Let It Be Me. | SEULRENE

Chapter III

Irene's POV

She's straight, right? Gosh! Or maybe I'm just assuming that she is.

"What makes you think that I like Wendy?!" she said. Her tone startled me.

"Sorry" I said looking down. Is she mad? Maybe, I thought wrong about her.

"Why are you apologizing?" she asked. I don't get it?

"Aren't you offended that I thought you liked a woman?"

"Unnie. Why would I be? I'm open to that." what? Really?! "It's just that I was shocked that you would think that like Wendy."

"So, you don't?" I asked. I don't know why I'm nervous of what she's going to say next.

"Of course not! She's just my friend. Friends should remain friends, right?" The last thing she said hurt. it felt like I got stabbed.

"Oh. So, you're open in liking a woman, but not in liking a friend?" I asked, hoping that what I said was wrong. I've been friends with her for so long already, how can I not know this?

"Just like what you've said, there's more risks in liking a friend. Why those take risk?" Joohyun! You dumbass! Why did you said that to her? When you wanted her to fall for you. I mean I could wish right?

"Aren't you being a coward, Seulgi-yah?" I can see she was taken a back by what I just said. "Falling in love is taking risks. You're acting as if you've never been in love before." I said sternly. I don't get my sudden change of mood, but I just felt like having it.

"Woah! Unnie! As far as I remember, you've never had a relationship with anyone. Now, you're acting like you've experience love already." I swear to God! That hit me, hard. I just stayed quite after she said those and continued to eat my food. It's not like I'm not in love with her for years now. Of course, she doesn't know that.

"Sorry unnie." I heard her say that.

"You don't need to apologize. You were right." lie.

Maybe it was really wrong of me to fall in love with a friend. I wish I have stopped myself from falling. I should've kept my distance from the very beginning. It was just a happy crush then, not until I started to get close to her. She's not that hard to fall in love with. What's hard is how to fall out of love, when you're already so into her.

After our dinner, we both did our evening routine. None of us talking, is really unsual. I just stayed silent. I don't even know how to start a conversation again after that.

"Unnie..." She called as she gets out of the bathroom. Joohyun, please... She's just your bestfriend. JUST. "C-can you help me dry my hair?" why did she even took a shower? She doesn't like it when her hair's wet. "Unnie!" She called again, it startled me.

"O-okay." I walk to where she is. She's already sitting on a chair. I then started blow drying her hair.

"Unnie..." I just hummed in response. "We're okay, right?" She asked. I know that tone in her voice.

"We're okay, Seulgi-yah" I'm not.

"But why do I fee--" she couldn't finish what she was about to say when a phone started ringing. I look at her through the mirror. "It's yours unnie." she said.

I stopped what I'm doing and went to where I put my phone. When I saw who's calling, it made me frown but still answered it though.

"Irene, just please." he said. He's been following me around since I returned home from summer. "I get that you're just protective of her, but you know me. I'll--"

"Look Suho--" I stopped him from talking just to also be stopped because of the sight I have now, after turning around.

Seulgi's having trouble drying her hair. Yaaah! What would you do without me, you bear!

"Rene..." He said on the other line.

"I'll talk to you some other time, Suho." I said before ending the call.

I walk back to Seulgi and grabbed the hair dryer from her.

"I'll do it." I said and giggled. "How do you even dry your hair when I'm not around?" I asked her.

"I can do it, it'll just take me longer. And when have you ever not been around, unnie" she said. Right! I've always been here for her.

"How about summer breaks Kang, we're always away from each other in those times." I'm now brushing her hair.

"I've got mom and Yeji." she said. I stopped on my tracks when I just realised something.

"I'm graduating this year, Seulgi." I said, that made her turn and face me.

When she started college, her parents have decided to get her her own apartment already. They thought in that way, Seulgi will learn to be independent. Seulgi can actually do that. She can even take care of others. But I don't think she is as independent as we wish her to be, already.

"I can't believe this will be the last year." She said. Her tone expresses sadness. "You're flying to New York after graduation, right? That was your plan." she give me a smile, that I wish she didn't.

"You're going to be fine without me, Seulgi-yah." I lowered myself down and reach for her hands.

"Unnie, we still have a year. I'm gonna be fine when that time comes, I promise. Just let me be dependent for the last time." she said and squeezed my hands. "Let's go to sleep now." she said and went to her bed. "Come here already. I wan't my cuddles unnie." she said cutely, opening her arms as she waits for me.

You promised you're going to be fine when that time comes. I don't even know how will I get use to those days without you, Seulgi.

Maybe I really do need to get rid of these feelings first, then find assurance that everything's going to be fine here before I go.

I know the perfect person to help me...