“Hyun Bun? Are you okay baby?” She asked away. Concern lacing her tone. She felt Irene’s chest constrict and warm air gets let out as her wife drew out the deep breath she took.  Then she heard her wife speak.

“Pooh Bear. I need to talk to you about something. Something really important.”      

Despite her fingers getting clammy and her rising uneasiness, Seulgi followed Irene inside the study room. The atmosphere is silent but Seulgi is not dumb not to feel the heaviness that lingers in the air. It was just a few seconds of the walk yet it felt like years and each step she is taking, her feet felt like carrying huge boulders in them. She just snapped out of her reverie when Irene ushered her to take sit on a loveseat while her wife took the empty space beside her. As soon as the two settled it, she unconsciously stares at her wife. She noted how Irene’s face seems crestfallen. The bags under her eyes are dark and look like those huge rice cakes that her wife loves so much. Even if she wants to smile at the memory of Irene’s face while taking each bite of the sweet and spicy treat, she deduced that the situation did not call for it. Her daydreaming is interrupted by Irene’s soft voice.

“Seul.” She noted how the older’s voice seemed strained. Like every word she says is so suffocating and so difficult for her to utter.  This makes Seulgi unconsciously caress her face using her palm.

Irene did not know where to start. Truthfully she did not want to address the issue, live and play the role of a happy wife in the harmonious life that she is living right now with Seulgi and forget everything about Krystal like it is just a nightmare. But as much as she wants to, Irene knows that she cannot do that. What she needs to do is to face it head-on and dictate the phase of the situation. Since she cannot prolong telling Seulgi about what happened last night and Krystal being her ex, Irene decided that she will fight the girl in her own terms. She heaved a deep breath before calling out her wife’s name.

“Seul.” Her breath hitched as soon as the name escaped from her lips. The memories of Krystal’s words from last night echoing in her ears and mocking her over and over again. It was suffocating, to the point that she just want to sleep it all off. Hoping that she will wake up inside her wife’s arms without, lost in their own paradise and not a care in the world. But she knows that she cannot do that. She cannot just forget about that damn ex of her wife. As her musings deepen, Irene felt something warm and soft against her cheeks. Recognizing the familiar gesture of her wife, made Irene lean in to savor the moment. Trust the younger to make her heart feel at ease notwithstanding the turmoil that was previously brewing inside of her. Before she can even utter a word, she heard her wife speak.

“I wanted to apologize for last night. I cannot recall most of what happened to be honest. I remembered waiting for you and Mr. Bogum to be back on our table. Then I talked with Ms. Soojung for a little bit when she came over to accompany me. After that, my memory was blank. I just realized that I might have been drunk based on the hangover soup that you prepared for me. I know that I should’ve been more responsible. I felt like I’ve wasted all the collective efforts of everyone who helped me prepare for last night’s event. But most importantly I felt that I’ve let you down. Given that I cannot remember anything made me feel a lot worse. I’m sorry that I’ve disappointed you. To think that I  even dare to get upset when you initially chose not to bring me to the event. I guess it was much better if you didn’t bring me along with you. “Irene’s heart broke as she listens to what her wife is saying. Without any thoughts, she planted a quick kiss on her wife’s lips to interrupt her from her rambling. She took that momentary stunned condition of her wife to in.

“Don’t worry Pooh bear. You did not do something wrong while drunk and you did not ruin anything. I’m sorry for not explaining anything and lets you think that it was your fault. I can assure you that it is about something completely different from what you are thinking. So please listen to me carefully okay.” She saw how Seulgi gave a nod and intertwined their fingers together.

“Remember how I was so apprehensive about us before especially during the early days after your accident. It was not just because I was angry at you for that incident with Suho. When you went abroad to study, I realized my true feelings for you but I cannot contact you then. So I waited patiently for you to come back.  Years passed and I was so happy when I heard the news that you will visit Korea again. I was prepared to talk to you, apologize for my stupidity of prioritizing my boyfriend over you, and admit my feelings. I was so happy that you came back but I forgot that a lot of time has passed and a lot of things can change. I did not expect you to come back but with your girlfriend in tow. To be honest. I was devastated and hurt by that. Instead of trying to fix everything, I ended up filling my heart with anger. I held on to your words that it will be just me. That I am the only one you will love. I know it’s my fault and you deserve to find someone who will never hurt you as I did. But I still held on to your words and promises that my world fell apart when the reality that I lost my chance with you came crashing down on me.” Irene felt her tears pooling up on her eyes making it misty.

“I already forgave you for that Hyun. We both agreed to put it behind us and start anew. So I don’t understand why we are bringing it up again.” She saw how Irene hesitated so her body reacted immediately and gave a tight squeeze on her wife’s hand to give her a silent reassurance.

“Don’t push yourself too hard Hyun. Take your time. Gather your thoughts first. I’ll wait whenever you are ready to tell me.” Despite her growing curiosity and worry, Seulgi pushed it deep down to try and coax her older wife. It made her frown when Irene shakes her head before speaking

 “Don’t worry Pooh Bear. I got this.” She then heaves a deep breath before speaking again.

“I… That girl that you brought home back then. I am sorry to say it but she is here now, Seul. The girl you were with that time came back. It might come as a shock but she and your buyer is just the same person. Jung Soojung, your buyer is your ex. Her real name is Krystal Jung and she pretended to be somebody else, approached you, and pretended to be interested in your paintings to get close to you. Last night at the party, she intentionally got you drunk.” Irene’s words came as a huge shock to Seulgi.

“How?” She questioned before a sudden thought came to her mind.

‘Wait, you said she is my ex. Then why Wendy didn’t tell me anything when she met her. We have been in a relationship before right? So it’s not possible that she doesn’t know her. Is she fooling me too? Are they working together?” Her words made Irene gasp and immediately retorted.

“No. Don’t ever doubt your friends Seulgi. Wendy did not mean to hide it from you. She thought that spending time with Krystal would help you.”  Despite Irene’s explanation, Seulgi was not fully convinced.

“Then why didn’t she say anything? If she is concerned for me then why didn’t she tell me about Krystal or whatever her name is?” Seulgi furiously exclaimed. Knowing that the girl has managed to get that close to her is making her blood boil. Especially since it is making her wife anxious and worried.

“She just thought that maybe Krystal can help you bring back some of your memories because you two have been together for quite some time. There are things that you two shared and she can help you get better. Plus she has also taken extra precaution to make sure that she can guard you against Krystal.” Irene said remembering what Wendy said to her when she confronted the girl earlier on but Seulgi cut her off with a dry laugh

“If that is the case then it won’t be a problem anymore. Now that the sale is over then I’ll just cut her out of my life and never meet with her again. As simple as that” Irene shakes her head in response as her mind brought her back to the exchange of text messages that she had with Wendy.

The truth is she was really torn and bothered the whole day when she was alone in her study room. She reread  

Don’t worry Ms. Irene everything is under control. I’m sure Ms. Jung would not harm Ms. Seulgi. I will make sure of that. Don’t worry too much Ms. Irene.

She felt angry, betrayed even that Seulgi’s friend would withhold such crucial information from her like this. But she held herself in. She tried to not act irrationally and be calm and reasonable.

She texted Wendy about what happened last night in a way that is not accusing nor insinuating. She did not expect to receive a call from the blonde girl. As soon as she swiped the green button and pressed the device against her ear, she did not postulate a string of apologies coming her way

“Ms. Irene please forgive me for my actions. I apologize for what happen but God knows I did not do it to cause some misunderstandings or create a rift between you and Seulgi. I… I know it might sound like an excuse but believe me when I say that I always have Seulgi’s best interest at heart. Please hear my reasons out.” She urged the woman to go on realizing how her wife’s friends would never put her in danger.

“Go on. I’m listening.”

“I know it is my fault why Krystal got that close to Seulgi. I got too complacent about Seulgi’s bodyguards and let my personal emergencies get in the way of my job so I did not get to meet her that often. Once I did meet her, they are already on the final stages of the sale so I just decided to let her off with a warning not to do anything that c