The MCs introduced WANNAONE performances and the stage went pitch dark. Lights slowly shine on the WANNAONE members as they then performed their songs amazingly on the stage. The MCs stood at their desk and watched the performance in awe.

Irene was uneasy over the fact that she was unaware or Taehyung's birthday tomorrow. She blamed herself for not knowing his birthday despite being his girlfriend. She sighed and looked around aimlessly. *What should I do tomorrow?* She thought deeply. She panicked. She was uncertain of Taehyung's birthday present or she was unsure what to plan for his birthday.

After being occupied with the thoughts of Taehyung's birthday, the performance has ended and the lights shone back at the MCs. Irene snapped out of her thoughts in panic as she continued and read off her lines on the MC cards. The rest of the show carried on normally with the WANNAONE performance wrapping up the first part of the show. The MCs gave a warm ending and message to the audience before they stepped off the stage.

"15 more minutes till the next part is up!" The stage crew announced at the backstage.

Irene hurried her steps back to the dressing room in her black laced dress. She was freezing as the cold air brushed across her exposed back. She trembled and clenched her fists and walked hurriedly past the holding area. Her manager passed her mobile phone and she took and opened the messages.

It was all from Taehyung. They read:

Taehyung: Good luck for the MC later on! I will be cheering for you~
Taehyung: The dress.. looks good on you but there is so many guys looking at you tonight.. ugh.
Taehyung: I cannot stop staring at you just now noona..
Taehyung: You did well noona can I see you for a bit after this?
Taehyung: please?

Irene smiled. She then rolled her eyes slowly and checked on her manager who was standing beside her. She immediately hide her phone away and excused herself to the washroom, claiming it as an female emergency situation.

Irene closed the door behind her and leaned against it and cupped from panting loudly. She looked around the washroom, thankfully there was no one else. She took her phone out again and texted Taehyung.

Irene: Where?

Taehyung responded almost immediately, as if he was waiting for her replies.

Taehyung: You know the store room here? Its always empty. No one goes there during the show time.
Irene: Ok, be there within 5.
Taehyung: I am already walking there noona hehe, there isnt a lot people now.
Irene: Alright tae~

The sound of the twisting door knob shocked Irene as she shrieked in fear and jumped away from the door as another female idol entered the washroom. She gasped in shock as she bowed at Irene with due respect immediately. Irene awkwardly bowed back and left the washroom. She was almost caught by a junior.

Irene looked around and walked down, passing by her dressing room quietly and paced her steps into the store room where she met up with Taehyung. Taehyung closed and locked the door behind them and pulled Irene into a long warm hug while gently carressing her back. Irene giggled at his actions, "It tickles, tae.." she whispered.

Taehyung smiled and pulled away. He looked at her dreamily and Irene looked at Taehyung in awe. Taehyung was dressed in his stage outfit and he looked amazing. Seconds passed and Taehyung continued to look at Irene with those sparkling eyes. Irene bit her lips nervously and she felt her cheeks burning up. Irene cupped her cheeks shyly which made Taehyung chuckle at her cute actions.

Taehyung placed his hands on her palms that were on her cheeks. He smiled and said, "You are my noona, but in my heart you are this cute little girl that I fall in love with."

Irene smiled sheepishly upon his comment. "Wh..what" she mumbled.

Taehyung smirked and leaned his head closer to hers, their nose met and Irene looked at him with eyes of passion. Taehyung then kissed her on the lips. Irene's lips were soft, and her lipstick tasted of cherries. Taehyung kissed her again, this time with passion. He trailed his hands down to her back and Irene placed her arms over at his shoulders. The kiss deepened as Taehyung pulled her closer to him.

Suddenly, sounds of door knocks echoed through the room that made Irene and Taehyung's eyes widened in shock.

"Is there anyone inside? Why is the store locked?" One of the stage crews shouted.

Taehyung pulled his lips away from Irene and immediately pushed Irene between the boxes next to them. "Noona, stay in here. I will distract her out." Taehyung instructed.

Irene nodded her head obediently and waited quietly between the boxes. Taehyung gulped nervously and wiped the lipstick stains on his mouth hastily as he opened the door and the stage crew shrieked in shock upon seeing him infront of her. Taehyung smiled warmly at the stage crew and apologised to her. "Sorry, I was making a phone call in here." Taehyung lied as he showed his phone to the stage crew.

The girl nodded her head quickly. "Ah, I am so sorry. I just need to take a tape in there real quick. Pardon me." She said as she bowed and entered the room quickly and grabbed a tape from one of the boxes.

She then ran out of the room and apologised again to Taehyung whom stood there nervously. Irene saw the nervous look on Taehyung's face and smirked. He is cute when he's in panic or nervous. Taehyung sighed in relief as he closed the door behind him.

"That was close." Irene said as she stood up from the boxes. She then brushed the dust off her black dressed and carefully hoped off from the boxes in her killer heels.

"Be careful noona." Taehyung said as he held onto her hands tightly.

Irene blushed and smacked his shoulders. "What was that kiss for? It almost got us killed." Irene whined.

"Noona, you were also enjoying it too" Taehyung replied.

Irene was flustered. "N-no. I need to go." Irene said but was pulled back by Taehyung whom planted a kiss on her lips again.

He pulled away and smiled cheekily at Irene. "See you later, noona." Taehyung said.

Irene smiled and nodded her head. She left the room and went back into Red Velvet's dressing room.


The members were waiting for her impatiently as their stylists frantically pulled Irene aside and got her changed into her stage outfit. She wore a red polo dress and the stylists changed her hair, cutting her fringe and giving her the popular curled air bangs. The members awed at Irene's new look. Irene looked at herself at the mirror and smiled. She was loving her new look and she indeed looked much younger with her new bangs.

The stylists smiled at her accomplishment as she casually asked as she drew the eyeliner on her eyes cautiously, "Where were you Irene-ah, we have been looking all over for you earlier on"

"Oh- I was just in the washroom. My period is here." Irene replied.

Without any doubt, the stylist nodded her head in understanding. After a few minutes, the stylist asked again, "Did you spray a cologne or something? There seems to be like a mens perfume on you."

Irene's eyes widened in shock. She froze on the spot for a moment, speechless for words. "U-uh, I didn't put on any perfume today. It might be Chanyeol sunbaenim's. After all, I stood beside him all the way through MC-ing earlier on." Irene answered.

"Oh- then that makes sense." The stylist replied.

Irene heaved a sigh of relief. *That was a close one* Irene thought. Their relationship was still a secret to everyone else other than their members and Irene did not want anyone in the management to know about her relationship with Taehyung. Today was a risky day for the both of them - they were almost caught by other people and they managed to cover them up with excuses. If luck were to be washed off from them, Irene feared for their relationship to go public. She was certain a lot of people would be against them being together as she knew everyone felt she was too old for him to date.

Irene felt uneasy about it. She knew many people talked behind her back occasionally, like for an instance where she overheard her juniors talking about her being too old for Taehyung once in an award show a year ago where she stole glances at Taehyung backstage.

"Ok, you are done, Irene-ah.." the stylist said and Irene stood up and sat on the couch, joining the rest of the members who were watching the start of the part two of KBS Gayo Daejun where the other 4 MCs started speaking and introducing the core values of today's event.

"Wow.. solar unnie looks so good here." Joy exclaimed in awe.

Wendy smirked. "Our leader also looked exceptionally gorgeous earlier on too." Wendy said as she eyed Irene from the corner of her eyes and gave a sly smirk again.

Joy laughed. "Yah, unnie your dress was so sensual earlier on. I could not stop looking at it." Joy joked that made all of the members laughed, including Yeri who was more composed than the previous days.

"There were a lot of guys looking at you just now. You were literally the center of attention during the start of the show." Seulgi added on. "Oh- and Taehyung-sshi, he's looking at you like mad just now. He seemed a bit annoyed too haha, it was so funny! You should have seen the look on his face." Seulgi continued.

"He was totally jealous of all the guys looking at you." Wendy commented.

Irene laughed it off. "Stop it guys. This is like my first time wearing such dresses." Irene muttered and laughed again. 

Meanwhile on the other side, Taehyung had just entered back in his dressing room to be welcomed by s whom laughed at him. Taehyung looked at them in a puzzled expression while Jimin locked his arms around his neck. "Yah, d