“Sir, someone gave these photos to Joy while we were trying to make it into the company, I couldn’t tell who it was since it was dark out, they’re….compromising photos. No, I haven’t shown them to Joy or any of the girls. I was walking Seulgi and Joy in and someone reached out and handed Joy the envelope. What should I do with them?” One of the manager’s was busy talking to a higher-up on the telephone, “Do you want to speak with Joy?”

Joy took the phone, "No, it was a fan, other than that I don't know what's going on...

------------------------------------------------

 “Tom, I can’t believe you came back just to deliver these photos to Joy,” Seulgi said as they neared the company. Seulgi had found Tom wandering around and stopped him.

“I have to complete the mission, my spy-in-training!” Tom said, “Phase Three is about to commence…also…what time are the fans supposed to be there to see Joy? I kind of need that for this to be successful.”

Seulgi laughed, “The fans “found out” she would be there around 8:00 PM.  She’ll pull up for practice around that time along with Manager Oppa and I’ll join them to walk inside.”

“Okay,” he said.

“You’ll be disguised in the crowd of fans right?”

“Yeah, I’ve got it in my bag,” he pinted to his shoulder, “Where will Wendy and Irene be?” he asked.

“They’ll already  be In the practice room, waiting for us to get there.”

------------------------------------------------

“Seungwan, let me show you the right foot placement for this part of the dance, it’ll be easier to turn around,” Irene said. She stood behind Wendy and physically moved her leg to the correct placement.

Wendy could feel Irene’s breath on her neck, “Thank you, baby,” she whispered. Wendy grabbed Irene’s hand and held onto it.

“I love it when you say that, but it may be best not to use words like that here, we’re still not out of hot water yet,” Irene said.

“Oh you mean thank you?” Wendy laughed and Irene glared, “I’ll try my best not to say baby anymore, baby.”

“We’ve really got to be careful, Wan-ah, even if this plan works out.”

“I know, I’ll watch myself from now on, we’ll just have to have dates at home, I guess.”

“I know…I wish there were some other way, but we can still hang out alone at home, and we can go out with everyone. Just don’t think of it as a bad thing. Eventually, when everything’s settled, and we make it big, we’ll be able to be together openly,” Irene said.

“I know, but you know me, I’ll want to hold you and kiss you wherever we are, and you too, you love skinship.”

“Well, there’s always fan service,” Irene said.

 “Yeah that’s true…” Wendy said thoughtfully.

“I’m just glad to have you back, no matter the situation, even if we can’t convince them, I’ll be by your side.”

“I know you will…and I’ll be by yours,” Wendy said.

“Anyway, the hour is almost upon us, are you nervous to go to another meeting?” Irene asked.

“No, not anymore, as long as I have you there, I’ll be just fine.”

“Good, want to keep practicing before Joy and Seulgi finally make it back?”

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Joy finally pulled up to the curb with manager oppa and got out of the car to greet all of her adoring fans, Joy saw Seulgi off to the side and waved to her, asking her to take her hand.

Seulgi and Joy walked casually past everyone, with manager oppa behind them, and then Seulgi noticed someone in the crowd. With everyone cheering and yelling it was hard to understand what the person was saying, but Seulgi believed the person was saying, “Phase Three” as loud as he could.

The man had on an oversized hoodie that read:

I LOVE

RED VELVET

He also wore a large hat, a curly black wig, and one of the worst fake beards that Seulgi had ever seen, she began to laugh and whispered to Joy, “That’s Tom over there, with the I LOVE RED VELVET hoodie on, do you see him?”

“Yes, let’s get the show on the road.”

--------------------------------------------------

Joy walked by Tom and smiled, he held out the envelope but didn’t say a word. Joy took the envelope, still holding on to Seulgi’s hand.

Tom winked at Seulgi and she winked back, then Joy and Seulgi entered the building

Seulgi looked back but Tom was already gone, "What a terrific spy," she thought.

--------------------------------------------------

“Joy, what have you got?” asked a smiling Manager Oppa.

“I don’t know, Oppa, a fan handed it to me. Looks like it might be for Wendy and Irene though, their names are on it,” Joy lied.

“Let me check it first, okay? Then you can take it to them, they’re already upstairs waiting for you,” Manager said.

Joy handed over the envelope and squeezed Seulgi’s hand.

Manager opened the envelope, and then his face fell in shock.

-------------------------------------------

When Irene and Wendy saw Joy’s eyes as she and Seulgi walked into the practice room, they knew what was about to happen. Instead of looking scared though, Seulgi was smiling and Joy was swinging her hand back and forth, the hand she still hadn’t let go of since they’d been outside.

“It’s done,” Joy said.

-----------------------------------------

“Do you know why you’re back in my office, ladies?” he asked.

“No,” they both said at the same time.

“Well, we’ve received some compromising photos of the two of you,” he said.

“Compromising? Really?” Irene asked.

“Yes,” he pulled out the photos and showed them.

They looked at all of them and shrugged.

“Oh yeah, remember when we went to the skating rink the other day, Unnie? With that man that He’s,” Wendy pointed at the executive, “making you date?”

Their boss seemed alarmed that Wendy knew this.

“Oh, yeah, is that when you met up with that guy we saw at the café? He was really nice to you, maybe we can all go out again sometime soon,” Irene said.

“Wait a moment here, you two admit you went out on dates?”

“Yeah?” They both answered again.

“But why? You know the rules! No dating for at least two years—“

“But if you can send Unnie on a date, why can’t I go on one as well?” Wendy asked.

“Well…that’s….” He had no answer.

“It seems to me that you made me break the policy already, and anyway, Seungwan here was just getting to know the guy, nothing serious, just a simple date. Who would even send someone out to take photos of us?”

That statement stung the executive, because he had done that very thing to Wendy and Irene in the theater.

“I don’t know, Irene Unnie, it’s not like any of us are a real couple, it was just for fun!” Wendy smiled as she said this. Irene smiled too.

“Well…the both of you will stop seeing these men at once, dating out in the open like this is not an option, your comeback is coming up soon, and I want NO MORE incidents like this! Do you hear me?

“Sure, sir,” Irene said politely, “But just one quick question.”

“What is it?”

“How am I going to break it to Woo-Jin Oppa that we can’t go out anymore, he was really starting to like me,” Irene said.

Wendy snorted, but composed herself before she could burst out laughing.

“Just call him and end it, whatever you want, just no more dating. You’ll be spending time with your group only after this, just the four of you! Do you understand Wendy?

“Yes, we understand.”

“Now get back to the practice room before I decide to take further action,” he said, “Just beware that if these appear in an article of some sort, we may have to release a statement, we’ll just say it’s a group of friends meeting up, alright?

“Yes Sir,” Irene said, “We’ll work hard to be a better Red Velvet in the future, Thank you.”

Wendy and Irene ran back to the practice room in tears from laughter.

------------------------------------------

“Well, what did they say, Unnie?” Seulgi asked.

The four gathered together in the center of the studio and held hands.

“They “persuaded” us to stop dating the boys, they don’t want a scandal to blow up in their faces. If it did, they knew we’d talk,” Irene said, “We’re an investment too important to fail.”

“Isn’t that what they were doing when they took photos of you two together?” Joy asked.

“Yeah, pretty much, but that was an in house scandal just meant to frighten us,” Wendy said.

“So they’ll let you two date each other?” Seulgi asked.

“No, they didn’t say that, but we’re still together. We might just be dating from home more often and going out as a group, I hope you two don’t mind,” Irene said to Joy and Seulgi.

“What about your freedom?” Joy said.

“Small victories,” Wendy said, “We showed them that we’re not afraid not. We’ll be together quietly and in a few years when all four of us are established and we’re all able to support ourselves, we’ll be together in public.”

“She’s right, let’s all work hard and do our best, that way all four of us will have our freedom,” Irene said.

“Okay, let’s continue practicing, I’ve still got to get this dance right,” Wendy said.

“We know,” the other three jokingly groaned.

Wendy glared, “After this comeback, we’re taking a vacation,” Wendy said, “free of dancing.”

“I’d say let’s all go to the cabin, but they’d never let us do that,” Irene laughed.

Joy and Seulgi looked at each other, an idea forming in their brains.

“Later,” Seulgi mouthed to Joy, “Later.”