After Jackson took his time to cool down and revaluate his thoughts he began trying to contact her desperately.
Message after message.
Phone call after phone call going missed as he sighed out of frustration. He hated himself for walking away from her, he proved her words true when his heart was always in the right place. He stood up pacing back and forth trying to comprehend what to do. How to get through to her? How to get her back in his arms where she belonged. He looked at his phone. March 28th staring back at him. It was his birthday. Another one he would have to spend without her love. The boys suddenly barged into his room, halting as they saw the look in his eyes. They looked at one another waiting before drawing him into a group hug. "Happy birthday Jack." He gave them a bittersweet smile. "Thanks guys." He said solemnly. He looked down to his phone waiting to see if he would at least get a message from her to wish him, his mood deflating as his phone blared with messages none from her though. The boys left Jackson to his deteriorating mood phoning up the girls to put the plan in action.

Irene hadn't moved from her bed. She hadn't eaten for days. She hadn't come out from the comfort of her duvet choosing to seek solace in her own self rather than him. Her phone had been switched off and thrown into a cabinet. The girls majority of the time stayed out of her way. Knowing that they needed to let her heal. But the pain was unbearable. She had gone through multiple stages of feeling numb to hating him to hating herself. And she stuck with the final one. She had always been insecure. Her heart broken one to many times in the hands of others and now it broke in her own hands. She didn't hate him. She didn't blame him. She understood his heart better now but her mind still seemed to be conspiring against her happiness. Telling her that he lied to her and that he could do it again. Her rib cage was empty without its heart, no one to counter argue against her mind. But wasn't that the whole basis of love? Everyone was going to hurt you, but you have to decide who is worth suffering that pain for. And he was. She would gladly take poison after poison if it meant she could stay with him for longer. Even if he was the one feeding the poison she would gladly accept it from him because without his love all she felt was a dull ache in her chest and she needed the medicine that only he could administrate to her. Her hand went into the draw fishing out her phone and switching it on. Message after message rolling through...her gut clutching with every voice mail, every message until she locked her screen, her eyes flashing to the date. It was his birthday, another one she would miss because of her pride and mind. She pushed the covers off standing finally her legs wobbly as she took support of the wall. Her eyes were puffy and red as was her nose. She tied up her hair walking out of her room the girls turning to watch as she moved silently, no words spoken, the evidence written all over her face. She remained turned missing the silent exchange between the other four girls as joy stood up. "We are going out tonight." She said clapping her hands to grab Irene's lingering attention. "Oh have fun." She said. Suelgi face palmed. "Your coming with us." She said. Irene knew she would not win the battle against them and so didn't bother, restricting herself to a nod as she flopped down into her chair, the girls sharing looks of concern at her passivity. "Gosh Irene you need a shower." Said joy sniffing her. "Did I ask you to sniff me? No I didn't." She said standing, leaving her untouched breakfast, losing her appetite the moment she brought the food to her mouth. She began walking away. "Irene..." called Wendy calmly as she walked back into her confinement. They shared looks of worry. "We need to get them back together. I can't watch her like this. She's taken it harder than anticipated." Said Yeri. "She's in love with him Yeri. She has been for years and the moment she finally let herself feel it, when she finally accepted it life decided to rip it out of grip like it was never hers in the first place." Said Wendy as Seulgi flopped down next to them. "She's always been scared to love. She's always ran from it but she needs his love in the same way he needs hers. The thing with Irene is she's never vocal about feelings. It's hit her harder because for once she's not running away from it and feeling it head on." She said Wendy nodding in agreement. They looked at the clock. "What time does his party start?" Joy asked. "Five." Replied Yeri as the girls moved around clearing things up. An hour later Wendy knocked on Irene's door, sitting next to the huddle that was back under the covers. She sighed wrapping her arms around Irene who poked her face out of the covers. "Talk to me irene." She said watching the tears return to the older girls eyes. "You know irene... I saw it in his eyes years ago, and it's the same look I see till this day. He loves you. He loves you a lot and it's painfully obvious to everyone but you. I saw the way his eyes searched for yours for years, the way they would follow your figure, the way they would soften when you would walk past. We all saw it. He's been in love with you for so long irene. He would never try and sabotage that. All he's wanted to do since he's entered your life is teach you to love yourself, all he's wanted is to see that cold look disappear. All he's wanted to do  is to reignite the fire in your heart that was quenched by the people who didn't deserve it in the first place. That night you said you didn't believe what he said. Why did you lie? Why Irene...why lie when you saw it in his eyes, his words and his actions? You know I don't support the whole Youngji thing, she's in the wrong but being in love is about taking risks, it's about trusting the other one to not break your heart and he's been trying so hard to keep it beating. So why would you openly self sabotage your love?" She questioned watching Irene turn away. She couldn't answer Wendy's questions. "It's because your scared..." her voice carried through. "You can't be scared Irene...I know that your heart has suffered I'm aware and he knows that too. He would never consciously hurt you, hell he wouldn't do it subconsciously, he loves you too much to watch your eyes fill with tears and it would kill him if he was the reason for those tears. He was breaking that night watching you, thinking that he was responsible for that. Love isn't something you are supposed to fear. Jackson has spent a lot of time trying to chase away your fears and insecurities but you need to meet him half way." She whispered. Irene sat listening and absorbing every word. "Your an amazing leader Irene, none of us doubt your capability. We would follow you blindly because we trust you and we know your heart and that's why I'm saying what I'm saying. You deserve to be loved. Don't run away from it out of fear. We often want things so bad that we ruin it by overthinking, doubting, worrying and expecting. Just let it evolve naturally. You both deserve a win." She said. Leaving Irene alone. She sat up in her bed, the tears finally halting.

The girls sat ready hours later, a tense look on their faces as they looked at each other and the clock. "Do you think she will come?" Said Yeri. They began to doubt it as the clock ticked nearer to five. Suelgi sighed standing. "She's not-" Suelgi was cut of by the sound of clicking heels and a door closing. Their eyes turned widening at Irene who stood there gracefully. "Are we leaving?" Astonished they nodded running out the door in quick succession, Suelgi adamant that she wanted to drive. Irene sitting in the back between joy and Wendy as she stared out, her mind retreating back to him, her eyes lowering to her phone every five minutes as if she was contemplating her next step. Two hours later after Yeri lost them they arrived at their destination. Irene completely out of it not realising that she was at his house. They entered, her eyes lowered as the loud music hit her ear drums repetitively. The girls spotted the boys going up to them. Irene finally being brought back into reality as her eyes widened. She looked at the girls in shock, suddenly feeling uncomfortable, her hands becoming callous as she looked around her eyes fixing to his form as he conversed with RM. She felt her heart skip a beat; he was dressed in a black suit, the blazer open and highlighting his physique, a white dress shirt underneath contrasting with the black. His hair slicked to the side. He looked perfect. The boys and girls watched her small smiles on their faces as Jackson felt someone's eyes on him. His eyes connecting with hers. His eyes widened slightly, his conversation with RM halting as RM smiled at his friend. Irene broke the eye contact, looking down. He saw the tear that she wiped away quickly. She looked perfect as usual. Dressed in a black velvet dress that finished mid thigh. It clung to her curves expressing her figure to the eyes of everyone in the room, her shoulder blades laying on display. Her hair was pulled into a low messy pony tail, with locks framing her face. A choker emphasising her swan like neck. Her lips coated with a deep red shade, her eye lashes covered in mascara to give them volume and extension, eye liner outlining the shape of her eyes. She was stunning, his own heart skipping as she conversed with the boys. Him and RM walked up to them. The girls hugging him besides Irene wishing him happy birthday and engaging him in conversation. His attention wavering for a second, Irene using this as her escape route. She sat down away from the group. Jin sitting with her out of nowhere engaging her in a half hearted conversation. Jackson's eyes returning moments later  to her now missing spot. He looked around watching her with Jin, his eyes fixated on the two as the others watched him. They saw the fed up look in her eyes as she turned away from Jin walking off, the rest laughing at the way his face fell. She sipped on a drink, the alcohol not strong enough to forget the pain. "And next up we have a performance from Irene." Announced Joy. Irene turned, everyone applauding her as her eyes widened before glaring at Joy who pulled her to the stage right past Jackson who's eyes followed her. She breathed in, her eyes closing for a second.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

(I changed some of the lyrics btw to make it from Irene's perspective)

Go out of your way for a reaction
Part of which we never agreed to
Keep options open
Hoping hopelessly that you'll stay down
I should've thought this over
I'm now aware that this is how I feel now
In time
Back and forth between telling truth and lies
Should I say how I feel or keep my pride now?
So lethal, bae, you know it's suicide without your love

She had everyone captivated with her voice, dead silence echoing as they listened to the almost husky nature of her voice. Should she keep her pride? Was the question. Her eyes meeting his at the end of the first half, she was falling without his love.

Keep me up at night
If I should die
Hope that you want me to
Hope that you know the truth, yeah
But if I put you aside and do what I want
Would you be alright, alright, alright with it?
Or would you realize, realize, realize?

She didn't break it. Not for a second. Everyone feeling secondary in the conversation between two lovers.

Why are we fighting?
Why don't we try (Try), doing it right?
Scared of the dark while won't let in the light
If we don't, we don't, we don't
Then we'll never know, oh, oh
Sour to the pack, I know you hate that
Try to escape the fakes, which you can't blame me for
Trying to find something to make me feel good
Boy you know no other girl could do you like I

She no longer knew why they were fighting. She no longer knew why she was avoiding him.

Yes
Just love me right here, in this moment
And I can show you

Keep me up at night
If I should die
Hope that you want me to
Hope that you know the truth, yeah
But if I put you aside and do what I want
Would you be alright, alright, alright with it?
Or would you realize, realize, realize?

Irene finished the song, the audience breaking into applause as she broke the eye contact moving off the stage as everyone came up to her conversing with her, his eyes locked onto her as she made attempts to run away. And she managed to. But she crashed straight into his chest, his arms steadying her as she clung to him slightly for support. Her eyes casting up to his. She took a step back gulping before being whisked away by a new comer into the industry. Jackson's hand rested in his pocket as he watched her.

Hours had gone by, people leaving, the girls remaining despite her desperate attempts to leave. They had changed out of their clothes into comfortable clothes, Mark giving Irene Jackson's plain white t-shirt that looked more like a dress on her,  as they regrouped to cut his cake privately. The girls and guys worked on setting the cake up as Irene and Jackson walked back in crashing against each other again. He looked down smiling at the shirt as she made attempts to run. His hand encircling against her waist to stop her. He saw the tears shine in her eyes as she looked up at him. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'm so sorry jack." She continued slightly louder taking a step back. "I don't deserve you." She said turning away only for him to halt her, his lips kissing her cheek his arms wrapping around her front as her eyes closed, tears sprouting out. "I love you." He said. She turned in his arms, her hand resting on his cheek as he nuzzled into it. "I love you too." She said finally. His eyes watering at the words he was dying to hear. He crashed his lips down to hers devouring hers as she responded equally passionate not willing to let go, her hands pulling on the strings of his hoodie, laying against his chest as the boys and girls high fived each other. They broke apart, Irene resting her head on his chest, her arms wrapping around his waist his own wrapping securely around her his eyes closing as joy sneakily took a picture.

They let them have their moment before Youngjae called out. "Hey lover birds, this is cute and all but this perfectly creamed cake is melting...soooo." They laughed as the two detached themselves Jackson cutting the cake with a smile on his face that the boys were relieved to see. It was the same relief the girls expressed as Jackson fed irene some cake. The evening drawing to a close relatively early as Jackson and Irene headed to his room.

(⚠️)

He looked at her, his eyes darting to her lips pushing her up against the wall, before kissing her. She moaned against him the feeling that she had missed finally returning, her heart being replanted in its cage by the owner who worked her out. Jackson picked her up heading to the bed, laying her down gently, his lips moving to her neck as clothes came flying off, hickey's imprinted on their skin, her breathy pants music to his ears. He kissed her forehead. "Gosh your perfect he uttered." Kissing every inch of her body. He looked at her his eyes asking for permission. His lips reached back to hers before leaving again. He kissed the inside of her thigh, hearing her take a sharp in take of bed. She felt him smirk as he drew closer his tongue lapping on her wetness, her eyes rolling back as she tugged on his hair. "Jack." She moaned. He continued drawing her nearer as she came. He drank her down his lips meeting hers as he lined up with her, going painfully slow before picking up the pace. Her hands wrapping around him lightly scratching his back as he continued. He took her over and over again. "Jack I'm gonna-" he looked at her, his eyes meeting hers before meeting her lips. He worked her out, cumming simultaneously.

The following morning she lay asleep in his arms where she belonged, their skin touching as he kissed her forehead, her eyes fluttering open into his as he kissed her awake. "Happy birthday Babygirl." He whispered. She smiled. "Thank you." She said kissing him again. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY IRENE." The rest of them shouted barging in as Jackson pulled the covers up around them. Their eyes widened as they quickly ran back out the door. Irene and Jackson laughing at their family.

TBC

Authors note:
Happy birthday to the ultimate bias' of kpop Jackson and Irene. They both deserve a lot of love and I know that they will continue to do amazing things. God bless them and fulfil all their hopes and dreams. I hope you all enjoy this update. Let me know what your thoughts are about this one. I look forward to hearing back. Lots of love and best wishes to you all. Stay safe xx