Italic = Inner thoughts

**

Back Alley.

"What do you want?" Joy asked coldly. It had been years since she and Seulgi talked face-to-face like this. The last one was when they fought because of that scum, and now when they finally meet each other again, they also fight because of her.

"What do I want? An apology to Wendy." Seulgi crossed her hands. The trace of a smile was long gone from her usually smiley face. "Looking at Wendy's temperament now, she might not say anything to you, but that doesn't mean I won't. YOU owe her an apology!"

"An apology? Dream on. She doesn't deserve one!" Joy scoffed, and her glare intensified. "You were fooled by her many times. How could you still side with her?!"

Such an intense glare from the young woman didn't scare Seulgi. It even fueled her to crack some sense in that thick skull of hers. "I won't deny that she was a scumbag, and I was a fool to believe her before, but you were not the one staying around her for the past two months. Me, your sister, and Lily were the ones. You, of all people, have no right to judge her!"

"Miss Kang, you can't change my mind about her. This conversation is pointless." Joy shook her head and added sharply, "If you believe her, fine, do what you want. But don't meddle in my & my sister's business. You weren't there when she cried day and night because of that scumbag friend of yours!"

Joy was in disbelief at how Seulgi was so insistent on defending Wendy. What was the woman do for her that made her this loyal? Moving a mountain? Dividing a sea??

"I might not share the same love as your sister has for Wendy, but I was once in her position. I lost my house, sister, and wealth because of my scumbag friend. I once lived with the fear that I won't survive for another day," Seulgi told the young woman about something that no one, not even her sister knew. "I doubted Wendy when I met her after she lost her memories, but she proved to me that she could change into a better person. She paid her debt, and she gave me her apartment. My point is she's doing her best to redeem her mistake. She doesn't deserve any of your insults!"

"Oh, do I care? No. Their divorce is around the corner, and after it is finalized, I want her to stay away from my sister!" Joy hit Seulgi's chest with her finger with every sentence she said to make her point clear.

Seulgi looked sharply at Joy while grasping the hand that kept hitting her chest. It was still as warm as before. They used to be quite close until Wendy lost her mind. "I believe your sister feels the same as I do. Otherwise, why would she compromise with Wendy? Even if they divorce, there's still Lily. Wendy has a right to take care of her daughter too, and you were very rude, accusing her of using Lily to get your sister!"

Joy harshly pulled her hand out of Seulgi's grasp and took a step back. Standing too close only made her feel something that she shouldn't. The woman in front of her was that scum's friend. She wouldn't be any better than her friend! "I stand by my opinion. I won't let her mess around with my sister's life's again!"

"I'm here not to change your opinion about her, "Seulgi replied, trying to be as calm as possible. "Believe what you want to believe, but don't ever insult Wendy again. She's trying her best to be a better person!"

"I can say whatever I want to say. Who are you to tell me otherwise? Once a scum is forever a scum!"

"Shut up!" Seulgi suddenly slammed her hand on the wall behind Joy, startling the younger woman. They looked at each other's eyes so closely in anger, with Joy trapped between the wall and Seulgi's body.

"The are you going to do, Kang-"

"Then I can say that you're such a blackhearted person. You're just Irene's step-sister. Stop meddling in her business like you know what the best for her more than herself. You are just a fool who thinks your sister is incapable of thinking right!"

"Who did you call a fool-"

"What? Are you mad?? You can insult Wendy, but I can't insult you?" Seulgi challenged the younger woman back. "People make mistakes. Who are you to judge that they'll never change? Instead of meddling in other people's relationships, start worrying about yourself. You're getting older but you still act like a child who is about to lose their toys. Throwing tantrums here and there. Even Lily is more well-behaved than you!"

"Miss Kang, I warn you-"

Seulgi was relentless. She didn't give Joy a chance to speak. "It's up to you if you want to keep your grudge against her, but if I hear a single word of you insulting Wendy again in public, I will report you for defamation. All the customers here can be her witness."

Not even stopping for a breath, Seulgi continued, "My friend is trying her best to fix her mistake, and I won't let anyone, especially YOU, belittle her. Wendy is a thousand times better than someone who can never move on from the past. Especially when the past is not directly inclined with them. Who are you, Miss Park? Why are you acting like the greatest victim when you were never in my or Irene's shoes? Why do you think that you're so clever and we are just brainless fools that can't see what is wrong, what is right?"

Joy fisted her palms before pushing Seulgi's body in irritation. "If you are that clever, you would also stay away from her! But you're defending your friend like she had moved a mountain for you. The debts she paid to you and my sister are within her responsibility. Not something that one can brag about!"

"Something that small to you doesn't mean the same to others. Stop assessing things from your point of view only!" Seulgi shook her head in frustration.

"I grew up with Wendy, and I knew what she was like. Paying her debts, admitting her mistakes, and trying to fix them is something that the old her would never do! Wendy's personality improvement is impressive. I believe your sister also sees it. Even Lily sees it. Go and ask all the staff here, listen to what they say about Wendy, visit her company, ask her colleagues, and you'll see that you're the only one who is still holding a grudge over something that happened in the past! Grow up, Miss Park. Do you want to live harboring hate for the rest of your life?!"

Joy gritted her teeth. She remembered Seulgi was once a dumb-smiling friend of Wendy who foolishly followed her friend around like a chicken to its mother hen. But it seemed that the latter matured a lot over the years. If Seulgi can change, then why can't Wendy? Maybe it was true that she was the one who still lingered in the past when everyone else had already moved on with their life. Would she like to live like this until her last breath? Hating Wendy only brought immense stress to herself.

Seeing Joy didn't say anything back, Seulgi thought maybe some senses had finally penetrated into that thick skull of hers.

"Miss Park, please know your boundaries. Don't force your opinion on others, even if they're your sister. You should respect Irene's decision. I know you also want the best for her, but please trust her this time. She knows what's best for her more than you think she does. All of us are no longer the old us. We are not as dumb as you think we are. You can choose to stay in the past or move forward with us. It's up to you, but my words still stand. If you insult Wendy again, I won't stay still."

After making her last statement, Seulgi walked past her and opened the back door, not giving any glance to Joy. She knew she had already made her point clear, and it was up to the younger woman to decide for herself.

…

…

Once she was inside, away from Joy's hearing, Seulgi held her reddened hand with a little tear in the corner of her eyes. She had been holding herself from shouting in pain, to appear strong in front of the younger woman. "Oow sh*t! That wall is so ing hard!" Hitting the wall was such an impulsive act out of anger, and she regretted it now.

…

…

On the way back, Irene observed her sister, who was awfully quiet in the backseat. She didn't ask what they talked about, because if Joy didn't lash out or complain to her, then what Seulgi said to her made a point. Which was difficult to achieve, even for her. She felt thankful to Seulgi because when Joy returned, her sister was a lot calmer. Although Joy still refused to talk with Wendy, the hate in her eyes was no longer palpable. It was like, in the span of 15 minutes, her sister was hit with sense. How did Seulgi do that??

Arriving at the house, Wendy carried a sleeping Lily in her arms. She put the young child on the bed and asked Irene whether they should wake Lily up to brush her teeth and change into pajamas or let her rest for a while.

Irene was firm about letting Lily change first, so Wendy woke up their daughter and coaxed the latter to brush her teeth with her. Joy crossed her arms while observing Wendy, who seemed to know what to do. The woman wandered around the house like its master. Something that she had never seen from the old Wendy. Meanwhile, her sister went to the kitchen to make food prep while occasionally telling Wendy to take the pajama from Lily's second drawer because she hadn't ironed the freshly washed laundry in the first drawer. The two worked together like they deeply understood and trusted each other.

Once Lily finally tucked in her bed wearing purple bunny pajamas, the three of them moved to the living room. Because Joy was strangely civil, Irene felt really happy. Finally, a day without Joy insulting Wendy or complaining to her. The young manager put three cups of tea on the table and told the other two women to have a sip. After drinking her tea, Wendy didn't prolong her stay, saying that she had work to do at home and bid her goodbye.

Her sister accompanied Wendy to the front door and didn't return for a while. Even after the sound of Wendy's car faded away, her sister was still outside. Doing God knows what. When her sister finally returned, Joy's keen eyes did not miss the sweet smile on the latter face. It felt like a long time ago since her sister smiled that sweetly to others than her and Lily. When she looked deeper into Irene's eyes, she noticed that the gleam that once dimmed was now back in full force. She had to admit that her sister had this little glow of happiness around her, and she knew who the cause was.

Isn't she always longing for her sister's smile? Didn't she want her sister to be happy?? Wendy was the one who robbed her sister's smile, but she was also the only person who could make her sister look more alive than before. In the span of 2 months, Wendy made such a drastic change in Irene, and she was too blind to see it because of her hatred.

No matter what I do, there ain't no way to separate them. Look at that sickening smile. Even Irene doesn't realize that she has been smiling for 10 minutes straight now!

Joy groaned in her seat, and Irene shifted her eyes to her sister. "What's wrong? More tea??" She asked while holding her cup.

"No, but I have a question."

Irene thought that Joy would lecture her again, so she put her cup down and prepared her heart (and ears) to listen to her sister's complaints. "What is it?"

"Are you happy, Unnie?"

"Huh?" Irene didn't expect that Joy would ask her this question. It surprised her.

"Compared to years ago. Are you happier now?" Joy asked her again with a softer voice.

Irene pondered for a second. Honestly, she had been thinking about it lately. "I feel everything in my life is balanced once again. But then, I'm not the same me from years ago. I appreciate every little thing now. So yes, I'm happy."

"Does she make you happy?"

Irene cast her eyes down as soon as she heard the question. It was evident that the older woman was burdened with it.

"Just tell me how you are feeling. I won't make you choose anyone of us. Sorry, I threatened you before, Unnie." Joy brushed her hair while regretting her harsh words in the past. She didn't know when it had changed, but it turned out that Wendy was no longer the person who made her sister sad. It was all her doing.

"She makes me happy nowadays." Irene bit her lips. "Is it that obvious?"

Even my dog at home will notice it if I bring her here to bark at you … Joy sighed deeply and fell silent for a while. She was still worried that Wendy would hurt her sister again. "If she makes you cry again, I will kill her, Unnie. Mark my words."

Irene nodded, and the smile finally returned to her face. "I won't hinder you. I'll even prepare the sharpest knife."

"Good. I'll have your words, Unnie." Taking her coat, Joy added, "I'm going home now. Call me if anything."

But before reaching the door, she stopped and turned around to face her sister again. "That Kang Seulgi, what is her position in the restaurant? Sometimes she serves customers and sometimes stands behind the cashier counter."

"Seulgi?" The young manager raised her brows. "Wendy told me that she was recently promoted to assistant supervisor. She'll take care of everything until they find a new cashier. Why did you ask?"

"Just curious."

Irene saw her sister's fleeting back and thought, weird. It had been years since Joy talked about Seulgi. The younger woman used to tell her about Seulgi this, Seulgi that. She even believed that she knew Seulgi as much as Wendy because of her sister.

"Is she interested in Seulgi?"

…

…

Not long after Joy went home, Irene received a message from Mr. Go asking about her decision about counseling. If she didn't book a slot soon, her divorce submission would likely be pushed to another month. As her lawyer, Mr. Go had to remind her client about the urgency.

Irene sighed as she stared at her screen. Honestly, it slipped off her mind because she was occupied by many things recently, especially those concerning Wendy.

To: Mr. Go

Can you tell me more about this counseling?

From: Mr. Go

It'll be a three-way talk between the applicant, their partner, and the counselor. The court wants a better understanding of the applicant and their partner's situation from a professional view. Whether a divorce is the only solution for their problem or not. Although the decision will still be in the applicant's hands, the court wants to provide a room for the married couple to have their last talk before ending their relationship.

From: Mr. Go

A slot for next week is still open. If you want to attend, let me know tomorrow at the latest.

Irene read through her message and thought that she and Wendy should attend this counseling. They really need to talk about their relationship. A real talk. Personally, Irene needed this to make her decision, whether to go on or pull the divorce plan back. After signing the agreement, Wendy never expressed any refusal about their divorce again. So, the young manager didn't know what Wendy was thinking about their marriage.

She wasn't even sure if Wendy wanted to stay married to her or not because, in the past, it was the younger woman who brought up the divorce topic during their fight. Hopefully, the counseling will help them to address their marriage's direction. Irene admitted that they got married at a relatively young age. Maybe that was why they kept fighting each other, so the counseling was a good chance to find what was best for them. To stay in a marriage or not, and especially to find out what Wendy thought about their marriage.

Opening her Kokoa chat, Irene sent a message to Wendy. If the latter was already asleep, at least she would get a reply, the first thing in the morning.

To: Wendy

Do you have some time next week?

How about we go to marriage counseling?

…

…

As soon as Wendy arrived at her apartment, she discarded her jacket and rolled her sleeve. Not wanting to waste her time, she quickly typed what had happened at today's dinner, how Joy insulted her, and how Seulgi helped her. She really owed Seulgi a lot because when the younger woman came back from talking, she stopped throwing daggers at Wendy. Wendy thought that she owed her friend her life too. Without Seulgi, she wouldn't reach this stage of her journey. Not even close.

With the thought of Seulgi in her mind, Wendy typed in her new entry: 'Kang Seulgi. A dear friend I wish I had in my real world. It was a pity that she didn't exist there. But I'm grateful that I have a chance to meet her here in Universe X. The original owner is surrounded by kind people. It's still a mystery to me why she harassed their trust in her. If it was me, I would never …'

Wendy's fingers stopped typing as she realized something. Seulgi also deserved to know who she really was. The woman deserved to know that her real best friend was already dead. She shouldn't keep the truth from her friend if she values their friendship. As she was thinking about it, her phone suddenly beeped, startling her. She unlocked her phone and found that it was Irene who had sent her a message in the middle of the night.

Oh, the marriage counseling.

Wendy remembered Irene had told her about this counseling before. As much as she wanted them to stay in this marriage, with Irene still having a lingering feeling toward her scum wife, Wendy didn't think it was right for them to be tied in such a relationship. Besides, she was planning to tell Irene the truth soon, and she was sure that the woman would still divorce her in the end. So, there was no need for her to delay this matter. But, she really appreciated that Irene asked her nicely instead of commanding her to attend the counseling. The old Irene might do it, but the woman treated her so much better now as a person. They shared mutual respect with each other.

Fingers hovering on the screen, Wendy convinced herself once again that she should let Irene go, and one of the safest ways is through a divorce. Irene told her that this counseling was mandatory to attend before she could submit their divorce paper. By asking her to attend this counseling, it only means that Irene still wanted to continue with the divorce even though their relationship had improved. So, why would she refuse something that she agreed to since the beginning? Wendy was a woman of her word. She would not back out, especially when the situation became complicated because her feelings were tangled in it.

To: Irene Bae

Yes, I can free my time next week.

Just send me the details.

From: Irene Bae

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