Connection
HappinessIrene heard her alarm clock ring and woke up, squinting to check the time.
8AM. She knew perfectly well that she didn't set the time, because she would never wake up so early if she has no plans for the day. Just then, a frantic Seulgi scurried from one corner of the room to the other corner. Upon seeing Irene who's half awake, she spoke, "Irene! I'm so sorry. I had to borrow your alarm clock. You should go back to sleep!"
Seeing Seulgi all dressed up prettily, Irene asked, "Where are you going? It's so early in the morning."
Wearing her shoe and combing her hair at the same time, Seulgi replied, "Joy asked me to meet her at the entrance of our hotel at 8:15AM. I don't even know where we're going."
"Joy?"
"Yeah, Wendy's friend."
"Of course i know who she is, but Joy asked you out?"
"Yeah. Is there something wrong?"
"No, of course not. Have fun then."
"I'll see you later!" Seulgi smiled and waved a goodbye at Irene before dashing out of the hotel room. Irene chuckled, but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel that there's something suspicious about it.
---
"8:16AM. You're late." Joy stood at the entrance of the hotel, pointing at her watch.
"It's just 1 minute!" Seulgi pouted, and Joy couldn't help but to forgive her immediately. "Where are we going anyway?"
"Follow me, you'll see."
---
Joy and Seulgi arrived at their destination, a store decorated with vibrant colours of plush toys, similar to those elementary kids would've wished to visit. A plush teddy bear immediately caught Seulgi's eye, and she couldn't help but to hug it.
"You like this? I'll buy it for you."
Joy took the bear from Seulgi, and headed towards the cashier.
"No, it's okay, i don't need it actually." Seulgi went after her, but Joy randomly picked another plush toy within her grip, which happened to be a plush chicken, and said "I'm getting this too. We can get them together."
Seulgi smiled, and as much as she knows that Joy is doing all this to cheer her up, Seulgi can't seem to completely forget Wendy. While they were queueing up, Joy asked, "So, do you still like Wendy?"
"I would be lying if i say i don't, but i'll get over her. Plus, i actually find Irene and Wendy kind of cute together. Don't you think they are fated to be with each other? They met so coincidentally again, it's kind of sweet!"
There was silence, before Joy gathered all the courage inside her to ask, "Don't you think we're kind of fated to know each other too? I mean, you're Irene's friend and i'm Wendy's friend-"
Just then, the cashier decided to call her, for it was her turn to pay, right at that exact moment. Joy cursed at the cashier under her breath, before heading to pay for the plush toys.
---
Irene lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling blankly. 5 years ago, they were just strangers, and 5 years later, they became lovers. People say miracles don't happen, but this was a miracle to her. She took her phone from the nearby table and texted:
(10:00)
Wendyyy~ Wan-ah~ What are you doing?
It wasn't long before a reply came.
(10:02)
Hi bae <3 I just woke up, why are you up so early? Missing me already? Do you want to come over?
The butterflies in Irene's stomach began to flutter even more quickly as she responded:
(10:03)
Sure, i'll go over now.
---
The doorbell rang. Wendy, in her cooking apron, rushed over to open the door. Upon seeing Irene, she immediately embraced the other, squeezing her tightly.
"Hey! You're suffocating me! Hold on, do i smell food?"
Irene looked at Wendy amusingly, knowing that the other had specially prepared food for her.
"Take a seat. You'll be surprised if you see what i prepared."
Wendy started to fill the dining table with different types of dishes, ranging from korean food to western food.
"I didn't know you could cook so well! Girlfriend material, huh?"
Wendy laughed, and replied, "Of course. Sweet potatoes aren't the only food i know how to prepare."
"But i like your sweet potatoes the best!"
"Obviously? Isn't that what made you fall in love with me?"
"Hey. Stop that." Irene smacked Wendy's head lightly, but there was a certain truth to what Wendy said.
---
Joy and Seulgi were just heading out of the restaurant after they had dinner, before Joy received a text message from Wendy.
(8:30)
Sooyoung-ah, can you stay over at Seulgi's hotel tonight? Irene's staying at our house for the night.
Joy glanced over at Seulgi, who lifted her eyebrow in curiosity. Oddly, Joy could feel her cheeks heating up, despite the cool night air.
"Well..." Joy showed the text message to Seulgi, who nodded and replied, "Sure, no problem."
---
The hotel room was clean, and everything was so neatly arranged, yet those weren't what caught Joy's eye. It was the fact that there was only one bed in the room.
"I... Umm... I can sleep in the floor!" Joy stammered.
"Do i have body odour or something? The bed is big enough, i'm sure we can both fit." Seulgi replied while taking off her denim jacket, revealing the black tank top she was wearing underneath. For some reason, Joy could feel her heart skip a beat, before she turned around, awkwardly answering with, "O-Okay, sure." She mentally slapped herself for being so obvious.
As they lay side by side, back facing each other, Seulgi spoke, "Joy-ah, i really want to thank you for accompanying me these days, it really made me feel better."
Joy wanted to reply that it was her who should be thanking Seulgi, but instead, another awkward reply came out of .
"Yeah. You're welcome."
They lay in silence for a while, before Seulgi spoke again.
"Joy-ah, i can't sleep. Can you tell me a story?"
"A story?" Joy turned to look at Seulgi, who was hugging the plush teddy bear they had bought earlier, and looked at herself, whom is also hugging the plush chicken.
"Hmm... Okay. One day, a cute little chicken was on her way to search for food when she bumped into a cute little bear."
"A chicken and a bear? Seriously Joy?" Seulgi laughed, and Joy laughed too.
"The cute litle chicken and the cute little bear became friends quickly, and they hung out together everyday."
The story went on for another 15 minutes, and it was when Joy was starting to feel sleepy that she decided to end her story for today.
"And then one day, the cute little chicken said that she had something important to tell the cute little bear. Guess what she said?"
Joy glanced over Seulgi, but realised that the other had already fallen asleep. Half-relieved yet half-disappointed, Joy decided to end her story with one last sentence.
"The cute little chicken said to the cute little bear, 'I think i might have fallen in love with you.'"
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