Thank you so much for all the love! I'm here and ready to continue the story with you all!

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*TORONTO, CANADA*

Irene couldn't quite fathom why Seulgi was being unusually quiet. This didn't seem like the Kang Seulgi she knew. Previously, silence between them had been comfortable. Now, however, the silence had turned into an awkward tension that Irene found hard to endure. She decided to break the ice.

"Are you okay?" Irene asked, even though she was still upset about what had happened the previous night.

She had intended to give Seulgi the cold shoulder for a while, maybe call it a form of maturity or maybe just her way of expressing displeasure. But seeing Seulgi now, with that unreadable expression on her face, her worry outweighed her anger.

As they made their way onto the plane, with him chatting with one of Red Velvet's managers at the back, Seulgi offered a half-hearted smile. "Yeah."

Irene's eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Why does it feel like you're not?"

"I think you've got the wrong idea, Ms. Bae," Seulgi replied, avoiding Irene's gaze.

Irene was taken aback. Wait a minute... Did she just call me by my last name?

The group was preparing to take their seats when Irene stopped Seulgi, gesturing for the others—members, managers, makeup artists, and staff—to move ahead.

Bogum glanced at her. "Everything okay?"

Irene smiled at him. "Yeah, don't worry. I just need to talk to this young lady." She pointed playfully at Seulgi, who shot her an incredulous look.

"Of course. Take your time," he said with a wink, prompting laughter from Irene.

Seulgi let out an irritated scoff at their interaction. Damn him! "Excuse me, Ms. Bae. Shouldn't we be finding our seats? The plane's about to take off," Seulgi remarked, clearly wanting to avoid the situation.

"Didn't you hear what I said earlier? I want to talk to you," Irene replied, her expression unwavering.

Seulgi glanced behind Irene, where her fellow members were wiggling their eyebrows at her, obviously teasing her. She let out an exasperated sigh and asked Wendy for help, but Wendy only gave her a thumbs-up, signaling that she could handle it.

Resigned, Seulgi huffed. "Right here?"

Irene nodded her head. "It won't take long."

"Then let's discuss this after we've landed," Seulgi suggested, taking a step away. She turned back around when she realized that Irene hadn't moved from her spot. "Ms. Bae, please take your seat."

Irene let out a scoff, astonished at the audacity of Seulgi's words. She begrudgingly took her seat. Seulgi opted to sit far away from her, and just as she was about to sit down, Irene called her name.

"I won't accept a 'no.' Come here and sit with me—right now," Irene commanded, her voice carrying a sudden chill that sent shivers down the spines of those around them.

Seulgi found herself torn. She wasn't ready to engage with Irene yet, not after what had transpired at Irene's front door earlier. Wendy whispered-yelled at her, urging her to comply, knowing all too well the consequences of angering Irene. The staff, managers, and makeup artists all contributed to pushing Seulgi toward Irene's seat, eager to avoid witnessing Irene's wrath.

Seulgi sighed and moved toward Irene's seat, taking longer than necessary to sit down. Just as she was about to sit, Irene grabbed her wrist and guided her down onto the seat, holding onto her arm as she squeezed her eyes shut in response to the plane's takeoff.

Seulgi couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth at Irene's touch. How could I forget that she finds comfort in me?

Gradually, Irene opened her eyes as her anxiety subsided. 

"Why have you been avoiding me?" Irene's voice was soft as she gazed at Seulgi.

Seulgi shifted uncomfortably, feeling unsettled by Irene's unwavering gaze. She was about to pull her arm away when Irene tightened her grip.

"See? This isn't like you at all. Why are you holding back?" Irene's voice held a mix of frustration and hurt. "Do you even realize how I felt when you pulled away last night? Can't you sense how upset I am with your recent behavior?"

Seulgi's frustration then shifted. "Why is he here?"

"Huh?" Irene's question caught Seulgi off guard, making her feel like a deer caught in headlights. She feigned ignorance, even though she knew exactly what Seulgi was referring to.

The image of Irene hugging Bogum at her front door was etched in her mind. "You said you and him weren't involved, so why did I see you hugging at your front door this morning?" Seulgi's tone held a hint of jealousy, which wasn't lost on Irene.

Seulgi slouched in her seat, crossing her arms in a huff, causing Irene to playfully scoff. She found Seulgi's sulking adorable, and the idea of her being jealous made her smile even wider.

"True, there was never an 'us'," Irene replied, her sulky expression softening. "He finally accepted that I won't return his feelings. And you know what's even better? He's going to talk to his CEO to end the contract himself. I'm finally free!"

Seulgi's heart swelled with happiness for Irene. She had seen the burden that Bogum's advances had placed on her bodyguard, and knowing that Seulgi would soon be relieved from that pressure brought her immense joy.

Seulgi's gaze on her was mesmerizing, and Irene's cheeks began to flush under the attention. "Can you stop staring at me like that?"

"Why?" Seulgi's innocent question made Irene's heart race.

"Because you're melting me," Irene admitted, her blush deepening.

Seulgi suddenly stood up, leaving Irene puzzled. "Where are you going?"

"Just getting something," Seulgi replied, grabbing a paper bag from the cabin.

She returned to her seat and handed the paper bag to Irene without looking at her. "What's this?"

"Open it to find out," Seulgi said with a shrug, seemingly engrossed in a mobile game.

Irene rolled her eyes playfully and opened the bag. Inside was a cute rabbit stuffed toy. The simple gift brought a smile to her face, and she realized that Seulgi had given it as a gesture of apology.

Seulgi's actions started to make sense. She was avoiding Irene because she was jealous of the hug between her and Bogum. Seulgi had witnessed the whole scene and felt threatened by it. Irene couldn't help but find Seulgi's jealousy endearing.

She placed the stuffed toy on her lap and leaned her head on Seulgi's shoulder, snaking her left arm around Seulgi's right. Seulgi was caught off guard, but she didn't resist. Instead, she felt an unfamiliar warmth spreading through her as she allowed Irene to lean on her.

"Thank you Seulgi." Seulgi smiled and sighed in relief. 

---

*SEOUL SOUTH KOREA*

"Let's have breakfast," Jessica called out from behind Yoona, who was already at the door, ready to leave.

"Do you even know how to cook?" Yoona playfully shouted back.

Footsteps approached her, and she turned to find Jessica with raised eyebrows and a glaring expression.

"Do you even know what you're talking about right now?" Jessica retorted.

"Yes. I read that on your profile. Based on my research, there aren't many dishes that you cook because you always end up burning everything," Yoona teased, seemingly unphased.

Jessica felt a twinge of offense, "Yah! You! You're an !"

Yoona remained unperturbed, responding with a casual, "Oh honey, I've heard better."

Jessica ignored the pet name, recognizing that if she acknowledged it, she'd probably end up blushing. Instead, she retorted, "Whatever. I'm just trying to be more considerate, as you said last night. But it's your choice, sweety."

Yoona squinted her eyes at Jessica and chuckled, playfully removing her shoes. "Kidding. You know, food is one of my weaknesses."

As Yoona stepped into the kitchen, she was greeted by the sight of a table laden with various dishes. The array of food made water involuntarily.

"Are you still going to offend me?" Jessica teased, observing Yoona's reaction.

Yoona patted Jessica's head, a gesture that caught her off guard. "Nope. Not this time," she replied before sitting down to start eating.

Jessica watched Yoona patting her head with a mix of emotions. She was taken aback by how much she enjoyed the simple gesture. It was strange how someone like T had been her preferred type for so long, yet everything had changed when Yoona entered her life.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts and prevent Yoona from witnessing her internal struggle, Jessica sat down beside Yoona and joined her in eating breakfast.

They ate their breakfast in a comfortable silence until Yoona broke it with a question, "Do you have plans today?"

"Well... T and I planned to go shopping today, but I don't think I can face him today, not after feeling so uneasy about what happened last night."

Jessica was grappling with her feelings. She realized that nobody should push her to do something she wasn't comfortable with, not even Tyler. Even though they were in a relationship, it didn't mean he could make her do things she didn't want to. Yet, the question lingered: Was it her fault for feeling this way? She wondered if she was overreacting.

"Take your time. Remember what you said the other day on the golf course? He doesn't have the right to force you into something you don't want to do. Don't force yourself if you're not ready," Yoona advised, emphasizing each word to convey that Jessica's feelings were valid and important.

"What if I still feel this way around him?" Jessica asked, seeking Yoona's guidance once more.

Yoona held her chin thoughtfully and tilted her head, a characteristic move when she was contemplating solutions to problems. Jessica couldn't help but find her innocence endearing and wished she could capture the moment in a photo.

"If you still feel unsafe or uneasy around him, then he's not the right person for you. A man should never make a woman feel unsafe. Keep that in mind," Yoona replied seriously, gazing into Jessica's eyes with conviction.

Jessica was momentarily lost for words, struck by Yoona's sincerity. It was clear that Yoona's words held a deep truth. Tyler was a man, and he should understand the importance of making his partner feel safe and comfortable.

Jessica finally managed to respond, "Then I guess I have nothing to do today. What a boring day."

Yoona observed her and suggested, "You have your little sister. Give her a call. You could watch a movie together or catch up on things."

"You're right! I miss her. I should definitely call her right now."

Yoona playfully nodded, teasing, "I'm always right."

Jessica rolled her eyes with a smile and grabbed her phone to dial her sister's number.

"I'm going to head out once your sister arrives," Yoona mentioned, and Jessica nodded in agreement.

"I'm just going to take a quick shower. Make yourself at home!" Jessica called from her room as she prepared to freshen up.

Yoona settled onto the couch, propping her feet up on the small table in front of her. She took out her phone with the intention of playing some games, but she was immediately alerted by incoming messages.

1 message from Kang Seulgi, 3 messages from Jennie, 1 message from Khloe, and 1 message from Dad.

She decided to go through them one by one.

From: Kang Seulgi (8:15 am)
Miss me? I'm gonna be in Seoul later.

Yoona chuckled at Seulgi's message and replied with a string of emojis.

From: tinylittle (8:15 am)
Let's go on a date!

From: tinylittle (8:16 am)
Please, let's go on a date!

From: tinylittle (8:18 am)
I made my promise now. What about you?

Yoona raised an eyebrow at Jennie's persistent messages and decided to respond later.

From: Khloe (8:17 am)
I MISS YOU! WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GIVE ME YOUR ATTENTION? YOU'RE FORGETTING THAT YOU STILL HAVE A MOTHER WHO BADLY NEEDS HER DAUGHTER'S ATTENTION.

Yoona chuckled again and quickly typed a message, sending it with a shake of her head.

From: Dad (8:15 am)
I'm impressed by your actions there in Korea. I didn't regret bringing you there in the first place. Good job!

Yoona replied with a simple "Thank you."

As she was waiting for a reply from her Jessica's sister, she realized she needed to check her emails related to the case and send an update to her dad. She sighed, realizing that she was taking longer than expected. Deciding she should let Jessica know she needed to leave, Yoona stood up and headed toward the bedroom.

She knocked on the door, and Jessica's voice called out, "Come in!"

Yoona opened the door slowly, expecting a regular interaction, but she was taken aback by the sight that greeted her. Her eyes widened, and she involuntarily let out an exclamation.

"Soojung— Wait, Y-Yoona?!" Jessica's voice was equally surprised as she turned around, her eyes wide in shock as well. She followed Yoona's gaze, and suddenly she realized what was causing her bodyguard's astonishment.

"ert!" Jessica shouted, scrambling to grab her robe and hastily covering her body, her face turning red in embarrassment.

Yoona remained frozen in place, unable to move a muscle. Jessica's face was now filled with shame and embarrassment. In her mind, she had expected to see Krystal since she had told her sister to head straight to her own room over the phone. But to her surprise, it was her bodyguard, Yoona, who had inadvertently witnessed her in this vulnerable state. She wished the ground would swallow her whole to escape the humiliation.

They locked eyes for a moment, the tension between them palpable. Jessica eventually tore her gaze away, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. In her frustration, she grabbed her pillows and hurled them at Yoona with force. The pillows struck Yoona, who was still dazed by the unexpected scene, causing her to stumble. As she tried to regain her balance, she turned around and accidentally collided with the closed door, her face taking the impact.

With a painful thud, Yoona's face bumped against the door, and she felt a sharp pain in her lower lip. Her lip started bleeding as a result of the impact.