Fluff
Word count: 1813
Author: @fated_addiction on AO3
Additional information: romance
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wendy panics.
or, that time wendy deals with her not work-related nonsense. it's a lot.
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wendy panics.
not a lot. just - she's put on the spot this time. if it's not work related, it all goes to hell.
this is irene's fault.
but first:
"so," joy says. "how did you know?"
"know?" wendy blinks. joy shoves the coffee into her hands. "what do you mean?"
"that you're in love with joohyun-unnie."
wendy stares. logically, she sets the scene: they are in a coffee shop, joy buys the coffee because it's her turn, and the barista is awkwardly trying not to ask them for an autograph even though he's set up his phone to lean against the espresso machine as a dramatic proof of life shot for all his friends. wendy feels awkward. joy, however, smiles brilliantly. shoves a strand of hair behind her ear. because she knows she's being watched. and that's joy.
"are you going to answer?"
wendy blinks. "i don't understand?" her fingers tap against the lid of her coffee cup.
"unnie." joy exaggerates a sigh. "i know that it's been awhile since you liked anyone. that and you really don't talk about -"
"but that has nothing to do with anything?"
"unnie," joy admonishes. "listen."
"i'm trying -"
"i saw you watching her the other day in the car." it seems so non committal coming out of joy's mouth. "and it was weird..." joy laughs to herself. "but you kind of, brightened? like smiling in a way that i haven't seen you smile before."
"that doesn't mean i'm in love with her," wendy regrets the words immediately. her eyes widen. her hand closes over her mouth and she breathes. oh god. sometimes slight realizations weigh more than the big, dramatic ones. she sits there and stares into space. her hand moves to clutch her throat. "at least," she mumbles. "i don't think so?"
"it was a pretty smile, unnie." joy covers her hand with her own.
sympathy doesn't make her feel good. but joy still wears that expression: sad, honest, sharp in a kindred kind of way. wendy blinks. then swallows and then curls her hands into fists. right under joy's hand.
she doesn't know what to think.
so wendy panics. starts looking into every thing ever to try and explain the sudden onslaught of feelings and their meaning. like that time irene grabs her hand to help her out of the car. her hand is warm. did she like it? or that time, irene sat next to her in the waiting room. they shared a blanket. their knees pressed into each other in a comfortable silence. was it supposed to be this warm? did she like it? of course, she liked it - but was there a deeper meaning to it.
it's a problem, she decides.
"there's lots of things i like about you," she blurts out, one day. to irene. right in front of seulgi, who basically chokes. wendy can barely recover. "just so you know," she adds quickly and irene, well, it's irene - she merely pats the back of her hand, sweeping her thumb into a small circle.
