“ARE you still working?”

Irene jerked to her seat when she found out that Gi was already in her room. She didn’t even notice the opening and closing of her door since she was too focused on the said monthly report that she received.

“Gi, you’re here.” She smiled at the lady who just made her presence known. “How did you know I was working?”

With hands in her pocket, Gi walked towards Irene’s bed and dropped herself there. “You’ve been like this for a couple of days. Seul also told me about you being this busy even in the morning. What’s the deal?”

“Ah, well…” Irene gave out an awkward laughter. “I am planning to go to the beach with you one of these days. I already asked my friend if she could lend us their house by the beach for about three days and she already agreed. In order to go there without any disturbance, I am trying to lessen the workload for now. My secretary had an emergency too so I had to look at some stuff by myself.”

Gi remained silent, she was just staring at Irene. The girl does look tired, the dark arcs under her eyes are just one of the proofs. She would work this late and then spend more time with Gi before she actually rests. She makes sure that she would have time with Gi and somehow, the latter was moved with her dedication.

Irene’s indeed trying her best to give her beautiful memories…

…And they have this summer to make them…

Summer that is about to end in just three weeks. After autumn officially starts, Irene promised that she would be taking Gi to her mother. That’s how they agreed on things.

“Wait just a little bit, Gi. I’ll just type my feedback. I’ll join you in a moment.” Irene yawned and she quickly looked away so Gi won’t notice it. “Is there anything in particular that you want to do tonight?”

Gi remained staring at her, she wasn’t even moving. Confused by what's going on, Irene takes peeks at the other girl while she types her feedback. “Is there something wrong?” She worriedly asked.

‘She’s working but she’s still worried about me.’ Gi wanted to smile but she felt like smiling at Irene would make her look weak. “Nothing, I am just admiring your side profile.”

“Pfft!” Irene almost snorted. “You really like staring at me like that, don’t you?”

“You’re indeed an eye candy, Irene.” the taller girl smirked before standing up. “Can you stand up for a moment?”

Irene looked even more confused but she did what she was asked. “What’s the matter?”

Gi, with that playful smile on her face, pulled Irene’s swivel chair and sat on it. She then spread her legs before tapping the small space in between there. “Sit here, baby.” she asked with that seductive voice of hers once again.

Irene felt run dry. Gi’s already starting with her seduction plans once again.

“What’s the deal?” Irene asked, her fists clenched. The smile on the other girl’s face just went wider, Gi is always thrilled whenever Irene acts like she doesn’t know what’s going on. She loves the fact that Irene’s guard would be high like this for a moment but she would be begging for her kisses later on.

“Come on, I just want to be closer to you even while you’re working.” Gi even tilted her head to the side. “Are you going to sit or not?”

“Don’t do anything stupid, got it?” Irene crossed her arms.

“Don’t worry, I will only do my thing.” Gi reassured her but Irene didn’t feel assured at all knowing what Gi’s thing is. But, knowing well that she won’t be finished with work if she won’t go back to it, Irene responded to Gi’s invitation after taking a deep breath.

The feeling of having the other girl behind her sent her heart in mayhem though. Gi didn’t waste time and wrapped her arms around Irene’s waist. She even placed her chin by Irene’s shoulder before having one good sniff of the girl’s scent.

“C-Can you move closer to the desk, please?” she asked Gi, careful not to bump on her face. Her face was already red.

“Sure.” Gi leaned closer to her as she moved the seat. “Better?” Gi asked, whispering to Irene’s ear.

“Y-Yeah. This is good.” Irene answered before reaching out to her keyboard. Surprisingly, Gi really did nothing aside from hugging Irene. She was also watching what Irene was doing.

“Did you dream about this profession, Irene?” She suddenly asked before closing her eyes. She succumbed even more to Irene’s scent.

There was a bittersweet smile on Irene’s face. “No, my parents decided everything for me.”

Gi’s left eye opened as she took a peek of Irene. “Don’t tell me they also picked whatever clothes you wear?”

The smaller girl laughed. “Now that you said it, my fashion was heavily influenced by my mother. Since I grew up with brothers surrounding me, I used to be boyish but she corrected my fashion, the way I move and even the way I speak.”

“Hmm…” Gi thought aloud as she closed her eyes again. “So, you’ve been living a life that wasn’t you all along?”

“You can say it’s like that.” Irene answered, her voice was trailing a bit. “I used to believe that everything that they were doing was for my good so I blindly followed. I guess I almost lost it when they even decided about my marriage.”

This time, both of Gi’s eyes opened. It was actually the first time that she heard about the failed engagement. “You were supposed to get married?”

“Oh,” Irene turned to her a bit, her hands stopped typing. “Haven’t I told you about it?”

Gi shook her head. “No, you didn’t mention anything about it to me.”

“Oh, I think I only told Seul about it.” Irene turned back to her monitor while she flashed an awkward smile. “It’s all in the past anyway. It was because of that engagement that I wasn’t able to open my heart to the person I used to love. It was already late when I managed to break free.”

The taller girl’s eyebrows twitched. That one statement made her heart clench in pain.

Irene only told Seul about it and she’s still thinking of that girl she said she used to love. She could still sense pain in her voice when she talks about her. And no, Gi didn’t like it even one bit. Her mind started to cloud.

“Why didn’t you tell me about it, Irene?” She asked as she slowly unwrapped her arms around Irene’s waist, only to have her hands travel down the girl’s hips. Irene jerked at the sudden action but she was surprised even more when those cold palms went inside her dolphin shorts.

“G-Gi—”

“Irene…” Gi started planting soft kisses on her neck. “Why did you only tell Seul about it? I also want to know about it… I want to know more about you.”

‘Is she being jealous?’ Irene thought as she fought hard to suppress a moan. “I-I… I didn’t think you would be interested in things about me…” she finally answered.

That statement made Gi halt with the kisses. She looked up at Irene’s flustered face. “How do you say so?”

Irene took a peek of her but quickly averted her stare. “I just thought… that it would bore you out when I start talking about myself… I know that my story is not what makes you interested in me.”

Gi froze for a moment. Irene was right. She never showed interest in her as a person. Irene’s past didn’t bother her. She didn’t even care about their age at all. She knows nothing about Irene but the other girl kept on asking her about the things that she likes, the things that she wants to do, things about her that would help her in understanding Gi even more.

The monolid beauty used to not care about those things, but why does it bother her now? Realisation then hit her. She wants to know more about Irene as well. She wants to memorise everything about her. She also wants to understand her more.

When did she even stop seeing her as another potential partner?

When did 11:30 become a time for Irene?

“Irene…” Gi breathed her name out to her ear. “If I say that I genuinely want to know more about you, would you believe it?”

She then started kissing her by the cheek. Her hands then travelled from Irene’s hips to the top of her legs. “Will you believe me when I say that I am really interested in you?”

“Gi-ya…” Finally, Irene let go of her keyboard and faced Gi. “What’s wrong?”

“Wrong?” Gi repeated. “Is having interest in you aside from really that weird?”

“A-A little?” Irene’s heart was totally wilding. She’s confused yet ecstatic at the same time. Is this just one of Gi’s tactics to convince her to sleep with her? Is it just another one of her seduction schemes? She wanted to believe her but she knew well that she just couldn’t completely let her guard down.

“A little, huh?” Gi repeated her once again. She started to softly squish Irene’s legs making the latter squirm. She planted kisses on Irene’s jawline when she saw the opening.

“I can’t blame you for doubting me.” Gi uttered. “But this is my truth, Irene. Next time, tell it to me first before Seul, okay? Also,”

Gi then pulled her hands out of Irene’s shorts. She then made her face. Their eyes locked, their breathing synchronised. “Stop thinking of that girl that makes you cry in your sleep. Think only of me, baby… Only me…”

“Gi…” Irene felt like being magnetised.

“At least to you, let me be the first one…” She started caressing her face, her eyes going back and forth to Irene’s eyes and lips. “Make me your priority, baby…”

Irene closed her eyes as she made their foreheads touch. “Aren’t you already one?”

Gi let out a warm smile knowing that Irene wasn’t seeing it. “Promise me to tell things about you, okay? I will surely listen.”

Irene gave a weak nod. She suddenly felt Gi’s other hand holding her hand, her eyes opened only to see Gi still intently looking at her.

“Do you want a kiss, baby?” Gi asked as she moved her face a little bit closer.

“Yes, please.” Irene didn’t even hesitate with her answer and it somehow surprised Gi. But despite it, the taller woman indulged herself with that answer and finally closed the distance between their lips.

They started out slow and gentle but as feelings started to fuel it, the kisses slowly caught rhythm, hands became searching. Irene even pivoted her body to face Gi a bit more so they can enjoy their kisses better.

They only have barely three weeks to be this close with each other.

“Gi…!” Irene called after she broke the kiss for air. “I’m still not done with my job…”

“But aren’t I your priority, baby?” Gi chased for her lips but Irene was quick to let go.

“You sure are… That’s why I am making sure work won’t be bothering me when we go to the beach.” Irene planted a kiss on the other girl’s cheeks. “Let me just send this mail—”

Irene almost squealed when Gi suddenly stood up. She was a bit thankful that she didn’t fall because the girl was holding on to her but she was still surprised. The girl then carried her out of nowhere and Irene was quick to cover . Francis is still in the house.

“G-Gi…!”

“If you send that mail at this time, do you think your employees will like it?” Gi gave her a smirk. “Let’s go to bed, Irene.”

IRENE was already peacefully sleeping but Gi’s eyes are still fixed on the said girl. She smiled to herself when she remembered how disappointed Irene looked like when she told her to just sleep after she carried her on the bed. She was obviously thinking of something else.

Irene tried to open topics that they can talk to, thinking that Gi would be so bored when she sleeps early but Gi insisted that she should hit the sack early that day. She can’t have Irene sick again. If Irene gets over fatigued because of her then she won’t forgive herself.

Gi chose to sacrifice time spent with her rather than being sick and ultimately postpone the trip to the beach. Irene tried to insist on spending time with her even just by simply talking but it was her body who surrendered first when she drifted to her sleep all by herself.

Gi was left admiring Irene’s face, making sure that she’s sleeping well when she remembered something. She silently went out of the bed and took Irene’s iPad. Irene told her the passcode for it so she could use it anytime she wants.

She went back on the bed and started sketching. If she was normal, she would probably become a visual artist but there’s no way that she could pursue it. Everything lies on Seul now. The future is Seul.

“It’s unfair, right?”

Gi froze, it’s the voice again. It’s sure a lot more talkative these days. She proceeded back to drawing Irene’s sleeping face.