Wendy was way too nervous for her own good. She kept telling herself this was just book club and nothing more would happen, especially since all of Irene's friends were going to be there. No need to dress like she was going on a date, right?

She had baked an apple pie to bring for everyone since it was the first full book club meeting of the New Year. It was still cold weather so a sweet baked fresh good seemed like a nice thing to enjoy on a wintry evening.

Unfortunately, she felt like her clothes weren't good enough, but then also realized how silly she was being since she'd been dressing this way at book club for the last few months.

It's all because of Irene.

And that kiss.

What kind of affection could be classified?

Maybe Irene felt bad about her embarrassing first experiene with alcohol and was trying to cheer her up - no way. Who tries to cheer someone up with a kiss? Only lovers maybe...

but we're not.

"Hey, hurry the hell up! What's taking so long?" Seulgi knocked on her door. "At this rate you'll be late for book club and we don't want to disappoint Professor Bae, do we?"

Wendy quickly redid her ponytail and grabbed her coat and book before joining Seulgi to get to book club.

"So...you gonna kiss her back?" Seulgi asked at a red light.

"What?" Wendy choked.

"She kissed you. Aren't you gonna kiss her back?"

"I don't think this is the moment."

"Aww so romantic~"

"Shut up, Seul."

"I'm just being your personal cheer leader. I'll support everything you do," her friend sang at her. "But I do hope you kiss her for real soon. ehhehehhehehhehee...only then will you find your destiny." She said all prophetic-like.

Wendy only fired an irritable glare at the latter, but did not chuck her book like she wanted to because it would cause a car accident.

--

Wendy finally realized her true nervousness the moment she stepped on Irene's front porch and rang the bell. She glanced back at Seulgi, but her friend already drove off.

The sound of the door opening alerted her and she stood up tall and stock still as a tin soldier with her book in her hands as Irene greeted her maybe unusualy soft this time. Wendy couldn't tell, but anything having to do with her crush after the kiss now felt like everything she did had undertones to them.

"Hey Wendy, come on in!"

"H-hey," the younger replied dumbly. "How have you been?"

"Oh, busy as usual, but I won't complain," Irene said as she shut the door and led Wendy into her room. "You?"

"Same. No soccer for now since it's still too cold to be running outdoors."

"That's good. You will have more time to study I suppose?"

"Yep."

When they returned to the living room where everyone else was situated for the club meeting, Irene gently placed her hand against the back of her shoulder and leanded closer so Wendy almost thought she got a whiff of the lavender scent. "There's no wine this time," Irene murmured and walked away to her seat, where Sehun also happened to be sitting next to.

OH gosh...am I dreaming?  She thought while she went on auto pilot to greet the other members.

"Wendy, are you gonna sit down?" Hani asked her.

Wendy broke out of her daze and realized she was the only one standing while the others were assembled in a circle, and staring at her.

"Oh, yeah, I uh..." she plopped down in an empty seat next to Taeyeon. 

There was a slight awkward silence before the meeting finally began, and Wendy was trying to hold down a blush of embarassment with no luck. Fortunately, no one noticed since they were all focused on Seohyun talking about her take of the book. 

Focus, Wendy. Don't get distracted...

"Wendy, what do you think about ... "

Dammit.

Wendy was paying enough attention that she knew what they were talking about, but she was still embarrassed about earlier that she stumbled on her words. Also, Irene was watching her. Actually, everyone was. 

Oh right, they were talking about their ideas on the themes and stuff.

This really felt like one of the core literature classes Wendy had to take back in her first year of university.

She managed to come up with a decent answer in the nick of time. Wendy kept her eyes everywhere but Irene so that she wouldn't end up getting flustered and possibly freeze up in the middle of speaking.

After book club, everyone had some pie and helped to clean the place. Taeyeon and Seohyun left first because they had some obligation to be at for the following morning. Hani was talking a bit with Sehun while Irene was in the kitchen as usual.

Wendy entered the kitchen where Irene was packing snacks for Sehun and Hani to take back. The pie dish was empty since everyone enjoyed it before leaving. 

"Do you need help?" she asked.

IRene looked up in surprise but gave her a smile. "I'm done here, thanks for asking. Is your friend already come to pick you up?"

"Not yet."

"That pie you baked was delicious."

"Thanks. My grandmother taught me."

Irene finished wrapping up the snacks for her friends. "You must be close to your family then."

"Yeah." Wendy didn't feel like going into the details about her relationship with her parents. But she was close with her grandmother in her child days until her grandmother died when she was in high school. It had been a while since she thought about her grandma at all, but she didn't say anythign about it to Irene so the mood wouldn't dampen. "What about you and your family?"

"Yes, we're pretty close, as you can tell by me and Joy," Irene replied in amusement. "I drive up a few times a year to see them. They still worry about me like I'm 18 still." She chuckled at the end. "But at least they're alive and happy."

Wendy agreed and turned around when Irene's attention was fixed on someone behind her.

"Hey, everything ok here? Hani just left," Sehun said.

"Oh...I had something for her," Irene commented and glanced at the now ownerless snack pack. "Here's yours." She handed one to Sehun, who took it gratefully. 

"Thanks, Irene. You're so kind always," he said. "You feeling better?" he turned to Wendy. 

"Yeah." Wendy replied automatically because she was confused for a slight moment about why he would say such a thing. She remembered the night she drank the wine, and realized that that was not forgotten.

"It's ok. The first drink is the toughest," he said. "Alright, I'm heading out. See you at the next meeting."

Book club now met every three weeks because of the length of the books and time since Irene was so busy.

Three weeks sounded long enough, but with so many things to do in the day, it would pass so quickly.

Once Sehun left, only Wendy and Irene were left in the kitchen together. The night always seemed quieter than the day, and Wendy could only hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears as they stood in each other's presence.

She wondered if anything were going to happen - perhaps something that may confirm Irene's kiss was a gesture of affection?

"I think I better get going," Wendy said so that they wouldn't be in an awkward situation. 

"I'll walk you out." Irene handed her the snack pack that was suppsoed to be for Hani. "Take this with you."

Wendy thanked her and followed her to the front porch, where JOy was just entering from wherever she had been to during the club meeting.

"Oh hi Wendy!' Joy exclaimed. "Sup?"

"Hey." Wendy gave the tall girl a friendly greeting and turned to Irene to bid her farewell for the time being. "Thanks for tonight. See you soon."

"Yes, see you then." 

--

"So, did anything more happen?" Seulgi asked when they were in the car far from Irene's house.

"No. She didn't do or say anything about the kiss," Wendy replied, feelign a bit confused.

"Didya ask her?"

"What? No. Why would I?"

"Well, how else are you gonna know without asking?" Seulgi said as if it were so simple. "You could ask her waht the hell the kiss was for. That's how they do it in the movies."

"This isn't a movie."

"It's a love story you're pursuing, right? Same difference."

Wendy frowned. "Seul, what if it was just something she did on impulse? LIke maybe she did it for some reason we don't know, and now she regrets it? She was acting like she normally does."

"DUh! Her friends are over. Of course she's not gonna pay you special attention like before." Seulgi grinned with excited goo goo eyes. "Awwwww, you're sad she isn't givng you special treatment, eh?"

"Of course not! I'm just trying not to read into things too much."

"Hehehehehhehehe sureeeee." 

Wendy didn't argue anymore because she knew deep inside her mind that Seulgi was sort of right. The kiss really did bring her hopes up, and today's interaction with Irene didn't really seem to confirm much of any romantic possibilities between them. Maybe Irene wasn't comfortable interacting like that with her friends around - that made sense, and Wendy also wasn't sure that Irene told the other book club members or Sehun about the whole ordeal involving Suho that happened recently.

--

The snow was beginning to thin as winter was weeks away from drawing to an end. Flecks would still fall in the late night, but the sun would thaw it off throughout the day. Regardless of waning winter, the cold would persist for a while.

Irene went to the staff kitchen to heat up some stew she brought for lunch. Other professors and people from the department office were gathered there to get at some of the donuts that had been delivered for them. 

As she was waiting for her lunch to heat up in the microwave, she overhead the other ladies in the department gossiping about some hot new male professor...

"Irene!" the two women - Rose and Jisoo, who both worked in the department office - waved her over.

She didn't talk with them much so she wasn't quite sure where this was going, but in an attempt to remain cordial with her colleagues she greeted them.

"That there is Kim Jonghyun," Rose whispered. "He's all the rage cuz he's so handsome and hot. I bet he's got rock hard abs under that dress shirt."

A tall man with flaming charismatic eyes stood among the guy professors in the department. Irene had heard of a new part time professor but she hadn't met him yet and was too busy to try to mingle.

"Why don't you talk to him?" Irene suggested when the microwave beeps alerted her ot her lunch.

"I can't. I would embarass myself," Rose replied.

"He would never notice us peasants in the office," Jisoo added. "Besides, you're more beautiful than we are. He might want to talk you up."

"No thanks," Irene waved off the idea and went to get her lunch. 

"Oh...you're seeing someone?" Jisoo's eyebrows rose.

"Yes." Irene replied automatically - while thinking of Wendy - before she could stop herself. 

"HAH!" Rose smacked Jisoo on the shoulder. "I told you she was too pretty to be single! Now you owe me a drink this week! HAHAHAH!"

While they were busy cackling, Irene muttered 'bye' before heading back to her office to work and eat.

"Irene, come meet Jonghyun!" BoA called to her and everyone eagerly invited her to the circle.

He was tall and handsome as Rose and Jisoo described. Irene greeted him respectfully and stayed for a little small talk before excusing herself. Seh had a class to teach soon anyway so it was a valid excuse.

As she left, she overhead one of them tell Jonghyun something about how Irene might be single. They were planning to have a social with drinks and stuff later in the semester, in which Jonghyun simply replied. "Great I'll bring my friend."

--

Ok, this chapter turned out different from what I orignlly had planned, but there will be more wenrene next chapter. I promise!!!