(Song: Adele - "Make you feel my love (cover)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k-W6cZ2CiY)

 

 

 

 

“Wendy?” She cautiously opens the door and is greeted by the sickening white room, also the pale girl sitting on the edge of the bed, dangling her feet to the floor.

 

 

And, there she is, coyly waving at her guest with a smile while the latter’s putting down a few bags on the counter, “Hey there, Irene.”

 

 

“What happened to you?” Irene can’t deny she freaked out when she received Wendy’s phone call. The younger girl literally called her out of blue, urgently, saying that she was being admitted to the hospital and asked if she could help her to buy something for her stay.

 

 

Wendy then brings her fingers to the bandages on her right arm and her left thigh, “I went to the court this morning. Just to give them a few authentication results, not to testify. I got attacked by the suspect’s gang on my way back. The cops got them right away but I got a few scratches, and here I am......”

 

 

 

Irene frowns seeing how Wendy has understated her injuries as “a few scratches” so she doubts. “Can you move your right hand?” 

 

 

Wendy tries. Well, she tried. So she casts her eyes onto Irene’s shoes instead, “Hm, it hurts…. a bit.”

 

 

“You know you can’t write or work at least in the following month, right?” She knows Wendy asked her for help because she’s her closest friend on this piece of land. Still, she also knows how determined she is to break out of the “friendzone”. She then told herself, if she did it once, she can do it again.

 

 

“It’s an accident.” She explains, kneading her palms against one another very softly. “I didn’t expect that too.”

 

 

“Wendy,” She gently calls. “Don’t get me wrong, I ain’t blaming you. But you should take care of yourself better. Sometimes you don’t have to think of others first while you’re the one who is truly in need.”

 

 

 

“When the rain is blowing in your face,

And the whole world is on your case,

I could offer you a warm embrace,

To make you feel my love.

 

 

 

They have been a lot closer since their little meeting at that little cafe. Although Irene hasn’t told Wendy about Onew, as the latter hasn’t brought it up again. To be frank, Irene notices that Wendy has slightly distanced herself from her after knowing about her “break up”, like remaining a little distance kind of distance. 

 

 

Seulgi reassured that it’s the most natural thing for Wendy to do. Even if she bears romantic feelings for Irene, it’d be somewhat discourteous to start pursuing or doing anything to woo a girl whom just broke up with someone else. Not to mention Wendy is possibly the most considerate person you would meet in your entire life.

 

 

Just like Irene said, she always puts herself last, which is a very unhealthy thing to do in a long run.

 

 

 

“Thank you.” Wendy replied in a rather strained voice after a dreadful silence. 

 

 

So Irene looks up and she just sees Wendy sitting there as she has been in the past 10 minutes, eyes downcast, with her body submerged in a slant of warmish, yellowish light of the afternoon sun gusting through the curtains. She cannot see her face but she can still see how beautiful she is.

 

 

 

“I didn’t do much.”

 

 

“It’s already enough.”

 

 

“I could have done more.” She inches closer to the small bed.

 

 

She still doesn’t bother to spare a glance at the approaching figure even when its shadow reaches her feet, “Like what?” 

 

 

 

Irene is actually dying every day whether she should confess everything to Wendy, those things about her “journey”, those gossamers that woven them together, those “memories” that haunting her no matter she is awake or asleep. But it’s plainly impossible. Wendy won’t believe her this time, it’s crazy, there’s no proof to validate her words.

 

 

Oh, their nebulous relationship and those mixed feelings.

 

 

 

“When the evening shadows and the stars appear,

And there is no one there to dry your tears,

I could hold you for a million years,

To make you feel my love.”

 

 

 

Irene fails to deliberate on how Wendy manages to arouse her protectiveness and possessiveness in this particular moment, yet she follows her instinct and seizes her by her arms, engulfing her with a hug, resting her weary head on her chest.

 

 

“Like this.”

 

 

A full minute, maybe two, wends off as they stay in that way. Unhurriedly, leisurely, very slowly, Wendy circles her arms around her waist and quietly snuggles against her.

 

 

 

Irene smiles unknowingly and finally. She desperately wants to comfort her with her warmth even there’re layers of fabrics between them. “You should know it’s okay to be weak sometimes.”

 

 

Yet Wendy doesn’t say anything else, just, “Thank you, Irene.”

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

Wendy eventually realizes how severe her injuries are until the day she is “released” back to her home. With a plaster cast on her lightly fractured right arm, she can’t read, she can’t drive, she can’t cook - like how many daily chores can do you properly with only one hand? She doesn’t even have time to worry about the little scratches on her thigh and other parts on her body.

 

 

Again, she tried and tries. Her colleagues in the university are nice enough to visit her from time to time and even help her a little with paperwork after acknowledging she would be on leave for weeks.  It’s still not enough though. She needs someone to take care of her.

 

 

 

Wendy reluctantly greets Irene and lets her in when the older girl shows up at her door in the evening. Judging from her formal attire, she must have come here straight from her office.  

 

 

“I bet you haven’t eaten?” She kicks off her heels and lifts a smile to the owner of the house.

 

 

“Yeah.” She bangs the door shut and neatly places the heels on the shoe rack as her guest is standing in the middle of her living room. 

 

 

“Let’s order delivery together.” She chirps brightly.

 

 

“I thought you have a better idea.” She rebuts cooly.

 

 

 

Suddenly, Irene feels like their roles have switched, compared to them in the “future”. She gawks at Wendy whom is mindlessly running her fingers on the plaster cast. She must feel itchy.

 

 

“How’s it?”

 

 

“I can move a little now.” Wendy plants herself on a chair.

 

 

Irene fishes out her phone, “So are you eating or not?”

 

 

“Why not?” 

 

 

 

They sit in complete silence as they are waiting for their food. Irene continues to bore her eyes on Wendy as she is totally unamused by the slow progress they’re having. And there is a moment when she really wants to punch her in the face but it would just worsen her injuries - and it's just a thought of course. 

 

 

That aside, Irene has to admit this young Wendy she’s seeing is definitely different. This one is so much more elusive, intangible, unconvinced than she has ever known. As if her fragile heart needs to be watered by loads of love so that it can bloom.

 

 

Wendy, on the other side, has been zoning out the whole time after Irene has set foot in her house. She doesn’t even know their order has arrived and her guest has already paid. 

 

 

 

And so Irene goes candid when the food is on the plate, “Say, what’s keeping you from me?”

 

 

“What are you talking about ?” She skillfully picks up a piece of meat using chopsticks with her left hand.

 

 

“You’re getting colder.” 

 

 

“I’m just tired.”

 

 

 

She probes further, she has to know. “Tired of what?”

 

 

She heaves a long sigh, “Getting hurt.”

 

 

Irene darts her sharp eyes from the bandages on her body to the look from her eyes, “Who?”

 

 

“It doesn’t matter.” Wendy dejectedly shakes her head and forces a chuckle out from . “Wouldn’t you feel the same, Irene? Hm?”

 

 

 

“There’s something called moving on.” 

 

 

“Tell me, how to move on with all the scars left on me?”

 

 

 

 “I know you haven't made your mind up yet,

But I would never do you wrong.

I've known it from the moment that we met,

no doubt in my mind were you belong.”

 

 

 

Irene can’t recall anything that tells Wendy had unpleasing relationships before meeting her. She mentally curses herself for not paying attention to the hurt in her eyes and her voice, when she sent her back that night.

 

 

“There must be someone who will love you earnestly, and, will never hurt you.” 

 

 

“How can you be so sure? You just broke up, right?” She hangs her hand low, not wanting to look at her nor to be looked at. “Can I trust you, Irene?”

 

 

 

Irene’s breath then hitches, “Why can’t you?”

 

 

“I don’t even know…...” Wendy ruffles her long locks out of frustration. “I am confused, by you.”

 

 

“What did I do wrong?”

 

 

“Nothing. Forget what I’ve just said.” 

 

 

 

She, therefore, starts to connect the dots, “I broke up for a reason. I ain’t the casual type.”

 

 

“I am not-” 

 

 

“Listen to me.” Irene has never sounded so stern before. “Listen to me before you judge me.”

 

 

Wendy stares at the older girl with her huge eyes but no words are coming from her parted dry lips.

 

 

 

So Irene tells her half of the story as her food is long forgotten already. Her hunger doesn’t matter in this very moment. Of course, she doesn’t mention a thing about the time travel, only a few fragments of her past and Onew here and there. She just wants her to know that she’s not the type playing around and she yearns for a long-lasting love too.

 

 

 

“I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue,

I'd go crawling down the avenue,

No, there's nothing that I wouldn't do,

To make you feel my love.”

 

 

 

“I am not sending mixed signals you know.” She patiently ends her story and sinks her body back down to the chair.

 

 

“I have never met someone quite like you, you know.” The young linguist chuckles again, but rather gruffly, and imitates Irene’s serious tone while adjusting her cast. “Everything about you is so novel to me, but the way you talk, and your voice, your face, your little demeanors feel so familiar to me somehow. You are the only person I can’t read and you don’t make any sense to me.”

 

 

Therefore Irene smiles, “Still, you can trust me.” She knows she’s going to fall in love with her again.

 

 

Wendy purses her lips so that her smile doesn’t show, “Then prove it.” But her eyes trade her out and Irene can surely see that.

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

“Yerim-ah, can you help me with the reference books?” Wendy calls and a bubbly girl emerges behind the enormous bookshelves. The cast is gone but it would still be better for her not to overuse it in the meantime.

 

 

“Sure.” The girl gladly takes the stack of books from Wendy’s arms. “But please call me Yeri when we’re outside.”

 

 

“What’s the difference?” The brunette tilts her head as they head out of the library. “You aren’t even studying here, yet.”

 

 

“Yeri sounds a lot cooler.” 

 

 

 

“I don’t get it.” Wendy rolls her eyes. “I’m your unnie, I bake you bread, I do your nails, why can’t I enjoy the privilege of calling you by your real name? Yerim sounds nice too.” 

 

 

“Unnie,” Yeri whines. “I respect you as a linguist but you won’t understand the swag of we teens these days.”

 

 

“Swag my .” She grumbles before fastening her pace. “I’m so disappointed right now.”

 

 

“Wait! I promise your parents I’ll look after you until you fully recover.”

 

 

 

Wendy turns and snickers, “Oh, you look after me.”

 

 

“Yes.” Yeri straightens her back. “I shall repay you my dear unnie.”

 

 

“I swear I’ll dump your body into a river if your mother doesn’t happen to be my mentor in college days.” She huffs and puffs like an angry little dragon.

 

 

“I know you love me.” She wriggles her eyebrows. “I know you care.”

 

 

 

“Whatever.”

 

 

“Unnie you look hot when you’re cold.”

 

 

“Haha.”

 

 

“I’m not joking.”

 

 

“Okay…... You look funny when you’re serious.”

 

 

“You’re a meanie. No wonder no dudes are after you.”

 

 

“I told them to back off, okay?”

 

 

“Yeah, I can totally imagine you doing that.”

 

 

 

They are walking all the way to the department’s office and the campus is surprisingly quiet today. Perhaps it’s because mid-term tests are coming. 

 

 

Kim Yerim is a high-schooler who has come back to Korea for study and is currently living in school’s dorm while her parents are working overseas. And Wendy met her mother when she’s studying for her master degree, then they became friends. That’s why Wendy and Yeri are friends too.

 

 

Wendy often describes Yeri either as Squirtle or annoying orange, but she still takes care of her very well. She also knows Yeri doesn’t like to be pampered so she treats her as a close friend.

 

 

Lately, besides Irene, Wendy can rely on Yeri a little to overcome several difficulties brought by her injuries. Well, she feels shy for contacting Irene too frequently.

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

The Sun has gone and the Moon is coming up. Wendy has sent Yeri onto the bus as she insists the younger girl must arrive dorm and join her friends by 6. And she’s thinking maybe she should buy a car later, it’s getting inconvenience traveling back and forth solely by public transport while she has a tight schedule basically every day.

 

 

Today is a special exception that she has the leisure to watch a movie in the cinema. She always likes the idea of a cinema. It provides a sanctuary from the busy life out there. It’s alright even the movie isn’t that great. It’s the atmosphere she’s seeking. Butter popcorns there is good too.

 

 

Nearly 2 hours later, she has to go back to the hustle and bustle she truly belongs to. 

 

 

 

Irene, on the other hand, has been waiting. Wendy hasn’t contacted her ever since the day she visited her house and told her story. She thinks she didn’t scare her away, right? 

 

 

Today she has just dealt with a troublesome lawsuit, so she goes for a ride and catches the wind to clear up her whole being. Driving around in the city is not a bad idea. Although the air is polluted, a late-night-drive is good for mental health for sure.

 

 

After burning some diesel, she’s thrilled again as she discovers faith’s on her side. She pulls up at a street and awaits, with a soft smile plastered on her tired face.

 

 

She sees a petite Wendy, who is having a difficult time pushing out of the cinema in a current of people. So she steps out of her car and leans against it. She makes a note that those heels are going to kill her sooner or later.

 

 

 

It doesn’t take long for Wendy to notice a lady in a tight skirt gaping at her from afar. She shudders at the scene as if she has seen a ghost. And much to Irene’s dislike, she steps back a little when the crowd disperses leaving the only two standing at a cinema’s front door, having a staring battle.

 

 

And Irene has to admit Wendy’s really really adorable, “Wendy.”

 

 

“H-hi.” She gives a weak nod.

 

 

She pats the hood of her car, “Do you want a lift?”

 

 

“Hm, I…...”

 

 

 

“Come on, I promise it’s free of charge.” Irene happily invites and opens the car door for her passenger.

 

 

“Okay then.” Wendy sighs internally and heads towards the older girl, and her car of course. She feels like a lamb going into a tiger’s cave.

 

 

They settled down fast and Irene speaks up as she’s reaching out to start the engine, “I see your arm’s fine now.”

 

 

“The cast’s off three days ago.” Wendy fidgets a little on her seat. The car is snug, just like the vibe its owner has been giving her. It smells nice too. She recognizes it’s water-lotus air freshener. But she thinks Irene has drugged it or something, because it’s tantalizing sweet.

 

 

 

Irene flashes the nervous girl a warm smile, “Great. Do you fancy something to eat?”

 

 

“A dinner would be nice.” Wendy doesn’t know why she sounds so polite all the sudden. 

 

 

“Let’s have a dinner then.” Irene’s still smiling anyhow.

 

 

 

They have a meal in a restaurant nearby and they don’t talk much, which Irene doesn’t mind since she could take her time to admire Wendy’s cuteness. But for Wendy, it’s terribly nerve-wracking as she thinks she’s walking on a thin line. 

 

 

She’s indeed scared of falling in love with Irene, which she has kept it well within herself. Based on her previous experience, when she fell in love she fell into a black hole of self-torture. 

 

 

She is still not sure if Irene’s serious about this. Even if Irene swings both ways, isn’t she so unbelievably sweet and caring? Bae Joohyun has just crashed into her life and treated her like a queen, which has deeply startled Son Seungwan. No one has ever cherished her like that, when they aren’t even anything more than friends.

 

 

She thought she’d be the one chasing after Irene at first but it seems she’s wrong. 

 

 

 

“The storms are raging on the rolling sea,

And on the highway of regret,

The winds of change are blowing wild and free,

You ain't seen nothing like me yet.”

 

 

 

And they are back to Irene’s car.

 

 

“What have you been thinking really?” The driver softly asks as they are passing through streets that are less crowded.

 

 

“You.” Wendy slumps herself into the seat as she mutters. “Or, us.” She knows she’s a bad liar. She can’t keep it to herself any longer. Irene could notice it anytime soon.

 

 

 

Then they stop as Irene swiftly kills the engine.

 

 

“I can prove it to you.” The older girl can’t help but beams. And her eyes are sparkling with joy, like a child. “Just give me a chance, Seungwan.”  

 

 

She actually starts to be grateful towards the time traveling chance she’s given. She actually starts to like Son Seungwan more and more, who isn’t only ‘Wendy’ to her anymore.

 

 

And Wendy chuckles again, she sounds genuinely amused this time, “So this ride isn’t free after all.”

 

 

“Why?” Irene quirks an eyebrow at her. She fails to understand her words and the change of her mood.

 

 

 

“You’re confessing.” She takes a quick glance at Irene’s confused face and cracks a wide smile. “And you aren’t going to let me go unless I say yes.”

 

 

So Irene laughs out loud, not quite lady-like, “You’re such a professional, Seungwan-ah.”

 

 

Wendy unfastens her seatbelt and turns her body to the driver, “And I’m going to say yes.” 

 

 

Irene swears she’s going to burst into tears, she doesn’t expect she’d be so emotional with her little love confession accepted. She swears Wendy got her slowly addicted since they have met in that “future”. 

 

 

 

She’s happy that she’s woven with Seungwan, and she’s going to keep it that way for the rest of her life. It’s fine even the road is going to get bumpy. 

 

 

Not wasting any time, she leans in and kisses her long. Months ago, Irene has never thought of kissing a girl like that. Not before she met her Seungwan.

 

 

 

“I could make you happy, make your dreams come true,

Nothing that I wouldn't do.

Go to the ends of the Earth for you,

To make you feel my love.”

 

 

 

“Irene-” Wendy breaks away wanting to say something but is stopped.

 

 

The said girl grins brightly, “Call me Joohyun.”

 

 

“Okay.” She clears . “Joohyun, please take care of me.”

 

 

“Kyahhh, you’re really cute. I promise you I will.” She playfully cups her cheeks and nips them tenderly. “But Seungwan-ah, I’m greedier. Please spoil me, and I know you will.”

 

 

 

“You’re unbelievable.” Wendy struggles away from Irene’s hands and backs away.

 

 

“Say yes.” Irene childishly yanks and pokes her arms.

 

 

“Okay.” She holds one of her hands and interlaces their fingers one by one. “I promise you.”

 

 

“Thank you, Wan-ah.” She steals a peck on her cheek before getting ready to drive again.

 

 

 

“Wan-ah?” Wendy disbelievingly retorts. “We are that intimate to call each other pet names already?”

 

 

“You don’t like it?” Irene naturally juts her lips as her effort isn’t appreciated. 

 

 

She can’t really get mad at her, maybe she’s already whipped, “Not really. I....... Just, am not used to it.”

 

 

“You’ll get used to it.” She lifts a lopsided grin.

 

 

 

Wendy nips her bottom lip a little and mumbles timidly, “Thank you too.”

 

 

“You’re welcome.” Irene lets out another laugh and steals another peck. 

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

Irene lays flat on her bed and giggles by herself like a crazy woman. She wants to share it to Seulgi but the bear might just to death. She’s so excited, so energized, so hopeful. 

 

 

It said it’ll have this year’s first snow in the coming week when she watched the weather forecast before bed. And she just wants to watch it with Wendy.

 

 

It’s December already, 2015. Yet Irene doesn’t plan to rush things, not all. 

 

 

Now they are together. And Irene knows they got plenty of time ahead, together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

Hey, I'm back :) 

Hope you guys still remember the story cuz it's been a while :P

 

Tell me if you like how it's going or not.

And Irene's after Wendy now haha 

Well, who can resist her after having that dream :)

 

See you soon.

xo