“H-Happy b-birthday, Your Highness.”

As she hands him the bear fur, he winces away in fear.

“So the one scaring me every year with fur was you?” He exclaims with furrowed brows. “Why would you do that to a person?!”

“N-no.” She immediately shakes her head and steps closer but each time she does, he jumps away a little further. She didn't mean it in that way at all.

Suddenly feeling discouraged, she turns around to shove the fur into the hands of his younger brother and storms off after throwing a secret glance at the pretty girl who was singing to him earlier. She hears him shout something after her but she can’t comprehend it because all she can feel is disappointment for never being able to speak properly in front of him.

“Hera!”

With a sharp inhale, Hera’s eyelids fly open and she turns to her alarm that has been beeping nonstop for the past fifteen minutes. Beside her bed is her roommate Wendy who seemed to have woken up to the alarm instead.

“Crap, I can’t be late to my first day!”

Tossing her blanket aside, Hera grabs the first towel she can get her hands on and dashes to the bathroom to wash up. Meanwhile Wendy decides her bed is suddenly too far away and slips into Hera’s bed instead to resume sleeping.

***

She almost didn’t make it but Hera managed to arrive to her first day of internship at S.M. Entertainment without falling on her face from running and that was all that mattered at the moment. As promised, Seohyun was waiting for her when she arrived and seeing a familiar face at the company slightly calmed her nerves. This opportunity is literally a one in a lifetime and it’s all thanks to Seohyun. Hera had met Seohyun at an alumni event that she’d volunteered for and who knew that a simple conversation over warm fruit punch would eventually lead her to such a great opportunity two years later.

“Are you nervous?” Seohyun asks as they walk arm in arm behind an assigned staff member to a meeting room.

Hera nods. “Extremely.”

“You’ll be fine, it’ll take a few days to get accustomed but after that it should get easier,” Seohyun assures and although Hera slightly doubts it will, she flashes a smile and nods once more.

After a very brief introduction, Coordinator Kim pulls out a thick pamphlet and slides a pen towards Hera.

“As you know, we are home to a lot of artists and their privacy is a top priority of ours as well as the work environment we are able to provide them. In here are just some terms and conditions we’d like for you to read through and at the end there is a contract for you to sign.” He flashes her an encouraging grin with sympathetic eyes. “So have fun reading and I’m going to run to the cafe downstairs for some drinks. What would you like to drink?”

“Uh,” Hera hesitates as she grabs the pen off the table. “Grape juice please.”

Coordinator Kim nods then turns to Seohyun. “Seohyun?”

“An iced americano please.”

With the orders etched in his head, he turns to leave and pulls the door to a gentle close behind him. Hera immediately turns to Seohyun who chuckles at her nervous expression.

“Basically you can’t have any relations with the artists beyond a work relation. Anything that happens or is discussed in the company must stay in the company. Confidentiality is the most important issue,” Seohyun explains. “It sounds scary but it’s not really.”

Hera purses her lips. “Easy for you to say, you’ve practically been raised here.”

Seohyun chuckles with her hand giving Hera’s shoulder a comforting squeeze. “Seriously, you’ll be right at home.”

***

Once Coordinator Kim returned with their drinks and Hera finished her part by signing her life away, they quickly moved on to a tour of the company. Hera found it quite amazing at how SM found a way to plaster their beloved artists faces on every single wall and managed not to make it look like the wall of a psychopath’s bedroom. There’s at least one person in just about every single practice room and Hera’s amazed to see the wide variety of ages in the trainees but what impresses her more are the work ethics of the younger ones. It’s amazing to see how much determination they have at that age when they should still be outside playing.

After touring all the main parts of the building, Seohyun offers to show Hera the recording studios because she was headed that way anyway and so they part ways with Coordinator Kim after telling Hera to look out for an email regarding her schedule. Before heading to the studios, the two girls make a quick stop downstairs for a small snack and fans squeal at the sudden sight of Seohyun but unlike Hera, Seohyun remains composed and before Hera could even wrap her head around the growing situation, they were already done and out of there with two goodie bags in hand.

Seohyun knocks twice on the door to the studio before pushing it open and Hera turns to her after hearing Seohyun greet someone from the other side of the door.

“I hope you’re hungry,” Seohyun says to someone as she drags Hera with her into the dimly lit studio. “I made a quick stop downstairs and bought you a sandwich.”

After quickly scanning the lavish studio, Hera finally diverts her attention to the guy sitting at the monitor with his back facing them.

“That’s sweet of you,” the stranger says and Hera’s brow suddenly ticks with curiosity at the voice. For some reason, it sounds familiar. “Except I just had lunch with Taeng.”

Seohyun pulls them onto the couch and begins to make herself comfortable before pulling out her music sheets. “I assumed that already but I’m pretty sure you’ll grow hungry again in half an hour. Also, I brought a friend today.”

“You bet I will,” he agrees and finally spins around to face the girls. “Thanks Noona.”

Then his eyes turn to Hera and everything in that moment stops. There’s something about his eyes and the way they turn into slits when he smiles that is all too familiar for Hera. Suddenly her breath his cut short and her brain refuses to function. It’s like she can almost pinpoint where she’s seen him before but before she can, Seohyun’s voice cuts in.

“This is a junior of mine who’s about to start interning here,” Seohyun motions to Hera. “Pretty isn’t she?”

The stranger with the pretty eye smile nods and Hera quickly follows with a bow. “Hello, I’m Ji Hera.”

He smiles again and extends a hand out for hers. “Nice to meet you Hera. I’m Byun Baekhyun, a producer here at SM.”

Hera runs the name over and over in her head but nothing comes up. She’s never met a Baekhyun ever in her life but she’s sure she’s seen him somewhere before.

“H-have we ever met before?” Hera asks after some slight hesitation.

Seohyun’s eyes grow curious as they flicker from Hera to Baekhyun then back to Hera.

Baekhyun