Clean-Taylor Swift

An exchange of flirty giggles and subtle touches in front of the local ice cream shop was where Irene found herself. The casual intimacy was deep, and consistent, like an extension of each other. 

Which only made her question why she subjected herself to this.

“You know this ice cream flower is the second prettiest thing in here… followed by you my pretty fool,” Moonbyul said, kissing Solar’s cheek. 

“You two are nauseating you know that?” Irene looked at Moonbyul and Solar who were engaged in a playful fight with a slight sneer. The girls both stopped what they were doing to look at Irene. “Can we get on with this? I have a feeling I should get home sooner rather than later.” 

That day’s glee class was by far one of the weirdest she had sat through, and that included watching Eric and Solar’s duet from the Halloween dance. Advisor Tiffany (who decided that she didn’t need to be called by her surname) was genuinely assigned to help out Taeyeon (They found that out when Taeyeon had marched down to the principal and demanded an explanation). She had a pretty voice, one that suited helping students who shied away from traditionally difficult vocal songs. She was all about stage presence and charisma, and she demonstrated it too. Irene had never seen her sister so entranced. It really did make her wonder just how deep this relationship with Tiffany Hwang had been once upon a time. 

“Of course,” Solar said, bringing Irene out of her thoughts. “So, the bottom line is, Wendy likes small details.”

“What?” Irene asked with a dumbfounded expression on her face. 

“You know, details.” Moonbyul looked to Irene. “Things that only you know because you listen to her? And obviously music.”

Irene stared at both of them with a blank look. “You mean to tell me that you made me wait the entire weekend to tell me THIS.” 

“No,” Moonbyul replied with a snicker. “We waited to tell you this AND so we could help you find something for the assignment. Now think, what is something only you know about her?” Irene gave them a wide stare. “Come on Ice Queen, anything come to mind?” 

“You act like I have a small notebook full of things she likes,” Irene replied sarcastically. “Even I am not THAT obsessed with my girlfriend.”

“Okay, what’s something you have that reminds you of her?” Moonbyul tried. 

“Movie tickets?” Irene said cautiously. The duo shook their heads. “Fair tickets?” They vetoed that one too. “A billion memories stored away since freshman year?”

“Need we remind you that you weren’t creating GOOD memories,” Solar said with a smirk. 

“I don’t know!” Irene groaned. “We haven’t done things that produced a tangible object! I mean I won her a bunny at the fair but I can’t ask for that back!”

“What the heck do you two do for dates?!” Moonbyul asked incredulously. “And why haven’t you gone on more dates!”

“We like quiet dates,” Irene defended. She clicked on her phone to see the time. 

“Hey that’s pretty,” Solar said, reaching over. She gestured at Irene’s wallpaper. “Where did you get that photo?” 

Irene felt herself blush. She hadn’t had many people ask where the picture was from. “It’s from Lake Valor…” 

“Isn’t that where we have cheer camp?” Moonbyul asked, confused. Irene nodded as her cheeks reddened. “Why do you have a picture of the stars from Cheer Camp?” Irene looked down shyly. This was not something she thought she’d have to confess to. “Wait…” Moonbyul perked up, “You and Wendy shared a cabin on that trip… that night she sang that song by the fire!”

“What song, what song?!” Solar asked with excitement. 

“Ugh, it has the guitar! It was cute and I know you like it because you’ve hummed it before!” Moonbyul said snapping her finger in an effort to jog her memory. 

“Byul that could be any! Hum a part of it!” 

“It’s like hmm hmmm hmmm hmm hmmm huh.” Moonbyul tried. 

“THAT DIDN’T SOUND LIKE ANYTHING!” Solar shrieked.

“Well, I can’t remember!” Moonbyul replied back in frustration. Irene looked at the two bickerings with a sigh of relief. She may have just found a way out of the picture’s story. “Oh!” She spoke too soon. “Doo Doo you wanna be loved! That’s part of it!”

“OH MY GOSH!” Solar said in recognition before looking at Irene. “SHE SANG THAT TO YOU?!” 

“She sang it to the camp,” Irene excused. 

“No, no, no,” Moonbyul said, shaking her head. “That was totally for you. I just thought Wendy had a huge crush on you,” Moonbyul looked to Solar in an effort to explain the story, “I mean the girl was strumming her guitar staring her down while she sang this song in front of a bunch of people.”

“Okay, so she sang me the song,” Irene said sitting back and crossing her arms. 

“Yes, she did…” Moonbyul said slowly. “And you have this picture you don’t want to tell us about… my only guess is that it’s tied to Wendy somehow…” Irene looked away from her accuser with a blush. She refused to tell them about it. 

“SHE KISSED YOU!” Solar exclaimed standing up. Moonbyul looked to her with a questioning gaze and Irene with a challenging glare. “Think about it Byul, the fire, the music, they must have had to walk back together so the stroll… the song literally says Kiss Me! Wendy planted one on Irene that night!” 

“Wow,” Moonbyul said, looking at Irene with a teasing smirk. “You really don’t have a romantic bone in your body, do you? I mean the girl literally sang you a song asking you to-”

“I DID KISS HER!” Irene shouted. “I was the one who made that move! I can be romantic!” 

Solar and Moonbyul were stunned silent. They stared at Irene who let out a huff of air and sat back in her chair as she tried to relax. “So why that picture?” Solar asked. 

“Ugh!” Irene said rolling her eyes and tapping her phone on again. “I have a thing for astronomy, that isn’t a secret. Most of our dates have been when it’s dark out but this one… It’s the stars in the spot that we kissed for the first time. I wanted to remember what the stars looked like when I finally got to kiss her. So I took a picture before we headed off to bed and it’s been my background since then.”

Solar and Moonbyul looked to each other before they looked back at Irene. “Wow,” Solar said wiping a fake tear. “That is actually really romantic.”

Irene gave her a smile of gratitude before Moonbyul snapped her fingers. “And it just gave me the perfect idea for your song!” 

~~~

Irene got to her house, one full song assignment and a romantic gesture richer. She walked in and shut the door behind her before getting spooked by her sister on the couch. 

“I’ve been waiting for you.” Irene looked to her sister who turned off whatever she was watching and motioned for Irene to sit down. Irene did as she was told and sat in front of her older sister. “What’s that?” 

“I brought you some ice cream,” Irene said, handing the bag over. Taeyeon muttered a quick thank you before reaching in and pulling it out. “Tae, I need you to know that I won’t leave Wendy because of your weird history with Jessica and Yuri.” 

Taeyeon looked at Irene with a questioning gaze, spoon fully in before she plucked it out. “Where would you ever get the impression that I would even ask you to?” 

“Wendy and I overheard you talking to everyone the night of the party…” 

“I see,” Taeyeon said. “Wendy is not her parents Irene. I don’t think any less of Wendy because of my relationship with her mothers. Yuri and Jessica are great people, I just...” Taeyeon looked down at her ice cream with a sigh. “I just need to hear everyone out before I fully close myself off to them. I mean at least I think I do.”