Taeyeon is suitably pleased when Stephanie admits she’s nervous. If the leader of the most successful group in the company is feeling nervous, she must be doing it right. She may be young. She may be pretty. But one thing she is not and will not be, is easy. CEOs are never easy. At least the good ones aren’t.

She makes herself comfortable on a wooden chair and nods. “You may begin.”

The popular idol turns on her magic and flashes one of those smiles she is well known for. Through that, Taeyeon understands why Stephanie is able to lure thousands of young people into her web of charm. That smile is no ordinary smile. It is a killer smile. One look and it will light up your day, regardless of how bad it has been. Stephanie is a lucky girl to own a smile like that.

“My name is Stephanie Hwang Miyoung. I am Fany-Fany-Tiffany! Leader and cheerleader of Pink Generation. Today, I will present my singing and dancing skills.”

Leaning back, Taeyeon folds her arms and watches the performance. Tiffany’s expression is on-point. She knows exactly when to smile and when to put on a seductive expression. Her jaw almost drops when Tiffany lies down on the floor and executes a series of leg lifts and bends with both power and grace, but she stops herself in time. She will betray no expression. That is the rule.

\/\/

Home after a long day at work, Taeyeon makes herself a cup of coffee before sitting down to review the showcase she watched today. She opens her notebook and reads a few pages before realizing she hadn’t written any for Tiffany. Tiffany the female idol group leader had her jaw come so close to dropping that she hadn’t had any time to jot any notes at all.

Damn, that woman has a fine . It is curved just right and looking at it makes her feel satisfied. So satisfied, in fact, that Tiffany’s was all she could think about for the rest of the day. Okay, maybe not all. Taeyeon is pretty sure she spent a fair share of her thoughts on Tiffany’s shoulders as well. What is it about Tiffany’s shoulders and the careless way she wears her jacket so that it slips off and hangs halfway down her arm? How does she make it look so y?

Picking up a pen, Taeyeon writes. y idol. Favourite parts: Smile, eyes, shoulders, . She puts down her pen. Looks at her notes. Then picks up her pen again.y . She adds. Yeah. y . Very y. She wouldn’t mind looking at it again. She would like to look at it again. Taeyeon smiles. Isn’t it convenient that she’s the CEO then? Tiffany’s y can be seen and will be seen again.

\/\/

“Arrange a meeting with Stephanie Hwang. I would like to talk to her about her plans to go solo.”

“But Boss, you don’t have to trouble yourself with such things. The development team is supposed to work something out for her. All you have to do is speak the word, Boss.”

“I’m a hands-on kind of CEO. For something as huge at Tiffany’s first solo album, I will speak to her myself.”

“Er, yes, Boss.”

“And, Heechul.”

The lanky man straightens his back and flicks his long, floppy fringe out of the way. “Yes, Boss?”

“Don’t question my instructions again.”

Heechul freezes a fraction of a second but recovers quickly. “Yes! Boss!”

“Get going. Send Stephanie Hwang to me.”

“Yes! Boss!”

\/\/

Like an itch that has finally been scratched, Taeyeon’s thirst to see Tiffany’s y is finally quenched when the woman arrives at her office. Previously, it was Kim Young Man’s office but he had been dismissed by the founder of SM for being too infatuated with young men and Taeyeon had been lucky enough to discover some well-hidden evidence of his hobby in a case she found behind the bookcase. Of course, not knowing what it was, Taeyeon had pried it open and browsed the contents. It was not pleasant in the least, to be assaulted by photos of half- men in various poses. Young men. As young as the trainees in the company. Too young. Taeyeon had balked and sent them straight to the founder as further evidence of Kim Young Man’s transgressions during his term as the CEO of SM.

Now, as she sits in her cleaned up office, she revels in the privacy and space afforded to the CEO. How wonderful. How convenient. She does not stand to welcome her idol singer. Instead, she remains on her full-back leather swivel chair and stares at her singer. Yes. Her singer. She is the CEO and Stephanie Hwang is her employee. Thus, in turn, Tiffany Hwang the idol singer’s is also hers. Ooh . . . she enjoys thinking that thought.

“Good afternoon, Miss Kim. It is good to meet you again so soon.”

“Have a seat.”

“Thank you, Miss Kim.”

Taeyeon can barely hold in her smile as Stephanie lowers her onto the seat. To do so, Stephanie has to bend and bending causes her top to fall open and that means she is able to look down her top and see . . . nothing much. Oh, that was a little disappointing. No, that won’t do. That won’t do at all.

“To save time, I will go straight to the point. You have indicated your wish to go solo but I am not convinced you are ready for it.”

Stephanie’s eyes open wide. It is obviously not what she expected to hear. “I’m not?”

“I’m not convinced,” Taeyeon repeats.

“I see. May I ask why?”

“First, tell me why you want to go solo.”

There is a surge in emotion in Stephanie’s eyes. “It is my life-long dream. I have always wanted to deliver music that is uniquely mine. A music flavour that cannot be replicated by anybody else.”

Right now, the only flavour I want to taste is you. “I am here to support all of your dreams. But not just any dream. Profitable dreams.” Taeyeon leans forward, elbows on her desk. “Convince me your dream is profitable.”

“I will work very hard to make the best music for my solo album. Very, very hard. I will give it everything I’ve got.”

“What else other than hard work?”

“I have many fans. I believe in them. They will support my music and my dream.”

Taeyeon shakes her head. “That is not enough. It has to do more than that.”

“What more does it have to do?”

“You. You have to be more.”

“What do you mean?”

“I want to see more of you before I approve this proposal.”

Stephanie blinks. “What more of me do you want to see?”

“Prepare a few concepts and show me what you have to offer. Mature concepts. You are not eighteen or twenty-one now. Show me a concept befitting of your age and maturity. One of them has to be the pole dance.”

Stephanie gasps. “The pole dance?”

Doing her best to suppress her grin, Taeyeon maintains her stoic expression and nods. “Pole dance. I expect to see you do it. That is a requirement.”

“How much time do I have?”

Taeyeon doesn’t have the patience to wait too long to see Tiffany’s in performance again. “One week.”

“One week?”

“That’s the longest I am willing to wait. I have checked your schedule. Other than a couple of photoshoots, you are free to prepare for this.”

“I understand. I will be prepared within a week.”

Taeyeon likes the determination she sees in Stephanie’s eyes. “Good. Get going then.” She remains poised like the CEO she is until Stephanie is out the door. Only then does she allow herself to grin and rub her palms with glee. Tiffany’s in a pole dance! She will need ice cream and gourmet popcorn for that!

\/\/