Irene's POV
As expected... She's gone out already.
I did my morning routine before going down. I saw a served breakfast at the counter top. I went to it and saw a note beside it.
Good morning, love.
I had to leave early. I thought of not waking you up anymore, wouldn't want to disturb your sleep. I prepared breakfast. You eat well, okay?
I love you.
"I love you too." I said in a whisper. I wonder when are we going to have that exchange again, aside frome these notes and texts.
I sat and start to eat the food she prepared. It's not the first time she cooks for me. She always does it. She still does a lot of things for me.
She loves me, I do feel it. She's here, but it gets lonely at times. Sometimes I wished her suspension didn't end. She had more time for me, or am I just being sefish thinking this way?
My phone suddenly rang that took me out of my thoughts. I answered it.
"Joy?"
"Unnie? Do you have plans? Can Wendy and I visit you?"
"Huh?"
"We were planning on going out but we haven't decided where to go, so I said why not visit you." She excitedly said.
"Yah! This is not a date place." I said.
"It would be fun, like last time! But this time, Wendy and I will be cooking for you an Seulgi unnie."
"Why don't I tell your mother, you're dating the daughter of their business partner? Then maybe you two can cook in each others houses."
"You're also dating the daughter of your company's new business partner. You're just lucky you own a house now." Joy said. I chuckled.
"Fine, you can come." I give up.
"Well you have no choice even if you declined, we're close already." what?! Oh who am I kidding! This is Joy we're talking about.
"Unnie?" Wendy decided to speak up on the other line. I just hummed in response. "Can you tell Seulgi to at least see her phone. I called her tons of times, she isn't picking up." oh.
"She's not here." I said that made them silent for a good minute.
"Oh. Okay." Wendy said.
"I guess we'll be cooking for 1 person only." Joy said. Suddenly the bell rang.
"Are you here already?" I asked.
"No unnie. Maybe 5 minutes?" Wendy said. Then who?
"Okay now. Focus on the road lovebirds. I'll hang up now, someone's at the door. I'll see you." they said the same before I end the call.
I went to the door only to met Yeri.
"What are you doing here?"
"Assuming that you and Seulgi unnie isn't on a good note, wanted to pay you a visit." she said as she walk passed me and let herself in the house. "Ooh! You have some good paintings here." She said looking around. "Where did you buy it?"
"It's Seulgi's. She made them." I said, proudly.
"She's not just hot but talented too!? Oh you hit the jackpot unnie." She went a little closer to a painting. "Seriously! This is so good." She then look at me. "Where is she by the way?"
"She had to go somewhere." I said. Actually, I'm not even sure where she is. Is she at school? At the company? I don't know.
"See! We could have been enjoying a small vacation now." She whined and sat over the couch. And now she have decided to have her vacation here. I just saw the bag she brought.
"Help yourself." I said and went back to my kitchen. I have no energy to go against her now. I clean up the the counter and wash the dishes. Not long later the doorbell rang again.
"Yerimah, can you get that?" I said. She's watching TV now.
"You're expecting someone?" She asked, as she stands up.
"It's Joy." I said and before I now it she ran to the door.
"Unnie! and who is this?" The last part she's asking in curiosity.
"Yerimah. How are you here?" Joy said. I went and greet the two.
"I'm asking who are you with?" Yeri said eyeing Wendy.
"Her girlfriend." I said to her. She shot me a look of surprise.
"Huh?! Seriously?" She then look at the two again.
"Hi, I'm Wendy." She intorduce herself. I can't help but laugh at Yeri's reaction now.
"Hello Wendy unnie. I suppose you're older than me?" she asked.
"Yes, since you're calling Joy unnie." Wendy answered.
"You have a girlfriend." She pointed at Joy before facing me. "You have a fiancé." she pointed at herself. "What about me?" I laugh at that only to realize what Yeri just blurted out, as soon as I saw the two girls' expression.
"Fiancé?" Wendy asked.
"Yup! Kang Seulgi, you two know her?" Yeri, shut up. "Actually, I'm here to confront her about what problem they're having now." the two are only staring at me. "Joy unnie! Did you know? We went to Auntie's hometown last nig--hhm" this time I cover her mouth with my own hand to make her stop.
"What?" Joy reacted worriedly. I remove my hand from Yerim and glared at her. With I know that she realize she spoke to much. "Why were you there? What happened?"
"Seulgi unnie happened." Yeri spoke again.
"Kim Yerim!" I warned her.
"What about Seulgi?" This time it's Wendy who spoke.
"So you do know her." Yeri said.
"She's my friend. But what happened?" When I look at Joy and Yeri, they're waiting for my answer too.
"Shall we sit?" I said to them and poited at our living area.
When we found ourselves comfortable already, that's when I speak up. I look at Wendy.
"How does Seulgi manage her time?" When I asked that I saw how Wendy shake her head.
"Bad. Pretty bad." Wendy said. That's why... "She's workaholic."
"Isn't that what she's known for. Everyone know this." Joy said. "Is it the problem, unnie?"
"I didn't know that." Yeri suddenly butt in. Joy just shake her head. "but is it the problem?" she look at me, curious too.
"I don't know. Maybe I got used to her attention during her suspension from school." I said embarrassed.
"What makes you feel and think like this?" Wendy asked. She's trying to understand.
"Yeah. What does she do that turned you like this?"
"It's just that, I seldom see her. We barely got any interactions now." I said.
"What do you mean? You live in the same house." Yeri
"I know but at some times I feel like I live alone, that I just had a lover who takes care of me and that's all. It's like, I feel her presence but the next minute it's gone. Am I being dramatic?"
"Yes." Yeri
"No." Wendy
The both said it at the same time. They look at each other.
"You go ahead. Seulgi unnie's your friend I want to know what you think." Yeri said to her.
"Seulgi can sometimes be a little too much." She said. "She's the type who wouldn't leave her work unfinished. She likes reading advance topics or books that could be of help, in her free time. I don't even know if it's still called as free time. Given that she's already a trainee at their company now, I guess it worsen. Her workaholic ass had always been a problem..." Wendy admit.
"But isn't she always with you guys?" Joy asked. "She's like that but I can see she always make time for you."
"That's because we ask for her time." She look at me. "With Seulgi, it's like asking for an appointment. She would only decline if she has really important work to do, but she'll surely make it up to you." I didn't know that.
"Unnie, Seulgi genuinely likes you." Wendy said. "Whatever you're feeling now, don't keep it to yourself. Tell her and she'll listen." I then remember Seulgi saying the same words to me. "She's not the type who would invalidate the thoughts of those close to her, specially not yours."
"Was she always like that?" Yeri asked.
"Yes." Wendy answered. "All Kangs are like that, except that the others have found how to spend leisure to balance out their work ethics. Seulgi on the other hand, never give herself free time. She didn't even have hobbies, to begin with..."
"She paints though." Yeri said and pointed at the paintings on the wall.
"She did those?!" Joy exclaimed.
"Unnie said." Yeri.
"Those paintings are made because someone asked her to do it." I look at Wendy shocked. Seulgi meant to hide the pieces, I was the one who insists on putting it up to the walls. "It was her grandfather who taught her to paint. It was also him who asked her for those."
"And she never took interest in art?" Yeri questioned. "These things are good."
"I know some teachers have been pursuing her to join art club, until now. She is good. Sometimes I thought maybe her grandfather just ask her to do it for her to learn a hobby." Wendy explained. "She had always been so focus in academic and works stuffs, that's why we were ecstatic when she said she likes someone already." She look at me with a hint of hesitation. What... "We were worried but we we're mostly glad, she finally had something for herself aside from studies."
"Why do I feel like you were against unnie, when you knew about it?" Joy said looking at her girlfriend.
"I feel it too." Yeri said.
To be honest, I can feel it as well.
Before Wendy can react my phone started ringing. I picked up and pause when I saw the caller ID.
"Unnie? Are you okay?" Joy asked.
"Who's calling?" Yeri, being the person that she is take a look over my phone. "Unnie." she reacted as shocked.
"Who..." Joy waited for one of to say it.
"Suho. I think he's back." I said to them. I look over to Wendy and I can't read the expression she have right now.
"Aren't you going to answer that?" Yeri said. I look at all of them.
"I am. Excuse me." I said and stand up. Before I can even walk far, I heard Wendy faintly said something. She mumbled but I caught it. I heard it well.
"And that's why."