A/N: Hello! For all the readers who have been patiently waiting for the updates, I am so sorry it has taken a while for me to post this. I wanted to get this out quickly before I fly off again in a few days. The past month has been really busy but fret not, I still am actively writing this story and I will finish it. I actually have an entire side story planned out as well, which follows another ship in the same universe. I'll probably post that after I finish this one, but in the meantime, I appreciate your patience as I try to do the characters justice in this AU. 

Feel free to leave any feedback and questions and I will try to answer them whenever I can. Have a great week ahead everyone! 

~~~

The problem with gaining colours one by one was that her range of visible colours increased exponentially with every new addition to her colour spectrum. It wouldn’t have been an issue, that is, if she didn’t have to consistently watch her mannerisms whenever she encountered a new colour. It had been easy at first. Since, aside from her own observations, the only times she encountered blue was related to her assigned colour as Red Velvet’s Wendy.

Blue was a reminder of where she came from, what she learned and what she wanted to achieve. 

Pink was a surprise. 

Wendy herself had never been interested in girly combinations, choosing comfort and practicality over fashion whenever she could. 

When she first learned about pink being associated with femininity, she had objected strongly. Even in kindergarten, with her limited vocabulary, she had protested the idea as best as she could. 

“We shouldn’t be stuck with a colour. If boys like pink, why can’t they get pink notebooks too?” She had asked when the teachers gave the boys blue notebooks and the girls pink notebooks for Children’s Day. The blue notebook and stationery which she had been given that day were still safely kept in her childhood home.

Pink, in the beginning, sounded like an overly saturated dessert, sugary sweet and repulsive after the first few bites. However, after noticing the rosy coloured blush decorating her leader’s cheeks whenever she got excited, it became a colour she couldn’t get enough of. It was, in many ways, colour of youth and warmth of life. 

Red Velvet’s colour was a light salmon shade of pink. Pastel coral, as she had been told. For a group with a colour in their name, it felt odd to have a different colour as their official brand. Yet, as the months went by, she began to understand how pink could fit them better. 

It was a colour she saw in her members when they were trying to catch their breath after an intensive rehearsal. The different shades of pink that each member used on their lips and cheeks, following the advice of their makeup artists. As performers, they needed to have stronger makeup- for the cameras, as their stylists had informed them. Despite the company endorsing the extra splash of colours for the camera, Wendy secretly preferred it when she could hear the genuine glee in Irene’s voice when she feasted on tteokbokki, when the strongest colour in her vision was the sauce coating the neatly sliced rice cakes. Her skin was in muted a shade of grey Wendy couldn’t identify, but Irene was still beautiful. 

Perhaps, pink was also a form of happiness, Wendy presumed. It was in the warm glow on Irene’s cheeks whenever she laughed freely at a joke someone made. Seulgi’s eyes would turn into crescents. Joy too, would have pink cheeks while she squealed and cringed in mock disgust at Wendy’s pick up lines. Yerim’s expression of happiness came in random dancing and screaming whenever the group felt comfortable enough to be as loud and uncouth as they wanted. Pink was, in a way, part of their harmony as Red Velvet.  

However, at this moment, Wendy wondered how harmonious she could be, considering she was getting trashed by Irene at every single game they played. The smirk on her leader’s face was growing with each consecutive win, which made Wendy want to have a rematch to wipe off the smug look she bore. 

It was an evening when they had been left alone once again; a situation that had increased in frequency ever since the night they agreed to start afresh. With the knowledge that the leader and main vocalist were getting along, the younger members, Seulgi included, had heaved a collective sigh of relief. 

However, although Wendy no longer dreaded the prospect of being alone with the leader, she quickly realised that suggesting to play games while they waited for the other members to return with food was not the best idea.

Irene, as she had recently discovered, had a look whenever she got competitive. 

As for herself, she didn’t need to win every single game, but losing 15 times in a row was too much, even for her. At first, Wendy had anticipated that after the first few wins, the older girl would drop her guard a little and she could claim a win for herself. She was dead wrong in her assessment. 

It had been nearly two hours and Irene was still intent on winning every match. The competitive glint in her eye only sharpened with each match ending in her favour. Despite her saccharine tone when she calmly suggested another round or another game, Wendy now realised the danger of listening to pretty girls. It was their third round of the chair stacking game and Wendy was beginning to lose hope that she would ever break Irene’s streak when the unthinkable happened. 

The game ended in a stalemate. Or rather, the table suddenly vibrated and all the pieces toppled over. 

If Wendy had a camera, she would have snapped a photograph of Irene’s expression of disbelief as her eyes trailed over the miniature chairs that spilled over the table. She could almost see the gears in her head spinning, trying to figure out how the tower of chairs had toppled before she had successfully placed her piece down.

A few minutes later, when Seulgi and Sooyoung burst into the house, carrying their combined bodyweight’s worth of food, they were still in the midst of arguing that the last round was their win. Since neither could admit to accidentally knocking the table, Seulgi, ever the mediator, concluded that the match ended with a tie. However, Wendy took it as her win in the end because watching Irene groan and pout in frustration was nearly as fun as actually winning the game. 

Wendy waited until Seulgi and Sooyoung made their way to the table, food and drinks in hand and followed by incessant chatter, before she retreated into her room. The commotion outside told her that she wouldn’t be missed for a while, so she took out the colour guide she had stashed in a locked box in her closet. Under the notes for pink, she cancelled out her messy scrawls and rewrote her description. 

“The touch of someone you love, tender and soft. The light fluttering in your chest at the realisation of your first love. The warmth in someone’s face when they can’t hold back their laughter anymore; the evidence of life in an otherwise monotonous colour scheme.”

She had just finished the last sentence before a knock sounded at the door and Irene poked her head into the room.

“Seungwan-ah, we’re waiting for you.” Irene’s voice wafted in over the familiar murmuring of the other girls. Wendy turned, her back blocking Irene’s view of her desk. 

“Okay unnie, I’ll be right there. I just need to change into a more comfortable shirt.” 

This, having Irene speak to her casually, had taken a while to get used to. It had been slightly easier for her to maintain her emotional distance when Irene didn’t speak to her as though she cared. Back in Canada, Wendy was normally the one who checked on everyone else, but now, she understood what Seulgi had meant on the first day they met. It wasn’t a bad feeling, to be looked after.

Irene might be professional on stage, but Joohyun was homely. The difference between the two sometimes surprised Wendy. Joohyun had her own way of showing her care as a leader. She remembered the small things about Seungwan, not just Wendy, that made her feel seen on a different level. 

The other girl lingered in the doorway, as though she was waiting for Wendy to follow her. When she didn’t, Irene continued to look at her expectantly. 

“Did you want less noodles today too?” Wendy heard the concern colouring her voice. Irene had been visibly uneasy about the whole diet thing, despite both Wendy and the trainer’s reassurances.

Some comments surfaced after their debut about her weight, so her dietician had put her on a diet plan to ensure that by the next comeback, she would have lost some weight. As a rookie group, Red Velvet was constantly under the scrutiny of the public. Hence, she had done her best to reduce her sugar and carbohydrate intake over the last few weeks. It had been hard, considering her love for baked goods. However, her first responsibility as a performer was to watch her body. 

Getting chided about their physical appearance and body sizes was normal in the company. It had already happened a number of times before debut, but ever since this particular meeting, the oldest had taken to hovering around her at mealtimes. She was like a mother hen, although Wendy was certain that the leader wouldn’t be too pleased to hear the comparison. 

“Yeah, actually, that would be good.” Wendy answered. Irene would probably not leave until she got what she wanted, anyway. “I can do it myself though. You can go eat first-”

“Take some of my meat. You’re already eating too little.” Irene interrupted. 

She opened to protest, but ultimately decided against it when she saw the older girl’s expression. It wasn’t the first time this had happened, and she was certain that it wouldn’t be the last. Hence, she gave in, as she somehow always did when it came to Irene. 

“Okay.” 

She received a nod in response. Wendy felt a sense of relief as the leader backed off. It was one thing to have Irene nag her as a leader. She could deal with the older member’s watchful gaze and strict comments during practice. However, it was the way Irene’s stern words seemed to soften in the confines of their shared apartment, giving way to quiet words of encouragement. In her case, however, as their maknae had once casually put it, Irene could be especially observant. 

Wendy chalked it up to being the member that stayed the latest at the company, practicing routines and songs until was hoarse and legs ached. Irene had not said anything to her directly, but she had caught the slight downturn of her lips when her gaze hovered over her body, almost clinical in nature. 

“Good, I’ll give you two minutes to change before I send Sooyoung after you.” 

Wendy held back a smile even after the door shut. It was just like Irene to end a simple conversation with a threat like that, bringing Sooyoung into the mix too. 

The force of the door closing caused the purple hanger hanging on the door frame to rattle softly. The sight of the empty hanger brought a small smile to her face.

She had her own hangers, which she had haphazardly bought from small convenience stores when she had first moved into the dorm. However, ever since she found a signature purple hanger in her laundry basket, likely left by the leader on accident, Wendy had been using it to hang her outfits. Considering how Irene literally shared a room with her and Seulgi, she concluded that the leader didn’t mind.

The colour reminded her of Irene’s lilac hoodie, which the older girl pulled over her shoulders on colder nights. She had never asked about where the hoodie had come from. She could tell from the fabric that It had been worn and loved for years. It bore the mark of someone who had claimed a part of Irene’s heart a long time ago. That was enough to halt the curiosity of Wendy’s mind. Soulmate or not, she didn’t need to know more than that. 

However, it was the turn of the season. The past few nights had been chilly and their heater was malfunctioning again. They had informed the manager, but knowing the processing speed, it would take a few days for the repairmen to show up. Ironic, she supposed, for a well-known Korean idol company to have such slow responses when it came to caring for their trainees. However, with the successes of previous groups under the same system, it was likely that the directors assumed that the results were attained as a result of the harsh training and not in spite of it.  

Ever since they shifted to a bigger dorm, things had been easier for Wendy. Being introverted, Irene needed her own quiet time and space, so it was easy for Wendy to spend more time outside. She didn’t have to worry about Seulgi snooping around or getting suspicious either, since the other girl was more easygoing. Plus, she had the added comfort of having her best friend act as the buffer between both of them, whenever necessary.

It was by chance that Wendy stumbled upon the older girl rubbing the sides of her arms one evening, her purple hoodie nowhere in sight. On reflex, she offered her blue sweater to the older girl, considering Irene’s positive response to her gesture the previous time.  

Since then, she stopped batting an eye whenever her blue sweater disappeared, knowing that she would receive it, washed and dried, the following day. It was like a secret ritual between the both of them that made her feel special.

Truth be told, it was a gift that she hadn’t worn often as a trainee. It was slightly too tight in some areas and too warm to wear it during most seasons in Seoul. However, it was a garment she attached sentimental value to. Thus, she was reluctant to leave it behind. However, now that it frequently carried the scent of Irene’s fabric softener, the texture seemed softer against her skin. Wendy was only human. 

Under her notes for pink, she scribbled a column for purple. 

A complex combination of blue and pink. The density and shade get affected by the proportion of either colour. At its darkest, it resembles the deep hues of the night sky, cold, endless and engulfing. Lighter hues emit calm and soft feelings, like the quiet support of someone who’s always there for you. Yet, it’s also rich and intense, sweet, sour and all that’s in between.

It was ironic how the moment she started appreciating pink, purple was all she could see. 

From cardigans to cushions and even some of her purses, purple traces littered the dorm. Like little reminders of Irene’s presence in her day to day life, Wendy found them easier to bear the longer they spent together.

The day Wendy returned to their dorm, used to seeing a familiarly grey landscape but for a few choice items, she was barely able to conceal her gasp. Thankfully, she had returned alone that afternoon. Seulgi and Irene had gone for a meeting with one of the choreographers. With the maknaes out on a grocery run, Wendy had the apartment to herself.

It felt like she was seeing her living space for the first time. In a way, she was. 

Somehow, the addition of pink and purple to her colour spectrum gave everything a new depth.

Blue had been reserved for a few of her belongings, and some of the concept art for the group. 

With the addition of pink, it seemed like half the room was now splashed in colour. Even some of the dish towels she brought over had purple designs, Wendy noticed. It was obvious that purple was her favorite colour, but the knowledge only raised more questions in Wendy’s mind. It didn’t make sense that someone who couldn’t see colours actually had a favorite colour. 

She was fairly sure that the introverted leader couldn’t see colours. She had said as much during a few truth or dare questions the group played when they were trainees. However, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the methodical senior treated her belongings the same way she did her dancing- with precision. 

She hadn’t realised that two minutes had long since passed until she noticed the time displayed on her phone screen. Perhaps Irene had decided to let her be, Wendy surmised. 

Quietly, she slid her notes back into her hiding place, rendering the rest of the room untouched. 

Before she could heave a sigh of relief, however, the door burst open. The shadow of the tallest member coloured the floor. 

Then again, Wendy thought, perhaps she had simply underestimated Irene’s foresight. 

“Unnie said I couldn’t eat until I managed to drag you out. I’m starving. You know what that means.” She added the second sentence as though her stomach rumbling wasn’t obvious enough. 

Sooyoung’s voice held an element of annoyance, but she knew the younger girl well enough to know that it wasn’t personal. However, a hungry Sooyoung was still a menace that should not be underestimated. Hence, she followed the younger girl outside without complaint.

She was greeted by the excited call from Seulgi, the playfully frustrated sigh of relief from Yeri, and a small frown from Irene, which only subsided slightly when she apologised for taking her time. As usual, they were seated around the low table in the living room. Already guilty for making everyone wait for her, Seungwan sat down at the first empty seat she saw. It was only when Sooyoung passed her plate to her, already filled with her portion of food, that she noticed the empty space between Irene and Seulgi.

It was a small incident, barely a blip in the span of years that the girls knew one another for. Yet, the blank expression on Irene’s face made Wendy feel hollow. She thought about apologising, but it wasn’t the sort of thing they normally did. Hence, she simply ducked her head and started eating, allowing the younger members to steer the conversation.

That night, whether it was due to the leader’s suddenly foul mood or because she was actually hungry from the day’s activities, she ate the additional meat that had been left on the edge of her plate before Sooyoung could reach it.

~~

“You are keeping secrets, unnie.” 

The line was said so calmly that Wendy almost didn’t register the implication of her words. It took a second before the older girl’s hand froze mid scribble. 

Placing her pen next to her lyric sheet, Wendy turned to the girl who had unceremoniously slid into the seat next to her. Park Sooyoung was sipping her iced tea as though she didn’t just drop a bombshell on her group mate. 

“Hello to you too, Sooyoung.” She answered dryly. Throwing a quick glance to the drink in her hand, she grimaced. It was a colour she didn’t have yet, but she could smell the sugary scent even without tasting it. She could only imagine how much syrup and food colouring it had. “You know we're not allowed to drink those. You’d better hide that before one of the trainers catches you.”

The younger girl shrugged. “What they don't know won't hurt them. Besides, I finished my first cup before coming here.” 

Sooyoung’s ability to remain stubbornly unfazed despite the situation never failed to amuse her. However, she had greater concerns than getting caught for abetting her junior in breaking the rules. 

“Aren’t you going to ask?”

“Ask what?” Wendy answered, her whisper drowned out by the scratching of her pen against the notebook. 

The audible sigh beside her was her only warning before there was a familiar scrape of a chair moving across the floor. The next words were spoken into her ear. “How long have you been able to see, unnie?” 

The hair on the back of her neck stood, despite her best efforts. Yet, she forced the panic down, like swallowing bitter medicine. 

“See what, Sooyoung-ah? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She hoped the chuckle that she forced out was more convincing that it sounded, but judging from the stormy expression on Sooyoung’s face, it didn’t have that effect. 

“Why are you lying about it?”

For once, Wendy didn’t have an answer for her.

Why was she lying about seeing colours, she asked herself. Part of her felt like it had become second nature to conceal that aspect of herself. However, whether it was out of fear or because it was easier to pretend she didn’t have a soulmate when no one but her was privy to it, she wasn’t sure.

The longer the silence stretched, the more Wendy feared the worst. For once, the usual sly and coy smile borne by the taller girl was nowhere to be seen. The serious expression on her face was unfamiliar; it was eerily discomforting, to look at a face she saw everyday and see a stranger staring back. Sooyoung’s gaze seemed to pierce through her defences, picking apart her thoughts and dissecting her reactions. 

“Hey, you two!” Wendy’s head whirled around to see her best friend smiling in relief at the sight of them. “Unnie has been looking for you. Practice starts in a few minutes and we were supposed to have a group meeting before the other dancers join us.” 

The main dancer paused, sensing the tension between the members. A slight narrowing of her eyes and shift in posture was the only thing that signalled her notice. “Did I interrupt anything?”

“No.” It was Sooyoung who answered, after a few heartbeats of silence. 

Wendy ignored the palpable disappointment in her stare as she shoved her things into her bag haphazardly. She would have time to organise it later. “Thanks for coming to find us, Seulgi unnie.”

“Where are we supposed to gather?” Wendy asked politely. She glanced up to meet Seulgi’s gaze, pausing her movements as she did so. 

Her best friend’s brow was creased with worry, but for whatever reason, she held off on making a comment. Finally, she shook off whatever reservations she seemed to be battling with and relented. In a blink, her attention was redirected to her phone and a few rapid taps later, Wendy’s phone chimed. 

“The room number is in the group chat.” Seulgi supplied helpfully. “Unnie asks that you check the group chat for updates regularly in case situations like this arise in future.”

“Got it.” Wendy nodded in apology, acknowledging her perceived negligence. She knew that Seulgi had no intention to berate her, but she could sense the obligatory warning carried over from their leader and managers. Such was the life of fresh rookie groups, who had yet to prove themselves to the world. It was better to apologise first before questioning the reason later. “Sorry.”

Disagreements were common in girl groups. It was a given that friction between the members would occur, considering they were spending much of their formative years and puberty together. However, it was their professional duty to ensure it didn’t affect the group. As always, Red Velvet had taken that rule as a guiding principle to run their dorm. Hence, with a pointed gaze directed at Wendy, Seulgi headed back to the meeting room to report to the