As the meeting starts and proceeds, Hera gets more and more nervous with the time passing by. Everyone once in awhile she would meet eyes with Seohyun down the table and for that split second, everything would be fine but the nerves would immediately return when Hera’s reminded that she has to pitch this proposal she didn’t know she was going to be pitching until ten minutes ago. Hera turns to Baekhyun when he chips in his opinion about the album. He speaks confidently and even though this is his job, she still finds it fascinating at how such a playful person could be so serious and assertive sometimes. After he’s done speaking, SM’s very own creative director Min Heejin starts and Hera’s stomach does a series of somersaults. She’s already scared and nervous to be presenting in general but to do it in front of thee very own talented Min Heejin just makes Hera want to run away crying.

She doesn’t know how much time passes but suddenly, Baekhyun is mentioning her name and when Hera looks up from her lap, all the eyes in the room have turned to her. Turning to Baekhyun, he shoots her a small smile before turning back to the members at the table.

“Hera became my intern halfway through the recording process. She’s a Mass Communications major with an emphasis in Advertising at Dongguk. Out of curiousity, I had her prepare a proposal and I personally think she well captured TTS’s vision.” Baekhyun flashes Hera a warm smile. “If you all don’t mind, I’d like to give her the opportunity to present it.”

Seohyun immediately sits up straighter. “Yes, I agree with Producer Byun.”

Hera raises her head enough to catch Min Heejin nodding in agreement before Baekhyun motions for her to follow him. Her legs are shaking and her stomach churns with every single step she makes towards the front after his lead. Baekhyun reaches for her laptop to set up the powerpoint and it easily slides out of her sweaty, nervous hands into his. While he sets up, Hera turns to the table of some of SM’s most important people and her breath is immediately cut short. Her mind goes blank and the room begins to spin but it all stops when Baekhyun calls for her.

“Hera.”

His voice is laced with confidence but it’s also tender and encouraging. She turns and when their eyes meet, all he does is give her the smallest hint of a nod and lets his eyes do the talking instead. “You can do this, Hera. I believe in you.”

She swallows then inhales as she turns back to the front with a smile to mask her inner nervous breakdown.

“Hello,” she begins with a surprisingly stable voice. “As Producer Byun had mentioned earlier, I’m Ji Hera and I’m currently a junior at Dongguk University where Seohyun-shi,” Hera motions to Seohyun who is watching her with a motherly smile. “Is an alumni. Thanks to her, I was given this once in a lifetime opportunity to intern for the talented Producer Byun.”

She hears him chuckle quietly from the side. Hera takes in another breath and something in her completely switches. Suddenly she’s numbed of all nerves and feelings and her body takes over. Without any faults or glitches, Hera finshes her presentation to the group like a true professional. She ends it with a soft yet confident smile and again in the blink of an eye, the feeling in her toes return and her stomach is back to doing somersaults. Not even bothering to translate the way all the eyes are glued onto her, Hera gives all her attention to Baekhyun on the side who is awaiting with another proud smile.

“I love it.”

The voice is small but enough to break their little moment and divert all the eyes away from Hera. Taeyeon greets the sudden attention with a small curl of her lips at Hera. “I love it. You were able to perfectly convert the emotions and messages we wanted to convey in our songs into a visual concept,” she shrugs nonchalantly in a Taeyeon kind of way. “It’s perfect.”

Before Hera can even utter a word of appreciation, Min Heejin speaks up and it makes her turn right into ice. “I love it too.”

And that’s when Hera nearly loses it because her idol just complimented her work.

***

“I’m very impressed,” Min Heejin tells Hera after the meeting has ended. “I’m honestly a little jealous that Producer Byun gets to have you as an intern.”

He flashes her a cheeky smile. “Aw, it’s okay.”

Heejin heaves a sigh and the girls both exchange knowing gazes before Heejin reaches up to give Hera a pat on her shoulder. “Anyways, I’ll pass along the presentation to the others and hopefully, we’ll get to work together soon.”

“That would be a complete honor,” Hera awes with wide eyes. “Thank you so much.”

Right as Heejin was about to say something, Seohyun suddenly pops her head back into the room. “You did great Hera! I’m proud of you!”

“You did awesome!” Tiffany adds and Taeyeon quickly comes dashing back to shoot Hera two thumbs up of approval before jolting away again after their manager.

Once Heejin leaves, Hera and Baekhyun become the only people left in the conference room and finally, she feels like she can properly breathe again.

“See,” Baekhyun smirks as Hera deadpans back to him. “I told you you could do it.”

She blinks with her stoic expression. “You set me up.”

He shrugs on his way out of the room with Hera following right behind like usual. “You have to admit, I just gave you a great opportunity.”

“But don’t you think it was too big of a gamble?” Hera protests after him. “Like, what if I wasn’t ready—.”

“—But you were,” Baekhyun refutes.

Hera heaves a sigh as she shuffles alongside him. “Yeah but I’m saying, what if—.”

He comes to a quick stop and Hera nearly trips on her own two feet because of him. “That’s impossible,” Baekhyun states. “You’re a perfectionist and there’s no way you will ever turn in a proposal—small or big—uncompleted or half assed because you are Hera.” She gulps under his slightly intense gaze. “So.” His eyes soften again. “There was no reason for me not to believe or doubt you.”

Heat comes rushing to her cheeks almost immediately and Hera lowers her head to let her hair veil over her hot face. She’s only been interning for him for a little over a month so it’s quite surprising to her that he seems to know her so well. “Thank you…” Hera finally mumbles shyly.

Clearing his throat, Baekhyun turns to leave with his smirk returning to his lips. “Gosh Hera, believe in yourself more will ya.”

Pouting, she continues following him down the hall until he makes a sudden turn towards the company’s main entrance. “Where are you going?”

Baekhyun swivels back to her with his hands casually tucked in the pockets of his jeans. “Didn’t you say you wanted icecream?”

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