Distance :

Irene isn't sure if she likes to go to the hairdresser : the water in the ears after the shampoo makes her deaf for the coming hour and the hot blast of air from the hairdryer almost burns her skin. Not to mention the repeated dying that damaged her hair, but well this is an idol job.

For now her hair beautiful hair are going back or are trying to go back to its old colour, good bye blondness. The though of her former black hair drives her last encounter with Winner's Mino who seemed to prefer the colour. At least someone will surely appreciate her new hairstyle.

I care about you. His words echo back to her head. She wonders how his hand would felt caressing her head, passing his fingers through her strands of hair and cannot help to blush. Wait, she should not think of him that way !

In the end, the result is auburn due to bleaching but she likes it that way. She can finally touch her precious hair, checking they aren't too mistreated. The hairdresser took great care of it, they are soft and bright, ready to shoot a hair commercial she jokes.

« You look fine. », someone says beside her. She startles at the sound of the voice only to be pleasantly surprised by its owner. Winner's leader Kang Seungyoon is standing next to her waiting for the hairdresser.

« Seungyoon-ssi ! What a coincidence ! »

« Nice to see you here. » He gives her his trademark eyes-smile. She replies politely but then she recalls the incident of the made up date with Mino. Seungyoon seems to understand her awkwardness.

« Sorry for meddling in your business, the text messages may had scared you... But neither me or Seunghoon regret the affair because if you had see that smile of his, for several hours he had this idiotic smile. » He is being straightforward but deep inside he knows she doesn't mind it anymore.

Irene is a bit flustered by Seungyoon's honesty , this smile story having a lot to do with her present behaviour, she is smiling herself as she wonders of him.

« It looks like there's something going on between you. », teases the leader.

« Oh no, we're just friends », tries to persuade Irene. That's not the matter, still Seungyoon had gone a bit far with that date thing even if she had forgive them, why they didn't contact her directly ? It would have simpler and save her some sleep. « I have to say that it was inappropriate of you, but soon I understand that you did it as a friend, but... from now on I ask you to not middle in my lovelife again please. You can do what you want with your friends... In my position I can't let myself embarrassed with such annoying things, as a leader I think you know what I mean, we're are responsible of the name of our team. » Even if she had feelings for Winner's rapper Mino, at the moment she can't allow herself to date someone.

« I would have said the same in a harsher way. Don't worry I understand you, I wouldn't be pleased as a leader either. Moreover, we're in such big companies whom are afraid of scandals spreading like fire. », Seungyoon sighs, the Red Velvet leader has indeed her feet firmly on the ground. He cannot blame her, he is worst when it comes to protect integrity of the group after all the hardships they faced, but that one time he was just feeling like it would be possible for those two idols to date in strictly secret.

« It's true that there's idols dating in secret but sooner or later they are unmasked. I'm in a rookie group, I don't want to risk what we have. », admits Irene aware of the whole entertaining system. « One day I know I'll be free that I can engage myself with whoever I want, for now my life is dedicated to the sake of my idol life. » It is a severe choice of living but it's necessary to Irene.

Seungyoon is impressed by her self-control and tough decision, she may seem shy but she has the skills to be a real leader, no wonder SM chose her.

« Ok maybe it was a mistake, but do you regret it sincerely speaking ? » He saw it the way her eyes shine and her cheeks blush when he speaks about Mino. She is being obvious without knowing it. Maybe it is because she never had a proper lovelife and rarely hang out with boys.

« Honestly, I don't regret it. » And everything is said.

Two months passed since her encounter with Seungyoon, little by little she is learning to supress her feelings for him. It is easier when the person is nowhere to be seen.

A friday evening, Irene is coming back to the dorm after her MC job at Music Bank which by the way she really enjoys. At first, she had apprehension to this new exercice, she had had difficulties to express herself in public in the past, but she tries and surprises everybody with her ability.

She is removing her shoes when she hears Joy shouts : « Unnie, you have to come now ! Show Me The Money has just started ! »

She enters the living room and sees her girls Seulgi and Joy watching the famous rap show. Even if she is in charge of rap in their group, she isn't interested that much in rap. Of course she knows the big names of korean hiphop, but she wasn't listening regularly to the genre. The truth is she had trained for rap without knowing much about it and learned from A to Z what the compagny taught her.

« There is our colleague Winner's Song Mino this year, there's more idols than previous editions, that's incredible ! », sponteanously comments Joy.

Mino is a true rapper in her eyes, she read his biography so she knows it is his thing since he was young. When she saw him perform at MAMA she realised it is his passion and goal in life. Maybe Show Me The Money was a way to proove his value. When they first met she had been hit by that tough side of him, the whole intimidating rapper style, she fears it a little. Out of the stage, she knows he is a kid who is constantly laughing around, she is attracted by this cheerful image of his.

It starts like this, Irene finds herself to not miss to watch the rapper every friday. What is worst than before is that she thinks more about him now. It saddens her because she knows it isn't the same on the other side : he is living an important moment in his life.

Mino do not forget Irene, she is even inspiring him for future songs with his band. It has been months since he sees her but her image do not fade away. Then, his responsabilities got the upper hand, he commits in SMTM4 and from now on works hard on his rap.

He wants to be the best, he wants to show everyone he is worthy to be called a rapper. He is going solo to proove his talent as an artist. Engrossed by his goal, it's more his fellow rappers he sees in his dreams than beautiful girls these days. Sometimes, he wishes to release the stress of the competion for a couple of hours but cannot allowed himself. Moreover, what is the use to hope for a girl who has her entire life focused on work ? He also is focused on work right now, so the less he thinks of her the better he can became.

A/N:

I quickly wrote this new chapter for you guys, some minrene to light up your day! Don't worry, they'll meet again in the next chapter! I will be away for two weeks starting from thursday so the story will not be udpated. I'll try to finish it before september if I'm inspired. My shipper heart is telling me: when Winner and Red Velvet will promote again? Next year is the shortest time to wait in my opinion x) idc, watching smtm :p If you have time and like YGFamily, go check my other fanfic 'In the city'. I want to thank each of you for commenting, subscribing and upvoting, this is what it's keeping me up to write. I'm sorry for those spaced udpates, I wish I could give you more. I promise to udpate more in August.

Enjoy your holydays, or you enjoyed them, or will enjoy them !!! Take some time to rest~

-wanderingmood

>>'In the city' (on hiatus since december, to be updated in august)