“With the amount that you’re smoking, you’re gonna have lung cancer tomorrow,” joy commented. 

“Shut up.” Irene took a long drag and blew the smoke so that the wind would carry it to her old pal’s face. 

“Geez Louise. What’s going on babe?” Joy waved away the cancerous air. 

“Nothing.”

“Is Yeri alright? How’s she doing?” Joy only knew that the girl had been diagnosed with cancer and was in care. 

“She fine.” Irene didn’t want to admit with her own mouth that her daughter died. “She’s ok.”

“Hey. It’s gonna be ok.”

It’s not ok. 

—

“16.71.” The cashier said and Irene slipped her card into the reader to pay for the groceries. She wanted to make something special today because she found out through the powers of the internet that today was Wendy’s birthday. 

 “I made seaweed soup. For your birthday.”

“Birthday?”

“Today is your birthday, Seungwan.” Irene almost snorted but held herself back.

“Thanks.”

Irene was a bit impatient and she picked up a spoonful, and held it to Wendy’s mouth. The younger girl flinched back slightly but didn’t refuse. Wendy blew over the spoonful before taking a tentative sip. 

“What is it?” Wendy asked 

“Seaweed soup. Do you like it?”

“It’s delicious,” Wendy replied. 

Irene felt a glimmer of hope and she was pleased that the girl liked it. “I made more.”

“Will you have some?” 

“It’s yours.” Irene would have gently caressed Yerim’s cheek but she realized it was not her daughter sitting in front of her. “Try to finish it. I’ll eat what you can’t finish.”

Irene stared up at the dark ceiling above while listening to the gentle breathing of the girl beside her. 

I could have loved Yerim more. 

Irene remembered always being away at work only to see her daughter at night. Even when her daughter passed, she was at work. 

I could have been a better mother. 

Maybe a better wife…

She remembered arguing with her then husband, who complained she wasn’t doing enough for him. Irene was always away at work and not home enough. 

A better daughter. No. Irene knew she was better. Better than her brother. She rose to the top faster than him and made more than her parents combined. 

Irene shook her head. No use in dwelling on these matters when she had business to attend to. She had no more obligations to hold her back, she decided.

It’s time to work hard and prove everyone I’m stronger. 

—

“Irene, I have for you my reports,” Jisoo placed a pile of papers on her desk. “Let me know if you need anything more.”

Irene thanked her and pulled the documents toward her, her sharp eyes doing a quick rundown for any sort of mistake or abnormality. 

“You may go.”

Wendy kept her eyes focused on Irene to avoid the glances Jisoo kept casting over at her. She remembered their first encounter. 

Jisoo knows who I am. 

She listened to Irene flip through the pages. Was she even reading it? She was going through it so fast. 

“Seungwan, I’m going.” Irene stood up abruptly. “Wait for me. I won’t be longer than half an hour.”

“Ok.”

“I got yogurt drink that you like. It’s in the fridge.”

Wendy watched Irene leave the room before going to check the fridge. Lately Irene was figuring out what she liked and didn’t like. It was nice but Wendy wasn’t sure why Irene was even bothering trying. 

She didn’t like this side of irene Bae. 

Still, Wendy took it and she drank it. The familiar sweet texture against her tongue was nice. 

They were probably going to eat lunch at home since they didn’t bring anything to eat. 

Wendy helped prepare lunch this time. She used to like cooking in her past. And baking. Ever since her climb to stardom that passion had dwindled away because food became her enemy. 

Now she was beginning to enjoy it again. It was satisfying putting ingredients together and making something delicious and good to look at. 

The girl was so engrossed in her work she didn’t notice Irene was standing behind her. “Need help?“ the older woman asked while Wendy was sautéing some vegetables. 

“No. Thanks. I’m almost done.”

“Ok…” but Irene still lingered a little and Wendy felt her neck prickle with discomfort because she was used to an angry Irene helicoptering over her. 

“Seungwan, I…” Irene started and stopped. “Thanks for cooking the meal.”

—

Wendy was having a relapse. Her old criticizing mind was coming back and she was eating slightly less again. 

It wasn’t really noticeable because Wendy managed to fake eating some things when Irene wasn’t looking. 

But Wendy wasn’t feeling so hot one day. She was lightheaded and the world spinning around her. All she’s had that morning was a yogurt. But the accumulation of days lacking nutrition caught up to her. 

She stumbled behind Irene at the office to a meeting, but her vision was getting spotty. 

Finally, she tripped and she collapsed on the floor in a crumpled mess. 

“Seungwan!” Irene knelt by her side and cupped her face, trying to rouse her. “Hey…get up!”

Desperate, Irene resorted to anger mainly because she was afraid. “Yah! Wake up and stop fooling around!”

When that didn’t work, Irene fumbled for her phone. All she could see was her daughter’s dead body in front of her. 

Wendy was having a peaceful dreamless sleep. She thought that she might have died because she felt so relaxed and warm. 

But when she woke up she was a in dimly lit room that smelled like the doctor’s office. 

Was I…dreaming? 

Maybe it was all a bad dream. 

“Seungwan…hey.”

But it couldn’t be a dream if Irene is here. 

“Is…is someone sick?”

“Yeah. You are.”

“Oh…”

Wendy hadn’t noticed until now that Irene’s fingertips were intertwined with hers, but she didn’t move. 

“I thought you wouldn’t want to see me,” Wendy finally said. 

Irene remained expressionless and she took in a breath. “You should rest.”

“Did…did you miss the meeting?”

“Don’t worry about it.” 

Hours later wendy awoke to flowers from none other than Kwon Eunbi. She had even left a get well note. 

Irene merely glanced at the flowers but didn’t even bother to say anything about it. 

The nurses brought some food for Wendy. A very bland meal. 

Irene watched Wendy pick at it half heartedly but didn’t say anything. 

She needs something better. Irene imagined that her mother’s recipes would do the trick but of course she couldn’t just waltz in with it in here. Anyway, the doctor had said Wendy could be out by late evening. 

The ride back felt awkward to Wendy. Irene wasn’t her usual self. She was being too nice and fussing over her needlessly. 

Wendy couldn’t argue of course. She was a little wobbly on her feet and she had to lean against Irene for help. It was strange but comforting the older woman’s body warmth. 

The moment she hit the bed she fell back into a deep sleep. And when she woke up, Irene’s mother was here. 

“Hi dear. Irene had meetings to attend so we’re back together again. I hope you’re feeling better. She told me everything.”

“I’m…im ok.”

“I’m glad. Irene is very worried.”

“Worried?”

Mrs Bae nodded and set down a tray of soup and bread for her on the bedside table. “Her father , my husband doesn’t approve.”

“I didn’t mean for things to get like this.”

“Irene decided for herself. it’s what she wanted.”

Wendy frowned but didn’t want to sound desperate for information. Besides, she wasn’t even Irene’s favorite person anyway. 

“Seungwan, if Irene really wanted you out, you would have been gone long ago.”

“Oh…”

Irene returned late in the night. Mrs. Bae and Wendy were looking through some old photo albums. 

“I’m home.”

Mrs. Bae looked up and smiled. She wasn’t even afraid of Irene’s intense stare. “Hi dear. I was just telling Seungwan about the old days. How was work?”

“Same as usual.”

“Ok, well we had dinner. If you’re hungry there’s still some in the pot.”

“No. I ate.”

“You can eat it tomorrow then.” Mrs. Bae put away the album and slipped it back on the shelf. “It’s nice to see you and Seungwan again.”

“Mom, do you think Wendy is afraid of me?” Irene asked as she walked her mother out. 

She waited pensively while her mother paused a while before answering. 

“Perhaps a little bit dear,” Mrs. bae replied. “You can be quite intimidating.”

“…”

“But it is one of your best qualities,” her mother continued. “It helped you get this far.”

“If you care that much, then you might need to show a little more consideration towards the girl. She’s been through a lot.”

“I don’t understand how she could become like this if she knew what she was getting into.”

“Passion can die easily,” her mother told her. “And an unbalanced life style can hinder one’s growth and state of mind.”

—

Irene woke up before Wendy the next morning, and went to take a smoke in the cold air. 

She smoked on and off before. It wasn’t an addiction until she found out about her ex husband cheating on her. At the same time, her business took off. And the stress of everything really took it’s toll on her. 

But it made her feel better. The fumes weren’t suffocating anymore. It calmed her nerves and  cleared her head. 

The thought that she was closer to getting cancer was there but it didn’t matter to her much. There wasn’t anything to live for anymore. She could finally join her daughter. 

But what about Wendy?

Irene stubbed out her cigarette in the ash tray and headed back inside to check on the girl. 

That ducking Eunbi had called not for business matters. But for Wendy. THE AUDACITY.

Eunbi had no business to care about the girl - in Irene’s opinion. That woman was way too interested in Wendy. The flowers, and that flirty conversation before…

Irene didn’t like it. But she didn’t know why. She wasn’t supposed to care. 

—

“I got a perfect shot,” jisoo said and passed the photo over to Jennie.

Wendy unconscious just like at the last concert. 

Despite her makeover, she was still the same. 

“You’re the best. Now to make a headliner…”

“Wait. For what?”

“Sometimes a little drama is needed to spice up our lives.”

While Jisoo had been suspicious about Seungwan/Wendy, she didn’t wish any bad will on her. “I dunno, Jennie. You should just leave her alone.”

“You don’t understand. What she did caused us a scandal.”

“Well it gained you lots of publicity. And your comeback right after the incident boosted you up the charts.”

Jennie shook her head. “She hadn’t learned anything. She just relies on people for things. She failed and the rest of us carried the group. Why else would she be with Irene Bae? Money.”

Jisoo gulped. “I wouldn’t get on Irene’s bad side if I were you.”

“She’ll never know.”

—