Wendy didn't know how long she had stayed in the university pantry and drank enough water for her to rehydrate for days.

And when she walked out of the pantry, she noticed that the sky had turned dark orange. 

The image of the sun setting down and the night has approached the day.

Wendy's step heard echoed, many of the floor lights had , and students were on their way to the parking lot. 

They probably set down the day and call it a day with a good night's sleep if they had no assignment.

Wendy sighed when her brain reckoned the files she had thrown before leaving the council room.

Her calming step turned into the anxious one. Her walking steps sounded louder and kicked the floor harder than the usual walking steps.

Wendy's mind ran throughout the brain cell, thinking of how to send the file again.

Obviously, she has the copy, which is ready to print. And to print was easy, but sending it to the committee meant coming to that office again. 

Wendy couldn't help to feel scared. 

She could ask the other member to send it. 

They were responsible for sending it, but Wendy had no heart to do so. It would be weird to ask them after she volunteered to send the file openly in the public group chat.

They would be confused as to why Wendy refused to send it.

Even more, they would be disappointed.

Wendy didn't want people to feel that disappointed, especially her.

Wendy walked with a busy mind.

But it stopped when she got pulled by someone.

Wendy shrieked and covered her face in a reflex defense.

Rather than get a hit, She heard a familiar giggle.

Wendy lowered her hand from shielding herself and found Solar. 

She was standing in front of Wendy with a blasting smile.

Solar is the president of the Broadcasting team, two years older than Wendy.

"Unnie, you startled me!"

Solar giggled and put her hand around Wendy's shoulder as she spoke, "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It just--you look so cute when you wandered like that."

Wendy scoffed and replied, "Don't you think you have to put your interest to your thesis more than to someone walking gesture?"

"Hey, I do well on my study!"

Wendy lifted her brow, looking at Solar, who looked back at her with perfect circle-formed eyes.

"Alright, I believe you."

Solar smiled as she held Wendy's shoulder closer, "I guess you don't come all the way from your campus to her only to look at someone's walking, do you?"

Solar’s laughter filled the gap, "Spot on, WanD!" 

"Well, I came here to rescue you from missing because we have waited for you for almost an hour."

"I didn't remember that we had a meeting today."

"Well, it's supposed to not, but something happens."

"Something?"

Solar wiggled her brows and said, "Council team member asked for a meeting with us-- today."

"What?"

"They want to discuss the project as soon as possible, considering it's already September."

"What would we discuss when I haven't sent the file yet."

"What do you mean? Didn't you took the file to send it to the council?"

Wendy sighed as she spoke, "I planned to, but something happened, and I failed to do it?"

"But Irene gave the file back along with the signed approval letter with your name as the sender."

"She did what?!"

"She sends back the file and the approval letter with your name as a sender!" Solar said, and with the rising tone of her words, Wendy knew she was annoyed

Wendy breathed heavily as her mind tried to make sense of everything, "But--"

"Forget it. We don't have time for it." Solar said with a thick tone.

Solar ignored the troubled-looking Wendy as she glanced quickly at her wristwatch.

"We must go now!"

"But, my bag. I left my bag at the studio. I need to take it. "Wendy paused and held Solar's wrist in panic.

"Seulgi has it. I told her to go to the parking lot first with your bag." 

Wendy sighed for the umpteenth time.

She has a lot inside her mind, but the biggest question was why Irene accepted the scattered paper and approved the project.

Wendy didn't know.

Because everything about Irene had never had an answer.

At least for Wendy, it felt like a dead end.

Solar was right. Seulgi was waiting in the parking lot, sitting comfortably on the divider cement block, 5 inches tall, which was rooted on the parking lot's ground. She has her bag next to a plastic bag on the ground and Wendy's bag on her shoulder. She seemed to focus on the chocolate ice cream in her hand.

"Why are you waiting here? I told you to find my car," Solar said frustratingly.

"You park too far, and I am too lazy to walk that far," Seulgi said indifferently.

"Where is it?"

Seulgi pointed her elbow to the east direction of the parking lot. Solar's eyes followed the direction and found her car parked at the corner.

"Okay, you two wait here. I will take it first." 

Seulgi nodded, enjoying the last bite of her ice cream.

"Thanks for taking care of my bag."

Seulgi smiled as Wendy took her bag. 

"No problem" Wendy smiled at the warm response. She held her bag and looked around the parking lot.

"Sit here. It's quite comfy," Seulgi said, moving a little bit to give a space for Wendy to sit on the cement block.

Wendy chuckles and eventually gave in as she sat next to the latter.

"Do you wait long?" Wendy asked but Seulgi just shook her head.

"Nah, she found you faster than I expected," Seulgi said. She broke the ice cream stick in a half and put it back on the white plastic back next to her bag. The plastic bag seemed full of snacks.

"I am sorry."

Seulgi sneered, "What's sorry? You don't have to say sorry for everything."

Wendy smirked with a blushed cheek.

"I don't know. I just feel I have to say it."

Seulgi clicked her tongue, "I don't do anything and just wait. You shouldn't have to feel bad about things I do as my own willingness," Seulgi worded flew lightly. 

Wendy pouted and wanted to respond, but Seulgi cut it fast, "Ah, right--!"

Seulgi exclaimed, making Wendy frown. She looked at Seulgi curiously as the latter sneaked her hands into her bag.

"Here for you."

Seulgi took a small candy pack and gave it to Wendy with a smug. Wendy took the candy and gasped.

"Wah, sour candy! How can you find it?"

"I have my way,"  Seulgi said, pet her arm proudly, and took a prideful glance at the excited girl next to her.

"I heard you have been looking for it for months, so I kinda ask someone I know to buy it from Japan."

"Kang Seulgi, so sweet," Wendy said, pinching Seulgi armed playfully, making her giggle.

But, the fun eventually stopped when they heard a horn and Solar's shout from her car with her window half open.

"I don't want to ruin your moment but we have a meeting to attend. So you better come in now!"

They stood up in sync, took their belonging, and ran to the car.

"Alright, sorry!" Wendy said as she helped Seulgi to took the snack's plastic bag

Solar opened the door and looked at her rear - mirror with a furrowed brow.

"Hey, Do you think I am a driver or what? One of you sits in the front!" Solar lashed out anger shivered the two juniors of her. 

"Alright, I'll move"

Wendy went out of the backseat and ran to the passenger seat in a hurry.

"Gosh, you are lucky I need to prepare my mind for the meeting," Solar said, started driving out of the parking lot.

Wendy buckled her seatbelt in a hurry and almost screamed when she found Seulgi leaning into the front seat.

"What will we discuss in the meeting?" Seulgi's question made Solar pucker her lips as a sign of her thinking.

"I have no idea, but they said it's regarding the video project."

Solar's answer made Seulgi lean in even closer.

"The video project? Didn't we cancel it?"

Solar nodded and replied, "We did. But it seems like Jung Soo forgot to remove it."

"No way, Jung soo Oppa who always checked everything three times, forgot something important like that?" 

"Yeah, I also found it hard to believe but it did happen, didn't it?"

Seulgi sighed and pressed her lip tight. She looked at Wendy as she asked,

"Did you read the report before you send it, Seungwan?"

Wendy startled, and her breath hitched in . "I-i didn't"

Seulgi frowned and looked at Wendy deeply, as did Solar, who stole a glance several times.

"Why? You always check everything beforehand."

Wendy looked down at her nails, "I just didn't"

"But why?!"

There was a long pause. Wendy felt her hand sweating and her heart beating faster. She has no courage to lift her head up and look at Seulgi's curious gaze. 

"It-- it just--"

"It's fine" Solar's words felt like cold water in summer. It was relieving and calming as Wendy felt her breath release correctly after a long hold.

"It's fine?!"

Solar sighed and looked at Seulgi from the rear mirror, "There's nothing we can do. They have approved the project, so we must do it well."

"But unnie--"

"You don't have to worry. I will try to discuss the matter with the council team, and even if they still want the plan to go as what's in the proposal, we can ask for  help."

Seulgi bit her inner lip and returned with a cross hand to her seat.

"That's right, Irene sunbaenim will help us."

"Why would Irene sunbaenim help us?"

Solar scoffed and said, "She's the committee leader for this year's event. It will be her last contribution to the council before her thesis preparation, so I believe she wants the event to go smoothly. Helping us will help her make the event go well."

"Wait, Isn't she the same year as unnie?" Wendy's question received a subtle nod from the latter.

"Sunbaenim took a leave for a student exchange program last year, so she needs to add another year before her thesis," Seulgi said. Shook her head when she noticed her clueless expression from Wendy.

Solar's chuckles took Wendy's attention, " I wonder whether it's only for the student exchange program or because of her father's business."

"I know, right? She can choose any university out there, and yet she chose Hong Kong."

Wendy blinked rapidly as she asked the two other girls in amusement, "How could you know this much about her?"

"All student know at least these much about her many of them know more," Solar said.

"Seungwan, you really look like an outsider," Seulgi added with giggles as the effect.

"It's not like that-- I don't like to talk behind someone's back."

"You're too old to be this naive, aren't you? Know a little thing about people won't hurt," Seulgi said as she petted Wendy's shoulder gently.

Wendy wanted to reply, but eventually froze as she gasped in shock for a sudden break. 

She looked at Solar, who looked in defeat, and cursed internally.

Wendy tore her gaze away from the person next to her, the figure in front of the car.

There was Leeteuk with hands on his hip and firm looking gaze.

He stood there unmoving as his eyes rooted on the three pale-looking girls in the car.

She took a fast glance at Seulgi with pressed lips.

"We are doomed," Seulgi said with a bitter chuckle. 

Solar sighed and said, "Jungsoo is mad."

Author's Note:

I planned to update yesterday but something came up and I needed to postpone it to today, instead.

I am sorry TT

I haven't check for this chapter and I'll try to check for the error and typo tomorrow.

So, if you find one, please let me know in the comment section.

Thank you!