Irene was taken aback when the bottle pointed in her direction. She was already feeling a bit tipsy, having lost count after her sixth glass of soju. She couldn't exactly pinpoint what had driven her to drink so much. Initially, she had come to the welcoming party to keep Seulgi from getting too drunk and saying something unnecessary.

However, as soon as she saw the expression on Wendy's face when the younger woman revealed how they first met, something inside her snapped, and she felt an overwhelming urge to drown her thoughts in alcohol. At that moment, she didn't care about the consequences, she just needed the numbing sensation of alcohol to ease the ache in her chest.

"Ms. Bae! You're the lucky person this time, hehehe" Yerim exclaimed, eventhough her tone not reflecting any luck for Irene.

Irene, who wasn't entirely focused at the moment, only nodded her head, trying to sober up. "What’s the question, Yerim?"

Yerim grinned mischievously. "Have you ever dated anyone, Ms. Bae? If yes, who’s that person?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Irene fell silent for a moment, stealing a glance at Wendy, who seemed unfazed, casually nibbling on her snack. Irene thought, "You didn’t want to admit how we met? Fine, then I can play the same game!"

"No, I haven't," Irene replied firmly, then glanced at Wendy to gauge her reaction.

As expected, Wendy glanced back at Irene with an unreadable expression. Irene quickly averted her gaze, downing the glass in front of her.

"Ah, Ms. Bae! You shouldn’t drink that one! You already answered though!" Yerim exclaimed softly upon seeing her boss drinking the soju.

"Oh..sorry, Yerim-ah. I just felt like I needed a drink," Irene admitted sheepishly.

"But, Ms. Bae, you don't lie, do you? How could someone as pretty as you never have dated in your life?" Yerim narrowed her eyes in disbelief at Irene's response.

Irene cleared , attempting to change the subject. "I didn’t know this game had follow-up questions," she replied, hoping to drop the topic.

"Okay, fine!" Yerim relented, acknowledging her boss's sharpness even though she wasn't fully sober.

Yerim spun the bottle again, eagerly awaiting the next victim of her "spicy" questions. After several rotations, the bottle came to a halt, pointing directly at Wendy.

"Yes! Wendy unnie! Your turn," Yerim exclaimed enthusiastically.

Irene turned her head towards Wendy once more, curious about what question Yerim would throw at that woman.

"Be honest! You like Jennie unnie, right?" The youngest shot her question directly, causing a stir among the group of people, except for Irene.

Irene watched Wendy's reaction intently, noticing the subtle changes in her expression. Wendy's eyes widened, her dark pupils dilating in surprise. A faint pink hue crept up her cheeks, contrasting with her usually composed demeanor. Irene could almost feel the tension radiating from Wendy as she tried to compose herself.

"What? No!" Wendy's voice came out a bit louder than intended, a hint of panic evident as she responded to Yerim's question.

“Jennie is just a good colleague. She helped me a lot on my first day!" Her words were rushed, as if she were trying to defend herself against an accusation.

Irene couldn't help but notice the nervous energy emanating from Wendy. Her fingers tapped lightly on the table, betraying her inner turmoil. It was clear that Wendy was caught off guard by the question, her usual calm exterior momentarily shaken.

"Ah, really? It didn't seem that way, though?” Solar chimed in, adding to the chaos.

Seulgi, who had already observed Jennie's affection towards Wendy from the first day, joined in teasing her. "Ah, Wendy? You and Jennie Kim? Not even a week but you're already stealing someone's heart," she said, playfully rubbing her chin.

Glancing at Irene beside her, Seulgi could see the fuming expression on Irene's face. If this were a cartoon, smoke would be coming out of her nose and ears. Seulgi chuckled softly at Irene Bae's expression.

"No, Ms. Kang, Jennie is just my colleague," Wendy responded panickedly as one of her bosses started teasing her. "Hey! Little devil, stop with your gossip! Solar unnie, you too!" Wendy exclaimed, annoyed at her friends for spreading rumors.

"Let's spin again!" Yerim declared, spinning the bottle once more.

Finally, with a soft clink, the bottle came to a stop, its neck pointing directly at Kang Seulgi. The room erupted into cheers and playful banter as all eyes turned to Seulgi, who looked both surprised and amused by the sudden attention.

Seulgi chuckled, running a hand through her hair as she prepared herself for whatever question.

"This time, it's Ms. Kang!" Chanyeol's voice boomed across the table, his eyes glinting mischievously.

Seulgi's enthusiasm was palpable as she eagerly responded, "Yes! Ask me any question!"

With a cheeky grin, Chanyeol posed his question, "Do you like Ms. Bae romantically?"

The table buzzed with excitement and hushed whispers. It was no secret that the closeness between Irene and Seulgi had raised questions among their subordinates. While there had been no official statement from either of them, the staff could see for themselves the undeniable chemistry between Irene Bae and Kang Seulgi.

Seulgi playfully rolled her eyes, her mischievous gaze wandering as she contemplated her response. She glanced at each of her eager subordinates, all waiting for her answer, before her eyes landed on Wendy. She could sense the newcomer's intense curiosity, prompting a chuckle from Seulgi as she thought to herself, "Wendy, you can't even hide your curiosity, huh?"

Irene nudged Seulgi's side, her familiarity with her friend making her certain that Seulgi was up to something mischievous that would only worsen the situation. Seulgi simply smiled back at Irene before grabbing the glass of soju in front of her and downing it in one swift motion.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed, feeling the bitter liquid slide down . "I can't answer that," she continued, a satisfied grin spreading across her face.

The entire table, except for Wendy, erupted into excited chatter. To them, Seulgi's decision not to answer and instead drink the soju spoke volumes. Whispers filled the air, a mix of excitement and speculation about their boss's actions.

Leaning closer to Seulgi, Irene whispered, "What on earth are you doing? Why would you do something so reckless?" Though her awareness was fading, the irritation was still clear in her tone.

Seulgi whispered back, "Relax, I just wanted to see Wendy's reaction! Look at her, she's practically worked up." Seulgi chuckled softly, glancing across the room.

Wendy sat there, visibly agitated, stabbing her fork into the innocent chicken on her plate. Irene couldn't help but stare at Wendy, wondering why she seemed so upset. Was it possible that Wendy still harbored the same feelings? Irene observed the younger woman closely, her brows furrowing in contemplation before she let out a sigh. She couldn't decipher what was going through Wendy's mind. In fact, she never could, not even in the past.

Choosing to distract herself from her swirling thoughts, Irene reached for another glass in front of her, hoping the alcohol would ease her growing anxiety. As she lifted the glass to her lips, the noise around her seemed to fade into the background, leaving only faint echoes of laughter, Seulgi's playful banter, the clinking of glasses, and the buzz of other patrons.

Slowly, Irene felt herself slipping into a state of drowsiness. She rested her head on her arm, the darkness enveloping her as she closed her eyes, shutting out the world around her.

**

“Rene… Rene,” Irene slowly opened her eyes, greeted by the gentle touch of a cold hand patting her cheek.

Irene's eyelids fluttered open, revealing a dimly lit room that swam into focus. "Ugh... Where am I?" Her voice was barely a whisper, rough and scratchy from the alcohol.

"We're still at the restaurant. It's 11 PM now, the party's over. How are you getting home?" Seulgi's concerned voice cut through the haze in Irene's mind.

But Irene was too far gone to form a coherent response. With a drunken giggle, she mumbled, "Me? I don't have a home! I'm homeless!" She waved her hand dismissively, as if to shoo Seulgi away, before closing her eyes again.

Seulgi's brows furrowed, grateful that most of their subordinates had already left. She shook her head in frustration at Irene's behavior when she had too much to drink.

She let out a sigh as she helped Irene sit up. "You're not homeless, Rene. Let's get you home safely, okay?"

Meanwhile, Chanyeol, who had been observing the scene from a distance, stepped forward with an offer of assistance. "Ms. Kang, what if I drive Ms. Bae and take her home?" he suggested, his voice filled with genuine concern.

"I didn't drink too much tonight. I'm still sober," he insisted, attempting to be helpful.

Chanyeol's offer hung in the air, met with Seulgi's hesitant gaze. Although she knew Chanyeol wasn't the kind of guy who will take advantage of someone, she still couldn't trust Irene to go home with him. She glanced around the emptying restaurant, her mind racing with inde