It's unedited. If there is any error, I apologize.

Please also do take note that I did a research about Korea National University of Arts (K-Arts) beforehand but it may not be a hundred percent accurate. I settled with everyone taking a four-year program, so it won't be too confusing later on.

It's a longer chapter this time. I kind of go back to the past so we can know more about Irene's character.

Bae Joohyun.

That pretty girl from Daegu. The one who holds the scholarship steady for nearly the whole period of a four-year program in the department of Directing at Korea National University of Arts. Who wouldn’t know her? Every step she takes at the campus, people turn their heads her way and a few of them will start to whisper words Joohyun doesn’t even want to know about. Though sometimes, these words came to Joohyun’s ear because everyone just couldn’t mind their own business. It wasn’t her fault she was born to be so pretty that it’s normally intimidating others around her. Joohyun learned to not pay that much attention to their words and looks at her way. She’s not here to please everyone, she once said to herself.

She wasn’t from a rich family and she likes it to stay that way.

When she was in High School, knowing her pretty face and just her physical appearance could trigger others around her was already too much, not to mention she also a very smart straight-A student in class, a good role-model and was the favorite student of all teachers. It will be too much for all human being to handle if Joohyun also comes from a wealthy family.

Those who like her will try their best to stay friends with Joohyun. It’s funny because some of them actually want to befriend her just so she can get close to this one specific guy—the guy was crushing on Joohyun yet Joohyun had rejected him. Whenever this happens, there are always three sides of the story. One from the guy, one from Joohyun’s so-called friends, and one from the truth. But Joohyun learned no one is interested in the truth. So, she taught herself to stay shut. After all, it was a waste of energy.

She believes other than her physical traits, everything else was something that she earned by cramming herself to study hard. She only wants the scholarship at Korean National University of Arts because it is one of the best schools in Seoul. She made sure she will get the scholarship and able to supply herself in Seoul without asking for her parents’ help. She doesn’t want to be a burden to the family, so she works part-time during her three years in High School.

Moving to Seoul was easy.

Surviving there was a completely different thing.

People here aren’t like those in Daegu. Most people get into this college was because they can. Maybe they don’t even need to cram as hard as Joohyun did to get the scholarship and money to stay alive in Seoul until graduation day.

Perks of being in college was there’s less drama. People still look and whisper at her way, but she no longer bothered by it. It wasn’t easy at first but in the end it only took Joohyun one month to get used to all the stare she gets. She doesn’t get friends until the third week of the first month, two girls go by the name: Joy and Wendy. One of them is Korean, the other was half Korean-half Canadian. They just prefer others to call them by their ‘english’ name, as they told Joohyun. Three days later, one of them proposed to give Joohyun an English name as well because ‘she is part of the squad now’.

Joohyun likes the idea and when her friends are busy picking a name, she found the name ‘Irene’ to be quite suitable for her. It’s a from a greek mythology, the Goddess of Peace, Irene.

“Goddess of Peace, Irene?” Joy had asked her once, almost in a mocking tone. But then Wendy cut in by saying it suits Joohyun so much. Joy told her that Wendy is once again being bias. And so the case was closed that night, announcing Bae Joohyun will now go by the name ‘Irene’ at campus.

What Joohyun didn’t expect days after that was how she became instantly popular. She had heard someone saying, “Irene, The Beautiful Goddess of Peace from Daegu” and she doesn’t need to ask her friends because she knows it must be their doing. More like, Joy’s doing.

Joohyun—Irene, soon gotten used to everything.

Gone was the Bae Joohyun from Daegu.

It is now Irene Bae, Goddess of Peace from Daegu.

Numerous of guys confessed to her only in her first year—this includes sophomores, juniors and seniors. When she moves to the second year, there are also freshmen trying their lucks at Irene, but honestly she just doesn’t feel anything towards them. Specifically, male kinds.

She noticed this when she was in her last year of High School when there’s this one transferred student, a girl. There is just something about that girl, that Irene liked. Maybe it’s her nice smell, her pretty smile and the way she calls her name—that time she woke up one morning after dreaming about the girl and herself going on dates, even kissing on the lips. Irene panicked only to realize that maybe she likes her. Worse, she was sure she’s not only liking the girl, but also falling in love with her because how else can you explain Irene constantly thinking about the girl? Going out of her way to borrow said girl’s gym clothes because she loves having her scent on Irene’s body? Settling her favorite color based on that girl’s favorite? It feels like Irene’s world only revolves around that one girl, purple girl, Irene liked to anonymously address.

And it explains why she never felt anything for all those boys.

Boys don’t give Irene that fluttering feeling.

But Irene noticed the fluttering feeling didn’t happen to most girls Irene met. She doesn’t feel it when she met Wendy and Joy. Joy mostly annoy her twenty-four per seven, and last time Irene checked she’s not a masochist so there is just no way. Wendy, however, was such a sweet girl, her style sometimes a little boyish and Irene admitted that it suits her style in a way. She’s very caring towards her friends and Irene noticed it was just Wendy’s nature to be such a kind human being.

But there is just something about the way Wendy handles her than anyone else. Irene noticed this specific act, but she decided to not get deeper into it.

But alas, a few days after that, Irene found out about Wendy crushing on her secretly. She still does, Irene knew but Irene doesn’t have the heart to tell Wendy that she knows. Not when the only answer Irene has is a rejection. She was glad that Wendy always know her line and never dared to cross it. That until Wendy crossed it by confessing to Irene.

It wasn’t all dramatic.

Wendy was extremely calm about it.

Irene was scared if this will make them stop being friends. She’s not someone who can sugarcoat her words, and when Wendy told her that she like her as more than friends, Irene only has the answer: “I’m sorry…but I can’t.” Wendy, being a naturally kind human being, understood completely. She smiles, Irene noticed it was a little forced but she can’t blame her. Irene hurt her anyway. Wendy hugged her there and Irene doesn’t know why she started crying in her arms. Wendy let her and when she finally calmed down, she had assured her that nothing will change between them and she proved it only a day after the confession happened.

The guilt was still there for Irene, but soon she forgot about it because she got called by one of the professors. The professor said Irene was lacking one specific subject and that means she had to fix it asap. She can’t let her grades drop because she needs to maintain her good grade for the scholarship until she graduates. This, of course, requires her to cram herself to study again. She let her friends know that she will not be at the dorm most of the time, she will spend more time in the library.

During her sophomore year, Irene still has a few people confessing to her. Some will usually stop her in the hallway and ask to talk in private somewhere else but she couldn’t be more thankful when a girl—someone Irene never seen before around the campus—grabbed her by the arm, gently. When Irene turns, she was met with a brown-haired girl around her height with monolid feline eyes, and ears that stuck out on either side of her head. With those eyes, people would think of a cat but Irene settled with a bear.

A cute bear.

“Oh, um… Sorry, but can you show me the way to the office? I kinda got lost around here…” Irene felt her taking her hand off Irene’s arm. “I think I entered the wrong building.” She chuckles sheepishly and the small smile she did, is doing things to Irene’s stomach.

Irene thinks she’s very pretty.

Especially when she smiles with her eyes turning crescents.

Irene didn’t show her the way, she willingly offered to take her there herself. During their small walk to the office, Irene found out she’s a freshmen and it’s the first time she came to the campus all alone. Irene also found out her name is Kang Seulgi and she’s majoring Visual Arts, in the Department of Fine Art. Irene thinks it suits her so much because Seulgi looks like a hella fine art—of course, she only thinks that, not actually saying it to Seulgi.

They parted before Seulgi can even ask anything to Irene. Irene had to slap her own forehead for not even telling Seulgi her own name.

Irene told her friends that day about Seulgi.

“Unnie, you’re whipped. And this is only the first meeting!” Joy stated, laughing afterwards because she still can’t believe how Irene pictured herself in the story. But despite Joy’s endless teasing, her two friends were rooting for Irene to pursue Seulgi. She’s aware that she’s definitely crushing on Kang Seulgi at that point and she really wants to get to know her better but Irene’s schedule always packed with studying and doing part-time jobs. It’s even harder since Seulgi’s building and hers were far apart.

Irene have come to terms that she was indeed crushing on Kang Seulgi because seriously, who wouldn’t? She noted that Seulgi was quit