Celebrity Neighbor: My girlfriend is a big star?

It was clear that the young girl in front of her was a newcomer who had just started her job. Bae Juhyun fished out a packet of tissues from her pocket, took out two sheets, and handed them to the girl under her surprised gaze.

"Got scolded?"

"Mmm... yes..."

"Don't take it too much to heart. Chief Park has a quick temper. You should have had a contingency plan ready for such things. Take this as a lesson for next time."

"Okay... thank you, Irene."

The sweet "Irene" brought an even bigger smile to Bae Juhyun's face. Resting her chin on her hand, she smiled and teased, "Feeling better now?"

"Mmm."

"Let's go over the procedure. Show it to me."

It wasn't actually anything too complicated—just a simple street performance where she would sing a song and casually interact with fans.

It was a routine activity, not even going to be broadcast on TV. During slower periods, Seong Taekyon would arrange similar jobs for her to maintain her visibility.

"Ah! Okay, here it is."

Taking the schedule in her hand, Bae Juhyun glanced at it while also turning on her phone.

After confirming there were no messages, she frowned in dissatisfaction.

"This guy... didn't even reply to my message."

Though her voice was low, the assistant in front of her still heard her muttering.

Worried Bae Juhyun might be confused about something, the assistant nervously asked, "Is there something you don't understand?"

"Oh, it's nothing." Bae Juhyun put away her phone and smiled, waving it off before earnestly studying the schedule. She stuffed her phone into her bag, leaving it aside.

About half an hour later, Bae Juhyun put away the schedule and gave the assistant a song title.

"Play this song later; I'll sing it."

"Okay, I'll let the organizers know."

"If you can't find the instrumental, I can send it to you."

"Ah, it's fine. I have the instrumental here!"

"Perfect."

Because she was filling in at the last minute, the audience outside had no idea Bae Juhyun was on the guest list for today.

It wasn't until she suddenly appeared on stage and someone in the audience shouted her name in surprise that she smiled and waved to the few hundred people below.

"Oh my god! It's Irene!"

"Red Velvet's Irene?"

Holding the microphone, Bae Juhyun sweetly said, "There are quite a few of you here today. Good afternoon, everyone."

"Good afternoon!"

"Irene! Did Liu Xin'an come too?"

Given that it had only been a day since she went public with her relationship, naturally, there were people in the audience who knew about her announcement yesterday.

But Bae Juhyun certainly couldn't openly mention Liu Xin'an in such a setting.

She knew she was here to fill in, not to steal the spotlight. In a situation where minimizing her public scrutiny was crucial, keeping a low profile was the best choice.

As for why, despite such a critical period, Seong Taekyon wanted her to fill in...

It was probably because he thought this was a very minor performance that would at most spread a bit online.

It wouldn't likely cause much trouble.

But as everyone knows, if nothing goes wrong, an unexpected turn is just around the corner.

Many people viewed her appearance as one of the most perfect among idols of her generation, but it's crucial not to forget that she was the only one in Red Velvet who debuted with all A's in every category.

In other words, it wasn't just about her superior looks. Her dancing, singing, acting... and every other metric of idol proficiency were all top-notch.

So, such a small event was hardly a challenge for Bae Juhyun.

Her flawless singing quickly captivated the entire audience.

After the first chorus ended, Bae Juhyun was smiling and waving at the audience, whose loud cheers drew her gaze to the source of the shouting.

And then...

Clutching the microphone, a look of surprise flashed through Bae Juhyun's beautiful eyes. It soon dissipated, replaced by a glimmer of excitement, making her already lovely smile even more enchanting.

Because in the crowd below, she spotted the tall, handsome man at once.

Even though he was wearing a mask, those familiar eyebrows and eyes immediately gave away his identity.

Yes, it was her boyfriend, Liu Xin'an, whom she had happily introduced to her fans just yesterday.

It was clear that Bae Juhyun wasn't the only one who recognized Liu Xin'an; it caused quite a stir in Korea when their relationship was revealed, and with Bae Juhyun herself on stage, some of the onlookers soon identified Liu Xin'an as well.

With Bae Juhyun present, the already lively crowd grew even more excited, turning the scene chaotic.

"Oh my god! Liu Xin'an is here too!"

"So romantic~"

...

In such an atmosphere, Bae Juhyun finally finished her song.

But since Liu Xin'an had come to the event, it wouldn't be easy to finish the performance quietly and leave.

With no other choice, under the pleading eyes of the organizers and the assistant, Bae Juhyun didn't leave immediately. Instead, she put one hand on her hip and looked at the man who made her smile so brightly with a playful pout.

"Hey, why did you come here?"

Her intimately phrased question made the audience instantly understand who Bae Juhyun was teasing.

The organizers made sure to focus the camera on Liu Xin'an's face.

Something amusing happened: caught off guard, Liu Xin'an clearly had no idea everyone was looking at him. Initially bewildered, he then removed his mask and flashed a polite, albeit awkward smile.

He pointed at himself, seemingly asking Bae Juhyun if she was talking to him.

Not only did the audience laugh, but Bae Juhyun on stage also couldn't hold back and burst into a giggle.

"Yes, you, the lucky gentleman in the audience."