When school started again, everything went crashing downhill with lots of assignments and projects. It was still snowing so commuting there was sometimes a drag if the roads were still blocked early in the morning before the snow plows could get through. 

As a result of the weather, sports were out of season and Wendy mainly went to the gym most days of the week to keep her body in shape for the spring time. 

She hadn't seen Irene since the kiss. 

Her cheek still tingled every time she thought about it. She had contemplated telling Seulgi about it, but decided her original decision to keep the 'special' moment to herself was best.

Today, she was in the library again to pick up some books for a project she wanted to start immediately, especially since book club was coming up soon. This time, Irene really did keep to her word with choosing some classic literature. The books were definitely longer and advanced - just like stuff in university literature classes. So it did take more focus on the books than before.

She wondered what book club would be like now that they were reading more serious works. Was Irene gonna go into professor mode? Wendy had never seen Irene at work before.

But more importantly, how was she supposed to act around Irene after the kiss on the cheek?

--

Seulgi found herself roped into a situation she would never have expected. Somehow, she was talked into a secret meeting with Joy.

The catch was an all you can eat buffet from a pretty well-off restaurant in town. 

Currently, she was in her own heaven trap surrounded with lots of tasty food and also Joy, who appeared to be using the food to her advantage for some information. 

"Why does this feel like an interrogation?" Seulgi asked.

"Is Wendy gay?" Joy asked so bluntly Seulgi almost suffered cardiac arrest.

"WAT."

"Is she...you know, into girls?" she asked a little more quietly when a waiter passed by.

"Uh...why?" Seulgi gave her a werid look and didn't feel hungry anymore. They had gotten to know Joy for a good few months now, but it was a bit weird that she was asking such a very selective and personal question. So far, all that Joy knew was Wendy was single and not interested in dating currently. They never gave away her preferences - and by that, preference, singular preference for BAE IRENE.

"You're open minded right?" Joy pressed a little more.

Seulgi nodded vigorously. 

"OK...I think...I think I'm attracted to girls. Well, just one girl. I think I'm attracted to Wendy."

Seulgi's brain dialed back on replay over and over and over again as she stared at Joy with a blank Seulgi smile. "Oh. That's..."

Suddenly, the resident bear realized where she was and what was happening. Joy was trying to weed information out of her by bribing her faviorite thing in the whole world.

This couldn't be. The wenrene ship must sail, Seulgi thought to herself.

"What about your boyfriend?" was all Seulgi could come up with in the end because her brain lacked oxygen from the impedning doom of wenrene.

"We broke up."

"I"m sorry."

"No need. I just wasn't feeling it with him anymore ever since...Wendy came into my life."

Seulgi nodded and sipped on her soda instead of digging into the fried chicken that was calling to her deepest desires. "So I'm guessing you want my blessing."

"No. I want to know if it's ok to pursue her. Is she straight?"

"I will never betray her secrets!" Seulgi declared heroically and stood up dramatically. "You will not fool me with mmrph!"

Joy stuffed a piece of juicy chicken into Seulgi's mouth, whose face went from shock, to horror, to conflict, and finally to utter bliss.

"No need to be dramatic, I just don't want to be barking up the wrong tree," Joy told her. 

"Sheasl;fasldfkasienotlas;dfja;slfsoeinterestedajlsfha;osljirightnow," Seulgi mumbled around the chicken in her cheeks, making her look like a giant chipmunk.

"You're home early," Irene commented when Joy walked into the living room where Irene happened to be lounging in front of the TV screen for once. 

"Well, the restaurant was closing," Joy replied and plopped down next to her sister. "What're you watching?"

"Some cooking show."

"Ugh, boring."

"Hmph. Where else did I learn to cook other than mother then?" Irene shut off the TV and stretched as she leaned back on the sofa. "Did you have fun?"

Joy gave her a sidelong look of disapproval. "Stop treating me like a kid. But yeah, it was fun I suppose." She didn't tell her sister that it was actually an interrogation to get tabs on Wendy. That would just look wierd, and also she wasn't sure how her sister would react about her newfound doubts of her attraction to Wendy.

"You got book club this week?" Joy changed the subject.

"Yep. I'm a bit nervous to be honest."

"how come?"

"Got used to not meeting up with them since..." she trailed off, not wanting to bring up the past with the incident with Suho. "We're reading more refined literature so I'm not sure how we're gonna handle discussions. I think it'll feel more like a socratic seminar than a fun get together." She chuckled at the end, more to herself.

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Joy replied. "You always pull through somehow." She sat up and yawned. "I'm turning in for the night."

"Night."

Irene lay alone in her bed, staring up at the darkness with her hands behind her head. Her mind was wandering off to book club this Friday when she would see Wendy again. They hadn't seen each other since the peck on the cheek. ANd since it was still snowing, Irene didn't take the liberty of roaming round school grounds. It was torture to walk in the cold.

Recalling Wendy's leaked drunken words, she wondered if the kiss might send a slight message to her that she was interested in her.

But wait...she was drunk. What if was just words? Irene felt a stone drop in her chest and she began to worry that she made a wrong move.

Wendy didn't show a sign that she didn't like it though. Or perhaps she was too shocked to show any reaction at all. Irene her side and sighed heavily. Did I read it wrong?

--

Seulgi had decided not to tell Wendy about the events of her meeting with Joy. For all Wendy knew, it was just friendly hang out and nothing amiss. Seulgi didn't want to make things more complicated by telling her friend that Irene's younger sister had a crush on her too.

Wow. Wendy was such a popular bachelorette if both Bae's wanted her. 

Besides, Seulgi had a job to do - and that was to get the wenrene ship sailing before anything else got in the way.

Right now, they were cooling off from the stress of assignments by playing Among Us with some other friends from university. Seulgi was having a blast murdering the other players and not getting caught because of her deceitful good naturedness - all in the acting of course.

"So...you're still interested in Irene right?" Seulgi asked while murdering another player.

"Yeah..." Wendy repleid without looking up. She was a survivor for now but Seulgi had plans to attack her next.

"Anyone else?"

"Nope."

"Good."

"What if another pretty girl came your way and showed mutual interest like super obvious?"

Wendy finally looked up this time. "Why are you asking weird questions? ANd also, no."

Seulgi shrugged. "I was just making sure you're committed to the cause."

"You're way too invested."

"I'm the one helping you court Irene."

"YEah, well, she already kissed me."

"WHHAHAHAHHTHTHTHTHTAH WHY DIDN"T YOU TELL MEEEEEE?!!" Seulgi almost threw her console into the air and grabbed Wendy by the collar of her shirt. "THAT'S A PIVOTAL - NO THIS IS AGGGHGHH - IT'S JUST OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO - "

Wendy managed to clamp a hand over her friend's mouth. "The neighbors willl complain if you keep this up," she warned.

"WENDY. THIS. IS. YOUR. MOMENT. SHE LIKES YOU!" Seulgi continued and began to do a happy dance. "BEST DAY EVER! Wait, when did hse kiss you?"

"Uh...when I stayed over after drinking the wine. IT was literally five seconds before I joined you in the car."

"WHAT? YOU SHOULD HACE TOLD ME!" Seulgi whined.

"You would have gotten us into a car accident. Besides, it was something I wanted to enjoy for myself a little. You dont' need to know every single detail."

"You're right. I"m just so stoked. You're finally making progress," Seulgi sobbed tears of happiness. "My baby bear has grown up."

Wendy shook her head and went back to the game. "Oh, well, there's not that many survivors left. I think you're the impostor."

"WAIT NOOOOO!" Seulgi wailed as she was revealed and eliminated from the game.

--

TO BE CONTINUE...

I PROMISE WENRENE NEXT CHAPTER! SORRY IT'S SO BUSY RIGHT NOW WITH CLASSES AND NEW JOB!!!!!!!!!!! SEE YOU SOOOOOOON!