Chapter 2

“She hates me, SeungWan,” SeulGi simply said to her friend and fellow member over the phone, “I just know it!”

SeungWan, more known for her stage name Wendy, replied – tried to anyway, “We don’t know th–”

“I messed breakfast up,” SeulGi sighed in dread as she remembered, “Badly.”

SeulGi smacked her forehead at the memory. Ms. Irene Bae – JooHyun, she quickly corrected – had given her the permission to rummage through the actress’s very immaculate house and into her very pristine kitchen, only for SeulGi to basically mess it up.

She remembered the mix of emotions they both sported after Ms. Hwang left, and that prompted SeulGi to excuse herself for this very phone call.

SeungWan was kind enough to remind her to do her best and just be herself before their call ended.

But was being herself even really an option in this situation?

When she would see Irene Bae analyzing her very being?

SeulGi felt the now-familiar fast beating of her heart when she thought of the actress. Or was it more of fear?

Being close to the Irene Bae was too much for SeulGi’s poor, defenseless heart.

She knew about Irene Bae, of course everyone knew her.

Only a fool would not have heard of that name.

And just the mere thought of it was enough to send another jolt of jitters in SeulGi’s body.

She met the actress before, Irene Bae presented one of their first major awards in an event in their first year as idols.

She also remembered how the pictures and the films didn’t give justice to what the Irene Bae really looked like in person.

Because if Irene Bae was already so beautiful in photos, she was more than beautiful in real life.

It was always so different seeing other celebrities in the flesh, but Irene Bae?

Irene Bae was different.

Irene Bae was more than different, in a good way. In a very – unwanted, unsolicited – good way.

How was it possible that one person could hold all the beauty in the world?

SeulGi shook her head once, twice, before telling her mind to stop thinking and calm the hell down, and her heart to stop beating too fast.

It’s just the nerves, she thought.

But then she thought of Irene Bae once more, and she couldn’t help but to admire the beauty the other woman evidently possessed.

Then when they met again, it wasn’t in any event or any show. It was for a business proposal.

And the first thing she remembered from that meeting was how her train of thoughts immediately stopped when Irene Bae’s eyes met hers.

There was a certain beat SeulGi missed then, she knew, because she was momentarily lost in those brown eyes.

Irene Bae held her stares then, and in shame, SeulGi was the first one to look away. It was simply impossible not to, or else she would so easily be consumed by it.

Irene Bae was tinier in person though. SeulGi knew the actress was small, but being that physically close to her, SeulGi could see the difference in their heights. SeulGi was not tall for most idols, but compared to Irene Bae, she towered over the other woman.

And yet, there was this certain aura around Irene Bae that screamed command, and required attention on her. There was a certain pull that drew eyes to her, no matter how many pairs were there.

But maybe that was the problem.

Maybe it was the seniority the other woman had, or maybe it was really just her presence, or maybe it was the fame. But whatever it was, and however unwelcomed it was – and how much SeulGi hated to admit – it intimidated SeulGi.

Bad.

And SeulGi also knew because of the exact same fame that the actress possessed, gossips and hearsays followed Irene Bae like rabid dogs.

One of the more known gossips about the actress was her cold, emotionless persona. Granting her the well-known title of an ‘Ice Queen’, or a diva on set, or a more ridiculous rumor of being incapable of humanly feelings.

But seeing Irene Bae in person then, maybe that story about her cold, detached treatment wasn’t really far off.

It didn’t help that SeulGi had always been somewhat very awkward around new people. And without even wanting to, sometimes she also makes a fool of herself.

It also didn’t help when she would see how Irene Bae’s professional expression would slip a little and show what she was really thinking, but SeulGi was also thankful that Irene Bae tried her best to be professional for both their sake.

But now, her phone in hand, SeulGi wouldn’t lie though that she was happy to have a breather – a very huge sigh of relief when she left Irene Bae’s presence to have that five-minute call with SeungWan.

At least she had five minutes to compose herself, even the littlest she could get, before she face another smothering feeling on her skin when she inevitably returns.

Would that be what she would always feel for the time they would be together?