𝐅𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 ↷ j.ww × p.sy (𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙)

0┃6

✩｡:•.─────  ❁ - ❁  ─────.•:｡✩

Taking off her shoes, Joy quietly peeked into the living room and the frown on her face smoothened when she looked at her members. Irene was smiling down at her phone, Seulgi was flipping through the TV channels and Yeri was just lying on the sofa, her head hanging off one hand rest.

Yeri was the first one to notice her entering. Joy saw her blinking her eyes a few times, probably to clear her vision as she was lying in a weird position. The younger got up and said, "Joy is here."

Seulgi looked away from the TV and Irene looked up from her phone. All the three had smiles on their faces, but they soon fell when they looked at her.

"What's wrong?" Seulgi softly asked.

Joy was pretty sure her expression was nowhere near someone who was worried, but her members immediately sensed that something was wrong. After spending years together, they all knew each other like the back of their hands.

Joy shook her head. "Nothing. You all continue, I'm going to rest."

And with that she walked away, into her room. She could feel the eyes of the other girls on her back, but she didn't say anything else. She wanted to be alone at that moment.

As Joy laid on her bed, staring up at the celling, all the events of the day finally rushed through her mind. Numerous questions filled her mind, some of which she knew the answers to while she was clueless about others.

Was this deal really necessary?

Apparently, yes.

Why?

Because they needed to be in the buzz, they couldn't afford to lose their position in the top 3 girl groups. That's what Mr. Lee said. He might have not said it out loud in the meeting, but she knew the true meaning of his words.

Buzz with a dating scandal? Wasn't their talent enough?

She wasn't too sure now, unlike how she used to be earlier.

A knock on her door pulled Joy out of her thoughts but she ignored it, just like what she did with the earlier ones. Unlike the other times, the door opened.

"Get up." Irene's authoritative voice rang through the room. "You've had enough time."

Joy turned to the side to look at Irene standing in the middle of the room, holding a tray in her hand. Her eyes then moved to the digital clock by her bed.

Its 9 already?

Joy sat up as Irene moved to sit beside her on the bed. Joy stared as Irene placed the tray down, looked at her face and how the older's brows pulled into a frown.

"You weren't sleeping?" Irene said as she shifted near Joy and lightly placed her palms on either side of the younger's face. "What's wrong?"

She had had enough by herself so Joy decided to pour it all out. She wrapped her arms around Irene and rested her head on her shoulder as she told Irene everything. Every single detail, every one of her thoughts. By the time she had finished, Irene was moving her hand up and down her back, comforting her.

Joy felt more relieved, as if a huge burden was off her chest. She pulled back and looked at her leader.

"I'm sorry unnie." She muttered. Joy couldn't help but feel like she had worried Irene, pouring all her worries onto her. Being a group's leader was already very challenging but the way Irene handled everything and took care of everyone, made Joy look up to her. For Joy, her leader was a role model, someone she admired and cherished a lot.