Taeyeon paced back and forth in the confines of the dimly lit studio.

Her line of vision fell on the jet black phone that was placed upside down on the spare table. Reaching for her shortly-abandoned phone, Taeyeon unlocked it and reread the message sent by an informer - a reliable source of information - which she gathered throughout the years in business. Having confirming her own eyes hadn’t deceived her, soon there was a pit of fire, raging flames that proceeded to burn inside her stomach, threatening to penetrate the thin, unarmed body of fragility of hers. Her eyes burns in accordance with her fuming anger, bright gleaming red was flashing around her dark pupils, an unwanted sight and also an indicator of darkness slowly engulfing her soul. Taeyeon slumped into the chair, placing her right hand over the upper half of her own face.

Calm down, Taeyeon. You mustn’t let it get to you.

Her own voice rang inside her head. Taeyeon heaved a sigh, it was a moment of vulnerability, a moment where she was on the verge of letting another tiny piece of her soul slip into the demon’s clenching jaws - but all was well, now that she was regaining rationality and clarity of the mind, she was back to her normal tranquil self. Leaning back, Taeyeon reopened her eyes and the dangerous red glow was already too faint to be noticed. Her hands clasped together between her knees and the gears inside her head began turning. She may not possess the business and political acumen like the chive executive of her agency company, but she had been venturing in this field long enough to know how the game worked, and will work. She just didn’t foresee how unabashed and pathetic this industry could become after all these years.

Disqualifying a participant so that another business tycoon’s daughter could take the place? It was beyond filthy, it was obscene, it was obnoxious.
 

Taeyeon was taken aback by the ugliness of it all, but it was an ubiquitous act. The music industry had long been crumpled by business corruption. Unlevelled game field between companies and briberies…Elements so commonly seen yet unspoken of, many chose to keep their mouth zipped for the sake of their own career. And so the vicious cycle went on.

Yes, it was an unsurprising news for Kim Taeyeon, someone who had spent the last decade as a popular artist. Yet this was the first time she cared - god knows if their next step is to bribe the judges as well to ensure that girl, born with a silver spoon in , to win the singing competition?

It was fairly well possible for them to do so.

She clenched her phone, contemplating what her next step should be. Should she have a little ‘chit-chat’ with the corrupted production team personally? Or should she protest to her agency in hope to resort some kind of balance back into the competition? Or perhaps she should remain laissez-faire like she used to all the time, keeping her hands clean was key to survival in a dark industry like such.

But she couldn’t sleep on the thought of having any vicious act destroying dreams and hopes - Tiffany’s hard-earned, final chance of pursuing her dreams.

Look at you though, a hypocrite calling dirty tricks obnoxious when you made a deal with a demon to gain another life chance. 

‘Taeyeon?’ Tiffany’s voice was heard by the doorway. ‘Did I come at a bad time?’ 

Upon hearing the incomer’s uncertain voice, Taeyeon quickly dissipated her pathetic feelings as well as her frustrations. Straightening her posture, Taeyeon tried pretending to be her usual self. Taeyeon knew her waves of emotions had always been unmaskable, that was also a solid reason for her to reject going into acting, she simply couldn’t hide everything with perfect upturned lips.

‘No - no, Tiffany. Please sit down.’ She cleared before gesturing Tiffany to take a seat.

‘Is everything okay?’ Tiffany sat across the table besides Taeyeon, she feigned confusion.

No. 

The shorter woman’s answer instantly flashed across her mind, it nearly slipped through her mildly parted lips but she pursed them close just in time. It was her duty to tell Tiffany the situation, sooner or later the latter would either find out herself, or told by the production team about the drastic change in the competition. Taeyeon would rather deliver the message toTiffany in advance hence Tiffany could have more time to gear up, step up her game - mentally and physically.

Yes.

Somehow she would have to break the news, for Tiffany’s sake, but not so detailed because this was a Pandora’s Box.

‘I - ’ Taeyeon paused mid-sentence and raffled her silver-coloured hair in frustration. ‘I was informed that a strong competitor joining.’ She chose the neatest possible way to avoid giving intricate information. 

Tiffany only blinked, uncertain about what to make of with this piece of unexpected information.

‘Oh, you can join halfway through quarter finals?’

Judging by the levity in Tiffany’s tone, Taeyeon had every justifiable reason to believe that the woman didn’t quite catch the point - or maybe she did, but she was only trying to keep everything down, to let it slide. Taeyeon’s brows drew closer together, clenching her fist between her knees. 

‘No, this is a rare case and that is some ugly truth about this industry - but you don’t need to know that, sometimes ignorance is a bliss.’ 

‘I’m also 28 years-old you know, I can handle that just fine.’ Tiffany protested, disliking how the other woman intended to treat her like a fragile being when in fact she was quite the opposite.

‘Trust me, Tiffany, it’s for your own good not to know too much, at least not now.’ There was a note of finality in Taeyeon’s voice.

Not now. The senior woman emphasised on this particular part. It was still too soon for Tiffany - someone so passionate and devoted to music - the filth would tarnish an innocent soul like h