The music started off slow, a piano melody and soft accompaniment of strings rustling in the background.  It began with Jieun entering a ballroom, looking around, and taking in the unfamiliar surroundings.  She wore a long flowing sky blue dress with white high heels.  Then each of the EXO members who all wore various styles of black suits, made their way towards her in turns, asking her for a dance but she would refuse each time, not falling for their charms. 

Finally, Yixing and Jongin entered the stage, and all the attention of the guests turned to them.  They took the centre stage and started to do a dance performance between themselves before turning towards Jieun who was meant to have paid attention and act impressed at their performance. 

Both of them bowed in front of Jieun and held out their hands in unison.  Jieun grabbed each of their hands and the two boys led her onto the dance floor.

Jieun took each of their hands and as she held on onto Jongin’s hand, she felt him squeeze her hand for a short moment.  Jieun thought she was imagining things because it was as if he was reassuring her, but as she looked at his expression, but he was facing towards the stage he and Yixing was leading her towards.

Jieun danced briefly with the both of them, with Yixing finally handing Jieun to Jongin.  Jongin squeezed her hand again, as he took of her hands into his own and the other placed firmly on her waist.  The music changed into a more upbeat song and the two of them started to dance their waltz. 

If Jieun had to describe the performance, it would be as a fairy tale for little girls.  She plays the girl who meets her prince charming, they fall in love and everyone is happy.  It was simple and romantic.  If Jieun was still a little girl, she would have swooned to have a chance to dance with so many handsome guys, but she wasn’t a girl anymore.  All she felt was that she was a puppet, doing her company’s bidding.  It felt suffocating as these thoughts swirled again through her head.  It wasn’t the first time that she had felt helpless and unable to control her own destiny.

Their performance went well and Jieun was glad that Jongin didn't try any tricks during the onstage performance.  He kept a respectable distance when they danced together.  The light kiss on the cheek had the crowd go wild.  She just crossed her fingers and hoped not too many fangirls were going to send her death threats after this.

Once they got offstage, her manager began telling her the next schedule preparations.  Jieun was extremely sleep deprived at this stage as well as her album preparations going on at the same time.  The dance routine for The Red Shoes was still being finalised and she was going to filming the music video in a few days.  She had gotten changed into a simple tee and sweatpants and hazily got into her van. 

Jongin had glanced at her briefly before walking back to his company's van.  This didn’t go unnoticed by Sehung who hung an arm around Jongin and said, “Let’s hang out with Jieun sometime, a catch up is overdue.”

Jongin didn’t reply but nodded.

- - -

The reaction to the collaboration between EXO and IU was hot.  The netizens had praised the performance as exciting and fresh.  Jongin sat in the van, waiting for his other members to get ready, scrolling through the comments of the performance.

“I bet you’re smiling at all the comments that say that you and Jieun look like a couple,” Sehun said as he squeezed next to him.

“No comments about you whatsoever,” Jongin replied back to Sehun mockingly, who immediately elbowed him playfully.  “Where’s everyone else?”

All the EXO members were at the make-up salon and were due to be at magazine photoshoot that morning. 

Sehun looked sombrely towards the salon and said quietly, “Kris and Suho were arguing again.  The others were trying to calm them down.  I thought I would get out of the scene.”

“Again?”  Jongin knew it wouldn’t be easy with a group as big as theirs.  There were also going to be discord and conflicting opinions.  They were both his hyungs so it was hard to in, which was probably the same way with Sehun.  Jongin had a hunch at what it was about but asked anyway, “What was it about?”

“Kris didn’t want to go to this photoshoot.  He doesn’t like how the company is forcing him to do schedules when he doesn’t want to.  Suho was obviously not tolerating his behaviour-“

It was at this moment, the other members finally got into the van and the lack of chatting showed how tense the atmosphere was.  Suho had climbed into the other van, while Kris, Luhan, Yixing and Minseok had climbed into the same van as Jongin and Sehun.

Kris was speaking whispered Chinese with Luhan who answered back in a fast and low voice.  Jongin didn’t like how they were being so distant.  The feeling was obvious.  The crack in their team was growing deeper and deeper.  Jongin didn’t know how they could fix it.  He decided to speak to Yixing later so Yixing could console Kris, since Yixing was closer to Kris than he was.

- - -

Jieun had also seen the comments.  She specially looked for any hate comments against her but to her amazement, there was not many at all.  Most of the response had been surprisingly positive. 

In a way, she was relieved but it also meant her company was going to try to push the boundaries even more.

IU was sitting in the waiting room, her stylist getting her ready for her CF shoot, while she looked through her phone. 

Bogum was her partner for the CF. He walked over wearing a smart light blue shirt and dark jeans, all ready for the shoot, his wavy hair gelled up neatly. A boyish handsome, his thin lips always curled into a gorgeous smile.  He was currently beaming at Jieun who had gotten her makeup done.

“Hi IU, my name is Park Bogum.  It’s a pleasure to meet you.”  He said politely, with a small respectful bow. 

Jieun who should have been used to pretty faces by now, couldn’t help but feel her cheeks heat up, as she greeted him back.  “Let’s work hard today.”  She said encouragingly, wearing her perfect naturally looking smile