What is it today?

That is right, it is the Cos Gala. It is an annual event held in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. Which Seulgi thought Irene Bae would not be present this year, but sudden change of plans, and they are actually preparing for it.

The dress just arrived ten minutes ago and to Seulgi it overlapped the eccentric way of being good. 

Wow. 

How does she describe it because just to be legit, she does not have words, honestly. BoA really did a great job about making this.

What Seulgi meant was, it is definitely better than the previous ones she wore: it was made of silk and it was too soft and smooth; a hip-length black, silk dress in a glittering color. How cool is that?

But I feel off.

Seulgi already got that feeling, the nerve to lay in bed is calling her and she felt dense, rather hot. It was practically winter season, which means it was supposed to be cold, yet why is she shivering abnormally?

There is nothing to be worried about since she has attended this event twice already, and Seungwan will be by her side for the whole night, but she felt something was indeed bothering her. Seulgi just cannot not pinpoint what it is—it was too odd for her liking. 

Seulgi was now done wearing the dress as well as her makeup and things like that, which she assumed that time flies really fast; her hair was formed in a slick-back style, basically coated with a lot of hairspray, yet it turned out really good.

But something is definitely wrong.

The event will start in seven pm sharp, and here she was, still preparing. Gwangjin-gu is kilometers away from Mapo-gu (since it is in the East), and calling an Uber will be the best option.

All of a sudden, Seulgi received a knock at her front door despite having a buzzer. 

Strange.

She narrowed her brows, and to be honest, she was indeed alarmed. It can be Seungwan but, she was not going to knock though, she will shout. It could be the others, but still no because they should be blabbering right now. Hyejin? Surely not, she will inform me and her knocks are definitely patternless. 

Seulgi walked towards the front door in a careful manner. Once she reached the knob, she twisted it and was greeted with the most unexpected scenario she has ever witnessed.

In front of her very own door, was a small black box. It does not have a note or whatever, it was just a tiny damn black box.

Who in the…?

Seulgi looked left and right, then specifically around her. Well, who would not be agitated about this, right?

It could be a bomb…

Do not blame her, it has the possibilities, or maybe it was not a bomb but a very dangerous thing that can blow her precious brain out and chew—

What are saying, you paranoid idiot? That’s what you get for watching to many telenovelas!

Seulgi hurriedly grabbed the mysterious box and went inside. Okay, here is the thing, if this is one of her online shippings then there should be a delivery man outside her ing door with his list, asking for her goddamn signature—but the problem is, there was not even a single person present. 

Battling with her thoughts, whether to open it or not, and she was going to admit that she was indeed curious but– hello?

April fools is still months away.

Seulgi opened the lead and her face immediately showed confusion. Is someone playing tricks on her because she swore to god, she was not in the mood right now.

This is odd.

Inside the box was a ing ruse, meanint, no one was expecting for this, that is why the box seemed light and empty when she carried it.

A Joker card.

“Who in the hell?” Seulgi whispered.

Who in the hell, really! She was uneasy right now. Something is not right, and she was right about that. Her body feels wrong too, and she just does not have the strength to at least even think; if they wanted her to be a clown then perhaps they should have sent this in the middle of April.

What should Seulgi do with this? So many questions inside her head and none of it was even answered. Just think about it, is not it terrorizing? A queer black box was suddenly in her front door without anything inside but a strange Joker card?

5:42 pm.

No time to ponder at this moment since she needs to be there within an hour. Cos Gala is a very prestigious event for businessmen and women; it is actually half of the entire reason why partnerships and sponsorships are formed since they will certainly unite in one place. 

Seulgi kept the card and threw the box away. Indeed, she needs an hour to actually get there in Gwangjin-gu.

She would be lying if she says that she was not disturbed or anything, because certainly she is. Someone who is insane enough decided to send her a weird eldritch box at her front door! Who would not be anxious about that? Yet, she was not afraid though—if someone wants her in trouble then they can get it themselves. 

Another bull has popped up again and whoever is romping their schemes on her, she hopes they already die– be hit by a ing truck or something.

Seulgi grabbed her house keys and her purse, called an Uber and get over this event just for this night. She has other matters to attend and if someone is really bullting with her, well then, god bless their ty souls. 

Irene should not be attending today, that was her final decision before this year started. She never liked Cos Gala. It has a different aura to her and as sensitive as she can be, sensing this so-called aura whenever she takes part in this event is just purely harrowing.

What was worse, businessmen who do not know how to act chivalrous are tiring and dreadful to be with; they always have these predator eyes even though their wives are just beside them.

Disgusting.

What was more embarrassing is that they lure every single one of them to create a bond between one another using unpromising words. Sure, they need reputations and a lot more than that, but actually compel naïve ones is such a pathetic act.

Thank god I’m not naïve.

Irene was now done preparing and her stylists are arranging their things that they used, such as makeups and hair clips. This dress is fine, though, but just a bit itchy.

What did BoA put in this dress?

“Miss Bae?” One of my chaperones addressed. “There is a gift from Mister Min just as this moment.”  

He handed the raven a black, uncanny box. She is used to gifts, but this is something. It has a gold lace with a very well-made ribbon.

Bizarre.

The mentioned chaperone went out of the room as well as the stylists and she was left alone. Irene stared at the box a little more—no note, no sender– it was just a pure, black box.

Hmm.

She then laced out the golden ribbon and opened the lead, and what was bewildering is that, it was full of small styrofoams.

It is surely puzzling.

With a raised brow, Irene removed the styrofoams to see what was beneath it and what greeted her was what she least expected.

A Joker card.

The raven furrowed her brows and what she was feeling is definitely not good. In what she said about the business world as being a wild place and a chaotic battlefield is true, and whoever is aiming for her head has an intuitive complexion.

This is definitely not from Mister Min.

Everyday, she is scared for her life; everyday, she doubted everyone around her; everyday, she is not sure whether she will be here tomorrow and for the succeeding days. Whoever is frisky enough to convey this kind of bull directly to her, is in some whole lot of crap.

I’m not here to play games.

Irene gently placed the box away and looked at the card and thought how she hates Joker cards for they remind me of being the fool. She will never be fooled, since she is a complete logical person. Someone is undoubtedly aiming for her head, and she was sure of it. If not, then it should be an acceptable reason for them to bring her down.

They want me to step down, I just know it.

But Irene owned the business industry now. Shame on them for they will never lay a single finger on her and her properties. 

Are they forgetting I’m Irene Bae?

The latter looked at the time: 5:56 pm. Two hours left to take but it would only take minutes for her to get to her said destination.

With a blank face, Irene stood up and grabbed whatever she might need, as well as the card. She should keep this since it was a gift.

And gifts are supposed to be kept, am I right?

Uber is great and convenient, Seulgi will be admitting that. It is also fast and very easy to access, but it is too expensive for her!

Like Seugli, who is very economically wise, it was definitely too much for her liking. They seem like they have their own cars and drivers but for her, that is too far-fetched and grabbing an uber will not be happening again!

Seulgi arrived at Gwangjin-gu exactly at 6:10 pm—there are limousines and ing luxurious cars around with their escorts and plus ones.

Irene-ssi would surely not bring a plus one. She thought.

It was true though, she do hates those kind of treatmen—is that what they call it? But anyway, it was none of Seulgi's concern anyway.

The latter's heels clanked on the surface as she stepped on each stair. There is a red carpet with the press exactly on the middle, which she did not take path on because it was for the guests, and what she meant with that was, even though she was indeed a guest but not that guest-guest—or mainly, the characters of tonight. 

Seulgi clicked her tongue and resumed walking. Once she had reached the last stair, Chaerin and Seungwan greeted her in an instant.

“What took you so long?” Chaerin asked. “Being late is not on my vocabu—”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s not on your vocabulary but it is on mine.” Seulgi answered.

It was truly a fact! Being late is normal for god’s sake, and there is a liking statement, ‘it is better to be late than absent’.

“This is twisting with my existence right now.” Seungwan said while basically admiring everything.

“Don’t take it to the heart, bud.”

“I will leave you two since you are giving me a headache.” Chaerin turned her heels around which left the two of them alone.

Rude. Seulgi sarcastically thought.

Seungwan was still busy gazing at whatever her eyes land on, and everything was basically alluring after all. The setting was pleasant while the interior was even more pleasant.

Is that redundant?

“Would you stop wandering your eyes around!” Seulgi hissed.

“Shut up!” She half yelled. “This is my time.”

The monolid woman shook her head and waited for whoever the damn they were waiting. Look, it was Seulgi's duty to wait for her boss—always—and that was not a bluff.

“What are we doing here?”

“Waiting.”

“For who?” She scrunched her face. “The party is right there inside.”

“I told you, we’re waiting.” Seulgi answered very patiently.

She is indeed patient. The most patient person the world has ever known, so they better keep her existence since, for them, they will never find exactly one like Kang Seulgi herself. 

“For who?” She repeated.

“We–” Seulgi glanced at her friend, “–are waiting for Irene Bae.”

formed an ‘o’ shaped while nodding.

A tranquil silence aired for the both of them until Seulgi noticed what was she doing. The secretary peeked at her friend in the corner of her eyes and immediately grimaced in annoyance.

What the actual… urgh!

“Would you stop that.” Seulgi said in gritted teeth without sparing a glance at her.

She is pinching her dress near her for ’s sake!

 The monolid woman closed her eyes in embarrassment and silently cursed her for being such an ignorant friend.

“I told you, stop doing that.” Now she had elbowed her aggressively that it even hit her rib cage.

“It’s ing tight.” She pinched once again. “It’s eating my underwear.”

Oh god.

Seulgi snickered and shook her head. She could endure that right? But she did not! She is doing it like she was in her house or she was either alone in her own world without a throng surrounding her. 

“Could you stop that!” Seulgi hissed for the nth time. “It’s embarrassing!”

The high-ranked people are actually looking at her. She is now creating an ignominy in this very own classy event. Now that Seulgi ever felt secondhand embarrassment in a strong impact—that is the worst filthy thing she wished she never felt at all.

“I swear, Wan, if someone ask me if I know you–” Seulgi glared at her friend in the corner of my eyes, “–I’ll deny you.”

Seungwan finally stopped pinching her undergarments or should she meant to say, dress. To be honest, that was humiliating—never have Seulgi felt secondhand embarrassment worser than that.

Her friend sighed a breath of relief and brushed her clothes. “Now, what did I miss?”

What did you miss? You missed your spotlight, you .

Seulgi stayed speechless and they just stood there beside each other, probably waiting. Irene Bae is not the typical person to be late, but what is taking her so long?

The monolid woman checked her watch: 6:24 pm.

“How long are we gonna stand here?” Seungwan whispered irritatedly. “We look like silly, indigent people.”

“She should be here by now.”

She frowned. “Then, where is she?”

The crowd started to lessen since they all went inside and the press are preparing for their leave already, while comers also stopped coming too.

Uhm... that doesn't sound right.

Seulgi frowned deeply: 6:26 pm.

“Hey, Wan.” The latter called. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“What was the reason why your were involved in Gangnam?”

Her friend became silent for a while before facing her. “You know Hoseok right? My former roommate? Well, he invited me along with his peers in Gangnam at some nightclub that I didn’t even know the name of. Turned out, he was in some bad . Guess what? He actually cheated in a game, you know gambling? Yeah, that’s it, and the one he cheated on was a big gang here in Seoul—”

“A big gang? You mean, like a mob?”

“Yeah. Call it whatever you want, but what Hoseok got was a big deal of money. It was big, I tell you. We had no idea about it until we got home. Then the next day, he was in the hospital bed and the money was gone.”

“What about the police?”

“The police was actually tracing that gang and when Hoseok got beaten up, they put us on hold–” she paused, “–I didn’t want to actually get involve in it, but we were with Hoseok that night and they put us in questioning. I know nothing, I swear. I just don’t want to get involve further more that’s why I lied.”

“What did you say?”

“I said—”

Suddenly, a gold Jaguar and two gold Jeeps arrived.

Their conversation was cut as they turned their heads at the new comer, and Seulgi knows exactly who that is.

Irene.

The chaperones got out first before they opened the back seat of the Jaguar and such luxuries she does have; different cars everyday, different clothes everyday—that is life. 

A lady in white and in a body of a goddess came out of the back seat. With a very powerful vibe and aura, the press who are supposed to be leaving, went again to their respective places and took out their cameras. As soon as the flashes came out, she walked on the red carpet like a boss (which she is), and the attention was solemnly into her only.

This is her night.

Seulgi meant, all of the Cos Galas were basically her nights. Irene has the spotlight placed above her head, that was no doubt, and she will do it again tonight.

“Oh, me.” Seungwan muttered as she her eyes were glued at Irene.

Seulgi shook her head slightly and raised her chin up, acknowledging the fact that she works for her, which indeed that she is proud of and who would not?

The secretary sneezed for the nth time tonight and she has been sneezing since morning until she called an Uber and then right here. 

Just great.

As Irene was posing with a fierce expression at the cameras, Seulgi was becoming uneasy about something she could not point out. She does not know why, her guts are telling her that something is going to happen which she will not like at all. 

Just as her boss was done, she carried on with her walking and went straightly to the pair. Look, she is absolutely beautiful—no questions asked—she will, for sure, take this night with her when she gets home.

“Oh , she’s coming here.” Seungwan continuously nudged me on the shoulder.

“You are annoying me now, can you stop?”

She stopped seconds later when Irene was halfway through the stairs. So elegant and poised, who would not want this woman? She is definitely what you call everything in general. 

When the raven eached to the tandem, she did not even give a smile or anything, just the usual cold and intimidating aura she typically wears. 

The latter then looked at Seungwan, which Seulgi read as ‘introduce yourself’, but her friend was being a complete ninny in which she did not quite get the impression.

Stupid.

Seulgi secretly nudged her elbow and forced a smile at her to cover up her real expression. Seungwan stared at the monolid dumbly for a minute before getting back to her senses, as well as getting the notion.

“Hi, my name is Son Seungwan. I’m a really big fan of your... work.”

She extended her arm for a handshake but Irene just stared at her stilled hand before averting her attention towards her secretary, which caused Seungwan to awkwardly retracts her arm while Seulgi pressed her lips together in shame.

“Can we go now?” Her boss asked coldly.

That was spine-chilling.

Seulgi nodded while the raven firstly went on her way ahead of them. Seungwan stayed beside her while they walked and whispered something right in her friend's ear.

“Mother of god, I’ll definitely butcher her now.”

Seulgi grinned slightly and held her chin up. Well, her friend definitely has grudges with Irene Bae. Remember when she almost came for her? Seungwan is definitely a troublesome friend, and that is a fact.

They continued walking until they reached the inside of the convention. Right now, everyone—and when she meant everyone—is staring at Irene Bae and Irene Bae only.

Told you, she’ll take the night away.

Just as they were halfway through the crowd, someone pulled both of them out of their senses as the formers were hauled in their forearms and when they were out of the way, the suspect stopped.

“Who the ?” Seungwan cursed.

“Your mouth, young lady, is a very inferior one.” A familiar voice said.

Seulgi rolled her eyes internally. “Professor, you should’ve just called for us. Not drag us.”

She pointed the path where the two took in and all of a sudden, they stared in awe. Their eyes remain glued to them and what the freaking hell, Seulgi never get to see them all at once in a same place at the same time—in what she meant by that, they are always separated from different zones. 

The Baes.

“Oh !” Seungwan pointed at a particular person. “Is that G-Dragon? With ing Sandara Park!”

“Lower your voice.” Chaerin hissed.

Seungwan scrunched her face. “Lower my voice? That’s ing G-Dragon before my eyes!”

They also saw Suzy with, who is that? What the bloody hell? Is that—are her eyes reall