I can't believe I actually rewrote the whole chap. But with the subunit news, I was more than excited to write again. Let's show our full support, shall we?

Part II of Tombstoning.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tombstoning

[ˈtum-stoʊn] noun

The dangerous activity of jumping or diving into water from very high rocks or structures while keeping the body straight.

 

 

 

 

This time, Seulgi parks her car just beside the old Chevy sitting on the same spot she saw yesterday. Like how she expected it to be, Irene Bae is there, sitting on the edge letting her feet fall to the air with no hint of fear.

 

The swimmer looks back to her for a second, evidently rolling an eye to the newcomer, before looking away in a swift.

 

She's smoking again. But this time, Seulgi doesn't even get to say it when the swimmer already throws away the cigarette down below, her brows furrowed as she watches her favorite toy gone in the wind. A satisfied grin breaks out from Seulgi's lips.

 

"Why do you always come on bad timings?" The swimmer hisses.

 

"That means you have to really stop smoking. It's bad for your health, you know?"

 

The woman scoffs, "So now you care for me."

 

"When it comes to smoking, I do. But seriously, you can try experimenting other stuff."

 

The swimmer tilts her head, "For what?"

 

"Try Pringles." She confidently suggests, "It soothes me."

 

"Oh." And Irene lets out a sheepish grin. "I'll take that in mind."

 

Seulgi sits beside her. "So you actually meant it when you said you won't smoke if I'm around."

 

"I'm a woman of words."

 

"You probably don't want me around then. So you can smoke." She smirks, gauging the swimmer's reaction to which the latter only looks away, and it makes Seulgi swallow a lump in .

 

"Why didn't you come to class?" She closes it off, feeling suddenly uncomfortable about her previous question.

 

"Isn't it obvious? Your girlfriend pissed me off."

 

"Really? So you jumped off a cliff again?" Irene turns to her surprised. "You said you do that when you're not in the mood."

 

"You remembered."

 

"Of course. I always remember life and death situations."

 

And they both giggled, all with the gentle breeze hitting their bodies, and unknowingly, the strong comfort of a good company.

 

Seulgi remembers what Wendy told her a while ago. She stares at the swimmer for a while, wondering how much this girl had probably gone through to become such rock. 

 

Strong, cool, intimidating though not for her, strange, yet annoying— that's how she had seen her. It suddenly makes her wonder what kind of Irene Bae has been hidden all this time.

 

"You're actually not bad as I thought you would be." Seulgi confesses which makes the latter break out into a wide grin.

 

She faces the dancer with a brow raised. "I was thinking the same thing." 

 

And they just look at each other for a while, until Seulgi realized the sudden comfort of air between them. 

 

She clears . "But we're still not friends."

 

"Awe, why is that?"

 

She smirks. "My girlfriend doesn't like you. And I love her so much so I'll look at you like how she sees you."

 

And it doesn't please Irene at all. 

 

"Well now you're making me angry."

 

"Don't tell me you're jumping again?" Now the swimmer knows that the other is really provoking her. She stands up, looking really displeased and distraught at the comment.

 

" you, Kang."

 

"You said my name too. That's a first."

 

"It's not your name." Irene mimics.

 

"But I put it beside my name like you do." Seulgi does it even better. The swimmer scoffs, honestly feeling the frustration build up inside of her.

 

"I wonder why my girlfriend pisses you off that much." She pushes even further, enjoying watching Irene Bae lose her limits.

 

"She doesn't." Irene takes off her jacket. "But you do."

 

"Me? I didn't do anything."

 

"You always break my heart."

 

 

But before Seulgi could even process it, Irene takes her hand, pulling her to somewhere she doesn't know, and she doesn't seem to care because all she could think of are the words lingering in her mind in a loop, and their hands, the way Irene holds on it gently despite the strong pull.

 

It's warm and soft.

 

For once, Seulgi doesn't find the crashing waves frightening at all.

 

You always break my heart.

 

"I always break your heart?" She finally mumbles deeply concerned at the thought, eyes still set on their joined knuckles. But the swimmer only laughs, giving her a forced smile before letting go of their laced hands. Seulgi looks at it for a while. 

 

"I know you're dumb so don't think much about it."

 

Seulgi recovers. "Whatever. I know I'm innocent."

 

She hears the swimmer mumble something under her breath. "What?"

 

"Nothing."

 

Irene takes off her boots, which makes Seulgi realize where they are. They're on top of a huge rock, a little below the cliff's edge, certainly much closer to the sea that she could feel the small waves hit the tip of her shoes.

 

"Take off your shoes." The swimmer orders and though against her will, Seulgi obliges, not really liking the idea of a drenched feet.

 

"I don't get why I'm supposed to be here."

 

"But you followed me and you can't go up all by yourself."

 

"Who told you I can't?" Seulgi glares, clearly offended.

 

"You're afraid to fall."

 

She scoffs. "Fall? Woah, you think you know me at this rate? I'm Kang Seulgi, I fear nothing, no one."

 

"Oh really?" Irene challenges. "Can you jump off a cliff with me then?"

 

The way Kang Seulgi— the Kang Seulgi who fears nothing and no one— purses her lips and look at her horribly like she just said the most ridiculous thing ever makes her playfully widen her eyes in surprise.

 

"Oh my, don't tell me you're afraid of the water?"

 

Seulgi's small eyes widen. "W-what— No! Of course not!"

 

"Then let's jump together." Irene tries to hold the dancer's hand but she instantly swats it way, hiding it behind her.

 

"I can't!" She shrieks, making Irene's smirk grow even wider.

 

"Huh? But I thought you're not afraid?" The swimmer dramatically pouts, annoying her even more.

 

"I'm not." She firmly presses.

 

"Then jump with me."

 

"No."

 

"Not until you tell me why."

 

"I c-can't..." Seulgi bites her lips, a tint of crimson slowly creeping across her cheeks.

 

"You can't?"

 

"I don't know how to swim." She utters in a breath, looking away, clearly embarassed. But too bad, Irene Bae is too engrossed in making Seulgi jump with her to not see Seulgi's fidgeting hands.

 

"Oh. reasons. You just don't want to get drenched." 

 

"I really don't know how!"

 

The swimmer slowly walks to her, making her gradually take a step back. Seulgi puts a hand between them— having a feeling that the woman is up to something.

 

"Don't come nearer or I'll ing kill you." She threatens, taking a few more steps back seeing Irene Bae still walking to her with those challenging eyes and annoying smirk. Little did she know, she was already at the edge of the huge rock, causing her to scream as she loses her balance and waggle— but before she could even think about it, a small hand drapes across her waist, pulling her back in a swift motion.

 

"Got you." Seulgi slowly opens her eyes— immediately looking down to the water below her, the small distance and the crashing waves making her shudder, before turning back to the strong grip around her. 

 

The flushed bodies, the feeling of each other's breaths, and the proximity suddenly makes her cheeks burn and her heart racing faster than it is.

 

What the hell.

 

Seulgi clears . "Y-Yah. I'm fine now. Let go."

 

But the swimmer pays no attention to it, still looking at the dancer fondly, her sheepish grin never leaving her lips, and her arms still around her slim waist. The sheepish grin turns into a smirking one before Seulgi knows it. 

 

Her eyes widen. "Yah."

 

"I should've let you fall." Seulgi could feel Irene's hand slowly peeling off her so she quickly get hold of the swimmer's collar— holding it tightly as if her life depended on it.

 

"Don't ing do that!"

 

"You're making me want to do it when you beg like that."

 

"I told you I can't ing swim!"

 

"Yes you can."

 

Seulgi doesn't even let go of it, not even caring anymore if her whole body is pressed up against Irene's. 

 

"You're a ing jerk."

 

"Yes." Irene Bae gives her a final grin. "Especially if I do this."

 

 

And before Seulgi knows it, her body is thrown to the wind. A loud scream resonates against the wind before she splashes against the rude waters. The sight gives the swimmer a boisterous laugher— even peeking over to see her work. 

 

"What a loser.." She mumbles between her laughters.

 

She waits for a few seconds— waiting for the dancer to ascend and maybe prepare her ears for her curses. The thought makes her laugh again. However, her giggling subsides when Kang Seulgi doesn't climb up after a short while. She peeks even more— wondering if Seulgi had swam to the shore already. No one is there.

 

It's only been roughly a few seconds but Irene's expression already took a great turn.

 

"Yah." She stands up now. "Yah, it's not funny."

 

No one answered. What was supposed to be a funny and eventful teasing turned into anxiety as the swimmer's eyes wandered around the waters. It was clear, deep, dark, and there were no signs of the captain.

 

"Kang Seulgi!"

 

She stumbles against the huge rocks, even almost tripping into one, as she manages her way to the shore. The rocks were of height but Irene Bae sure didn't care a hell about it. Her steps stumbled when a head peaks swiftly from the far sea.

 

"." She curses under her breath.

 

And without even thinking twice, her body instantly splashes against it— fast, vigor, and heart pounding rapidly as her mind only thinks of reaching Kang Seulgi's hand.

 

 

 

Seulgi's lungs felt as if they were going to burst as she vigorously pushes her way up— towards the light which seemed to be the only way out. She huffs when air started to fill her lungs again. She wants to scream, to call out the only name she could think of, but she feels her legs slowly losing it's strength.

 

Then the sea pulls her down again.

 

She closes her eyes, losing the remaining bits of her power, waiting, waiting, and waiting. 

 

Just as before the black pit completely swallows her, she feels a strong hand tightly surround her body. And even with the remaining inch of her consciousness, she sees Irene Bae's trembling eyes, and in a swift, her body is being dragged all the way up.

 

 

 

 

And all she could do was clutch her dear life to Irene Bae.

 

 

 

 

 

"Seulgi!" 

 

"Kang Seulgi!"

 

She slowly opens her eyes, blinking rapidly at the sudden light, but before she could grasp what was happening, a swift pull from her chest makes her cough out relentlessly. 

 

"Are you-" She forcefully pushes the swimmer away before crouching to the side against the fit of despair. Water began to leave through , nose, and she's desperate to let it all out.

 

"F-.." She breathlessly mumbles, falling back to the roll of stones beneath her. Her eyes are deeply shut, chest strongly heaving up and down, as her hungry lungs continue to be filled with air.

 

Irene peers closer again, hands left mid-air as she's hesitant to touch the poor woman. Seulgi swats it away, grunting, as she tries to sit up.

 

"A-Are you okay?"

 

"Okay?!" The dancer looks at her with a hiss. "Do I look ing okay to you?!"

 

"I-"

 

"You almost ing killed me!" She hisses, wiping her wet lips with her equally wet arm. 

 

She tries to stand up. "You're a ing jerk! What the were you thinking- s-!" Her tired legs are betraying her as she almost loses her balance yet again, but a strong grip holds her still.

 

The dancer pushes it away against her dizzy state but Irene only tightens it. And before Seulgi knows it, she's being dragged along the shore, pushed down to a wide log, before the swimmer runs off to god knows where.

 

Seulgi takes the chance to recover herself. She leans back to whatever was behind her, taking deep breaths and swallowing against her aching throat as the image of the sea invades her senses.

 

She deeply shuts it down, feeling her hands tremble on their own at the memory of the tremendous fright.

 

"F-..." She curses yet more.

 

 

Not until she felt a warm leather drape across her cold back after a long while. She opens her eyes, and is met with Irene's worried ones.

 

The swimmer doesn't say anything, just carefully placing her familiar jacket for the her to warm, even closing it up for her.

 

Seulgi wants to snap out, to release her frustrations, to lash out at her for pulling such stunt, but could not. She's left to stare at Irene Bae, to Irene Bae who's eyes are showing her nothing but worry.

 

The swimmer then hands her a bottle of water before going over to the pile of woods not far from her. No words, no apologies, Irene Bae creates a ball of fire for them to warm on, shivering in the process against her equally drench state, all for Seulgi to notice.

 

 

The two turns silent for an awful tick, just letting the warmth cascade their cold bodies.

 

 

"I..I-I'll take you home after this." Irene Bae says after a long while, eyes still fixiated on the burning wood.

 

Seulgi doesn't say anything.

 

Yet her tongue is aching to spit profanities against the ruthless swimmer.

 

Instead, she falls into a deep sigh before closing her eyes.

 

"You should." Is what she only says. She hears footsteps coming towards her, so she slowly opens her eyes yet again only to see Irene Bae in front of her.

 

"Can you.." She carefully makes out her words. "Can you wear this for me?"

 

Seulgi casts a glance at the cloth in between them before rolling her eyes. She snatches it from her, immediately pulling off her drenched shirt to put it in. She hears the swimmer clear but she puts no care to it.

 

The removal of the wet cloth was enough for her to feel better. By the time she reaches for her own discarded ones, a swift hand takes it for her. Irene Bae walks off to burning pile once more, squeezing the wet cloth, before hanging it by a log near the fire.

 

Seulgi tiringly scoffs. "Shouldn't you be celebrating right now? That you've managed to win against me again just like what you want?"

 

She barely said in a whisper. And Irene Bae doesn't answer.

 

"You shouldn't be here giving me your clothes, making that stupid fire, after you've almost killed the hell out of me!"

 

She still hears no response at all, making her frustration build up to the core.

 

"You think I didn't know?" She hisses, "About what happened to you and my girlfriend?"

 

The swimmer slowly turns to her, eyes boring deep into hers at the sudden mention of the unbeknownst past.

 

"All those annoying fits you threw to me! All those mess you did to annoy the hell out of me! And this!" Seulgi hisses, "You think I wouldn't know you're using me to get back to her?"

 

She could see Irene Bae's jaw clench against her words. And she doesn't feel sorry for lashing out like that. The swimmer still doesn't say anything back, only staring at her with the same indescribable eyes she's used to.

 

She abruptly sighs, actually too tired to wave another frustrations.

 

" you." Is what she only says before letting the tiresome body consume all of her. She closes her eyes yet again, the dizziness still there. 

 

Seulgi breathes out. "And I hate you for saving me."

 

Those were the last words she remembered saying out loud before slowly dozing off. The memory of the fearful sea gradually turning pitch black, and with the bare inch of her consciousness, she feels a presence beside her, her head pushed down to a lean shoulder, and a hand securely draped along her shoulder.

 

 

She can't make out the name.

 

 

But in a weak voice she hears the presence say,

 

 

 

"For the first time, I knew what fear truly felt like."  

 

 

 

And her name ringing past second from her dreamland,

 

 

 

"Kang Seulgi, you scared me to death."

 

 

 

Yet it still made her heart skip a beat.

 

 

 

 

═══════

 

 

 

 

 

Seulgi doesn't go back after that. 

 

And Irene Bae hasn't gone to class either.

 

It's been three days since Seulgi went straight home, avoiding that tempting road passage by the side of the road. And it's been the same three days since she last saw the swimmer as well.

 

"Oh god, Irene should just drop out if she continues to slack like this." Wendy says as the two walks between the cramped hallways.

 

"It's only been three days." Seulgi mutters. 

 

"Oh yeah? Like those three days weren't the only days." Wendy shakes her head. "Damn she's the only one making my Secretarial duties hard. I always have to open that damned Attendance Folder only to mark her absences, and lates, if I may add."

 

Seulgi snickers, knowing all too well of Irene Bae's ugly reputation when it comes to academics. 

 

"But hey," Wendy wonders, "Her grades aren't even bad."

 

"How'd you know?"

 

"Those old hags always make me return the papers. I always see hers."

 

"Does that mean you also see mine?"

 

Wendy snorts, "Your hanging grades? Of course."

 

"The hell." Seulgi grunts, "No wonder you always make fun of me."

 

"Wushu. I know you're trying hard so I always pretend it's an A for you know... effort." Wendy explains, trying hard not to release another snort, making Seulgi roll her eyes out.

 

"Should I say thank you then?"

 

 

Wendy only laughs, eventually making Seulgi follow a fit of giggles. Their laughter only subsides when Irene Bae's gang block their path. They both turn silent, watching the three girls in surprise.

 

The tall one pushes a shorter girl to the front. And the small creature hisses at the push. 

 

"Did you fight with Irene?" Wendy whispers to her ear. Seulgi doesn't say anything back, only watching the girls with furrowed brows.

 

The short girl confidently clears .

 

"Kang Seulgi."

 

The dancer raises a brow. "Who are you?"

 

The short girl, a name she hasn't heard off, is caught off guard, making the two girls behind giggle secretely.

 

"E-Ehem." The short girl proudly recovers, even taking a step closer to the captain. "Do you know where Irene Bae is?"

 

Seulgi freezes for a while, her brows uncreasing as she removes her arms crossed. "W-Why are you asking me?"

 

The other girl takes a step closer. "We're just asking."

 

The taller one does the same. "So did you see her or not?"

 

The dance captain backs away. She fixes the bag loosely draped along her shoulder before dragging Wendy off.

 

"Hey!" The short one calls out. The dance captain only ignores them until a firm hand stops her by the arm. Seulgi stops in her tracks, peering over the hand before following her cold sight to it's owner.

 

The tall one removes her hand before the captain does something about it. 

 

"Who said you can touch me?" 

 

But the girl only ignored the remark. "Did you two talk?" 

 

With all hell, the dancer looks at the three confused.

 

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why would you be asking me?" Seulgi hisses, "We're not even close!"

 

"We can't reach her." The taller girl looks at the captain with pleading eyes. "This only happens when she's thinking about you."

 

 

 

═══════

 

 

 

This only happens when she's thinking about you.

This only happens when she's thinking about you.

This only happens when she's thinking about you.

 

 

It repeats inside Seulgi's mind like a broken record. 

 

"Thinking of me?" The dancer bounces the tennis ball harshly. "Why would she even think of me?" 

 

The sound of the ball bouncing through the wall of her room becomes louder as she puts more force in her throws.

 

Then she catches the final throw before slumping on her bed.

 

"God.." She muffles against the sheets, "Get out of my mind for once."

 

 

Truth be told, the memory of Irene Bae's worried eyes has been haunting her for three nights straight.

 

 

Her phone suddenly rings, breaking her out of her trance. It's Krystal. She sighs before answering the call.

 

 

"I'm in your house."

 

She groans. "At 9pm? Seriously?"

 

The line breaks out a giggle. "Come on. Dad's been bugging me to study so I sneaked out."

 

"You're unbelievable." Seulgi sighs, "Just come upstairs."

 

"Yay!"

 

Seulgi only rolls her eyes before ending the said call. She begins to tidy her room for a bit, just enough to make it look decent in a visitor's eye.

 

"Seul?"

 

"It's open."

 

The door swings open, revealing Krystal in all smiles as she immediately plunges to her bed. 

 

"Finally!" She sighs, "A place without books."

 

Seulgi walks over to sit beside her. Krystal smirks, sitting up to kiss the latter's cheek. "Hey there, girlfriend." 

 

Seulgi grunts, hands finding it's way to her cheek to brush off the remnant of the woman's kiss. This made Krystal chuckle.

 

"I said don't do that!" She hisses. But the intruder only giggles in her place.

 

"Why? Am I not allowed?"

 

"You're annoying, you know that?"

 

"Nah." She makes herself comfortable in Seulgi's bed. "You love it anyway."

 

The swimmer only rolls her eyes, dropping to her bed, her mind aimlessly wandering about a certain eye.

 

"Hey, I haven't seen Irene Bae in a while." Krystal says after a moment of silence. "Did she drop out or something?"

 

Seulgi glares at her. "I heard something about you two."

 

"Oh really? Like who's prettier or so?"

 

"Why did you do that?" 

 

"Do what?"

 

Seulgi rolls an eye. "Oh come on. Stop pretending like you didn't kick her out of the screening because of that ugly, bastard ex of yours."

 

The latter scrunches her face. "Don't even get me started with that ty bastard's name."

 

"You're losing the story here."

 

"That's like two years ago. Why bring it up again?"

 

"Still-"

 

"Still what?"

 

"You shouldn't have done that!" 

 

Krystal raises a brow at the captain's sudden rise of tone.

 

"I-I mean... t-that was too harsh. You shouldn't have done that." This makes Krystal Jung lay flat on her stomach, propping an elbow to watch the captain's distraught with a smirk.

 

"So you care about her now?"

 

The captain looks away. "N-No."

 

"I see."

 

"I'm serious."

 

Krystal sneers, "I didn't say anything."

 

Seulgi rolls her eyes, "We don't know each other."

 

The latter nods, the grin not leaving her lips at all. "Uhuh. Like I don't see you two locking gazes in the hallways?"

 

"W-Wha-"

 

"I have nothing against her. Hell I even felt bad after what I did to her, all for the stupid bastard who's not even worth it." Krystal Jung hisses, "That's why I left the group and gave up my title for you, my little loser."

 

"That was the reason?"

 

"I just said that, didn't I?"

 

Seulgi gasps, "No way."

 

Krystal abruptly turns to her.

 

 

"Do you know why she auditioned for the group two years ago?"

 

 

Seulgi immediately shuts up. Krystal smiles at her sheepishly.

 

 

"She said she wanted to dance with this certain girl named Kang Seulgi."

 

 

 

 

═══════

 

 

 

 

 

"Another suitor?" Wendy says first thing in the morning.

 

"Huh?" Wendy points her table with her lips, making Seulgi eye on it curiously. "Kang Seulgi, the Pringles hoarder."

 

The dancer sprints to her table, snatching the lone can of Pringles in hand.

 

"Who's that from this time?"

 

Seulgi shrugs.

 

"By the way." Wendy whispers before motioning behind her, "Look who's there."

 

Her head instantly springs to the table on the back row. And there she sees Irene Bae, head slumped to the table, earphones stuffed in her ears like she had her own world to hear.

 

 

In a beat, she glances back at the snack in hand, then back to the lone figure in the back, and a smile instantly creeps through Seulgi's lips.