interlude

college

***

So this was Irene and Wendy then.

Orbiting around each other, unreachably close, yet a million lightyears apart. They travel in parallel lanes that swerve before they had the opportunity to intersect, journeying independently with the trials and tribulations life threw at them.

I was beginning to accept the chances of my best friends ever returning to what they had been wasn’t happening. Think about it. Three years. Three years of no progress. They had been open to talking about the other, but my anticipated reconciliation wasn’t in the cards it seemed. My hopes were merely a pipe dream at that moment. It was time for me to let go.

Then a tiny spark ignited at Wendy’s birthday party before senior year.

The birthday was also the first where she and Yong were celebrating it separately. Wendy wasn’t being her festive self, although she squeezed in a smile and laugh here and there to be welcoming to our friends who had showed up. It just felt sorta choreographed, very practiced. The façade was understandable. Imagine, you’ve spent your past birthdays with the same person. Suddenly, they aren’t beside you to smother you with a kiss nor to blow out the candles with you anymore.

It might have been the saddest birthday Wendy has ever had.

“This party is boring. Wanna leave someplace else with me?”

“This is my birthday party, Sooyoung.”

“I’m totes kidding, happy birthday, Wenwen! Aren’t you flattered that a celebrity such as myself took a time off to celebrate your birthday?”

“You’re half a celebrity, you just debuted.”

“Ouch. Mark my words, you will rue this day once my fame blows up.”

“I’ve rued many days, Sooyoung, and this won’t be one of them.”

“Oh, wow, taking on a depressing turn at your birthday, why don’t we speak of happier things on your special day.”

“Like?”

“Seulgi almost took the wrong cake at the bakery.”

“How is that happy—wait, Seulgi, you did?”

“The kid’s name was also Seungwan!”

“Would I order a cake that says, Welcome to the World Our Seungwan?”

“I did question why you would do that.”

“Is the bass of the sound system in this place abnormally high? I’m feeling it on the table.”

“That’s Seulgi’s phone.”

“Ooh! Yeah, it’s mine.”

“Got a text?”

“Mhmm. Someone wishes you a happy birthday.”

“Who?”

“Someone with the initials of BJH.”

“Oh. Tell her thank you.”

“Wouldn’t it be time for you guys to talk?”

“I’m going to say hi to Taeyeon-unnie.”

“…”

“You’re still going from one best friend to another like a tennis match?”

“Kinda used to it, Sooyoung, though I’ve never liked it.”

“Three years, huh, who would have predicted this outcome?”

“Not me. Are we out of cake?”

“I got the last slice.”

“Darn.”

“I’ll share with you.”

“Yay!”

“If you tell me the reason of their big fight.”

“I can live my life without another slice of cake.”

“Shame.”

-

Senior year of university had us scrambling to do schoolwork nearly twenty-four-seven. We had straightened out our priorities, winding down our socializing to a minimum, focused ourselves on graduating. Wendy and I maintained a tight schedule whenever we had deadlines to meet. Jisoo had her own stuff to be busy with. That left Lisa who was still a junior.

I’d watch her with envy every time she would laze around in the living area, eating her beloved seaweed snack or browsing for cat videos to send to Jennie, while I wore bags under my eyes courtesy of sleep deprivation. Lisa’s relaxed state was my motivation to have everything done. It was what I had strived to be after beating the deadline: zero worries, just “meow, meow, meow” coming from her phone. But her bumming on the couch wasn’t always the case. Every once in a while, she would offer her availability to do the chores. She was even considerate to volunteer most of the grocery shopping.

This one particular day, to our dismay, Lisa contracted a horrible cold, the type where she looked like a zombie lugging out of bed. Snot and groggy voice combined. The rational solution was for us to exile her in her bedroom. Wan and I couldn’t jeopardize our immune systems. We hadn’t bathed and were in our jammies, but we were low on our food supply, and Jisoo had an occasion at Eunwoo’s family home. Ultimately, we had to take care of the groceries ourselves.

Across our apartment complex, there used to be this commercial building that had a supermarket at the ground floor. I really liked how convenient the location was for us, but they ended up tearing the place down when a fire broke out. We had to switch from our usual grocery store and walk a couple of blocks to the nearest area that had one.

“Ramyeon? Lisa bought a dozen last week.”

“I ate them.”

“All of them?!”

“I am a growing woman, Wendy. I need sustenance.”

“Sustenance that lacks the essential nutrients!”