Chapter 17  Polaris 

 

 

*Next day, Korea*

 

 

Irene wakes up early for her schedule.

 

She checks her phone while she is brushing her teeth.

 

She sees a video from Wendy. 

 

 

She sings for her, again.

 

I really wanna do something for you too, pabo.

 

 

Also, Irene is wondering if Wendy should have been trained as an artist too.

 

So that we can be together more often hehehehe

 

Oh, so now you can write songs toooooo ????  

 

My Olaf you’re so cute when you sings ~~~ Look at those cheeks ~~~~

 

 

Irene does a little dance as she is going downstairs to meet Sooyoung.

 

Since she’s in ultra good mood.  

 

 

Sooyoung, on the other hand, is shocked to see that Irene, who always puts on poker face (especially in the morning), now acts like a 3-year-old child.

 

It must be Wendy again.

 

 

“Good morning~~~~” Irene says delightfully as she hops in the car.

 

“What’s up with the freaky cheeky stupid grin on your face ?” Sooyoung mocks as she starts the engine, although she’s already known the answer.

 

“Wendy sent me a video ~~~ Look…. Or listen, since you’re driving. I don’t wanna die. I still have to wait for Wendy to come back.” Irene replays the video for the 77 times today. 

 

God knows how many times she would watch it again and again.

 

And she doesn’t bother to fight Sooyoung.

 

 

Wendy’s magnetic, angelic singing bursts into Sooyoung’s ears.

 

It shuts and makes her silently listening until the end.

 

 

“So, she wrote the last part.” Sooyoung just loves stating facts.

 

Irene presses the phone to her cheek and nods.

 

“She wrote it for you.” 

 

Irene sweetly nods.

 

“Damn, I want a girlfriend like her too…” Sooyoung feels totally defeated.

 

“You can find a girlfriend like her, but not her.” Irene turns into a protective cat guarding favorite toy, and holds her phone so closely.

 

“Easy~ I ain’t gonna take her away from you…… You know we’re going back to SM first, right ? We have a meeting to attend.”

 

“Nae….. About the little drama that I’m going be casted in.” Irene pouts ‘cause she will be extremely busy if she has to take part in a TV drama.

 

“Hey, don’t you pout ……  It means you’ll be getting more and more popular !!! I know what you’re thinking……. But you do want to make your mark, don’t you ? Acting is the best and fastest way, since who doesn’t watch TV ? Even ahjumma will love you~~~” Sooyoung does her job as a manager.

 

“I know. I understand.” Irene coldly replies. 

 

She knows that if she wants to keep Wendy by her side and to publicize their relationship, she has to get big first. 

 

Like big, big as her sunbae Tiffany.

 

 

 

After the short meeting with the management of SM, Sooyoung finds it difficult to comfort sulky sniveling 23-year-old. 

 

In the practice room, Irene is crying non-stop and destroys everything in her vision except Sooyoung.

 

 

“Irene-ah, don’t cry…… You still have schedule one hour later.” Sooyoung doesn’t know what to say other than facts.

 

“W-why ????? I don’t wanna…….. I don’t even want to act in the first place !!!! it this place !!!” Irene breaks a mic stand as she shouts.

 

Sooyoung immediately covers .

 

“You can curse whatever you want, but not this loud man. I’ll be in trouble.” 

 

“I don’t ing care !!!! Who are they to force me to kiss a ing dude ? Who the would kiss at the very first ing episode of a drama ? And they want me to create a ing scandal with him ? I might be a rookie but I hate to gain popularity or extra media exposure in such a ed up way.” 

 

Irene seldom swears and she has just mentioned “” 7 times in less than 2 minutes.

 

You can tell she is angry as …. as hell. 

 

 

“They just want to get you well-known in the shortest time…… I don’t like it either. However, it’s a price to pay. I guess you can’t say no after all. Even Tiffany had gone through such . You can punch or kick me or whatever that will make you feel better. Come on.” 

 

Sooyoung closes her eyes and stands up straight in front of Irene.

 

Irene blows her nose on a tissue paper and collapses on the floor.

 

 

“I thought the most ty times were gone.” Irene mutters in her hoarse voice after crying and yelling.  

 

“Now how am I going to tell Wendy ?” 

 

She covers her tiny pale face in her tiny palms.

 

 

“She’ll understand. As she always does.” Sooyoung also sits down and says.

 

“Yeah…… But I can’t get it over myself. How can I kiss someone else and even acts ambiguous with him in real life ? I have’t done much for her already……. What kind of ty girlfriend I am ?” Irene can’t help but letting her tears running again.

 

“Irene-ah. Call her later. It’s about 4am there and she’s probably sleeping. Now we should carry on first. The drama starts next week.” Sooyoung helps to dry Irene’s tears and fix her make-up. 

 

Irene weakly nods and steadies herself like a professional should do.

 

 

 

*On Wendy’s side*

 

 

Wendy hasn’t really slept actually.

 

‘Cause she’s busy transforming the ideas in her head into melodies, into lyrics.

 

 

Sometimes, she would look at the photos on her desk and grins.

 

She hasn’t left her room, not even an inch.

 

She didn’t even eat or drink.

 

 

Wendy is resolute to make it right.

 

She feels like she’s finally accomplishing something real.

 

For the first time in her life.

 

 

*Back to Irene*

 

 

Irene carries on and completes her schedule motionlessly.

 

Like a robot. Executing every move or word just right.

 

Or a mechanical doll dancing and singing and smiling.

 

Her smile fades whatever she is off the stage and off from cameras.

 

 

It is painful for anyone to see. Not to mention her manager.

 

When they are moving to the next location, Irene dully looks outside.

 

 

“The clicking sound of the clock grows louder,
Once again and again,

It doesn’t stop.
I keep calling out to you,
Until you turn back from far, far away……

 

 

As if there’s a switch for Irene. 

 

Switches “on” — a professional goddess flawless Irene.

 

Switches “off” — a lifeless sulking fragile Bae Joohyun.

 

 

For Irene herself, she is missing a certain Canadian.

 

However, she doesn’t how and what to say when she reaches her.

 

She just can’t face her all-time bright and warm girlfriend.

 

 

She watches the sky goes dim.

 

Her heart sinks with the sun.

 

“On every street, it brings me closer to that night sky every day.
The falling stars told me a story on the streets.

And the dripping sound of tears grows louder in the sky tonight,
Those stars fall silently into the rain because they hurt…..”

 

 

She forgets how did she finish all her schedule today or how did she get home.

 

She forgets what did Sooyoung tell her before she closes the door of her dorm.

 

Until someone taps her back.

 

 

 

“I heard you need help.”

 

 

 

Irene turns around and forges into the speaker’s embrace.

 

 

“Unnie ….. What should I do……” The little girl hopelessly sobs.

 

“I often feel helpless too…… I’ll wait it out or cry until my tears run dry…… Or talk to the person which matters.” Jessica caresses Irene’s back.

 

Irene looks up with her teary eyes and asks, “Something happened to you too, unnie ?”

 

Jessica softly smiles, “What a clever girl.”

 

 

 

Jessica pours a glass of water for Irene and joins her by the dinning table.

 

 

“I talked to Tiffany today.”

 

 

Such a short statement and it’s enough to make the young girl startled.

 

 

“She likes Taeyeon-unnie, doesn’t she ? Wendy told me .….” 

 

Oh Wendy….. My hearts feels like it’s clutched whenever I think of you.

 

 

“Good. That saves me from some explaining. We are childhood friends. But we lost contact when my family moved back to Korea….. I was about 13 at that time ? Anyway, as you know, we reunited at your debut stage. And now, we had dinner and we talked. After she saw me and Taeyeon together at the after-party.”

 

 

Jessica pauses and takes a deep breathe.

 

 

“And I told her everything between me and Taeyeon. Everything within those 5 years. She asked, do I love Taeyeon ? I ……. I said yes.”

 

“And I asked her back…… She said yes too. So I said, it’s a fair competition then.”

 

 

She pauses again hearing Irene laughs a bit. 

 

 

“What so funny ?” Jessica shoots an icy glare.

 

As another ice princess, Irene seems immune and replies.

 

“It isn’t fair. Taeyeon-unnie loves you. Plus, you two had been together for 5 years.”

 

 

“I’ve hurt her deep in those 5 years. And I have no idea how Taeyeon feels for Tiffany. I mean, she is sunshine, caring, lovable….. Who doesn’t like such a national star ?” Jessica doesn’t seem to find it funny.

 

“Wendy said Taeyeon-unnie seems bothered by it.”

 

“Tiffany said she ain’t giving up easily.”

 

“So have you talked to Taeyeon-unnie about it?” Irene tries to convince her unnie.

 

“So have you talked to Wendy about it ?” Jessica crosses her fingers and places her chin upon them.

 

 

Irene sighs and drinks her water.

 

 

“Love. Trust.” Jessica continues.

 

“Just bluntly tell her everything, like you did with Tiffany-unnie ?” Irene grabs her glass firmly.

 

“Yes. And I plan to meet Taeyeon tomorrow, when she’s finally free.” 

 

Jessica holds Irene’s other hand. “Hey, I don’t want to see you and Wendy ending up like me and Taeyeon did last time.”

 

“Araso, unnie. I’ll call her right away.” Irene weakly smiles.

 

“Good girl~ I shall leave first. Take care of that thin body of yours !!!” Jessica pats the young girl’s head before she leaves.

 

 

 

Irene settles down on her bed and dials the familiar number.

 

Wendy doesn’t pick up for the first time.

 

 

 

She dials again.

 

Still no one answers.

 

 

 

Irene faintly puts down her phone and wipes her tears.

 

Why isn’t she answering ?

 

Did something happen to her again ?

 

 

She feels completely helpless and lost.

 

Is it the time ? 

 

Is it the time when you have done putting up with me and is walking away from me?

 

 

 

A glimmer of a star reflects into the corner of Irene’s eyes. 

 

Making her tilting her head towards the window.

 

 

There was a star at the night when they got soaked by the sudden rain.

 

There were stars at the night when she confessed to her. When they shared their first kiss.

 

 

Wendy once said before she left, “When there’s a star, I’m probably watching it with you. We’re under the same sky, remember” ?

 

 

Wendy-ah, are you seeing the star too?

 

 

“The one star that engraves you.
The one star that calls out to you.

Like a sound of breathing that cannot be hidden.
Like a melody that carves for only you.

 

Though I can’t have you now, 

I can still see you.
Not being able to stop is also a part of being in love,

Although it hurts.……….”

 

(“Polaris” - Tiny-G / Jay Park / Lee Siyoung)

 

 

Irene decides to call once more.

 

 

“Hello ?” Wendy picks it up without looking at the screen since she is too occupied.

 

And she is surprised that her phone rings near the daybreak.

 

 

“I-It’s me … ” Irene tries to hide her sobs but fails.

 

“What’s wrong ? Did someone bully you ? Get Taeyeon-unnie or Jessica-unnie for help !” Wendy is scared to hear her dear girlfriend cry.

 

“Why didn’t you answer my call ?” Irene punches her pillow.

 

“I-I …. …. I’ve been busy with composing and I haven’t slept since last night ….. I just went to eat and took a nap. I’m sorry, Irene.……  Is there something else? ” Wendy checks her phone and apologizes.

 

“You haven’t slept yesterday ? Oh……” Irene is regretting that she should have called when she was in the practice room.

 

 

“Irene, what’s wrong ? I’m worried.” Wendy’s sleepiness has long gone and she is grasping her bed sheet hard.

 

She can hear Irene snuffling before she speaks.

 

“T-They asked me to have a kiss scene with the male-lead in a upcoming drama….. And …. To make a s-scandal later…… ” Irene bites her lower lip and tells her everything.

 

 

Our little Olaf didn’t see that coming and she’s like struck by a lightning. 

 

Her lips are moving but words just don’t come out.

 

 

Dead silence between them.

 

 

It takes some time for Olaf to recover.

 

runs dry and her voice cracks.

 

 

“I respect you and your career.” 

 

 

However, she sounds horribly calm for Irene.

 

 

“Are you okay ? I cried for hours and is on the verge of breaking down the whole day for being a ty girlfriend…… Now all you said is respect me ???? Don’t you even care ???” 

 

 

Irene yells again and her sweet soft voice is lost.

 

Which irritates the have-not-slept-much girl.

 

 

“So what are you expecting me to do ??? Fly to Korea now and punch your damn boss ?? I want to …… But I have a family business to take care of and my grandfather is dying !!!!  What am I gonna do other than talking bull ?” 

 

 

Wendy is frustrated and losing her grip.

 

She feels like she can’t do anything right and she has been leading by her nose. Like a goddamn cow.

 

She has spent nearly two days and still couldn’t get a decent tune going.

 

Her grandfather is getting worse every minute. Doctor said he might only have a few days left.

 

Now her girlfriend calls and yells at her.

 

She is pissed, angry, thwarted, sad, dejected.

 

 

 

 

Until Wendy hears her girlfriend sobbing again.

 

Her heart aches, too damn aching that she wanna rip it out and step the out of it.

 

 

“Irene, I love you and I don’t mean to make things worse. And I ….. ” So she backs down.

 

“You’re right.” Irene cuts her off.

 

 

“I’m sorry. Truly sorry……” Wendy voices her mind out with her cracked voice.

 

“Things haven’t been easy to me since we’re together. Now…. It seems we’re following Taeyeon-unnie and Jessica-unnie’s track. Which is the least I wanted. I shouldn’t have let my stress out on you……”

 

 

“I’m scared, Wendy. I haven’t done much for you, and for our relationship…. It’s like you’re trying hard to keep it together and I just keep screwing things up.” 

 

Irene massages her temple.

 

“I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have pushed you and yelled at you…..”

 

 

“Don’t feel that you don’t deserve me or any like this. I love you and I would do anything for you.” 

 

Anything. 

 

Wendy says as she watches a ray of sunlight radiating from the horizon.

 

 

“Wendy, I promise you that you’re forever in my heart and I will tell the world that you’re my girlfriend one day. This time, I promise you.” 

 

Irene sounds extremely serious. And her soft voice is back.

 

 

“Okay.” Wendy lets off a chuckle. “You know what, I was trying to make a song for you and we have just fought few minutes ago.”

 

“How ironic.” Irene laughs too.

 

 

“A few days later I’ll be Contento’s director. And I will read your scandal from the newspaper. The road ahead of us will get bumpier as we goes further.” Wendy frowns.

 

“Hey, did you see a star earlier ?” Irene ignores her girlfriend’s concern.

 

“Yeah, it was quite bright. But my cabbage, it’s dawn in Canada now.” Wendy walks up to the window in her room.

 

“Didn’t you once say we would be watching the same star when there’s one ?” Irene goes back to her sweet side.

 

“Yup. Didn’t we just do ?” Wendy playfully answers.

 

“Then think of me every time you see a star. ‘Cause I do. I’m always by your side, even sometimes you can’t see me. Just like a polaris guiding your way home.” 

 

“Looks who are saying all the sweet words now ? Bae Joohyun ? I’ve underestimated you.” Wendy teases, but on the inside, she is touched and melted into a pile of jelly.

 

 

Irene Bae Joohyun talking sweet. , slim chances as seeing a meteor shower.

 

 

“You haven’t say yes, Shon Seunghwan.” Irene is trying to sound stern but ends up sounding sweet.

 

“Yes.Yes.Yes.Yes.Yes.Yes ~ YES !!!!!!!! I’ll be thinking of you every second, no matter it’s daytime or at night ~~~~” Wendy warmly calls out.

 

 

 

“I love you, pabo. Now get some sleep ~” Irene blushes a bit.

 

“Saranghae ~~~ Goodnight and sweet dreams~~” Wendy kisses the phone before she hangs up.

 

 

 

 

They are certainly tired after going on a mood-train ride today.

 

 

 

 

Stars. Bae Joohyun. Irene.

 

Wavering in Wendy’s head as she falls asleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wendy and Irene having their first fight !!!

But what doesn't kill you makes you stronger ~~~

We'll see how things go on TaeNySic next chapter *big smirk*

 

We're on the 17th chapter guys *tears*

Thanks for the support guys <3

It's nearly half way of the story I think *rubs chin*

I'm always curious about how you think and I MIGHT get inspirations from you guys.

Stay tuned !!!

xo