Irene was late to school again. She was a mess when she arrived, which caused the members of the council to snicker at her. Irene thought they were rather mean to be awarded the council badge. Who chooses these types of people? She thought to herself.

This only made Irene dislike school more. It felt like showbiz but again, it was ignorant of her to think that politics would not exisit even in school. She used to hate when Lee Sooman told her to keep her real identity quiet; it made her an outcast in school. But maybe it was for the best. She already had to deal with snakes in her professional life and seeing all those fake smiles and superficial friendships in high school tires her out. For once she was happy she didn't have to deal with that.

“Oh yea, did you hear that Irene Bae went to Switzerland? I heard it was promotion for their tourist attractions!” Irene overheard the councilors.

Funny, they shushed Irene at every little sound she makes but they could talk among themselves.

“She just came back to Korea today. They are probably going to release episodes soon!”

These times were the moments when Irene wanted to drop her Joohyun act and scream that she was Bae Irene and that was why she was late for school. But she knew she couldn’t and that supression sometimes took a big toll on her mental health.

Moonbyul, at some point, did tell Irene that she could arrange private lessons if she wanted to. However, being the hard-headed woman that she was, Irene insisted that she completed the 3-year course by herself. She already done 2 and she was determined to finish the 3^rd.

Detention was Irene’s last class of the day. She was not well liked by the teachers in detention and she knows it. When she greets them, the never greeted back. Maybe it was also due to the academic’s old age. The elderly woman seems to like to take long walks and would disappear halfway through detention. But being the righteous girl she was, Irene would stay.

“Hey!” Irene raised her head from her homework to see Seulgi waving at her. Irene rolled her eyes and ignored. Didn't she chase that fly away already?

“Hey!” Seulgi suddenly appeared beside her. Irene jolted upwards and so did her pen. Now her homework had a huge line drawn across it.

“Ya!” She growls in frustration.

“I-I’m sorry!” Seulgi apologized and offered to confess to her teacher if needed. Hearing that did not make Irene happy. She just clicked her tongue and started to shove her homework in her bag. Everyone knew that all the teachers favored Seulgi. Irene hated how she manages to get away from everything.

"Joohyun... I'm sorry..." Seulgi whimpered again.

"Just-" Irene inhaled sharply, then exhaled. "Just stay quiet."

“Oh my god! Irene’s pictures are released! She’s so beautiful!” She and Seulgi turned their head to a group of students who were walking past the class.

“They definitely are~” Seulgi hummed to herself as she looked back at her phone.

Irene noticed that Seulgi also changed her phone home screen photo as well. Irene thought Seulgi had good taste because that was her favorite picture out of all those she posted on her instagram.

renebaebae: Why does working feel like a vacay?~ Hey baeluvs, I hope you guys are well. I also hope you guys look forward to my Level Up Project <3

(baeluvs is Irene's Fandom name)

.

Irene didn’t know that Seulgi could sing so well. Seulgi doesn’t really do that on the regular. Irene assumes that it was because she was so engrossed in the music that she forgot that Irene was still here and had told her to shut up just now. Irene subconsciously tapped her foot to the rhythm while Seulgi sang the main OST from “Love in the sky”.

“Why are you still here?” Irene asked when her sog concluded. “Shouldn’t you be going home?”

Seulgi shook her head. “I wanted to practice more on my dancing but the air-conditioning in the music room was down. They said it’ll be fixed by the time detention ends.”

"So you chose to wait in detention?" Joohyun scoffed. 

"You're the only friend that I knew is still in school" Seulgi said blatantly. 

Still in school? Irene didn't know if she should feel insulted at the indirect jab of her late record.

"And they didn't wait?" Irene asked. 
 

"And we are friends?" Seulgi smirked. Irene shot her a glare.

"What? You didn't deny the friend part." Seulgi shrugged playfully. 
 

"Just answer me." Joohyun exhaled in exasperation.

Seulgi shook her head. Irene noted that the latter looked slightly sad. Or maybe she was just seeing things? "They wanted to do something more fun... than waiting with me I guess.."

Irene could fully infer what Seulgi thought of those "friends" that she have. She nodded and didn't ask further. 

Irene's thoughts went back to what Seulgi was staying for. Practice? It was either Seulgi was very committed in her craft or that there was going to be another school performance. Either way, Irene didn’t care enough to find out. Once the bell rang, she rushed off in a hurry again.

.

Seulgi kept her promise of visiting Wendy. They had it planned on Friday night and it was going to a sleepover. Wendy’s mother insisted that Seulgi have dinner at their place. Afterall, Mr and Mrs Son haven’t seen her for a long time due to their work schedules.

Seulgi texted Wendy once she arrived at the security post of the trimage. The Canadian was excited to finally see her best friend from the way she skipped towards Seulgi. They got on the lift and as it was about to close, a voice asked them to hold.

Wendy quickly pounded the ‘open’ button.

“Thank you-“ Irene froze as she stared at the person beside Wendy.

“Ah, Unnie~ Are you coming in?” Wendy asked when the latter stoned for a second too long.

“A-ah yes!” Irene snapped out of her shock.

Irene was clearly worried about being recognized by Seulgi but then she realized that she was not in her uniform anymore. She heaved a sigh of relief.

“I-I-i-Irene bae…” She thought she was whispering. Wendy chuckled at the star-struck girl.

“Y-ye?” Irene uttered.

“I’m sorry, my friend is not usually like this… Oh! You forgot to press-“Irene beat Wendy to it and clicked 41. Wendy thought nothing of it since she also knew who Joy was and her relationship with Irene.

Seulgi on the other hand was still startled by the beauty in front of her, uttering inaudible things to herself.

“C-Can I get your autograph!” She blurted. It startled Irene as well as Wendy.

After gaining back her composure, Irene smiled and agreed, signing at the back of her phone case with a marker that she always brought around in case.

Seulgi thanked her profusely before turning back to Wendy and berating her about not telling that Irene lives here as well.

“She can still hear you, dumb .” Wendy said in exasperation.

While watching the two, Irene chuckled.

“Bye Unnie~” Wendy hummed when she and Seulgi reached their floor. Irene smiled and waved.

“UnNiE?! You Didn’t tell me you knew her so wel-“Seulgi gasped.

“You dumb ! Shut up! Can we talk when the actual person hasn’t left yet?!” Wendy said in a hushed tone.

Irene let out a laugh in the elevator when the doors fully closed. She couldn’t help but think that Seulgi looked adorable when she was shy like that.