One Thing Right Chapter 3 | Wenrene

One Thing Right

Chapter 3

"Exchanged Words"

Today was the first day of Seulgi being away for their company's team building and Wendy's start of her terror. Seulgi reminded her about Irene earlier this morning, she even left her own phone number in case there will be emergencies. She also dropped a paper showing Irene's schedule for the week for Wendy to refer to whenever she feels like checking on her. The moment Seulgi went away, she could already feel her head spinning and her chest pumping. She's so clueless how everything will work when she didn't even know how to approach Irene. 

She pried Seulgi to learn more about the girl but the only thing she told her about Irene was her line of work. The rest was left in vain, probably because Seulgi didn't want to disclose more about Irene without her permission. She already said so much about her, the most confidential ones for that matter, so Wendy understood that.

Irene was a model. For Wendy, that's already enough clue for her to do her own research. As she browsed through google, she can't help but admire the beauty that the woman possessed and that she's very deserving of all the fame. She reads a few description about her working personality from other models and they were all nice compared to the one she witnessed that night. She also can't believe the woman's outstanding working portfolio. Irene modelled for very famous fashion brands, she did several commercials too including one of her favorite soju and even worked with big celebrities in Korea. The one that caught her eye was that Irene's currently working with Park Bogum who's very famous for being a sweet and very responsible man that every in-laws would pray for. Wendy had heard about him but how come she had not heard or seen Irene before?

In all honesty, Wendy has no knowledge about showbiz and what more for models? If there were celebrities she could remember then those names surely were well known across the whole country or probably one of her friends or colleagues had persisted to talk about non-stop. She rarely opens the television at the living room to see trends, she rarely checks her phone and she's not on any social media platform. She only uses her phone related to music and a bit of research about her work or to do important calls. Wendy was the type of person that minds her own business and gossips weren't welcome to her as long as it's not about her. Sometimes that was the reason why it's so hard to connect with her which some of friends and co-workers were complaining about. But she just shrugged it off saying that if it's really something important then a call or a visit should be their first option anyway.

After a short while, Wendy closed her laptop and lay down on the sofa. With eyes closed, she sighed deeply. Wendy never wanted to intrude anyone's life and here she was doing some research about someone she did not even know personally. And what's worst with that was she found herself agreeing to an almost stranger's request to take care of another stranger. "What have I got myself into?" She groaned. "Wendy you're so stupid!" were her last words before she fell asleep.

The moment she opened her eyes, it was already evening. Typical Wendy day. 

She then prepared her dinner in the kitchen and ate it once cooked. She looked at her watch, it's 7pm and she still has an hour before expecting her neighbor to be home. That didn't make her any less nervous though, it felt like she's going to do a report in front of the bosses, her chest was pumping, body's going numb and she's zoning out. By then, she started pacing back and forth.

An hour passed by, she started glancing out of her window checking whether someone's coming but there was none. She checked her watch again and it's 8:08pm. "Maybe she's stuck in traffic". She thought and went back to the sofa and open the TV to break the silence engulfing. She switches the channel one to another unconcsiously. Not certain what she's really looking for, she closed the TV and checked her phone only to stream some music. She managed to glance at the time before successfuly doing so. It's already 8:21pm.

"Damn it, she's late." She said. She stood up next to the door and paced back and forth again. Her nervousness was added with a feeling of worry for the other and she's about to lose her mind. Time flew and was going to call Seulgi when she heard keys rustling next door. Irene came back at 9:05pm. "Fuck." She cursed as her nervousness resurfaces greatly.

Wendy was dazed and there's no way she'll be able to speak to Irene in this state. She's completely useless when it comes to approaching new people and so she was about to surrender when she heard someone vomitting. 

Unsure where she pulled out her courage but she opened her door immediately to check on her neighbor who's still unsuccessful in opening her apartment's main door. 

"Oh my god! What happened to you?!!" She went straight to the slightly squatted girl surrounded with her vomit, her hand slightly hanging on the door knob for some support. 

"Who the hell are you?" Irene spoke the moment she catches the intruder, her eyes shooting daggers to Wendy.

Wendy dismissed the cold gesture and helped her out. She noticed right away that Irene's eyes have trace of tears, face slightly red and her breath smells alcohol. Damn, Wendy knew right away she's drunk. Great.

"No. Thank you!" Irene forced herself out from Wendy's hold who's only trying to support her to stand straight. "I can do this myself. Mind your own business." She pushed Wendy and continued her struggle to put the key inside the door knob. 

Wendy's patience was running out. She took the key away from Irene and successfully opened the door for her. 

Irene suddenly collapsed and Wendy immediately caught her. It was too obvious that Irene was drunk to stay awake for too long. The blonde then set the woman straight to her bed and cleaned the floor in front of the main door before attending to Irene.

"Damn, is it even okay for a pregnant woman to drink?" She irritatingly said to no one but surely she wanted to scold Irene with intensity. "How could she do that to herself and to the baby?!" She added. 

It was not difficult for Wendy to identify Irene's room, thanks to the name tag on the door. As she made her way to attend to Irene, she can't help but stare at her for a moment. It was Wendy's first time to finally get a glimpse of the woman before her. Wendy was mesmerized and can't help but wonder why would the father who impregnate her would do such a cruel thing to her, leaving her all alone to carry a huge responsibility. 

She wake up Irene abruptly for her to take a glass of water. Thankfully the woman obeyed quietly and Wendy watched her gulp the water thirstily. Alcohol could really get anyone dehydrated. Irene then went back to sleep.

Wendy cleaned the woman by wiping her face and exposed skin only with wet towel to freshen her up a bit. She took out Irene's coat, sandals and unbuttoned her blouse to extent only that would help dissipate the extra warmth that the alcohol caused to her body. She was very careful attending Irene, with consideration of giving the woman comfort at the same time respecting her privacy. She went out of the bedroom after she tucked Irene in the sheets and was satisfied with the aircondition's temperature.

She glanced at her watch, it's already 11:35pm. The blonde girl decided to stay in her neighbor's place, she wanted to assure that everything was fine with the drunk pregnant woman. Drunk people tend to do things out of their usual self, so in order to prevent any disaster, Wendy will stay close to her for this night. Anyway, she wasn't really sleepy since she rested well from her afternoon nap and she did not really plan to sleep either in this place so might as well stay alert.

However, despite being confident in pulling an all nighter, her weariness engulfed her the moment she sat on the sofa. Swiftly, she travelled to dreamland hoping at the back of her head that she will not to come across Irene.

In the morning..

 Wendy stirred uncomfortably on the sofa once the sunshine coming across from the window hit her eyes. She felt her neck and back pain instantly due to sleeping in a sitting position but despite that, her body was unexpectedly warm. She opened her eyes to see a blanket embracing her body. Weird, I don't remember putting this on myself. She thought but her confusion was immediately answered when she met a pair of eyes gazing at her in the living room. 

Wendy stiffens and quickly repositions herself in like a military sitting position. 

"Uh-uhm.. you're awake. S-sorry I slept on your couch." She stammered, eyes looking at the floor.

Wendy could feel the intense gaze that Irene was shooting at her. She shifted on her seat uncomfortably but readying her defense in case Irene decided to attack. Did she forgot what happened last night? What if she does not remember me? What if she thought I'm a burglar. Wait, why would she put a blanket over me if she thought I'm a bad person?" Wendy's mind was on rage and her facial expressions giving her away to the woman in front. She stopped immediately when she heard Irene sighing loudly. Wendy watches Irene finally loosened a bit and set her back comfortably on the sofa, with arms and legs crossed.

"You must be the neighbor Seulgi mentioned. Am I correct, Wendy?" Irene asked nonchalantly. Wendy relaxed a bit by hearing her name, finally she's safe from being a burglar thanks to Seulgi. 

"Y-Yeah. I'm Wendy." She does not know what else to say to Irene so she just settled for a one question one answer system. Her nerves were killing her.

"Look. I don't know up to what extent Seulgi talked about me to you. But just so you know, I'm fine and you can leave me alone for this whole week while she's gone." Irene started. Just when Wendy thought that Irene retreated her cold composure, she was definitely wrong.

"Also, I won't tolerate you being inside our apartment.You're a complete stranger to me and so am I to you. So if there's a second time that you'll ever intrude in my life, I will treat you as a criminal and let the security handle you right away." Irene added, her cold countenance still unshaken.

Wendy winced at those words thrown at her, she found herself quite offended. It's true that they were complete strangers to each other but Irene knew that Seulgi and Wendy were neighbors that actually talk to each other and probably knew too about the favor Seulgi asked from Wendy. Wendy can't help but question why Irene treats her like that at all especially now, after she helped her out last night. She didn't really expect anything back from Irene but seriously, a thanks and a little bit of acknowledgement would not hurt, right?

Also who did Irene think she was to accuse her as a criminal the next time they'll meet? She didn't do anything awful to her that would leave an impression that she's a bad person. Wendy wouldn't really intrude that night but she got really worried as she saw Irene in a helpless state that changed her mind. Who in the right mind would get theirselves drunk when pregnant? Who would?! Wendy could already feel the heat due to anger building inside her however she did her best to contain it. 

"Seulgi asked me to check out on you because she's very concerned with you."

"And you agreed?" Irene scoffed which Wendy raised an eyebrow. 

"W-well yeah because she genuinely asked for my help and I obliged considering how much she was really worried about you."

"Really? Or you just want some hot and fresh gossip to scatter?" Irene taunted, she's a celebrity after all. But still, Wendy was yet again offended at how lowly Irene was treating her.

"I'm not interested in such trivial things." Wendy confidently retorted back. 

Irene shrugged mockingly, disbelieving any word Wendy had said. 

"Look, like I said before and please don't make me repeat myself again. I'm fine, you can tell Seulgi that everyday for the whole week. Just stop showing up in front of me and mind your own business!" Irene raised her voice to which Wendy could no longer stop the intensity of her anger too. Damn this woman.

"You don't get it do you? Because of what happened last night, I totally get Seulgi now." Wendy said, this time with clarity in her voice.

"Get what?"

"You don't get how irresponsible you are and that's what made Seulgi so concerned about you!"

"Are you scolding me? Who are you even?!" Irene stood up, fumed. 

"You're pregnant and you're risking your baby's life by getting yourself wasted! Who in the right mind would consider themselves fine after that!" Wendy stood up as well trying to show the woman in front the gravity of her carelessness.

"What?! Are you fucking kidding me? You don't know anything about me and what I'm going through!! How dare you?!!"  She charged in grabbing Wendy's collar with both of her hands. 

"See?! You cannot even control yourself anymore. What? Does the truth hurt?! The fact that you're completely irresponsible and selfish! The baby doesn't deserve all this from you! You're insane!" 

"What did you say?!!" 

Wendy coughed. She could feel the grip of Irene's hands on her collar intensified. Irene's eyes were full of wrath but at the same time tears edging her eyes.

"You don't know what I'm going through." Irene repeated and pushed Wendy, releasing her from her grip. Tears heavily flowed from her eyes, and with that sight Wendy couldn't help but feel guilty. However she knew she was right, and that the baby is non deserving of the mother's negligence. She has to know the truth before it's too late.

"Nobody knows what you're going through. I get that. But please, give a chance for the baby to live. It's the baby's only chance but you have plenty of time to recover from your pain. You should know better." Wendy softly this time trying to soothe away the tension built between them.

"Get out." The only words that slipped Irene's mouth while still sobbing not looking at Wendy at all. 

"You're stronger than you think." 

"Get out."

"You'll get through this."

"Just please, get out." Irene finally looked at Wendy, with so much pain shown in her eyes. Wendy was sure that her words transmitted successfuly to Irene because she could feel how Irene's defense shattered by how softly she now speaks, completely different from earlier. 

And with that, Wendy took her leave.