The office might as well be a murder scene. No, there’s no blood. But there’s a lot of screaming and crashing and then, silence. The secretary had fled the building so there is no one left to save her.

“Are you going to touch my without my permission ever again?” asks the idol singer, her voice menacing like a lion’s angry growl.

“N-No.”

“Are you going to force me to do the pole dance ever again?”

“No . . .”

“Who’s the boss around here?”

“Y-You are.”

“You got that right.” Stephanie pats CEO Kim’s cheek and smiles. “Remember who’s your boss, CEO Kim. You may be the CEO, but I can kick your any time.”

CEO Kim can only whimper as she lays flat on the floor, pinned down by the stronger woman.

“You got yourself into this mess. All I want is to be a soloist. Are you going to let me make a solo album?”

“Yes.”

“That’s what I want to hear. I want the best team. You have a week to get the team ready. Seven days later, I expect to be called in for a meeting with this dream team. You got that?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you very much, C-E-O.” Stephanie gets off the shaking CEO and stands, dusting her hands as she smiles. “I’ll see you in a week.”

\/\/

“Kim Kibum at your service, my most esteemed CEO Kim.”

“I need a new secretary.”

“Most certainly. What shall we do with the previous secretary?”

“He has been fired.”

“Very well, CEO Kim. Is there anything else you need?”

“I need a team.”

“What sort of team, CEO Kim?”

“A dream team for Tiffany Hwang’s debut solo album.”

“Consider it done. Is there a deadline for this?”

“You have a week to piece the team together.”

“That’s more time than I thought. Not a problem, CEO Kim.”

\/\/

The next day, Taeyeon hears a knock on the door. “You may enter.”

The door opens and in steps a tall, handsome young man with a look that will have girls swooning over. But none of that is of Taeyeon’s concern. The thing she likes most about him within the two seconds of meeting him is how quiet he is. None of the first secretary’s whining and none of the second secretary’s OH-SHE-IS. This secretary is wonderfully silent. She likes him already.

“Step forward.”

He steps one foot forward and brings his other foot to close them together like a trained soldier. If there had been metal attached to his shoes, Taeyeon would have heard a clink for sure. His posture is impeccable. Straight, at attention. Fantastic.

“What is your name?”

His eyes meet hers and she gasps. Such intensity she sees in them that it is hard to meet his gaze for long. His eyebrows dip and his eyes gain even more heat than before. Taeyeon can almost feel the flames leaping out from his stare. How is that possible?

A moment later, Taeyeon realizes he hasn’t answered her question, so she asks again, “What is your name?”

Stare.

Is that all he can do? Suppressing an internal sigh, Taeyeon tells him to fix her a cup of coffee and waves him out of her office. She needs much better luck with her secretaries. Also, Stephanie-Tiffany Hwang.

\/\/

The most senior marketing team leader. The most experienced image consultant. The top stylist and makeup artist team. The most creative album concept design team. The most astute creative director. The most respected chart-topping producer. The premier studio engineering team.

Taeyeon runs down the list of names that form up the team for Stephanie’s debut solo album production. The best in the business have been enlisted. It had only taken Kim Kibum four days to complete this task. He is due for a huge bonus soon. She reaches for the button and presses it.

“Kim Kibum at your service.”

“The team is satisfactory.”

“Thank you, CEO Kim.”

“Set up a meeting with Stephanie tomorrow.”

“Consider it done.”

\/\/

Taeyeon is extra careful with her outfit today. Her stylist team had to suffer through two hours of her rejection until she settled on the full white suit she had worn on Day One as CEO of SM. Today is Stephanie-Tiffany Hwang’s debut solo album meeting day. It is very, very important to make a good impression. She steps into the meeting room and takes her rightful seat after everyone stands and greets her. Then, she flashes her CEO smile and starts the meeting.

One hour later, the meeting is adjourned. Taeyeon spies Stephanie leaving and stops her. She waits for the room to empty before taking the seat next to Stephanie.

“Now that you have met the production team, are you happy with them?”

Stephanie’s smile is dazzling. “Yes! The team is amazing. All the best names in the business. Much more than I expected.”

Pride infuses and Taeyeon sits straighter, trying not to smile too much. “This is what I’m capable of. I didn’t become the CEO of this company by being a useless hobo you know.”

“Are you trying to show off now?”

“No. I’m trying to impress you.”

“You are the CEO. You don’t have to impress me.”

Taeyeon clears . “Perhaps we didn’t get off to a good start. It was never my intention to turn into a creepy, erted CEO. I set foot in this company, determined to bring it to the next level but then I saw you.”

“I turned you into a creepy, erted CEO? It’s my fault?”

“No, no. Of course not. I’m admitting that I lost my mind over you but it’s not your fault. It’s me. All me. And I have you to thank for making me realize that. Although I would have preferred a less violent method.”

“Sometimes, extreme measures are required.”

“Gentler extreme measures are better.”

Stephanie smiles as she stands and approaches Taeyeon. Remembering the last time this happened, Taeyeon freezes and prepares to bolt. But this time, Stephanie doesn’t sit on her lap. Instead, the idol singer bends over and traces a finger across her neck.

“I’m sorry for strangling you. Is your neck okay after that?”

“Y-Yes, my neck is f-fine.”

Before Taeyeon even knows what is happening, Stephanie leans in and plants a kiss on her cheek. “Thank you for this wonderful team, CEO Kim.”

Taeyeon’s jaw drops and her toes curl. “Y-You’re welcome.”

“I need the bathroom so I’ll take my break now, if it’s okay with you.”

“Sure, sure. Go, go,” Taeyeon mumbles and Stephanie giggles.

“I’ll see you back here in a bit, CEO Kim.”

Taeyeon slumps back in her seat the moment the door shuts. Stephanie kissed her. Stephanie kissed her.

It’s just your cheek though.

Shut up. Stephanie kissed me. Stephanie-Tiffany Hwang kissed me.

She is going to make sure this will be the best debut album SM has ever produced.

\/\/