It was a Saturday. Irene wasn't feeling well. She wasn't sick or anything but... no texts from Daniel asking Irene to visit Seulgi with him. Irene was used to it now... but now Daniel has cut off all contact from her. He's even changed his phone number. Possibly a new phone?

Irene just wonders how much Daniel really wanted Irene to stop investigating this case with him. Irene knows that there's so much more than just two girls at the beach together. But now, even the picture was gone. Irene was laying on her bed, her face sank into her pillow as she thought about how her life has been going downhill nowadays. She could even feel some tears threatening to come out. But she refuses. She doesn't want to cry over something she can't control.

Then there's a knock on her door. Irene gets up from her bed to open it. It was Yena, in her cute maid uniform and bowing down slightly. "Ahhh.. Miss Bae... Mister Bae has asked for you...," Yena shyly tells Irene. Irene smiles. She was so cute. Irene pats her head and gets dressed in more presentable clothes as she drags herself to her father's office. 

She hopes that it's something important. As much as she loathes her father, she can't help it but hope that her father still cherishes her. As she reaches his office, she knocks on her door twice and waits patiently. He doesn't open it for a few minutes and Irene considers leaving until the door opens slightly. Her father was standing at the door, his figure looming over Irene's. He was in his normal business attire with a formal plaid shirt and a black tie. He was wearing his funny glasses that made his eyes look smaller. He had a grumpy expression on his face and allows Irene to enter.

Irene takes a step in her father's office and nervously sits down on a seat avaliable. Her father sits behind his desk and clicks his tongue, as if welcoming Irene. He doesn't say a word at first, all he does is scroll through some files on his laptop. Then, finally, he closes his laptop and makes eye contact with Irene. 

Is it natural to feel intimidated of your own father? Irene has never known anything other than fear from her father. His eyes that laser through Irene, as if he could read her every thought. 

"You may not know why I've called you here...," he starts. Irene flinches a bit, surprised by her father's speaking voice. Even if he's constantly out and always staying up late, he still sounds like a young man in his early 20's who had just had a good night sleep. It was weird to hear, as Irene couldn't really explain it as well as that.

"But.... you've met our new worker, Ms. Choi, no?" Irene gulps and nods, thinking of Yena. She was cute, but her brother was a little.... well, let's say he was handsome to the general eye. He seems like a jerk but is actually a hardworking boy who wasn't as well off as he seemed. 

Mr. Bae smirks. "You've been out more often. Has Mr. Jung's daughter been inviting you over more lately?" he inquires. Irene lets the question sink in. All she could do was lie and nod. She knows that her father could tell a lie from a truth, but he seems much more chill and merciful now, as if letting Irene slip away on purpose.

"I see. Well, I've also noticed that your last date that I set up for you wasn't so successful, was it?" Mr. Bae said. Irene as reminded by Suho again. She remembers the big secret that Suho spilled to her. Well, Irene hasn't seen Kai or Krystal for awhile now, so she doesn't know much about their situation now. "Well, unfortunately for you, I've set up another man for you."

Irene turns her gaze to her father. "Wh-what?!" Irene stutters, not sure if she heard her father correctly. Her father chuckles and fixes his glasses. Irene then stood up and slammed her hands on her father's desk. "D-dad! You can't do this! You know I hate those dates that you set up for me!" irene complains with a hopeless look. But her father ignored her pleads and ordered for her to leave.

"Your time here is done," was all he said as Irene stormed out of his room with anger. There was no way she was going. She wouldn't go! But her father would know that she sneaked out and she was sure that he would find her in no time. Irene sighed.

All she hoped for was that the man was nice. Like Suho. She hoped that he wasn't an arrogant narcissist who bragged about his wealth and family legacy to Irene. Irene pouted to her room and slammed her bedroom door shut. She was always locked up in her room. She didn't make any friends because there was no friends to make.

Either the rich kids at her school were fake, horrible people, or simply, just didn't want to make friends with Irene. Irene had a week before the blind date from what her butler had told her a few minutes after she was gone having a breakdown.

She'll prepare for it well. She wouldn't let any of her father's antics let her down.

Daniel didn't even go to school. Irene found him oddly absent for every class (she had learned of the first-year's schedules) and wondered if it was because of her. 

School was boring as always. Krystal was one of those friends who actually enjoyed being rich and was a social butterfly. Irene had other friends but they weren't as close so that leaves Irene with basically no friends. 

That was until today, Tuesday. Daniel didn't come to school again and Irene decided to skip lunch. After all, there was nothing to do at lunch. Lunchtime was the time where gossipping and drama happened, and Irene didn't want to be involved in all that. Irene never liked wasting her time on stupid and unnecessary things. 

So, she went outside of school. She was just walking around campus, admiring how beautiful her campus really is. She never really noticed the campus's decorations because of how dull the school actually was. She then walked over to the school's garden, where the gardening club takes care of the plants and nature around here. It was truly beautiful. Guess there are rich students who actually care about their lives and don't think that they can just buy their way into college and life.

Then, Irene hears a crash. Irene looks up and turns around, inspecting the garden suspiciously. There was obviously somebody here. Irene cautiously walks towards the shed, where the gardening club keeps all their tools. Did somebody get murdered or something? Irene carefully opens the shed and there was a girl on the ground, looking stupid. Irene giggled slightly. She looked like she was caught red-handed doing something illegal.

(Well, Irene hopes that she wasn't.)

"Hello, my name is Bae Irene," Irene introduces herself as she helps the kid up. The girl shyly accepts her help and brushes the dirt off her clothes.

"I know." Irene raises an eyebrow. The girl then corrects herself.

"I mean, I know who you are! You're like, super popular!" the girl tells Irene with a smile. "My classmates always mention how pretty and mysterious you are. I guess you kind of do give off that aura...."

Irene smiles. How much cuter can younger girls be?! Irene can't help but pat her head. Irene assumes that she's probably a second year, judging by her uniform.

"What's your name, then?" Irene asks the girl. The girl blushes as she introduces herself.