A prequel to A Beautiful Night. 

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Adding her signature at the end of the letter, Irene finished her writing. She looked at the piece of paper before her, skimming through each paragraph with a strange tingling sensation in her stomach. No matter how many times she read the letter, Irene still could not believe it was her who wrote it. It sounded so cheerful yet very intimate, too intimate for Irene's liking. She was not that intimate to strangers, let alone the strangers being her fans, she did not usually talk in such a tone. The letter was her, yet in so many different ways was not her as well.

Irene was contemplating if she should tear the letter in half and start a new one with a more formal tone in it when the front door opened. Not the kids, Irene noted as she heard no noises following after.

Earlier, through some magic that only occurred once in a blue moon, Seulgi announced that she would bring Joy and Yeri along to karaoke. "To loosen up a bit," Seulgi said to her when Irene shot her a questioning look. "They're nervous from the preparation for tomorrow." Irene did not ask if Seulgi had brought the possible headache into consideration while deciding to bring the two satans with her, and simply dismissed them.

It had only been two hours since they left, plus Yeri and Joy had never been this quiet when they arrived. It was not the trio, and thus leaving Irene with one last person. Wendy.

A smile was automatically formed on her lips as soon as she saw the younger girl entering the kitchen.

"Oh, unnie, you're home," Wendy greeted her, mirroring Irene's smile though it did not quite reach her eyes. There was a hint of tiredness in her voice, and Irene wondered why Wendy even felt the need to hide it when it was Irene alone who was witnessing it.

Irene stalked Wendy's movement with her eyes, focusing on the latter's hands, as Wendy made her way to the sink. Wendy washed them, and Irene was not sure if it was just her sleepless eyes, but those fingers looked thinner than they were that morning. Irene's frown grew deeper when her eyes caught a slight twitch in the girl's expression when she turned off the tap.

"Did you figure out the keys all right?" Irene went to stand next to Wendy, offering her another smile.

"All good."

"Tea?"

"No, thank you. I'll just have some water—"

Irene was quick on her feet, and before Wendy finished her words she already brought a glass of water. She waited while Wendy took a gulp and simply watched her in silence, though could not help but wonder why it took Wendy so long to come back from practice.

True, tomorrow would be the first day of their first mini album promotion, and the five of them had promised to give their best for the live broadcast. Which was the very reason Joy and Yeri were nervous and Seulgi was so considerate to bring the two to her usually lone trip to karaoke, and also why Irene gave her all into writing that embarrassing piece of letter. Yet it did not settle quite well with Irene how Wendy spent her days locked up in the practice room, tiring her vocal cord and straining her fingers from hours of singing and playing guitar. Her singing ability was unquestionably the best. Her guitar skill was more than okay. Irene did not think Wendy needed to go to such extent to impress everyone.

Though having such thoughts, Irene did not voice it out because the younger girl looked very much content. Pleased. And Irene was not that much nagging of a person, so she saved her comment for another time.

"What were you up to?" Finally, Wendy finished drinking. She glanced at the table then back at Irene.

"Uh, you know... our three minute corner tomorrow."

"Oh?" Wendy's eyes twinkled in excitement.

"And before you ask, no, you may not read it."

The excitement died as fast as it came to life, and the owner pouted.

Irene swiftly went back to her seat, dodging Wendy's aegyo attack while at it, and protected her piece of paper. "You didn't let me see you practice so we're even."

"That's because my performance was still messy." Wendy sat herself next to Irene, apparently trying her best to look the most pitiful with her puppy expression.

"So now you're gonna play me your song?"

"Er... tomorrow?"

Irene looked at the younger girl for a moment and then held out her letter. "Give me your left hand and you can have my letter."

There was confusion in those eyes before Wendy let Irene see her hand.

When she did, Irene held it with extra carefulness as though she was h