“Oh? Or maybe you want to distance her with me?” Irene smirked and walked closer to the younger girl, cornering her against the wall.

“So that you can be with me~”

“W-what are you doing?!” Wendy uttered nervously.

Irene pressed her body against Wendy’s and sealed the gap between their lips.

“W-what the?!” Wendy cursed and she shoved Irene away. She wiped with her arm.

“Look at you~ I haven’t even used my tongue yet and you’re already blushing~” Irene teased.

“Are you insane?!” Wendy yelled. “Don’t you ever get closer to Seulgi!”

"What if I do? Now you mentioned about my capades... Seulgi does look delicious~" Irene hummed playfully.

"Don't you ing dare play with her, . Dare go beyond friends with Seulgi and I'll tell her everything."

With that final warning, Wendy nudged past Irene and slammed the front door behind her.

"AARGH YOU FREAK!"  Irene heard Wendy scream outside. Her smirk turned into a sigh as she grabbed herself a couple of beers. Though she hated the bitter liquid, it seemed very fitting for her current situation.

. Freak. "Huh..." Irene muttered bitterly. "I guess I am."

What a way to start the school holidays… She thought to herself.

.

[SM Entertainment]

Irene was at the company today because it was Taeyeon’s birthday. Knowing that her unnie liked cute things, Irene knitted a coaster for her and even bought her a nice necklace from Pandora. The senior has been taking great care of Irene ever since she came into SM at a young age, earning her the title of Irene’s favourite Unnie. When Irene were to run out of money, Taeyeon wouldn’t even think twice before giving her some. Taeyeon even had a fight with Moonbyul that one time because the latter was being made to diet.

Irene had a great talk with Taeyeon but it always seems to end with her elder nagging at her about being careful with her flings. I have eyes and ears everywhere Irene. Triple X is all about security but sometimes you’re just too careless.

"But I'm not one for commitment..." Irene pouted.

"That doesn't mean you live carelessly." Taeyeon nagged. 

Irene just gave the latter a half-hearted acknowledgement before heading out. She passed by the dance studio and caught sight of a trainee in a long sleeved yellow crop top paired with white denim dancing to Michael Jackson.

God, Irene had never been so attracted in her life. The way the trainee moved and how her crop top would gain lift when the latter stretched her arms was making the composed woman lose it.

Since when did I feel things for Kang Seulgi?

Irene shook that thought off and walked away in a hurry, blaming Wendy for inoculating those nasty images in her.

.

[SM Entertainment]

Irene walked through the doors of SME the next day, looking like a woman with business with how she usually up-dressed herself. Funny thing was, she did not have any business in SME. Even Moonbyul was a little baffled when Irene said she wanted to come here.

Irene talked her way out of it. The schemer had more to the day then just lying about her “last minute schedule”. She arrived exactly at 1pm, the time where most trainees would have gone or going for lunch. However, she knew one particular girl that would’ve probably forget her well-being.

The actress heard nothing but compliments from Krystal. As soon as Seulgi had started her traineeship, Irene added on to the already busy actress’s job by telling her to keep tabs on Seulgi whenever she was in the company. Krystal, who wanted to reject, was told that it wasn’t a choice. Through her insider, Irene was able to know that Seulgi had been skipping out on lunch because of how hard she practiced. Even Irene couldn’t believe it when she saw it for herself. That was why, with a bag of takeout in hand, Irene was going to pay her fan a visit.

Irene was stopped by a couple of trainees here and there. As much as she wanted to get to Seulgi, it was in the latter’s heart to ask about their well-being as well. But at the same time, she made sure that they got the message that she needed to be somewhere.

Irene walked- no. she was literally jogging in her heels towards the room at the far end of the corridor. There, she peaked in to check if anyone was around before going in. It was now 1:15pm. She knew no one would come use the room because Irene had booked it since 1:30pm.

“H-hello, Irene-sunbaenim!” Seulgi greeted enthusiastically like how SM trained all their trainees to.

“Practicing hard I see~” Irene hummed.

Seulgi took a quick glance towards the clock before apologising for almost eating into Irene’s practice time.

“Oh no! It’s barely 1:30pm, come sit down and cool off.” Irene offered. Seulgi had to turn her down. In her mind, there was no way someone like her should sit beside Irene bae.

Irene pouted. “So my fan doesn’t want to talk to me? I feel so lonely.”

Seulgi felt herself quake internally. Not wanting to disappoint her idol, Seulgi gave in and decided to accompany her.

Irene took out the food from her bag – tteokbokki, Chicken, stir-fried steak, Pork belly – a whole overkill for just one person to eat.

"I thought you didn't like chicken?" Seulgi said, perplexed that the woman who openly hated chicken on Television had chicken in her diet.

"Not for me, silly. It's for you." Irene chuckled. 

Seulgi felt her chest warm up. She was touched that her senior, Korea's top celebrity Irene Bae, actually thought about a mere trainee like herself. She eyed the food hungrily but knew she could not because of the diet that was imposed.

“What are you waiting for?” Irene asked as she held out the chopsticks to Seulgi.

“I-I can’t accept- My diet… Monthly evaluations are-“

“Kang Seulgi.”

That was all it took from Irene for Seulgi to listen.

The expression of happiness on Seulgi’s face when the latter finally got to have meat was the most satisfying sight Irene had ever seen. Irene knew when Seulgi was happy because she’d usually break out humming as she chewed on the food. She was also orally expressive about how good the dishes were.

At some point, Seulgi stopped humming and Irene saw a wave of guilt washed over her face. Seulgi was now taking small bites of the food – the practice that Irene knew so well, influenced by the toxic culture in Korean entertainment. Irene knew this feeling. She experienced it herself before. Those times were dark times and she could relate to how Seulgi must’ve felt. Seeing Seulgi suffer made Irene really unhappy.

“The last time I heard, you are VERY underweight.” Irene had to personally portion out the food that she wanted Seulgi to eat just so the latter would listen to her.

“Under- How did you know?” Seulgi asked.

“W-w-w-ell, I heard the dance teachers worrying over a certain hardworking trainee.” Irene partially lied.

But other trainees were like her too. Why me? Seulgi wanted to say but she didn’t want to ask any more questions in fear that she would offend her Idol.

“O-oh… thank you…” Seulgi said humbly.

.

Irene Bae, an actress, a model as well as her lesser known identity other than being a student, was a share-holder in SM Entertainment. Irene was a cunning woman and no one could deny. Being in showbiz during such a young age had taught her the ins and outs of media presence, business as well as politics.

When SM’s major groups such as F(x), TVXQ and Super junior lost the public’s interest and with the enlistment of EXO, SM faced a huge dip in stocks. That was when Irene took the opportunity to her advantage and risked her savings on helping the company in return for stocks. She didn’t do it alone of course. Joy helped her a great deal financially. Together, they managed to get 30% of the company shares. Though Irene only gets 5%, she doesn’t complain. The current success of SME was racking up her cash. Irene was also one of the favourites of their CEO, also because she was the one making them money during that depression period. Thus when Irene said she wanted the dieting rule against Seulgi to be more lenient, the CEO listened.

“Of course~ Anything for our Bae Joohyun.” He hummed.

“I’d like if you called me Irene instead~ Afterall, it is a name my dearest CEO decided for me~” She said with a hint of aegyo in her voice. She just didn't want people she didn't like calling her by her birthname. She knew how to push the old guy’s buttons.

“Alright, Irene it is.” The man said with a hearty laughter.

Irene smiled.

The only person who could call her Joohyun would only be her family, friends and Kang Seulgi.

a/n: I've seen your comments and DMs. Apologies for playing with your expectations like that. But as an author that likes angst and drama.... :P It's okay if y'all hating on me, I understand. Nevertheless, thank you all for reading and giving my story a chance! I appreciate it a lot!

Anyways, gotta work today so 12am release it is! :D