The trio are on the way home after having a night out at the arcade, having dinner at an Italian restaurant and having a chance encounter with both Irene and Suho. Joy and Yeri continuously talk about how Irene and Suho look great together and if they were to ever get married and have a family, they’d have the most beautiful kids ever…A happily ever after that anyone would envy…

Seulgi sits next to the window of the bus leaning her head on it gazing numbingly outside as they pass traffic lights and cars driving past, not paying attention to what her two best friends are talking about, or more so the case of not wanting to listen to what they were talking about.

It hurt her.

It hurt her to see Suho put his hand near her waist.

It hurt her to see Irene walk away with Suho.

She replays the moment she lent her jacket to Irene, gently wrapping it around her shoulders. And the moment she held her hand, letting the warmth of hers comfort and reassure her that she was going to be fine without her jacket just as long as she was. And especially the lingering gaze they held with each other before her two friends and Suho came along…

She felt it…

She felt every single cell in her body exert heat and electricity run through her veins the moment she held Irene’s hand with a lingering gaze, which she returned.

I can’t be wrong…

You must feel the same as I do…

I know you feel the same Irene…Right?

But she questioned these thoughts. She questioned if Irene was secretly interested in Suho. She questioned if she was genuine at all…It left Seulgi dazed and confused, annoyed and angry, wounded and despondent.

Two familiar fingers click in front her face snapping her attention. It was Yeri calling for her attention.

“Hey Seul are you okay? You’ve been looking outside the bus window the whole time we’ve been talking…”

“…I’m okay…”

“Are you sure?” Joys asks concerned.

“Yes guys…I’m okay…”

Joy and Yeri look at each other, not convinced that Seulgi was okay. They’ve known each other since high school, that they know each other’s personalities and mannerisms back to front. Joy crosses her arms wanting her best friend to tell them the truth.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Believe what you want to believe Joy, but I’m fine…”

“Come on Seul we know you…you’re like a book. When you’re happy its obvious, when you’re angry its obvious, when you’re embarrassed its obvious, when you’re sad its obvi---”

“Guys are you gonna stop?! If its so obvious then why are you are still asking me then?!” Seulgi retaliates raising her voice, causing other strangers on the bus to turn around and look at them.

“Why are you getting angry at us?! We’re asking you because we’re concerned. We’re asking you because you’re our best friend and we care for you…” Joy scoffs, sounding hurt from what Seulgi had said previously, while Yeri looks down at her hands not knowing what to say.

Joy was right. It was not their fault why she felt this way and she immediately feels remorseful that she had hurt her own friends, all because she could not keep her emotions in check.

“…I’m so sorry guys…I didn’t mean too…it’s just…it just that I’m tired…” She lied.

Joy purses her lips, knowing full well that Seulgi was not reacting this way all because she was tired, but there was an underlying reason for this overdrive of emotions within her. She could not pinpoint the exact reason, so she decides to let go of the subject and not push any further.

I just want you to be honest with us Seul, but the truth will eventually come out…

“Its fine Seul, just get a lot of rest when you arrive home okay?”

“Will do. And sorry guys again I didn’t mean too…”

Yeri glances at Seulgi giving her a reassuring smile that it was okay and all is forgiven, when suddenly she notices she doesn’t have her jacket on.

“Seul where is your jacket?”

The sudden question grabs Seulgi’s attention, looking for an excuse where her jacket had gone not wanting to tell them that she had given it to Irene.

“Ohh...umm…I think I may have left it at the restaurant…”

“We should head back to grab it, it’s pretty cold outside and you’ll need it.” Yeri suggests.

“Yeri its okay. I’ll just go pick it up tomorrow or some other time, we’re nearly home anyway.”

“If you say so.”

The bus finally pulls into a bus stop that is 5 minutes away from Seulgi house. She hugs her best friend’s goodbye and tells them to message in their group chat when they’ve arrived home safely. She lazily walks towards her house, slowly opening the door making sure she doesn’t wake up her parents. She looks at the wall clock and its 11pm, while rubbing her hands on her eyes out of tiredness. She begrudgingly ascends up the stairs of her house eventually collapsing on her bed. She looks at her bedroom ceiling, thinking about what had happened tonight but all she could feel was sadness. She opens and closes her eyes slowly, thinking that maybe wishing for something to happen between her and Irene was all wishful thinking making her feel disappointed in herself.

A sudden ding from her phone snaps her from her thoughts, pulling her phone out of her pocket to see who had bothered her at this time. Her eyes widen seeing who had sent her a message.

It was Irene.

Irene

Hey Seulgi, it’s Irene. I just wanted to