The four had borrowed the Bae family’s van, loaded it up with ample amount of food supplies and set out on a two-day trip with no clear agenda. All they wanted to do was to explore several hills in the city of Daegu before setting up a small camp at the end of the day. Joy and Yeri could not stop complaining about the aches in their body even though they were the keenest to explore the parks. Numerous times, Irene and Wendy would let the two other girls go off by themselves as they fell behind and enjoyed the nature at their leisurely pace.

As it had rained in most part of Daegu the night before, a strong dewy scent hung in the morning air and the weather was perfect for a light hike. Knowing how clumsy Irene could be, Wendy paid attention to hold onto her more tightly and was met with grateful smiles from Irene.

At noon, the ground was almost dry. The four of them had set up their picnic mat with a lot of food prepared by Mother Bae. They ate so much that they had to order more food which delivered right to their picnic mat so as not to deplete their food supplies for the remaining days.

The day passed by in a blissful haze and as they set up camp before the sun began to set, they were joined by the Bae family who seemed to have unallayed concerns for them. Father had borrowed their neighbour’s car and brought along crates of soju, talking cheerily as he unloaded them whilst Mother had brought even more food for dinner. Jimin complained about how they had not set up their tent properly and redid the setup with them. Even Irene had not been spared of the coaching. Irene was almost unable to contain her tears as she felt her family’s love and concern for her and did not make a single rebuttal as her younger sister poked fun at her sloppy work on the setup.

“Sister, you need to tie it this way like how father taught us, the knot you did it earlier was too weak,” Jimin said.

Irene pouted a little but obeyed.

“Jimin, cut your sister some slack, she has not done this in years. Joohyun, come, taste this marinated pork belly,” mother said as she wrapped the meat inside fresh lettuce and fed her.

“Mother, I want one too…” Jimin whined and was fed a piece of meat by mother as well.

Mother later went around, fed the rest of the girls, and father as well for their hard work.

When the sun had fully set, their party were done setting up three tents. One for Joy and Yeri, another for Irene and Wendy. The last tent was set up by father alone for himself, mother and Jimin.

Irene felt as if she was transported back in time as they ate, drank and laughed under the blanket of stars. They had all sat themselves around a small bonfire on portable plastic chairs as they talked. Mother retold the story of the growing years of Irene, of how she had been pretty since she was a child and would invite unwanted attention from the neighbourhood boys. However, to deflect their advances, Irene would often use some unconventional methods.

“Once, our Joohyun kissed her female best friend before the boys and the next day, they scooted clear of her way. One would think that was the end of Joohyun’s issue, but instead of boys, our Joohyun soon began to receive love letters and chocolates from girls instead. But I must say… none of Joohyun’s suitors pleased me as much as Seungwan does.”

Irene would always roll her eyes at the last sentence her mother remembered to add. And like before, Wendy would always have this hard look in her eyes when she listened to this story.

“Mother, stop repeating this story, can’t you tell that Seungwan is about to spit fire?” Jimin teased, Joy and Yeri laughed along.

True to Jimin’s words, Wendy had been taking large mouthfuls from the soju bottle but vehemently denied feeling uneasy and that, greatly amused Irene.

Mother, however, seemed to not share the same amusement, and apologised in guilt shortly after and they moved on to other topics. They jumped from discussing about the upcoming presidential elections to Joy and Yeri’s educational backgrounds. Never once did they spoke about Irene’s situation and it was not as if they were intentionally skirting around the topic, it just seems as though, they were genuinely interested in talking about other things. Right at this moment, Irene could fully enjoy her status as just someone’s daughter, someone’s friend and someone’s lover. She was as simple as that, she was human. More human than those people who knew nothing about her yet took part in spewing nonsense about her. Irene did not know when had Wendy scooted so near her, until she felt Wendy’s firm hold on her hand.

When they finally returned to take rest in their respective tents, Wendy had spooned Irene, their bodies seamlessly fitting against one another’s. Irene closed her eyes as she relished in the heat that radiated off Wendy’s body, Wendy was so warm, she even had the ability to warm the chill in her bones.

“You are so warm… Wendy…”

“Your father’s soju did its magic,” Wendy replied drunkenly as she shifted her body restlessly, as if trying to find a snugger fit but Irene knew otherwise. Wendy was still harping on mother’s words earlier, about how Irene had kissed a girl and attracted the attention of uncountable girls after that.

“Silly… you don’t need magic. You are already magical,” Irene flirted.

Snorting a laughter, Wendy buried her face in Irene’s neck. “Such a flirt, no wonder you had men and women alike flocking around you.”

Irene trailed a finger along Wendy’s arms, enjoying the firm touch beneath her soft skin and got the satisfaction of feeling goose pimples rise on Wendy’s arms.

“Let’s not head there, my love. I haven’t forgotten how I had to fend off men and women around you with my glacier looks. The audacity of them to linger about my Wendy Son Seungwan when they already know we are in a relationship,” Irene said in dangerously low lilting voice.

Wendy chuckled a little as she pressed her face deeper into the crook of Irene’s neck, her voice tickling Irene and muffled as she spoke, “you exaggerate. There are no people about me. Only you. It is always only you.”

Irene felt something caught in as she could not think of a comeback.  

“Irene… you look so happy these few days… I think we could live like this…”

Her chest swelled in agreement at those words. Irene could not deny that she has never felt happier.

“Wendy, are you happy too?” Irene asked in return.

Wendy hummed in response to concur with Irene’s question.

“Just living like this? Away from city lights, away from all the scandals, away from the tabloid industry?” Irene prompted further.

Wendy lifted her head from Irene’s neck. “Yes, just like this, as long as it is with you.”

Irene turned herself around in Wendy’s arm to face her lover. Bringing up her hands to cup Wendy’s face on both sides, Irene felt a surge of emotions as she looked intently at Wendy’s face that was streaked with a beautiful blush.

“I wish time would stop and I could stare at you like this forever.” The words slipped out from Irene mindlessly.

Wendy’s mouth curved into an intoxicatingly beautiful smile. “Then I wish I have the ability to stop time and preserve a space like this for us. Always.”

Tears shone in her eyes as she snuggled into Wendy’s embrace.

Wendy brushed away the lock that obscured her sleeping lover’s beautiful face and thought about their conversation earlier. She had meant it. She wished she could stop time and they could stare at each other in this private space of theirs forever. They would be away from the public’s eye, unbothered by people’s opinions of them, free from worries of having to please the world.

Earlier in Irene’s eyes, she saw the richness of emotions, of conflict, of happiness, of fear. Regardless of Irene’s decisions, Wendy knew she would always support her lover. The blissful look on her sleeping face right now was all Wendy could ask for as she stared and stared.

That night, Wendy slept soundly, more sound than usual as she held Irene close to her body.

**

“Father, mother, aren’t you going to the restaurant today?”

They both shook their heads. “It is rare that we get to come out as a family like that and with your bunch of lively friends so we decided to rest for a day.”

Irene felt touched again. She knew how much it meant for her parents since they had never taken a day off.

Desperately trying hard to keep herself awake as Wendy followed her family’s car and drove them from place to place, Irene could not help but nod off a couple of times, earning giggles from Joy and Yeri who were sitting at the back.

“Irene must be really tired. Wendy, what did you make her do, she doesn’t even get this tired when she goes from schedule to schedule,” Yeri teased.

Irene tutted at them and barely held back a yawn. She wondered why she was so tired as well. Perhaps because she was in a fully relaxed state and her body recognised that it had been deprived of a good rest for a long time.

They had made a stop at the base of Palgongsan which Irene recalled hiking up when she was a child. This was a mountain that is covered with a dense foliage of azaleas in Spring and in Autumn, attracted visitors across the country alike to admire the falling leaves. Now that it is nearing Winter, the trees were nearly bare save for a few leaves that clung on stubbornly. Like the day before, Joy and Yeri had unleashed their energy and made their speedy climb up, Jimin had joined them as well, much to the pleased smiles of her parents.

Wendy and herself, including her parents, made up the slower party. It was all great and they spoke casually. Her parents loved and admired Wendy, it was apparent in the way they treated her like a daughter-in-law. That thought made Irene blush. She would never dream that her parents would be so accommodating but if she reflected hard on it, her parents had always been supportive and protective of whatever she did, in their own ways. Perhaps, Irene was much luckier than she realised.

Immersed in her thoughts, Irene had nearly slipped and immediately had Wendy and her father to steady her.

“Are you okay?” Her mother asked, her voice th