“Yah! Wendy Son Seungwan!” Irene screamed for the girl’s name.

Wendy pretended that she didn’t heard Irene and quicken her pace “Yah Wendy ah!” Irene called out again.

“I didn’t mean to lied about who I am!”

“You’re a freaking princess Irene-ssi!” Wendy hissed as she turned to Irene and then she turned to Jennie who was following them too.

“And you knew!” Wendy pointed at Jennie angrily.

“I only knew about Joohyun unnie being the friend that you mentioned yesterday unnie! I really didn’t mean to lie to you!” Jennie tried to explain but Wendy was angry, she had never seen Wendy this angry before.

“And you even paid people to come to my café…” Wendy looked at Irene with pain and betrayal in her eyes.

“Wendy please listen…” Irene reached for Wendy’s arm but Wendy pulled away.

“I can’t believe all this…” Wendy scoffed before she walked away.

"Just because you are a princess, you misuse your power? You humiliate me infront of your father, you don't think I'm capable of attracting customer to my café?!" 

Irene and Jennie only could watch Wendy walked away, they didn’t dare to catch up to her.

“She hates me…” Irene murmured.

“No unnie, please don’t think of it that way, Wendy unnie isn’t capable of hating people…let her calm down and then we try to talk to her okay?”

Irene didn’t respond, she only could watch as Wendy’s getting further and further away from them.

 

Flashback to an hour earlier

10 men were guarding the whole café, everyone were instructed to go back, while Wendy, Henry, Jenlisa, Mimo and the 4 high schoolers stayed because Irene told the security that they were her friends so they can stay. The 10 of them still couldn’t believe that Irene’s father is the crown prince of South Korea. Well Wendy knew Jennie had royal connection but she is shocked to know that Irene is Jennie’s cousin.

“Joohyun-ah…” the prince spoke up calling for his daughter.

Irene remained calm and unbothered, she crossed her arms and legs, stare blankly at her father.

“Come back to the palace, I know your mother is still angry at you being a lesbian, but you gotta to know you are a princess…and a princess should know her own duty and obligations.”

“I am not going back…” Irene replied coldly.

“Joohyun…don’t make things hard for me please.”

“You cast me away when I told you about my uality, and then mother threatened to disown me if I can’t deny that I like girls. Tell me why should I return?”

“You are being disrespectful to your father Joohyun, I did not raise you to be like this.” The prince raised his voice at his daughter.

“I will not go back if you can’t accept me for who I am, father.”

“You are a princess! You can’t live like this, this is a disgrace to our family!”

“I love being around these people!” Irene stand up, slamming her hands on the table and pointed at Wendy.

“They accept me for who I am! You as my father couldn’t accept me for who I am. I am not going back to the palace until you learn to accept your own daughter!” Irene raised her voice.

The 10 onlookers were shocked by Irene’s voice. They never seen Irene this way except for Jennie.

“I give you a year Joohyunie, a year for you to enjoy your life, and after that you want it or not, you will have to return to the palace and carry out your duty as this country princess. If you disobey me…I will make all of your friends suffer, especially this café owner” the prince threatened his daughter.

Irene clenched her teeth, she didn’t want to cause Wendy to lose her café but she didn’t want to go back either.

The prince gets up from his seat and marched toward the door, he stopped and turned to Jennie “Send my regards to your father and mother Jennie…”

Jennie nodded, she is afraid of her uncle.

“And tell Joohyun that she can no longer pay people to come to this café anymore.” The king looked at Wendy and he sneered.

The king left and Wendy turned to Jennie “What did he meant by paying people to come to my café?” Wendy asked.

Jennie did not answer, she turned away. Wendy then turned to Irene who was standing by the counter looking sad that she just lost her princess title.

“Irene…did you really pay people to come to my café?”

“You were sad this morning…I was just trying to make you happy…so I called up my family secretary and asked her to…”

“YOU PAY PEOPLE TO COME TO MY CAFÉ?!” Wendy raised her voice, so loud that it startled everyone.

Lisa rushed to Wendy side and she holds the girl by the shoulder trying to calm her down.

Irene flinched because she is afraid that Wendy might hit her. Henry rushed to Wendy side too, just in case Wendy really lose her control and might do something she regrets later.

“Wendy, you’re talking to a princess, please do not raised your voice like that.” Henry tried to calm Wendy.

“And you know?” Wendy asked Henry, her eyes were on fire, the anger is visible in her face.

“I did not know! I only know she made a phone call and suddenly the café is full with patrons!”

Wendy turned to look at Irene, Irene was quiet, she is afraid of Wendy. Wendy raised her hand but Henry and Lisa stopped her. Wendy yanked her hand from Henry and Lisa’s grip, she turned and stormed out from the café.

“Wendy!” Irene called out, and she then went after Wendy. Jennie also followed Irene.

“Babe!” Lisa called for Jennie.

“Stay here babe, I will be back!” Jennie replied and she followed Irene to go after Wendy.

End of flashback

 

Zimzalabim’s Café

Henry thought it is better to close the café for now, he left the matters to Irene to close the café and he went out to search for Wendy. He said right now it is better for them to leave the matters to him because he knows where to find her, but he knows Wendy probably wanted some times alone. Everyone bid Henry good bye, Irene told Henry to make sure that Wendy is okay. Henry promised Irene that he will bring back Wendy.

Irene sat alone by the table near the window where she and Wendy seated on the first day of their meeting. The seat where Wendy comforted her when she almost gave up on her life. Irene teared up but she wipes it off.

“Unnie…” Jennie approached the girl.

“Yes?” Irene quickly wipes off her falling tears and smiled at Jennie.

“Here…some green tea to calm your nerves down…” Jennie offered “I am not a good barista like Wendy-unnie but, I think this is satisfactory.”

Irene smiled and accepted the tea that Jennie offered. Jennie seated next to Irene, she had her arm on Irene’s shoulder and pulled the older girl closer to her.

“Why do I have to be born into the royal family Jennie-ah…”

“It’s not a bad thing at all unnie-ah…”

“I made Wendy mad…I think I will leave Jennie…I will leave so Wendy can run her café smoothly without me.”

“What makes you think that Wendy will like that?” Jennie asked.

“Did you see the way she looked at me earlier? She was disgusted. She hates me.”

“She doesn’t hate you unnie…if there’s anything that Wendy-unnie is not capable of, it would be hating people, Wendy-unnie will never hate anyone…she just can’t.” Jennie tried to reassured Irene.

Irene and Jennie were disturbed by a tapping noise coming from the outside of the café. The saw Rosé and Jisoo were standing by the window and tapping on the glass. Jennie turned back to look at Lisa who was busy chit chatting with the others. She called for Lisa and asked her girlfriend to unlock the door for Jisoo and Rosé. Lisa gets up and went to unlock the door for the duo.

“OMG! Jennie we received your text!” Rosé went to Jennie and hugged the petite girl.

“Your highness…” Jisoo bowed to Irene which made Irene frowned at her.

“I’m just Irene now Jisoo-ah…please don’t call me your highness or princess…”

“We couldn’t believe that you were a princess…we do know that Jennie had royal connection but to think that you’re the one…” Rosé look apologetic toward Irene.

Irene smiled and told them it was okay. Irene offered to cook something for all the people there but Jennie and Rosé said it’s okay, they can do the cooking and ask Irene to rest. Irene let the younger girls taking care of the cooking and she excuses herself to the small office. She noticed the blue notebook that Wendy was holding this morning. She was curious and she opened the notebook to read the content. Irene read and realized that it most of the content inside is lyrics that written by Wendy.

Irene stopped at the one of the page “Last Love...” Irene reads.

Why have you gotten so far away?

This was a break up that I really didn’t want

Every time I have a long day, without knowing, tears fall.

Don’t you miss me? Did you already forget everything?

I still can’t acknowledge the reason we had to break up

 

Irene continues reading the lyrics, and she realized that Wendy probably wrote it when she and her ex broke up.

 

I can’t easily end this, from beginning I wanted to start again

Wherever I go, I think of you, so it’s so hard.

You’re the same way too, I’m changing

I’m waiting for you to come back

I want me to be your last love.

 

Unknowingly Irene tears fell down. She was crying. The lyrics that Wendy wrote touched her heart. It was so beautiful and sad at the same time. Irene gets up from her seat and she opened the door but she was surprised when she sees Ryujin standing in front of the door.

“Ryujin?”

“I’m sorry…ummm you seem sad so I wanted to check on you…but…”

“I’m fine Ryujin…I’m going out for a while, can you help me to inform the others?”

Ryujin nodded and she watched Irene walked out from the back door.

 

Nearby Playground

Henry panted when he reached the playground he had been searching Wendy all over the places that he thought she will be but he couldn’t find her and the playground were his last resort. He remembered Wendy used to come here whenever she is sad, there are culvert nearby the playground where Wendy always find her comfort. Henry peeked inside the culvert and he sighed in relief when he saw Wendy is indeed in there. She hugged her own knees, face buried in between her knees. Henry entered the culvert and sit next to Wendy.

“Oppa is here.” Henry make sure his presence is known by Wendy.

“You can cry on my shoulder if you want.” Henry brushed his shoulder and offered it to Wendy. There was no response from Wendy, Henry sighed and he rested his head on the culvert wall.

“She was just trying to make you happy Seungwan-ah…you were so down this morning…”

Wendy knows that Henry is being serious right now because whenever he uses her Korean name she knows he wanted to have a real talk. She slowly tilts up her head, her eyes were red. Henry wipes away Wendy’s tears and he pulls her in for a hug.

“She lies…” Wendy sobs “Why do all the people around me always hurt me?” Wendy added.

“Irene must have her own reason why she lied about her identity Wendy-ah…I’ve seen the way she looked at you, I can see that she cares about you. It was so wrong that you yelled at her earlier, she was just trying to help. She did asked people to come to your café but what you didn’t know is that those people, they genuinely like your drinks Wendy, I heard lots of lots of compliment coming from them.”

Wendy finally looked up to Henry and Henry smiled at her “What Irene did was a right thing to do Wendy, I did not think that it was wrong of her to asked all those people to come, well at least you get free marketing from it. Imagine this ‘A café that worth a visit even the Princess of Korea recommended this place’ as a news headline.”

A sense of guilt hit Wendy, when she realized that she is being a little over dramatic earlier.

“Clean up your face Wendy, you look ugly when you cry!” Henry tried to lighten up the mood and he successfully did when Wendy start to smile again.

“Come on you little baby, let’s get you home, it’s late now.” Henry held out his hand and Wendy hold it. Henry slowly guided Wendy out from the culvert and they headed to his car. When they reached Henry’s car Wendy suddenly stopped on her track and ask Henry if it’s okay for her not to go home. She is just no ready to meet with Irene yet. Henry asked where she wanted to go, and she took out her phone, and made a phone call.

 

Wendy’s Apartment

Irene finished all the cooking and cleaning. She sits on the couch waiting for Wendy to come back. It’s almost 11pm but there’s no sign of Wendy. Irene tried to call Henry but he didn’t pick her call too. Irene is getting anxious and she was restless she keeps looking at the clock on the wall. She the TV but nothing was good so she turned it off again. She took out her phone and tried to text Wendy.

There was no reply from Wendy and Irene was getting a little frustrated, she put down her phone and lay down on the couch.

“Wendy…” she mumbled before she dozes off to sleep.

 

Lisa’s Apartment

“I’m sorry to disturb you both, I never thought that Jennie will be sleeping here too…” Wendy apologized.

“No unnie it’s okay, I’m the one who should be sorry, I mean I couldn’t afford a bigger apartment, I only have one room. Sorry that you have to sleep on the couch.” Lisa apologized as she prepares the couch for Wendy.

“Your phone is blowing up unnie, you should really reply Irene-unnie you know?” Jennie said because Wendy’s phone couldn’t stop ringing.

“I can’t deal with her now Jennie…”

“Understandable…” Jennie replied. She took Wendy phone and change the mode to silent.

“Did you two manage to tell Jisoo and Rosé that you were official?” Wendy asked.

“Nope…with all the chaos earlier, we couldn’t maybe we will wait for the right time…” Lisa sighed.

Wendy apologized again, Jennie and Lisa said that it was okay, they can tell their best friends some other time.

Lisa excused herself as she getting a little sleepy, she left Jennie and Wendy at the living room. Both Wendy and Jennie were quiet, Wendy doesn’t know how to start a conversation with Jennie after what had happened earlier.

“Joohyun-unnie had a tough life Wendy-unnie…” Jennie started the conversation.

“I know you’re mad because about Joohyun unnie paid people to come to your café.”

“I’m not mad about that anymore Jennie…matter fact I wanted to thanks her for that…Henry explained to me the reason why she did that…and Henry told me that people like the drinks and food there. I am wrong that I yelled at Irene, but I just couldn’t face her yet.”

Jennie lifted her legs up and seat comfortably on the couch “Okay unnie, to make up to you, you can ask me anything that you wanted to know about Irene unnie.”

“I don’t think I deserve to hear everything from you Jennie…”

“Don’t worry about it, now that you know her identity, I can tell you everything that you wanted to know about Irene.”

Wendy contemplated whether to ask Jennie about Irene or should she just ask Irene. Then she thinks it is better if she asks Jennie, because she afraid Irene probably won’t be honest with her.

“Okay…so you just tell me what I should know about Irene.” Wendy asked.

“Hmm…I’mma start from why she didn’t live in the palace…”

“Okay, go on…”

“When unnie was in high school, she had a crush on someone, she was struggling with her uality back then, she tried to talk to her mom about her ual preference, but Aunt Jihyun considered it as a mental illness and she hire a therapist to try and straighten unnie again. Unnie protested and she rebelled against her mother, then aunt Jihyun told Unnie’s father…Prince Jaeho about unnie’s problem. She was grounded for a year, had to be home school, then when they thought unnie is over with her liking girls, they had her moved to a co-ed school.”

“Then…what happened?”

“They tried to pair unnie with a bunch of the royals’ family’s sons, but unnie was not having any of it, she rebelled and she ran away from the palace, she came to my house, but when my mom knew about the reason she ran away from the palace, my mom had her returned back to the palace. Once again unnie was home school until her graduation. Surprisingly, my aunt allowed her to attend university, she’s a master in accounting and management by the way. However, I know back then something had change in unnie, her expression they were cold, she was never the cheery unnie that I used to know, that was until she met Seulgi…”

“Wait…” Wendy cut Jennie off.

“Seulgi as in Kang Seulgi of Red Velvet?” Wendy asked.

“Oh !” Jennie cursed in her mind “You screw this whole thing up Jennie Kim! You shouldn’t leak out the info that Irene’s ex is in the same band as Wendy’s ex!”

“Yes…but listen first unnie! I…”

“Just go on with Irene’s story…” Wendy cut Jennie off again.

Jennie gulped and she continues “When…when she met Seulgi, she was happy again, her smiles returns. She thought Seulgi was the one for her…they fell in love and Irene unnie decided to leave the palace and she was stripped down from her title as princess by her grandfather, the king of course, she was cast away from the palace and, she lived with Seulgi until Seulgi got into SM and debuted with Red Velvet, they keep their relationship lowkey, and unnie worked as Red Velvet marketing manager at that time…”

Wendy was attentive, but her stares were blank, Jennie wave her hand in front of Wendy to get Wendy’s attention, Wendy turned and looked at Jennie, she nodded to ask Jennie to continue.

“Why did Seulgi left her?”

“The problem starts last year…” Jennie sighed “When Seulgi got close with Sunmi, Irene was jealous, they constantly fight, unnie felt that she is slowly losing Seulgi, so she proposed, but then…I guess you know that Seulgi had a cold feet and left unnie during their wedding day.”

Wendy was silent, she feels like she could relate to Irene’s situation. She had been in the same situation when Joy break things off with her.

“Unnie?” Jennie called for Wendy attention.

“Hmm?”

“You okay?”

“I’m okay Jen…look it’s getting late…why don’t you go sleep first?”

“You don’t want me to continue Irene’s story?”

“I think that is enough for today…go sleep.”

Jennie nodded and she went into Lisa’s room to sleep. Wendy bid Jennie good night and then she stares into the empty space. There was too much information that she needed to digest. First of is how small is the world for her ex to be in the same band with Irene’s ex. She knows Irene probably didn’t know that Joy is her ex. She reached for her phone and she saw there were hundred miss call from Irene. She opened all the texts from Irene.

Hey, I’m very sorry for what had happened today – Irene

Wendy let’s meet and let’s talk – Irene

I am really sorry, I didn’t mean to lie to you and I didn’t mean to hurt you – Irene

I did ask those people to come to your café but I did not pay them to come. I just invited them to come and try your drinks and pastry. Please believe me on this, I know how much you love it when people enjoy your drink. I wouldn’t do such things to hurt your pride. – Irene

I’ve cooked some kimchi stew and seaweed soup – Irene

I’m worry about you Wendy, please update me your where about please… - Irene

Wendy was tempted to reply Irene, but she refrained herself from doing so. She turned off her phone and lay down on the couch. “Good night Irene…” she murmured before she dozed off to sleep.

 

The next morning Wendy’s Apartment

Irene woke up, she realized that she had fallen asleep on the couch. She checked the time and it was only 7am, then she immediately gets up and rushed to the kitchen and she saw that the food was untouched. Then she went to Wendy’s room, she opened it and there was no sign of Wendy. Irene was sad, she went to take her bath and then proceed to heat up the cold food that she prepared last night. She ate her breakfast in silence. She suddenly misses the presence of Wendy in the house.  

It was nearly 10 when she heard someone knocked on the door. She went to open it, she was hoping it was Wendy, but she was disappointed when she saw Henry standing by the door way.

“I know I’m not Wendy but please don’t look at me like that princess, you’re scaring me.”

“You said that you will bring Wendy back last night and you didn’t even pick up my call!” Irene hissed.

Henry took out his phone and saw that it was dead “Oh, I must’ve forgot to charge it last night. Look Irene, don’t worry about Wendy, she is fine, she’s at her friend’s house. Now let’s get going.”

Irene’s mood somehow lightened up when Henry told her that Wendy is safe. “You like Wendy didn’t you.” Henry teased.

“Yes I like her Henry…Wendy had been so good to me, why shouldn’t I like her?”

The two walked towards the lift, Henry pressed the down button and they stand there awkwardly waiting for the lift to arrive.

“I mean do you like Wendy more than you know friend?”

Henry question had Irene stop breathing for a while, she frowned at him and he laughed at her. “I’m just joking Irene…I know your circumstance. I mean Wendy is a pretty good catch if you decided to date her once you’ve move on from your ex.”

“I only think of Wendy as a good friend Henry, nothing more.” Irene affirmed her answer.

“I mean if…”

“If Henry If…” Irene cut him off. They entered the lift and Irene pressed the Lower Ground level. Once the lift reached the lower ground, Irene were surprised to see Wendy. Wendy was surprised to see Irene too. Irene wanted to say something but Wendy walked passed her. She pressed the lift button. Irene turned trying to stopped Wendy but she was too late as the lift door closed.

Irene stood there watching the lift go up, her heart was pained by Wendy’s action. Irene turned and follow Henry to his car.

 

Inside the lift

Wendy slapped herself so hard that it left a mark on her cheek, she knocked her head on the lift wall and mentally scream in her head “Idiot Wendy! Why didn’t you greet Irene when you saw her?! The reason why you came home is because you wanted to apologized to Irene! Argh stupid Wendy!”

Wendy slapped herself again and took a deep breath “Okay Wendy, once you reach the café, you have to apologize to Irene.”

 

To be continue

A/N:

Here it is, the huge fight. Okay so should Wendy apologize in the next chapter or continue to act cold toward Irene? Also you guys should listen to Wendy's last love while reading this chapter, to set the mood. Next chapter will be a huge drama involving Seulgi and Joy.