"Joohyun unnie! Sooyoung keeps smudging my lipstick!"
"I do not, Yerim! She's lying, Unnie."
Bae Joohyun sighed and glanced over from her spot at the makeup counter. The two youngest members of Red Velvet were bickering at their own seats, Yeri pouting heavily in their leader's directon. There were telltale traces of magenta lipstick on Yeri's chin and Sooyoung's thumb that confirmed the maknae's complaint.
"Park Sooyoung, stop pestering Yeri," Irene fixed them both with a stern look, "And both of you stop bickering so much."
"But-"
Joohyun turned in her seat and held up a hand to silence Joy's words, "Don't start, Sooyoung-ah. I won't take either of you out for shaved ice after the fansign if you keep acting like this." Her Daegu dialect made its way into her speech, as it often did when she was irritated, and the maknaes knew better than to argue when their leader let her accent slip.
At the threat of their treat being taken away, both girls immediately apologized to their leader. They turned away with a false look of shame; bouncing back almost immediately once Irene's focus on them dropped.
Joohyun rested her forehead on her closed fist, muttering nonsensically to herself. She was exhausted, to say the least. With their newest comeback receiving so much attention already, the girls were working nonstop. Fansign after concert after festival, SM was making sure Red Velvet's sales went up this era.
Of course, this came with many faults. Yeri ended up needing IV fluids three times during their first week of promotions, something that occurred quite often during a new comeback. This frustrated Irene to no end and she had gotten into yet another argument with the CEO over the matter. She had argued that Yerim was much too young to be dieting so hard and exercising so much, which was what caused her fainting spells and lack of energy.
Sooman apologized many times but never let up on their training, just ensured the resident medic knew to give the maknae fluids when she was too tired to perform. That didn't make Joohyun any happier and she had been hovering over her youngest member since promotions began, trying to ensure she got extra food and water whenever she could and rested as much as possible.
Additionally, Sooyoung hadn't been sleeping much and as a result was very grumpy. A grumpy Joy was never good, because she became almost completely silent and death glared anyone who came near her. This was, of course, not exactly desirable behaviour of an idol and Joohyun had to find ways to cheer up the sleep deprived maknae. She had realized a long time ago that both youngest members were food motivated, so promising them little treats after schedules made them perk up a bit.
Still, with all the added stress on top of their comeback, Joohyun was exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep for days, but she knew she couldn't do that. So she gave herself a minute to wallow in her self pity before switching back into leader mode; lifting her head and standing up.
She walked over to Sooyoung and Yeri, taking the package of fruit gummies they were fighting over. She quickly counted out the candies and gave each girl the same amount, warning them to behave because they were going on stage in 10 minutes. With that she left them munching away at their snack, in search of her two missing members.
"Seulgi-ah, Seungwannie, we're going on stage in ten! You need to get your mics checked," Joohyun called down the hallway. The two 24 year olds had disappeared 20 minutes before, with barely suppressed giggles and mischievous whispering. Joohyun had let them go, assuming that whatever they had planned wasn't going to hurt them or anyone else.
After 2 minutes of waiting, Joohyun sighed and asked their manager to go find the other girls. Almost immediately after he had disappeared out the door, he came back with Wendy and Seulgi in tow.
"They were walking down the hallway when I walked out," the manager explained, "Get ready to go on, we're going backstage in 3 minutes, girls."
After murmuring acknowledgements, Wendy and Seulgi walked over to Joohyun. She eyed them warily, noticing those all too familiar smirks that came from her two younger members. Wendy had her hands clasped behind her back, obviously hiding something from their leader.
"What did you two do now?" She asked with a sigh, too tired to humour their mischief.
"Nothing, unnie," Seungwan replied and glanced at Seulgi, dipping her head towards Irene. The brunette nodded to her, smile accompanied by her endearing eyesmile that managed to make Joohyun's heart flutter every time.
Seungwan moved her arms around, holding out a soft stuffed animal which she presented to Joohyun. It was a fluffy grey bunny that held a tiny bag of candies tied to its arm, a thoughtful and sweet gift that made Joohyun smile in spite of herself.
"We went outside to greet the fans that couldn't make the fan meet," Seulgi explained and shook her head at Joohyun's worried look, "We had security with us, don't worry, Hyun."
"A sweet little kid, couldn't have been older than 11, came up to the barrier and handed this to us. She insisted we gave it to 'princess Irene-unnie' and really, how could we resist that?"
Joohyun's smile widened and she took the bunny from Wendy, "That's so sweet." She fiddled with the soft ear of the toy for a moment and then sighed and turned to the maknaes, "Sooyoungie, Yeri, time to go."
The other four members scrambled to get their mics from the staff, being chastised lightly for not being ready on time. Joohyun set the stuffed animal with her bag, smiling fondly when she remembered that she got to meet the fans who kept her dreams going. Even if she was exhausted, getting to spend time with Reveluvs made all her worries melt away for a short time.
That being said, after the fan signing she was immediately hit with the weight of promotions again. She had had a wonderful time with their fans and received many gifts and a couple hugs, when their managers allowed it. Of course Joohyun loved every second she got to spend with her fans, yet exhaustion had no acceptions and she wanted nothing more than to go home and rest. Still, she did promise her maknaes shaved ice afterwards, so she had to uphold her word before sleep could happen.
After they had changed into their street clothes, the girls were ushered back into the van. Their manager promised to take them to get their treats once he dropped off Seungwan and Seulgi, who declined the offer of desserts in favour of their beds. So all five girls piled into the vehicle, Joy and Yeri taking the middle two seats and Wendy and Seulgi in the far back.
"Irene, come sit back here," Wendy called to their leader before she could climb into the passenger seat. Joohyun regarded her with tired eyes, a questioning look in her eyes, but didn't say anything.
"Yeah, Joohyun-ah, I'm cold and you have the warmest blanket. Come sit between us and share it, please?" Seulgi added a little pout to her statement, trying to persuade her.
Whether it was Seulgi's puppy eyes, Seungwan's hopeful smile, or the tempting and warm comfort they offered was unknown. Still, Irene did end up sat between her two mischievous members, who seemed very content with that fact. She draped her fuzzy purple blanket, her favourite colour of course, over all three of them the best she could. Seulgi had murmured an appreciative thanks and shifted a bit closer to Joohyun with a smile.
The drive back to the dorm was an hour and a half at least, which gave the maknaes plenty of time to argue over who got to control the AUX cord. Eventually Joy won that fight, though she occasionally handed her phone to Yeri so she could pick a song to play. It made Joohyun happy to see them resolve their own arguments, mostly because it meant she could continue her attempt at a nap.
Somewhere along the line, Seungwan had mustered up enough confidence to drap her arm around Joohyun's shoulders. Her leader had smiled warmly at her and leaned against Wendy, her head falling against her shoulder. Seulgi, who was clutching a teddy bear a fan gave her, had immediately started pouting at the two. They didn't notice right away, as Irene was almost asleep and Wendy was staring out the window.
"Unnie," Seulgi mumbled in a slightly whiny tone, trying her best not to catch the attention of Sooyoung or Yerim.
Irene hummed in questioning but didn't move to look at the girl on her left. Seulgi continued to pout, making the occasional sound of annoyance until Joohyun paid attention to her.
Without opening her eyes, Joohyun fumbled around until she grabbed Seulgi's hand. She laced their fingers together, giving the younger girl's hand a gentle squeeze. Seulgi smiled contently at the skinship and settled back down, free arm still clutching her teddy bear plushie.
Happy with how the girls on either side of her seemed to be satiated by her presence, Joohyun relaxed again against Wendy. It was rather peaceful as she drifted off to sleep, lulled by the gentle motion of the vehicle. She could feeling the comforting weight of Seulgi's hand in hers and the gentle movement of Seungwan's calm breathing. The maknaes were still playing their music but the manager had turned it down to a more comfortable volume, noticing how the three eldest members were half asleep. Joohyun smiled to herself in her drowsy state, enjoying the rare moment of relaxation she was given.
***
Of course, the life of a idol group leader must always go on, even if she is exhausted and in need of some quiet time. This proved to be true when Joohyun was roused from her comfortable nap by all too familiar giggling.
"Shh, Sooyoungie, you'll wake them up!"
Irene opened her eyes to see the vehicle had stopped and the maknaes were leaning over their seats. Joy had her phone out and was very obviously taking pictures of her sleeping older members, laughing to herself. Yeri was giggling along, though she immediately stopped when she realized they had woken their leader.
"Yah, you two. Stop that," Joohyun grumbled, trying to sit up. That wasn't as easy as it sounded, as Seulgi had shifted to lean against Irene, effectively wedging her in between the two 24 year old members.
"But you all look so cute when you're sleeping and not yelling at us," Sooyoung mused with a pointed look at Joohyun. She sighed and turned away from Joy, who seemed smug with her answer.
"Seulgi-yah," Irene muttered and let go of her hand to shake her shoulder gently, "We're back at the dorm."
Seulgi whined lowly in annoyance and stretched indignantly, her eyes barely open as she did so. The brunette girl was still clutching onto the yellow teddy bear with one hand, scrunching her nose up in distaste at being woken up.
Wendy had already woke up when Joohyun had wiggled out of her grasp. She was observing her members groggily, a yawn shaking her body as she tried to wake herself up. She brushed her messy bangs off her forehead, rubbing at her right eye like a tired child. Their manager urged them out of the vehicle to put their things in the dorm, insisting he would pick Irene and the maknaes up for shaved ice after they took off their stage makeup and cleaned up at bit.
As much as the unnie line tried to play off their exhaustion for the younger girls' sake, Joy and Yeri knew how hard promotions had been on their elder members. It was evident in how Seulgi had less energy, not dancing around the dorm as hyperly as usual. It was also in the way Irene lost her temper more quickly; the usually patient leader becoming more easily irritated as she got less sleep. They could see it in the way Seungwan was more serious, not goofing around and being as cheesy as she usually was. It was sad to see them trying so hard to not let their exhaustion show, as Yeri and Sooyoung knew they did it for them. Still, the stubborn unnies would always be stubborn, so there was no point in arguing that they get more rest.
Upon reaching their dorm, Seulgi and Wendy almost immediately disappeared into their shared room. Before doing so, Wendy had stopped beside Joohyun, who was hanging up the maknaes' discarded coats they had left on the couch.
"Unnie," Seungwan said quietly, stopped to snake her arms around Joohyun's waist. Joohyun turned almost immediately to face her, giving the younger girl a shy and tired smile.
"What's up, Wannie? Don't you want to sleep?"
Seungwan shrugged, "Are you okay taking the maknaes on your own? Are you sure you don't want Seul or I to go with you?"
Smiling at her thoughtful worrying, Irene reached up to smooth down an unruly piece of Wendy's hair, "I'm alright, Wannie. Go take a nap, I'm sure Seulgi's pouting because you're not in your room yet."
Wendy opened her mouth to protest but Joohyun shushed her, wiggling from her grasp, "I'll be fine, Seungwan, I promise. Go rest, I'll bring you back a bottle of that iced tea you like, okay."
Seungwan nodded reluctantly and yelped a little when Irene gave her an affectionate pat on the butt to send her in the direction of her bedroom. "Unnie," she whined indignantly, even though she was used to that particular aspect of Joohyun's skinship habits.
"Wendy," Joohyun mocked her whiny tone with laughter in her eyes. She nudged her out of the living room, giving her a small smile as she slipped past to get to her own bedroom. She glanced behind her once, just to catch a glimpse of the brunette disappearing into the room she shared with Seulgi.
Setting her bag down on the chair beside her door, Joohyun glanced around her tiny bedroom and shook her head at its disarray. Usually she was quite organized and tidy but lately she'd been much too exhausted to even bother cleaning up. Which explained the discarded clothes and haphazard pile of books on her floor.
Taking the soft grey bunny out of her backpack, Irene smiled at the gift and placed it on her bookshelf. She had two shelves dedicated to the tiny knickknacks and stuffed animals that fans gifted to her, feeling as though they deserved a place to be displayed. Reveluvs were too sweet to her, Joohyun decided, and she would hug each and every one of them if she could.
"Unnie?" A knock at her door startled Joohyun a bit. She had walked over to vanity to retrieve a makeup wipe, deciding to wear a mask out anyway, hoping to give her skin a break. The soft voice floating through her wooden door tore her from her tired thoughts as she wiped at the glitter under her eyes.
"Come in," she replied softly, knowing it was one of her donsaengs looking to see if she was ready. Sure enough, Yerim peeked her head inside the door, her own face mask pulled down under her chin rather than over her mouth.
Tossing her used makeup remover in the wastebin beside her vanity, Irene smiled warmly at the maknae, "What's up, Yerimmie?"
"Sooyoung was wondering if you were ready to go?"
"Nearly, I'm just going to change into a warmer sweater and find my favourite mask. I'll be out in a few moments, get your coats on, yeah?"
Yeri nodded and offered her leader a small grin before disappearing back into the hall, leaving the door slightly ajar. Joohyun didn't bother shutting it as she grabbed a fluffy white sweater out of the top drawer of her dresser, quickly stripping off her shirt and replacing it with the soft fabric. She dug through her drawers until she came across what else she wanted; her favourite purple face mask.
After adjusting her mask over her mouth and nose, Joohyun observed her reflection in her mirror for a moment, rubbing ruefully at the darkened circles under her eyes. She sighed and grabbed her purse, shutting her door behind her as she went out to find her younger members.
"All set?" She asked them quietly, peeking down the hall at Seulgi and Wendy's room. Their door was closed and no noise emitted from the room, indicating that the two were probably both sound asleep by then.
Joy nodded, tugging on her green jacket and pulling her hair out from under her hood. She latched onto Yeri's arm and bounced on her heels, looking at the younger girl excitedly.
"Shaved ice! Shaved ice!" Yerim chanted, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she seemed to be mocking Sooyoung's excitement. Joohyun rolled her eyes and nudged the two towards the door.
"Let's go, you dorks; Manager Oppa is waiting."
***
"Please hang your coats up, girls. Oh and make sure to brush your teeth tonight, you've eaten a lot of sugar."
Sooyoung rolled her eyes and Yeri gave her a toothy grin, "Yes, mom," they chorused with familiar giggles. Joohyun watched as they kicked off their shoes, hanging their coats up sloppily before disappearing into the dorm.
Sighing, which she felt like she did all too much, Irene reached down to straighten out the boots of her members. She alined them neatly, in order of their owner's ages, and then placed hers beside Seulgi's. As she straightened up she felt thin arms wrap around her waist, making her jump.
"Thank you, unnie," Yerim was clinging to her tightly, "I don't say it enough, but thank you for taking care of us."
Joohyun smiled and turned a bit to properly hug the maknae, "Just doing my job, Yerim-ah. What kind of leader would I be if I didn't love you all?"
Sooyoung was watching from a few steps away, her hair now pulled back into a messy ponytail, "We mean it, Joohyun unnie. You're really dedicated to taking care of us and we don't show our gratitude enough. You're the best leader we could ask for."
Surprised at the sincerity of Joy's words, Joohyun was a little speechless. She opened her arms a bit, with Yeri still clinging to her, and indicated for Sooyoung to join the hug. The tall girl complied, shuffling over and wrapping her arms around her leader's shoulders.
"You two are sweet, now go get some rest. We have a day off tomorrow so make the best of it and sleep well, okay?"
The maknaes nodded and let go, Sooyoung offering Irene a tiny smile before following Yeri down the hall once again. Joohyun shook her head fondly as she watched them, her heart warmed by their sudden affection. No matter how mischievous or crazy the younger girls were, she knew how sweet they really were and she was happy they were part of her little family.
She wandered into the tiny kitchen, only to find that it was rather messy. There were dishes piled in the sink and papers all over the table. It was almost 8 PM and she was already exhausted, but Irene knew she couldn't sleep knowing of the mess. So she set off to clean up, silently collecting dishes from the living room before she began to wash them all. She bummed quietly to herself as she worked, the whole dorm silent otherwise.
She had almost completely cleaned the kitchen when Sooyoung peeked her head around the doorway. Joohyun heard her approach and looked up, concerned when she saw that the young girl looked a little disheveled. Her ponytail was half falling out, most likely from laying on it, and she was clad in fleece pyjamas with dogs on them. Her eyes were worried and brow drawn tightly, emotions that Joy didn't often show.
"What's wrong, Sooyoung-ah?" Joohyun questioned, wiping her hands on a dish towel as she approached the taller woman.
"It's Yeri," Sooyoung's voice was laced with a bit of panic, "She woke up crying really loudly and is complaining of a bad headache. I can't get her to calm down and I'm worried it's another one of her spells she's been having."
Irene immediately dropped the towel and indicated for Sooyoung to lead her down the hall, "How much water did she drink today? Did she eat her lunch?"
Joy shrugged, "She had a bottle of water with her during the fansign and I think she ate lunch today but I was with Wendy unnie so I don't know. I'm not sure but I'm worried, unnie."
"I know, Sooyoung-ah," Irene placed a hand on her shoulder gently as she opened the door to the maknae's bedroom.
"Yerimmie?" Joohyun asked as loudly as she dared, searching for the youngest member's face in the dim lighting. If the girl had a migraine she didn't want to turn on a light, but she had to make sure it wasn't a more serious issue.
"Unnie," Yeri's voice was small and she sniffled as she spoke, "It hurts."
Joohyun walked across the room in an instant, perching gently on the edge of Yeri's bed, "What's wrong, Yeri? What hurts?"
"My h-head," Yeri looked up at her with watery eyes, "And I... I feel s-sick."
Irene nodded, hooking her hands under Yeri's arms to pull her up into a more seated position. She shifted the girl around so she could hold her, brushing hair away from her sweaty skin gently. She hushed the maknae softly when she continued sobbing, holding her against her body as she felt Yeri's hands curl into the fabric of her sweater.
"I know it hurts, I'm sorry, Yeri-yah," she spoke as calmly as she could, feeling Sooyoung's worried gaze on them. She smoothed down her member's hair as she held her, whispering reassurances as she tried to figure out if it was more panic than pain or vice versa.
"Did you have a bad dream or is it just your head hurting? Should I call manager oppa? Do you need to see the doctor, honey?" Joohyun's words were as quiet as she could make them audibly, hoping not to scare the already panicked girl in her arms.
Yeri shook her head, "It j...just h-hurts. I n-need p-painkillers... I t-think."
Irene met Joy's eyes and the young woman nodded, quickly disappearing in the direction of the bathroom to find some headache medicine. Joohyun tried her best to calm Yeri down, rubbing her back and reminding her to breathe slowly so she didn't hyperventilate. The girl tried her best to follow her words, exhaling shakily as she tried to even her breathing.
Sooyoung returned with a pill in hand and a cup of water, holding it out to her roommate cautiously. Yeri thanked her weakly, shifting in Joohyun's arms to take the medication. She winced as she swallowed the pill, downing the whole glass of water before collapsing back into her leader's embrace.
Joohyun sat with Yeri for a while, brushing her hair out of her eyes and holding her close. The maknae let herself be coddled, tears slowing until they eventually stopped; leaving her with stiff and ruddy cheeks. Sooyoung had perched on the other side of Yeri's bed, watching them with concern but clearly unsure of what to do.
"Unnie," Yerim mumbled quietly, "Go to bed, I'll be okay. You need rest."
"Yerimmie, I'm not going to leave you alone," Irene said incredulously, stilling the movement of her hand in Yeri's hair.
"I'm not alone, Sooyoungie is here."
Joy looked a little surprised but nodded quickly, "I can stay up with her if she wants, I don't mind. You should sleep, Joohyun unnie."
Before Irene could protest any more, Yeri sat up and pushed against her leader's shoulder gently, "Go, I'll be fine. Sooyoungie owes me cuddles anyway, she lost that bet about how much chicken Seulgi could eat."
With a sigh and a little chuckle, Joohyun untangled herself from Yeri and got to her feet. She helped the younger girl back under her covers, watching in amusement as she turned to Joy with insistent grabby hands. Sooyoung complied and climbed under the blankets with her roommate, silently letting Yerim snuggle into her arms.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
Sooyoung met Irene's worries gaze over Yeri's head, "I've got her, unnie, don't worry."
"Alright," Joohyun sighed, "Get some sleep, you two. Come find me if you need me again, okay?"
There was a sleepy choruses of agreement and Irene made her way back out of the room, glancing over her shoulder at the two girls. Sooyoung had her arms around Yeri tightly, as if she could physically protect her from any more pain. The younger had melted into her embrace, face hidden in Joy's shoulder and seeming more relaxed. Irene couldn't help but smile at the sight, happy to see soft moments between the two young girls who often fought and bickered.
Returning to the kitchen, Joohyun decided to stay up and go through some emails and things. She had to get them done eventually and she was too worried about Yeri to sleep at that point. So she settled on the couch with her laptop, scrolling through her email and reviewing some things for the company. Of course, she didn't have that much say in things involving her group, but as the leader of Red Velvet she was often the first to be informed about certain things.
Humming quietly to herself again, Irene occupied herself with deleting spam and reading important looking things. She had turned on the TV for some background noise, not paying attention to the quiet murmur of some reality show playing in front of her. Her eyes were heavy but she tried her hardest to stay up, insisting that she should be awake in case Yeri's pain got worse again.
She had just clicked delete on an email about a new diet program when her eyes betrayed her and closed heavily, sending her plummeting into sleep without her consent.
***
"Joohyun-ah, wake up, honey."
"Hyunnie, c'mon to bed."
The soft voices in her ear made Irene flinch away, wanting to escape back into the fitful rest she had been in. She had been dreaming of something, though she wasn't quite sure what, she just knew it had been anxiety inducing. A gentle shaking of her shoulder made her jump into consciousness, opening her eyes in alarm.
"Is Yeri okay?" Was the first thing she asked, thoughts immediately jumping to her youngest member before she could take in her surroundings.
"I'm sure she's fine," that was Wendy, she realized as she became more aware of where she was. She was slouched on the couch, Wendy sitting on her right side and looking at her in concern. She felt a gentle hand run over her hair and turned a bit, finally noticing Seulgi perched on the other side of the couch.
"You should be in bed, unnie," Seulgi chastised her lightly, "You're overworking yourself again."
"I just needed to finish some emails," joohyun protested, noticing that her laptop had been moved to the table. She pouted at Wendy, thinking maybe she'd understand, "And Yeri had another migraine induced panic attack so I tried to stay up in case she needed me."
"Hyun," Seungwan hushed her calmly, "You work so hard and we all really appreciate it, but you need rest too. You take care of us all so selflessly, remember you're human too and you need a break."
"But-"
"No, Joohyun," Seulgi's voice had lost its usual playful edge, "You're so tired and we're worried. You've looked way too stressed out these past few weeks and you haven't been resting. You need to take care of yourself."
Joohyun fell silent, her back was aching and her body felt run down; a clear indication that the two younger women were probably right. She sighed and leaned forward, her head falling to rest against Seungwan's shoulder, "I'm just trying to be the best leader I can be, you girls deserve that."
"You are the best leader, Joohyun. There's no denying that and you're doing so well, don't doubt your abilities. Even leaders need to rest sometimes, it's not your responsibility to coddle us all the time; we're all adults now."
Irene nodded at Seulgi's words, melting into her touch when she rubbed her back gently. She lifted her head to look up at Seungwan, who was watching her carefully, "I'm sorry, if I worried you both. I know I burn myself out sometimes, but I've just been overwhelmed with Yeri's fainting and SM's crazy schedules that I haven't had time to focus on myself."
Wendy reached up, knuckles brushing against Irene's cheek, "It's alright, honey, you mean well. You know if you're feeling burned out we're always here for you, you don't have to do anything on your own."
"Let's go to bed, Joohyunnie, it's almost 2 AM and you deserve a real night's rest for once."
She let Seulgi pull her to her feet, not surprised when the girl steered her in the direction of the '94 liners' room rather than her own single room. She let the younger woman push her down to sit on Wendy's bed, which was pushed up against Seulgi's to create a slightly misshapen double bed.
It was no secret in the Red Velvet dorm about the unnie line's relationship. The three of them had been involved romantically for almost a year and a half by then, though there had been couples amongst the three for years before that. There was no denying that all three women bore feelings for each other, but Seulgi and Irene had been the first to act on it. They dated for a while as trainees but then broke up when a staff member found out and tried to tell the CEO.
Wendy came into the picture later. It was a year and a half into their debut and she confessed to Irene, who didn't harbour the same feelings at the time. Seulgi ended up comforting a dejected Seungwan, which somehow led to them becoming a couple. They broke up for one reason or another, worried about someone finding out most likely. However, there was always tension between the three of them and it wasn't uncommon for Irene to sneak into the younger girls' room for late night cuddling or something along those lines.
Wendy had been the one to bring up polyamory, explaining to the Korean girls who were unfamiliar with the concept. Seulgi had lit up when Seungwan explained, realizing that maybe she wasn't broken just because of her feelings for both of her members. Irene was much more apprehensive, already worried about being outed to the public, and the concept of a triad scared her. She was very worried about scrutiny, especially if the maknaes found out, and panicked in the beginning. Still, she couldn't deny that she had fallen for the two women, Seulgi first and Wendy somewhere down the line.
They made it official after a lot of conversation and rules, setting out boundaries and promising to take it slow; mostly for Irene's sake. The easily startled woman was thankful for her partners' understanding and her heart had been warmed by their carefulness. She soon became more comfortable with the arrangement and was less abashed about showing her affection. It came to the point where Seulgi and Seungwan were no longer surprised when Irene shimmied her way in between them in the night, clinging to one girl and holding the other's hand.
Seulgi and Wendy had been sleeping with their beds pushed together for a long time, finding comfort in being close, though they mostly claimed it was to make more space in their room. It also made things easier when Joohyun joined them in the night, taking her rightful place in between the two younger women. She felt safe in their room, hidden away from scrutiny and cameras, free to express all the affection she had for them.
The maknaes did find out about their relationship, sometime during Bad Boy promotions when Seulgi let something slip. Joy was a little bit weird about it at first, but Yeri insisted that she didn't mind as long as her unnies kept things loving and professional regardless of any arguments. Sooyoung eventually came around, hugging each of her unnies and promising she loved them all the same. The decent reaction of their members and how quickly they accepted it eased Joohyun's worry, making her feel a little less alienated and guilty.
Seungwan walked into the room, Joohyun's pyjamas in hand, and she pressed them carefully into her girlfriend's hands. Joohyun took the action as silent instruction to get changed and she nodded, disappearing to the corner of the room to slip into her nightdress. Seulgi had already climbed into her bed, pressing against the wall to make room for her girlfriends, and Seungwan was fiddling on her phone as Irene changed.
After changing into the purple nightgown that Wendy had brought her, Irene set her clothes on top of Seulgi's dresser neatly. She turned to her girlfriends, looking at them with a worn out expression.
"Yah, don't pout, just come here."
Seungwan stood as she spoke, hands clasping over the older woman's shoulder to steer her towards the bed. With some gentle nudging, Joohyun climbed over beside Seulgi, settling more on her bed to avoid falling in the crevice between the two. Wendy crossed the room, shutting off the light and leaving the room only dimly lit by her bedside lamp. She slid under her covers after that, turning on her side to face Joohyun and Seulgi.
Joohyun was still pouting, eyes heavy with exhaustion, and it was clear she was forcing herself to stay away. Seulgi wasn't helping her attempts though, as the rhythmic patterns she was absentmindedly drawing in the dip of Irene's hip were rather calming.
"Hyun, stop fighting your body; it's okay to sleep. You need to rest, love."
Irene shook her head at Wendy's words, deciding to be stubborn once again. She looked at her youngest girlfriend with puppy eyes, ones that always made Seulgi melt, but they didn't work as well on Seungwan.
"We're not playing this game," Seungwan sighed and shimmied over so she could be face to face with the stubborn woman. Her fingers moved to trace Joohyun's face, slowly following the curve of her nose and dip of her cheekbones. She brushed her thumb across Irene's bottom lip, eyes questioning and waiting for an affirmative nod, which she eventually received. With a small smile, Wendy leaned closer and pressed a chaste kiss against Joohyun's lips, one that was certainly overdue.
She pulled back after a few moments, choosing instead to leave a trail of light kisses along Irene's cheek and jawline. Once she pulled away a bit more, she smiled at the way Joohyun had closed her eyes happily, melting into Seulgi who had wrapped her arms around her middle gently.
Seulgi, who had been watching them adoringly, looked at Wendy with a tiny pout; purely to get a reaction out of her. Seungwan just rolled her eyes and propped herself up so she could lean over Irene, planting a kiss on her other girlfriend's lips as well. Seulgi grinned once she got what she wanted, hand brushing across Seungwan's cheek affectionately.
Turning their attention back to the woman in Seulgi's arms, Wendy snuggled back into her blankets. Joohyun had opened her eyes and was watching them languidly, seeming much more relaxed than she previously been. Seulgi kissed her cheek gently, murmuring something in Irene's ear that Wendy couldn't quite hear. She did, however, figure out what it was when Joohyun replied.
"I love you too," she mumbled sleepily, "I love you both. So much."
Wendy grinned and leaned over again, kissing her girlfriend's forehead, "I love you, Joohyun-ah. We both do, that's why we worry so much. We only want what's best for you, you know that."
Seulgi nodded affirmatively, resuming her previous action of drawing shapes in Irene's skin, "We know you're incredibly selfless, but you should let us take care of you sometimes, baby. It would make Seungwan and I feel much better, knowing you're well rested and safe."
Irene made a sound that must have been one of digression, "Alright, I'm sorry."
"No need to be sorry, Honey," Wendy assured her, "Just let us know if you're feeling overwhelmed. You're never alone, Joohyun, not in Red Velvet and definitely not in this relationship. We're always here, we'll never think anything less of you if you ask for help."
"God I love you," Irene's voice was barely audible now, sleep once again conquering her train of thoughts. Seulgi whispered something in her ear once again, most likely telling her to go to sleep, and the older woman just nodded. There wasn't another sound from Joohyun after that, save for the slow transition of her breathing as she finally fell into rest.
Wendy met Seulgi's eyes again over Irene, smiling at her with a familiar fondness. Seulgi just shook her head with a similar grin, whispering an, "I love you," to the younger.
"I love you too, Seulgi bear," Wendy half turned on her side to shut off the lamp. She returned to the side she had previously been laying on, no longer able to see her girlfriends in the dark. She felt Seulgi's hand searching for hers though and laced their fingers together loosely, effectively keeping Irene between them as Wendy moved closer to them both.
Seungwan eventually fell asleep, lulled into her dreams with the gentle sound of Joohyun's breathing and the rhythmic movement of Seulgi's thumb stroking her hand.
***
When Joohyun woke up she found herself pressed up against Wendy, her arm thrown loosely across the Canadian's waist. The younger was awake, humming to herself as she twined her fingers through Irene's hair.
Tightening her arm around Seungwan, Joohyun snuggled further into her girlfriend to block the sunlight filtering through the window out of her eyes. Realizing she was awake, Wendy chuckled but didn't cease her movements.
"Good morning, Grumpy," she said softly, her lips just brushing Irene's ear as she spoke. Her breath on her skin made Irene shiver and she made a sound that somehow bordered both loving and annoyed.
"Seulgi?" Joohyun asked, throwing an arm behind her to search for her other girlfriend. Her hand only met cold blankets though, indicating that their partner had been absent for a while.
"She'll be back, love," Seungwan replied, her hand moving off Joohyun's hair and down her back. Her fingers began to kneed the tense muscles in the brunette's lower back, trying easing the tension she knew was always there.
Irene let out a little squeak at the contact, her eyes fluttering shut as she melted against Wendy's body. Out of the three of them, the youngest was the best at massages and knew where her partners carried their tension. She was quick to help them get rid of knots and aches, enjoying the knowledge that she could make her girls feel good. It wasn't always sexual, even though the wording certainly made it sound like that, she just wanted to make sure Irene and Seulgi were taking care of their overworked muscles.
Irene leaned forwards, her lips ghosting over Seungwan's exposed collarbone. She shivered at the light touch of lips on her skin, smiling at Joohyun's affection. She still couldn't believe, even after being together for over a year, that Bae Joohyun actually loved her. She had always been closer with Seulgi, and she rejected Seungwan's first confession, so the fact that she was dating the beautiful woman was still a shock to her.
"Hyun?"
Joohyun hummed in response, a low and endearing sound that was laced with sleep and affection.
"I love you."
"I love you too, Wannie," Joohyun replied sincerely, "You and Seul are the best girlfriends I could ask for. Thank you."
"Just doing our jobs, Love," Seungwan short back, "Have to make sure our girl is okay, yeah?"
She received yet another hum and half a dozen tiny kisses against her throat, making her tilt her head back a bit instinctively. Joohyun giggles at the reaction and curled her fingers into Wendy's shirt, continuing with her trail of chaste kisses across the younger woman's skin.
"Being all lovey and sweet without me again?" Seulgi's voice made them both look up, smiling at their girlfriend in the doorway. Irene made grabby hands towards her lover, who laughed and crossed the room without another word. She climbed onto the bed, prompting plopping herself on top of both Joohyun and Seungwan.
"Yah, you're heavy," Wendy complained half heartedly, a loving smile still playing on her lips. Seulgi just grinned at her and pressed a kiss over that smile, muttered a playful, "Shut up," as she did so.
Joohyun made a little sound to get their attention, tugging on Seulgi's sleeve and pouting a bit. The puppy eyes returned, and they worked this time, earning Irene her own kiss from the woman sprawled half on top of her. Unlike Wendy, Irene deepened the kiss and would have happily continued if Seulgi hadn't pulled away after a few moments.
"Calm down, Hyun-ah, I'm not going anyway."
"I didn't get a real kiss from you yesterday, had to make up for it," Joohyun reasoned cheekily, nuzzling her head against Seulgi's shoulder.
Seulgi hummed in acknowledgement and then poked at Seungwan's shoulder, "I made breakfast, it's ready when you two are."
"Five more minutes?" Joohyun asked with a soft whine, her hands finding one of each of her girlfriends', giving them both a tiny squeeze.
Wendy chuckled and nodded, "Whatever our princess wants."
Seulgi agreed almost immediately, rolling off her girlfriends and instead taking her spot on Irene's other side. She threw an arm over Joohyun, letting her hand rest on Wendy's waist. Content with being wedged between her girlfriends, the tiny woman grinned happily and snuggled up to Seulgi for a bit. Seungwan leaned her forehead against Irene's shoulder, enjoying the comfort of their closeness in their rare moments; just the three of them.
Breakfast ended up being a forgotten for longer than just five minutes, as Irene insisted that cuddles were much more important in her resting. With an argument like that, complete with puppy eyes and a cheeky bunny grin, who were Seulgi and Wendy to say no?
***
A/N:
Ahhh this took me so damn long
Not gonna lie, probably 5.5k of this oneshot was written today while the other bit was written over the course of like,,, four months because I'm lazy and had horrible writers block
This is kinda mediocre but I've never written Poly stuff before sooo,,, it's whatever
It's fluffy
We like fluff
Wenseulrene is my weakness
I love my biases + favourite triad :')
You also got some Joyri and some Yerene because uwuwuwu I love soft evil maknaes and leader-maknae lov
Thoughts?
Do y'all want more wenseulrene in the future?
Any other poly ships that you think I could write for? I'm not saying anything for sure but I'm never opposed to suggestions uwu
Also yeri needing IV fluids was an actual thing because she gets so overworked and dehydrated during promotions and they make her perform when she's ill and I stg I'm going to break into SM just to take care of my baby Yerim because she deserves so much better smh
uwuwuwu anyway
DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH I LOVE THESE THREE WOMEN LIKE JESUS CHRIST THEYRE SO SOFT AND ETHEREAL IM GAY
Ice princess Bae Joohyun is really out there stealing my heart while Baby Bear and Wannie are being precious as hell wtf
Red velvet unnie line continues to ruin my life in the best possible way Oof
If you haven't heard Irene's Daegu Dialect/Satoori,,, you're missing out
We stan a smol angry woman
Okay I need to edit this
I'm sick again and I highkey want death when will my immune system get its shit together smh
Might change the title of this,,, idk how I feel about it
I had it called Take Care Of Me in my drafts and I just changed it to Burn Out but idk,,, I'm bad with names
Ahh thanks for reading and supporting my work!!
-CJ 💞
Word count: 7429