CHAPTER 22

“Unnie! Unnie wait!” Seulgi yelled running after Irene, with Joy and Yeri behind her. Irene inserts the code of the dorm without looking back and went inside. “!” Seulgi mumbled under her breath as she inserts the code in an instant.

“Unnie!” Seulgi called again as Irene went inside her room, Seulgi managed to catch and stopped the door from closing.

“Leave me alone.” Irene voice cracking as she tried to close the door again but Seulgi wouldn’t let her, after a few seconds Irene gave up and starts walking away from the door. Seulgi quickly pushed the door and went inside, grabbing Irene’s wrist.

“Unnie…” Seulgi called softly as Irene turns to face her and her heart sunk at the sight.

The light coming from the lamp besides Irene’s bed illuminates the pain and sadness in her brown eyes. Even the tear that hasn’t dried up yet is shining in her sorrowful face.

 “You knew?” Irene asked but more like a statement as tears streams down her face.

“I’m sorry.” Seulgi answered as she looked down tearfully and then let go of Irene’s wrist “I didn’t know how to tell you.”

“Why?”

“I told you, I get to hate her even if you don’t.”

“I know you and that’s not you.” Wendy said tears forming at the edge of her eyes “You would never do something like this, you would never hurt anyone.”

“For you, I will.” Rosé said as tears threaten to fall down “That’s how much I love you.”

“Rosé…” Wendy muttered as tears pour down her face 

As tears start falling from Rosé’s eyes too “You are my heart and she broke you apart.”

“And you are my heart too, that’s why I know that you’ll never do something like this.” Wendy said as she holds both Rosé’s hand, her eyes begging, and lips quivering “So, please tell me why.”

Rosé looked away, tears streaming down her face.

“Was it me?” Wendy asked the only possible explanation on why Rosé would do something like this.

Rosé looked down not meeting Wendy’s gaze.

“It’s me, isn’t it?”

Rosé finally looked up meeting her gaze, her tears falling down “You begged me to do it.”

//

Few moments earlier…

“Joy, are you okay?” Irene asked “You’ve been quiet the whole ride home.”

“Y-yeah, just you know, probably tired” Joy replied, Irene didn’t completely believe but she let it go, if Joy wanted to talk about she will

“Okay.” Irene said “You should rest now.”

Joy nodded as Irene walk towards her room but before she disappear on the living room Joy called her again.

“Unnie…”

“Yeah?”

“Would it be okay, if I’d be the one to tour Rosé and her fiancé tomorrow?” Joy asked nervously

Irene let out a light chuckle “Is that what you’ve been thinking the whole time?”

Joy fakes a smile “I’m a big fan.”

“I know.” Irene smile “I think I’d be rude though, I mean I was the one who offered.”

“I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.” Joy said quickly

“Still, though…” Irene said “But don’t worry, I’ll make sure to invite her to dinner and you can talk to her longer.”

“Great.” Joy said making another fake smile again

“Now, go rest.” Irene said as she walks towards her room

“.” Joy can only say once Irene disappeared to her room.

“You okay?” Seulgi asked worriedly when she saw Joy sitting at the living room biting her nails off

“I’m freaking out.”

“Why? What happen?”

“Rosé happened.”

“Did you say Rosé?” Yeri spoke behind

“Yeah, damn Rosé.” Joy said “God she’s a .”

“O…kay…” Seulgi said as she and Yeri exchange a glace and then back to Joy. “What happen?”

And so Joy proceeded to tell her encounter with Rosé at the café as well as her devious plan to Irene.

“. Holy .” It was Yeri

“Do you think we should tell Irene unnie?” Joy asked “I think we should tell her.”

“Yeah, I think we should. It’ll hurt less I hope, if we tell her rather than making her stand stupidly while Rosé unnie drop the bomb at her.” Yeri said

“What about you Seulgi unnie?” Joy asked, noticing how Seulgi has been quiet the whole time. “I know you made up your mind that you will not tell her but this is different, Rosé will make a fool out of her in front of Wendy unnie.”

“That’s what I’ve been thinking Joy, does Wendy know?” Seulgi asked “Does she even know that Rosé is planning something like this?”

“Of course, she doesn’t. How can you even think that?” Joy defending Wendy “It’s still annoy me that she didn’t tell us that she’s engaged but it don’t mean that she’d do something like this or not do something about it if she knows what her fiancé is planning to her ex. We know her better than that, she’s better than that.”

“Then we should tell Wendy first.” Seulgi said “If there’s someone who can stop Rosé and whatever plan she has it’s her.”

“Then we tell her as soon as she ge—“

“Did you kill someone?” Irene spoke behind as she walks toward the three who stiffen at their seat “You three look so serious.”

“Considering it.” Joy replied as Yeri and Seulgi eyed her

“Please don’t say it with that serious expression. I might actually believe you.” Irene said “Anyway, I thought you’re tired, why you aren’t resting?”

“Couldn’t sleep.” Joy answered “You? I thought you were sleeping already.”

“I was and I was about to sleep more but then I remember my meeting with Rosé tomorrow” Irene said as the three felt their breathing stop at the mention of Rosé’s name “Was about to confirm her the details for tomorrow but I couldn’t find my phone, I think I left it in the car. You guys okay?” Irene asked seeing the pale expression on the three.

“Y-yeah, yeah… just you know you and Rosé.” Seulgi said voice cracking

Irene smiles “Joy must’ve told you.”

“She did.” Yeri said

“I’ll invite her for dinner so you can meet her.”

“We’re way pass meeting her.” Joy grumble under her breath

“You were saying?” Irene asked

“Nothing,” Joy answered with a fake smile

“Okay, I’ll be quick and then we can probably order a pizza and chicken and watch some movies, we haven’t done that in a while.” Irene said as they all nodded in agreement. And then left.

//

//

“Hey, Wan.” Seulgi greeted trying to sound normal as much as possible “Where are you?”

“I’m already on the parking lot, why?”

“Nothing, just… Irene unnie wanted to watch a movie”

“Really? That’s great.” Wendy replied cheerily “I’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”

“I thought you’re already at the parking lot.”

“Yeah, I’m just waiting for fiancé, she called and said she’ll give me something.” Wendy answered “She’s busy so she’s just going to drop it real quick.” She heard murmurs on the line, Joy and Yeri’s voice but she couldn’t make out what they’re saying so she just assumes they’re talking what movie they’re going to watch.

“Bye!” Seulgi said all of a sudden, and before Wendy could say anything, Seulgi hung up on her. Wendy looked at her phone weirdly and was going to call Seulgi back when she saw the familiar car entering.

“Why is it taking forever?!” Joy pressing the elevator angrily

“, , !” Seulgi said biting her nails

“Maybe, Irene unnie is on her way up,” Yeri said trying to be positive at the situation but her voice cracked too “I hope.”

Irene just got out of her car after taking her phone and saw a familiar figure standing few meters in front of her. She could never be wrong, smile unconsciously tug on her lips “Seung—“she stops when Wendy waved her hand on the upcoming car. The car is tinted so she couldn’t tell who it is and doesn’t recognize the car either.

The car stop on the parking space not far from them but no one stepped outside and then she saw Wendy walks towards the car. She squinted her eyes when the car door opens and saw the woman

“Ro…” Irene couldn’t even finish saying the woman’s name that got off the car when her heart suddenly beats terrifyingly.

“Is it okay if I bring my fiancé with me?”

Suddenly, she felt herself having a hard time to breathe. “No, they’re just friends.”

Rosé walks towards Wendy with a smile on her face and from where she’s standing she could tell that is Wendy smiling widely too.

“Just I haven’t met your fiancé but I could see and feel already how amazing she is just by hearing you talk about her with so much fondness and adoration.”

“It’s not her.” She said convincing herself as tears starts to form at the edge of her eyes as her lips quiver “She’s not her.”

She unconsciously takes a step forward but stopped when Rosé handed Wendy a paper bag and Wendy ruffled her hair in return smiling.

“Because she is Irene.”

 “Please don’t be her.” She whispered, begging “Seungwan, please don’t be her.”

Irene stood still as she watches the two smiling at each other like they’re having the conversation of their life.

“Nothing’s too early or too late if you know in your heart that she’s the one you wanted to spend the rest of your life with, right?”

“She’s no—“ Irene felt herself stop breathing, her heart stop beating, even the voice in her head that’s telling her it’s not her turns silent and the tiny thread of hope she’s holding on to snapped right in front of her eyes when Rosé cupped Wendy’s face as she looks at her with so much love and affection.

“It just means you love her so much.”

And then suddenly everything around her stop yet feeling everything hitting her all at the same time when Rosé leaned down.

“I do. She means the world to me.”

And tears finally fall down her eyes as soon as Rosé’s lip touches Wendy’s.

The elevator opened and the three stepped out frantically but all stopped when they saw Wendy and Rosé at the middle of the freaking parking lot kissing.

And their heart dropped simultaneously when they saw Irene standing not far from them, staring at the two, unmoving, crying.

“Irene Unnie!” Yeri yelled as they run towards Irene.

Wendy pulled back from Rosé and turns to Yeri’s voice, and then turns to Irene who starts running out to get out of the scene and got on the elevator near her.

“Unnie! Unnie wait!” Seulgi yelled running after Irene, with Joy and Yeri behind her. Irene inserts the code of the dorm without looking back and went inside. “!” Seulgi mumbled under her breath as she inserts the code in an instant.

“Unnie!” Seulgi called again as Irene went inside her room, Seulgi managed to catch and stopped the door from closing.

“Leave me alone.” Irene voice cracking as she tried to close the door again but Seulgi wouldn’t let her, after a few seconds Irene gave up and starts walking away from the door. Seulgi quickly pushed the door and went inside, grabbing Irene’s wrist.

“Unnie…” Seulgi called softly as Irene turns to face her and her heart sunk at the sight.

The light coming from the lamp besides Irene’s bed illuminates the pain and sadness in her brown eyes. Even the tear that hasn’t dried up yet is shining in her sorrowful face.

 “You knew?” Irene asked but more like a statement as tears streams down her face.

“I’m sorry.” Seulgi answered as she looked down tearfully and then let go of Irene’s wrist “I didn’t know how to tell you.”

“Get out.” She said wiping her tears hastily as she turns her back

“Unnie…”

“Leave me alone Seulgi”

“I won’t.”

Irene turns to face her again “I said get out!”

“I promise you, didn’t I?”

“Then at least be there for her when she breaks her heart.”

“I will. I promise.”

Irene’s lips quiver, biting her lower lips staring at Seulgi as she tried to stop the tears from falling again.

“That I’ll be there for you when your heart breaks.” Seulgi said as the tears that Irene is trying so hard to fight came all pouring down her face.

Irene’s knees gave out and Seulgi was quick to catch her, held her straight, tightly and securely. Irene grip Seulgi’s shirt tightly as if holding on for her dear life as she cries her heart out on Seulgi’s shoulder.

Seulgi’s own tears starts falling down too as she hugs Irene tighter.

She wanted to say ‘it’s okay’ but she sure as hell that it’s not.

She wanted to say ‘it’s going to be okay’ but is it ever going to be?

She wanted to say every word she could think of to comfort her but deep down she knows that none of them will. The kind of words Irene needed to hear at this very moment to ease her pain doesn’t exist nor will it ever do. Not even the sweetest word there is comes close to ease the pain even a little, not even all the words combine can take away the pain of losing someone who lives inside you.

Simple as that, just nothing.

A deadly nothing.