Yeri's words keep ringing inside Irene's ears. It's like a haunting chant that replays in her mind over and over again, and it is annoying her to the point that she wants to just rip her own hair apart. 

     "Confess soon or it'll be too late." 

     What does Yeri actually mean by that? What is she going to be late for? How is she going to be late? 

     And those questions lead her to start thinking again. She feels like she should write down 'overthinking' as her talent in her profile now with how much thinking she has been doing lately. 

     Did someone else confess to Seulgi?!

     Is Seulgi going to be sick of waiting for her?! 

     "Wait, wait...no, no, no..." Irene mumbles to herself as she shakes her head to get rid of those thoughts. She is in the library waiting for Seulgi to meet her before lunch. She scratches her head for she is really going insane for all the thoughts inside her head and the thinking she has been doing for the past week. She can't believe Seulgi hasn't noticed that she has not been quite herself the past few days as she obviously feels and looks terrible. 

     "Irene, are you okay there?" Speaking of the devil. The devil that dominates her mind for the past week. It was as if Seulgi could read what she was thinking just a few seconds ago. 

     "Nope. Feeling terrible as ever." Irene answers nonchalantly and starts to pack her things into her bag. 

     "I wanna go get lunch now." She swings her bag over her shoulder and tugs on Seulgi's arms, "with you." 

     "Alright then, let's go." Seulgi smiles widely and willingly link her arm with Irene. Being able to be this close to Irene is always a happiness to Seulgi and she couldn't ask for more when Irene just clings closer to her like a koala. 

     "Then you need to tell me what's going on in your mind. You do look really terrible." Seulgi silently laughed as Irene hit her on her stomach. 

     "If only you knew what is troubling my mind." Irene mutters under her breath because she does not want Seulgi to hear her. They walked closely together towards the exit of the library and stuck on each other like glue like how best friends should NOT be. They barely stepped out of the library when a guy named Chanhyuk approached them - but more likely Seulgi.

     "Seulgi-ssi." That Chanhyuk guy calls out softly to Seulgi. Irene does not like where this is going from the way this Chanhyuk guy is looking at Seulgi like he is going to tell Seulgi something Irene was not able to. Irene panics when Seulgi detached herself from Irene and pays full attention to Chanhyuk, seemingly very interested to talk to him. 

     "Hi, Chanhyuk-ssi. Are you looking for me?" Seulgi politely answers him. Irene at the side does not like the politeness that Seulgi was giving him. Was this what Yeri meant by "it'll be too late"?! Irene can't seem to stand still from the nervousness that is devouring her and so she attaches herself again to Seulgi by holding Seulgi's right hand and locks their fingers securely to remind Seulgi that she is still there. 

     Irene can feel a little bit of triumph as she notices how Chanhyuk is taking a peek at their entangled fingers, and she feels even happier when she knows it was jealousy written on his face. Chanhyuk regains his composure and pushes his spectacles that were sliding down his nose bridge. 

     "So I was thinking to ask you out for lunch today-" he looks one more time at how Irene is clinging on to Seulgi, "-or tomorrow." 

     Irene chants in her head for Seulgi to say no to him. How much she wants to just pull Seulgi away from him so she doesn't have to feel this nervous and panic anymore. She feels fear eats her up once more as she is worried that Seulgi might say 'yes' to him for the said lunch. Then how if he confesses to Seulgi and Seulgi accepts his confession?! Irene mentally slaps herself and wants to knock her own head so bad for taking this imagination game too far. Why is she always thinking nonsense?! 

     But Seulgi has known her priorities since a long time ago. There is no other place she wants to be at if there's no Irene. There is no other thing she wants to do if it's not together with Irene. And it will feel weird if she is going to be having lunch with other people that is not Irene, and she knows Irene will not like it either. With how Irene seems to be more clingy nowadays, Seulgi feels like Irene will not be able to stay calm if she agrees on a lunch 'date' with someone else, especially a guy. 

     And Seulgi knows it all too well when she feels Irene's head was softly knocking on her shoulder. Irene herself actually did not realize that she was bumping her head on Seulgi's shoulder while she was imagining herself knocking her head to get rid of all her thoughts. Seulgi is not looking at Irene, but she swears she can feel the cute little pout that is forming on Irene's lips. 

     "I'm sorry but I can't. I have made plans with my Irene unnie here." Seulgi rejects him, politely. 

     Irene's ears perk up at Seulgi's answer to him and she mentally cheers and laughs at the nerdy boy. 

     "Even tomorrow or the days after?" Chanhyuk asks for a glimpse of hope. 

     "Even tomorrow and the days after." Seulgi feels bad for rejecting him and crushing his hope but nothing else matters more as long as Irene is happy. Seulgi smiles as she could feel the corner of Irene's lips lifting up from her shoulder. She wants Irene to be happy all the time, and she is more than happy when her small little gestures like that could make Irene smile. She would sacrifice anything just for Irene to smile sweetly like that all the time. Seulgi squeezes their interlocked fingers as a sign of reassurance to Irene. 

     "I'm really sorry but I guess I'll see you soon in class." Seulgi waves him a goodbye and she drags Irene away out of that uncomfortable situation. Irene did not forget the look on Chanhyuk's face. She feels bad for him, yes, but it is only right if Seulgi chooses her over him, she thinks. 

     "You do not like him, do you?" Irene asks the stupid question just to further confirm Seulgi really did reject him because she does not have feelings for him and not because Irene was there. Seulgi turns her head to look at Irene. 

     Why does Irene look hopeful for Seulgi to strongly say 'of course, I like you only'? 

     Seulgi pulls Irene closer by linking their arms and she plays her forefinger on Irene's hand, hoping to be able to send signals from her heart through their touching skin. 

     "Of course." Seulgi answers short and precisely. Because she really has no feelings for Chanhyuk, for her heart has room for Irene and Irene only. Seulgi being so physically close to Irene and her being very sincere with her words makes her feel that this moment is very intimate. She feels as if she just wants to turn Irene around and kiss her. She just wants to kiss Irene and tell her that she loves her. 

     "My feelings for you have never changed, Irene." is the only thing Seulgi is able to blurt out despite all the emotions that are overwhelming her. Seulgi is not able to look at Irene even though she knows Irene's eyes are on her now. She is scared that Irene might scold her again, telling her that all her feelings for Irene were not real. She was afraid that she might get hurt again if Irene tells her that they could only stay as friends and not more than that. 

     But Seulgi might be wrong this time. For the time when Seulgi takes the courage to look back at Irene, she can see the older girl has pink tints across her cheeks and a smile she has never seen before. Irene kind of looks shy? So Seulgi stares longer to search for the meaning of Irene's expression. Irene looks away when Seulgi stares at her for too long, afraid that any second longer she stares she might've just tiptoed and given a peck on Suelgi's lips. 

     "I'm glad." is the reply Irene gives to Seulgi as she lifts up the corner of her cardigan around her neck to cover the blush on her cheeks. Seulgi is seemingly taken aback by what Irene said, making her abruptly stop walking, surprising Irene as well. 

     "You're..." Seulgi gulps, not knowing if what she heard was even correct, "glad?" 

     Irene looks at Seulgi puzzled. She thought she said it loud and clear. 

     "I mean," Seulgi tries to explain herself, "you're not going to scold me and nag at me saying how we should only stay as friends?" 

     "Nope." Irene says back quickly. She regrets she has ever said those things countless times to Seulgi whenever Seulgi shows her feelings to her and she loathes it that she has hurt Seulgi in that way. She is so going to make it up to Seulgi once she confesses until Seulgi is tired of receiving love from her. 

     She doesn't want to prolong the conversation with Seulgi, especially when they are walking, and in a public place of all. 

     "I'm hungry. Let's go quickly." 

     Seulgi nods her head quickly and begins to resume her steps. It might be from the overwhelming feelings, Seulgi gets a little jumpy when Irene initiates linking arms with her. Irene chuckles at that sight and they continue walking without saying a word. Irene knows that Seulgi must be surprised and is wondering what made a change of heart in her. 

     Indeed, a lot of thoughts are going through Seulgi's mind right now. She does not know whether to smile, laugh or cry. But one thing for sure, she is glad and thankful at whatever that is that opened Irene's mind and heart that softened Irene's whole idea of her having feelings for the older girl. If so, she can't wait to shower love and praises to Irene without being too aware or afraid of Irene lecturing her anymore. 

     Seulgi will keep reminding Irene that her feelings for Irene have never changed and make known to Irene that she always has a place to turn to if the world ever turns its back against her. 

     She will keep Irene reminded that if ever the world becomes a scary and a cruel place for her, someone will keep on loving her unconditionally. 

Author's note: 

A little bit more push is all it takes. 

A long-awaited flashback chapter will be up on the next update, please look forward to it!

See y'all on the next update :D