Bullet- Ann Marr

The week had become rather slow by the time Thursday rolled around. Nothing new or exciting happened as the club got closer to finishing off their duets, meaning Irene had essentially just focused on the happenings around her. Tiffany and her sister had become closer and closer, going on dates, and never spending a night apart. They also seemed to have garnered a specific interest in Yeri, as Irene was asked to keep her in their house as much as possible. Irene wasn’t complaining though, Yeri was quite enjoyable company. 

“If you stare at me any longer, I may think you actually like me and not Wendy,” Yeri commented. They were both in Irene’s living room, watching a movie and enjoying their post cheer practice lounging. “Something on your mind Ice Queen?” 

“Have you heard anything from Sooyoung?” 

Irene noticed Yeri’s tight lipped sigh fill the quiet room. It seemed that the conversation that Irene had overheard the night everyone stayed over was more serious than she initially thought. Once her sister and Tiffany caught on to the neglect that Yeri’s household had, they were more than ready to jump in and intervene. 

“Well, she said that I am able to move out now that they signed over their parental rights,” Yeri said hugging the pillow she had on her lap. “I feel like I should be more… hurt? Upset? I don’t think I am processing things. But I hadn’t really been connected to those people ever, just a string of shadows over the years. Tae and Tiffany seem to be very adamant that I stay here... they are really cool you know.”

“Yeah,” Irene replied in agreement, “What are the options?”

“Emancipation is the most realistic,” Yeri concluded. 

“But so not what we are aiming for,” Tiffany added as she entered the room. She plopped down beside Yeri and pulled her into a hug. “I know you don’t get it, but we are 1,000% serious about option 2.” Tiffany looked to Irene with a slight annoyed expression. “Though I was pushing for calling it option 1 but SOMEONE said they didn’t want to cause more distress.” 

“I just think it would be easier for Ms. Choi-”

“Ah!” Taeyeon exclaimed, cutting Yeri off. She sat on the other side of Yeri, ruffling her hair before passing the bowls of popcorn out. “You let Sooyoung EARN the money I am paying her. She said everything is much simpler since Fany and I are… well….”

“Married,” Tiffany said, throwing popcorn at Taeyeon. “You make it sound like it’s a death sentence.” 

“Do not,” Taeyeon countered with a pout. 

“No you kind of do,” Yeri said with a slight smirk. “But I also notice just how deeply red you get staring at your wife here so…” 

“Oh, she LIKES me,” Tiffany joked with a wink. 

“She really does,” Irene laughed. Taeyeon was turning brighter by the second, scoffing and smacking Yeri with a pillow. 

“OW!” 

“Hey, if I’m bullied so are you, only fair.” Taeyeon explained. Tiffany gave her a scowl before planting a kiss on Yeri’s cheek. “Hey if she gets one, do I?” 

Irene saw Tiffany give her sister a sincere smile, leaning in over Yeri who was covering her eyes, before she said a resounding no and sitting back down. This made everyone start laughing at Taeyeon’s shocked expression. It might be up in the air, but Irene was hoping that everything worked out for those three.

~~~ 

After  the confirmation from Sooyoung that option 2 was the best option for Yeri, Irene decided that she was going to help the girl grab her things from her old place. Taeyeon and Tiffany were already setting up an empty room at the other end of the hall on Irene’s floor, clearing out anything that Tiffany deemed as ‘junk’ and making sure Yeri was going to have as much space as possible. 

“I appreciate this Irene,” Yeri said with a small smile.

“Of course,” Irene replied with a smile. “We just need to make a stop okay?” They both were sitting in the back of Tiffany’s car, driving to go retrieve said stuff. They were going to alone, but Taeyeon refused to let the two deal with any backlash from Yeri’s former guardians. At the sound of  a familiar tone, Irene pulled out her phone and smiled. 

WENDY

Miss you x1000! Let’s meet up later?

IRENE

I miss you too <3 

I can’t ): 

WENDY

D:

IRENE

I promised Yeri I would help her with something

WENDY

Oh! Yeri???? How...unexpected?

Can I help with anything?

The car stopped in front of a familiar house, she looked beside her to see Yeri already yelling for the person in the front to  get a move on. It seemed that she wasn’t the only one to decide to heckle the girl approaching the car, Taeyeon also rolled the window down and mentioned that they were “Burning daylight” or something. 

The bright bear-like smile of Seulgi grew closer to the car as she sprinted slightly to appease the two troublemakers yelling at her. 

IRENE 

Yeah :) she’s kind of awesome… 

And No, Seulgi is helping already :D 

I think Joy mentioned wanting your help again right? 

WENDY

Did she? I wasn’t paying attention o.o 

Is that… okay? 

IRENE

Yeah. I promise :) Seulgi is hopping in the car. I'll talk to you later!

It took less than 4 minutes for them all to grab the few things Yeri seemed to want. Her former guardians looked on with disinterest, opposing anything remotely of value that once belonged to Yeri. In the end Yeri took anything that she had paid for with her own money (a lot of records and cameras) and some of her instruments (she said that they could keep the keyboard they were fighting her on) and they all left in search of ice cream and a clothing store. 

“I can’t believe they didn’t want to give me my clothes,” Yeri said with a sigh. “They weren’t even expensive.”

“Oh they offered.” Taeyeon said with a scoff. “For a fee. I told them to shove it, I can afford to buy you whatever you want to wear.”

“Tae-”

“She’s right,” Tiffany said, cutting Yeri off, “As I have recently come to know, we’ve got more than enough to ensure you will live comfortably.”

“But I am not someone you should have to cater to like this,” Yeri countered. 

“Technically they will be,” Irene reminded her. It seemed that Sooyoung really did know her stuff, she and her contacts in the city were more than happy to rush order the investigation to Yeri’s neglectful home life. Neighbors and locals alike were able to testify to the poor girl’s lack of parental figures. With all that as evidence, the people who housed Yeri relinquished all rights willingly, so long as the girl did not ask for anything that they provided for her. “I think Ms. Choi said that she knew the judge could set up an adop-”

“Ahhh!” Yeri yelped. She gave Irene a sharp look before sighing. “No say the a-word. It might bring bad luck. Besides, Taeyeon and Tiffany might come to their senses…” 

“Hey, I am in my senses!” Taeyeon scoffed. 

“And if she wasn’t, I am,” Tiffany smiled. 

“She is the better Kim,” Irene jokes. 

“Uhm, technically she did NOT take our last name,” Taeyeon said with a huff. “So until further notice she and I are merely legal partners with no romantic inclinations. We are just… constructing a life.” 

“Then why does she stay the night most of the time?” Irene countered. 

“For, uhh, bonding.” Taeyeon flushed at Irene’s questioning. Tiffany and Yeri both laughed at Taeyeon’s red face before standing up. 

“We are going to find Seulgi, she’s been gone for far too long,” Tiffany told the sisters. She pulled Yeri into a one arm hold and smiled, “Hey since you’ll be legally my child soon do you think we should find me a romantically inclined partner?” Irene saw Tiffany give her a quick wink before Yeri snorted in laughter yet again. 

“Oh for sure,” Yeri giggled. “Maybe a tall one?”

“Oh I like the way you think!” Tiffany agreed as they began to stroll away. 

Irene turned to look at the desperation on her sister's face, a look of mild annoyance and longing clouding her. She could see Taeyeon’s foot tapping anxiously as she kept her eyes on the two figures walking. 

“You can go with them, you know?” Taeyeon looked to Irene with a bit of surprise before smiling and patting her. It took all of three seconds for Taeyeon to catch up with the two figures that stopped in front of the shop at the end of the street, tackling them into an enormous hug. 

“That’s cute,” Seulgi said, looking at the three messing around. “You don’t want to partake?” 

“No.” Irene grabbed the cup of tea that Seulgi extended to her. “They should build their own foundation. I already love them all.”