"Tae, you know what? You should be in jail." Tiffany said bluntly.

"Mwo? What did I do?" the dressed up hallyu idol held up her hands, totally unexpecting such statement from her manager.

"You're breaking the rules for being too beautiful!" Tiffany answered while trying to hold her laughter.

"YAH! What the heck is that Manager Hwang!" Taeyeon exclaimed shivering from the cheesiness of a pick-up line often spoken in a bar.

"That's Tiffany for you and it's not from me. I read it from one of your fanmails." the complacent manager said in a as-a-matter-of-fact manner.

 After the sweet little incident at the practice room, the manager and artist weren't able to see each other on the next day due to multiple sessions with the PDs of the concert. The whole day was dedicated to polishing up the numbers and coordinating with the design team for the stage. They got too busy with their own meetings that they even had to go home separately from the day's work.

Fortunately, the day after the long run of assembly, Taeyeon had another exposure schedule which required them to go together as part of their jobs. The two were at a broadcasting station for some weekly pop idol countdown. Taeyeon was invited to perform her single, Devil's cry, and emcee for some parts of the program. With her concert drawing near, her schedule was packed to fill in as much promotions as she could. The little press conference issue a few days ago had already captured a lot of attention from the public but the management was not simmering down from making Taeyeon more famous than before. As expected, immediately after the press printed off news about the open interview, the tickets for the two concert schedules for that weekend had been declared sold-out.

While waiting for the program to start, Taeyeon and her manager decided to hang out alone together in the dressing room prepared exclusively for the hallyu star.  Taeyeon had already done all her make-up and styling so she was just slumped on the couch checking out letters and gifts that fans had given her while Tiffany, also inspecting the same items, sat right next to her.

"Why are you going through my fanmails? Those are my stuff!" Taeyeon went on scolding her manager, taking some of the fan letters away from Tiffany's reach. 

"I'm your manager, I get to read them too." Tiffany glowered as she withdrew some away so Taeyeon couldn't swipe them.

"That's totally invasion of privacy!" Taeyeon cried out as she pounded one hand on the couch, acting like a judge in a courtroom.

"Anni. What if you get a death threat like those cut-up letters from magazines? Some anti-fan might slip in some anthrax powder and then you'll get sick from sniffing it. Or what if you'd receive some kind of lewd stories of you and your supposedly fan?" Tiffany said it like she was listing a series of unfortunate events.

"YAH! YAH! I think you're exaggerating on your imagination Tiffany." Taeyeon snapped her fingers.

"Hey, that's totally possible. Can you imagine how many out of your letters contain stalker-like behaviors and indecent proposals?" Tayeon's manager jibed.

"YAH!" Taeyeon scolded, throwing a bunch of the letters towards Tiffany who had a look of disgust on her face.

"Want me to read some samples for you?" Tiffany teased some more, opening up more envelopes in front of the hallyu star.

"TIFFANY! YAH! AISH JINJA!" Taeyeon shouted in frustration but thought of a good way to fight back. "Cheongmal, I bet you're reading them to measure up your competition."

"Competition?" Tiffany raised in question as she paused from tearing another fanletter to read.

"Well, I've got tons f fans. They all compete for my affection while you, in your comfy little seat there, is actually scared that you'll lose to these admirers of mine!" Taeyeon boastfully said as she spread her arms on the backrest of the couch like an eagle.

"Nah? ME? You're talking about me getting scared of a little competition?" Tiffany cocked her head back and scowled.

"You see all these?" Taeyeon swung her arm over the entire dressing room, pointing to all the gifts given by fans. "All these from fans and admirers. I could practically stock a whole trailer truck with all these items. You, on the other hand, haven't given anything but headaches and complaints"

"So?" the hallyu star's manager crossed her arms over her chest and replied smugly.

"Ooh. Not scared huh. Wae? Why do you think you can't lose to them, Ms. sure-of-herself?" Taeyeon eyed Tiffany with one brow over the other.

"Well, can they do this?" Tiffany shortly replied.

"Do wha------" Taeyeon asked but was instantly silenced by a kiss on the lips that lasted more than a minute. Taeyeon closed her eyes at the sweet sensation of Tiffany's lips that pursed on her own. She was getting by this aggressiveness that her manager had shown and she heaved in deeply as Tiffany out most of the air from her breath. Their heads moved opposing each other, allowing their lips to position deeper. This kiss was definitely even more passionate than the one they shared at the practice room.

Tiffany then pulled away before Taeyeon could push her tongue in . She casually positioned herself back in her original seat and pretended to inspect her nails leaving Taeyeon hanging from her tease. "Do that."

Taeyeon chuckled at the overflowing confidence from Tiffany.

"Hmmm...I can't seem to understand what you fully mean. Explain further." Taeyeon was in a daze and touched her lips, hoping Tiffany would lean again and continue with the lip-locking.

"Yah. One word (action) in enough for a wise man (woman)." Tiffany glanced back at the hallyu star, grinning.

"I'm not that wise Tiffany." Taeyeon snickered as she leaned in towards Tiffany. Her hands trapped her manager who was crouching inwards. Taeyeon's short arms spread over Tiffany, caging the rather terrified brunette between the back and armrest of the couch. Taeyeon pushed her whole body forward as her left knee was the only part of her limb that supported her body. The hallyu star wet her lips and targeted Tiffany's face which had her eyes screwed shut and her cheeks full of blush.

"YAH! Tae. Hajima!" Tiffany shouted as she playfully moved away her head.

*knock *knock *knock

A loud strike emanated from the door and the lever of the doorknob slowly turned. As a quick reflex to the situation, Tiffany opened her eyes and saw Taeyeon's face which was just a few inches from her. With one swift move, she intensely shoved the hallyu star away from her personal space, sending Taeyeon into the air and falling square flat on the floor right next to the steel coffee table.

"AH! PD-nim!" Tiffany greeted in a shock and stood up.

"Ms. Kim? Annyonghaseyo. Oh, Manager Hwang! Where's Taeyeon-ssi?" a tall guy in his early 30's greeted back by tilting his cap and asked Tiffany for the hallyu star.

"Uhm...Taeyeon-ssi?" Tiffany was at loss of words on how she could explain the situation.

Realizing that there was another person in the room looking for her, Taeyeon quickly thought of an alibi. She grabbed a few of the letters that she tossed at Tiffany earlier that had landed on the floor and Taeyeon raised her hand in the air while lying in a prone position. "Here!"

"Taeyeon-ssi? What were you doing on the floor?" the PD inquired, confused with the star's weird behavior.

"Ah, I just dropped some fan letters that I was reading." Taeyeon casually explained as she dusted herself off while standing up.

That's weird. I thought the famous Kim Taeyeon never read her letters. I heard she would have them tossed out in the garbage without the fans knowing. Hmm... oh well, I guess I heard wrong.

"I see. Well, be ready in five. You'll do your performance first then the emcee spills. Is that clear?" the PD instructed Taeyeon while pointing with his own clipboard.

"Ye algesumnida PD-nim." The hallyu star bowed in agreement to what the producer had said.

Once the PD had relayed his message, he went back out immediately and closed the door behind him. The two women in the dressing room finally breathed out loudly since they were so close to being caught.

"Sigh. Tae. Gwaenchana? Sorry for pushing you." Tiffany apologized in a worried tone as she helped Taeyeon in fixing her outfit.

"Anni. I totally understand. We would have been in trouble if you didn't." Taeyeon gave a wry smile as she tossed back the letters that she used as an excuse on top of the low table. Out of nowhere, the incident reminded Taeyeon about her past love. She suddenly remembered how she and her past lover tirelessly tried to evade public attention and hide the ongoing relationship. It suddenly made Taeyeon slightly regret about everything. In her thoughts, she was stating to question what was going on between her and Tiffany.

Tiffany sensed the tad of disappointment and frustration in Taeyeon's voice. "Are you sure?"

"Ne." Taeyeon said to Tiffany and settled for a kiss on Tiffany's forehead to assure the worried manager. Taeyeon brushed off the negative thoughts in her head but somehow memories of her past quivered her heart. She suddenly wavered, thinking whether what she did at the practice room was actually right.

Tiffany was silenced for a few seconds, surprised by just the kiss above her brows. Out of the blue, she suddenly burted out a question to Taeyeon, stopping the latter in her tracks. "Tae, are we...how do you phrase it....uhmm..... together?"

"Uhm......." Taeyeon paused and thought long and hard. Tiffany somehow cornered her thoughts and didn't expect to be interrogated that early. She knew she really liked Tiffany and Taeyeon somehow felt that Tiffany felt the same way but unsteady thoughts kept on prying her head.

"Honestly, I don't know Tiffany. I'm sorry if I dragged you into this." Taeyeon manage to smile apologetically while her heart ached a bit for their situation. "But I guess we somehow agree on our feelings...right?"

"Is there a problem Tae?" Tiffany worriedly asked. Tiffany was a bit disappointed that Taeyeon was feeling sorry over nothing.

"Ye...I mean, no. It's nothing. I guess I'm still adjusting. I mean you wouldn't have to hide this thing that we have if I was not some ridiculous star." Taeyeon mildly sulked, torn on whether things were meant to be happening.

"Don't blame yourself. We'll make it through somehow Tae. I won't leave you." Tiffany confided as she reached out and grabbed Taeyeon's hand, giving it a slight press of comfort. Tiffany's heart ached a bit once she sensed that Taeyeon was somehow having second thoughts but she knew that what she felt for the hallyu star was stronger than before. 

"Tiffany...." Taeyeon mentioned her manager's name softly as she pulled Tiffany closer, taking her chance for another kiss, this time on the lips. Tiffany's words of promise of not leaving her strengthened and reassured her step in taking the hidden relationship on another base and gradually made her forget of any fear.

*knock *knock *knock

"Ms. Kim, you have to go on stage now!" a loud voice boomed from outside the door, calling out for the hallyu star.

Aish. Jinja! Why do I always get the wrong timing!

Taeyeon stomped her foot and complained silently in her head.

"Ah! YES! Coming right up!" Tiffany shouted back at the doorway to answer for Taeyeon.

"Sorry, I gotta go." Taeyeon apologized once again as she opened the metal door of the dressing room. Several floor managers and assistants of the show passed by and a couple of other guests also rushed, trying to get to the stage as fast as they could.

"Go. Your fans are waiting for you." Tiffany jealously prodded.

"I guess so. By the way, I'll miss you on stage. I'll see you after the program." Taeyeon smiled broadly and inspected the hallway quickly for any bystanders before snatching a peck on her manager's cheek.

Tiffany gasped at the sudden act of affection in such a public place. Fortunately nobody was around. She pushed Taeyeon's back, sending her off down to the direction of the fully-packed TV studio and then shouted back to Taeyeon. "Nado! (me too)"

---------------------------------

"What do you mean by moving the release next quarter?" BoA raised her voice to Secretary Park.

"Well, we're going to try to market it by then but for now it'll be hard to release your album since we're currently promoting Ms. Kim's." the secretary replied to the slightly angered idol, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

"Waeyo secretary Park? I don't see the point of moving my release just because Taeyeon is still doing hers." BoA asked, with the same raised voice as she pounded on the conference room table.

"Well you see, BoA-ssi------"the young secretary of the company's CEO tried to explain camly but was cut off by the idol again.

"Is the management afraid that Taeyeon will lose some of her sales if I come out with mine?" the haughty idol bostfully claimed, crossing her arms over chest and leaning back on her swivel chair.

The quite disappointed secretary shook his head and said while smirking. "Uhm...honestly, BoA-ssi...it's the other way around."

"What?" BoA leaned into the table immediately and slammed her palms on the armrest of the chair.

"We've been studying your demographics and it seems like it's not looking too good for your fanbase." Secretary Park replied as he opened one of his binders for BoA's files.

"But I became the first hallyu star! I've sold more albums than anyone and I've held concerts all over this country and the entire Asia. What else is there to prove that I'm that popular?" BoA raised her shoulders in disbelief.

"I'm sorry if this might offend you BoA-ssi but even if you are the first, it doesn't mean you're gonna be the last, too. Other hallyu stars have risen after you, not just Miss Kim and this has divided the market completely. Please accept that this is reality. So until further notice, we can't release your album this coming year." Secretary Park said sternly and pulled out from the table.

The short afternoon close-door meeting between the secretary and the idol terminated. BoA had walked out from the secretary after she heard that her album was going to be pushed back even further. Her manager had been waiting patiently outside when he saw BoA step out grudgingly and walked off to the back side portion of the SMent building. BoA slammed open the door towards the fire exit entrance and the grim manager followed closely behind, closing the door for his client. They were basically outside of the building standing in one of the backside balconies. BoA then snatched her satchel from her arm and fished out a pack of menthol cigarettes. Her manager held out his hand and BoA forcefully shoved her bag to him. She aggressively tapped down the cigarette pack to retrieve a stick and then casually stuck it to . She then d for her Zippo lighter from her jacket's pocket and lit the cigarette with one flick.

"That little wretch! I refuse to believe this. I am a hallyu star. I can't be outshined by anyone." BoA ranted, inhaling and puffing her cigarette and tried to calm herself down.

"BoA. You better put out that cigarette. Someone might recognize you. That'll hurt your image more." BoA's manager grunted as he scanned the lower grounds of the parkway beyond the building.

"This is pure . I can't even enjoy a short smoke." BoA said in an irritated tone as she tossed her still lit cigarette on the cement floor. The soft glow of the tobacco burning scalded the gray white surface of the ground.

"Just take it easy. You can figure something out for your album later." BoA's manager replied calmly and he leaned over the balcony rail to check for any other SMent staff that would have been roaming around.

"Anni Chulmoo-oppa. I have to make sure to get new ideas. I need Sunny, I mean Soonkyu." BoA exasperated and brushed her long brown-dyed hair.

Manager Shin then pushed back his chest from the rails and faced his artist. "Soonkyu? The one you trained with before with Taeyeon? What's with her? So you've met again?"

"Ne. I plan to help her become a hallyu star but she hasn't come to me yet." BoA sighed deep.

"But I thought---", the well-built guy paused for a second and then proceeded to ask, "Do you think she'd give in?"

"I know she will. She can't resist it." BoA relentlessly said, putting her elbows on the rails and stared out to the horizon. The afternoon was foggy that day and most of the buildings in the far stretch drowned in the strips of cloud.

"Ah. Gure?" Manager Chilmoo reconfirmed with BoA while adjusting his black Windsor wool cap taht was being thrown off by a soft wind off his bald head.

"Hmmpff. Ne. Anyway, did you get the job done?" BoA huffed and glared at the older brother.

"Ah yes. Just tell me when." the shivering manager replied again to BoA, restraining his sniffles against the sudden brush of a cold breeze.

BoA remained unmoved against the chilling atmosphere but did not fail to laud her manager. "Arasso. Nice work oppa." 

"Let's go back in. It's quite cold out here." Manager Chilmoo finally complained and requested BoA to leave the balcony with him.

"Interesting. It just feels normal to me." BoA said to herself then motioned to quavering man. "Let's go Oppa."

Manager Chilmoo opened up the door and rushed inside while BoA strutted slowly. She looked back at the horizon past the balcony and spotted the soft orange glow from her cigarette earlier. Before entering back into the building, the hallyu idol walked over to her cigarette and raised her boots. She stomped and pressed on the bent stick, extinguishing the ember that burned the dried up leaves, thinking of her one and only rival.

------------------------------------

The night has fallen once again in the Hongdae area and Sunny was out on the streets. Sooyoung had given her the time off for the hour so that she could grab some groceries and snacks for them to eat for the next couple of days. Seriously, her assistant is like a vacuum cleaner. She can devour a couple day's grocery in just one meal. Sunny just shook her head and smiled as she imagined Sooyoung before a table of feast.

It was a Sunday night so not a lot of people had gone out for drinks or parties at the clubs. Sunny took her time to marvel at the neon hallucinogenic fluorescent lights installed at each building which resembled to her as glowing frigid worms. Pacing aimlessly, she reached a convenience store at the end of the block. She rechecked her list which consists of eggs, bread, orange juice, cookies and milk. Luckily, she was able to buy most of the stuff they could munch on for tonight and the next day. 

On her way back, Sunny decided to take another route. She took a left and went around the block. Unlike other street that  she was used on taking, the other side of the block contained less shops and less clubs. She was about to pass through a series of stalls by the sidewalk when she noticed a small corner flower shop at the curb of the alleyway. Fascinated by the colors and the variety of florals, Sunny took the time to inspect the shop.

As she entered, a small bell ring resonated which probably signalled the owner of the shop for a customer. Inside, Sunny immediately spotted an old woman trying to haul in a bag of perlite into one of the benches. Sunny placed her groceries on the counter of the small cashier area and approached the grandmother.

"Halmuhnee, let me help you." Sunny immediately offered.

"Ah. Thank you my child." the old woman exclaimed in gratitude when suddenly the landline phone rang.

The old woman excused herself while Sunny easily lifted up the bag of fertilizer on the bench. The little blonde then heard the old woman attend to the phone call as she heard the conversation, unintentionally. While the owner of the shop coversed with the customer on the phone, Sunny scouted the entire floral store for a particular bloom that she intends to buy.

"Yoboseyo?"

"Ah, yes. of course I remember. The usual you say? "

"Ne. Yes, I still grow them my child."

"You can send the card in, I'll take care of it and then we deliver on that day."

"Anni. You've been a patron for this little shop."

"Ne. Thank you for your purchase. It was nice to hear from you again, my child."

Slowly, the old woman replaced the handset into the receiver and faced the blonde who was wiping her hands after securing the bag.

"Ah yes, thank you for your kind help. So sorry for not entertaining you first. I manage this little flower shop alone so it's a bit difficult dealing with more than one customer. I was on the phone with a client. But, what can I do for you my child?" the old yet cheerful grandmother asked Sunny. 

"It's ok halmuhnee. I was browsing over some of the flowers you have here. They're all very pretty." Sunny said, praising the variety of colors that surrounded her which made the old lady smile.

"Ah thank you my child. I grow them all back in my little greenhouse garden." the grandma replied, proud of her produce.

"That's very lovely." Sunny mumbled. Suddenly, on the corner, between a clad of roses and carnations, she was able to spot the flowers she was searching for.

"Are you looking for a particular flower to give my child?" the halmuhnee asked.

"Ah yes. Could you please wrap me a small bouquet of those flowers for me?" Sunny said as she pointed towards the front stall of blooms.

"These three-petaled purple ones?" the old lady asked again, raising one of the flowers that Sunny referred.

"Ne halmuhnee." Sunny nodded.

The old lady gathered up a bunch of the purple blooms and carefully wrapped a twill cloth around the stems. With much dexterity and experience, she simply brought out a small square piece of wrapping paper and twirled the blossoms with it, assembling the whole piece into a beautiful boquet arrangement.

"Here you go my child." the old lady said as she handed the flowers to Sunny.

"Ne. Kamsamnida. How much is it?" Sunny asked as she took out her wallet and started counting a bunch of bills.

"I'll give it to you for free."the grandmother beamed at Sunny and pushed away the blonde's wallet into her pouch.

"Anniyo halmuhnee. I'd like to pay full." Sunny gently objected.

"I give it free for a beautiful and kindhearted lady like you. Thank you for helping me earlier." the old lady explained to the embarrassed blonde.

"Oh. Thank you. Nomu kamsamnida" Sunny replied immediately, overwhelmed by the lady's generosity.

Sunny then picked up her grocery bags and thanked the shop owner one more time before leaving the small store. Once outside, she again faced the streets of the club-laden district of Hongdae. She lifted up the bouquet of flowers up to her nose and inhaled the sweet fragrance of the blooms.

I hope you'll like them. 

With a feeling of light heartedness from the small encounter with the grandmother from the small flower shop, Sunny walked back to the M2 club with a smile on her face and hope in her chest.

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