Irene’s plane experiences terrible turbulence and has to do an emergency landing. Wendy hears the news of Irene’s plane almost crashing. They haven’t talked since the night they broke up. But some things are bigger than breakups, pride and hurt. Wendy texts Irene to ask if she’s okay. She wasn’t even expecting a reply when Irene suddenly calls and asks her to come over for the night. 

Wendy shows up with tteokbokki and a couple bottles of soju, Irene’s favorite midnight snacks. They stare at each other silently for a few seconds before Irene completely falls apart in Wendy’s arms.

“I was so scared,” Irene mumbles into Wendy’s shirt. 

“I know, Hyun. But you’re okay now. You’re safe, nothing bad happened. You’re home.” Wendy coos as she whispers sweet nothings to Irene’s ear. 

Irene eventually stops crying enough for Wendy to let go of her hold of the girl. They eat dinner and settle on the sofa to watch a movie. They were in the middle watching The Notebook when Irene breaks the comfortable silence.

“I know I said that I could never give you the future you wanted. But Seungwan, I just wasn’t ready back then.” Irene confesses with her eyes locked at the screen. She knows that she’ll crumble all over again if she looks at Wendy’s eyes. 

“We don’t have to talk about this, Hyun. I can stay for the night, hold your hand and never let go until the morning without having to reopen old wounds.”

Irene tries to blink back the tears threatening to fall. “I don’t want you to just stay tonight, Seungwan. Wounds eventually scab and leave a scar. But that’s the thing, I’m willing to tear it open if that means I can come home to you again.” 

Wendy reaches out and takes Irene’s hands into hers. “How does this change things, Hyun? You’re still Irene Bae, Korea’s first love who shoots multiple movies, tv series and commercial films back to back. I’m finally okay after that night. You can’t just ask me to come over and suddenly want me back. That’s not how it works.” 

Irene stares at their intertwined hands. “You know how people say that you’ll live forever in the memory you have before you die?” 

Irene finally looks up and stares longingly at Wendy’s eyes. “Do you know what memory was running through my mind when I thought the plane was crashing?”

“What?” 

“The memory of you walking out the door, out my life when I chose my stupid ambitions over you. And I was furious at myself for thinking for even a second that I’d want a future without you in it, Seungwan.” 

Wendy leans her head on Irene’s shoulders to ground herself. She’s supposed to be angry at how Irene’s destroying the wall she has carefully built for a year. But how come she doesn’t feel an ounce of resentment for everything that has happened? If she’s supposed to be hurt, why is she on the other side of the wall she built around her heart screaming and begging for Irene to quickly make her way through it? 

“We still have so many things to talk about. There’s a lot of hurt and resentment to navigate through but I’m here, Hyun. And i’m sorry I wasn’t there with you. I’m sorry that your last memory of us was a painful one.” 

Wendy kisses Irene’s knuckles one by one with gentle pecks. 

Irene cups Wendy’s face and asks, “Will you stay until the morning?” 

A smile breaks out on Wendy’s face as she leans onto Irene’s hands, “I’d love to. Can I also come over tomorrow night?” 

“I thought you’d never ask.”