II

It was already midnight when Irene and Jinwook rode a subway to Daegu. It was almost -8˚C, making Irene shivered severely. She got a permission to see her grandmother, so after SMA she directly went to the station and she had to go back to Seoul the next day. She didn’t care if her body was tired, as long as she got to meet her grandma, everything’s fine. Jinwook looked at her with a very apologetic look. He knew very well how exhausted she must be.

“I am sorry for being a burden, oppa,” she said with a low voice. She wore a mask to cover half of her face.

“That’s okay Joohyun ah. Family comes first,” Jinwook smiled reassuringly. Jinwook was super close to Red Velvet girls. He was the kindest manager that Red Velvet had ever had, not saying that the rest were bad, but Jinwook was the best.

It was a long journey, took two hours to reach Daegu from Seoul with KTX. The ride was so quiet. It was almost empty as there were only few passengers at that time. Irene looked around, it’s been a while since last time she took a subway to Seoul from Daegu. She felt nostalgic. She used to take a subway when she was still a trainee.

Her eyes caught a figure that was so familiar. She looked at the man intensely, a tall body with long legs, well polished Jimmy Choo, an expensive khaki coat, and a Supreme snapback that wore reversely. He wore a mask so Irene couldn’t really tell who he was, but she’s so sure that’s not something commoners would wear.

“Jinwook oppa, I guess that man is so extraordinary, right?” she whispered to Jinwook, pointing at the suspect.

Jinwook nodded in agreement after he saw the man, “Another celebrity maybe? But who? At this hour?”

The man knew that he’s being a talk so he got up and moved his seat, far from Jinwook and Irene.

“I am positive, he must be a celebrity. He looks so familiar,” Irene murmured.

They finally arrived at Dongdaegu station and then they took a cab to Dongsan Hospital where Irene’s grandma was hospitalized. Irene already forgot about the stranger as soon they reached the lobby of the hospital. She walked quickly to her grandma’s room. She opened the door, there was her mother waiting for her grandma. Her mother looked so tired, and her grandma looked so weak and vulnerable. It’s been a while since her grandma was diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. But that time was the most severe.

She hugged her mother, “Are you okay, mom? You look so tired,” she asked. Her voice trembled, about to cry.

“I am okay, Joohyun ah. She’s the one who’s sick,” her mother patted her back softly.

Joohyun bent down to kiss her grandma’s forehead. “Grandma, I am here…” she said with low voice.

Her grandma smiled with her eyes closed, “I miss you Hyun ah,” her voice sounded raspy.

“I miss you too,” Irene kissed her grandma once again. She held her grandma’s hands. It felt so weird. Her hands used to be so strong and dense, but now it felt so powerless and she could feel her grandma’s bones. At times like that, she regretted being an idol because she couldn’t stay 24/7 next to her families.

She turned to her mother, “Jinwook oppa will you home, mom. Go home, you need some sleep.” She said.

“I am not leaving you,” her mom rejected. “I want to stay here,”

“Mom, listen to me. You need to be healthy for the sake of Grandma. Go home and sleep now.” Irene said with a full force.

Her mother complied, nodded weakly. She packed her stuff and Jinwook brought them for her. “Oppa, thank you,” Irene said to Jinwook before they left the room.

Irene was left with her grandmother. She didn’t say a thing, only looking at her grandma who was sleeping, with a very worried look. Her grandma never told other families about her sickness. It’s just only three years ago when she suddenly collapsed and brought to hospital, that when the families knew about her disease.

“That’s why, don’t be too stubborn,” Irene said. Tears fell down from her eyes, “I can’t stay next to you all the time, please be healthy,”

A knock was heard from outside the room. Irene got up and opened the door. She gasped, didn’t believe what she saw. A figure that she really knew, was standing at the door.

“Noona, you’re here too,” he said. His voice was deep.

“W – What A – Are y y you doing here?” she asked.

“I am visiting my girlfriend.” He grinned. His smile was his trade mark, a rectangular shaped smile.

The man walked to Irene’s grandma. He caressed her cheek gently, “Look, you’re so skinny now.” He said. “My girl needs to eat a lot,”

Irene’s grandma moved her hand, grabbing the hand of the man, “Is it you, our Taehyung?” she asked.

“Yes, I am Taehyung. I am here, Nari grandma.” He smiled genuinely.

Irene was still taken aback. She really didn’t expect him to be there. He was the least person she had ever imagined to be there.

“Hyun ah…Look, my boyfriend comes to see me,” her grandma said. Taehyung chuckled. “Come here, Hyun ah.”

Irene dragged her feet. She stood next to Taehyung who was still holding her grandma’s hands like there’s no tomorrow.

“Find a good boyfriend like him. I know you are lonely these days because of your job. If you find a good man like him, I can die in peace.” Her grandma said with a smile on her lips.

“Grandma, don’t say something like that!” Irene snapped. “You have to live for a long time,”

Her grandma chuckled, “Fine. I will live for a long time, but still…you have to get a good man like him, okay?”

Irene nodded.

“Good, then, let me sleep.” Her grandma closed her eyes and fell asleep.

It was very awkward. Silence enveloped Taehyung and Irene. Taehyung couldn’t say a single word. He was very nervous. It’s been a while since he got a chance to stand next to Irene that close. He secretly stole a glance at Irene. She looked so tired and sleepy. He wanted to give her a pat in the back, telling that everything’s going to be okay, but he didn’t have the courage.

“So it was you whom I saw at the subway, right? You came on your own, without your manager?” Irene said, breaking the ice.

Taehyung nodded, “Yes, it’s me.” He smiled. “My managers didn’t know I came here, only the members knew.” He grinned.

Irene turned at him. She looked at him as if he just did something bad. “Why are you doing this?! Don’t you have schedules tomorrow?”

Truthfully, Taehyung had schedules but he shook his head instead. He didn’t want her to feel apologetic. It was automatic, when he heard the news about her grandma, he really had the urge to come and visit her. He just had no idea that Irene would be there too.

“Anyway, thank you. I know you must be tired. But next time, don’t do this. I don’t want to be someone’s burden.” Irene said, flashing a smile.

“I do it because I care. Nari grandma is like my own grandma. You can’t stop me from visiting her though.”

“Yeah fine, you have the right.” Irene shrugged.

They became silent again. Irene sat on the couch, rested her back against the wall. She was so sleepy but didn’t want to fall asleep. She tried hard to keep her eyes open. Taehyung looked at her, suddenly remembered about the breads that he bought. He handed them to Irene, “I believe you haven’t eat, right? Eat this, noona.”

Irene felt weird by Taehyung’s treatment. He was so kind and caring, very different from what she always remembered about him. He used to be so childish and such a prankster back then. Even after he debuted, his group always made lots of noises whenever they were around. Irene never liked him because he was so noisy and annoying, and he always made her sister cried. But that night, Taehyung was very different, something about him has changed.

“Thanks. You should eat too.” Irene said. She opened one of the breads. It was vanilla muffin, her favorite. She wondered whether it was a coincidence that Taehyung knew her favorite or not.

Taehyung sat next to Irene. He took one of the breads and started eating. “Never knew before a bread can taste like heaven,” he said while munching his muffin like a five years boy.

Irene chuckled, “It’s because you’re hungry, kid.”

Taehyung flinched, didn’t like how Irene called him kid. “But I am not a kid anymore,” he grunted.

“But you’re still 19 right? Means that you’re still underage.”

“That’s so wrong. I am technically 21 this year.” He put down his muffin.

“Still, you’re a lot younger than me. That’s why you’re still a kid.” She shrugged.

Taehyung looked at Irene. He looked so annoyed. “Noona, look at me,”

Irene refused to look at him. Taehyung cupped her face. “I am a man. I am an adult. I am not a minor.”

Irene was flabbergasted. She didn’t know how to react. But something felt so