No matter how dumb Seulgi is, it didn’t take long for her realize that the nagging feeling she gets whenever someone is intimate with Irene was because she likes the girl. Even after acknowledging such feelings, it still doesn’t make sense to Seulgi. Why does she feel that way? When did she start feeling that way? She already has Jongin. The guy has done nothing but make her happy every day. Why wasn’t that enough for her? Why does she yearn for Irene’s affections?

A kiss on her cheek snapped her out of her thoughts, followed by a chuckle.

“Why do you seem so surprised? Who else would kiss you but me?” Jongin said before catching up to walk with Seulgi. “Are you heading home now?”

“Yeah,” Seulgi answered softly.

“Are you ok? You seem a bit out of it lately.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Finals are coming up so I guess I’m just a bit stressed out.”

“I see. Well if you ever need a break, you know I’m just a call away Seul,” Jongin said as he tried to drape an arm over Seulgi’s shoulders, only to have her avoid it entirely.

“Sorry, it’s hot right now and I’m sweaty. I’m going to head home now, see you later. Oh and please don’t call me Seul,” Seulgi said before walking away briskly, leaving a stunned Jongin there. Seulgi doesn’t know why she’s been so snappy at him lately.

“AHH!” she screamed in frustration when she was far enough from Jongin.

“Woah, please don’t make people think I’m trying to kidnap you,” a voice said from behind. Seulgi turned to the source of the voice and instantly it’s like everything flew out of her head, leaving only the image of a smiling Irene in it. “Are you heading home now?”

How can the same question sound so different, Seulgi thought. “Yeah. You too?”

“Yeahh, this weather is giving me a headache.” Much to Irene’s surprise, Seulgi put a hand over her forehead to check her temperature.

“Drink a lot of water. Your forehead’s a bit hot,” Seulgi advised, completely oblivious that she was the reason why Irene’s face was burning.

“O-Okay, I will.”

The two best friends walked in silence, happy to be spending time together, even if it was just a short walk home. So much has happened in the past month and a half that even a little bit of down time was much appreciated.

“So,” Seulgi started, “how are things with Joy?”

“Who?”

“Uhh Joy? Your girlfriend?”

 “Please don’t call her Joy, she’s far from being a joy. And she’s not my girlfriend, that’s disgusting, she was only messing with you. That was Sooyoung, my sister. She’s staying with me for the month because our parents went on vacation,” Irene explained.

“Oh, so that was Sooyoung! But why did she say she was your girlfriend?”

“Uhm, she knows about the, uhm incident, and that girl can hold quite a grudge.”

“Ah, I see,” Seulgi lowered her head, still feeling sorry.

“Don’t mind her though. She was just being an overprotective little sister,” Irene smiled just thinking about it. Never would she have imagined Sooyoung to care that much about her.

“What about you? How are things with Jongin?”

“Good, everything’s good,” Seulgi lied.

“Then why do you look so down?” Irene inquired, surprising Seulgi with her observational skills. “Seul, is he not treating you well? Just let me know and I’ll punch some sense into him,” Irene said while punching air.

Seul. The word s