Three weeks had passed since Jiwoo last visited Young Mi at the SM building. After the impromptu training session, things seemed to have smoothed themselves out and business went about as usual.

            Jiwoo wasn’t fully prepared to learn that they had used up all three bags that she had packed for that day, and neither was her manufacturer. Not only did she have to order triple the amount of beans, she also had to use larger bags to package SM's orders. Every two weeks the delivery trucks arrived right on time to pick up the products. And, every two weeks, she reminded herself about how grateful and blessed she was to have Young Mi support her dream.

            There was never a day she wasn’t roasting beans. Most of the time, it was the last thing Jiwoo did before closing up for the night when there were no customers around, no hustle or bustle of conversation – when there was absolute silence so that the first and second crack of the beans echoed off the walls like a new age genre of music. Although she labelled the bags with best used by dates, she knew the café wouldn’t need to check them at all given how quickly they were used.

            Knowing that, though, pleased her soul and warmed her heart. The business definitely helped with her sales, especially now that spring was in full bloom and people were going out more and visiting cafes less. She didn’t mind the quieter days, but she did yearn for the hum of life that used to occupy her store.

            Sighing, Jiwoo closed up the shop for the night and headed upstairs to rest, wondering what the next day was going to present.

---

            “Hello?”

            “Jiwoo! How have you been?” Young Mi asked, leaning back in her desk chair as she twirled a pen in her fingers. Jiwoo smiled at the sound of Young Mi’s voice, clamping her phone to her ear with her shoulder. She pulled out a bean to test as the roaster churned in the background.

            “Hi unnie! Sorry for the noise. I’ve been well. Busy with roasting, so the usual stuff,” she laughed as she replaced the bean back into the machine. “What’s up? You haven’t called in a while, so something must be going on.”

            “Ah, I hate that you know me well now. I’ve got a favour to ask,” Young Mi said, tapping the pen on a pad of paper nervously.

            “As long as it’s not catering, I’ll do whatever you need me to,” Jiwoo said jokingly. She was, however, met with a silence that crept up her spine to her shoulders, weighing them down with the invisible burden that was yet to come. Neither of them said anything, the silence suspended in time, dragging on for several minutes before Jiwoo decided to break it. “It’s a catering job, isn’t it?”

            “It is, but it’ll be different this time,” Young Mi said, getting right to the point. “You’ll be using the facilities here, and we’re going to have a team at your disposal. No deliveries this time.”

            Jiwoo frowned at the proposal. A team and facilities at the building? Why do they need me then? she wondered, turning off the roasting machine. It wasn’t like they didn’t have the right people to prepare the food for them since they had a team ready for her. They could easily just have those workers do the job themselves. So, why the extra effort to get her to come in?

            “Um, you seem to have all the people there to prep the food. Why do you need me?” she asked, genuinely confused as to why the company wanted her in the first place.

            “I’m aware. Look, the boss specifically asked for you. We reminded him of the cooks that we had in the restaurant, and the staff at the café. But, he said you’d do it better, so that’s why I’m here. Might I guilt and remind you of the job I need to maintain?” Young Mi explained, knowing better than to hide the truth from Jiwoo. The younger girl was going to get it out of her sooner or later, so she figured she might as well just be frank from the start.

            “Okay, I’m not trying to be stubborn or anything, but I just don’t get the logistics of hiring someone to do the job when you’ve got a team already at your disposal. I’m just trying to make sense of this situation and it’s not really making sense at all, if you know what I mean,” Jiwoo sighed. She was flattered to have someone request for her to cater especially if that someone was the big CEO of a company. It definitely was a huge to her ego, that was for sure. But, her ego wasn’t big enough to take up the offer so easily.

            “You’re not the only one, trust me. But, I do what my boss wants, and he’s set on having you here,” Young Mi said. She wasn’t going to back down from this because she knew one way or another, Jiwoo was going to give in. She just had to find the right way to get her to accept the job. Call her selfish, but Young Mi really didn’t want to lose her own job over this.

            “I mean, yeah. I guess your job is on the line, though I really don’t like how many times he’s held that threat over your head, unnie.”

            “I know. But that’s corporate for you. You should know.”

            Jiwoo let out a heavy sigh. She knew she lost the fight, and she knew Young Mi as well or else she wouldn’t have called her in the first place. She owed it to Young Mi for bringing her the opportunity to try new things and also fail and succeed at them. And although she failed the catering the first time, she wasn’t going to let that happen this time. She needed a redemption, and this was the perfect opportunity to do so all while saving Young Mi’s job once again.

            “Okay, fine. When is it?”

            “Uh, would you kill me if I said it’s tomorrow?” Young Mi held the phone away from her head, preparing for the wrath that was going to be unleashed. But, Jiwoo only let out an annoyed groan.

            “You owe me two meals and a drink for this.”

---

            “Hi, thank you for coming. I know, I know, you’re not entirely happy to be here. But, you are here anyway and it’s solely for me. So, thank you,” Young Mi greeted Jiwoo with a bear hug, swaying the two of them from side to side. Jiwoo couldn’t quite figure out how she felt about Young Mi acting more comfortable around her, but she wasn’t going to protest it. It was nice having someone familiar around other than her customers, someone who she could talk to and be friends with.

            Friends. Who would’ve thought we’d get to this point? She laughed inwardly before peeling herself out of Young Mi’s embrace, a playful scowling crossing her face as the other laughed.

            “Yeah, yeah, I’m a saviour and saint. Just tell me where to go and what you want me to do. Like I said, I’m not a chef by any means, so if the menu’s complicated, I’m leaving,” Jiwoo firmly reminded Young Mi about the agreement they made over the phone.

            “Right this way. And, might I remind you, he wants simple food like last time. Sandwiches, desserts, and drinks. Easy,” Young Mi replied. She grinned teasingly at Jiwoo as she handed her a visitor’s badge and took her to the secured glass doors leading to the elevators. “The conference is not until this afternoon. You’ve got a fair few hours to prepare and a team to help you, so don’t stress!”

            “I would be less stressed if I was at home in my own café doing my own work,” Jiwoo sassed back, earning a playful slap on the arm and a warning glare. “I’m unhappy, if it wasn’t obvious enough,” Jiwoo added, pouting. 

            “It has been noted. And I don’t care. You’re here anyway, and that’s saying something,” Young Mi chimed as she briskly walking out of the elevator and down the hall. Jiwoo jogged to keep up with the taller woman, clutching onto the straps of her backpack as she tried to match Young Mi’s long strides.

            They turned into a room and Young Mi brought her into what looked like a kitchen used for cooking shows. Jiwoo warily looked around, hesitantly stepping towards Young Mi who had joined a small group of about 8 people all ready and prepared in their aprons and gloves.

            “Jiwoo, hurry up. I need to introduce you to the others,” Young Mi called her over with a wave. Jiwoo stumbled over, still in awe at the state-of-the-art room, but was also extremely intimidated by the luxuries that graced her. “Jiwoo, I’d like you to meet some of our artist coordinators and management team.” Everyone took turns introducing themselves to Jiwoo who, in return, introduced herself to them. Many of them thanked her for supplying coffee beans at the café and even mentioned how they’ve gone for coffee downstairs almost every day since.

            “Ah, thank you. Please let me know if there’s anything you think I need to fix in the roast, or if there’s a bad batch. Any feedback would be lovely,” Jiwoo said, bowing to the group. She was met with a chorus of disagreements in needing any changes to which she blushed in response.

            “Anyway, this is your team for today. I know they’re not a culinary team of sous chefs, but they’ll get the job done,” Young Mi said with an encouraging smile. “I’m also here as well, so you take charge and tell us what to do.”

            Jiwoo sighed and asked for the menu, scanning the list and taking note of what needed to be worked on first before she set the list down with a nod. “Let me just put my things away and we can start.”

---

            “And that should do it,” Jiwoo let out a sigh of satisfaction as she placed the last cake square onto the tray. She checked in to see how the others were doing and was relieved to find them just about finished as well. “So, we’ve got the savory and sweet food all finished. That just leaves…the drinks…” Jiwoo’s voice trailed off as she turned to look at Young Mi, her panic slowly rising in her body. She fumbled with the menu list and frantically checked the time, realizing that she wasn’t going to be able to squeeze in anymore prep before the conference would start. She had focused too much on making all the desserts in time she had completely forgot about the drinks. Heart racing, Jiwoo grabbed onto the counter nearest to her and tried to calm her hyperventilating.

            Young Mi calmly instructed the others to start transporting the food to the large conference hall, waiting for everyone to leave before she closed the doors and marched straight over to Jiwoo. “Hey, you’re okay. Take a deep breath and slowly let it out. There you go,” she said, rubbing Jiwoo’s back with soothing as she settled the girl down in a chair. “I forgot to mention this to you earlier, so this is entirely my fault. There’s a coffee bar set up in the conference hall. We were hoping you would be able to work the station and make fresh drinks this time.”

            Jiwoo closed her eyes and took in a slow, deep breath. It filled her lungs, opening up her chest and airways, calming her heart as she let out a shaky breath.

            “If you’re not up to it, I can try and get one of the employees from downstairs to come up instead?” Young Mi suggested. It was hard for her to watch someone who was usually so composed break down in front of her, and it didn’t make her feel any better that she was the reason Jiwoo has had a few of these break downs lately.

            “No. It’s okay. I can do. Just give me a minute. I’m sorry,” Jiwoo replied clutching her chest in an attempt to alleviate the ache coursing through body. “Sorry,” she repeated, turning away from Young Mi and hunching over in her chair, “it doesn’t usually last this long…”

            Young Mi shook her head and stepped forward, gently placing her had on Jiwoo’s shoulder with a frown. “Do you need me to get you anything? Some water? A hot towel?”

            “I don’t need anything – just some time,” Jiwoo mumbled, as the pain began to subside. She sat up straighter and leaned into the chair, pressing her back into the back rest. She breathed in, feeling her lower back expand into the chair before slowly letting the air out. Her pulse returned to a normal pace as she let out a sigh of relief.

            It had been a while since she last had a panic attack, so she clearly wasn’t prepared for it. The stress from the last few weeks definitely hadn’t helped the situation as the built-up pressure suddenly imploded, incapacitating her. She hated showing weakness, and having Young Mi witness the entire episode also didn’t make her feel any better about it.

            But, the moment had passed. Jiwoo gathered herself up because she knew she had other responsibilities that needed her attention. Manning the coffee bar would be the perfect mindless work to re-center her and bring her back to a calmer state. She knew herself better than anyone, and knew she was ready for the challenge despite Young Mi’s uncertain glances. Jiwoo didn’t need to be a mind reader to see the older woman’s hesitation.

            “I’m fine. Really,” Jiwoo said, standing up from her chair and collecting her things. Young Mi warily watched, hovering close by though not close enough to stress out Jiwoo. “Just show me where I have to go and I’ll be okay.”

            Young Mi reluctantly lead Jiwoo to the conference hall and took her to the coffee station at the back of the room. The other managers were already in the midst of setting up the trays of food on the tables. They stacked and positioned the items and labeled the food with decorative cards to spruce them up, laughing and joking as they worked.

            “Everything looks great! Thanks for all your help, everyone. When you’re finished, you can take a break before meeting back here for the conference,” Young Mi cheered as the others clapped at their small victory. “You can set yourself up here, Jiwoo. Everything you need should be here. And, in case you need anything during the conference, just give me a holler and I’ll send some help.”

            “Other than maybe refilling clean cups, I think I should be fine,” Jiwoo replied, scanning the countertop and machines. She opened up the cupboards and drawers, taking note of where everything was placed before storing her personal items away in an empty drawer. “I just have to make coffee orders, right?” Jiwoo asked, turning to Young Mi who was standing and watching Jiwoo with a perplexed expression. She silently nodded, tilting her head at Jiwoo, the same perplexed expression still trained at her.

            “Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

            “Yes. Making coffee will help calm me down. Trust me.”

            “In that case, can I get a latte before everyone else gets here?”

---

            Jiwoo tucked herself onto the stool and pulled out her book, tuning out the conversation that echoed in the hall as she flipped to her bookmark. A collage of business suits and formal wear painted the room as investors of the company mingled with the artists, shaking hands and greeting each other with familiarity. Clusters of conversations travelled around the room as people caught up with one another, drumming up menial small talk before the actual conference started. As curious as she was, Jiwoo wasn’t in the mood for exchanging pleasantries, opting to settle into her fictional world for the time being. Calling it an escape was an understatement at best, but Jiwoo needed it.

            Young Mi couldn’t stop herself from periodically looking over at Jiwoo, checking in to see how the younger girl was doing. After what had transpired earlier, Young Mi wasn’t too keen on leaving Jiwoo alone - especially now that she was occupied herself. She was circulating the room and chatting with some of the upper ranking employees, making sure everyone was being accommodated. And, as much as she wanted to be Jiwoo’s friend and accompany her, she was an artist coordinator first.

            Jiwoo couldn’t care less about what was going on around her as she dove deep into her book. The remnants of her panic attack pressed against her chest and she let out the breath she was holding, attempting to push out whatever anxiety remained inside.

            What’s the point in dwelling, Jiwoo? The situation is over. Actually, there was no situation in the first place, she scolded herself, blowing out a puff of air as she continued reading.

            There truly was no reason for her to be so wound up about everything given how the events had played out. There were no hiccups like last time – no obstacles that got in their way. The food was fresh having only travelled down a single hallway, and the drinks were even fresher.

            So, Jiwoo didn’t understand why her mind wanted her to stress out over a non-issue. Nothing happened, and nothing was going to happen because they had covered all their grounds properly this time. They left no room for error. And yet, she still managed to dig herself into a hole of self-doubt.

            At this point, Jiwoo’s book was a prop, a decoration on her lap as her thoughts wandered into the darker corners of her mind. She didn’t want to alarm or worry Young Mi, so she made sure her smile was always on her face. Even if the intrusive thoughts pulled her down deeper into the void, she wasn’t going to let them truly consume her. Not yet. Not when she still had to fulfill her duties at the coffee bar.

            An applause erupted through the room, pulling Jiwoo up from beneath her dark thoughts as the lights and bathed the artists and guests in a warmth reminiscent of her café. She quickly tucked her book back into her bag, shutting the drawer as she looked across the room and made eye contact with Young Mi who gave her a nod.

            “Thank you for your patience everyone. At this time, we’ll be taking a short lunch break. Our lovely staff have graciously prepared some food and desserts over on the tables by the window, and there is fresh coffee in the back. We will reconvene in an hour for the second half of the conference, so take your time and enjoy your lunch!” the CEO dismissed everyone, quickly stepping off the stage to join a table full of men in suits. Slowly, everyone made their way to the food, scoping out the options and grabbing whatever items looked appetizing to them.

            Jiwoo washed her hands and dried them on a towel before turning to the counter, a smile plastered on her face. Her customer service façade sprung to the surface as people made their way over and asked for their drinks. Fortunately for Jiwoo, all she had to do was make coffee or pour water. No complicated mixed drinks, no blended drinks. Just plain old espressos, milk, and water. Simple. Easy. Mindless.

            A line began to form as Jiwoo worked fixing the drinks, pulling multiple shots at a time in order to keep up with the demand. Gliding across the work bench, Jiwoo gracefully made the drinks as she chatted with whomever she was helping in the moment. Posing typical questions, she asked them how they were doing and how the conference was, and was less than shocked to hear the same answer in its many forms.

            Everything is great, we’re excited for what SM is planning to do for the year…I’m interested to see what concepts they’re going to have…The themes are really unique and exciting. I can’t wait!

            Although she never really got into the pop trend, Jiwoo understood the appeal of it. The use of themes and concepts, the idea of playing a character that appeased the fans was definitely a marketing strategy that brought in profits. It drew in the dreamers, the ones who could picture themselves in an alternative world where their existence was known to the group member that fit their ideal person the most. These companies knew how to play to these senses and these desires to gain a cult following willing to pour their savings into supporting their idols.

            I’m no different now, aren’t I? Jiwoo scoffed, thinking about how she, too, played into the senses and desires of her customers. She created and curated a place to appeal to the more curious individuals, inviting them into the theme and concept of her mind’s eye. The only differences, however, were that she knew they existed and acknowledged them as being an integral part of her life. And, that she hadn’t built her café for profit. No, I built my dream.

            Tuning back into the present, Jiwoo continued to make the drinks for the guests and artists. Cup after cup, the espresso machines worked on overdrive as she pulled out shot after shot. Her stack of cups was running low, so she motioned to Young Mi from across the room. The older woman nodded and excused herself from her conversation, relieved that she was finally able to escape the corporate chat for a short moment.

            “Hi, you called for me?” Young Mi asked, going behind the counter to greet Jiwoo. The younger girl nodded and passed off the next drink before turning to smile at Young Mi.

            “Yeah, I’m running out of cups soon. I don’t know if I’ll have enough,” she replied. Young Mi glanced down at the stacks and nodded in agreement.

            “I’ll go get someone to grab some more. Ah, perfect!” Young Mi cheered as her eyes locked on the person who had just walked into the room. “Jaehyun, come over here, please. Quickly!” she snapped.

            Jaehyun’s head whipped over to the sound of Young Mi’s voice, doe eyed. He jogged over to the coffee station and courteously bowed his head at Jiwoo who returned the gesture in the same manner. Turning to Young Mi, he asked, “You called, noona?”

            “Yes. Could you please go down to kitchen B and grab some more cups? We don’t have enough left for the rest of the conference and she can’t leave the station to get them herself,” Young Mi ordered. She left no room for compromise as she purposefully checked her watch and scanned the room. “Use that cart over there to bring as many as you can over, okay?”

            “Yes, noona,” Jaehyun replied, bowing at her before going over to the cart by the door and pushing it out of the room. He knew better than to argue with her, especially with all the investors present in the room. Also, what was the point of retaliating anyway? It’s not like he had anywhere important to be. The conference was their priority. If he had to help out by getting some cups, then so be it.

            Jiwoo thanked Young Mi for her help before returning back to her station at the counter. The lunch hour was quickly coming to an end, and Jiwoo was shocked at how fast the time passed. It seemed like others were thinking the same thing because she suddenly had another line up of people crowding her counter much like the crowd around the food tables. Grabbing one last round of food to get them through the rest of the conference, the guests and artists left as quickly as they came and settled into their seats as a 10-minute timer started counting down on the projected screen for everyone to see.

            Jaehyun carefully rolled the cart back into the room, the cups stacked neatly on the different levels for Jiwoo to use. He pushed the cart to the counter and cleared his throat to get Jiwoo’s attention. She was attending to someone, but she caught his eye and tilted her head towards the entrance to the coffee bar. Jaehyun caught onto her signal and quietly maneuvered through the bodies of people towards the opening. He made it around just as she caught a quick break between making drinks.

            “Thank you for your help. You can just leave the cart there and I’ll handle the rest,” she whispered, bowing to him as he shook his head.

            “It’s nothing,” he replied. He bowed once more and turned towards the food. He hadn’t yet had his lunch, having been caught up in grabbing the cups and other duties, so he was starving. He picked up a plate and began to pile on the food, ignoring the piercing glares of his managers as he covered more surface area on the plate. To hell with my diet.

            He grabbed another plate and started to stack on desserts and pastries. The temptation to grab one of everything was strong, and he was weak when it came to food. So, he grabbed almost everything. Nobody could stop him from eating all of it. At least, that was what he thought until he felt a looming presence standing next to him.

            “Jaehyun, what are you doing?” Young Mi asked, peering up at him with her infamous scrutiny. He froze, plates still in hand. He didn’t dare to look at her, though he knew he couldn’t ignore her glare because he could already feel it boring a hold on the side of his head. He slowly turned and looked down to meet her gaze, flinching as the coldness pierced him, shooting down the length of his spine as he nervously laughed in response.

            “Uh, I um – I,” he mumbled. He knew not to test Young Mi with his response. Even if he replied honestly, he knew he would still get in trouble for grabbing so much food despite his diet. He opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by her.

            “My friend hasn’t eaten yet and the conference is about to start. Bring those plates to the back and give them to her,” Young Mi ordered. “You can eat later, after the investors are gone.”

            Jaehyun let out a quiet sigh of defeat and nodded at her. “Yes, noona,” he murmured, glancing up at the clock to see that he had about 3 minutes left to drop off the food in the back and get to his seat.

            “I know you’re hungry, but remember your image and diet, Jaehyun. Again, you can have some of the food later, okay?”

            “Yes, noona.”

            Jaehyun plodded to the back of the room to drop off the food. Unfortunately for him, he couldn’t just drop off the plates and go back to his seat. Jiwoo was preoccupied with the last few stragglers and was busy making their drinks that she hadn’t noticed Jaehyun standing at her counter. Only when the last drink was handed off and the lights dimmed in the room did Jiwoo see him.

            Jaehyun sighed as the lights lowered. He couldn’t go back to his seat now, especially since he was sitting at the front. He would be a distraction, and the company did not want that sort of thing to happen especially with the CEO present. Not knowing what to do, he stood at the counter and looked at the plates and then at Jiwoo, dejected.

            Jiwoo could see his dilemma and motioned for him to come closer to the counter as she leaned over. “I’m sorry, but I can’t make a drink for you right now. The machine will be too loud,” she whispered, her voice barely carrying over to Jaehyun as he leaned in to catch what she was saying.

            “Oh, I wasn’t here for a drink. Young Mi noona asked me to drop off some food for you since you haven’t had the chance to grab some yourself,” he replied, placing the plates on the counter for her.

            “Oh! Uh, thanks,” she replied, pulling the plates towards her. He shook his head with a small smile and turned as if to leave. To her surprise, he leaned back against the counter and stood there to watch the rest of the conference. Not wanting to disturb him, Jiwoo set the plates aside and went to the cart of cups and began to transfer them over to where the rest were sitting. She made little to no sound, her dexterous hands carefully moving the ceramic cups quietly back and forth.

            Jaehyun only noticed she was still working behind the counter when he caught her movements in his peripherals. If he hadn’t seen her moving, he wouldn’t have known that she hadn’t stopped working and cleaning. He looked at the plates of untouched food and looked up at where Young Mi was sitting. She wasn’t looking at him, but he knew she wouldn’t be pleased to know that her friend hadn’t eaten yet. So, he waved at Jiwoo to catch her attention before pointing at the plate of food and motioning for her to eat.

            Jiwoo checked the cart and saw that she only had two more cups left to move, so she pointed at the cup and held up two fingers. She hoped he was able to understand her charade, and it seemed like he had because he nodded and turned back to the front of the room. Jiwoo finished off her task before walking over to where the plates sat and eyed the food piled on them. She reached for one of the sandwiches when she heard something from across the counter. Looking up, she noticed Jaehyun reach up to rub his stomach while the tips of his ears burned bright red. It wasn’t hard for Jiwoo to put two and two together. Smiling, Jiwoo opened a drawer and found a pen and pad of paper, and then wrote something down before tapping Jaehyun’s arm.

            Jaehyun felt a light poke and looked back to see a pen and a pad of paper on the counter. He noticed Jiwoo looking expectantly at him, pointing at the paper with her chin. He picked up the paper and read the cursive font on the page.

            “Did you get to eat earlier?” she wrote. Jaehyun looked at her and lightly shook his head. He grabbed the pen and wrote his response before sliding the paper and pen back to her.

            “I’m not hungry.” She frowned at the paper before quickly scribbling down her response.

            “If you’re not hungry, then why did your stomach sing the song of its people?” she asked, smirking at him as his jaw dropped in shock. He hadn’t expected his stomach to growl loud enough for her to hear from the other side of the counter. He fully turned around to face the counter to write his response, his back now turned to the conference.

            “Fine. You caught me. Yes, I am hungry. But, I’m on a diet and shouldn’t be eating too much anyway. Manager’s orders.”

            Jiwoo read his response and her frown grew dark. She knew that dieting was a large part of being an idol, but it didn’t stop the feeling of annoyance bubble in the pit of her stomach. Everyone deserved to eat and enjoy food. Nobody should be starving themselves for aesthetic reasons, celebrity or not. Food is food. Food is fuel. Grabbing the pen, Jiwoo wrote her response and pushed the paper over to Jaehyun who was now waiting for her. He pulled the paper over and paused, the playful smile on his lips slowly disappearing as he read the note once, twice – three times for good measure.

            “You shouldn’t ignore the signals that your body sends you. If you’re hungry, eat. Why listen to someone who’s not living in your shoes? How do they know you better than yourself? Besides, who’s going to live your life other than you?”

            He looked up from the paper to see Jiwoo pushing the plates of food towards him and mouthing the word “eat” with a stern expression. She grabbed a sandwich and slice of cake for herself, placing them on a small plate she procured from behind the counter and started to eat.

            Jaehyun looked from the food to Jiwoo, conflicted. What was he supposed to do now? Take the food and eat it just because she told him to? Who was she to make that decision for him? However, she did make a really good point of him being the owner of his own body. But, it was far more complicated than that. He was still an idol, a product of the company. From how he acted to what he ate, he was a slave to SM until they decided they had enough of him – whenever that may be.

            Sighing, he was about to turn back to face the conference and ignore the plate of food when he felt her hand on his arm. She held up a finger asking him to wait while she furiously scribbled on the paper and pushed it to him.

            “I know you might be worried about what the company might say or do to you if you eat, but the fact of the matter is you’re hungry. Eat. If you’re scared of what Young Mi unnie might do, I’ll handle her.”

            Jaehyun let out a small, incredulous breath as he read the last line. Nobody dared to go against Young Mi, and yet this girl was willing to put herself in the line of fire. You’re a peculiar one…

            Jiwoo was about to grab for the paper again, her frustration now teeming over her cup of patience when Jaehyun pulled the pen away and scratched down a response. He pushed it back towards her before pulling one of the plates closer to him and digging into the food without a glance at her. She smiled triumphantly and grabbed the paper to read what he wrote.

            “Fine. I’ll eat. Just don’t forget that you’ll have to deal with Young Mi noona’s wrath after this.” Jiwoo lightly tapped the counter to get his attention and nodded, giving him a thumbs up before she returned to her own food.

---

            The second half of the conference finally came to an end as the evening light filtered through the floor to ceiling windows, casting the room with orange and red hues of the sunset. Investors and artists mingled as they discussed the future activities and projects in hushed excitement. The company definitely had a lot planned for their artists, though Jiwoo hadn’t paid too much attention – too preoccupied with her book thus far. There were a few people who came to her for more coffee, but for the most part, Jiwoo was simply waiting for the event to end so that she could go home.

            Young Mi dropped by, asking if she had eaten anything to which Jiwoo confirmed. “Yeah, the boy from earlier brought over some food.”

            “Did you eat all of it?” Young Mi asked. She recalled how full the plates were and was curious to see what Jiwoo would say.

            “No.”

            Young Mi’s head whipped around to look at Jiwoo, who returned it with a sly smile. She couldn’t quite read her expression, and was curious of why Jiwoo was smiling so deviously. She dared to be enlightened.

            “Did you pack the rest of it?”

            “No.”

            “Then you threw it out.”

            “Nope.”

            Young Mi paused and closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath before posing a question she didn’t want to ask. “Did you give the rest to Jaehyun?”

            Jiwoo grinned at her and nodded. “Yup.”

            “Jiwoo, you shouldn’t have done that. Now we’re going to have to monitor and cut his diet even more. They’re going to be going back into promotions soon, and we can’t have him looking heavy,” Young Mi began to rant, pulling out her phone to begin drafting out plans and emails for her team. Jiwoo reached over the counter and snatched the phone away, tucking it into her apron as she looked grimly at Young Mi. Young Mi tried to say something, but was quickly and firmly stopped by Jiwoo’s darkened expression.

            “So, what if I did it? What if I gave someone who was clearly starving a little bit of food? I’m not trying to overstep and tell you how to do your job, Young Mi, but you can’t tell me you’re actually okay with letting people starve for vanity’s sake? I can’t, and I sure as hell won’t let it happen on my watch,” Jiwoo snapped. “One day of eating will not set him back at all. In fact, not letting him eat will only make him gain. Your body stores fat for energy when you’re in a severe caloric deficit. It’s basic nutrition, Young Mi.”

            Young Mi sighed, knowing she was fighting a losing battle. Every day she becomes more of an enigma, she thought, shaking her head as she held out her hand in silence, asking for her phone. Jiwoo shook her head and crossed her arms.

            “Look. I get where you’re coming from. But, I know you’re smart enough to understand that this is a business capitalizing on the whole idea of appearances. I also know that you’ve got a big heart and want to help those in need. But, please understand that I have to do my job and take care of these boys,” Young Mi sighed. She didn’t want to make a big deal out of this, but she was concerned that Jiwoo might not comply.

            Jiwoo looked away and sighed. “You didn’t hear it though. His stomach…”

            Young Mi flinched and closed her eyes. She didn’t have to because she’s heard it far too many times to count. It was a sound that nobody wanted to hear, yet it was completely normal and even celebrated in the line of work. Fighting hunger meant they had strength – even if that meant they couldn’t physically move. At least they didn’t eat, right?

            “Fine. I’ll let this pass this time. I won’t tell anyone about this,” Young Mi mumbled looking at Jiwoo in defeat. Jiwoo beamed and held out her hand, pinky outstretched.

            “Pinky promise?”

            “Ugh, how old are you? How were you a lawyer? How are you legally this cute?” Young Mi scoffed as she interlocked her pinky with Jiwoo’s.

            Jiwoo laughed, “I’m 28. I worked my off to pass the bar. And, thank you very much for that compliment.”

---

            “Hey, Jaehyun hyung, are you good?”

            Jaehyun turned to Mark with a nod. “Huh, yeah, I’m good.” Mark asked if he was sure and Jaehyun simply nodded his head, glancing over at the coffee bar nervously. He could see Young Mi talking to her friend, and was suddenly feeling clammy and anxious about what was going to happen. Was she going to report him to the other managers? Was she going to call him out in public? Or was her friend going to pull a miracle and get him out of the situation?

            The questions raced through his mind as he watched Young Mi pull out her phone and begin to dial a number. He panicked. He didn’t know what to do and hurriedly started to walk over to the coffee bar. People kept trying to stop him for small talk, and he politely declined as he weaved his way through the crowd, eyes locked onto the situation at the coffee bar.

            He froze just as Young Mi’s friend snatched the phone out of her hands, jaw hanging wide open. He would’ve never imagined a scenario like that happening ever – and yet here he was watching it unfold in front of him. Who is this person? he thought as he continued his trek to the back of the room. He watched her hide the phone and talk to Young Mi, frowning the exact same way she had earlier when he told her he had to diet.

            She said something to Young Mi, something he couldn’t really make out as he got closer, hiding near the entrance of the coffee bar. He could just barely hear the conversation over the hum of conversation in the room, and in a nervous breath.

            “…I also know that you’ve got a big heart and want to help those in need. But, please understand that I have to do my job and take care of these boys.”

            “You didn’t hear it though. His stomach…”

            Jaehyun held his breath, peering around the corner. He hadn’t anticipated that – for her to mention his growling stomach. It wasn’t like it was a big deal to him or anything. And yet, she brought it up to Young Mi. For what though? It’s not like Young Mi would care enough to ignore the fact that he had eaten two plates of food. He almost turned to leave when Young Mi responded.

            “Fine. I’ll let this pass this time. I won’t tell anyone about this.”

            “Pinky promise?”

            Jaehyun turned back around, eyes wide in shock and surprise. He looked at the pair as they sealed the pinky promise.

            “Ugh, how old are you? How were you a lawyer? How are you legally this cute?”

            “I’m 28. I worked my off to pass the bar. And, thank you very much for that compliment.”

            He had witnessed a miracle.

---

            Young Mi waited for everyone to leave before she joined Jiwoo at the coffee bar, her bag packed and ready. She chuckled as she came up to Jiwoo, her nose once again buried in her book. “Hey, we’re finally done for the day.” Jiwoo looked up from her book, automatically placing her finger where she stopped in the sentence.

            “What about the clean up?” Jiwoo asked, looking around at the conference room. There were a few managers lounging about and chatting with no more business suits in sight.

            “We’ve got the cleaners coming in, so you don’t have to worry about it,” Young Mi replied. She tilted her head towards the door and waited for Jiwoo to gather her belongings and join her on the other side of the counter. “Thank you for your help today. I heard a lot of people complimenting the food and drinks. No complaints at all.”

            “As if you were able to listen to everyone, unnie.”

            “I couldn’t, but I also have eyes and ears everywhere. Trust me, nobody had anything bad to say,” Young Mi reassured the younger girl. Jiwoo only nodded in silence, zipping up her jacket as she adjusted her backpack. They walked down the hall in silence, approaching the elevators and headed down to the ground floor. They exited the elevator and scanned out of the glass door, passing by the quiet café area. As they approached the front entrance, Jiwoo began to turn off and head towards it.

            “Well, I guess I’ll be going then? I’ll see you whenever I see you,” Jiwoo said turning back to wave at Young Mi.  

            “Where do you think you’re going?” Young Mi asked, frowning at Jiwoo.

            Jiwoo paused and returned the frown – confused. “Uh, home? Where else would I be going?” she asked, pointing outside towards the bus stop. Young Mi shook her head and walked towards Jiwoo and linked arms with her. Jiwoo looked down at their arms, flustered and even more confused than before.

            “It’s late, let me at least give you a ride back,” Young Mi said. Her tone wasn’t that of an offer, but of an order. “After all your help today, I’m not letting you go home alone. And, I’m not going to take no for an answer.”

            Jiwoo bit her lip, hesitant on whether to go with Young Mi or not. She was grateful that the older woman would be willing to go out of her way, but she didn’t want to burden her either. “It’s alright, unnie. I’ll be fine.”

            “I’m sure you would be. But, I’ve already made up my mind. Besides, the car ride will cut your commute time in half. It’s less than 30 minutes.”

            Young Mi didn’t wait for Jiwoo’s response as she dragged the younger girl towards the parking lot at the back of the building. Jiwoo could only sigh and let herself be pulled to the van, though there was a group of people already in the parking lot.

            “Oh, there you are! Could you take these boys back to the dorms? We don’t have enough cars right now,” the manager asked Young Mi. She glared at him and stepped forward with an intimidating stance.

            “I thought I told you guys to prepare an extra van for tonight. What happened?” she snapped. The manager looked down silently, unable to answer Young Mi. “Well?” she hissed, resting her hands on her hips with a huff. The group of boys took a step back away from their managers, avoiding all eye contact and pretending that they weren’t there to witness the awkward exchange.

            “I’m sorry. We had it ready. It’s just that we had to lend one to an investor as his chauffeur broke down on their way here,” he replied. Young Mi’s expression softened as she lowered her hands and placed one lightly on the manager’s arm. He flinched under her touch and looked at her, but didn’t pull away.

            “Why didn’t you just start with that?” she asked, giving him a played nudge as he scratched the back of his head with a nervous chuckle. “I really would love to help, but I have to head in the other direction,” Young Mi sighed, looking back at Jiwoo who had taken refuge behind one of the cars. “Is there really no other option?” she asked.

            “I could squeeze in 8 of them, but that would leave one behind,” the manager replied, double checking the number of boys standing with them. Young Mi, too, counted the numbers and knew all 9 of them would not fit in the one van.

            “I could just take the bus, unnie. It’s fine,” Jiwoo spoke from the shadows. Young Mi turned around to Jiwoo with a scowl.

            “No. I’m driving you.”

            “But you clearly have other priorities right now. It’s really fine. I can just go now. It’s not that late,” Jiwoo said, backing away from the scene. Young Mi marched over to Jiwoo and grabbed her arm, leading her towards the van and loading her into one of the back seats. Despite the girl’s protest, she buckled up the seatbelt and slammed the sliding door shut with a huff.

            “Now, where were we? Right, splitting them up,” Young Mi said, turning back to the boys who were staring at her in shock. They’d never seen her act this way with anyone other than the artists, but even then, she’d never manhandle them. Intimidated by this new side, none of them could look away from the girl now pouting in the car. “Who doesn’t have a schedule tomorrow?” Young Mi asked. Taeyong and Jaehyun reluctantly raised their hands. “Okay. You two come with me. We’re going to drop her off first though since it’s late and she needs to rest. And, since you guys have tomorrow off, you can afford to go home later than the rest of them.”

            Both two boys nodded quietly, unable to protest. They headed towards the van. Taeyong took the front seat while Jaehyun circled to the other side to slide into the other seat. Young Mi motioned to the rest of the boys to go to the other van and they shuffled off without a peep.

            “Thanks, Young Mi. And I’m sorry for the inconvenience,” the manager said as he bowed to her. Young Mi shook her head and sighed, giving him a pat on the arm.

            “It’s fine. I’m just worried that these two might be tired is all,” she said, looking into the car as the two boys settled into their seats. “Just get the others home safe. I’ll text you when I’m on the way back.”

            “Thanks, honey,” he replied, checking to see if the coast was clear before leaning down to peck Young Mi on the cheek with a grin. 

            “Ugh, you’re lucky you’re cute,” Young Mi sneered as she gave her boyfriend a quick hug and wave before going to the driver side of her van. They exchanged one last smile and wave at each other before entering their own vehicles.

            Young Mi started the engine and turned back to look at Jiwoo who was pouting in her seat, arms crossed. She couldn’t help but laugh, earning a glare from the younger girl.

            “I don’t know why you even try to fight me,” Young Mi laughed as Jiwoo stuck her tongue out at her.

            “Because you clearly have a job to do and I’m just interfering. Please, just drop me off at the train station or something. I’m now inconveniencing you and uh,” Jiwoo stopped and pointed at the two boys who were looking back at forth between the two women. Neither spoke, both too afraid to say something wrong and potentially face the wrath of angry women.

            “They’ll be fine. These two don’t have schedules tomorrow, so they’re coming along for the ride,” Young Mi replied nonchalantly. Jiwoo’s jaw dropped and she sat up in her seat with a start.

            “You’re driving them all the way there and back? It’s so out of their way! No, please. Just drop me off at the station. Suwon isn’t even that far away.”

            Jaehyun’s ears perked up at the city name, and he quickly looked over at the girl. Suwon? They aren’t talking about that place now, are they? He discreetly pulled out his wallet and pulled the cream card from its slot, holding the to the dim light casting into the dark car. He could just make out the word Suwon and in a breath.

            “Yeah, no. I’m driving you there. There’s no point in arguing now, so sit back and relax.”

            “But –”

            “I don’t want another peep from you.”

---

            Jaehyun’s heart raced as Young Mi turned down the familiar street and headed towards the little café, the same street he walked down several weeks ago. He mentally kicked himself as he glanced over at Jiwoo who was curled up her chair, fast asleep. Why didn’t I figure this out earlier? She’s the owner of this café! No wonder the coffee at SM tasted so familiar. It’s hers!

            The car came to a stop at the front entrance and Young Mi shifted into ‘park.’ She turned around to find Jiwoo comfortably asleep. Although she didn’t want to disturb her, she knew that she needed to wake Jiwoo up.

            “Jaehyun, can you do me a favour and wake her up?” she asked as she took off her seatbelt and opened the driver side door. He hesitantly nodded and reached over, giving Jiwoo a gentle but firm shake.

            Jiwoo slowly opened her eyes as she was jostled out of her slumber, her eyes adjusting to the darkness around her. She looked around and saw the passenger seat in front of her, while to her left she met the familiar gaze of the boy from earlier. The door next to her opened abruptly, and she looked over to find Young Mi standing outside.

            “Wake up, sunshine. We’re here,” she whispered. Jiwoo nodded and reached down to unbuckle her seatbelt. She d around and tried to find the button, but was thoroughly confused when she couldn’t find it.

            “Uh, here. Let me help. It’s a little weird,” Jaehyun said, reaching over to press the button hidden on the side of the seat. The buckle unlatched itself and retracted into the car wall, startling Jiwoo for a moment.

            “Thanks,” she murmured before bowing her head and sliding out of her seat. She hopped down from the van and turned to Young Mi with a bow. “Thank you for driving me home. You really didn’t have to.”

            “But I wanted to. It’s the least I could do given how much you’ve helped me these past few weeks.”

            Jiwoo waved her hands in front of her and bowed her head again. “It’s nothing, really. Just helping out a friend in need. Anyway, have a good night. And, I’m sorry you two had to come all the way out here,” Jiwoo said as she bowed her head to the two boys in the car. They both smiled and shook their heads and said it was alright.

            “Okay, head on in. I’ll see you another time, okay?” Young Mi said, giving Jiwoo a quick hug that she gingerly returned this time.

            “Yup. I’ll see you later,” she replied as she turned to her shop and unlocked the door. She entered and shut the door behind her, waving at the trio in the car before she the light above her door, locked everything up, and headed up to her bedroom for the night.

            Young Mi got back into the driver’s and started their drive back to Seoul.

            “Who was that, noona?” Taeyong asked, getting to the question before Jaehyun could.

            “Oh, that was my friend. She owns that café and supplies the coffee beans we use at the SM café. She also does some catering jobs once in a while, much like today,” Young Mi replied, an unconscious smile forming on her lips.

            “How did you even meet her? The shop is so far away from Seoul,” he continued, curiosity painted over his face. Young Mi chuckled as she recalled the first night she ever met Jiwoo.

            “Remember when you had to film your music video in Suwon? We had to get some last-minute catering done and she was the only shop open at that time. She’s saved my job quite a few times since, now that I really think about it,” Young Mi said as Taeyong nodded in response.

            “She seems nice,” Taeyong said as he looked at the buildings passing by. Young Mi nodded in agreement.

            “She’s really kind and caring. Even if she doesn’t even know you, she’s willing to do anything to support you,” Young Mi said, looking at Jaehyun in her rear-view mirror. He caught her gaze and quickly looked away, a hint of pink tinting the tips of his ears. She knew that he knew what she was talking about.

            “Will we be seeing her around more? I think we’ve seen her at the SM café?” Taeyong asked. Jaehyun perked up at the question, though he tried not to make it obvious that he was listening.

            “Probably not as much since she does have to take care of her own store,” Young Mi replied.

            “Ah, makes sense. Oh, what’s her name, noona? In case we do see her at the company. It would be rude of us to ignore her, right?”

            Young Mi softly laughed and responded, “It would be, yeah. Her name is Jiwoo. Seong Jiwoo.”

            Jaehyun looked down at the cream card in his hand, his eyes tracing over the name written in cursive. Seong Jiwoo.

Phew, this was a long one. We're getting into the bread and butter of the story now. I feel like I mention this every time (read: I do), but this story really focuses on the character development and growth/decline of our main protagonists. Hence, the slice of life tag - though it IS a bit of an exaggerated reality. 

Thank you for dropping by and giving this story your time of day. I know it's not your typical fanfiction, and it's not really everyone's cup of tea. Hopefully it does appeal to some of you though. If it does, thank you for your support! If it doesn't, thank you for your time!

Cheers.