CHAPTER 16

Wendy’s POV

It’s been days since I found out that Suho is courting Irene, seems like the others doesn’t know yet or maybe they do and they won’t just tell me so I keep acting normal as if finding out that Irene letting Suho court her doesn’t hurt at all.

Irene still acts the same aloof, locking herself up in her room. The three never brought up the topic of talking to Irene again, it’s either they believe what I said to Seulgi that we should wait until Irene wanted to talk about it or they probably notice that something happened and didn’t want to push it but I doubt that, I’ve gotten so good at lying, acting, smiling that even I can fool myself.

If there’s one thing I realized from all this pretending is that the most effective and fastest way to fool someone is you fooling yourself first, if you can fool yourself into thinking that you’re perfectly happy, you can fool everyone around you.

I just got back from a late night stroll, as usual the three went out to meet some friends, I never really had a friend that I can meet whenever I had a free time so I just go out, strolling which I enjoy.

As for Irene, I have no idea. Truth is, I’m trying my best to not think about her but it was hard as hell. Everywhere I look, everything I do, I see her or more like the memories of us together in that particular moment.

I actually came back earlier tonight, I usually stroll for an hour or two but after walking for a while I found myself on the street where she and I went out on a cold night stroll celebrating our monthsary. We have a full schedule that day so we didn’t have time to actually celebrate it like a normal couple so when we got home after a tiring day I decided to just sleep it off but she had something in mind.

“Seungwan-ah.” Irene who just got out of the bathroom called Wendy’s attention who’s fixing the bed so both of them can rest.

“I know you’re bad at cold but I don’t think you can wear that while sleeping.” Wendy said seeing Irene in her full coat outfit.

Irene chuckles as she walks towards Wendy “Why would I wear this when you and your hug is there to keep me warm.”

“Exactly.” Wendy grinning at her proudly

Irene chuckles pinching Wendy’s nose lightly “It’s our monthsary, let’s go celebrate it.”

Wendy stares at Irene, yes she wanted to celebrate it too but the past few days were very tiring for Irene since she’s been shooting here and there, especially today and she could see that big black things under Irene’s beautiful eyes “Aren’t you tired? We went out at dawn earlier. We can celebrate it tomorrow or when we get a free time.”

Irene took her hand, then smile softly “How can I get tired when my source of strength is here with me?”

Wendy broke into a smile in an instant “Oh God, that’s too cheesy.”

Irene looked away, blushing shyly “That’s because your cheesiness is rubbing off on me.”

“I know but you’re forbidden to do that again.” Wendy said “My heart stopped for a moment earlier, I might actually die next time, so please refrain yourself from doing that again. It’s not good for my health.”

Irene laughs heartily “I’ll think about it but for now let’s go celebrate.” She said pulling Wendy’s up from the bed.

“I don’t think there’s still an open restaurant at this time.” Wendy said

“Who said anything about restaurant?” Irene asked walking towards the cabinet and look for a coat, then turns to Wendy smiling “We are going strolling.”

“Strolling?”

“You like to stroll at night.” Irene said handing her the coat

Wendy took the coat “Yeah, I do but its cold outside. I’d be fine but I can’t say the same for you.”

“That’s why I’m all cover up.” Irene said pointing to what she’s wearing

“I don’t think that’ll help at all.” Wendy said in a matter-of-fact tone “I appreciate the thought of doing what I like on our monthsary but I don’t think we should.”

“Yah, Son Seungwan.” Irene said “Did you meet me yesterday? Do you think, I’ll ask you to come with me strolling outside on a cold night unprepared knowing I might die from freezing?”

“No.” Wendy answered “But if what you’re wearing is all the preparation you made...”

“You are so underestimating me.”

Wendy chuckles softly “What, you have a hot pack on your pocket?”

“No.” Irene said as she hugs Wendy “But I have this, the warmest on earth.”

Wendy broke into a smile as she hugs Irene tighter, how could she argue with that?

“I don’t think we should walk any further.” Wendy said, feeling Irene’s hand shaking and her whole body trembling

“Agreed.” Irene said trembling “It’s so cold, why are you not cold?”

Wendy took Irene’s hand and starts blowing on it to keep it warm “We should head back.”

“5 more minutes.” Irene said trembling

“I don—“Wendy stop when Irene’s soft eyes locked on hers, as if telling her that she really wanted to stay more despite the coldness. Wendy smiled then pulled Irene into hug.

Irene snuggles on Wendy’s neck, closing her eyes “That’s so much better.”

“If people saw us they would think we are crazy.” Wendy chuckling softly, hugging Irene, keeping her warm.

“Then let them see us.” Irene said with her eyes closed “I wanted to show-off anyway.”

“Show-off?” Wendy asked, not pulling from the hug.

Irene nodded “That only I get to have the warmest hug out there.”

Suddenly, tears drop from my eyes.

It’s frightening how a happy memory of the past has the ability to inflict so much pain and break a heart.

End of POV

Wendy was on the kitchen, eating her sandwich when Joy suddenly calls. Joy has a shoot for drama tonight and she called Wendy because she’s already bored to death waiting for her turn and Wendy was more than willing to entertain and listen to her babble.

She was in the middle of talking or more like laughing out loud about something that Joy said when she notices Irene entering the kitchen.

She just took a glance at her then back to her sandwich. Then suddenly made a big laughed.

“Why are you laughing like that?” Joy asked frowning on the other line, she didn’t say anything funny and yet Wendy was laughing like it was her last.

Instead of answering, Wendy just laughed again.

Joy was about to say something again when the staff called her that it was now her turn. “Okay, I think it’s my turn now. Bye!” Joy said on the other line then ended the line quickly.

“Okay, good luck on your shoot, see you once you’re done” Wendy said even though Joy was not on the line anymore, being in the same space with Irene especially with the situation involve, two of them alone is making Wendy nervous and awkward all at the same time.

Two of them hadn’t spoken for almost a month now and even though there’s a high possibility that it will remain like that, Wendy didn’t feel at ease. She doesn’t want to talk her, she can’t or she might actually break down and cry in front of her.

So she stuffs all the sandwiches left on quickly and was going to clean the table when Irene suddenly put down the glass forcefully getting her attention.

Irene’s POV

I just got back from a whole day shoot and the only thing I wanted was to throw my body on my bed nothing else and yet as soon as I entered the dorm I heard a familiar laughter.

Laugh that I haven’t heard for so long or to be precise laugh that I was not the reason behind.

Throwing my body on the bed had been pushed down to second, I entered the kitchen “Joy, that was hilarious!” she said laughing whole heartedly.

I feel the anger surge inside me as soon as I heard Seungwan mention Joy’s name while having those laughter.

I saw her glance at me then back to eating her sandwich and whatever Joy is saying that’s making her laugh non-stop.

I pour water on the glass, and then I heard her laugh again. My grip on the glass tightens, seems like they’re not trying to hide it anymore.

I tried to calm myself making a deep breath to ease the anger surging inside me.

“Okay, good luck on your shoot, see you once you’re done” Seungwan said and even though I was back facing her I could feel her smiling while saying those words.

That big laughter, sweet soft smile, thoughtful words used to be mine and seeing Seungwan giving it to someone else, I couldn’t stop the jealousy, pain, anger and sadness pouring all over me. It was mine but the only thing I can do now is painfully watch her do it to someone else.

I put the glass down forcefully all this feeling’s inside me is getting the best of me, Seungwan look at me with nothing but surprised, the warmth of her eyes whenever she looked at me before wasn’t there anymore. And though my mind knew that her warmth isn’t mine to feel anymore, my heart can’t accept it, it won’t accept it.

“You look like you’re having fun, mind if you share the joke with me?”

I could see the surprised mix with confusion on her expression still she answered nonchalantly “You know Joy, she was just saying something nonsense.”

“Really?” I asked looking at her sarcastically “Was she saying something like, what you two will be doing all evening once she gets home?”

Frown registered on her face “What?”

After blatantly laughing in front of my face, she had the audacity to look at me like that.

I scoff heavily, chuckling sarcastically “Oh, please don’t give me that. You think I’m clueless? You think that I don’t know that you and Joy are sleeping with each other. You think I wouldn’t find out.”

Seungwan didn’t say anything for a moment, she was there looking at me probably thinking how the hell did I find out. “You can drop the act now. I’m not stupid.”

“Where did you hear that?” She asked giving me a question looked.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Well, it matters because that didn’t happen.” Seungwan answered looking at me unwaveringly.

I was loss of word for a moment, and in that split of moment my whole being believed her.

But I know what I heard that night.

“So, now that Seungwan unnie is back, are you two going to be officially together?”

“I know that you two… s-slept together. Don’t deny it, I saw it with my own eyes.”

“If you two… are happy… I’ll be happy… f-for youuu toooo. Just tell Joohyun-unnie yourself okay. It’ll hurt her more… if she finds it out… to s-someone e-elsee.”

“I heard it Seungwan loud and clear, do you know what’s worst? Is the fact that Joy acted like she cares about me, she comforted me when all this time she’s been sleeping with you!”

“And I’m telling you that we didn’t!” Seungwan fires back angrily as if I’m accusing her of something that she didn’t do but I knew better than to believe whatever lies she’s going to tell me.

“If you don’t want to believe me, then asked Seulgi.”

The audacity.

“Seulgi…” I couldn’t help but laugh sarcastically “For what? So she could lie to my face.”

Seungwan looked at me in disbelief “Irene do you even hear yourself? Do you really think Seulgi would that? That Joy and I would do that?”

“No.” I answered truthfully, I have never thought of that not even once, not in this life time “But when reality slaps you real hard…” My voice tremble “You ought to believe it.”

Wendy locked her eyes in Irene’s, she was clearly in despair and she hated this sight of Irene. She calms herself and spoke softly “I don’t know where you heard it because Seulgi swore that she and Yeri never breathe a word about it and the only time we talk about this was that night.”

Irene didn’t say anything, confirming Wendy’s theory that she heard them that night. “Yes, Yeri actually thought that Joy and I slept together after seeing us on the bed together, but it was all a misunderstanding.”

“I know what I heard Seungwan.” Irene say, her eyes starts getting teary

“But did you stay and listen until the end?” Wendy asked “We explained to Seulgi right after Yeri said it and obviously you only heard Yeri’s part.”

Irene understood her, she believed her in fact but her mind was too occupied by what she heard that night and her heart is in too much pain and confusion that she can’t gather her thoughts and ended up screaming at Wendy “Stop lying!”

“Irene, I swe—“Wendy stops her words “There’s no use in me explaining it to you, you’re not going to believe me anyway.” Giving up explaining her side, walking away leaving Irene.

“We are not done talking!” Irene screamed again.

Wendy turned to her clearly frustrated by her non-stop screaming and hurt by the fact that Irene doesn’t trust a word she says, so she looked her in the eye and told her,

“You know what, even if I did sleep with Joy, I don’t think you’re in any position to get angry at me. I don’t even know why I’m explaining myself to you. Did you hear a word from me when you let Suho court you?”

Wendy could see the immediate panicked on Irene’s face as soon as she said those words.

“What you think I don’t know? Irene I knew and I didn’t say anything because you and I are over.” Wendy stated

“Whatever you wanted do with your personal life isn’t my concern anymore because we are done, so whoever I slept with is none of your damn business anymore because we are over for a long time now.”

With that Wendy left without looking back, leaving Irene with her words that held the truth.

She and Irene are over.