Just as Seulgi was about to open her eyes, the elevator dinged revealing Joy with a bag of what seemed like takeout. Lisa had visited the bar earlier and asked her to pass them to Irene as an appreciation gift. So the bar CEO thought she’d pay Irene a visit before she went to back to her own home.

“Oh? Ire-Yahh!”

Irene charged into the lift and spammed the close button while her other hand was on Joy’s mouth. Once the door closed, Irene relaxed.

“Are you out of your mind?!” Joy huffed and checked on the gifts. Good thing they were placed in containers, none spilled.

“My schoolmate, she’s here.” Irene explained.

“What?! You called one over to screw?!” Joy gasped.

“No! She came herself!.” Irene hissed.

“Why did you even tell her your address?” Joy questioned again.

“I lost my wallet and she found it. So now she knows where I stay. Can you please just spare me a few clothes so I look like a nerd or something?”

Joy was visibly offended. “Do you think this bomb has nerdy clothes?”

"For god's sake Joy, you're underaged. Act.like.your.age." Irene taunted and walked past Joy into her walk-in closet. She picked out a matching Nike hoody and sweatpants.

“I also need a pair of underwear.” Irene said.

Joy winced in disgust and went to her drawer to get one new from the pack. She told Irene to keep it.

“How’d she even get in?” Joy asked while leaning on the counter top in the middle of the closet while Irene was going through her collection of glasses at the other side.

“Probably Wendy.” Irene said as she admired herself.

“Wait. Wendy as in Son Seungwan? The girl who lives on 32?” Joy asked.

Irene hummed. “Apparently they are best friends.”

“Let me come with you. I need to meet this friend of yours.” Joy suddenly said with a serious expression on her face.

Irene chose a pair of glasses with thin frames like her own and closed the drawer. “No. You’ll just scare them away.”

“I shouldn’t have gave you my clothes…” Joy grumbled. Irene could only laugh at the latter’s hopeless eye-candy on the Canadian before leaving.

Irene stopped before the door and took out one of Joy's heels. She had a pair of black ones that looked rather sturdy. The next moment, Joy was left in a state of shock as Irene pounded on the phone she smashed agaisnt the floor. 

"! Those are ing limited edition Pradas!" Joy punced on her and managed to snatch it away before Irene could do further damage. 

"Joy, You literally have another pair of those in your closet." Irene rolled her eyes. 

"Those are the display ones and these are the ones I wear- You know what. You won't understand. Just go to that Seulgi girl." Joy grumbled. 

.

“Joohyun, is that you?” Seulgi rubbed her eyes and opened them to see no one around. She frowned and checked her phone and then frowned again.

Just as she was about to get up and leave she heard someone call her name.

“Seulgi?!” Irene said, shocked. The actress was a professional. “What are you doing here at this hour?”

“You didn’t see your phone?” The latter frowned.

Irene bit her lip and looked guilty. “S-sorry I couldn’t… I went to the convenience store and saw Park Jimin and then my phone… kind of…” Irene took her battered phone out and showed it to Seulgi.

The latter was visibly pissed off. Irene was indeed a great liar. Or was it just Seulgi who was too naïve? Park Jimin was known to be a bully in school and she, along with Seolhyun would always target Joohyun to fulfil their wicked hearts. Seulgi couldn’t believe that she even had the audacity to mess with Joohyun even outside of campus.

“B-but it’s fine. I bought a new one. I was just about to set it up.” Irene quickly assured before Seulgi got too angry. “Also, care to have ramen for supper together?” Irene hummed.

Seulgi agreed via the growl from her tummy.

Irene settled Seulgi down on the couch while she went to prepare the ramen. Seulgi looked at the mess on her coffee table.

“You do study hard huh, Joohyun?” Seulgi commented and was about to reach for a stack of papers when Irene caught her attention by asking her to help with the drinks. Seulgi gladly complied and trotted over to the kitchen.

Joohyun mentally cursed at herself for leaving her work scattered around. She usually did it in her study room but having been feeling suffocated these few days, she found herself in the comforts of the full-length windows in her living room overlooking the Han river. Irene scooped up the stacks of audition plans and movie scripts, promptly headed to her study and dumping them there. She made sure to lock the door before she went back to the kitchen.

Seulgi didn’t know what Joohyun meant by preparing drinks because all she saw was cans of beer in the fridge. The last she remembered, Joohyun lived alone. Was she already 20? Seulgi asked herself.

“Joohyun, I don’t think you have drinks.” Seulgi said as she stepped away from the fridge so Irene could see.

Irene now wanted to mentally kill herself. She totally forgot that Seulgi was the same age as Joy – still a minor. Being with Joy and seeing her drink underaged certainly desensitized her.

“Umm… I’m sorry. Can you settle with water?” Irene asked. Seulgi chuckled and nodded.

Seulgi and Irene sat together while slurping on their ramen with the latest episode of Irene’s drama playing. Irene had pre-recorded it before heading to Lisa’s.

“So… Joohyun… Y-you can drink?” Seulgi asked and got a nod in return. “I’m 21.”

Seulgi thought that explains why Irene was so cold towards her the first few times they met. Seulgi suddenly apologized for being rude to her. Irene waved it off. It was not uncommon for someone like her to have their age mistaken in high school.

“Unn-“

“No, just call me Joohyun. Calling unnie makes me feel out of place.”

Irene pushed her glasses up again before they fell.

“Right, Joohyun.” Seulgi said. “Also Joohyun, why don’t you take off your glasses? They seem to be annoying you.”

“It’s fine. I’m fine. If I take them off, I am as good as blind. Contacts are not so comfortable.” Irene said.

Seulgi nodded.

“So, what brings you here?” Irene decided to change the topic.

Seulgi looked up from the ramen to the TV and then to Joohyun. “I just need someone to talk to.”

Irene titled her head to the side. Seulgi, the most popular girl in school, needed someone to talk to and that someone happened to the outcast. It was all so weird to Irene but she did not question her. Irene could see that there was something bothering the girl from how her forehead creased when she was talking about it.

“Well, judging by how annoyingly persistent you are, I bet you can overcome whatever is bothering you.”

“How would you know?”

“I don’t. But I know that if you could win my friendship over then you can do anything.”

Seulgi chuckled at that statement.

“You talk as if you’re the only tough one I met, Joohyun.”

“Who else was there?” Irene asked.

“No one.” Seulgi teased. Irene just rolled her eyes.

Irene’s drama ended at that moment. Once the main OST played, Seulgi started to sing along with it. Irene wasn’t able to compliment her the last time.

“Oh, you have a nice voice.” Irene hummed.

“T-thank you. You think so?” Seulgi asked.

Irene gave her a reassuring nod.

Seulgi looked at the time and announced that she was going home. Irene stopped her. She thought that it was already too late and unsafe for the girl to go home alone. Irene insisted that she sleepover at the guest room she had.

Seulgi, on the other hand, did not want to trouble her new friend. She said that she could give Wendy a call and sleep over there instead. It was already 2am in the morning so it was not surprising that the deep sleeper did not pick up.

“So, about your offer…”

Irene chuckled and lead Seulgi to her guest room.

“Oh, Joohyun, can I ask you for one more favor?” Seulgi asked.

“Hmm?”

“Can I borrow some clothes?”

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A/N: What a close call! But not so fast ;P also, good morning from me :) 12:30am from where I am to be exact :D