Friday

Wendy spent the majority of her time after the drive home with Seulgi avoiding Seulgi and Irene. It was difficult for Wendy to avoid Seulgi because the taller would text her almost every day asking her if she wanted to hang out, and Wendy would have to come up with an excuse to turn the latter down. It was a lot easier with Irene, as the girl never reached out to her at all after that night, much to Wendy's relief and frustration.

Wendy channelled every ounce of her attention and energy into her work. After she approached the upper management about the promotion in Gwangju. Wendy felt that someone was constantly keeping an eye on her back, so she figured she had no choice but to perform at her best. Not that Wendy would complain, the works help take her mind off a certain someone.

"Omg, I'm so tired" Jinsoul yawned, stretching her arms. Wendy looked up from her computer screen to the girl next to her, then to the watch on her wrist before going back to her screen. 

"Jinsoul, it's 8.30, you've been here less than 30 minutes."

"And? I can't be tired at 8.30?" Jinsoul retorted. She went back to her work before adding "If it wasn't for the damn economy, I would have probably be a math teacher, or a piano player."

Wendy raised her brows and Jinsoul noticed.

"What? I got jazz hands baby. Jinsoul imitated the motion of someone playing the piano with her hand. "I trained for 6 years before I quit"

"Why'd you quit?" Wendy asked curiously. Jinsoul now had Wendy's full attention.

"I only have 24 hours in a day, and I used all of it chasing after Jungeun." Jinsoul shrugged. "Oh boy, was my mum pissed." She added casually.

Wendy burst out laughing and shook her head in response to the taller girl. "I didn't know you could play piano." 

"There are a lot of things about me that you don't know," Jinsoul made a finger gun. Jinsoul is of course correct because Wendy likes to keep her personal life and professional stuff private. As a result, Wendy never inquires about her coworkers or loves to discuss her life outside of work. Though out of all her coworkers, Wendy admits that Jinsoul is probably the closest one to her and probably the one who knew most of the outside life. 

"How about you, Wen? What would you do with your life if you weren't stuck in this unfulfilling office job?" Jinsoul questioned, laying back on her chair. 

"You're gonna get yourself fired if you keep saying that." Wendy chuckled as she looked around to see if there was anyone listening. 

"Sweet, I'll get to be a stay-at-home girlfriend." Jinsoul jested, "But seriously, what would you be?"

Wendy gave it a long thought before replying. "I like singing, so probably something in that area"

"Maybe one day, we could form a bad together, you'll be the singer and I'll be keyboardist." Jinsoul chuckled.

"What's our band called?." Wendy pondered for a while before adding "How about Red Velvet?"

"Red Velvet? like the cake? That's such a basic band name. I was thinking more like Loona, spelled L-O-O-N-A, came from the Chinese word for moon, lunar." Jinsoul made mind exploded motion towards Wendy who stared unamused. 

"What are we? werewolves?" Wendy remarked snarkily. 

"Better than named after a chocolate cake that is dyed with red food colouring."

"Wait, red velvet is chocolate cake with red dye?"

"Yeah, taste exactly the same." Jinsoul went on to say. 

"No way! They taste different and how do you make chocolate cake red?"

"I don't know the science of that but trust me, 100% chocolate cake with red dye."

"Bull." Wendy retorted, looking at Jinsoul like the latter just drop a bomb on her. 

"Dude, how do you think they make the cake from?" 

"I don't know, with red velvet bean? like vanilla bean..." Wendy answered hesitantly, not sure of her answer.

"Dude, I'm definitely telling Jungeun about that." Jinsoul snickered like a five-year-old kid who manage to do mischief.  

Wendy stuck her tongue at Jinsoul, she turned her head back to the screen in front of her, trying not to hit the latter who was still laughing at her.

"Anyway, have you heard anything about the thing?" Jinsoul finally regain her composure after seeing the older girl no longer responding to her taunt.

"About what?" Their eyes still glued to the screen as her fingers hovered over the keyboard. 

"The promotion... Gwangju?"

"No, they said they're still in discussion."

"I don't know why they need so long, it's obvious that it's you." Jinsoul pouted. 

Wendy did nothing but stare at the computer in front of her. She knew that she couldn't allow herself to become so full of herself because there were other qualified people who were also after the position. Taeil was one of those people, and Wendy believed that he was just as qualified as she was. There's also Haseul, who was just as experienced professionally as Wendy was, despite the fact that Haseul was a few years her junior.

The rest of the day went on in the same way as any other day would have. She made a few conversations with clients, and her supervisor called her in for a meeting about a project they were working on. After that, she had lunch with Jinsoul in the cafeteria, where she ordered the typical bento she always had. In all honesty, it was much like any other day that Wendy had gone through in the previous six years. The only difference is that now, with every step she took, each felt heavier than the previous one. 

And there's only one person she could blame it on. 

===========================

06:24 pm

Wendy dropped her bag on the floor before throwing herself on the couch. She closed her eyes and let out a big sigh. After a whole day of being surrounded by people, Wendy was finally left alone with her thoughts, which are not exactly kind.

Wendy was about to head to take a shower when she heard a text notification coming in from her bag, so she grabbed the bag and fished her phone from it. She turned it so she can see the sender.

From : Kang Seul
Dude, we're gonna hang out at Irene's tonight, you're coming?

Wendy let out a sigh as she realized that she would have to come up with an explanation immediately. What about stomach ache? No, she already used that on Monday.
Work? Nah, she used that so many times already, Seulgi might catch on.
She cannot pretend she is not feeling well because, knowing her friends as she does, they would bring the party to her apartment so that they could be with her to nurse her back to health.

Wait, maybe this would work.

To: Kang Seul
Sorry, Seul. I already agreed to hang out at Jinsoul's tonight. Maybe next time.

She hit send.  It wasn't long before Wendy to received a reply f