Irene sat down on her bed, tired from the constant schedules that had flooded her recent days. She wasn't complaining, everything she wanted to do, she was doing. She was finally able to challenge herself and break out the mould that society had carved around her as just being a visual. She looked down to her phone, she had only managed two hours of sleep with the constant back and forth and so she was glad to be back in the covers that provided her warmth. She looked down at her phone, seeing a series of messages rush onto her lock screen, her eyes widened, and eye brows scrunched up as she looked down towards her phone, seeing messages, from Jennie,Lisa, Rosè, Jisoo, Tiffany, Amber and of course her girls. She straightened up slightly, shuffling to sit up. Her eyes widening when she saw the picture. Her breath caught in her throat, heart thumping loudly seeing him with his head designer. She stifled the gasp that wished to emit from the depths of her throat as she looked closer. She could faintly see Brandon in the back and what looked like Henry not too far away, but her eyes refused to fall away from the first half of the image. He stood alongside her, dressed casually and looking straight but he was not what caught her eyes. She was. Standing next to him in black dress, that looked far more impractical for a Disney land trip. Her hair was pushed back as if she had put effort into her outfit and it was exactly that as well as the way the others stood behind them that made her mind conclude they were on a date. She scrolled through the messages that were tagged alongside the image but nothing was confirmed. She knew she shouldn't feel like this, he didn't owe her anything. Yet it hurt all the more. She looked down at the messages that kept pouring through, but she did not have the heart to respond to any of them. She switched off her phone, head falling to her pillow as she stared up at her ceiling, eyes lining with tears that she was desperately trying to restrict. What they had was nothing more then a few nights. What they had was a constant hit and miss. What they had was genuine feelings at the wrong time. Things were rare between them, almost scarce. And in some respects they were both to blame for that. They messaged religiously, and they talked as much as they could but sometimes it wasn't enough for either of them. She wouldn't be surprised if he had found someone else. Even if he had said countless of times that he doesn't have time for a relationship in public, she knew anything was possible. Just like her own feelings, when it comes to love it can't be tamed. She sighed, her head burying itself
Into the pillow. It always hurt when this happened. Even if he said to her he was willing to wait, even if he said that they'll find their chance someday her hope was diminishing every single second. First it had been the influencer on Instagram that he was chatting too and even if it hurt she tried not to make a big deal out of it because he didn't owe her anything. But this time she couldn't stop the way her heart ached even with the best will In the world, she couldn't. She was hurt. She felt betrayed, as if she had been made a fool off. If he had someone else why didn't he tell her that when he messaged her to congratulate her on the subunit. If he had someone why didn't he mention it when she messaged to congratulate him on the release of team Wang. She sighed, her eyes closing. She was so fucking tired yet once again because of him, sleep was adamant to evade her. She tossed and turned for half an hour, her legs becoming restless as she kicked at the duvet, a small whimper escaping her lips. She looked towards her phone finally switching it on, and deciding to reply to the people she aired in a fit of pain. Just as she finished her phone went of with another notification.

From Jackson
Hey Bae, I saw your music video for naughty and then your solo. I'm impressed. You've out done yourself. Congratulations, we will celebrate together soon. Okay?

Irene stared at the message leaving it on read and turning away from her phone, only to be jolted by her phone suddenly ringing. She looked at it, seeing his identification pop up. Suppressing the eye roll she let it ring out, a string of messages flooding through her lock screen.

From Jackson
Why did you leave me on read?
Irene?
Is everything okay?
Why aren't you answering the phone?
God Bae tell me you're okay. I'm getting worried.
BAE JOO-HYUN!!!!

Irene looked down at her phone with a shake of her head, adamant that if he didn't stop she would throw her phone out the window. His caller identification showed up on her screen again, and unlike before where she let it ring out this time she begrudgingly hit decline, stabbing her screen slightly with her perfectly manicured nail. She threw her phone back onto her bed, pulling the duvet cover over her head slightly just as her phone went off again. She pushed the duvet away, huffing out in pure annoyance as grabbed her phone, noticing that this time she wasn't even given the option of declining. Sometimes she really hated iPhones. Sticking her middle finger up at it, she stared at her phone for a second, the ringtone finally winding her up to the point that she accepted the call. "What!" She snapped. Jackson on the other side was taken back by her tone, a direct contrast from her usual soft voice. "Woah Bae, What's wrong?" Irene suppressed the eye roll, dodging the question. "What do you want?" "To know if you're okay?" Irene laughed slightly, before clamping her hand over her mouth, but Jackson had caught it, and he had caught the bitterness. "I'm fine." "You don't sound okay." "Can you take your psychoanalysis and shove it up your ass." "Irene." He stated in shock. "Jackson I'm not in the mood for this right now." "What has happened? Why are you acting like this all of a sudden." "I've had a long day." "And I understand that but you're not usually like this even if you're tired. What's wrong?" "I don't want to talk to you right now." Jackson was taken aback by that. "Joohyun?" He called out breathily, his heart pounding at her words, they hurt. No matter what they were going through, no matter what they were struggling with they always would turn to each other. When their worlds were falling apart, they still took solace in each other and now with her words he felt as if they didn't even have that. What took him more by surprise was the sob that emitted from the other side, he called her name again but this time he was answered with the line being cut. Irene held the phone to her chest before finally allowing months of torment to take over, her tears fell endlessly down her face . Jackson sat down at his office desk, leaning against it softly, his phone still in his hand as he looked on in disbelief. He heard a knock on his door, his head designer entering with a nervous smile, he paused, his eyes casting down to his phone before launching back to the woman in front of him. "Is everything okay?" He asked. "Yeah. You wanted the designs for the next collection." "Yeah thanks. And thanks for today. I had fun." He smiled back, as he watched her leave,  before launching back down into his chair, a hand to his head as he spun around trying to gage what was happening. He looked back down at his phone.

From Jackson.
Jennie what's wrong with Irene? She's literally ignoring me.

From Jennie
🙄🙄🙄 work it out.

From Jackson
Would I be messaging you if I wasn't trying too?

From Jennie
*attachment sent.* if you were gonna start something with someone else you should have at least told her. You should have at least let her know, because she's been stuck hoping ever since that night happened between the two of you. She thought you were the one. She fucking waited so long for you Jackson. If you weren't feeling it why did you lead her on? She could have been happy with someone else who actually gives a shit about her. Yet here she is still waiting for you to show up.

From Jackson
Fuck! It wasn't like that though. She's just a friend.

From Jennie
But does she know that? Hell does Irene know that?

From Jackson
I get what you're saying Jen I do. But Irene doesn't have anything to worry about.

From Jennie
But that's where you're wrong. She has a lot to worry about Jackson. You're not here half of the time. Do you understand how draining that is? You two have no official titles either. You guys aren't boyfriend and girlfriend, and she saw you with that instagram influencer as well. How do you think she feels seeing you with your head designer now? She's tired of the half signals and the hit and miss. Can you blame her? You've been playing this game for three years. And I don't mean to sound like a bitch but you know what age means in our society. She's now thirty, she's getting asked when will she finally settle down to have a family, and every single time she brushes it away because she can't bring herself to think of a future without you but you clearly can. Let her go if you have no intentions of holding on.

From Jackson
You've got this all wrong Jen. I took the entire team out. And I understand that, but she said she was fine with it before.

From Jennie.
You may have taken the entire team out Jack, but look at the picture. She looks like she's dressed for a date, who the fuck where's that to Disney land? She's looking at you up and down, not to mention the fact that you guys are literally the only two standing together. Irene hasn't said anything before because she didn't want to annoy you. She knows you hate it when you're second guessed and so she kept quite. But it doesn't mean that she wasn't suffering underneath it. The amount of people that had sent her this and the other one, with messages asking what's going on...do you understand how heartbreaking it must have been for her to say she doesn't know.

From Jackson
I've messed up.

From Jennie
You have. Sort it out. Bye.

Jackson looked down at the messages before standing up. He knew she wouldn't answer his calls or messages for the matter. Not when she was this hurt. He sighed taking a laboured breath before turning to his screen typing away to book a flight to Korea. He knew he couldn't stay for long, but he needed to make this up to her. He turned his phone over messaging her girls separately to plan something.

Two days had gone past, he had been messaging her but Irene hadn't paid her phone much attention even if she wanted too. She was busy with the script reads for the film as well as promotions for naughty alongside scheduled training sessions for the dream live concert that had been organised. And once again she walked through her door, head in hand as she closed her eyes, dropping her bag to the floor and allowing her feet to slip into the slippers that lay neatly at her disposal. She shuffled forward, her nostrils catching the scent of lavender candles her eyes shooting open to see hundreds of candles lit around their house with rose petals decorated everywhere. "Geez Seul if you had a romantic night planned you could have told me." She rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath and walking further in, her eyes widening as they locked into the familiar hazel eyes. She paused, before turning to walk towards her room, completely disregarding his presence and ignoring the way her heart fluttered. She walked quickly, only to be halted by the grip on her wrist that spun her back into his arms. She avoided his gaze, shoving at the arms that had now locked onto her waist. "Jackson I am not in the mood right now." He remained silent watching her intently as she struggled. "Jackson Wang I swear to god." He left her waist, and just as she turned to move, he found his voice. "You know I'll never outwardly force you into anything Irene, I could never, but I would have thought that you would be able to talk to me about what's bothering you." "I'm fine." She gritted out. "Like hell you are." "What the fuck do you want me to say Jackson. I'm fed up of this. I'm fed up of the constant yearning to be yours. I'm fed up of the fucking disappointment every single goddamn time I see you with someone else. That pain I never put you through because you mean too much to me, but how the fuck would you like it? I know you don't owe me anything, and I also know that what we had was just a couple of nights, nothing more. You've made that clear, so if you please excuse me I haven't had a proper nights sleep in awhile and my bed is calling out my name." He grabbed for her again. "Why didn't you tell me if this is what you were feeling?" "It doesn't matter." "That's where you're wrong. It means the most. I understand Irene I do. You think I don't long for you the way that you do but that's where you're wrong. I yearn for you more because I'm the one that moves all the time, you don't know how guilty I feel and how much I want you. I'm sorry Babygirl. I'm so so sorry, for all of this. For making you feel like you're second best or as if you don't have my attention but it's not true. She's just a friend; a colleague an employee, a boundary I would never over step so please." She looked up at him. "Go home." She whispered. "No. Not until we solve whatever this is. Not until you forgive me. And not until we make this official." Her eyes widened in surprise. "I want you Joohyun only you. As Irene Bae or as Joohyun Bae either way it's only you until I make you an official member of team Wang and call you my wife. I love you. And I'm sorry I've hesitated for so long to say the words. I thought I was making it easier for us, but I realise now how wrong that was of me. Please forgive me. I love you. Please." He looked at her seeing the tears shine in her eyes. He took a step closer wiping away at the tear that fell until she crashed into his chest, finally allowing herself to expose her feelings to him. She whispered the words back, his own heartbeat pounding drastically and with a small part their lips crashed against each other, finally claiming each other as one.

The end

Authors note:
Hey guys hope you enjoyed this one. Let me know what your thoughts are on this one, I'd appreciate the feedback. Requests are still open if you have any.