Prognosis

Chapter 6

Irene sits at her desk, her mind in the gutter. She frowns, her eyebrows meeting. She glares at her computer screen, eyes filled with pure confusion.

Nothing seems to be adding up. She’s done her research, to her fullest extent, yet she’s obtained little to no information about a case as critical as Wendy’s. It’s been hours, days, and weeks since she’s started her research and there has never been such a case that has been reported. Irene isn’t sure what to make of it. How could she help the girl without knowing how to start the prognoses?

The purple haired girl leans back into her chair, letting out a frustrated growl. She ruffles her own hair, clumping all into one ball.

Wendy is a mystery that Irene doesn’t know how to solve. And she hates that. She hates the fact she doesn’t know how to help the girl.

She leaves her seat and heads to her kitchen, grabbing a mug and making herself a cup of hot coffee.

With shaky hands, she brings the cup of hot Joe to her lips, the drink burning her mouth, yet she continues to chug the drink down. She let’s it burn her throat, hoping that it would help her dissolve the unknown feeling that’s been building up in her stomach.

Irene can feel herself slowly burn up, eyes wary and her body weak. The thought of Wendy had put the older girl into a state of insomnia. She hasn’t been able to rest without feeling something is dragging her down in a week now. She would’ve never thought that on the day she first met the brunette, Wendy could’ve impacted her life so much. She would’ve never though that her world would have turned upside down, inside out, purely because of one person. One person that had three personalities: each having their screwed up mental states.

Irene can feel her eyes begin to droop, despite the fact she had just chugged down an entire cup of scorching hot coffee. She gives up, slowly walking herself to her room, flopping herself onto her bed. She closes her eyes and hopes tomorrow is a better day.

***

“Have you ever thought of maybe dating her?” Seulgi asks innocently, her eyes gleaming with mischievousness.

Irene can feel her face burning up, the tip of her ears burning a deep shade of red.

“Why would I ever think that?!” she retorts, hitting Seulgi aggressively.

“Ow!” The younger complains, rubbing her forearm hoping that it would sooth the pain. “I was saying that maybe, if you started dating her then the personalities would start opening up. Y’know, actually start talking about the problems they have.” She says, still staring at her bright red arm.

For once, Seulgi made sense.

Dating would definitely help the girl open up. Dating would also let Irene be in close proximity with Wendy more often. Overall, the plan seemed logical. But what would happen if they broke up? Can she even get Wendy to say yes to her in the first place?

As Irene continues to ponder, Seulgi’s mischievous smile grew.

“If you’re wondering on how to ask Wendy out... I suggest asking her out directly. She’s pretty oblivious. She reacts pretty well if you ask her out directly. And if you’re afraid she’ll turn you down, she won’t. Wendy always gives people chances. If she still doesn’t like them then, then she’ll ask for a break up. I’ve never seen the girl ever turn down a guy before.” Seulgi explains, as if she was reading the elder’s mind.

“And if she’s homophobic?” Irene asks seemingly calm (though her heart was racing and her hands were jittering).

“Wendy likes who she likes. She told me that herself. She’s never turned anyone down before, Irene. Guy or girl, she always accepted them for who they are and not their sexuality.” Seulgi says, briefly taking a sip of her hot mocha after her last word.

“What would happen if we broke up?” Irene was clearly very sceptical about the idea. She’s been through heart break before; what would happen if she became too attached? The older girl already has feelings for the brunette, becoming attached could be as easy as that. She doesn’t want to face another heartbreak, not now.

“I doubt that she’ll ask for a break up... well, at least not anytime soon, Unnie.”

“And why is that?”

“She’s already so in love with you” Seulgi says under her breath, just low enough so Irene couldn’t hear her.

“What was that?”

“Oh, nothing” Seulgi throws the older girl a bright smile, her eyes forming crescents. The orange haired girl takes a quick glance at the clock behind Irene, letting a fake sounding gasp escape her lips. “Oh gosh, I have class soon.” She smirks and starts packing her things. “Well, I have to go, but uh, just text me if you need any more help with Wendy.” And with that, she dashes off, leaving Irene to stare blankly at the now empty seat across her.

Irene thinks, she really wonders if the plan would work. So far, she can’t find any faults; she pushes her thoughts to the back of her head, ignoring the blaring alarm that this was a horrible idea. She convinces herself that this was fine, that the plan will work. She convinces herself that this was the best for Wendy; that this is going to help.

(When in reality, she convinced herself out of her own selfishness)

***

The purple haired girl sits in class, dazed. How is she going to execute the plan? Can she even do it? Will she brave enough to ask the girl? Or will she cower away like her usual self?

Without her realising it, Irene’s class has been dismissed. The girl sat alone, at the very back of the room, head resting on her palm, arm propped upright. Her professor eyes her curiously; Irene would always leave class as soon as possible, the girl always thought that staying back was a waste of time, yet she’s the lone student in the room at the moment. Silently, her professor makes her way to the back of her hall, making sure to keep her steps as quiet as possible. Once she reaches Irene’s seat, she carefully places her hand on Irene’s shoulder, still somehow managing to startle the girl.

“Irene... Are you okay?” the older woman asks, one brow higher than the other.

“I’m fine Unnie— Ah, Ms, Kim” she falters when she realised she’s still in the lecture hall.

“It’s fine, Joohyun. You’re the only one in the lecture hall.” Her professor chuckles when she sees the exasperated look on the purple haired girl’s face.

“Wait what?”

“It’s been a good 20 minutes since my lecture ended, my little bunny rabbit” her professor giggles behind her hand like a child, her authoritative front deteriorating.

“Hey! Don’t make fun of me Taeyeon unnie! And I’m not a kid anymore!” she complains, cheeks puffed up like a child.

Taeyeon takes a seat beside the purple haired girl, placing her books on the table before them.

“What are you thinking about, Hyun-ah? You seemed really out of it earlier” the older of the two asks, genuinely concerned for her younger cousin’s well-being.

“...it’s nothing.” Irene manages to mumbles out, still unsure whether to tell Taeyeon or not.

It’s not she doesn’t trust the older girl; it’s just that she’d rather keep the issue to herself. Btu of course, telling the older could help heaps considering the fact that she was older and is far more experienced.

But is it really a good choice?

“Is there... someone on your mind?” Taeyeon asks, her voice very serious; not even a trace of playfulness in it.

Irene wasn’t sure how to respond. She did have someone on her mind, but it wasn’t for the reason Taeyeon thinks.

So she opts to just nod instead, throwing her cousin a look, hoping that the older girl would understand.

And fortunately for her, she did.

“Oh”

The two sit in silence. Irene’s lips tightly pursed whilst Taeyeon was casually sitting her beside, unsure of what to do, what to say.

“She’s... she’s one of a kind, unnie. She really is,” Irene starts. “It’s just... she’s an enigma. Everything you know about her is false.”

Taeyeon nods understandingly.

“I want to help her but I don’t know how to,” Irene pauses, taking a deep breath. “Another friend proposed that I date her and maybe then she’ll open up but... I’m not sure about my own well-being.” Irene throws her cousin a look and the older girl nudged her, telling to continue. “I... I think I like and I’m not sure what would happen to me if... if the plan doesn’t go through as planned and we end up breaking up.”

Taeyeon could see the inner turmoil in Irene’s eyes; the girl looked like she was suffering, even though the plan hasn’t fallen through yet. Taeyeon could she how much she cared for this stranger and she’s never seen this look on Irene before. Never once has she seen such worried and overall distraught look on Irene’s face before. The purple haired girl has never shown this much emotion for a person outside of her family and small group of friends before.

“This is not my place to make decisions, Irene.”

The purple haired girl visibly slumps.

“But—“

Irene perks up.

“I do suggest doing what you feel is right. Do what your emotions tell you to do; whatever that emotion may be.”

Irene eyes the older girl, giving her a questioning stare, her cousin replying with a bright smile.

“Well, I have to get going now, you should too” Taeyeon pats the younger girl’s back lightly, leaving her in an even more dazed and confused state.

What are her emotions telling her to do?

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Sorry for not updating for so long. I've been busy. I'll try and update more since I'm on my break but no guarantees