THat night Irene returned home a little wasted after having too many shots at a high end bar. It was a wonder how she even made it home buzzed.

She hummed to herself a silly tune by that girl group BlackPink (that Wendy used to be a part of) she heard on the radio. The drunk woman sloppily kicked off her heels and sauntered to her bedroom.

"YERIM!" she called out and knocked on the door. "OPEN THE DOOR FOR MOMMY!"

After banging loudly on the door, she frowned and turned the knob. In her drunk mind, she saw her daughter's room, bright and full of life. The only thing missing was Yerim. 

Sometimes they would play hide and seek, so drunk irene thought this was a game. She made a show looking udner the bed, the desk, in the bathroom. Finally, came the walk-in closet and Irene slowly pushed the door open. 

Her vision was very blurred and she fumbled for the light swtich in the walk-in only to trip on her own feet.

"Oof!" Irene's heavy weight crashed into Wendy's sleeping form on the floor.

The pain woke Wendy up first, and then the realization that Irene, reeking of alcohol, was coddling her and calling her Yerim.

"Thought you could hide from mommy, didn't you?" she cooed and smothered Wendy's cheeks in kisses. "Mommy will never lose you, my Yerimmie."

Wendy was paralyzed in shock and slight horror. She had never seen Irene act like this, and thought maybe the latter was insane. It didn't seem impossible considering how it was so easy for Irene to snap.

"So cute~" Irene caressed Wendy's cheek and stared deep into her eyes with a strange softness - of course, because she drunkenly thought Wendy was her dead child.

Slowly, her eyes began to water and tears fell onto Wendy's face like cold rain. "Oh god...I'm so sorry..." Irene grabbed onto Wendy's shirt in her fists and buried her face in the girl's chest. 

The younger girl was too dazed to react. Everything from the beginning of her failures to Irene to the argument to now sent her into confusion. How people could have so many sides to them emotionally, personality, fakeness if any...

Who is the real one?

Why is everyone ed up?

Soon, Irene's body slumped into Wendy's, her hands slowly releasing the tight grip on the girl's shirt and falling to the side. A long sigh escaped the older woman's lips as she fell into a deep alcohol induced sleep.

--

When Wendy awoke the following morning, she felt comfortably warm for the first time and sighed with contentment. She forgot where she was, for some reason believing that she was back home in high school and that her bad choices were all a nightmare. But when she opened her eyes, she almost had a heart attack when she realized that she was asleep tangled in Irene's arms. 

Slowly, she tried to peel away from the woman, but Irene clutched onto her tighter and made a whining noise that Wendy had never expected to hear from her.

Scenes from just last night revisited her inconveniently, and Wendy moved away a little too suddenly because it awoke the older woman. Irene's eyes fluttered open and locked with Wendy, who was only halfway escaped from the position they were in.

"M-morning," Wendy squeaked.

That seemed to be the trigger because Irene shoved Wendy to the side and scrambled out of the walk-in without a word. 

Irene locked herself in the buest bathroom far from where Wendy was. She couldn't remember anything from last night after going to get a couple too many shots. 

She wasn't even sure what in hell compelled her to sleep in the walk-in with Wendy. 

What the hell time is it?

11AM? !

Irene was going to be extremely late for a very important meeting with the press regarding next season's plans. She hopped in the shower quickly and fixed herself up to look decent in less than an hour. There was no time to deal with Wendy now, and she could care less - Irene paused to decide whether to bring Wendy or not. But she didn't want the cameras shoved in the girl's face. Also, she didn't want to risk anyone recognizing Wendy as the idol that got kicked out. That would certainly cause a lot of problems for her, especially now after the divorce and daughter's death.

Instead, she opted to call someone over to keep watch over her. Someone nicer, probably, and someone Irene knew well.

Mom's were nice - at least Irene's mom is.

--

"Miss Irene," Jisoo greeted her the moment she stepped into the building after the press. "The CEO from Gen7 Entertainment is here to meet you."

"Send them to my office." Irene continued walking to the elevator and punched in the button to take her up. "Also, please cancel all my arrangements for the weekend. I have some personal family matters to attend to."

"Yes, Miss Irene. I will send him up in fifteen minutes so you have time to prepare."

"Send them immediately. I don't plan to talk long."

"Of course."

It didn't take long for the other party to arrive. The CEO, a rapper named San E, came dressed in a tux with flair from his hair and shiny shades, expensive golden watch on wrist, and piercings in his ear.

"Good day!" he said when he entered.

 Jisoo waited for instruction, but Irene dismissed her and her secretary closed the door so that the two were left alone. Irene invited him to sit across from wher she was sitting at her desk, and she leaned back in her chair as the man joined her.

"I'm San E, from Gen7 Ent. I'm pleased that you are considering working with us."

"I haven't confirmed anything," Irene told him. "I suppose you are trying to branch out for more exposure if you're reaching out to a more affordable fashion brand."

"Well, we need to be flexible, don't we?" he replied. "I need my groups to be marketable to more audiences."

"What group are we talking about?" 

San E beamed because he thought that he had a chance, and also becuase he was trying to be charming. he had heard much about this CEO Irene Bae, seemingly cold-hearted woman, stronger than steel balls, untouchable, and very attractive. 

"Blackpink, my newest girl group. They're doing very well now."

Irene frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "Blackpink?" she echoed. The name was very familiar, especialy because that was the group Wendy had been dropped from.

"You know them don't you? They made Top 3 in the charts last month and Top 10 in America. I'm sure if we work together, me, you, and Blackpink, our profits would benefit greatly," San E was very eager to share his successes, hoping that would seal the deal or at least get him an edge in to an endorsement.

"I see." 

--

Mrs. Bae didn't show any sign of horror or disdain towards Wendy's pitiful looking self. The girl had taken a good look at herself agian in the mirror to confirm what an awful wreck she turned out to be. 

Irene's mother was so kind so it was hard to believe that Irene was her daughter.

Mrs. Bae was gentle and very patient in contract to Irene. But she told Wendy that Irene had a hard time for the last few years, and especially since her daughter, Yerim, passed away. 

"She loved that little girl more than any of her immediate family," Mrs. Bae said with sadness in her voice. "Yerim was such a charming child, everyone liked her. I think you would have liked her too."

THe one nice thing about Irene's mom was that she did not inquire about Wendy's personal life or about her failure to survive in stardom.

"Irene doesn't have many friends. So I'm a bit glad that you are here with her, though the situation is not the most ideal. She needs to learn some decency around normal people anyway."

"n-normal?"

"Ah, please excuse my lack of better words. She usually talks to other people high up in the fashion industry - wealthy people - and she keeps up the cold facade to keep them away from her. You see, my daughter is a very desirable woman so it is not surprising that many men would want to court her for her beauty, and it's even better because she is wealthy."

"Oh..."

"It's ok. I don't believe you are using her for money. Irene told me everything."

Wendy gave her a look of surprise. "What did she tell you?"

"It's nothing to worry about. She's just concerned."

"R-really?" Irene is always angry at me.

Irene's mother chuckled, as she seemed to know her doubts. "Irene may be cold, but she is not heartless."