Note: A long chapter ahead in compensation of my extremely, late update.

[Irene’s POV]

“Hold on tight. Things will be quite messy.” He said as he finally hung up. I brought down the phone in my lap as I took another sigh.

I probably will. After the phone call with Junmyeon, I decided to put my phone on silent for a while. I need a bit of time for myself. I’ll deal with the sea of queries later. The ride from our company all the way to our dorm was a long one. My mind just won’t stop spinning and my thoughts were overflowing. I’ve always known that the career path I’ve chosen wasn’t an easy one but no amount of training would have prepped me up for this, I was suddenly fake dating my younger co-host before I knew it.

“This whole fake dating thing is crazy.” I thought silently as I winced at the idea and cringed excessively. What was on the minds of our PR team? I’ll never know. All I know is this whole sham is a recipe for disaster. I rubbed my forehead out of frustration, all this disproportionate thinking has already gotten into me and to think it’s just 10am in the morning.

“What am I supposed to do?” I mumbled with frustration, a habit I always had. I was indulging myself with all my thoughts, maybe I just have to let this all sink in first before I figure out how to cope. I took a quick sigh as if feigning an internal defeat.

“Maybe, I need to relax.” I mumbled again but this time with more tranquility and composure. I leaned my head back down in the car seat and reminded myself that this is a battle that I can’t win unless I learn how to roll with the punches.

“Irene-sshi.” I felt a bit of an urgent pat right on my shoulder after a short while, I quickly opened my eyes and saw our driver looking at me right from the door.

“We’re here.” He announced in case I haven’t noticed.

“Uhm, yea.” I sat straight as I nonchalantly responded, somehow caught off guard. “Thank you.” I added after a quick second with a grateful smile. I looked around and noticed we were in the basement. Well this isn’t usual, I typically get down at the drop-off of our residential building. I guess the media is still in mayhem. It has only been a few hours after all. I gathered my wits alongside my things and went down in the car as our driver waited for me before he closed down the doors. I examined the whole basement and as expected, I came up with nothing. It is my first time here after all.

“This way.” Our driver exclaimed as he guided me through the right path and found myself waiting for the elevator with him before I knew it. I was waiting silently as I finally had the good sense to look at my designated driver for today and realized I haven’t seen him before. There goes my right frame of thinking.

I coughed lightly before expressing, “It’s my first time seeing you today, sir.” I exclaimed formally yet awkwardly waiting for him to respond.

“Ah, ye.” He respectably replied. “I’m In-Tak, Irene-sshi. I’ll be working with you from now on.” He proceeded to introduce himself decorously as he took a 90°-degree bow in front of me, taking me back a bit from all the modesty and confusion. Was he a new manager? His constricted get-up, collared black shirt and pants, and physique tells me otherwise. My sense is really thrown outside the window for today after all that nonsense I had to intake.

“I—” My words were cut as soon as I heard the elevator ring, signaling that it’s already in our floor. I decided to discard my words for a while and get inside first.

“So, uhm.” I started as soon as elevator closed, noticing that 15th floor was already pressed while I was at it. “Are you, one of our new managers?” I lightly asked trying my best to get the information I need.

“No, ma’am.” He swiftly responded.

“Oh.” I reacted after a second, “Wh—what are—”

“I’m your personal bodyguard and part of your security detail.” He informed me even way before I can finish off my question.

“My what—?” I exclaimed as a reaction only to be cut-off by the elevator’s ring once again. I quickly stood up straight and raised my brows alertly, remembering the wave of reporters flooding our floor from earlier and was a bit calmed down after seeing an empty hall. The company must have done something already. I watched In-Tak hold the elevator open for me. Dang, Joohyun. Lots of spacing out today huh.

“Thanks.” I lightly bowed to him as I headed out and sighted he wasn’t coming out as well. “Are you not coming?” I looked back to ask him.

“Ye.” He briefly responded. “My directive is to make sure you get home safely, ma’am. You don’t have to worry about reporters lurking around your floor. Our team made sure it’s pristine safe before we got here.” He informed me still holding the elevator door open as if just waiting for my permission so that he could quickly go.

I’m honestly just overwhelmed at the moment. So all I can do is put out another, “Oh.” I coughed before a pause, “Thank you.” I bowed as a form of gratitude.

“You're welcome, ma’am.” He bowed back. This whole formality is kind of making me awkward. I simply smiled back.

“Then, I’ll go first Irene-sshi.” He said after a while. I haven’t even noticed I spaced out yet again.

“Ah, ye.” I politely responded. “Have a safe trip back. Thank you for today.” I added, not even sure if I’ll ever see him again.

“You too, ma’am.” He smiled back and bowed, “And oh, congratulations by the way.” He said before closing the doors on me, leaving me behind in bewilderment.

“Even he knows.” I thought silently as I wobbled my head. I went towards the door of our dorm but stopped for a moment before opening it. I wonder if Seulgi and Wendy are sleeping, Yeri was in school today and Joy was out for her schedule. Moreover, I wonder if they have heard the news already. I took a deep sigh and simply braced myself with what might happen as soon as I open the door. Here goes nothing.

“Unnie!” Seulgi exclaimed as soon as she saw me. She was still on her blue striped pajamas, hair on bun with a bowl of cereal on hand sitting on our leather couch. “Where have you been?” She asked me lightly as she took in another spoon of her cereal in . I tried to gauge the situation and assess whether she already the know the current situation or not. I noticed that the television was for a current brief entertainment news. Well.

“I came from the company.” I answered her lightly as I proceeded to sit in the couch and take the empty seat at its edge.

I watched Seulgi put down her bowl for a while, “Seungwan-ah, she’s here!” She called out to Wendy and proceeded to turn off the television.

“I got it!” Wendy screamed off from the distance as soon as I heard her feet shuffle implying that she was running from her room.

“Unnie!” She exclaimed warmly as soon as she got to me and gave me a tight embrace, “How are you?” She asked after before she let go of me and took the empty space between me and Seulgi.

“I’m…” I started as I stared off at the pair of eyes staring at me intently,

“If you trust them enough.” I remember my manager mentioning.

“I’m honestly just caught off guard.” I told them honestly as I looked at them, their eyes starting to get a bit worried. “You know how everything is just plain and breezy when you woke up one morning and find out you’re in deep trouble no one has warned you about next?” I tried to explain lamely, “It’s that feeling.” I added, “I mean, it all sounds like a sick joke but everything next to you tell you the otherwise and you’re just...” I continued, “Just full of questions and confusion but you’re forced to cope?” I cupped my forehead out of frustration, “I’m sorry.” I added after a while and looked back at them, “I’m not making a lot of sense, aren’t I?” I chuckled, the distress clearly evident while I did.

“It’s okay.” Wendy softly said as she lightly patted my back with a delicate smile, “We really don’t need to understand.” She added putting my heart at great ease.

“We’re always here for you.” Seulgi annexed as she came over to me with a warm bear hug. I smiled out of sincere gratitude and for a moment thought I would actually shed tears. Seulgi then proceeded to sit at the arm of our couch instead.

“Thank you.” I said as warmly as I can to both of them with a light smile, “You don’t know how much this means to me.” I added as I held both their hands as they hugged me from both sides. I let myself sink in to the warmth they brought me, it’s moments like this that always remedies all the cons in our line of jobs.

“I’m guessing you already know.” I stated after a while as they let go of me from their respective hugs, “How did you hear about it?” I asked them soon after.

“Well, I was supposed to go out this morning to meet up with a couple of friends and saw a bunch of reporters camping out right outside our hall.” Wendy started, “I immediately knew what was up but believe me I was kind of scared.” She continued, “I was about to call Sejun oppa about and ask but Seulgi already came out and told me.” She wrapped up as she shrugged.

“I actually heard from Jongin.” Seulgi exclaimed as she casually smiled although I can tell that she was wincing. Maybe from the fact that she had to learn it from someone else instead. “He, uhm, called me to inform me I guess?” She added as if we were finding it suspicious that she found out through him.

“Well, it’s either he knows how to gossip well or you know,” Wendy raised her brows at Seulgi, obviously teasing the latter.

“Or what?” Seulgi dared her to finish her sentence as she looked at Wendy intently.

“He just found the right timing to call you out of the blue.” Wendy snickered and raised her brows even higher than before. How is that possible? I have no idea. I just chuckled alongside her and looked at Seulgi.

“That’s ridiculous and totally misses the point of this whole thing.” Seulgi just rolled her eyes while Seungwan just stuck her tongue out. I knew both girls were just as curious and confused as I am, dying to ask questions but they have always been thoughtful that way. Never seeking me out to pressure me for answers but waits for me to come to them instead. I wasn’t even remotely lying each time I tell the press that these girls really mean everything to me especially when I work as 레드벨벳’s Irene.

“So, what do you think about the whole thing?” I asked to shift the topic, genuinely curious about how they feel upon finding out.

“Well.” Seulgi replied as if thinking and weighing out her words carefully, “We’re confused of course.” She stated after. “I mean, we’ve never seen you and Bogum talk to each other outside of work after all.” She followed up but frowned, “So, it’s basically impossible. I mean, you’re barely friends but to date?” She frowned even harder as if she just can’t grasp the whole concept of me and Bogum dating in her head at all. “It sounds so.. so…” She continued finding the right words,

“Nonsensical?” I supplied, while she answered,

“No.” I frowned at that.

“Then what?” I immediately asked.

“Well…” Seulgi just blinked her eyes as if thinking if she should say the right words while I unconscientiously frowned in return,

“You’re a really private person anyway. They wouldn’t be shocked if you were to let out a secret or two.” I remember my manager mentioning. Don’t tell me…

“You seriously thought I was really dating him?” I thought out loud, almost in shock making Wendy cough out loud as if to clear the air.

“We just thought that you know…” Wendy scratched her chin lightly as if unsure if she should continue or not. “I mean there’s so much chemistry between you two that we thought just maybe, the connection you’ve got finally blew off some steam. And really, unnie, you’re a very private person too you know?” She finished with an unsure and apologetic smile. Wow, what an absolute déjà vu.

I simply opened my mouth wanting to say something to rebut her claim but just can’t find the right words, “Well, it’s not like that.” I ended up saying a moment after.

“Then what?” Wendy asked, eyes wide this time. I seriously cannot believe that even my members thought that I am dating that kid for real. No wonder our managements have no qualms about it. Was that narrative really that plausible?

“They just said so.” I said as soon as I gathered my thoughts after a while. “I’m not dating him. Our manager said it’s some of publicity stunt.” I just shook my head in frustration, “It just sounds like a suicide for my career to me.” I muttered after a careless second.

“That’s crazy.” Wendy mumbled out loud.

“I know.” I agreed and took a paradoxical smirk.

“But Jongin said Junmyeon oppa heard it from you, yourself.” Seulgi glowered as she looked at me.

“Yeah, he called me earlier.” I affirmed, acknowledging our phone call. “But I had to say it. Our manager mentioned about how confidential things should be. The less they know the better.” I reasoned o