[May 6th: Seoul, South Korea]

 

 “Is that all?” questioned President Baek as he sat in the leather-bound chair of his private office and looked at Jaejoong, Junsu, and Yoochun sitting on the couch. “Is there anything more to report?”

 

“Not really,” answered Jaejoong with a smile as he leaned forward and glanced at the President of their management company. “I think we’re all set.”

 

“When will the album be released officially?” questioned Yoochun.

 

“The first digital single…” replied the President, looking at the paperwork on his desk. “the pre-release, will be released at the end of the month, followed by the album released less than a week later, and your four-month tour will officially start around the fifteenth of next month.”

 

“Your first concert performance, on June seventeenth,” he added. “Will be in Seoul and then you will be in Busan two days later.”

 

“And our Tokyo Dome tour dates?” questioned Jaejoong. “When are they?”

 

“Those will be the last four shows of the tour,” answered President Beak.

 

“Ok,” sighed Jaejoong.

 

“So we’re done here?” questioned Junsu, finally speaking up after being silent for almost the entire length of their meeting.

 

“Got somewhere you need to be?” chuckled President Baek teasingly. “You’re not possibly hiding a new girlfriend, I don’t know about, somewhere are you? Is that why you’re so hot to get out of here?”

 

“No, of course not.”  dismissed Junsu with a wave. “I just want to go home.”

 

“Well, we’re pretty much done here.” answered the President. “But, before I let you go, there is something I should tell you.”

 

“What is it?” questioned Jaejoong curiously as his other two bandmates looked on with the same interesting facial expression.

 

“As you may be well aware, your tour stylist, Mrs. Yang, is due to have her baby really soon.” informed the President. “Being so late in her pregnancy, she has officially been grounded by her doctor and will be unable to accompany you during your upcoming tour. So we have been trying to discretely recruit a replacement for her, looking for a person whose style will match your own and is willing to work with you during your tour dates overseas.”

 

“Did you have any luck?” questioned Jaejoong.

 

“Yes.” answered President Baek hesitantly.“Though, I’m not sure if you’re going to like her Jaejoong.”

 

“Why?” questioned Jaejoong innocently. “What’s wrong with her?”

 

“Absolutely nothing.” replied the President confidently. “She is well educated, highly professional, well-trained, extremely talented, and a quick study.  She even knew all of your personal preferences when it came to clothing styles, accessories, and fabrics, from the get-go. And, she has already submitted a few exciting style concepts for your upcoming performances as well.”

 

“She has a wonderfully calm, kind, and caring personality,” he added. “Is fiercely loyal to every artist she’s ever worked with and comes highly recommended.”

 

 “Wow, she sounds wonderful.” smiled Junsu. “So what’s the problem?”

 

“She’s not Korean.” cringed President Baek slightly as he waited for prince Jaejoong to have a nuclear meltdown.

 

“Great!” sighed Junsu as he slapped his hands on his thighs and plopped back against the couch dramatically. “So we’ll lose another great opportunity to work with a highly talented person because Jaejoong’s still pissed off at the last foreign stylist we hired.”

 

“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here!” grumbled Jaejoong.

 

“I told you before,” warned Jaejoong as he looked up his President. “I will only work with Korean stylist from now on. That last one from Australia was a damn lunatic. She drove me crazy all the time and, to top it off, she couldn’t speak a of Korean.”

 

“What’s with you and the not being able to speak in Korean thing anyway?” questioned Yoochun disapprovingly. “You and I both know you speak better English than you let on and even when there was an issue with the last one, I would translate for you.”

 

“Like, your English is any good.” scoffed Jaejoong. “Yours is getting worse and worse as time goes by.”

 

“Bite me.” snorted Yoochun. “That’s not the point. You’re going to send this talented woman away simply because you had a bad experience? Stop being a Diva, Jaejoong. You know we can’t go on tour without a stylist.”

 

“Yes we can!” replied Jaejoong confidently. “We can create our own outfits.”

 

“Stop right there.” interrupted President Baek. “Now Jaejoong, you know I’m always for you guys exploring your creativity but I have to draw the line at designing your own outfits. This tour has to be spectacular. It has to be perfect. And, if I allow you to pick the wardrobe it will end up being a visual disaster.”

 

“What are you trying to say? Are you saying I have bad taste?” questioned Jaejoong incredulously.

 

“Jae,” scolded Yoochun softly. “Would you just stop it already? You know we need a stylist and you know we don’t have enough time to find and train another one –especially when we have one who already knows our tastes well and is ready and raring to go. So, instead of arguing about, why don’t you just accept it?”

 

“Besides, you haven’t even met the new Noona yet.” chimed in Junsu -knowing full well that Noona was the appropriate term of endearment to use because there was no way in hell President Beak would ever hire a stylist younger than him.

 

“Whatever,” grumbled Jaejoong. “Fine.”

 

“Good, now that that is settled,” smiled the President. “Would you guys like to meet her? She’s downstairs with Stylist Yang in the workroom.”

 

“She’s already working?” questioned Yoochun with a curious smirk, already impressed with her work ethic, as he glanced at his brooding bandmate. “Then I think we should go down and meet this wonderful, hardworking lady.”

 

“Don’t you think so Jaejoong?” questioned Yoochun as he gently elbowed the man in his side.

 

“Fine,” conceded Jaejoong as he stood up with a huff. “Let’s get this disaster over with.”

 

“Very well,” answered the President as he stood up from his desk.

 

The President and the three young men silently made their way down to the second-floor workroom. The entire elevator trip down, Yoochun’s curiosity about this new staff member continued to grow. It wasn’t rare for them to hire new staff, now and then, but for some reason the more he thought about the President’s description of the new addition the more interested he got. Yoochun was the first to exit the elevator, paying no heed to his traveling companions, and made his way to the workroom’s door quickly. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he reached out and opened the door. As his eyes fell upon Stylist Yang, with her very pronounced belly, he smiled brightly.

 

“Noona!” Yoochun called out cheerfully.

 

“Hey sweetie,” she answered lovingly as Yoochun traversed the room and hugged her gently.

 

“Wow you’re getting big.” he chuckled as he felt her protruding belly against him.

 

“How have you been Noona?” questioned Yoochun endearingly as he pulled back and looked at her. “I haven’t seen you for weeks.”

 

“I’ve been good, sweetheart,” she answered with a cheerful smile as she glanced over his shoulder and noticed Jaejoong, Junsu, and President Baek walking into the room.

 

“So let me guess…” she chuckled knowingly. “You guys are here to meet the new girl?”

 

“Yes,” answered Yoochun with a nod. “The Prez says she’s good people.”

 

“She is good people.” agreed Stylist Yang. “Do you want to meet her now? She’s in the fabric room at the moment.”

 

“Please,” smiled Yoochun mischievously.

 

“Only if you promise to be on your best behavior Yoochun,” scolded Stylist Yang playfully. “None of that overly greasy charm ok?”

 

“Ok, I promise.” smiled Yoochun wickedly.

 

Stylist Yang stepped away from Yoochun and walked to the far end of the workroom. Peeking in through the fabric room door, she mumbled something to the new girl and a moment later turned and headed back to where the four men were standing with the new staff member following right behind her.

 

“Everyone,” smiled Stylist Yang as she stepped aside and revealed the lady behind her. “This is Nikki.”

 

With her head hung low, the silent woman bowed respectfully without bringing her eyes up from the floor.

 

“She’s always a little shy, to begin with,” informed Stylist Yang. “But give it some time and I know you will all love her.”

 

“What a joke,” spat Jaejoong, in Korean, as he took in how the Caucasian woman looked. There wasn’t anything visually appealing, about her. She wasn’t thin, she wasn't cute, and she definitely had no sense of style.

 

“She’s supposed to be our stylist?” questioned Jaejoong incredulously as he continued looked her up and down. She was dressed in a simple pair of tattered jeans, sneakers, and a cheap blue blouse that was mostly obscured by her long, dark hair that looked like it hadn’t seen a brush in a few days. “You got to be kidding me.”

 

“Jaejoong,” scolded President Baek. “Behave.”

 

“Why should I?” he questioned. “You expect me to believe that this woman is a stylist. Look at her clothes. Look at her hair. She looks like a ing train wreck.”

 

“Then,” came a soft and gentle female voice in Korean. “We’ll get along just fine.”

 

Jaejoong instantly looked up at the woman standing before him, the foreign woman who just retorted to him in fluent Korean, as she looked up at him and flashed a devilish smirk from beneath her black bangs.

 

“After all,” she added mischievously as she looked at Jaejoong confidently –revealing her sparkling green eyes. “We train wrecks, need to stick together.”

 

Yoochun instantly busted out laughing at the sound of the young woman’s smart- reply, while Junsu smirked sheepishly and Jaejoong just fumed.

 

“She got you Hyung!” teased Yoochun as he pointed at his best friend and continued to laugh hysterically. “She got you good!”

 

“Nikki,” sighed Stylist Yang disappointingly.

 

“What? Did I do something wrong?” she questioned gently as she looked at her mentor and then scanned up and down Jaejoong’s thin frame with a knowing smirk. “Or, am I supposed to stand here and be insulted by someone who doesn’t even know that white leather and blue jeans are so two-seasons ago?”

 

Now it was Junsu’s turn to start laughing. He had never once met a woman who would so boldly smart-off to Jaejoong like that. Over the years, Jaejoong had made a name for him in the staff world for being overly picky and downright snobbish when it came to the things he wanted. Just in the last three years alone, he had gone through more personal stylist than Junsu cared to count and the ones he did manage to keep for a lengthy period-of-time, ending up getting on Junsu’s nerves.

 

They would always kiss Jaejoong’s , letting him do whatever he wanted, turning him into a Diva more and more each day.

 

They had finally found a woman strong enough, and willing enough, to challenge JYJ’s one and only Master Diva.

 

Stepping up and smiling brightly, Junsu extended his hand to their new employee.

 

“My name is Kim Junsu,” he said as he watched her reach out and shake his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Nikki.”

 

“Please, just call me Nikki,” she informed politely. “Or, Noona if you prefer.”

 

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you Junsu,” she added caringly before she looked at Yoochun and extended her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, as well, Yoochun.”

 

“Nice to meet you too, Noona,” replied Yoochun as he shook the woman’s hand and added. “You have to forgive Hyung; he’s in a bad mood today.”

 

“Just today?” she chuckled teasingly.

 

“I look forward to working with all of you.” she smiled as she looked at Jaejoong's irritated face. “Including you, Jaejoong.”

 

With the pleasantries over, they decided to leave but before they could say his goodbyes to their new stylist she spoke up again.

 

“If you don’t mind, and since I have you three here already,” she smiled gently. “May I trouble you for a few moments? I would like to verify your measurements.”

 

“That information should be in their wardrobe records,” informed President Baek politely.

 

“As I am well aware,” responded Nikki respectfully. “However, I would like to confirm their measurements one more time to be certain.”

 

“Since,” she added knowingly as she glanced at Jaejoong who was busy staring off into space and ignoring her. “A certain someone can’t seem to regulate his weight from one day to the next.”

 

How does she know that? thought Junsu as he looked at the woman who seemed to ooze a motherly, yet approachable, aura.

 

“Alright,” agreed, President Baek, before addressing the three young men in the room. “Let Ms. Nikki retake your measurements and then you’re free to go. I have some things to take care of in my office, so I will see you three in the morning.”

 

“Thank you, President Baek,” replied Nikki respectfully. “Please enjoy the rest of your afternoon.”

 

As the President exited the room, and Stylist Yang grabbed a notebook and the fabric tape from her worktable, Nikki sighed softly to herself and studied the three men before her.

 

I have a lot of work ahead of me. she thought as Stylist Yang handed her the fabric tape.

 

“So?” questioned Yoochun curiously. “Who’s first?”

 

Without a word, and without a second thought, Nikki walked over to the still brooding Jaejoong and sighed.

 

“Jaejoong?” she questioned.

 

“What?” he answered with a small amount of spite in his voice.

 

“Since you don’t seem to like me much," she answered coyly. “Let’s get you taken care of first.”

 

“Fine. Whatever,” grumbled Jaejoong as he stretched out both arms to the side so she could take his chest measurement.

 

Nikki set to her task; measuring his chest, neck, shoulders, inseams, and out seams, with a quiet countenance. Only speaking when she needed to rattle off the measurement numbers to Stylist Yang, she doubles and triple-checked each one as she went through the list. With every verified measurement, every number called, she seemed to get more and more disheartened.

 

“Are we done yet?” questioned Jaejoong impatiently as he dropped his hand to his sides irritably.

 

“Waist,” she answered with an air of aggravation “Then, you’re done.”

 

Jaejoong stretched out his arms once more and watched closely as their new stylist wrapped the measuring tape around his natural waist. Holding the mark end of the tape in her left hand and its length in her right, Nikki pulled the tape taught against Jaejoong’s abs. As she looked at the number, she ever so gently shook her head, released the tape and tightened it once more –looking completely baffled by what she was seeing. Suddenly, without a word uttered, she dropped her eyes to the floor and sighed heavily. Both Yoochun and Junsu, leaning on a nearby worktable and waiting for their turn, wondered why she suddenly looked upset. Jaejoong, too, couldn’t quite read the mood that now seemed to fall between him and the new stylist.

 

“Damn it,” muttered Nikki -in a nearly inaudible whisper that was laced with a tinge of heartbreak. "Is he worth that much..."

 

Jaejoong looked at the woman before him wondering what in the hell she meant by that.

 

“Is something wrong?” asked Stylist Yang before Jaejoong could interrogate the cryptic woman.

 

Pinching together the two ends of the tape around Jaejoong’s waist with one hand, Nikki reached up and wiped her cheek discretely before she brought her eyes up to meet Jaejoong’s and called out the last measurement.

 

What he saw in her face pierced his heart like a knife. It wasn’t aggravation he saw. It wasn’t anger and it wasn’t happiness, either. It was a sincere worry.

 

“Stylist Yang?” she questioned after she cleared and seemed to regain her composure. “Please tell me we have a nutritionist on staff.”

 

“We do,” answered Stylist Yang as she glances up at Jaejoong’s face.

 

"And, a company trainer?"

 

"Of course," Stylist Yang replied with a nod. 

 

“Tell them I want to see them as soon as possible,” she ordered, almost angrily, before she looked up at Jaejoong and smiled.

 

“You’re all done,” she announced with a forced smile. “You’re free to go Jaejoong.”

 

Before Jaejoong could reply, or make any attempt to justify why he didn’t need to start seeing the nutritionist again, Nikki walked away.

 

“I need a few minutes,” she announced with a slight nod as she looked in Yoochun and Junsu’s direction. “I will be back in five minutes.”

 

Junsu, Jaejoong, and Yoochun watched as the woman walked across the workroom and back into the fabric room, closing the door securely behind her.

 

“Is she alright?” questioned Junsu as he looked at Stylist Yang worriedly. “She seemed upset.”

 

“She is,” answered Stylist Yang knowingly.

 

“Why?” questioned Yoochun.

 

“She’s worried,” replied Stylist Yang.

 

“Worried, why?” added Junsu.

 

“Because of Jaejoong,” she answered flatly, looking at Jaejoong with the same worried expression that had graced their new employees face just a moment ago.

 

“Why me?” questioned Jaejoong incredulously. “I didn’t do anything.”

 

“Of course you didn’t,” she said with a soft smile. “It’s just the way Nikki is. She may not look like it, but she has made quite a name for herself in the entertainment industry because of how deeply she cares for her charges. She treats her artists like they are her brothers, her lovers, and her family. She’s very loyal and protective, and when one of her artists falls sick in any way, it affects her deeply.”

 

“I guess finally seeing you as you are now; how truly skinny you’ve managed to become in the last year; really bothered her,” she added as she looked up at Jaejoong.

 

“So, just do me a favor. It will be my last request as your tour stylist of three years,” asked Stylist Yang.

 

“What?” questioned Jaejoong, slightly defensive.

 

“Be nice to her, give her a chance to prove herself, and don’t give her any hell about her reaction to your current condition. Ok, Jaejoong?” she asked. “You might not see it now, but Nikki is someone you will want by your side for the rest of your careers. You will never find another person who will faithfully have your back. Like she will. That, you can count on.”

 

 

 

 [May 8th: Seoul, South Korea]

 

“Excuse me President Kim.” said a soft-spoken young lady as she stepped into her boss’ office.

 

“What is it, Secretary Lee?” answered the entertainment company President as he peered over his desk at the young woman.

 

“Sorry to disturb you Sir, but your eleven o’clock is here,” she informed with a smile.

 

“Ah, please send Director Choi in, immediately,” ordered the President cheerfully. “And, make sure that our meeting goes undisturbed.”

 

“Yes sir,” replied the young woman as she backed out through the office door and closed it behind her.

 

Moments later there was a gentle knock before a finely dressed young man stepped in. President Kim immediately stood and greeted the Director with a firm handshake.

 

“It’s a pleasure to see you again Director Choi,” greeted the President, with a sincere smile, as he motioned for his visitor to take a seat on the nearby, black leather-bound sofa.

 

“As it is mine,” responded Director Choi.

 

After taking their seats, President Kim laced his fingers together and dropped his hand in his lap as he took a brief moment, to sum up, the man before him in his head.

 

“So, what can I do for you today?” questioned President Kim.

 

“My company’s founder,” started Director Choi. “Asked me to pay you a visit to assess your stance on the current business proposal we discussed last month.”

 

“Ah,” answered President Kim. “The contracts?”

 

 

 

[May 14th: Tokyo, Japan]

 

“Yah! You ,” growled Yunho angrily as he scanned the landfill that once was their shared apartment. “Clean up this mess!”

 

“You do it, I’m busy.” retorted Changmin from the couch as he continued to bury his face in his laptop.

 

“Busy, huh?” questioned Yunho angrily as he picked up an empty soda can and chucked it at his unaware bandmate. “You’re such a pig.”

 

“Hey!” fired back Changmin.

 

“Enough is enough.” interrupted Manager Song. “Would you two stop acting like kids for once. Sheesh.”

 

“He started it.” defended Changmin as he looked up at the wisp of a man they called their manager.

 

“I wouldn’t even be like this if that brat would learn to pick up after himself.” retorted Yunho spitefully.

 

“Hey! We’re on vacation,” justified Changmin. “And besides we have a lady that takes care of stuff like that.”

 

“That doesn’t mean you have to give the poor woman more work than she already has.” scolded Yunho as he glared at the younger man. “Grow up, Min.”

 

“You first.” smarted off Changmin with a mischievous grin.

 

“Come on now,” interrupted their manager again. “Knock it off.”

 

“Fine…ok.” conceded Yunho with a huff as he plopped down on the couch.

 

“Why are you even here?” questioned Changmin, out of the blue, as he looked at their manager once more. “We’re on vacation, remember?”

 

“I know, but…” stammered the man. “The boss called this morning.”

 

“What is it now?” sighed Yunho, knowing full well that when the boss called more work would follow.

 

“Apparently,  the company has signed a lucrative deal with a Tokyo-based public relations firm and President Kim thinks it would be a good idea for you to visit with the company’s Director tomorrow afternoon,” informed Manager Song.

 

“Why do we need to do that?” questioned Changmin confusedly. "Doesn’t SM have their own public relations department? Let them deal with him.”

 

“It’s never that simple Changmin and you know it.” sighed Yunho knowingly before he addressed Manager Song once more. “What does he want us to do?”

 

“Well…” stammered Manager Song as he wrung his hands together nervously. “As you are well aware, your popularity in the mainstream market had been declining for some time now and the President believes that this partnership with Haze Media can counter that decline. He wishes for you to meet with their Director and you are politely ordered to follow any, and all, directives they impose on you.”

 

“Meaning that we have to do what they say without question.” spat Changmin defiantly. “Figures.”

 

“I assure you though,” added Manager Song reassuringly. “Haze Media is nothing like SM. In the last three years, they have developed from a no-name small business to a multi-billion dollar PR company. Their reputation in the U.S. music market, the Chinese market, and the Japanese market is exemplary. They are highly praised by every company and artist they have ever worked with, and their moral and ethical practices are beyond reproach."

 

"Their founder, while somewhat reclusive in the public eye, has been praised by some of the greatest artists in music today as a woman of infallible character, unfaltering beliefs, loyalty, and professionalism unlike any other.”

 

“Alright, we’ll go.” agreed Yunho, almost instantaneously, as he nodded at their manager. “If the President thinks that this company will be able to combat our drop in popularity, and help us get back to where we were years ago, then I am all for it.”

 

“I’ll call and confirm the meeting then.” responded the manager almost thankfully before he turned and walked out of the room.

 

“Do you think that this company is as good as Manager Song say it is?” questioned Changmin suspiciously. “Seems too good to be true to me.”

 

“I guess…” sighed Yunho as he reached up and rubbed his throbbing temple “We’ll find out tomorrow.”