“You can run a god damn company but you can’t even ask a girl out. You are so smart at everything but not in love, God sure is fair.” Sooyoung said as she rolled her eyes.

“Don’t you have better things to do? Because as you can see, I’m pretty busy right now.” Irene answered with her eyes plastered on piles of papers in front of her, hands flipping the proposal document for her current project.

“I was so busy yesterday, I deserve some rest.”

Irene stopped from doing what she was doing, and shifted her attention to Sooyoung, and glared at her.

“You drank a lot last night and you call that busy?”

“I was there for only 2 hours, okay? I swear I was working for the whole day yesterday! You know I have low tolerance of alcohol.” Sooyoung replied, defending herself.

Irene couldn’t help but still pissed about how Sooyoung interrupted their almost kiss incident last night, although the younger still had no idea.

“Seriously, Irene. Did I do something wrong? You are so sensitive and pissed today.” Sooyoung asked.

“Did I you or something last night?” Sooyoung leaned back to the couch behind her, and asked in a teasing tone. Irene didn’t budge at her spot, with her gaze still nailing the younger. Getting no response from Irene, and the even more pissed expression on the CEO’s face, Sooyoung gulped.

“Oh my God, did I actually do that?”

“Whatever, Sooyoung.” Irene flickered her tongue. She woke up with a bad mood this morning, and maybe it was because of yesterday’s incident.

She was not pissed because how Sooyoung actually interrupted them, but she was worried about Seulgi. She left immediately and scooted as quick as possible to the kitchen that she almost tripped on her own feet. From her reaction, Irene could tell that the younger was not really happy about what was going to happen but Irene didn’t want to assume things. She should have had better control of herself and now she was scared that she already broke this relationship between two of them.

She really didn’t want to lose Seulgi.

“We almost kissed if your drunk didn’t call me asking me to pick you up.” Irene stated.

“You deserve to be mad at me, then. But still, I didn’t even know that you two were together last night, so don’t be so hard to me.” Sooyoung begged with her puppy eyes.

“But it’s not the main reason, Sooyoung. There’s something else that keep bothering me.”

“And what is that?”

Irene brought up her hand and pinched the bridge of her nose.

“I think I shouldn’t have done that. She looked so scared and I should have controlled myself. I don’t want to break whatever things between us.” Irene said as a desperate sigh escaped .

“There’s no use regreting things that already happened. Besides, it’s only your assumptions. I think it’s better for you to talk about it, so you will figure out how she actually feels. Have you called her or something?”

Irene hadn’t contacted the younger after she left her apartment last night. After getting call from Sooyoung, Irene excused herself immediately to pick up Sooyoung and she went home. She didn’t call or message Seulgi when she arrived, and Seulgi didn’t either.

“I haven’t contacted her. I want to give her times. She must be still shocked and maybe, even traumatized.”

“You are overdramatic. One question, Rene. Even if I didn’t call, you two would kiss, right?”

Irene nodded in response.

“That means she didn’t even move and tried to pull away when you leaned in. And you know what it means?”

Oh, right.

Seulgi even closed her eyes.

“Maybe she wants it too, as much as you do. So, now, stop being overdramatic and go talk to her about it. Don’t tell me you need your father’s help again this time.”

Irene groaned.

“I didn’t ask him for help, okay? He did it without me knowing anything.”

Irene didn’t plan to ask Jennie out but somehow her father found out and he was the one who settled everything between them.

“And I don’t want Seulgi to be involved with him, either.”

“You are right. He is scary, sometimes. He can do everything to get what he wants.”

Irene actually had been thinking about this. What if her father had something to do with her breaking up with Jennie, but she shrugged her thoughts away. He might be not a good person but Irene believed he wouldn’t do something that crossed the line.

“Does your father know about you and Seulgi?”

“There’s no way that he doesn’t know. It’s all over the news, but I’m really glad he didn’t call me or ask me anything about it and I hope it will stay like that.”

“I think so, too. Seulgi is too pure to be involved in things like this.”

“I’ll protect her.” Irene stated briefly.

“You are so whipped, Joohyun. You were not even like this to Jennie.”

Yes, she was so whipped for Kang Seulgi.

Irene Bae had fallen really hard.

“I’M HOME!!!”

Normally, Seulgi would have been still asleep at this time (she was a heavy sleeper and it’s Saturday) but her almost kiss incident yesterday had been bothering her so much. She couldn’t even sleep last night and she was woken up so early so she decided to get up and make a bowl of cereal to fill her stomach.

Yeri plopped down on the couch, and shifting her gaze towards the kitchen after hearing sounds coming from there. Seulgi was standing behind the counter, with her back facing Yeri.

“Woah, you are already awake? I was about to barge into your room and wake you up.”

“I thought you were not coming back today.” Seulgi said as she whipped around, and left the kitchen, walked to the couch with a bowl of cereal in her hand.

“You really enjoyed my absence here- and what’s with your face?”

There were eye bags below her eyes and she looked so tired. Seulgi stopped at the side of the couch. Her eyes were eyeing the spot where Irene was sitting last night and she couldn’t help but the scene was playing again inside her head.

“You slept late last night, didn’t you?”

Seulgi walked pass Sooyoung, putting the bowl on the table and threw herself onto the couch. She leaned her back and closed her eyes, releasing a long sigh from her lips.

“Hello, Kang Seulgi? What’s happening with you? I left only for one day- no, it’s not even a day and you are already like this. Did something happen?”

Seulgi actually hated how she always overthought everything, even a little thing. She could have just shrugged it away and not thinking about it further, but being herself, of course she couldn’t stop thinking about it and it’s really driving her crazy. She was sure, even Irene didn’t even take it seriously like she was doing now.

“Nothing. It’s just me and my overdramatic .” Seulgi uttered.

“It’s Irene, am I right?”

Seulgi knew there’s no need to lie to her best friend but she was not in the mood for this either.

“Yes, it’s her. But can we talk about it later?”

“You know me, Seul. Kim Yerim can’t wait for things like this.”

“She came here last night and we almost kissed.”

“WH- okay, hold on.”

Yeri was actually so close to screaming and losing her s but she knew she should control herself. It’s obvious Seulgi was not in a good mood and she didn’t want to receive a kick on her .

“Tell me how exactly it happened.”

“My clumsy tripped and I fell on her. I don’t remember how it happened but she put her hand on my cheeks and pulled me closer. We almost did that but her phone suddenly rang and it brought me to reality, so I stood up immediately and left to the kitchen.” Seulgi explained.

“And why couldn’t you sleep last night? Are you mad or something because you couldn’t kiss her?”

Seulgi rolled her eyes at Yeri’s words.

“I’m not a kid, Yeri. There’s something else that kept bothering me.”

“And what is that?”

“I’ve been telling myself to not fall for her. I always remind myself that whatever is going on between us is on contract, and it’s nothing more than that. But after last night’s incident… I don’t think it’s only that. In conclusion, I think I have been denial all of this time.”

Seulgi stopped for a while, and continued.

“I think you are right, Yeri. I think I like her. Romantically.”

Yeri sighed, and folded her arms on her chest.

“I have been telling you all this time but you always denied. I saw this coming. Later or soon, you will realize it by yourself and the day has finally come.”

“What should I do, Yeri? I never felt this way before and I really don’t want to fall for her.”

“And why you don’t want to?”

“Because she is Irene Bae. She deserved someone that is better than me and there’s no way she likes me back in the same way as I like her.”

Yeri groaned in desperate.

“Seulgi, I swear, can’t you see it? She likes you too, I’ve been telling you this. Why would she lean in if she doesn’t like you? Make it sense, Seul. I think you should talk to her about this and be honest about your feelings. Stop assuming everything by yourself.”

“Seriously, how can I talk to her about this? There’s no way I can do that!”  Seulgi said half screaming.

“You are right. What even makes me think that you can do that.” Yeri said sarcastically.

“Just think about it, Seul. You can wait as long as you want until you are ready but someday you still have to talk to her about this and figure out things together.”

It had been two days since she saw Seulgi. She hadn’t contacted the younger either. She planned to visit the younger after work and talk about that night.

Irene was woken up from her daydreaming when she heard her phone ringing. There was a message from Sooyoung. It was almost 8 am and she hoped Sooyoung wouldn’t ask her to pick up her drunk again because her energy was already drained. She was so tired physically and mentally.

From: Sooyoung

Have you seen this? I’m so happy when I read the article. Karma is finally doing her job.

There was an article link attached below the message. Irene furrowed her eyebrows together in confusion. She just came back from a dinner meeting with her company representation that her company was currently working together on a project so she was lost and she didn’t open the news for the whole day.

She clicked the link and it brought her to a well known news outlet on internet.

[BREAKING] Jennie’s New Boyfriend, Choi Minho was Spotted Kissing on Public with Another Woman.

Irene’s eyes widened when she read the title. She should have felt happy because Jennie was experiencing the same thing, just like what she had done to her but for some reasons, she felt uneasy. Maybe it’s because she knew how it felt to be cheated by someone.

Irene scrolled down, and there was a blurry pic. It was obviously taken from a far. There was a tall man with a baseball cap, leaning in kissing a girl in front of her. Their face was not clear but Irene could tell the girl was not Jennie.

Irene was about to scroll down further to read more about the article when suddenly her door was slammed open by someone. She was surprised at the sudden slamming sound so she shifted her gaze immediately from her phone screen towards the entrance door. And she was even more surprised when she saw her ex, Jennie standing there, looking so mad, gaze nailing her, followed by Mina behind.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Bae. I tried my best but she forced to barge in.” Mina said.

“It’s okay. You can go home now, it’s getting late.” Irene said as she signaled Mina to leave. The brunette nodded in response and left the room, closing the door behind Jennie.

Irene stood up and walked closer to Jennie. She stopped in front of her desk.

“You better have a good explanation about your attitude, Jennie.” Irene stated.

“It must be so good to have status and power, huh?” Jennie cackled and said sarcastically. Irene raised one of her eyebrows in confusion.

“I don’t understand what you are talking about.”

“Stop acting like you don’t know anything!!!”

Jennie raised her voice, and snapped out. She was really mad, even her body was trembling from anger.

“It’s you again, isn’t it? You manipulated it again. It’s you behind everything. You trapped Minho, and that’s why he cheated on me because you can’t accept the fact that you were being cheated by me. Am I right?”

“What makes you think that I did that?”

Irene was always a collected and calm woman but she was so close to losing her patience. Jennie had crossed the line this time.

Jennie chuckled sarcastically, and crossed her arms against her chest.

“If it’s not you, then it’s your father.”

Irene frowned in confusion.

“Can you explain?”

“Stop acting dumb, Bae Joohyun. You asked your father to threaten me to agree on dating with you. Until when you are planning to pretend that you don’t know anything? Your father met me and forced me to agree to be your girlfriend. I said no to him but he threatened that he would make sure he would ruin my career, that I wouldn’t be accepted into any entertainment company in this country. He was trying to manipulate my career. And do you think I had choice at that time? And all of this time, you blamed me for cheating on you? Ask yourself, Bae Joohyun. Do you even have a right, after what you and your father have done to me?”

Irene was really shocked at the information coming out from Jennie’s mouth. She felt so dizzy suddenly. Everything around her was literally spinning.

“I’m not going to lie, Joohyun. I actually fell for you and I had feelings for you but every time I remembered what you have done to me, I just can’t. And I finally met Minho. I just want to be happy, but you ruined everything again. Can you please just let me go?” Jennie said in a trembling voice. She was so close to breaking tears.

Irene stretched out her hand, putting one of her palms on the desk behind her, propping her body.

“I really don’t know anything about what my father has done to you, Jennie. I swear to God, I didn’t know anything!” Irene said half screaming. Irene was always calm but at that time, she couldn’t even think clearly. She was sorry for Jennie, but at the same time she was almost mad at being blamed for something she didn’t do and she had no idea. Irene knew her father was not a good person but she didn’t expect he would go this far.

“Y-You don’t know?” Jennie shuttered.

“I didn’t know anything, I swear. Why didn’t you tell me when you wanted to break up with me? If you told me that time, all of this wouldn’t happen. We could have figured out things together. I know my father was dirty but I’m not like him, Jennie. I’m different. I won’t do something like that. If you still think that it was me who asked my father, no, I didn’t do that. I really didn’t know