an affair.
 

Irene likes Wendy. Wendy likes Irene. Irene’s husband, Kai, is infatuated with Wendy. Wendy’s husband, Kyungsoo, is infatuated with Kai.

Kai and Kyungsoo are co-workers at an advertising firm. Kai and Irene are visiting the Do residence for a dinner gathering. They do this every fortnight. The men pop their beers open and watch football (Kyungsoo doesn’t really care for the sport but he’s just doing it for Kai) while the women (as men like to think) talk about womanly topics (when actually they’ve been subtly flirting with each other).

Kyungsoo would always look forward to Friday nights because of Kai while Irene and Wendy look forward to seeing each other almost every day. And as for Kai, he relishes the nights just to get a good look at Wendy. When Irene has gone off to shop for groceries, Kai thinks of Wendy to . Unbeknownst to Kai, those days when Irene take off, she is meeting up with Wendy.

Tonight’s a little special. Kyungsoo got a promotion and Wendy doesn’t bother to know what exactly he’s working on. He talks about work all the time with Wendy. Especially the stories which would always involve Kai. But the words come in and out of Wendy’s ear.

“What do you think we should get?” Kai asks Irene who is applying lipstick in front of the mirror.

“Anything you like.” Irene replies flatly.

“Don’t you think we should get something they would like?”

“Sure.”

“Honey, you’re not listening.”

“I’m kind of busy here.”

“What does Wendy like?” Kai meets Irene’s eyes in the reflection of the mirror briefly. He stands next to Irene and checks himself out. “Should we get wine or flowers?”

Irene pauses and puts down her lipstick. She regards him carefully and draws her lower lip in. “Does Kyungsoo likes flowers?” Kai lets out a very brief nervous laugh and pulls his collar to let the air in. “We should get wine.”

“We’ll get it on the way to their place. Red or white?”

“Wendy likes white. Chardonnay preferably.” She takes a napkin and puts it between her lips and then throws it away. She turns to face Kai and smiles a smile that puts a stress on her cheeks. “How do I look?”

“Like a goddess.” Kai returns the same kind of smile.  Irene sweeps any possible dusts from Kai’s shoulders with her hands and then takes one last look at herself in the mirror. “You look really good in that dress. How come you don’t dress like that anymore for me?”

Irene doesn’t answer and proceeds to retrieve her purse from the dressing table. Kai follows suit and takes in both of their scents.

Perfume and cologne do not make a nice combination. But it doesn’t matter.

**

On the second knock, Kyungsoo opens with a smile prepared on his face. His eyes linger on Kai a little too long. Kai doesn’t notice. Irene sees, but shakes it off quickly. Her mind is preoccupied with Wendy.

“Come in. Come in.” Kyungsoo leads them into the living room as if he is giving the tour. Kai and Irene basically remember every inch of this little apartment. Cozy. Warm yellow walls. Two or three family photos. No children. A framed collection of stamps Kyungsoo inherited from his grandfather. Wendy’s pictures as a little kid. Irene finds them incredibly adorable.

“Wendy has been preparing dinner. She’ll be out soon.” Kyungsoo says.

In a nick of time, Wendy comes out from kitchen and takes off the apron on her. “Sorry for looking this way. I’ve finished preparing and doing last touch ups.” She straightens her dress and lifts her gaze to meet Irene’s.

“You have nothing to be sorry about, Wendy. You look ravishing as ever.” Kai approaches her and kisses her on the cheek. “We brought wine. Irene picked white. Hope it’s to your liking.”

Kyungsoo leaves them briefly and goes to the bedroom.

“It’s perfect.” Wendy gives Kai a smile that doesn’t quite meet her eyes, but it does when she gives them to Irene. It’s Irene turn to formally greet her by kissing on both of her cheeks.

They stall for a moment. And Irene whispers into her ear, “You look and are beautiful.”

“So are you.” Wendy says and smiles bashfully. Then they part, leaving a considerate space in between. Kyungsoo returns from the bedroom and has something in his hands.

“I got these Cuban cigars. Maybe we could have them after dinner.” Kyungsoo shows them to Kai eagerly. Kai inspects them in his fingers and sniffs. Kyungsoo’s eyes fleet between the cigars and Kai’s reaction.

“Great. We’ll smoke them when the program comes on.”

“Shall we have dinner now?” Wendy asks all of them.

**

They sit at the round table. So Irene’s right knee touches Wendy’s left knee. They keep it that way the whole time. Irene wants to touch Wendy every time she opens to speak. Irene wants to be the broccoli Wendy eats. Irene wants to be devoured and kissed by Wendy’s perfectly shaped mouth.

To calm down, she rests her hand on Wendy’s thigh. The latter doesn’t seem to mind and even encourages it by guiding Irene’s hand further in. Irene stops when Wendy bites her lip from letting an inappropriate sound. Wendy looks at Irene. A silent message passes between them.

Irene just smiles. Wendy’s hands tremor a little, and nervously look at Irene first and then at the men.

“This dinner is absolutely delicious, Wendy.” Kai compliments and paying extra attention on Wendy. Kyungsoo feels the need to comment as well. “Kyungsoo, you are one lucky man.”

“Yes, I am.” Kyungsoo replies in a rather small voice.

“How do you like the white wine?” Irene asks. “And oh, congratulations Kyungsoo.”

“Thank you.”

“Not to forget my own, my wife has great tastes in wine. Doesn’t she?” Kai puts his arm around Irene’s shoulders and pulls her in for a side hug and lets her go when Irene’s face shows discomfort. Wendy clears audibly. Irene notices.

Kai does love Irene. He has reasons for having thoughts of Wendy. One of them is ‘I couldn’t help. I’m a man.’ But damn, he has million thoughts right now what he would like to do to Wendy. Feminists would be so angry. But that, he thinks smugly.

“How about we continue the conversation and the wine drinking in the living room?”

Several minutes later, they’re sitting at the said room. Kai and Kyungsoo on the same sofa. Wendy and Irene sitting separately on cushion stools. Wendy being the host, pours more wine into the glasses and passes them around. When Wendy gives the wine glass to Irene, their fingers brush against each other.

Irene takes a cigarette pack out of her purse. She takes one stick out and lights it. She offers the men first but they decline as they have the cigars. Then she asks Wendy if she wants one.

“I’ll just smoke yours.” Wendy takes the cigarette from Irene’s lips. There are lipstick stain on the stick. Wendy takes a drag and tasting and breathing Irene at the same time. Tendrils of smoke escapes and Irene stares at her, completely taken and magnetised. Wendy returns the cigarette to Irene.

Soon, smoke hangs over the room. Sound of the announcer speaking from the television fills the air. Wine in their system. It is a lovely night. They converse among themselves. The men talk about work. The women talk about what has been going on in the neighbourhood and realizes it doesn’t matter much so they divert the topic onto each other by complimenting one another.

Then the next conversation involves all of them together. For some reason, the topic lands on family and children.

Kai shares his insight on what he knows on the statistics he read the other day and mentions, “Irene and I have been trying. Hopefully, in God’s will, our prayers will be answered.” Kai looks to Irene and smiles in assurance. And Wendy stares at Irene. And Kyungsoo doesn’t look so well. “Irene’s ovulating this week. Right, babe?”

Irene nods and keeps quiet. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Wendy is seething a little and trying to act like everything is fine.

“Maybe tonight is our lucky night.” Kai winks at Irene and lets out a hefty laugh before he drinks his wine. Kyungsoo takes out the cigars and lights one. He gives it to Kai and lights another one for himself. He gulps down the wine all in go.

“You boys want beer? I’ll head to the kitchen to clean up.” Wendy stands up, not wanting to be in the same room as Irene.

“I’ll join you.” Irene says quietly and ashes her cigarette in her glass. Wendy sighs inwardly (even though she wants Irene to follow deep down)

“Thank you, hun’.” Kyungsoo says politely and rests his back against the cushion, smoking the cigar together with Kai.

“This is real good, Kyung’.” Kai shows his approving look like he does with his workers. And that doesn’t happen often. So Kyungsoo feels giddy about it. “The game is about to start.”

**

“Wendy.” Irene starts carefully. “Do you want to talk?”

“What is there to talk about?” Wendy takes a stack of beer bottles from the refrigerator and shuts the door in one swift. She walks pass Irene and out of the kitchen to give the boys their beer.

The men say their thanks. Particularly Kai. When Wendy goes back into the kitchen, Kai’s eyes are on Wendy’s behind. And Kyungsoo pretends to not notice that his friend is checking out his wife. “You are one lucky bastard, Kyung’.” Kai remarks under his breath, but enough for Kyungsoo to hear. It is as if Kai’s intention for him to hear it after all.

Back in the kitchen, the women are washing the plates silently. There is tension in the air and none of them are addressing the elephant in the room. Unable to take it after they have finished washing, Irene apologises.

“Why?” Wendy asks as she dries her hands with a towel. She looks at her innocently. 

Irene doesn’t exactly answer the question. “We’re married. It’s not like I can say no.”

“Yes, you can.” Wendy glares at her and then tears her eyes away. She couldn’t bear to look at Irene’s beautiful face. She wants to touch Irene’s face as much as Irene wants to touch her all over. Irene is wearing a maroon dress that cuts off at the knees. Her shoulders are bare for eyes to see. Wendy is certain that she is bathed in the glorious beauty of what Irene is.

Hearing about Kai’s imperfect hands on Irene and Kai’s face above Irene as he s into her, breaks Wendy’s heart a little. This is too cruel of a feeling. It is as though there is a knife has stabbed into her heart. Kai’s eyes on Irene feels like burns from the cigarette on Wendy’s own skin. She looks down to the floor and rests against the edge of the counter, supporting herself.

“Wendy..”

“I know. I know.” Wendy sighs.

“You know how men are. I don’t want to hurt his ego. When it’s not enough, he goes out to fulfill his pleasures. He doesn’t matter to me. He doesn’t even know that I’m still on the pill.” Irene slowly approaches Wendy. Thankfully the doorway is placed on the other corner of the wall so the boys couldn’t see what is going on in the kitchen. Besides, they’re too busy engross in the game. “You’re important to me. Hell, more than myself.” Irene adds and places her hands on Wendy’s waist.

“Really?” Wendy meets Irene’s eyes. She never knew if it is possible for Irene to look even more beautiful in this moment.

“Yes. And I like you.”

“I think I like you too.”

“Think?” Irene laughs briefly. Wendy smiles playfully.

“I do like you.” A warm smile spreads across Wendy’s lips. “Ever since I knew that I couldn’t have babies and me being no longer interested in having with Kyungsoo, I’ve been tensed lately.”

Irene’s forehead form lines and gives Wendy a sympathetic smile. Her lips meet Wendy’s forehead softly. Her way of saying sorry. They have never really talked about them being more until tonight. Irene leans back a little, her hips still attach to Wendy's.

“Are we going to have an affair?” Wendy asks straightforwardly. She searches for any possible answers in the brown pools of Irene’s eyes.

Irene purses her lips and then nods. “You’re unavoidable. On the day I first I met you, a voice in me tells me to not look in the direction of love. But I did. You are that. You are Love. You are in every corner, every block, everywhere I see." She looks at Wendy earnestly. Her hand cups Wendy's soft cheeks. "When he touches me, I think of you. When he kisses me, I think of your lips. When I mindlessly stare at something, it is you I see and want to see. My emotions overflow whenever I’m with you. You being near to me renders my mind crazy.”

“Right now, I just want to kiss you. And kiss you. And kiss you.” Irene’s eyes rest comfortably on Wendy’s lips, uncaring how obvious it is. The radio playing Arther Russell's 'A little lost' in the background.

But it doesn’t matter. Because Wendy wants to kiss her too.

In the end, they do. For plates, tables, chairs, cupboards, mugs, cactus by the windowsill to see. Not the men. Not their husbands.

**

After seeing their husbands and telling them to not bother them, the women leave for the bedroom. Kai and Kyungsoo don’t even notice or care. Kyungsoo is getting hang of the game. Kai pumps his fist in the air every time the home team touches down.

Wendy locks the door behind her as Irene gazes around the room. Irene picks up a wedding picture of Wendy and Kyungsoo. “You look incredibly beautiful in the white dress.”

For some reason, Wendy still manages to get blushes whenever Irene compliments her. “Irene?”

“Hmm?” Irene sets the frame down at the bedside table and meets Wendy’s eyes.

“Don’t sleep with him tonight.”

Silence falls between them for a few seconds. “Okay.” Irene says, unsure what else she should say. But she puts a lock on the promise. “God.” Irene takes a deep breath and trains her eyes down Wendy’s length. “God, Wendy. You are so..”

Wendy closes the distance between them and kisses her again. “Shh.” She smiles against Irene’s delicious lips. She is sure that she got a few lipstick stains on her neck. It’s a wonder that the boys didn’t notice.

“I bet you look even more beautiful without this.” Irene tugs on Wendy’s dress. “Let me take this off?”
 

2014 a/n: I've always wanted to write a ed up connection between two couples. (I reserved the long time plot for another pairing but I guess Wendy and Irene suit as well) :3

a/n 2020: this was a story i written in 2014 and published in the same year on another blog of mine. it was on this site before in 2014, dk how it got deleted