A/N: No particular member in the limelight for this chapter. Just a filler to bridge some gaps. Sung Min next. Thank you for reading!

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Shin Dong and Kyu Hyun sat on the long conference table across each other. The younger was busy with a hand-held gaming console (as usual) while Shin Dong was perusing the morning paper. A few moments later, Lee Teuk, Eun Hyuk and Hee Chul entered the room and occupied random seats as a food cart was wheeled in.

"Ms. Gem instructed us to get you some breakfast." Sheila, the brunette assistant to the big bosses said as she accompanied the food delivery crew from the restaurant at the building lobby.

"Wow!" Eun Hyuk and Shin Dong attacked the food at once.

"Is. . .that. . .strawberry and banana. . .smoothie?" EeTeuk asked as his gaze zoomed in to one of the tall glasses.

"Yes, Sir." The crew answered.

"Oh. My. Lord." EeTeuk felt like having a migraine attack. Hee Chul grinned and clapped like a kid.

"I wonder what she brought for me." He caressed his chin expectantly, eyes twinkling in glee.

"You knew Noona’s coming, don’t you?" Kyu Hyun asked Hee Chul accusingly.

"Is there any problem if I am in my own company?" A voice stopped Hee Chul from whatever it was he was going to hurl at the maknae. The owner of sinewy legs that seemed to extend like forever, clad in no less than Italian leather boots, was a sight to behold. Iris, in her usual tight Levi’s and white button down shirt strutted the conference room like a dream.

"Babes!" Hee Chul was able to cross the distance between them and scooped her in his arms, twirling her around.

"Yah! Put me down! Paboya?!" She punched Hee Chul by the stomach and he fell onto the floor, wincing in pain. "Serves you right!" She picked her orange Birkin and dusted herself like Hee Chul was full of dirt.

"You wound me so bad!" He whined but was ignored completely.

"Welcome home!" Eun Hyuk hugged Iris and she kissed both of his cheeks and so were the rest of the boys.

"Like the same, you’re going to feed us and then have us for breakfast. When will you ever stop in surprising us, huh, Iris Han?" EeTeuk shook his head and pulled a chair for her. Unknown to the public, Lee Soo Man no longer had the controlling shares of SM Entertainment. It was a hostile take over and Soo Man was being a sore loser up to the present. The President and CEO of SM-Avex partnership was no less than the lady in front of them. At least until a year ago.

"Uhm, not in the near future." She grinned like a cheshire cat and chomped on her favorite strawberry and banana smoothie and blueberry pecan pancakes. They were called to report to SM at 8am sharp under Gem’s orders and they didn’t know the big boss already arrived from Italy. "What happened while I’m gone?" She asked, seriously this time and the rest sat up in attention while trying to swallow the hearty breakfast.

"The first leg of the concert was successful. Everything is taken cared of and Si Won’s in--"

"You found something interesting, dongsaeng?" She eyed Kyu Hyun, cutting EeTeuk off. Kyu Hyun shot Hee Chul a glare. He knew his hyung kept the tigress posted.

"Yeah. How about you, found someone to replace Si Won-hyung yet?" He raised an inquiring brow.

"Cho Kyu Hyun!" EeTeuk admonished. "Apologize! Now!" He ordered.

"Don’t worry, Oppa," Yup, she was older only to Kyu Hyun, Ki Bum and Henry and younger than the rest of them. "I am not a least bit offended. Kyu Hyun-ah, will you be happy if I tell you I found someone?" She smirked. Like her best friend Hee Chul, no one and nothing can make her back down. Kyu Hyun paled a bit, worry for Si Won taking over the best of him as he struggled to keep his face straight.

"You. . .did?" It was Shin Dong. He knew how much Si Won was suffering at the moment. He accepted two dramas in a row with guesting and product endorsements on the side. He was barely getting a shut eye since he was having a management training, too, for their family business. Shin Dong believed that Si Won was doing it on purpose, trying to tire himself out so he won’t have time to think of anything else.

"Let’s get to the matters on hand." She said firmly as she set her cutlery aside, brushing Shin Dong’s question off deliberately.

"Is it okay to come in now?" Gem stood at the door, holding a stack of papers and folders. "No stray bullets?" Eun Hyuk shook his head and pulled a chair for the newly arrived.

"Gem-ah! That witch is trying to kill me! I hate her! Get her out of here!" Pointing at Iris, Hee Chul screamed like there’s no tomorrow as soon as she saw Gem. "Please, please, pretty please?!" He shook her violently, her eye glasses falling of her face.

"Yah! Stop--it!" Her speech came rattled because of the force. "Kim--Hee--Chul!" She swatted his hands angrily and smacked him on the forehead! "Sit down!"

"Okay." Hee Chul agreed like nothing happened.

"Aish! You guys--aish! Seriously!" Now, EeTeuk’s migrain was a full-blown headache. "Settle down!" He cried. Iris nearly fell off the chair laughing.

"Hand me the files, Gemskydoodles!" She chirped and accidentally swiped Hee Chul by the face using the folders.

"Yah! That’s two in a row! If you don’t stop hurting me I am going to kiss you!" Hee Chul threatened, wanting to smack her as well.

"I have Kay Fujimori on my speed dial." The sly reply. It shut him up completely, finally reading the paper that Gem distributed to everyone when the messenger came, lugging a huge box.

"Where do I put these, Han-sajangnim?" He asked politely, Eun Hyuk was already on his feet, helping the older Ahjussi.

"Now, first things first, I want you guys to train Krystal in hosting. I’ve seen M Live and I thought it’s a funeral." The rest winced. She peered at EeTeuk and he nodded. He saw it too and Krystal was awkward to say the least. She was reading everything from the cards including her jokes and Cheon Doong was no better.

"But she was basically chosen because she can speak English fluently." Shin Dong reasoned, trying to defend his hoobae.

"We know that, Shin Dong-sshi." The honorific meant the girls meant business and he squirmed in his seat. What he liked about them was their ability to separate personal and business matters. Who would have thought these two were very much in love with two of the Super Junior members? Or Iris once was, at least. "But language isn’t everything. We figured it was our fault to have sent Krystal to the battlefield without refurbishing her arsenal--" Gem explained.

"And we wanted to make amends. Teach her how to do adlib, for Go--Buddah’s sake!" Iris corrected herself and Kyu Hyun chuckled. "Everyone will be compensated accordingly." She browsed through her iPad. "Dividends will be distributed this Saturday and I want everyone to be present. Spread the word, araso?" Everyone yelled and Hee Chul was performing a lewd dance on top of the conference table.

"It’s a little early but I am not complaining." EeTeuk held a thumbs up sign. The change of management in SM Entertainment was the turning point of their lives. They were no longer meager artistes but stockholders of the company. They felt that for the first time, they were treated as humans and not as commodities. They had rest days, they get to choose each project and the company was very much transparent of what they earn and everything was divided accordingly.

"Third agenda, Korea Tatler wants you guys on the cover and the center spread of their April issue. And I have a meeting with the representatives of Byul Media this afternoon and there's a possibility that you'll be in all of its magazines before the end of the year." Gem supplied.

"Even Business Korea?!" Kyu Hyun was incredulous.

"Someone's doing a thorough research, eh?" Iris shot him a mocking smile and he groaned inwardly. "And yes, including Business Korea. Did you forget that you're shareholders of the company now?"

"And if I am not mistaken, Young Mi-sshi works for Byul Media." Hee Chul smirked and Kyu Hyun turned beet red.

"You! You're no better than Kyu Hyun!" Iris snapped at Hee Chul. Fujimori-san's contemplating on pressing charges, stalker! Who told you to call her every hour?"

"B-But--"

"Oh, that's why you're practically stuck on your phone every freakin' time." EeTeuk snorted.

"Yah! I am running out of time--I don’t even know if I can use my phone in the arm--"

"Hyung-ah, please not today! My heart can’t take it." Eun Hyuk pleaded dramatically.

"Wait, where’s Dong Hae-oppa?" Gem asked, steering the topic effectively. "I did ask him to come over here as well, didn’t I?"

"You did. But he went to Mokpo today. It’s his father’s death anniversary." Shin Dong explained.

"I. . .forgot about that. Mianhe." She lowered her head. The meeting continued only to be interrupted by Gem’s phone ringing. "Excuse me." Iris nodded. "Yobosaeyo?" She heard Ryeo Wook’s voice on the other line as he launched himself into a brief explanation on why he had to call. Gem’s forehead creased and her face paled instantaneously as she grasped what Ryeo Wook was trying to say. "I-I’ll be there in a bit, yeah?--No, don’t tell him!--Araso." She looked up and found the rest of the people in the room staring at her in worry.

"What happened?"

"I--can’t tell. For now. Got to go!" She picked her coat from the backrest of the executive chair and dashed out of the room.

"Call Ryeo Wook." EeTeuk ordered and everyone shuffled for their phones. Kyu Hyun was the first to get to him.

"Hyung? Noona was--what?--Where is he?--Does he know?--Araso." He hung up and gripped the edge of the table tightly, his knuckles white in controlled anger. "The wine. . ." He muttered.

"I am paying for the damn wine! Just let it go!" Hee Chul let out a frustrated yell as he banged the table harshly. He didn’t even mean to drop it!

"No. . ." Kyu Hyun’s voice cracked as he relayed the information Ryeo Wook told him. Their reactions mirrored his own upon hearing what the call was about.