HUMANS. For hundreds of years, humans believe that they are the most superior race among all. Just because they think they can do better than most animals, humans claim that they are the most intelligent and most unique beings there are in the whole universe.

But, they are wrong.

There are more special races that are hidden because humans will never be able to comprehend their greatness. And while humans are busy thriving the soil to eat, trying their best to make names for their own and trying to gain power through politics and other things, the special races are already dominating the world. They are there in disguise, fooling the whole world that they are nothing but normal humans.

Humans believe that they are above everything but they didn’t know that they are like experimental mice caged in a place they call their own.

“Irene~~ I came again today to meet you! Please give me a finger heart please~”

‘Here he is again!’

The idol just looked at the guy who didn’t miss a single fansign event for their latest comeback.

“Finger hearts are so lame~” She said before putting down her pen. She then put her hands together and smiled at the guy. “A heart like this should be given out~ A little finger heart won’t be enough.” She gave him what he wanted before signing his album. The guy felt like he was going to faint and wasn’t even able to compose comprehensible sentences after that finger heart from the idol.

The lady in red then sent him off to their next member who is obviously also surprised after seeing the guy again. Irene then welcomed the next fan but she couldn’t hide the smirk from her face.

‘Humans are too easy. You give them a heart sign and they would lose it all.’

Bae Joohyun, a member of the global girl-group called DAZ:ED based in South Korea is taking the world by storm with her unearthly visuals. Despite being a multi-talented artist, she first gained attention through her looks and even gained backslashes because of it. But, being the real artist that she is, Joohyun, more popularly known with her idol name Irene, proved her worth to stand on the spot where she is now.

She’s dominating polls and even commercials and advertisements. Most magazine issues have her face on it and her face is labeled as the face that people want to get whenever they go for a plastic surgery. There was even a show that swore that they would prove that Irene went under the knife to gain her beauty but they ultimately failed after finding no evidence at all. Her following is also something that no one should take as a joke. Once you drag her down, a whole army of fans will go for your neck.

Bae Joohyun has it all but there is one thing that her fans don't know.

“I believe everyone would go wild once they find out that you are going to be married.”

Everyone turned to Jennie who was checking her nail art that time. They were already at the backstage, resting while waiting for the call of their manager so they could go home.

Jisoo, the fake* youngest member of their group, was sent on the verge of her seat after hearing about Irene’s marriage. She looked to Irene then to Jennie then to everyone who is at the table before turning back to Irene. (*her actions make her look like the youngest of the group even though she is actually part of the unnie line.)

“Y-You are getting married, Irene-unnie!?” She couldn’t even close after hearing that news. “B-But how!? When did you start dating? How about our group? Are you leaving us!? Why didn’t I know anything about this!?”

“Calm down, Jisoo-ya.” Irene laughed at how panicked Jisoo is. “It is an arranged marriage. Sadly, I have to comply with it because it plays a very important role to the society.”

“What…?”  Jisoo’s voice slowly trailed off. “You will be married to someone you don’t like? Man, it is hard to be a daughter of a politician, right?”

“Huh?” Again, everyone turned to Jennie after that one strong scoffing. “’Sadly’, you say. We both know that you like that guy whom you would be married with.”

“Stop that, Jennie~” Irene giddily smiled at Jennie as she slapped the wind. “I don’t really like him that much…”

“Irene is the biggest clown of the century… She’ll get the award this year. I call it.”  Rosé smirked at the blushing Irene before taking a sip of her tomato juice. “So, when will the marriage take place?”

Jisoo seemed like she’s still not getting the grasp of the situation. Why does it seem like she is the only one who didn’t get it? Even Lisa (the real maknae) who is silently reading a book doesn’t seem surprised about it. Was it because she’s the only one from a different race among this group of special idols?

“It will be held right after the end of our comeback promotions which is basically next week. Everything is already prepared and settled.” Irene said while fidgeting with her fingers. “The gown looks really nice!”

“But Unnie!” Jisoo hit the table with both of her palms. “How come that the paparazzi didn’t manage to get a picture of you dating? You are like a giant star now!”

Irene turned to Jisoo and smiled. “We have never met since I have become an idol. We’ll see each other for the first time after five years on the day of the marriage.”

“On the day of the marriage!? That’s crazy!”  Jisoo exclaimed with an indescribable facial expression. “H-How can you marry someone like that?”

“There’s always divorce.” Miyawaki Sakura, the head of the managers of the group, suddenly joined their conversation. She’s holding a plastic bag of popsicles in her hand and distributed it to the girls one by one.

Irene pouted after hearing how bitter her favorite unnie is about her upcoming wedding. “It’s not an option in my case, Kkura-ya.”

“I don’t care about it.” Sakura coldly answered before handling Irene her favorite ice cream. “If that guy hurts you then you have to break free from him no matter how important your marriage is. I don’t really think that you have to get married to someone like him.”

“Come on…” Irene continued sulking. “You should stop judging him like that, Kkura. Look at Jisoo here. She’s, somehow, of the same kind but she’s so pure and lovely.”

“E-Eh?” Jisoo pointed at herself. “S-Same race? Pure and lovely? What do you mean—”

Jisoo wasn’t able to continue what she is saying when Sakura placed her hand on top of her head before sliding her ice cream in front of her. The said girl then blushed hard and everyone noticed it.

“TCH.” Jennie then rolled her eyes and grumpily opened her ice cream.

“Still, you have to be careful. I don’t really trust him.” Sakura firmly stated her opinion with her hand still on Jisoo’s head. “I will seriously break his neck if he does something bad to you.”

Irene then chuckled before leaning on the table with her hands crossed. “Don’t worry, Kkura.” She then gave out a smile with her fangs protruding a bit. Jisoo’s eyes widened a bit after seeing it. “As if he could hurt me.”

“Wow~ Irene-unnie~ Your fangs are really something!” The girl stated with great amazement. Sakura then ruffled her hair before heading towards the door.

“You have a nice set of canines too, Jisoo.” Sakura commented which made the other girl blush once more. “We’ll leave after you all finish your ice creams. It’s a secret that I give you that, okay?”

This is one of the reasons why Miyawaki Sakura is popular to the idols of their company. She’s actually popular even among the staff as well. To think that she’s the youngest yet the one to be assigned as the top of the managers, it was normal to have people be surprised by this fact but everything changes once they witness how she works. To them, Sakura works like she had centuries of experience.

The group answered affirmatively in chorus and with that Sakura left the room.  Rosé just shook her head before opening her ice cream. “She hates the likes of your fiancé but she likes Jisoo so much.”

After hearing that statement, Jisoo started to malfunction. “K-K-Kkura l-l-likes me!?”

Jennie then gave out a loud sigh before biting her popsicle. Lisa closed her book before saying, “She likes you, of course. She likes everyone in this group.”

Jisoo started to calm down but disappointment was clearly written on her face. It wasn’t because the real maknae calmed her down. “Y-Yes… She likes all of us…”

Irene snickered at Jisoo’s reaction before picking up her phone. “Anyway, Jisoonie~ I am sending you something~”

“Hm?”  Jisoo’s phone rang and she opened up the message. Again, her eyes widened after seeing the content of the message. “W-Wedding invitation! This is really real!”

Irene earnestly nodded. “Of course, our favorite dongsaeng is invited. But…” Irene pointed at her neck. “You have to come with your neck covered. It is… the dress code.”

“GOOD JOB today, Seulgi!”

Park Sooyoung gave the girl who is wearing a huge bear costume a tap on her shoulder before removing her chick mascot head. “Everyone really likes Gomgomie! You really suit the role.”

The bear mascot then turned to Sooyoung very weakly. She then pointed to her head and Sooyoung got what she wanted to say. She removed her head costume while laughing. Then a sweaty Kang Seulgi was revealed.

“It really uses a lot of my energy but the pay isn’t bad so I just have to bear with it.” Seulgi let out a breath. “I really need money so I can start my own business.”

“What is your dream business again?” Sooyoung asked before sitting beside the sulking Gomgomie.

“I will put up an agency for magicians—”

“PFFT!” Sooyoung snorted before Seulgi even managed to finish her statement. Seulgi then pushed her by the shoulder which almost sent her down the stairs but Sooyoung still couldn’t stop laughing.

“You really don’t take me seriously!” Seulgi dusted her costume. “I am dead serious about this!”

“Has anybody taken you seriously in the first place? Look!”  Sooyoung turned her body towards the other girl. “You want to make an agency for magicians! Who in the world would hire a magician through an agency!? I mean, I would get it if you would make an agency for idols but for tricksters!?”

“Shut up…”  Seulgi said with a pout, releasing her stress by punching her head costume. “Calling magicians tricksters is like trampling to the years of practice that they did just to perfect a certain skill.”

“You call it a skill?” Sooyoung shook her head. She still couldn’t believe how serious Seulgi is.

“It is! We study about every trick!”

Sooyoung then laughed before ruffling Seulgi’s hair with both of her hands. “You just called it a trick and you are getting bitter on me calling magicians tricksters!” The other girl, who is actually younger than Seulgi, stood up and took a stretch. “No matter how you look at it, they are just perfected illusions. Just tricks! Not true powers. But yeah, since you are one of my chosen disciples then I will just cheer for your dream.”

“Psh.” Seulgi rolled her eyes before trying to fix her sweaty hair. “When did I sign up as your disciple?”

Sooyoung pointed at her with a mischievous smile on her face. “Right after you wear that costume! Jaa, I will go take a shower first. Better clean your costume first before you keep it in the locker.”

Seulgi was then left alone by the stairs heading to the staff room. She held her mascot’s head and faced it. “Out of all things… Why a bear?”

With her shoulders down, Seulgi went on her way to the lockers and took the hot costume off. All for the sake of a magician dedicated agency, she would wear this costume even during summer.

“Why is it that no one appreciates magicians?” she signed while vacuuming her costume. “I mean, it is just the same with other artists. We send people in awe with our skills!”

She was trying to defend her dream but it was her mind who first betrayed her when a certain word echoed at the back of her head.

FAKE.