The auditorium is packed with trainees.

 

 

Irene is going to perform earlier than Wendy. Non-trainees used to perform at the very end. And Irene is the star trainee.

 

 

 

As soon as Irene steps on the stage, all people in the hall shut their mouths and have their eyes locked on the star.

 

 

 

Music starts and she gracefully dances.

 

 

A real-life goddess.

 

 

 

Wendy watches attentively and admires Irene’s every movement. Even the pink tips of her hair are dancing along.

 

 

She secretly smiles at the fact that she could never dance like this.

 

 

And it suddenly switches to a heavy-beat song - f(x)’s Beautiful Stranger.

 

 

 

“It’s just another story, I fell in love with a foreigner,
And it’s all about me, how can I make you understand me?

That black shadow far away, if I can meet you,

I will run thousands of kilometers.
The gun shot in my heart goes bang,
Let’s go, there is a race right now toward you."

 

 

 

Irene’s contemporary dancing changes into a Jazz+Hip-hop routine.

 

 

It’s still flawless and dazzling.

 

 

Wendy is sure that her Korean friend will be one hell of a star.

 

 

"Beautiful Stranger, I’ve fallen into your big eyes,
To the mysterious feeling, the language, I open my heart.
Beautiful stranger, people say that you’re dangerous,
They don’t try to see the you that I see, no.

 

The stories in the deep silences,
You came from a different dimension, a different world.
When you look at me as you extend your long hands,
Take me to the place where you are.”

 

 

 

Endless clapping and cheers, and boys drooling as Irene’s performance ends.

 

 

Irene finds Wendy sitting at the very end of the audience’s bench.

 

 

 

“Hey, how do I do ?” The smiliing Korean taps the nervous Canadian’s shoulder.

 

 

“Perfect. I guess you have a talent. It’s not what practice can do.” 

 

 

 

“I appreciate your compliment. You nervous ?”  

 

 

“A bit.” Wendy rubs her hands and tunes her guitar.

 

 

“You’ll do well. Trust me. I’ll be cheering you.” Irene softly smiles.

 

 

 

The two quietly enjoy the show until it’s Wendy’s turn.

 

 

 

“Who’s that girl ?”

 

 

“I saw her with Irene earlier.”

 

 

“Is she going to perform too ?”

 

 

 

Wendy searches for Irene from the stage.

 

 

 

There she is, standing at the farthest. 

 

 

Yet, she’s easy to spot ‘cause she simply stands out. Her beauty, her grace, her white dress, and her smile.

 

 

 

Wendy calms down and strikes a few chords.

 

 

 

“You look so wonderful in your dress,
I love your hair like that.
The way it falls on the side of your neck,
Down your shoulders and back.”

 

 

 

Breathetaking, is the word to describe her singing this song. 

 

 

Pouring all her emotions into her voice. That is not something easy to do.

 

 

“We are surrounded by all of these lies,
And people who talk too much.
You got the kind of look in your eyes,
As if no one knows anything but us.” 

 

 

 

Wendy closes her eyes while she sings, with Irene flickering in her head.

 

As for the real Irene, this scene reminds her of Taeyeon singing at that cafe.

 

 

 

Closed eyes. Soulful voice.

 

 

No.

 

 

This isn’t Taeyeon. 

 

 

 

This is a bright, caring, and warm Canadian girl who reads her heart, who’s now glowing on the stage.

 

 

 

“You look so beautiful in this light,
Your silhouette over me.
The way it brings out the blue in your eyes is the Tenerife Sea,
And all of the voices surrounding us here,

They just fade out when you take a breath.
Just say the word and I’ll disappear into the wilderness.”
 

And should this be the last thing I see,
I want you to know its enough for me.
Because all that you are is all I’ll ever need, I'm so in love……”

 

 

 

(Tenerife Sea - Ed Sheeran)

 

 

 

Wendy opens her eyes again when the songs ends. She sees Irene looking at her, looking into her. Irene’s smiling and clapping, for her.

 

 

People all stand up and cheer for this talented singer. 

 

 

 

Wendy is touched by the love shown by the audience. And She wants to share this happiness with someone.

 

 

 

She takes a quick bow and rushes back to Irene. “I did it ! I did it ~~~" She keeps jumping up and down, can’t hide her excitement.

 

 

“Yes, you did it. You did it very well.” Irene gently pats the Canadian's head and smoothens her hair.

 

 

 

“Thank you, Irene. I couldn’t do this without you.” Wendy finally stands still and flashes her puppy eyes to the older girl.

 

 

“Your voice is really something. And the song, is nice, too.” 

 

 

 

“Do you like it ?” Wendy carefully asks. Indeed, this song popped up in her mind the second she saw Irene’s look.

 

 

“Yes, I do……. Let’s go somewhere else now. Our part is finished here.” Irene changes the topic and leaves the hall.

 

 

 

Wendy places the guitar on a seat and follows.

 

 

 

Mark plans to talk to Wendy again after her performance but the older girl runs so fast. So he chases after her.

 

 

Then when he sees his two noonas walking side by side, all he has in his mind is to adore how they match each other, from their clothes, their height, and their pace.

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

“Where’s our next stop, ma’am ?” 

 

 

“Eat ? I’m starting to feel hungry.” Irene bites her finger.

 

 

 

“Okay then. What do you wanna eat ? Korean, Chinese, Fast food ??” 

 

 

“Pizza !” Irene shouts happily as she thinks of her favorite food.

 

 

 

“Don’t you have to go on diet before your debut ? Like the other female artists ?”

 

 

“Not really. Come on, just one meal.” Irene begs.

 

 

“That’s it then.” Wendy dearly smiles at her cuteness and complies.

 

 

 

When Wendy is trying to order their food on the counter, Irene suddenly cuts her off and says to the waiter, “Take away please.”

 

 

“We’re not eating here ?”

 

 

“We’ll eat somewhere else.” Irene proudly raises her chin.

 

 

 

Wendy stands there and watches Irene joyfully playing with water at the beach.

 

 

Just like the other children do.

 

 

 

“So we’re eating at the beach ?” She swears she’d never thought of eating fast food on the sand.

 

 

“Yup. Hand me the pizza.”

 

 

 

“Here.” Wendy puts down the paper bags and hands Irene a box.

 

 

“Yeah~ !” Irene casually sits on the sand while enjoying her food.

 

 

 

Wendy follows suit and gets herself a piece too.

 

 

Irene hasn’t been near a sea since she has become a trainee. 

 

 

 

It’s nearly 6 and she watches a vanilla twilight spreading across the sky. Although she has only known Wendy for only one day, she feels like they are some kind of long-lost friends and she enjoys her accompany very much.

 

 

Jessica once told her something like this before, and she called that “soulmates”. Little does Irene know, she has already opened up a lot to this new friend or potential soulmate of hers.

 

 

 

When they are about to finish their food, rain pours without any warning.

 

 

 

Wendy quickly grabs all the things she could and also Irene, then runs to the nearest shelter she could find.

 

 

Irene looks at the soaking Wendy and feels guilty of dragging her here. She expects Wendy to scold her or be mad at her. Since she has been bossing the young Canadian around since this morning.

 

 

But the young Canadian doesn’t.

 

 

 

Instead, Wendy takes off her cardigan and wraps it around Irene’s tiny shoulders. “It’s a bit wet but it can keep you warm. Look at you. You’ll catch a cold only with that dress.” 

 

 

“How about you ?” Irene looks at Wendy shivering a bit as her white shirt is soaked with rain.

 

 

 

“Don’t worry. My shirt is long-sleeved and I don’t have to debut later.” 

 

 

“I thought you’d be angry with me…….. I’m sorry.”  Irene hangs her head low.

 

 

 

“I like the blue sea and the vanilla twilight I saw back there. Thanks for bringing me here.” Wendy flahes Irene a reassuring smile.

 

 

“How could you always be so nice ? Won’t you feel sad or get hurt too ?” Irene is caught up in the girl’s sweetness.

 

 

 

“I will. But won’t it become a double-damage if you are depressed by the pain you have ? And have you watched “Frozen” ? Olaf told Anna, some people are worth melting for. And my nickname is Olaf, and I like warm hugs.” Wendy watches the rain pouring non-stop and voices out her mind.

 

 

Irene gives Wendy a big warm hug as her reply.

 

 

 

“Hey, you’re too strong. I can hardly breathe.”

 

 

“Shut up. Your body’s cold. I’m warming you up.”

 

 

 

Wendy chuckles at Irene’s stubbornness and hugs her back.

 

 

 

Then she suddenly pushes Irene away - and sneezes.

 

 

 

“Bless you. Let’s call it a day then. We’ll be sick if we continue to stay outside.” Irene can’t help but laugh at how cute Wendy is. 

 

 

“Good. Let’s get the car.”

 

 

 

Wendy safely drives Irene back to her dorm. 

 

 

“Goodbye.” Irene gets out from the car.

 

 

 

“Bye~” Wendy brightly waves and watches the girl walking away.

 

 

“Wait !!!!!!! ” Irene turns around. “Give me your phone.”

 

 

 

Wendy hands Irene her phone and the older girl types fast.

 

 

 

“Here is my number……….. I’ll have to prepare for my debut and we might not be seeing each other for quite a while.” The now-shy Korean gives the all-time bright Canadian back her phone.

 

 

“Okay. I’ll call or something.”

 

 

 

“Promise ?” Irene looks into Wendy’s eyes and asks.

 

 

“Promise.”

 

 

 

Wendy drives away after she sees lights coming from Irene’s dorm.

 

 

She starts to realize her weakness with Irene and she couldn’t never say no to her.

 

 

 

It’s time to have a girl’s talk with Taeyeon.