Spectrum of Red. [LISRENE]

3

1 November 2021

Irene sat in her apartment, dimly lit by a single lamp, a bottle of wine on the table next to her half-empty glass. The last few days had been brutal. The public backlash over rumors that she had been rude to her staff was overwhelming. She knew it wasn’t true—she had always treated people the way they treated her. But the world didn’t care for the truth, only for drama. Her thoughts went back to that day with Yeri...

Flashback:

Yeri had been singing during break time, her soft voice filling the room as she hummed a tune, unaware of the tension building across the room. Suddenly, a staff member snapped,

“Can you stop? It’s break time, not concert time!”

Yeri’s face fell instantly, her lips trembling as she snuggled against Irene’s chest for comfort. Irene felt the heat rise inside her, anger bubbling up. She stood up, turning to the staff member, voice tight but steady.

“Why would you speak to her like that?”

Irene demanded.

The staff member, looking unbothered, scoffed.

“She was singing, and it was annoying.”

Irene’s fists clenched.

“It’s her break too. She wasn’t hurting anyone.”

The staff rolled their eyes and walked off, but not before playing the victim card to others. Irene was livid, but it didn’t matter—soon after, that same staff left the company, turning everyone else against Irene.

Now, isolated from her group and unable to contact anyone, the weight of it all was finally sinking in. Irene was tipsy, staring blankly at the wine glass when the doorbell rang. She hesitated for a moment, cautiously walking to the door. Checking the monitor, her heart leaped—her mother was standing there.

She flung open the door, tears already threatening to spill.

“Mom...”

She whispered before throwing herself into her mother’s arms.

Her mother, sensing her daughter’s distress, immediately pulled her into a tight embrace.

“Oh, sweetheart...”

She murmured, soothingly rubbing Irene’s back as she broke down. Irene sobbed hard, her body trembling as she let out all the hurt and frustration she had been holding in for days.

“I-I couldn’t talk to anyone, Mom,”

Irene choked out between sobs.

“They’ve been saying horrible things about me. I didn’t even do anything wrong...”

Her mother kissed her forehead gently, guiding her inside.

“Shh, it’s okay. I know you didn’t, sweetheart. I know you too well. My Bae Joohyun doesn’t hurt people without reason.”

They sat down on the couch, Irene’s head resting on her mother’s shoulder.

“It’s all so unfair,”

Irene whispered.

“Yeri was just... she was just singing. And when I stood up for her, they turned on me like it was my fault.”

Her mother shook her head, brushing a strand of hair out of Irene’s face.

“People love to play the victim when they’re the ones in the wrong. But your members know who you are, Joohyun. They’re the ones who asked me to come. They’ve been so worried about you.”