After Krystal had interacted with Irene on MuBank, Scarletstring and I were fantasizing about how Irene was getting all the (female) 94 liners and then lamented on the fact that Sulli was no longer with f(x) so we can’t see any SulRene interactions. And then we had this brilliant idea that ALL of them are enamoured with Irene, all fighting for her attention. This then escalated into our not so secret desire for BaeFany to happen and this monster popped up.

As I am WenRene trash, this would hint heavily on WenRene, so let’s just get those other assumptions that this would end a certain way away. You are welcomed to back out at this point.

“She’s so gorgeous.”

Wendy narrowed her eyes and sighed, sending a glare over to her same aged friend, Seulgi, who had apparently abandoned all pretenses of stretching to stare at Irene, who was over by the ballet barres helping Yeri with her own stretching. Seulgi was oblivious to Wendy’s glower, sighing dreamily as she placed her elbow on her thigh, her chin cradled on the palm of her hand. Beside her, Joy was rolling her eyes fondly, the second younger already used to the antics of her unnies to really give that much of a damn.

Wendy cleared loudly.

“Aren’t we supposed to be stretching, dimwit? Unnie is going to call us to practice once she’s done helping Yeri.”

Her eyes was drawn over there (she can’t help herself) when she finished her sentence, raking in Irene’s form appreciatively before turning back to Seulgi, the other girl’s mouth slack as her eyes glazed over.  Joy reached over to close the open mouth, Seulgi nodding absentmindedly in thanks before her lips parted again, a stupid smile on her face. Resisting the urge to smack her best friend on the head, Wendy pulled her legs towards her body in a butterfly position and bent over, sighing to the ground before straightening her back.

“You guys done stretching?”

She peered up to their leader, Irene pulling her arms above her head to pop a shoulder while Yeri bounced beside her. Seulgi snapped to attention and stood up quickly, her head nodding and her smile bright.

“Yep, unnie! All done!”

Irene returned the smile, not noticing the way Seulgi swooned a little when she did, the girl moving to her spot only when Joy dragged her away, the younger girl shaking her head in amusement over her unnie’s reaction. Wendy made to stand, grasping at the hand offered to her and she grinned at Irene, the older girl’s eyes softening in that way that always had Wendy’s inside churning warmly. She asked lowly, worriedly, Wendy leaning in to hear the soft words directed at her.

“Did you stretch correctly? You had a cramp the other day, let’s try not to repeat that.”

Irene’s free hand pressed against Wendy’s thigh as though she was trying to emphasize her point.  The brunette smiled and put her hand over Irene’s squeezing the worried leader’s wrist.

“I’m fine, grandma. Stop worrying.”

Irene narrowed her eyes playfully but did not let go of Wendy’s hand, only releasing when they went to their starting positions for Dumb Dumb.

A heated scowl was directed towards Wendy, Seulgi’s mouth pursed comically as she puffed her cheeks. Wendy stuck out her tongue, her body immediately moving to the beat when the music started, their little rivalry put on hold temporarily.

*

Wendy did not know when their rivalry started, only that it was there one day, amidst their gentle cajoling amongst each other and their shared camaraderie as the two same aged friends in the group. They didn’t even dislike each other for it, evident from Seulgi’s constant fretting over her and the comfort Seulgi offered with her taller stature that came with their close friendship.

But it was there, as obvious as a white elephant in the room, so obvious that even Yeri and Joy felt it.

All of them knew about it except for Irene.

Irene (kind, gentle, childish, oblivious) had no idea that the 94-liners in the dorm had a sort of competition over who can win her heart. The older girl went about like she always did, waking them up with a gentle press of her lips to their foreheads to making small Korean dishes in the morning so that Wendy could have a break from cooking and then taking their laundry in a bundle to sort out and wash. She acted like she always did around them and was completely ignorant of the way Wendy and Seulgi hoarded these moments like a tally, oftentimes making these moments the points in their argument of who Irene liked more.

(They both pointedly ignored Joy when she pointed out that Irene did all those for them too, sometimes going the extra mile for Yeri, like holding the younger girl’s hands when crossing the road, even though the youngest amongst them was already almost towering above them.)

No, Wendy did not know when it started but it did.

What Wendy did not know was that Irene had some sort of scent that attracted everybody who were born in the year of 1994, falling open when she saw Sulli bound up to Irene like a puppy and latching on, the taller girl grinning widely when Irene chuckled good-naturedly, her hand patting Sulli’s cheek.

“Unnie, I missed you!”

“Hey, Jinri. Missed you too.”

Down the corridor, Krystal was directing a soul-withering glare towards Sulli, but it soon melted away into a shy smile when Irene called out to her, the older girl waving slowly.

“SooJung-ah, you’re done with practice too?”

The usually charismatic girl nodded and her fingers attached themselves to Irene’s shirt lightly, Wendy staring in disbelief as Krystal spoke sheepishly, her body swaying from side to side like a timid child.

“Yeah. Ssul was around so we wanted to go get some drinks for the rest of the group when we saw you guys. You’re done too?”

Irene nodded, giving Wendy another one of those looks that had her melting, and answered lightly, her side pressed against Wendy’s arm.

“Yeah, we were just about to get some snacks for the rest as well. Want to go together?”

Wendy opened to protest (she did not cheat at rock paper scissors to come out alone with Irene only to have two gatecrashers coming with) but Sulli had already nodded enthusiastically, the bubbly girl detaching herself slightly to tug on Irene’s arm.

“Yes, please! Unnie, you should shout us too.”

Chuckling, Irene agreed easily, her fingers twining with Wendy’s as Sulli pulled them along.

“Alright. I’ll get the drinks and snacks for everybody.”

Krystal was scowling at Sulli for holding Irene’s other hand but she was soon mollified when she managed to grab the back of Irene’s shirt, the bunch of them looking very odd as Irene guided the three of them to the grocery store not too far from their company. Irene had fallen back into her usual silence, her face serene as she walked towards the market with the three of them. Wendy took the chance and stared at the two of them challengingly, Sulli’s lip quirking up at the corner while Krystal’s frown deepened, the silent acceptance of said challenge clear on both their faces.

Wendy groaned silently.

Not only does she have Seulgi to contend with, she had to fend off Sulli and Krystal too?

Wendy cursed at her luck, her face pulling into one of its signature expressions as she followed Irene, the sudden burning fire of competitiveness surrounding the three of them.

*

“Ah! Unnie, you’re back!”

Seulgi ran up to them excitedly, skidding to a stop when she realised there were visitors, her eyes narrowing at both Krystal and Sulli, the three friends smiling grimly at each other while Wendy gathered the bags from Irene, trying to sneak the older girl away from the inevitable cat fight that was sure to occur. Unfortunately for her, Krystal caught the motion and she went after them slowly, Sulli and Seulgi still in their staring contest, Seulgi’s chin lifted all the way as she tried to match Sulli’s overbearing height.

“Unnie, I’ll help you carry those.”

Irene shot Krystal a surprised smile but shook her head, Wendy already pulling things out from the bags.

“It’s okay, SeungWan’s got it.”

Wendy felt a surge of happiness in her chest at the always existing pride that was in Irene’s voice when she spoke about Wendy, not even dwindling away when her friend her lip