In hindsight, Seulgi probably shouldn't have taunted Joohyun that way, because the older woman is now back to being cautious around her. Not as uptight as before but something definitely changed. What even worse is that in the midst of their hectic comeback preparation, Joohyun has gotten herself a new girlfriend, or the latest woman in her it's-nothing-serious series of unfortunate events. Well, fortunate for Joohyun, unfortunate for Seulgi. And this is not about her being jealous, because she's not the only one who dislikes this woman with passion; even Seungwan, Sooyoung and Yerim secretly voice their concerns too. If another proof is needed, Seulgi is actually quite fond of Yeona, so this is really not about seeing Joohyun with another woman.

Jung Haeun is a fashion designer who just recently launched her own fashion brand after working for some of South Korea's top designers. And the four of them suspect that the woman has been using Joohyun as a free marketing tool for her brand. They have met two years ago during a magazine photoshoot where Joohyun was donning clothes from a brand she was working for at the time and the two have kept in contact professionally, but it wasn't until recently that they started hanging out.

It seemed normal at first, because Joohyun is not above promoting a friend's stuff without getting paid. But when she goes out to dinner after practice with Haeun and doesn't come home that night, the girls connect the dots to how this woman started re-appearing in Joohyun's life out of nowhere just a few weeks before launching her brand. Joohyun is a very smart woman and a rather good judge of character, so they know that they don't have to worry about her. However, she's also a er for pretty women with gorgeous smile and this designer is pretty and has a gorgeous smile. Maybe, just maybe, they have to worry that their leader is being taken advantage of.

Seulgi tries to ignore it as best she can, focusing on practicing for their comeback and taking extra dance lessons, trying out new type of dances she has never learnt before. She has also been hanging out with Evie again. The chaebol has turned her casual flirtations down a notch but she still does it from time to time. Seulgi really doesn't know how to feel about her; she likes Evie but not enough to want to start something serious and she knows that even if Evie has stated otherwise, she's still hoping for more than just casual hang outs and random sleepovers at Evie's newly-bought apartment in Seongdong-gu.

"You okay?" Evie asks as they both lay under the cover, still catching their breaths after a rigorous activity.

"Yeah." She says, closing her eyes to avoid further prying.

Unfortunately, Evie doesn't take the hint and scoots closer to her. "Talk to me."

Seulgi searches her brain for some random problem to quench her thirst. "Just thinking about work stuff. We're preparing for a new album. It's been hectic."

"Oh, that's why your body is so fit these days. Have you been dancing a lot?" Evie teases, running her hand through her left calf muscle that is shown more prominently as she is bending her leg.

"We have to perfect the choreography and it takes a lot of time." She shares.

"Can you show me?"

"Right now?" Seulgi looks at her questioningly.

"Yeah. Please?"

"?"

"Well, you can put on clothes if you want, but I'd prefer seeing you dance of course." She says with a naughty smirk on her face.

Seulgi makes a show as if she's contemplating before telling her. "Nah, you have to wait for the music video like everybody else." She would never dance in front of anyone in a gazillion years.

Evie huffs cutely. "It seems like I've involved myself with the wrong Red Velvet member. Tell me, who do I have to sleep with to get an early access to your music video?"

Seulgi finds it funny and chuckles to show it, but she still warns her nonetheless, albeit with a gentle and playful tone. "Don't talk about my friends like that."

"Apart from you, any of them swings my way?" She enquires.

"I'm not telling you."

"Oh, so there is?" She props herself up on her elbow, looking interested.

Her heart skips a beat in panic, but she keeps her calm. "I'm just saying that I'm not going to tell you. There might be, there might be not."

Seulgi then gets curious herself. She doesn't have the so called gaydar and she wonders if Evie would be able to guess. The chaebol then asks to see the pictures of the five of them. When Seulgi goes to the search engine, she stops her. "I don't want to see press picture. Show me one from your photo album."

She then pulls up a folder full of their photos and does a quick check to make sure that there's nothing scandalous in there. "Here, don't scroll up too much." She hands her her phone. "I'm not going to confirm nor deny, okay? I just want to see what you think."

Evie studies a few photos of them, some with the five of them full team, some with only two or three of them together. "It's hard to know from a still picture, I really have to hang around them for a while to know for sure. But judging from the photos alone, my bet is on this one." She points to one of them and Seulgi bursts into laughter.

"Why are you laughing?" Evie giggles looking at her. "I'm way off, it seems. She's as straight as a stick, isn't she?" 

"No, it's just funny to me for no particular reason." Seulgi makes a mental note to share this with the group one day.

"What's her name?" Evie asks, her thumb keeps sliding to the next photos.

"Seung- uh, her name is Wendy. Seungwan is her Korean name. She used to live in Canada."

Evie her eyebrows. "So she's not gay, she's just Canadian."

Seulgi has never heard that joke before but she doesn't ask for explanation. Seungwan used to share a lot of jokes about Canadian people to her, a lot of good things actually. It's always about them being one of the kindest people on earth, which is really suitable seeing how Seungwan is in real life.

"This one is Irene, yes?" Evie stops on one photo of just the two of them together. Seulgi's heart thumps immediately, reminding herself to act normal and not accidentally out Joohyun.

"Yes. How do you know her?"

"I see her everywhere. She's even on soju bottles." She says. "Oh, you're in a different group with her too, right? I saw your music video. What's up with all those queerbaiting scenes?"

"It's not a different group, just a sub-unit." Seulgi has to focus hard to not stutter as she speaks. "People say we have great chemistry so the company wanted to capitalize on that."

"Is she gay?"

"I told you I'll neither confirm nor deny." Seulgi shrugs.

"You two look good together, though. I can certainly see the appeal." Evie directs her attention to her phone, currently showing another photo of her and Joohyun. "I like this photo, I can see how much she adores you."

Seulgi takes the phone from her, looking at the mentioned photo. It's of the two of them on her birthday earlier this year when they were in the middle of preparation for 'Monster'. They were supposed to have a dance practice that day that was scheduled about two weeks prior but apparently she was tricked, all her members were there along with some of the staff and dancers to surprise her with a cake. In the photo, Joohyun had her arm wrapped around Seulgi's shoulder, watching her with a sweet smile as Seulgi closed her eyes to make a wish before blowing the candles.

"Yeah, she dotes on all four of us." She tells her, emphasizing on 'four'.

Luckily Evie leaves it at that and starts talking about something else. She mentions that she sees Seulgi's face a lot too lately. She even bought a pair of Converse even though she has always found those sneakers ugly. "They have this gigantic poster of you, so of course I had to at least go in and look around." She says.

"You didn't have to buy it though. Do you actually wear them?" She looks at her, amused, flattered and not at all offended. She herself often finds popular things other people wear ugly too.

"Nope." Evie admits with a laugh. "This young boy working there was really nice so I felt bad and bought a pair. Well, two pairs actually."

Seulgi chuckles. "Such a rich person behaviour."

"Nah, I'm just thirsty for you." Evie winks at her.

Seulgi chuckles and pulls Evie's body close to her to give her a kiss. They would have gone for another round if Seulgi's whole body is not too sore from hours of dance practice earlier in the day.

She doesn't realize it but Evie once again catching her dazing and staring into space. "What is it with you today? And don't say work again because I know you love your job." She jokingly pokes her cheek repeatedly, making her smile. "What did this scumbag of an ex of yours do to make you so miserable?"

Seulgi raises her eyebrows. "It's not about an ex."

"What is it then? You're hung up on someone?" She tries guessing again.

Seulgi bites her bottom lip. "Something like that."

Evie hums, pondering before asking, "Is it a done deal or do you still have a chance?"

Seulgi's eyes shoot up to her, doesn't know how to answer the question without sounding pathetic. "I.. don't know. Why does it matter?" 

Evie gives her a small smirk. "Because if it's a done deal then I know I still have a chance with you somewhere down the road. If there's still a prospect with this person and you're still interested in pursuing it then I'll have to back off."

Her face twists hearing that. So this is how it feels like being in Joohyun's shoes. "Evie, listen, I.. I really have nothing to give you right now, in a romantic sense I mean, and I don't want to give you false hope."

Evie smiles tightly. "I know, I was just trying my luck." She then turns to her front and gives her a lopsided smile. "I'm not being totally sincere here, but I wish you succeed in chasing this person you like. You're such a nice person, Seulgi. You deserved to be happy. She.. he..?" She asks unsurely before continuing when Seulgi confirms that it's a she. "She's a fool for not making you hers right away because I'm sure there's a long line waiting for the opportunity. Me included."

-

It's the first music show for their comeback and their waiting room is full of gifts from people congratulating them. Among them is a cake sent by Evie, a red velvet cake; how lame. Fortunately she knows that she's being lame because the cake comes with a note that says 'Congratulations. I know it's lame but I can't help it.' It