The cold war.

It is something the girls haven't seen before, never to this point before. Both parties ignoring each other's existence and pretending that everything is fine between them when they're in front of the other artistes. The couple still sleep in the same room and in the same bed but things are never quite the same anymore. The usually midnight talks don't exist and body contact also seems to be taboo, skinship as a whole hasn't been displayed at all. In fact, every time their limbs brush past each other unintentionally, Wendy pulls away as if she's been struck by lightning instead of embracing their moments like she would in the past.

It is pretty damn frustrating though, especially for the people (victims) eating Wendy’s homemade food because it tastes like absolute crap but they don’t dare to say anything since she is the chef after all. It could be a lot worse though – Wendy could have chosen to feed them raw food.

“Sooyoung-unnie, are you feeling okay? Do you still need some more hot milo?” Yeri asks worriedly when the said woman curls up into her side with the covers pulled up to her chin. She is known as satan itself but when her usual partner-in-crime isn’t up to it then there’s something very wrong. “I know you got drunk last night so don’t lie to me.”

Joy doesn’t respond; she doesn’t want Yeri to be the one who has to face her and her troubles. Yeri is still so young, she doesn’t need to shoulder more than her own already-heavy burden. Honestly, Joy feels like absolute all the time now, and alcohol is unfortunately her cure. Drinking is bad for their health, plus their managers' tight rein on them helps Joy to curb her constant cravings but back at home, no one can stop her. Their leader is too focused on her own problems with Wendy while Seulgi... she's like thin air when it comes to Joy. Yeri has been staying over at Saeron's place for the past half-week or so.

“Sorry, Yerim-ah.”

“Don’t apologize, Unnie. I just want you to be okay and if you need alcohol once in a while, I’m okay. Your health is the priority, not whether I’m okay with it or not.”

When was the last time Joy received such comfort?

When was the last time she could let someone else other than her four girls into her heart? The members are undoubtedly the first to know about her issues but she can’t even tell them about her sincerest feelings. They’ve been the closest she has to family, with the same, if not more love and care coming from them. Joy can’t complain about anything because her members are perfect but she needs to find a way to repair her relationship with them. For as long as she allows the rift to grow bigger, the more difficult it will be for her to continue the same, permanent façade in front of their fans and colleagues.

Yeri remains quiet as she watches Joy start to break down her walls all over again, just as she did a few nights ago. She really hates seeing people cry with a passion; it makes her feel so helpless as the youngest. There are groups with the youngest right on top; groups with the youngest being babied – she falls right in between. Sometimes, Yeri feels like the oldest and others, she feels as if she’s the same age. Again, Yeri feels the barrier when she tries to form up advice for the other members… and silence overtakes her as well.

“Unnie…”

“I’m sorry… so sorry, Yerim,” Joy cries out, her hand balling into a fist at her chest where her heart is. She can feel the pain literally spreading through her entire body and it's terrifying. The pain isn't within her control, neither is it extinguishable. “I… I just wanted it to be okay… I hate this. I hate it so much!”

And Yeri’s own restraint collapses within seconds.

Joy feels herself getting enveloped in Yeri’s arms, fingers running through her lengthy tresses. She knows when she needs to stop hiding her feelings for her own sake but what about the group? Things are never going to be the same again; not for the fans and definitely not within the members themselves. There will be cracks within their friendship and it is not going to be full-proof if more than two members have estranged relationships. Joy already knows fans are suspecting some strain between Irene and Wendy. The distance gets really obvious on stage and during concert; what with the way Seulgi and Irene playing up the fanservice.

If anything has changed, it’s the closeness between Irene and Wendy, and not in a good way. While the couple are at loggerheads with each other, it seems like an intruder is entering unintentionally. They’ve barely held hands on stage unless they were together for the last song.

“Don’t you find it funny?” Joy decides to sound Yeri out. She sits up against the headboard and brushes Yeri’s fringe aside, finding it difficult to hide a smile. It’s not every day that Yeri looks this adorable and obedient so Joy wants to relish it. “How can a couple as strong as Joohyun-unnie and Seungwan-unnie behave like this? And how come she doesn’t realise they’re falling apart?”

How things even resulted this way is beyond Joy and Yeri themselves; things have been constantly changing ever since the dumb higher-ups chose fanservice over actual relationships. It doesn't take more than one single brain to be able to decipher the problem that lies within. It isn't confusion; it isn't carelessness. It's crossing the line between obliviousness and pure ignorance. No right-minded partner would be happy with fanservice being carried out so excessively, not forgetting that the said partner is seemingly on a tight leash while the other is out being touchy with only one specific member.

It’s not fair at all.

The anger Joy feels isn’t directed at Wendy; the biggest victim of this push-and-pull issue is the latter. Perhaps Wendy can say something about how unfairly she’s being treated and make sure Irene knows she doesn't feel comfortable with the proximity; perhaps she can stand up for herself and break it off with Irene. Or perhaps, Seulgi can start realizing the situation and stop being the blur queen that she is – it pisses Joy off so much to know that neither Seulgi or Irene can see the problem they’re causing, and that problem is snowballing into a bigger one as time passes. This problem isn't one that can be solved by other people, or it'd be solved a long time ago.

“If Joohyun-unnie doesn’t realize it then I think…” Yeri hesitates; she doesn’t even want to go there because they have the perfect couple amongst them. She, however, does want the best for all their members first and foremost. “Maybe Seungwan-unnie needs to find someone more suitable for her. She doesn’t deserve this.”

[Yerim – 04.23pm]

Unnie?

Where are you?

[Seungwan-unnie – 04.25pm]

I’m at the company

Why?

[Yerim – 04.30pm]

What for?

No reply follows after.   

Why is Wendy at the company when their comeback isn’t near? The company didn’t even ask for them; there’s an even lower chance of them contacting Wendy directly.

“I think we’re in trouble, Unnie.”

Joy frowns at the fearful tone Yeri is using and she sits up, ignoring the pounding at the back of her head. “What is it, Yerim?”

“Seungwan-unnie is at the company and she stopped replying after I asked why she was there.”

*

Walking out of the company is especially draining today, Wendy thinks to herself. She can feel her legs slowly getting jelly the further she goes; her thoughts enveloping her entire being. Her initial intention of coming to the company today was to make sure she can try to do something to salvage her relationship – suggesting another couple for fanservice didn’t work out well. Instead, they came up with some bull excuse of other pairs not being popular enough to promote. It was clear from then that Wendy’s appearance here today was utterly useless, and it’s never going to spell anything positive for their relationship.

Wendy doesn’t even realise the tears rolling down her cheeks until she feels a tissue against her cheek. She looks up and sees Taeyeon with an equally sad gaze in her eyes.

“Unnie…”

“I know, Seungwan. I understand.”

Taeyeon’s eyes widen when Wendy falls in front of her, rushing over to pick the woman up. She feels her own heart starting to break at the similar experience Wendy is being forced to go through. Making Wendy sit down near the fountain, Taeyeon remains standing in front of her.

“Look at me, Seungwan,” Taeyeon cups Wendy’s sunken cheeks, rubbing the latter’s jaw lightly. “You can not give in to their demands or give up on your relationship. It’s not worth it, neither is it going to make a difference. They don’t care; no one cares if you break.”

“A company continues running on its own. We’re all pawns that entered an industry that’s not going to care about your personal feelings or your health. You have to remain strong and think through your decisions carefully. If you feel hurt, take a breather – maybe go to a friend’s apartment and get some air. Don’t be too quick to satisfy their stupid demands simply because they’re our bosses. Your health is more important than anything else, and I want you to be careful.”

Wendy’s tears continue pouring down her face at the raw advice that’s coming to her. She didn’t know what the industry spelt for her when she first auditioned but now that there are seniors actually caring for her… the feeling is overwhelming. For so many reasons, they don’t need to give a single about her existence; maybe to get ahead in their careers, they can be selfish. Yet here one of them stands, trying to knock some sense into her head out of the goodwill of their heart. It’s unexpected but painful all at once – someone dissociated with her can care so much and her own girlfriend? Nowhere to be found.

“Let it out, Seungwan…”

Taeyeon allows the younger woman to cry her pain out into her arms, she herself trying to stop her own pain from coming back again. There have been multiple triggers that make Taeyeon want to end it all. If it wasn't for her promise to a certain friend of hers on his deathbed, Taeyeon would barely find herself holding on successfully. Talk is cheap but she makes sure to show it all in her actions, whether it's causing a lot of pressure on her or not. That's one of the things Taeyeon has stuck by and will continue for as long as she's stuck in this career. To protect her younger and closer dongsaengs, even moreso. 

A sigh of relief does escape her lips when she sees Yeri making her way over to where they’re seating. Taeyeon might be close to them but members have a different effect after all.

“Thank goodness for you two,” Taeyeon hugs the two even younger members; she isn’t feigning her relief in the least. She wants all of them to be well-taken care of instead of being scared off by the company. “Please keep an eye on her, okay? She’s not well.”

Irene doesn’t know how or why she’s currently on the way to Taeyeon’s apartment as the older woman invited – her jealousy of the latter increases in multiples whenever she thinks of the time where Taeyeon hugged Wendy in front of her. That one almost seemed deliberate, by the way, just that Irene never said a word about that blatant, excessive display of skinship righ\t beneath her nose. She doesn’t want to start an argument with Wendy anymore, especially with their ongoing cold war right now. It’s bad enough Wendy hasn’t come to her with flowers like she always does yet; it’s a little worrying, frankly.

“Seulgi, hurry up!”

“I’m coming, Unnie,” Seulgi whines, fixing her bangs. She doesn’t know why they’re going over as if they’re rushing to be the first ones to queue at a 70% discount sale. Dinner isn’t for another hour or so and they’re still pretty early compared to the time they left the other restaurant. “Stop walking so quickly!”

Seulgi had been filming for Secret Unnie and Law of the Jungle; there's nothing more she wants to do than to relax at home with a movie playing on the television. She has a passion for dance and that hasn't changed but resting is on the top of her list. Yet here she is, following Irene to Taeyeon's apartment where the other members are. The temptation to