= = CHAPTER 16 = =

UNEXPECTED REVELATIONS PART I

IRENE’s POV

I wake up because of the ray of the sunlight that is directly hitting my face. I look around and I am still in the car. I look for my phone to check some updates and as expected a lot of missed calls from father and even Bogum. Argh! After the party where father announces their plan about the wedding between me and Bogum, I rush out without looking back at them who is constantly calling my name. I enter my car and drive outside the building.

“I hate it! I don’t want to marry him!” I shouted while driving and crying. I look at the sidewalk and found a convenience store. An idea strike in my head that makes me smile, I park the car infront of the store, look for my jacket and put it on.

I enter the convenience store casually and buy five… oopps... I want 8 bottles of Soju. Perfect! I look around and proceeds to the counter, this is the most challenging part for tonight, how I can pay for this alcohol without getting caught of who I am.

“Miss? Are you a minor?” the counter guy asks me. This makes me startled.

Well, I can’t blame him because of my small and petite body, I am often misunderstood as a minor. I smile and reply “No.” I am about to show my I.D. but realize that it will reveal my identity. I adjusted the tone of my voice this time. “Ahm? Do I look that young?”

He laughs and just tells me the total amount of the alcohol. I want to give my credit card but again my identity needs to be unknown. Good thing I save enough money.

The transaction went so smooth until the guy said. “You look familiar, are you a celebrity?”

I smile and bow. “No, I am not.” I rush out and enter my car. I drive and look for a spot to stop. I want to drink outside the car but I am still thinking of my image. So I decided to take my first bottle inside the car. Second, third, fourth… while drinking the fifth bottle I suddenly starts the engine of the car and drive. I don’t know where I am heading to but as time passes the neighborhood looks familiar. Am I heading to Level Up’s dorm? Am I looking for Wendy?

I get out of my car and knock on the door. “Weeendy yaaaaah!!! Oooopen thhhhe doooooor.” I shouted.

No one responded on my first attempt but I know there are people inside the house so I try again but this time with a louder and disturbing voice. “Weeennndddyyyy yaaahhhhh!!! Bbbbaaabbbbbbyyy! I knnnooooowwww yoooouuu aaarreee theeereee. Leeeeetttt meeeeee innnn!”

I lean so much on the door so when someone opens it I fell on the ground. When I look up I saw hands helping me to stand. It was Yeri and Joy.

“Are you okay?” Joy asks me.

I am drunk that time so instead of answering her question I ask them another. “Wheeereeee iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissss Weeeeeeeeeeeeennnndyyyyyy?” Eventhough my head and vision is spinning. I walk and look around their dorm and stops at the kitchen where I feel pathetic and starts to cry.

Yeri offers me a glass of water and grabs Joy towards their living room to give me some space. I look around, I saw them sitting at their couch, calling somebody through their handy phone but keeps on glancing at me and checking what I am doing. I look idiot but tears keep on falling.

I didn’t know how long I am crying until I suddenly hear a familiar voice. It is Wendy’s voice!

My flashback suddenly stops when my phone rang again. This time it was my stylist unnie. I want to answer it but I stop myself. I start to drive again and decided to go to the place where I am treated as Joo Hyun. I text the caretaker of the house to inform that I will be home and use it. The place where I bring SeungWan. Fck! Wendy again? I am drunk last night but I can clearly remember how she pushes me away. On how she told me in my face how she is not willing to fight for me.

It was a long drive and I get tired, as expected a food is prepared. Since I am hungry I eat all of it. I go straight to the bedroom, lie down in the bed and open my phone. I was shock when I saw Wendy’s picture. And I remember! Last night I was talking to this picture.

I smile and sort the pictures and starts to reminisce our encounters.

I look at first album and it was named FIRST MEETING.

I am invited to be an MC to a music event. One of the conditions I stated in the contract is to have a solo make up room. But the staff approaches me and beg to share the room with a girl group. I hate girl groups they are so diva, they feel that they are so beautiful and men are head over heels to them.

I have no choice but to agree, since they told me that it was only a four member group. They greeted me but I just nod coldly. I want to maintain my cold image.

I observe and count the girls and it was just three of them. They are busy on putting make ups but base on their looks they are young so it was just light. Until I heard a girl enters the room.

“Good morning! Sorry I am late. I wait for these cookies to be cooked.” Say by a tiny girl. Haha! She is really tiny. I don’t know my lips smile automatically, I think it is because I found a girl tinier than me.

They all look at the girl. “Wendy! Perfect I am hungry, can we have some of it?” I think the leader, bearlike girl said.

Wendy? I naturally smile again knowing her name. This girl has something that caught my attention.

“Unnie, can I have some too?” the tall girl said. Hmmm? Unnie? So she is older than her.

I can see their reflections at the mirror and at the time the girl, name Wendy, bring the box at the table, the group members immediately grab for their cookies. I can feel how tasty it is, until the group’s maknae notices me.

“Unnie how about Ms. Irene?” The younger girl says.

I look away and back with my cold image. They all look at me. “What?” I told them angrily.

They look afraid but the leader bearlike said. “Where are our manners? We didn’t introduce ourselves to her yet.”

And they bow, the leader is named Seulgi, the tall girl is Joy, the youngest I think is Yeri, and the girl who bakes the cookies is Wendy. I just smile and say coldly “I am Irene.” Then back on facing the mirror.

“Do you want some cookies?” Joy says.

“No, I don’t want.” I answered coldly that leave the members shock. Good enough for them to know that I don’t like them to be here sharing a room with me. But I am really hungry. Where on the earth is my food.

They continue to do their routine but I can feel that they are irritated on how cold I am to them. The three girls leave the room. I close my eyes but suddenly…

“I know you are hungry take some.” Wendy says.

I jolted and almost fell on the chair, thanks to Wendy’s reflexes that react fast and help me not to fall in the ground. Her touch makes me feel something. I don’t know what it is but something that makes my heart flutter.

“Are you okay?” She asks.

“Yes I am, I did not fall on the ground but I think I fall for you?” I answer unexpectedly. I panic and don’t know the reason why I say those words.

“Ha-ha? Ha-ha! I don’t know you are good at making jokes.” She laughs hardly.

I also laugh for her not to notice how I panic. “Do I? hmmm.. I already told you that I don’t want your cookies but you still offer me some of it. Why?”

She smiles and it melts my heart. Wait, wait something is wrong with my circulation? Am I starting to like Wendy? No. No. I am just finding her kind.

“I can feel that you are just saying it but deep inside it you are hungry. There are no foods in your table so I guess you are not eating yet.” Wendy answers and smiles lovingly again.

I grab two cookies and tell her “Good observations.”

She shakes her head and says “No, get three cookies which means I Love You.” She winks at me, give the third cookie and leave my side.

I follow her movements and feel that my cheeks blush on that line. While carrying boxes of cookies, I guess she is going to share it to everyone, she look back at me and smile. “See you later Ms. Irene.”

I don’t know but I am happy on the way she called my name? What are these feelings, I need to clarify it because I don’t want to be confused.

Hours passed but the group did not return yet. “Where are the girls?” I ask my manager.

“Who? Ah the Level Up? They are already on rehearsal at the stage. Why you miss them?” He replied.

“Hmmm… nothing. I thought they will not back here meaning the whole room will be mine.” I defensively answer.

The moment I finish my sentence the whole group enter the room, looking tired and sweating a lot. The one that caught my attention is Wendy again, she is sweating a lot but why she still look smells nice. I unconsciously take out my phone and captured some pictures of her, while drinking water, fixing her make-up, before, during and after the performance. Ofcourse without her knowledge and it is the pictures I am looking right now.

And it is the last picture. I check the second album named STALKING

I smile upon opening this folder; it is compose of Wendy’s stolen shot pictures. Yeah you are right. After our first encounter, her name and even image already occupied my brain. I am always thinking of her and on what she is doing.

I have pictures of her during their concert. Ha-ha! Thru my connections I am able to get a copy furnished of group’s schedule. And that day is their concert. Having a ticket is an easy job but manage to be at the concert without being notice is hard task. Together with my stylist we enjoy the concert without any problems. And with that day my stylist and I become bestfriend and one of the people who knows my real identity. A lesbian.

Yes I am a lesbian. I already feel it when I am in senior high. A lot of guys go crazy over me but I refuse them because I find girls more attractive. I cannot bluntly say it to the world because of the reason that people like me is not still accepted in our society/country.

I am in the car when the group get out of the concert hall and walk towards their car. I look at Wendy and found her. I smile and see her having a pillow on her neck. It makes my heart flutter took some pictures of it. Until my driver says “Ms. Irene you will be late on your next schedule. We need to go.”

My stylist hold my hands upon seeing me pouted. “There will be a lot of next time.” I look at her and she wink.

Next, is a picture of her during their group’s autograph signing in a mall we owned. Upon seeing their request, my heart skips a beat and without thinking I approve their activity. It is an advantage for me because I can have an easy access and view of them.

And that day came. I want to go out my office to see them in personal but I don’t know how to do it. I don’t want other people to see me idolizing a girl group.

“Want to go outside and see them in person?” My stylist ask me while smiling.

I smile back “No, people will notice me.”

“Are you sure? Okay.” She replied. “Can I just go out and see them? I want to see how beautiful they are up close.”

“No. you are not allowed to go out of this room.” I coldly reply.

She didn’t reply but she giggl