part 1 ✿ pages 55-59

When Irene pushed through the doors of the building and stepped out into the crisp night air, she adjusted her hat on her head. It was cold out but not too cold so Irene was thankful for her pajama bottoms to keep her warm.

She figured she’d go to the convenience store a little farther away because she knew it had the food that the girls had requested. As soon as she took out her phone to pull up a map, she noticed a bus pulling in at a bus stop a few steps away so she decided she’d just get on it and go from there. The sign on the bus showed that it was traveling to a street that she was familiar with and Irene knew it was by the convenience store that she wanted to go to as well, so, she was in luck.

She nodded to the bus driver when she stepped on and was instantly greeted by a puff of warm air. Irene looked around for an empty seat and noticed how sparse the bus looked. It was practically empty aside from a tall man in a thick coat, an elderly couple, and a girl, about Irene’s age, who was sleeping by a window. Irene couldn’t see the girls face because her hair was covering it so she sighed and decided to take a seat on the right. She sat close to the front of the bus to where she was near the door and could get off quicker once she reached her stop.

Since it was so dark out, Irene couldn’t really see anything worthwhile out the window so she decided to people watch inside the bus instead.

The only person on the bus who’d initially caught the idol’s eye was the girl a few seats back on the left. She was passed out against the window and Irene imagined how she’d ended up asleep and alone on a bus. Irene couldn’t help but smile at the strange girl because she was snoring and every once and a while she would move in her seat and the hair covering her face would move too until she could almost make out what she looked like. So far Irene could only tell that she had full, rosy cheeks, which Irene imagined would be really cute to touch, and shiny, pink lips.

Irene tilted her head in amazement when she realized the girl was drooling now too. She felt a little bad that she giggled at the sight, but she also felt an immense urge to just go and sit down next to her so she could observe her closer. She wasn’t being creepy or anything, she was just intrigued by this mysterious, sleepy girl on the bus. She didn’t go sit with her, though, and, without intentionally doing it, her eyes panned down to the girls waist. She was sitting with her thighs pressed against the seat and Irene’s eyes grew in awe when she noticed how squishy and soft her looked in those jeans. Irene always loved looking at butts and touching butts so right now her hand really wanted to touch this . She had to admit she was sounding creepy now.

Shaking her head, she decided to let the girl sleep in peace, without her eyes on her, so she turned back around in her seat and took out her phone. She had been meaning to do this earlier so now was as good of a time as any. She opened up the messages app and starting typing a text to her manager:

Time- 6:25 PM

Battery- 82%

To: taetae unnie

Irene: "taeyeon unnie~~~~"

Irene: "unnie!!!!!"

Irene: "omg unnie ik ure on ur phone so answer me!!!" 

Taeyeon: "ok ok, fine you got me. what's up?"

Irene: "sooooo, i know something ;-)"

Taeyeon: "you... know something? okay, spill"

-

Time- 6:28 PM

Battery- 82%

To: taetae unnie

Irene: "i heard ur "convo" with the CEO earlier about talk of adding a fifth member to the group and i wanted to tell you that i think it's a good idea!"

Irene: "the rest of the girls think so too!!"

Taeyeon: "Well damn! You should've backed me up back there when the CEO was tearing the idea to shreads.."

Taeyeon: "It's good that you agree with me though, it'll be easier to persuade Han Se-min sunbaenim that way."

-

Time- 6:30 PM

Battery- 81%

To: taetae unnie

Irene: "ooo ok thats good! so tell me what i can do to help"

Taeyeon: "Well i was thinki- wait, where are you right now? In the dorms?"

Irene: "oh well i'm on a bus rn lol i'm picking up some snacks for the girls"

Taeyeon: "Picking up snacks, huh? You're such a little mom, Bae lol."

Irene: "oo that's rich coming from you "mom of Red Velvet" <3"

-

Time- 6:33 PM

Battery- 81%

To: taetae unnie

Taeyeon: "Oh shut up! You know you love me<3"

Irene: "whatever lol now tell me, what's the plan?"

Taeyeon: "It'll be better if i tell you in person, along with the rest of the girls."

Irene: "fine fine i'll tell them about it one i get home. see u tomorrow unnie~

Taeyeon: "Have fun getting snacks! <3 <3 <3"

Irene put her phone down and rolled her eyes at her playfully stubborn momager. She was hoping Taeyeon actually had a good plan to make this fifth member idea become a reality and if she didn’t, Irene would just have to brainstorm some ideas before tomorrow.

With a sigh, Irene looked up and noticed her stop was coming up soon so she collected her purse and waited for the bus to stop somewhere. Before it could, however, she heard a loud noise that sounded like a gasp, followed by hurried shuffling, coming from a few rows behind her. She turned her head and saw that it was the girl from before who had been the source of the noise.

She was clearly awake now and she looked surprised and wide-eyed. Irene assumed that she’d overslept and missed her stop, or something along those lines. Her assumption was made correct when the girl grabbed her things and sped down the hallway of the bus, while it was still in motion, and stopped next to the bus driver.