Explanation :

Her heart skips a beat and her brain stops his train of thoughts. For a second, she is in a bubble, sounds of the chatting café not entering her ears anymore. Did she heard him right ?

« What did you say ? »

« Don't make me repeat it please. » He is starting to blush hard like some schoolboy who is confessing to his crush. He scratchs his hair in distress , ate up by remorse of what had escaped from his lips.

Irene is confused, she doesn't know how to improve the situation after the shock. First, he had reveal the hidden story behind the date and the text messages. Now, she had to swallow the news: he isn't despising her but quite the opposite he likes her. She is lost, she doesn't know what to think anymore. However, one thing is for certain : she cannot hate people and even if he was rude to her, she didn't bear a grudge against him. She is even reassured that he isn't the author of the texts, he wouldn't have write such cheesy words to a girl anyway. Since their first meeting, any gentle move from him is unbelievable.

As she puts back the events in order, she finds herself to think it is kind of his friends to create this date to settle things between them. She understands that Seungyoon and Seunghoon are trying to play matchmakers. If they are doing this, it means that Mino really has some softness when it comes to her. They are his friends, they live together, they know him better than her.

The waiter comes to clear their table interrupting their little moment of suspense. Once he has leaved, Mino feels like he has to say something :

« Listen, I'm sorry about everything that happened. I... I misjudge you, I shouldn't have treated you like that. », he apologizes truly this time. He searchs for her eyes to proove his sincerity. No reaction comes from her and he continues : « To be honest, I don't know you well, despite that, I feel you're someone nice... The truth is I don't know how to act with girls like you... »

« What do you mean by girls like you ? », Irene asks confused once more. He looks away.

« Celebrities, idols... », he answers ashamed. Mino had some experience with girls, but since he entered the world of show business all those perfect women are intimidating him ; they are working differently from normal girls, they seem in control of everything and everyone they are dealing with. As for him, Irene was one of them, but soon he realises that her akwardness hides something else.

« You're not the only one... You know, I'm not very confident when it comes to myself... », she admits. « When you're debuting as an idol it's hard to find your own public image. Besides, I think you have more charisma than me. » Irene is being sincere speaking openly about her daily struggle as an idol. He doesn't have to feel that way with her, she can understand him.

« I believe that it's your SM image which leads me to think you were a shallow girl. »

« What do you mean by that ? », Irene furrows her eyebrows.

« I've no right to say that, I'm myself under a big company as YG, but it seems to me it's all artificial... », he paused, thinking how he can explain it to her. «  An idol is defined by the image his agency built around him and that's fair, we choose this life, but sometimes I feel like some of us are really burdened. In my opinion, SM puts too much pressure on his artists shoulders, especially rookies. »

Idols don't decide, don't choose what is the best for them. This is Mino's pessimistic view of entertainment industry. He doesn't think it is unfair, as a rapper he is luckier than other people, he can create what he loves, enjoys himself during concerts, promoting is just the way to pay back for this freedom.

« That's your right... » This is not new to Irene, many people criticize how SM manages its idols, even more with the recent lawsuits. Nonetheless, she is happy of Red Velvet's success and yes, she owns everything to SM. « All I can tell is that I met people there who I now cherish with all my heart. SM artists are nice once you you get to know them. », she adds, it is true she met incredible people, even if she is not necessarily close to them, she learned a lot. Most of all, she met her lovely members she considers now as her family.

Mino understands what it means to her, all she possesses today has been given by her hard trainee days in SM factory. She is being honest, and there is no words for those sparkles in her eyes when she speaks about her members.

Despite what she believes, he is here to explain his actions towards her in the first place. Mino pursues his explanation :

« When I first met you I couldn't help but to take everything you said or did as a lie, that you was always in representation. You're also very protected by your staff, so I was surprised that day I saw you alone in the streets... I even asumed you escaped or something... but I was wrong and then I realised I've made false assumptions about you. »

"Is it what he thought of me ?" Irene asks herself. She starts to have a grasp of his point of view. What follows the fact he had despise her is why did he change his opinion ?

« What made you change ? »

« I try to see through your image, to get to know you, even though I didn't have the opportunity to do so... I think today is the moment thanks to my friends. », he answers with an awkward smile. He has just pooved that he is ready to listen to her for real. « I judged you too soon and I'm sorry about that. I hope we can move to something new. » Even if it was say formally, she nods at his good will. It takes him time to say all those troubling things but it worths it. He is eased when he sees her smile, he causes enough worries to this girl.

« I'm glad we met then. », she says with sincerity. She is truely thankful he has open up to her so they can start over.

Without a word, they stand up and reach the cafe's exit. Once they are outside, it is time to separate ways but they are still standing there in front of one another. Finally, Irene breaks the silence : « Can we be friends now ? »

She extends her hand, searching for his approval. His warm hand embraces hers for the second time and she finds her knees weaken added to the fact her heart beats a bit faster than it normally does. And yet, it feels so right.

« Yes, friends. », he says shaking their hands a little. "Damned, her hand is so soft", he thinks, "how will I be able to not craving for this friend's hand ?" Indeed, it is a problem when the girl you care about becomes your friend.

A/N:

I don't know why, but it was a bit hard to write and so short, I'm thinking about developments... Sorry for the wait and enjoy!

This story has reach +200 subscribers, that's incredible! Thank you for your love, I promise to finish this minrene story!

Kisses,

-wanderingmood