hand because she’s a monster in a cute tiny body. 

 

“Wendy!” 

 

Wendy glares at me, grabs my neck and pulls me close. If she wasn’t looking at me with murder in her eyes I’d have kissed those beautiful lips. “Why haven’t you said anything yet?” Wendy whispers harshly. 

 

“I thought you were going to say something! I thought you were taking the lead here! I was giving up my top status to you!”

 

Wendy’s eyes narrow even more, “she is your mother. And you are not a top. You are definitely a bottom.”

 

I gasp, how dare she! “I am not a bottom! I am at least a power bottom!” My mom clears behind me and I jump away from Wendy. She is so spicy today. 

 

My mom hands Wendy and I our coffee and sits in front of us just as my dad enters the living room. I’m slightly offended that he hugs and kisses Wendy first. When my dad is seated I finally decide to man up. I’ve got this. 

 

I’ve got my girl and gay Jesus Ellen Degenerous on my side. “Um. I want to tell you guys something”, Wendy holds my hand and smiles. I let that encourage me and power on. “Wendy and I have decided we are not going to get married in a church. And we’re not going to get married in the U.S” my parents don’t move. My mom’s brow twitches and I have all of two seconds to prepare myself when my mother throws her chancleta (sandal/slipper/flip-flop) at me. 

 

“Que dijiste!” (What did you say!)

 

“Ow! Mami!”

  

My mother is on me in seconds, hands and feet everywhere. Jesus how many hands does this women have! My feels like it’s on fire, when did she turn me over to start beating my like this! “Maya! Oh my god!”

 

“No. No Wendy. Ju come here honey!” 

 

“TRAITOR!” I yell in between beatings to my rear end as Wendy runs to my father’s opened arms for protection. My life is a lie and happiness is dead. “Mami stop!”

 

“I. No. Raise. Ju. Like. This!” Every word punctuated with a slap to my . Jesus my mother can beat me with the force of a boxer but can’t lift her own carton of milk. 

 

“Mami!” I finally manage to crawl away to safety when my mom’s arms hit my elbow and she gasps in pain. She was about to hit me for her hurting her hand on my elbow but by the grace of God I was able to roll off the sofa and to my traitorous father’s feet. 

 

“Maya, mi amor. No hace eso” (Maya my love. Don’t do that).  

 

My mom glares at me from above me and I beg all the gods for mercy. “Wendy, Joy. Why don’t you explain this to us?”

 

——————/////————/////—————/////—————/////————/////

 

My mom’s hand is white from the sheer grip she has on the broom stick, I’ve kept my head ducked in fear that she use the broom on me. “Joy. Why not get married in a church here. And when you do your honeymoon you go over there. You told your mom and I you were getting married here.”  I sigh when Wendy glares at me and nods. 

 

“I know papa. I know. But by doing our wedding here we alienate Wendy’s family and that’s not fair.”

 

My mom eyes Wendy. “Wendy no care” my mom says. Wendy quirks a brow and eyes me. Oh. Is this one of those moments where I need to be strong?

 

“Mami she does care. You can’t just say that people don’t care. It’s not fair. We didn’t want to pick sides. So we just decided to make our own thing.”

 

“Then who pays?” My mom asks angrily. 

 

“Well Mami, we will.” 

 

“This is stupid! Her family can come here. Or you can have two different weddings.” I sigh. 

 

“It isn’t stupid mom. And I’m not going to have two weddings. We aren’t picking sides.”

 

My mom glares at Wendy, “did ju tell her to do this?”

 

Wendy shakes her head, “no. We decided this together as a team”. Wendy says calmly. 

 

“No. Ju tell her meet her fader. Ju tell her meet her family. Ju tell her no wedding here. Ju control my baby!” 

 

I don’t know if how I feel hearing my mother attack the love of my life is how a wolf feels when their mate is being attacked, but it felt like boiling water had just been injected into my bloodstream and my heart was pounding on nothing but pure adrenaline. “No le hables así” (you don't talk to her like that). 

 

My mother gasps and jumps up most likely to batter me with her broom stick but I leaned back and my poor future wife not knowing how to avoid the wrath of an angry Puerto Rican mother leaned forward and got hit as my mom swung her stick. 

 

I think my heart just stopped, “ow”, Wendy groaned clutching the back of her head. 

 

I’m not sure when I moved, I just know I did and yanked the broomstick from my mom. “Enough”. I said through gritted teeth before turning to Wendy who rubbing her head. I squatted down, “baby are you okay?” I asked, moving Wendy’s hands aside to get a better look at her. 

 

“Yeah I think so. I was more surprised than anything”, Wendy says, smiling lopsidedly. I want to smile back, but she’s got a red welt already starting on the top of her forehead. I can’t help the anger that just hits me. 

 

“Look! Mira que hiciste!” (Look. Look at what you did) I yell, pointing at Wendy. My mom looks stunned for the first time in my entire life. “Nunca piensa en la vida de los otros. Basta ya mama!” (You never think about the lives of others. Enough mom.) 

 

Maybe I’m being overly dramatic, I’m not sure. But when Wendy stood up to tell me to relax it looked like she stumbled and my heart just dropped all over again. I grabbed the car keys and in ultimate drama queen fashion picked Wendy up bridal style and pushed passed my mother and father. “Don’t call me or come to my house until you learn to accept and respect my wife and her family and everything that comes with it.” I opened the door and walked out, ignoring my mothers pleas to come back. 

 

I love my mother. I do. But Wendy is my future and my everything, nobody, not even family hurts my woman. 

 

———/////———/////———/////———/////———/////———/////——-/////

 

“Joy I’m fine really”, I ignore Wendy and push her hands away again to get a look at her forehead. 

 

“Wendy. Stop.”

 

“No. You stop. Joy! I’m fine.” I sit back on the floor and look at Wendy annoyed. 

 

“As far as I’m concerned. I’m the medic here not you.”

 

“Joy. I’m fine. I don’t have a headache. I see fine. There’s no tenderness. I’m fine. Let’s talk.”

 

I shake my head, “I don’t want to talk Wendy, I want to put a cold compress on your head and lay down.”

 

“If I lay down with an ice pack will you talk to me?” I sigh. 

 

“Fine, let me get the pack and I’ll take you to the bedroom.”

 

“Joy I can walk.”

 

“Well Wendy maybe I don’t want you to walk. Maybe I want you to stop fighting me and just let me take care of you!” I don’t mean to raise my voice but why can’t she understand it’s okay to be taken care of. Why can’t she see that I’m scared. That I just want her close to me. 

 

“Joy it was a plastic broomstick not a wooden bat”. I roll my eyes. 

 

“Whatever Wendy. Do whatever you want. '' I grumble standing up to get the ice pack. 

 

“Hey wait. Joy come here. '' I don’t stop. “Joy” Wendy says, standing behind the freezer door. 

 

“What?”

 

“I’m trying to talk to you”.

 

“No. I’m trying to take care of you and you’re choosing to not listen to me. I said we’d talk if you listened. You’re not listening.” Wendy sighs and we stare each other down. 

 

“I didn’t actually say that, but fine. You’re right. I’m being difficult.”

 

“Forget it.” I say, holding out the ice pack. 

 

“No. Not forget it. I’m sorry okay? You’re trying to take care of me and I’m being difficult. I’m sorry.” My arm falls to my side. 

 

“Do you really feel okay?” I ask, eyeing my little puff ball. 

 

“Yes. Completely okay. I bet it was all from you taking care of me.”

 

“I didn’t do much,'' I say quietly. A little shy from the love in Wendy’s voice. Wendy smiles and steps forward, she looks up at me with the big brown eyes and pouts cutely at me. 

 

“Can I get a hug? I think that’s all I really need right now. A hug from my favorite power bottom.” I chuckle but wrap my arms around my of a fiancé. 

 

“I hate you”, I say against her hair. 

 

“Carry me to bed my queen and let us talk!” I giggle, that’s a horrible English accent. 

 

———/////———/////———/////————/////———/////———/////———/////

 

With Wendy settled against my side, ice pack on her head I let her start the conversation. “I’m sorry about what happened”.

 

“It’s not your fault.”

 

“Yeah but I kept pushing you to be firm with your mother, I didn’t realize she was like that.”

 

“My mother has always been this way, but I never challenged her so it never got bad.”

 

“I’m sorry baby”.

 

“Don’t worry about it amor. It isn’t your fault or my fault. I’m not a child anymore for her to be controlling everything. I don’t care what my mother does to me, but she isn’t allowed to hurt you. Not like that. You don’t attack my wife. That was wrong of her and I needed to put my foot down.” Wendy kisses the side of my neck and sighs. 

 

“We can go back to the original wedding idea if you want.” I turn on my side to face Wendy. 

 

A long time ago I looked up into the sky from papa’s fishing boat and I asked God to help me belong. To give me someone to love who loved me. To guide me through life and help show me the right paths. I begged god to help me see past my differences and my sense of alienation within my own people. I begged him to give me something that was mine and mine alone to hold and cherish and love. I waited over 22 years to finally feel like I belonged. I cried to God for someone that wanted me for me and would never be angry at our differences but would embrace them and love them. I pleaded with God as a child and he gave me Wendy. 

 

“No. We are a team. We make decisions as one and we stick to them as one. I love you.” 

 

—————/////—————/////—————/////—————/////————/////

 

Junito knocked on the door once and then a second time and then grew impatient from one second to the other and knocked two more times. Seulgi opened the door, still in her work uniform. “Junito?”

 

Said man smiled and nodded, “can I come in?”

Seulgi frowned, leaned outside the door and looked up and down the hallway. 

 

“It’s just you?” Junito nodded, a slight smile on his face. 

 

“I don't want Mari to know I’m here.”

 

“Mari?”

 

“Joy”.

 

“Oh, I forgot you guys call her by her middle name. Um, come in.” Seulgi stepped aside, allowing Junito to enter. Irene rounded the corner drying her hand with a rag, she looked confused at Junito’s presence. 

 

“Um. Hey Junito. Joy isn’t here.”

 

“Yeah I know. I actually came to talk to you.”

 

Irene points at herself, “to me?”

 

“Yeah, privately. If that’s okay.” Seulgi opens to say no. To say she doesn’t feel comfortable with that. That Junito is Joy’s family not hers. But Irene rests a hand on her forearm and Seulgi gets the message. “I um. I’m gonna go change.” Seulgi says, she kisses Irene soundly on the lips and walks away nervous. 

 

Irene watches Seulgi go and the motions for Junito to follow her to the kitchen. “So what did you want to talk about?” Irene asks, laying the rag against the countertop. Junito pulls his bag out and grips the handle of the pistol in the bag before letting the bag drop. He levels the pistol to Irene’s temple. 

 

“So. You’re Mari’s cousin huh. You must think you’re just gonna come here and take my baby cousin from me. But you’ve got something comin if you think you’re just gonna come out of nowhere and take her from me. She’s my baby cousin. I was here first. I’ve always been here. You’re not going to just come and ruin everything, `` Junito says, hands shaking around the gun. 

 

Irene eyes the gun and then the golden brown hand holding the gun up to the brown eyed, curly headed man in front of her. “Actually,'' Irene says before suddenly lunging for the water hoses attached to her kitchen sink and dousing the man in front of her in ice cold water. She lets out a dolphin-like shriek at the freezing water that is shot at her. In the bedroom Seulgi hears the screams and sprints out of the bedroom, down the hall and careens into the kitchen to find Irene hiding behind a cutting board dousing Joy’s cousin in water as Junito fires a bright green Hulk water gun at Irene in retaliation. 

 

She watches on in confusion. “What the are you two doing?” She asks. In their surprise both Irene and Junito jump and fire at Seulgi who yelps as shes doused In freezing water. 

 

“Oh my god baby!” 

 

“Oh !”

 

The two criminals exclaim, Seulgi wipes her face and spits out water. “I’m not even gonna ask,'' she says before turning around and walking soggily to the bathroom to shower. 

 

“Look at what you did to my kitchen!” Irene yells. 

 

Junito stands to his full height as surveys the damage. “Well, you weren’t supposed to fire back!”

 

“What do you mean I wasn’t supposed to fire back! Why wouldn’t I fire back!”

 

“I don’t know! In my head it didn’t go like this!”

 

Irene rolls her eyes and watches helplessly as water drips onto her tile floor. “I just cleaned too,'' she mumbled. 

 

“Well look. I came here for more than just threats and water guns. I wanted to ask you for your help.”

 

“You held me at water gunpoint and now you want my help?”

 

“Like I said. I didn’t expect this to happen. I had originally wanted your help in setting up a shower for my cousin.”

 

“Like a baby shower? She’s not pregnant yet.” Junito rolled his eyes. 

 

“I know that. And no. A wedding shower. Originally I was thinking a bridal shower but there’s two brides. So a wedding shower is better. I wanted your help.” Irene wipes her face and glares at Junito. 

 

“You could have asked me without ruining my kitchen. A phone call would have done the trick.”

 

Junito laughs awkwardly and rubs the back of his neck and Irene is struck by how much he looks like Joy. Almost like spending her life with him made her gain his traits. Almost like they really were blood. A warm affection runs through Irene’s chest. “Yeah. Sorry about that.”

 

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll help you.”