It wasn't strange to see Irene and Seulgi at the cafe anymore.

It's been about five months since they had been acquainted with the cafe. The quality of the drinks and sweets along with the well mannered employees had won Seulgi over. The president also did enjoy being able to see and talk to Joy.

They had started going on dates but Joy had told Wendy that nothing was official yet. Wendy laughed it off and hummed while getting back to work.

As for Irene and Wendy, the two have had consecutive coffee dates and they always have something to talk about. Irene has opened up much more and became more comfortable around Wendy. She's also started to pat Wendy's , in which Wendy as strictly stated that Irene can't do that when she's working.

Today was like any other day. 

It was closing time and Wendy bid many of her employees farewell as they went home to their families. 

Christmas was in three days and she wanted them to take those three days and use them to relax and spend time with family. Many of the employees wished her a merry christmas before leaving, making sure to thank her for the generous break. 

While many managed to see their family, Wendy was one of the few that could not.

She be able to book a flight soon enough to make it back to Canada in time. She was successful the first couple of times but this year, luck was just not on her side. 

Joy had invited her to come over-- she was spending a day with Seulgi and then leaving to see her family. Wendy did not want to interrupt her time with any of them, so she politely declined, making sure that Joy understood how grateful Wendy felt that she had offered.  

Tiffany was going to introduce her soulmate to her family. She introduced Wendy to her new lover, Jessica Jung. Wendy knew her as a stoic faced fashionista and photographer but that image shattered. Tiffany's rambling had managed small smiles and blushes to appear on Jessica's face.

Seulgi mentioned that she was going to visit her family and stay for about a week. She even invited Joy to stay with her after she was done visiting her family.

Wendy's thought train crashed when she felt a hand pat her . She didn't even need to turn around to know it was Irene.

"Is that your new greeting to me?" Wendy asked rhetorically and saw Irene smile.

"Who knows?" 

Wendy began to make the drinks. They both settled for hot chocolate.

The scent of sweet chocolate filled the cafe and it brought a warm feeling to Wendy's heart. It reminded her of home.

"So what are you going to do for the next three days?" Irene asked while Wendy set the cups down.

"Stay home?" Wendy placed the small bowl of marshmallows down and took a seat next to Irene.

Their updated routine was that they sat next to each other and recently, they've been holding hands as well.

"Stay home? Aren't you gonna see your family?" Irene asked and frowned.

"I was, but the earliest flight I can get is after Christmas." Wendy took a careful sip from her cup and placed it back on the table.

Her hands were loosely placed around the cup but soon enough, Irene's hand pried them away. She intertwined their fingers and squeezed her hand in a comforting way.

"Isn't that kind of.. Lonely?" Irene's soft voice filled the air and Wendy's small smile crumbled.

Wendy's heart ached for her family. She ached to see her beautiful mother and handsome father. She wanted to see how her sister's life was treating her. She wanted to see anyone. 

She didn't want to be alone-- but most of all..

She just wanted a home to go back to. A home where someone would eagerly wait for her return. She wanted a nice and cozy place, even if it was smaller than a closet. 

"I don't know? Is it?" Wendy smiled again and used her free hand to bring the cup to her lips.

Irene's eyebrows furrowed and she bit her lip.

Wendy's smile grew bigger when she saw the adorable scene.

"Aha!" Irene's eyes twinkled as an idea emerged.

Wendy giggled softly and tilted her head, "Aha?"

"You can sleep at my house." 

Wendy was going to decline but Irene gave her a stern look before continuing.

"I don't really take Yerim to see my parents since she practically lives at their house on the weekdays, so we just take the time to have a little fun, you know? Sit by the fireplace and read and listen to music while drinking hot chocolate." Irene smiled and looked at Wendy.

Wendy wanted to decline but at the same time, she didn't. Just having someone to stay with sounded nice. Everything that Irene had described sounded nice. 

"Come on, Seungwan. Yerim would love to have you over." 

Irene hesitated and bit the inside of her cheek before continuing.

"I.. Would love to have you over." Irene's voice returned back to the timid voice that Wendy first heard when they met.

But this tone.. It was different. It was affectionate, shy, and hopeful. Nothing like the cautious and quiet voice from before.

It pulled at Wendy's heart strings.

Irene would love to have her over.

Wendy looked at Irene straight in the eyes and gave her a smile before say, "I'd love to come over." 

Irene perked up and smiled back. She let go of Wendy's hand, to the latter's dismay, but soon enough she pulled Wendy into a secure but gentle hug. 

The hug was fire. It was electricity. It was a cloud. It was heaven. It was just a bundle of everything joyous.

It was so.. Irene.

Wendy didn't know how to explain this feeling that welled up inside her. It wasn't bad, no.. It was the exact opposite.

She had found her home, or at least a part of her home.

-----------

Irene insisted on waiting for Wendy to pack her stuff, even though the latter had explained that all she needed was an address.

Irene pouted and sniffed tearfully and looked at Wendy straight in the eye while asking if she really wanted to get rid of Irene that badly.

Wendy being Wendy, she gave in and let Irene wait for her. She wasn't going to let the older girl stay in the car though. That was definitely not going to happen. 

While Wendy packed some stuff into a small suitcase, Irene roamed the apartment. Wendy could see her stop and take a moment to look at the pictures hung up and some of the various sculptures she had.

Wendy hummed softly as she packed her essentials. 

She soon felt arms wrap around her and a body lean on her.

"You have a nice apartment." Irene spoke softly and Wendy almost shivered.

"It's nothing special." The arms around her didn't constrict her at all as she continued to fold her clothes.

"It's kind of homey? I don't think that's a word but you get it." Irene buried her face into the crook of Wendy's neck.

Wendy almost choked on her spit.

Her apartment? The one she dreads coming back to everyday? Homey?

She felt vibrations and heard Irene mumbling something but couldn't catch on to what the older girl said.

"Huh?" Wendy turned her head when she felt Irene lift her head.

They froze when their lips barely made contact. 

Wendy's cheeks flushed red as she tried to still herself. She didn't know what to do and Irene wasn't moving either. She looked at Irene and saw her giving a really concentrated and timid stare. Maybe it was just Wendy, but she felt her move closer just a bit.

Their reverie was broken by the ringing of Irene's phone. She blushed and moved away to answer the phone while Wendy cleared and finished packing.

Irene left the room to talk on the phone but Wendy managed to pick up some of what Irene said.

"Yes umma. I'll be there in about 15 minutes." 

Wendy finishes packing, zipping the small suitcase. 

She stands up and dusts herself off and does some stretches to relieve the uncomfortable feeling in her shoulders. She's been getting little to no time to relax and although her work didn't pile up on her, the stress did.

"You ready?" Irene peeked in and Wendy nodded before grabbing her stuff and mentally saying goodbye to her room.

---------

The car ride was nothing less of awkward.

Irene had the radio to ease the tension but Wendy still found herself playing with her hands instead of singing along or starting a conversation.

Wendy watched as lights passed. A light sheet of snow was covering the ground and she felt a small smile form. 

Snow was amazing to Wendy. She spent almost her whole life in Canada, yet she still felt giddy at the sight of snow. It glistened in the sunlight, creating a beautiful view and a serene feeling. At night, it disappeared, turning into a dull white color, but even that had its charms. 

"It's starting to snow. I think they warned us of a snowstorm." Irene's voice pierced past the music and made Wendy shiver.

Wendy wasn't sure why Irene had this effect on her, but she didn't mind. Most of the things that happen to her have been pleasant so far.

"Yeah. We're getting about two feet of snow, possibly more." Wendy answered in a light tone.

She watched as small flecks of white start to come down. 

Wendy giggled softly when some snowflakes landed on the car window. Irene smiled and glanced over before asking, "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. I just love snow." Wendy leaned back into the seat and breathed out. "Did you know that every snowflake is different? It's amazing, really." 

Irene turned off the radio and a small moment of silence passed.

Wendy wondered if she had said something wrong.

A small chuckle filled the car and Irene spoke, "I was waiting for you to continue. I'd rather listen to you go on about things you like than listen to the stuff on the radio." 

Wendy looked at Irene as a blush formed on her cheeks. Nobody had really said that to her before.

It was something intimate you'd say to your lover.

The thought of that made Wendy hide her face in her hands.

"Why so blushy?" Irene laughed and stopped in front of a house.

"Nothing." 

The two women stayed seated. Wendy had calmed down and now stared at her hands. Playing with hands, including her own, was a habit that Wendy developed when she was younger.

As a kid, she was shy and she wasn't as confident as she is now. She played with her sister's hands when they were standing in line waiting for school to start. She played her own hands when she was nervous, whether she was nervous about being called on or standing in the lunch line. Even now, she plays with her hands as a nervous habit. 

A pair of hands cupped one of her own hands and she looked at Irene.

"You play with your hands a lot, huh." Irene arched an eyebrow and Wendy whined.

"It's a habit."

Wendy huffed and smiled when Irene laughed.

"Come on, I want you to meet my parents." Irene grins and lets go of Wendy's hands.

The latter kind of misses the warm feeling.

"Aw, honey, you want me to meet them this early?" Wendy teased and watched as Irene's face flushed red.

"Ya." Irene blurts out, flabbergasted by Wendy's question.

"What? It's normal to introduce your lover to your parents." Wendy's confidence grew and she laughed when Irene groaned lightheartedly.

"Okay okay, come on kid." Wendy watched as Irene opened the door before following along.

She followed Irene up the path and waited as Irene unlocked the door and quietly excused herself before walking into the house.

"Umma!" Wendy smiled as she saw Yeri run up to Irene. Irene picked her up and kissed her cheek.

Wendy shifted awkwardly as Irene greeted her parents. She watched as Irene put Yeri back down and once again found herself playing with her hands.

The confidence she had a minute ago was gone.

She saw Yeri look over to her and grin before running up to her.

"Wendy unnie!" Wendy crouched down and opened her arms as Yeri ran into them and gave her a hug.

"Hi Yeri-ah. How are you?" Wendy smiled and hugged the girl gently.

"I'm great! Wendy unnie came to visit Yeri!" The girl giggled and gave a toothy grin.

"Did Yeri miss Wendy unnie?" Wendy asked and poked the girl's nose.

"Yeri missed Wendy unnie very much." 

Wendy smiled and stood up. The girl's vocabulary is much more relaxed after the two got close.

"She's very pretty." Wendy looks up to see Irene standing sheepishly next to her parents.

Wendy takes off her shoes and bows in greeting.

"Hello, I'm Wendy, Irene's friend." 

"Polite as well. Hello Wendy. I'm this single lady's mother--"

"Umma.." Irene gronaed and blushed.

Wendy giggled and picked Yeri up. 

"Have you eaten yet? Dinner is ready." Irene's father asked and Wendy shook her head politely.

"I'd hate to intrude--"

"Nonsense! No future in-law of mine is going starve."

Wendy and Irene both flushed red and looked at each other before quickly looking away.

"Wendy unnie, what is an in-law?" Yeri asked innocently and Wendy laughed softly with a red face.

"Something you'll learn when you're older."

"Or at the weddin-" Irene's mother added in but was cut off by her husband.

"Yes, yes, dear. At the wedding, but first can we eat?" 

-------

Wendy did eat dinner with the Bae family. It was interesting; Irene's mother was definitely going full out with her approval of Wendy.

The thought of being with Irene made Wendy blush. 

Irene was definitely pretty. Beautiful, actually. She had a great personality once you get close to her and for some reason, she just knew what to say, especially when it came to Wendy. Perhaps it came from her work. She did have to meet up with many associates.

Wendy offered to help clean up and Irene's mother accepted the help greatly.

"So Wendy, you like my daughter?" Wendy almost choked on her spit but composed herself and cleaned the dishes.

"She's a good friend. I.. Might have an interest in her?" Wendy admitted hesitantly.

"You are a very good person, Wendy. I hope she sees that, and I hope you see that as well."

Wendy's smile almost fell as she put the last dish on the drying rack.

"Umma, are you interrogating Wendy again?" Irene popped into the kitchen and her mother rolled her eyes.

"No, of course not."

Irene looked at Wendy and the latter mustered up a reassuring smile.

"Okay.. Anyway, can you help Yeri find her things? She said she lost her book." 

Her mother immediately went to go help Yeri and Wendy dried her hands off.

She felt a hand touch the small of her back and she quickly turned around. 

She ended up staring straight into Irene's eyes, faces barely touching once again.

Wendy's jaw went slack and her lips parted. She scooted back and touched the counter but Irene moved closer. Wendy could feel her heart pounding and she could smell the faint scent of Irene's perfume. It kind of made her dizzy.. Or maybe it was the fact that Irene stepped closer to her.

Wow, Wendy really wanted to kiss her.

She tried to say something, no, stop, please, anything, but her voice wouldn't work with her. She couldn't tear her eyes away from Irene's either. They mesmerized her; brown eyes that pierced through Wendy's soul.

Wendy didn't know how long they stood there, but soon they closed in.

Lips touched, eyes closed, and sparks flying between them.

The kiss was chaste; evenly paced and soft nips. It was soft and intimate, Wendy would say it was heaven. She was indeed kissing an angel. 

The moment ended when Irene pulled away and Wendy almost pouted. Both of their cheeks were tinted pink but neither of them spoke. Their eyes fluttered from left to right to staring at each other before restarting the cycle.

"Be my girlfriend." Irene blurted out clumsily.

Wendy giggled when Irene sheepishly smiled and scratched her chin.

"I'd be honored to be your girlfriend." Wendy placed a small kiss onto Irene's cheeks and the latter turned a darker shade of pink

"Umma?" A small voice fills the short moment of silence and Irene turns around quickly.

"Uh, oh hey, sweetie, did you find your book?" 

Yeri looked at Irene and then to Wendy before nodding witha grin. She held up the small book before bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Wendy smiled at the girl and got out of the loose hold that Irene had on her before picking Yeri up.

"Do you want to read to Wendy unnie in the car?" Wendy looked at Irene and gave her a look before smiling down at Yeri.

Yeri's eyes sparkled and she nodded vigorously with a grin, "It's a really good book unnie! Theres a duck, and a chicken, and a dog.."

Wendy carried Yeri out of the room and nodded as Yeri rambled on about the book.

She resembled her mother very much.

---

AN: helloooooooo, i'm back!!!! i hope this update was to your liking. i've put this fic as my number one priority (aff wise) and even though im still on hiatus and probably will be until summer, i'll try to update this. i don't have any updating schedule planned for this but please be patient! thank you for supporting this fic and i hope it is up to your expectations!