Irene went back the dorm that night quietly. It was past midnight and the members have already slept. Irene went straight into her room as she dropped her body on her bed and lay on her bed motionlessly. She stared at the ceiling blankly, while trying to collect her thoughts from meeting Tiffany earlier on. Irene heaved a sigh as she messed her hair in distress. She sat up and curled her body together while thinking about her relationship with Taehyung.

She thought about the sweet memories, the trip out of Seoul they made today and the past memories of being together with Taehyung - like the once they secretly made out at the store room backstage. Irene smiled but it was a bittersweet feeling. She then thought about Tiffany's threat earlier on which involved exposing their relationship to the founding father of SM Entertainment. 

*What should I do now* Irene thought as she wrapped the blanket over her tiny body. She then laid down and thought about it again and again. Her constant deep thoughts slowly made her fall asleep.

The next morning, Irene woke up from a dream of her together with Taehyung. Her eyes were widened in shock as she looked around to realize she was still in her room and it was just the next morning after the talk with Tiffany yesterday night. Irene sighed again. If only Tiffany did not come back to Seoul to look for him or maybe if she did not start seeing Taehyung, things might not end up like this. Irene yawned and dragged her feet out of the room. It was another day off for the girls of Red Velvet and Irene had no plans for today. 

She also thought it was best for her to just stay at home today as she would probably be preoccupied with thoughts anyway from yesterday's traumatic experience. Irene picked her phone up from the table to receive several unread messages and missed calls from Taehyung last night. She totally forgotten about her phone last night when she went to meet Tiffany and she felt bad for neglecting Taehyung for the entire night.

However, she was clueless as to how she would face Taehyung from now. Yesterday's talk with Tiffany made Irene wary of being close with Taehyung, she knew she had to end things off with Taehyung for Tiffany's sake but her heart still yearns for him.

Irene kept herself busy for the days ahead. She would head to the company earlier than the others to train and practice on her own in the dance studio and music studio. She preoccupied herself with work and kept herself busy throughout the days. Taehyung texted her often and Irene had tried her best to keep her replies short.

It was hard for Irene. Taehyung often send sweet encouraging messages to Irene and tried to spark up topics to talk with her on the messenger, but Irene had to avoid talking to him as much as it hurts her. She knew talking to him won't help them. Tiffany had made it clear she wanted him back and threatening their relationship with her close relationship with the founding father of SM. Irene had to slowly drift away from Taehyung, just like how Tiffany did. Maybe it would be the best for the both of them in the end.

It was a few days before the Golden Disc Awards show. Red Velvet was scheduled to go for the first day of the show whereas BTS would be attending the show on both days. Seulgi joined the rest of the members who were already awake and resting at the couch at their living room, waiting for her and the manager to arrive with their company van. Seulgi scanned around the dorm and realized the leader was not around. Irene always left the dorm earlier than the rest and the members have been worried over the leader's growing isolation and quietness.

"Did Irene unnie left to practice on her own already?" Seulgi asked as she poked the sleepy Wendy who rubbed her eyes dreamily while munching on her granola energy bar.

Wendy nodded her head. "I guess so. I didn't see her when I woke up today." Wendy replied.

"She went out earlier today again. Unnie has been doing that everyday recently... She even left the dorm earlier today. I woke up earlier in the morning to use the washroom and unnie was already heading out in her training clothes." Yeri said.

"This isn't her.." Seulgi said.

Joy nodded her head and sighed. "She doesn't leave us behind like that normally. She always stuck close to us like our mother." Joy said as she tucked her brows and sulked worriedly. "I wonder did something happen that we are unaware of." Joy added on.

"Did you ask Taehyung-sshi about her?" Joy asked.

Wendy nodded her head. "I did try to ask him, but he's not sure either. All he knew was that she told him she would be busy because she feel like she is lacking behind. Besides, BTS had a lot of schedules these days so he's too busy to contact her recently." Wendy replied.

"Later we must go talk to her during our break." Joy said.

Seulgi sighed. "We always wanted to do that. Me and Wendy always tried to pull her aside to talk during our break over the past few days but she often shun away or hide from us." Seulgi said.

"I think something really happened that day." Seulgi said.

"What day?" Joy asked.

"That day.. Like a week ago, Tiffany unnie went to ask her out to talk about her relationship with Taehyung. I am sure something happened or she told Irene unnie something that made her become like this. I feel like she's trying to overwork herself and ignore Taehyung-sshi." Seulgi said. She sighed again and added on, "Ugh that girl should have told us about what happened. We could have helped her rather than make her suffer like this on het own."

"Let's go. Manager's calling already." Wendy said as she checked her phone.

"We must catch her today no matter what." Seulgi said.

Red Velvet begun their training and practices in preparation for their performance for the Golden Disc Awards. The girls practiced their songs over and over again, trying to ace their precision and accuracy of their moves as well as their coordination and synchronisation of the moves. They then went over to the music studio where they recorded their parts for the song accompanied with the countless retakes to perfect their vocals and pitch for their lines in their songs.

After several hours have passed, it was way past lunch hours and the girls were famished from the exhausting training and prepation. Irene stood up from the girls, trying to excuse herself from the girls to head back to practice the dance on her own in the dance studio room. Seulgi and Wendy ran over and caught upon her as they pulled her aside forcefully to an empty corner in the company building - also known as their hangout in the company building.

Yeri and Joy went over to find them over their hangout. Red Velvet often hung around this corner in the company's building. It was a quiet corner in the entire building, with almost little to no one walking across it. There were old sofas and lockers placed there and it was often secluded by the staircase above it. The girls decorated it to look like their rest spot. They placed fairy lights over the couch and planted posters of their albums over it. They often come over to their secret hideout and rest, while secretly nibbling on sweets and biscuits during their trainee and training days.

"Wh-what are you guys doing?!" Irene said in an annoyed tone.

"Unnie, something has happened right? Tell us." Seulgi said.

Irene shook her head. "Nothing happened. I am ok, I need to go practice somemore. You girls know." Irene said in denial as she tried to push the girls away from blocking her.

Joy and Yeri joined in. "You are lying unnie, you know yourself well that you are overworking yourself because something happened." Wendy said.

Irene sighed as she pushed them away from her. "Don't hold me back, let me settle this on my own." She said as she went back to the training room.

She locked the doors behind her and leaned against it as she slide down and sat on the floor. She tucked her head between her knees, as another tear rolled down her cheeks. She cried again. She did not want to bother her girls about her relationship problems as their lives was busy enough to deal with a small problem like hers. Moreover, Joy was preparing to film her new drama and the other girls have their own individual schedules to worry over.

At that moment, her cries stopped as Taehyung called her. She panicked. Irene has been giving him simple replies over the past few days and pretended to be nonchalant throughout the texts. She had used her busy schedule as an excuse for not eagerly calling or texting him but the fact that Taehyung is calling her made her worry.

*Should I pick it up?* Irene thought to herself. The phone continued to ring. Irene sighed as she took the phone up and stared at it nervously.

If she did not pick up the phone, it could mean she was too busy at that moment, but it also could mean she is trying to avoid him suddenly. The frustration grew onto her as she gave in and answered the call.

"Yeah tae?" Irene answered.

"Joohyunie, took you long enough to answer. Were you busy?" Taehyung replied back in a gentle and soothing tone which Irene had missed badly.

Irene shrugged her shoulders as she looked around the empty room. "Uh.. yeah. I was practicing just now. Sorry." Irene said.

"Oh, am I disturbing you then?" Taehyung asked.

"Not really. Why did you call?" Irene said.

"Because I miss you. I mean.. we haven't really called or talked to each other for almost a week." Taehyung said.

There was a brief moment of silence. Irene was not sure what to reply or say to him. She knew she had to slowly drift out of this relationship - because if the news were to be out to everyone because of tiffany, not only their relationship but Taehyung and BTS career might be jeopardized and affected.

"We were all busy. We can always text." Irene said.

"Joohyunie.. Are you okay?" Taehyung asked.

He knew her too well. It was not normal for Irene to be nonchalant and serious when talking to him. "I am okay, why do you ask?" Irene answered.

"There's something bothering you?" Taehyung asked further.

Irene bit her lips. Taehyung's concern over her only made her heart waiver around him even more. She missed him so badly and she longed for him so much that it hurts her that their relationship seemed so risky and condemned by everyone else. "Nothing Tae.. I am just stressed out over trainings as usual. There are just so many expectations of us to meet. I am just tired of it all." Irene replied.

"Joohyunie, things will get better for sure. I know you can do it. You always got my back." Taehyung said softly.

A tear escaped from Irene's eyes. "Yeah I know. Thanks tae. I..I-I gotta go now. Talk to you soon." Irene said.

"Tell me if things get too hard ok?" Taehyung said.

"Yeah I will.. B..Bye." Irene said as she hung up the call immediately.

She pressed the phone against her chest. This feeling of longing him