Irene has lost counting times for receiving confessions from some random boys this week. 

 

 

“Irene-xi …. I really like you. Would you like to go out with me ?” The boy asks with his head hanging low, not daring to look at the girl.

 

 

 

Frankly, who doesn’t like Irene ? 

 

 

She is a natural beauty. She has a well-proportioned figure, although she is not that tall. She has fair skin. She is mysterious - shy or cool to be exact, which attracts boys, sometimes girls too. She has a talent in dancing, and she looks particularly hot doing that.

 

 

 

Being disrupted during her dance practice, Irene is definitely not pleased. She stares at the boy with her infamous yet still pretty poker face on. 

 

 

“What do you like about me ?” She asks nonchalantly and checks at her watch.

 

 

 

"Ahem. You are really pretty no matter you have make-up or not, you are really charismatic whatever you do.” The boy explains and becomes slightly more confident.

 

 

“Do you really know what kind of person I am?” Irene puts on her jacket and is ready to leave the dance studio.

 

 

 

“But ... .. Irene-xi, wait !” 

 

 

“Sorry. I have an appointment to make at 6. Bye.” The girl walks away as if nothing happens. 

 

 

 

“Boys, always fall for skin-deep beauty only.” She makes a mental note for herself while walking to the car park.   

 

 

 

Irene is trained under one of South Korea’s biggest entertainment company - SM. Due to her extreme popularity, it’s not doubt that she would be debuting soon. However, she must sharpen her talent first. That’s why she is practicing so hard these days. Not to mention her modeling skills. She has been working with several designers and filming fashion catalogues for quite a while. 

 

 

 

Now, this beauty is going to meet a photographer for her latest photo-shoot. 

 

 

As a very self-disciplined person, she arrives the coffee shop 15 minutes early. Sitting next to the window, Irene orders a cup of latte macchiato. 

 

 

It is a nice, quiet cafe. Including Irene, there are only 4 couples, 1 family, 3 tables of friends. Far way from the dinning area, there is a mini-stage for band performance. Some petite figure sits on a stool, tuning her guitar.

 

 

 

And Irene awaits.

 

 

 

That girl on the stage strikes a few chords and goes back to her tuning. Irene picks up her phone and checks if she arrives at the right place and time. 

 

 

18:00pm. The photographer is late. Her stomach starts to groan. It is her usual dinner time now. Irene watches people come and go, sipping her already-cold coffee impatiently. 

 

 

 

Then out of the blue, the petite girl finally starts to sing. 

 

 

 

“She's like cold coffee in the morning.”

 

 

 

The girl’s voice is a perfect mixture of husky and honey, catching everyone’s attention in the cafe as soon as she opens . 

 

 

“Such a beautiful voice.” Irene thinks she has just discovered a treasure. 

 

 

 

“I'm drunk off last night's whisky and coke,

She'll make me shiver without warning,

And make me laugh, as if I'm in on joke……..”

 

 

 

The girl who sings also looks very young, also has a very fair skin. Under the spotlight on the stage, her skin and her golden-brown long hair sparkle in the air, forming a hollow around her.

 

 

She sings with so much emotions that her eyes are shut all along.  Irene enjoys the free, awesome performance as much as the others. She even forgets about the late photographer and their meeting.  

 

 

 

“And you can stay with me forever,

Or you could stay with me for now.

 

And tell me if I'm wrong,

And tell me if I'm right.

Tell me if you need a loving hand,

To help you fall asleep tonight.”

 

 

 

(“Cold Coffee” - Ed Sheeran)

 

 

 

The songs ends with waves of clapping. The girl bows and steps down from the stage. Customers go back to their business with smiles on their faces. Then she directly walks towards Irene’s table.

 

 

Irene is brought back to reality when the girl stands in front of her, and is still holding her guitar. 

 

 

 

“Excuse me, I am having an appointment with…….”

 

 

“I know, me. I’m Kim Taeyeon.” 

 

 

 

 

“What ?” 

 

 

 

 

Irene with her what-the- face. Taeyeon with her usual I-don’t-give-a- face.

 

 

Taeyeon then shows the messages in her phone.

 

 

 

“I wasn’t late, Irene-xi.” Taeyeon smiles. “Indeed, I was 30 minutes early. I have been watching you.”

 

 

Irene is confused, “You were here all the time and you went up there to sing instead of meeting up with me ?” And apparently she feels like she has been toyed.

 

 

 

“Calm down, Irene-xi. I wasn’t finished yet. Yes, I watched you and your coffee. I decided to show my sincerity by singing for you. The song is called Cold Coffee.”

 

 

“How ironic,” Irene coldly replies. “I didn’t expect you to be ……. singing and playing guitar and looking so young and stuff. I read your profile and aren’t you 25 already ? You should have brought a camera not a guitar, so that I didn’t have to wait like a fool.” 

 

 

 

“Sorry.” Taeyeon manages to keep her charismatic smile. “And I bought you food.” She snaps her fingers and a waiter comes with at least 5 plates of food. 

 

 

Irene’s eyes are lightened up. She isn’t that pissed anymore in front of food.

 

 

 

The two finish their meals quietly. 

 

 

 

“You have a nice voice….. I mean, your singing is good. You could even surpass most of the trainees.” Irene praises Taeyeon whole-heartedly as an apology.

 

 

“I just love singing and playing guitar.” Tae maintains her professional mode. “You are the one who is going to debut. I am only here to help.”

 

 

 

They then discuss and run through all the details of the photo-shoot.

 

 

Irene has another meeting. Taeyeon says she has to go home.

 

 

 

As the unnie, Taeyeon offers to give Irene a ride, but is rejected.

 

 

“Thanks but my-” Irene stops by the sidewalk. 

 

 

“Oh…..I understand, how would a pretty girl like you don’t have a boyfriend ?” 

 

 

 

“Not really. It’s also for work.” 

 

 

“Okay. See you at the studio.” Taeyeon smirks and quickly drives away.

 

 

 

As soon as Tae’s Land Rover LR4 left, a greyish-black Bentley Continental GT pulls up in front of Irene. 

 

 

 

“Hey pretty girl. Wanna have some fun tonight ?” The driver rolls down the car window as she shouts.

 

 

“Sica-unnie.” Irene beams.

 

 

 

“Joohyunnie~” Jessica waves at her model and welcomes her with a warm smile. 

 

 

Irene gets in the car but pouts. “Unnie, don’t call me by my Korean name on the streets again.” 

 

 

 

Jessica giggles at Irene’s rare aegyo time, “Alrighty. Wait, it’s a fine cafe. Who brought you there ? Which boy ? Tell me.”

 

 

“Really ? Is it expensive ? No wonder there weren’t much people…….” Irene is absorbed in her own thought, thinking maybe Taeyeon is indeed a nice person. Damn, but Tae’s impression of her may not be that good, considering……..  

 

 

 

“Answer me. Which boy ? It can't be another trainee, right ?” Jessica changes into ice princess and shots her infamous ice glare.

 

 

“No….Not again. It’s for freaking work.” Irene balls up her tiny fists and it ends up looking awfully cute.

 

 

 

Jessica returns to her giggling, “Hey sweetie. Did some boy just confess to you today ? Also, even it’s a meeting for a job, it didn’t mean it can't be a boy.” 

 

 

“Yes and no. As usual, I rejected him. Gosh, he doesn’t know me that much. Second, I ate dinner with a female photographer. End of story.”

 

 

 

“Alright. Is she cute ? Or pretty ? y ?” Jessica makes a right turn while she speaks.

 

 

“I don’t know. A little bit cute, quite pretty, and a y singing voice, I guess ?” Irene recalls and describes the Taeyeon she knows. 

 

 

 

“A little bit of everything….. Wait, she sings ? A photographer sings ? For you ?” Jessica seems surprised. 

 

 

“Hmm yes ? But it’s not what you think.” Irene blushes a little. No one ever sings for her, in public. Well, one boy did, but you certainly won’t call that singing. 

 

 

 

“It’s still romantic.” Jessica nods and winks at the younger girl. 

 

 

The car has travelled some more miles before Jess says another word.

 

 

“Someone did sing for me once.”

 

 

 

“For real ? Was it one of you ex ?” Irene brightens up as she hears the ice princess suddenly opening up and sharing her past.

 

 

“I’ll tell you later. Now get out.” Jessica violently parks her car and kicks Irene out.

 

 

 

“More new clothes to try on ?” Irene smartly changes topics after witnessing Jessica’s mood literally switched in one second.

 

 

“Of course. Krystal is busy with her study. You are my second best candidate.” Jessica pulls Irene into her office. 

 

 

 

“Look, here are some more. For your photo-shoot later. You know, the more, the better. Sometimes the photographer would want different styles and looks, in order to play safe. It’s always nice to provide more for them to choose too.” 

 

 

 

Irene tries on those new clothes while Jessica keeps nagging.

 

 

 

What a long day.

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

Taeyeon is surprised by the scene when she steps in her house.

 

 

Wendy is sleeping on the sofa with one arm lifted above her head, one on her exposed tummy. Ginger accompanies the human and sits quietly next to her.

 

 

 

Tae’s head turns to the kitchen. No dirty bowls in the sink. “Good girl.”

 

 

She then brings Ginger to sleep, and returns to the living room with a dukong-cartoon blanket in her hands. Lastly, she gently places a blanket over the sleeping girl's petite body and she squats down to her level.

 

 

 

Staring for almost 45 seconds, Taeyeon is deep in her reminiscence and her eyes water a bit.

 

 

“Someone used to sleep like that too.” She sighs.

 

 

 

When the older girl comes out after bathing, the sleeping girl is already awake.

 

 

 

“Thanks unnie.”

 

 

“You deserved it. Both the design job and the blanket.” 

 

 

 

“I’m super tired designing all day. Goodnight unnie.” Wendy yawns.

 

 

“Goodnight. Seung-hwannie” 

 

 

“Blah….. Always teasing.”

 

 

 

Back to silent.

 

 

 

Taeyeon lays on her bed in her dimmed room. 

 

 

 

Eye closed.

 

 

Eye on the celling.

 

 

 

She just can’t sleep.

 

 

 

Thousands of flashbacks runs back to her. Haunting.

 

 

And she starts humming the song without even knowing.

 

 

 

“For goodness sake, will my love not be enough?

 

 

Tell me if I know,

Tell me if I do.

Tell me how to fall in love,

The way you want me to.”

 

 

 

What a long night.