Red Velvet just finished their performance at one of their scheduled festival appearances and they are now on their way to their dorm. It’s been a tiring day and normally the ride home would have been filled with laughs, random dances here and there and some belting of songs that was playing but the silence that the atmosphere possess that day is on another level. The usual fun bickering and hyperactive girl group members are now sitting quietly in their van, more specifically each of them are not saying a single word that almost the leader is in the left side and is quietly looking at the streetlights blur against the moving vehicle; the main dancer is glancing at her direction every now and then. The three other members just look at the both of them with grief. It’s been days since the two of them are acting like this. It all started a few days ago, it was the night when Seulgi came from a celebratory dinner and celebration with the cast and crew of her variety show for their last filming day. The morning after that, Irene avoided Seulgi and the latter would do the same thing. The members each try to ask or rather pry on what happened but the two would just deny it and say that there is nothing wrong or they would say that they are just tired. It lasted for days and at first the three thought that it will be sorted out soon but they are proven wrong. The two even eat dinner on separate ends of their dining table. Heck the two even won’t utter a single word towards each other. The three members look at each other and gave each one a subtle nod while remembering their conversation that morning while preparing to go to their schedule.

“Unnie we need to do something about it. It is not healthy at all and I’m worried that it will soon affect their work and well-being as well.”  Yeri voiced out her concern and the two other member agreed.

“Yeah Unnie we need to come up with a plan for them to make up.” Joy agreed.

“Okay guys. I got an idea and you two need to do something to make this work.  

Once the five of them arrived at their dorm, Seulgi excused herself to go to her room saying her is really tired and all. She then opened the door to her room but before she can close it, Wendy gave the cue to the two younger members who then grabbed Irene’s arms and dragged her towards Seulgi’s room.

“Yah what are you two up to now.” Irene protested but since she is helpless against the two, she is shoved down into Seulgi’s room with a bewildered Seulgi inside.

“We won’t let you two out unless you sort out your issues. “Wendy shouted at the other end of the door. The two then realized that the members tricked them and worse lock them inside the room. At first the two tried to force their way out. Seulgi trying open the door by kicking and punching it while Irene trying to scare the other members and said some threats but both their efforts are fruitless. After a good fifteen minutes of trying, Seulgi eventually collapsed on her knees and heave a huge and deep sigh. Irene, feeling hurts, stopped shouting, just went to the farthest side of the room opposite Seulgi and did the same thing. The two remained silent as Irene tried to think hard and weighs their options. She can spend the night in Seulgi's room, in complete silence and awkwardness and can just kill Wendy, Joy and Yeri tomorrow once they let her out. She can also pretend to be okay, try to ease any bad feelings between her and Seulgi and just force herself to be happy for the other. Or maybe she can choose to just talk to Seulgi, congratulate the girl on finding love and wish her the best in it.  Despite the fact that doing so, it is like raising the white flag and ultimately facing the reality that Seulgi is in love with someone else and it really hurts like hell. She was still debating when she heard Seulgi spoke in a small somewhat depressing tone.

"I'm sorry for this Unnie." Irene almost flinched at the words. Why was Seulgi saying sorry to her. Is it because the younger is aware of her feelings somehow? Is Seulgi feeling bad that Irene's feelings for her cannot be reciprocated? If that's the case, then Irene really feel disheartened because of it.

"Why are you saying sorry Seulgi? You did not do anything wrong." She tried to say without stuttering and willing herself not to cry in front if the girl she loves.

"I'm sorry Unnie. This is all my fault. I'm sorry that I did not stop myself from falling. I'm sorry that I've been selfish. I did not think about the results of my action. I'm sorry." The first tear fell from Seulgi's eyes followed by another. Soon it started falling like a waterfall.

Irene felt her heart clenched upon the sight in front of her. It's true that she felt her heart break upon knowing the Seulgi is in love with someone else but the scene she is seeing now is pulverizing her heart into millions of pieces. She cannot take seeing the one she loves asking for her apology because of loving someone. Her mind flashes back to what really happened a few nights ago.

Flashback

Irene woke up from her sleep feeling a little thirsty. She took her phone from her bedside table and saw that it's already 2 am. She then remembered that Seulgi went out earlier and texted that she would be home late as the hosts and crew of her variety show decided to go out for some drinks to celebrate their last day of filming together. She then put a robe around her body as she is just wearing a thin silk pajamas and it's a little cold outside of her room. She also decided to check out if Seulgi already arrived home.

She was just a few steps outside when she saw that there is light coming from the door of Seulgi's room which is slightly opened. She would just like to take a peek and just confirm that Seulgi got home safe or if she needs anything. She also thought of the possibility that she was drunk and passed out but as soon as she is within a good distance from the door, she hears Seulgi say.

"I know that I am nothing as compared to you. I am just a stupid simple and untalented girl who took 7 years to debut. Someone who trained the longest and I think that the company just felt pity for me that's why they let me debut in our group. But you know Unnie, I never regretted anything that happened because if I decided to take another path then I wouldn't have met you. And that is something that would really make my life incomplete. Do you know that your smile is like a touch of magic in my cruel reality? It is a spark of hope in my never ending desolation. A ray of light in my darkest abyss. Plain and honest words from you can make my struggles bearable by a hundred fold. In other words, your existence is like the very core of my lonely and useless life. I convinced myself that I am nothing as compared to who you are and just looking at you and loving from afar is enough. Being that knight who will come to your rescue at just a snap of a finger while blending and hiding in the shadows, watching as the princess build her future with the prince she deserves. But lately, I am becoming more and more selfish. I keep wanting more. I wanted to step into the light and abandon the shadows encasing the knight's existence. I badly want to be the prince that will protect the princess and make her happy for the rest of their lives. I can no longer hide this feeling. Unnie I love you. I loved you for years now. I am loving you more and more each day. Please tell me that somehow you have feelings for me too."

Irene felt wet, fat tears racing to drop from her eyes. The silence that soon followed is deafening but it can never vanquish the sound of her whole being that is slowly crumbling into pieces. Before she loses her strength, she ran silently into her room- trying not to make any sound afraid that anyone might hear the anguish cry of her heart.

End of flashback

She never intended to hurt Seulgi this way. Why? Just because of her stupid feelings for the girl. Now her own selfish love is hurting the girl whom she wanted to give happiness to. The girl who can make the most beautiful flower dull whenever she smiled. The girl who can brighten even the darkest of nights. The girl who can take her breath away. She wanted to pursue a relationship with Seulgi but not like this. Not at the cause of the younger one's misery. Now she is beginning to understand how selfish she is right now.

"No... Seulgi. You don't have to apologize. It's my fault. I am the selfish one. I am just thinking of myself and my own feelings. I did not even try to think about you. I did not think how all of this would affect you and our group. I will try to move on. I will try to put it all past behind us and wish for your happiness even if it's not with me " Irene added in her mind as she did not have the courage to utter those words and somehow confuse Seulgi.

"I promise I will be mindful of your feelings from now on. I did not mean for this to happen. I mean I know that I am just me and is not worthy of such a wonderful person. Don't worry Unnie I will try to bury my feelings." Seulgi tried to smile despite her own tears blurring her vision and staining her cheeks. Irene saw how her lips are quivering in an attempt to contain her cries. It breaks her heart even more.

"No Seulgi. You are free to love whom your heart chooses to. It is me who should bury my feelings. It is me who should be contented by our reality."

"Unnie don't sacrifice your heart for me. I am not worth it. I do not deserve it. I will try to move on even if it’s the last thing I'd do worthwhile in my life. I mean me, confessing my feelings to you is such a stupid thing. Who am I as compared to a Goddess that you are " Irene isn't sure but she actually heard Seulgi said that she confessed to her?

"What do you mean confessed to me? Seul, I heard you confessed to someone else that night. I hear you profess your love to someone you are talking with on your phone. Plus, I am in my room that time. It just happens that I got thirsty and went out. I saw the lights in your room and I heard you then confessing to that girl." Irene exclaimed and raised her brow as Seulgi is now looking at her with troubled and uneasy expression.

Silence engulfed the two until Seulgi broke it and spoke something that Irene never expected to hear.

"Unnie, you are with me in my room that night. I confessed to you. " Seulgi countered which made Irene more baffled. She then began retelling what she remembered that night.

Flashback