Wendy had slept rather well that night and she had almost forgotten that she was a guest in somebody’s house. The memory came back to her when she opened her room door and was greeted by the sight of Irene sprawled on her couch. Both girls jumped in surprise as Wendy walked into Irene’s legs which was dangling over the edge of the sofa.

“S-Sorry.” Wendy said embarrassedly.

The idol, after finding out that it was just Wendy, sagged her shoulders in relief.

Irene yawned. “Gosh… I merely closed my eyes for a while. What time is it? I am supposed to be getting ready,” Irene said dazedly as she scrambled up.

Wendy chuckled. To think that an idol like Irene would actually have house habits that is very similar to a teenager.  

“What?” Irene asked her house guest.

“Nothing.”

Irene squinted her eyes a little at the writer. “You’re lying again but whatever.”

Wendy chuckled louder. She was truly beginning to find Irene’s abilities to detect lies adorable.

“You look like a very exhausted teenage exam candidate,” Wendy finally said.

Irene’s face was blank initially before a side of quirked up. “I never thought of that reference but yes… I guess I do.”

Irene had opened to say something again before her phone rang. It was a call from Yeri to tell the idol that they would be picking up the idol and Wendy in fifteen minutes. Irene sprang into action and got prepared at an amazing speed, leaving Wendy to ogle at her and almost forgetting to groom herself in the process.   

There were just two long schedules for the idol that day. The most important of which was a photoshoot for the Christmas collection for a luxury bag brand. The set decorated in a riot of gold and silver with an extravagant cream-white sofa that featured elaborate wood carving details and was studded with large crystals. Wendy thought she might be blinded by the opulence of the set.

Little would she know that she was truly blinded when Irene came out of the changing room clad in her golden sequin dress, gold-plated 6-inch heels and multiple expensive-looking accessories. Wendy’s jaw had literally fallen and she heard a gasp escape from Yeri’s lips before the intern had scooted off to busy herself with other affairs.

Just an hour ago, Wendy had been privy to witnessing Irene in her natural habitat at home. It was hard for Wendy to gel the image of the simply clothed, at-home image of Irene with this glamorous one.

After styling Irene, the wardrobe team appeared on the set with moveable racks after racks of handbags. Each of which, Wendy guessed, was worth a few months’ of her base salary.

Wendy soon found herself to be observing the artiste to intently that she began to notice the finer details about Irene. Irene had rather cute-looking, large ears. Above all, the celebrity actually had smile lines. Wendy blinked.

Irene had suddenly veered her gaze towards her briefly before her eyes darted away again when the photographer had commanded her attention. In that short moment of connection, Wendy felt her heart thump harder than usual.

“Irene, bring out your charm. Accentuate the attractiveness of the product,” The photographer guided.

Irene looked troubled for a short moment, then their eyes met again. Wendy gave the celebrity a shy, awkward smile. Irene produced a small smile back and when she turned towards the camera again, a sultry look had entered Irene face, one that had the ability to make Wendy swoon.   

Wendy’s heart drummed against her chest so hard that she was certain the people around her could hear it. The writer was beginning to become confused with her physiological responses towards the idol. It was crazy just how Irene was able to make Wendy feel so many things than Wendy ever did in her past twenty-five years of life.

When Wendy turned her attention back to the set, she found Irene to be missing and Wendy panicked for a few moments before Irene re-emerged with a new style. Irene looked expensive as she was decked in an all-white suit with a chequered green and red beret. Wendy thought her heart had stopped as she beheld Irene’s gorgeousness. What was more? Irene was heading in Wendy’s direction with a lazy smile on her face.

“H-Hi,” Wendy blurted out as Irene neared, unable to meet Irene’s eyes.

Irene guffawed. “Why are you suddenly shy?” Irene asked with a tint of amusement in her voice.

“Well… because… you are now Irene the idol, the endorser, the y,” Wendy let it out mindlessly.

Irene laughed harder. “Really? Aren’t I just the idol you have been critiquing about?”

“Well… of course I can’t criticise you in your face right?” Wendy retorted.

“Hmm… that’s true. Anyway, if you are bored, just tell Yeri. She may have some things for you to do.”  

As the writer whipped her head around in search of the intern, Wendy scolded herself for almost forgetting Yeri’s presence. Then she found Yeri with her moleskin book as always and looking a little apprehensive.

Wendy nodded briefly to Irene before the idol went back to the set for the next round of photoshoots before going over to Yeri’s side.

“Hey Yeri, do you need help with anything?”

“Hmm… not really… I am just going to order in some coffee and snacks for the crew members.”

“For the staff members?”

Yeri nodded with an excited smile on her face and put a finger to her lips. “Shh… not so loud. Well… actually it is an open secret but Irene usually treats the staff members from time to time.”

Wendy’s brows creased. The writer had truly not heard that Irene was a generous artist. Perhaps it was truly like what Yeri had said, it was a secret.

Curiously, Wendy asked, “why don’t Irene want to let other people know?”

Yeri bit into her bottom lip and said. “Well… because she treats most staff members but not all. It’s discretionary. Our Irene has her standards when it comes to being nice to people you know? So it’s a secret.”

Wendy was about to enquire more when Yeri had spoken again, seeming to not to divulge too much about her idol. “Right, anyway, Wendy if you would like to help, you could perhaps suggest some places to order the coffee and snacks from. I actually… don’t really know many places… but I do have a list of recommendation from Irene.”

Wendy decided to not make things difficult for the intern and decided to ask Irene afterwards. Besides it probably was not a big thing since it was known that idols treat staff members from time to time. What boggled Wendy’s mind was why her editor Joy, had left out this important piece of information. In fact, in her article she had described Irene as draconian on variety sets and was cold to staff members.

When Wendy had turned back to look at Irene, she found the idol staring intently at her and her insides had melted instantly. That odd sensation made Wendy all the more certain that she would be more thorough in her investigative works on this particular idol. However, right now she had one job, and that was to help Yeri with her orders.

Irene did not know why her eyes were glued to Wendy. It was as if Wendy had some sort of magnetic force that compelled her eyes to follow wherever she goes or whatever she does. The writer was on her phone right now and was asking Yeri something while scribbling on a piece of scrap paper all at the same time. The way Wendy had worried her pen between her lips and was multi-tasking looked so cute that it had brought a smile to Irene’s face. Irene soon realised how off her expression was and how her attention was really on Wendy. It was truly befuddling and annoying to the idol because right at this moment, it was expected of her to focus entirely on the photoshoot and be done with it.

Lethargy was beginning to seep into her and the photographer, after noticing how distracted the idol was becoming, was calling for more breaks. Timely it was, the coffee and snacks that Irene had asked Yeri to order arrived and it boosted the staff’s morale. Surprisingly, the food items ordered were not from any of the cafes on the list but they tasted just as well. Irene was surprised when she bit into the lemon meringue tart. The golden brown pastry that was topped with torched cream had tasted so flavourful that Irene wanted to go for seconds if not for the tight fitting outfit she was wearing.

“Yeri, where did you get these from?” Irene asked.

Yeri merely shook her head. “I did not get them. Wendy ordered them.”

“Wendy?”

“Yea…”

Irene then found the writer to be sitting in a corner and engaged in a conversation with Irene’s make-up artist. Sejeong was laughing at something Wendy had said and when Wendy had helped Sejeong brush aside a lock of hair, Irene thought she saw Sejeong blush. It was then when Irene felt as though she was drenched by a bucket of cold water and strode over to the talking pair.

Sejeong had a bright smile and had waved in friendly manner to the idol as she stalked over to them.

“Oh, hey Irene. Your new manager is really interesting.”

Yes, of course she is, she is a tabloid writer after all. Irene kept that thought to herself.

“Is it? Why do you say my manager is interesting?”

Failing to detect Irene’s slight jealousy, Sejeong had continued. “Wendy knows a lot about this industry and apparently she has an interest in writing.”

Irene flinched a little. Worried that Wendy might have accidentally given her identity away, Irene’s eyes met Wendy’s and heaved a sigh of relief when Wendy gave a subtle shake of her head to indicate that she had kept her real identity as a tabloid writer a secret.

“I told Sejeong I love to write short stories in my free time,” Wendy announced proudly, her charisma oozing out as she recited random quotes from classic novels.

Irene noticed immediately how bewitched Sejeong was with the writer and felt her jealousy bubble. Her cheeks must have coloured but she must not let it show. It did not make sense to the idol why she was feeling that way and she pivoted on her heels to return to the set before the talking pair could notice.

Ironically, the jealousy she had felt had placed the idol in the perfect mood for the shoot. Irene exhibited the emotions and executed her expressions flawlessly, one that was of cold jealousy and of imperious front.

The ride back home in the vehicle this time round was far chattier than the day before as Yeri and Wendy bonded over the many duties as an idol’s manager whilst Irene merely listened in with her eyes shut.

“Wendy, the coffee and pastries were really nice!” Yeri could not mask her compliments and Wendy gave a shy smile.

“It is from one of my favourite cafes. I can recommend you more cafes if you’d like to know.”

Yeri clapped and asked excitedly. “You know a lot of nice cafes?”

Wendy nodded. “Yea, I love to spend long hours at cafes so I need to make sure that the ambience and the food must be good.”

Irene had opened her eyes then and was looking at Wendy. Wendy felt her heart lurch and suddenly felt nervous.

“D-Did you like the… cakes and pastries… I saw you eating a lemon meringue,” Wendy asked.

A faint smile appeared on the idol’s face. “You saw me eating the tart? I thought you were busy flirting with Sejeong,” a tinge of acid dripping from her words.  

Yeri scrunched up her face and recoiled theatrically while Wendy only blinked in surprise at Irene’s accusations.

“Well… we were just… chatting?” Wendy defended.

Irene sighed. “Sejeong is single by the way, and very interested in females, just for your information.”

“I-I told you we were just chatting,” Wendy said again.

Irene smiled thinly. “And I was just teasing you.”

Wendy shrugged, a disbelieving look on her face as she looked away.

Once back at the idol’s home, Irene had kicked her boots off carelessly and went for the couch immediately. She was thoroughly burnt out and could not even remember the last time she had a good rest.

The idol felt her guest standing by her couch, watching her.

“Are you okay?” Wendy asked, her voice was so thick with concern that it warmed Irene’s heart a little.

Irene nodded slowly. “Just a little tired,” she admitted before adding. “Right… do shower first. If you need anything just shout out for me.”   

Wendy had not left, instead, she took a seat by Irene’s side and placed the back of her hand on the idol’s forehea