[May 15th: Tokyo, Japan]

 

Wringing his hands together gently, Yunho looked up at his bandmate of well-over ten years and silently wondered what would be in store for them today. The President’s cryptic orders and their manager’s faint explanation hadn’t done much to ease the wariness in his mind. He knew nothing of Haze Media, he had never heard of them before, and he had no idea why they were really there. Normally Yunho was quite a patient person but right now he was more than a little worried and frustrated. They had been sitting in the small waiting area, on an overly-uncomfortable leather sofa, for almost an hour –their appointment time well passed, with no word as to when they would be allowed in to see the Director or any details of what the man wanted of them.

 

“What’s taking so long?” questioned Changmin softly as he looked up from his phone.

 

“I don’t know.” sighed Yunho “Perhaps he’s running behind.”

 

“Perhaps, he’s an .” scoffed Changmin dejectedly. “Deliberately making us wait.”

 

“Min!” scolded Yunho in a soft, but firm, tone. “Knock it off.”

 

With a disgruntled huff, Changmin plopped back against the back of the couch and refocused on his phone. Ten minutes later, the Director’s secretary –a gentle, soft-hearted, and quiet woman, stood up from her desk and walked up to Yunho and Changmin.

 

“I’m sorry for your lengthy wait, Sirs,” she apologized kindly. “The Director’s plane from Korea was delayed. He’s just arrived and will be ready to see you momentarily.”

 

“May I get you anything? A snack perhaps, or something to drink?” she questioned caringly for the third time since Yunho and Changmin had arrived.

 

“No thank you,” answered Yunho politely. “We’re still fine.”

 

“Very well, Sirs.” she nodded respectfully before she turned and headed back to her desk.

 

Five minutes later, a gentle buzzing erupted from the intercom on the secretary’s desk and without a word she got up and went in the Director’s office. It wasn’t long before she stepped back out of the office and smiled at the two young men who had been waiting.

 

“The Director is ready to see you now, Mr. Jung and Mr. Shim,” she said sweetly, a genuine smile gracing her face. “Please come in.”

 

Yunho and Changmin followed the young lady into the Director’s office. As they rounded the partition adorned with the company’s logo, that obscured the door from the man’s desk, Yunho looked up to see a man, around his age, leaning against the front of his desk with his arms crossed and a smile gracing his face. As they arrived in front of the man, he stood to attention and nodded at his secretary –silently dismissing her with his eyes.

 

“Hello, Yunho,” greeted the Director as he reached out and shook his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

 

“And you, Changmin,” he added as he reached out and shook Changmin’s hand and motioned to the two young men to take a seat on a nearby sofa.

 

 “I do apologize for your wait gentleman, but flight schedules don’t always play fair with a busy man’s schedule,” he added with a chuckle as he followed them to their seats.

 

“My name is Choi Jin Sang,” he explained with a smile as he sat down in a chair opposite them. “I am the Lead Director of Haze Media and our founder’s right-hand man, so-to-speak.”

 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Director Choi,” said Yunho politely.

 

“I’m sure you may be wondering why we have called this meeting when you both are obviously still on a much-needed vacation,” said Director Choi in a pleasant tone.

 

“Yes.” nodded Changmin, a slight hint of irritation in his voice.

 

“I understand your frustration, Changmin.” chuckled the Director knowingly. “So let’s get down to the business at hand and get you out of here and back to relaxing as quickly as possible, shall we?”

 

He seems very nice. thought Yunho as he looked at the interaction between Changmin and the Director.

 

“Over the last few quarters,” started the Director as he picked up a hard backed black folder from the coffee table in front of him and opened it –his countenance changing from friendly to professional in an instant. “Our company has been working closely with your company and its President. Vetting TVXQ’s history, popularity, global reach, sales, statistics, and viability."

 

"In that time, we have seen a continuous drop in not only your album and ticket sales but also an unprecedented drop in your global popularity –inside and outside of Asia. While your popularity has slipped a bit in Japan, it’s still somewhat stable, but your domestic popularity is slipping incrementally each month and your global popularity, especially in countries like the U.S. and the U.K, has taken a major hit.”

 

Yunho and Changmin, as if almost on cue, dropped their eyes to the floor in shame –knowing full well their own dire situation.

 

“Now, I’m sure that the two of you are quite aware…” continued the Director with a solemn look on his face. “that under the conditions of your contract, only thirty-five percent of your popularity aggregation, album/ticket sales, CF and global contracts offers, and market saturation, is the responsibility of your company. And that the responsibility of maintaining the other sixty-five percent lands squarely on your shoulders.”

 

“The more popular you are the more you and your company make,” stated Director Choi flatly. “And when your popularity declines, your opportunities disappear.”

 

“Your fans aren’t happy, gentlemen.” added the Director in an almost scolding tone. “And it’s affecting your company’s bottom line.”

 

“We don’t know what happened.” interrupted Yunho knowingly, feeling solely responsible for the situation they now found themselves in “Ever since… well…we were doing well until a few years ago.”

 

“You mean before 2009?” asked Director Choi as he raised his eyebrow.

 

“Yes…” sighed Yunho sadly. “Ever since then, everything we try doesn’t seem to do any good.”

 

“Everything you tried?” questioned Director Choi. “Such as?”

 

“You know… putting out albums and singles as fast as we can. Doing tours all over the world. Even in countries, we had never been to before. Acting in movies and dramas, going on variety shows, doing CF’s for products that we wouldn’t use in a million years…” rambled off Yunho as Changmin just cringed at their activities being listed off one by one. “But, no matter what we do, the fans keep leaving us. The opportunities keep drying up and the money flow slows more and more.”

 

“At this point, we are completely at a loss for words.” sighed Yunho as he looked as his bandmate sadly. “We don’t know what else we can do.”

 

“And, that, is why you are here,” informed Director Choi. “Our founder has taken an interest in the both of you and after reading the data we’ve collected over the last nine months, has decided to take TVXQ under her wing, so-to-speak.”

 

“After careful negotiations with President Kim, he has decided to give a controlling interest of your group’s activities to Haze Media. Albeit, temporarily,” continued Director Choi, his tone changing from solemn to hopeful. “And, till the end of the year, we will be handling all of your schedules, activities, and we will be solely responsible for all your Public Relations as well.”

 

“What?” questioned Changmin incredulously. “Are you saying that your company bought out our contracts without our knowledge?”

 

“No, not at all, Changmin,” answered Director Choi as he waved away Changmin’s thought. “It’s a temporary take over. We have until the end of the year; in such time our responsibility will be to increase your popularity, sales, and global reach.”

 

 “Calm down Minnie.” sighed Yunho as he reached out and dropped his hand on Changmin’s thigh before he looked back up at the Director. “I assume you have a plan?”

 

“Our founder has a plan.” corrected Director Choi. “And it’s a good one. I do not doubt that if we follow it to the letter, you will see an unbelievable improvement in the areas you are currently lacking.”

 

“Very well.” agreed Yunho, knowing full well that at this point they had no real choice in the matter. “When do we start?”

 

“Today.” answered the director with a smile as he stood and adjusted his suit jacket.

 

Walking to his desk, he pressed the intercom. When his secretary answered, he mumbled something to her in Japanese before walking back to the two men and smiled.

 

“To start, off,” he smiled knowingly. “You two have been assigned a new PR liaison. She will be in charge of booking and maintaining your schedule, working directly with your manager to coordinate all your appearances, and will lead the team who has been assigned to initiate and maintain the new PR strategy for TVXQ.”

 

A sudden knock echoed across the expanse of the Director’s office catching everyone's attention.

 

“Come in.” ordered the Director with a smile.

 

Yunho and Changmin watched as the door slowly opened. A foreign woman, in her late thirties, walked into the room with a smile. She was dressed in a black pantsuit over a white blouse and matching black heels. Her hair, long and dark brown, was styled in a perfect bun with just a few curling tendrils falling down her cheeks.

 

“This is the woman who will be in charge of your PR campaign.” introduced Director Choi as Yunho and Changmin stood to greet the new arrival.

 

“Hello,” she smiled as she reached out and shook their hands.“My name is Nini Lee.”

 

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, two gentlemen,” she said politely. “I look forward to working with both of you.”

 

Changmin took in the Caucasian woman before him and wondered why she looked so familiar. He knew he had seen her before but he just couldn’t put his finger on when and where. As she talked to the Director and Yunho, Changmin studied her face, her voice, and mannerisms until he finally made a realization.

 

“Excuse me?” he interrupted. “I don't mean to be rude but, don’t I know you from somewhere?”

 

“It's possible.” she smiled. “I have been working in this industry for three years.”

 

“No…that’s not it.” dismissed Changmin. “I remember meeting you in LA a few years ago, I think. You look a little different though. Your hair was shorter and darker back then, but those eyes… I remember your eyes.”

 

Nini began to chuckle, feeling quite flattered by Changmin’s statement and knowing exactly what the Maknae was getting at instantly.

 

“Let me guess when you met me I was probably a stylist at a photoshoot or something right?” she questioned knowingly.

 

“Yeah, that’s right,” answered Changmin as he looked at Yunho. “You remember, don’t you Hyung? It was that magazine spread for that US-based Kpop magazine startup.”

 

“Oh, yeah, I remember that.” smiled Yunho after he thought about it for a second. “That was you wasn’t it?”

 

Nini just smiled and shook her head no.

 

“You are mistaken. It wasn’t me.” she corrected with a gentle laugh.

 

“I know I’m right. It was you,” mumbled Changmin as he crossed his arms defiantly across his chest defiantly and stared at the amused woman. “Because I remember talking to about how much you liked our last album.”

 

Smiling brightly at the cuteness Changmin was displaying, Nini chuckled again.

 

“And I’m sure it was a lovely conversation, but it wasn’t I whom you met,” informed Nini as she looked at Changmin lovingly. “The person you met in Los Angeles was not me, but my sister. My twin sister, Nikki.”

 

“Twin?” questioned Yunho and Changmin in unison.

 

“That’s right.” she smiled.“My sister works in the entertainment industry as a stylist and I work in entertainment PR. We look so much alike that many mistake us for each other quite often.”

 

“Oh…” stammered Changmin apprehensively, feeling embarrassed at his assumption and the possibility that he may have offended the pretty Noona before him. “I’m sorry…I…didn’t mean…”

 

“It’s alright Changmin,” she said lovingly with a dismissive wave. “There’s no need to apologize. I’m quite used to it. As is my sister, I’m sure.”

 

“Well…” started the Director cheerfully as he rubbed his hand excitedly. “Now that we have all of that settled, Nini would you be so kind as to Yunho and Changmin to meet their new PR team?”

 

“It would be a pleasure.” she smiled as she nodded at the Director and started for the door. “If you two lovelies would follow me.”

 

Lovelies? questioned Yunho in his mind, a little dismayed at the term of endearment, as they began to follow her out -the sound of the Director chuckling happily catching his attention just as the door closed behind them.

 

 

[May 20th: Seoul, South Korea]

 

Sitting on the plush white sofa in the living room of Jaejoong’s apartment, Junsu flipped through the channels on the television absentmindedly; while Jaejoong fiddled with his phone next to him and Yoochun was in one of the back bathrooms taking a shower. It had been just over two weeks since they had met their new stylist and even though the first week had been a little awkward, especial between her and Jaejoong, they all seemed to be getting along. Jaejoong was still suspicious of her but he had eventually realized that no matter how much he voiced his malice and distrust towards the women, she wouldn’t back down from him or walk away –always answering his distaste for her with nothing but love and understanding.

 

Junsu and Yoochun both had taken a shine to her. She was funny, outgoing, always quick with a comeback to any playful verbal assault, and no matter how nasty Jaejoong was to her she would always smile at him caringly.

 

She has the heart of a saint. Junsu found himself thinking as he watched her calmly deal with Jaejoong’s nuclear meltdown a few days ago.

 

It was as if she knew just the right way to deal with Jaejoong. It was uncanny. 

 

To say that they were both impressed with her would be a complete understatement. Junsu had never met a woman like her and he couldn’t help but admire her. Besides her wonderful, easy-going, and compassionate personality, she was unbelievably talented. Four days ago, during a lull in his schedule, Junsu had stopped by the workroom to find Nikki working by herself. The atmosphere, which should have still been a little awkward, was warm and inviting. They talked for well over an hour, about this and that, like the best of friends, and after a while, she had permitted him to peruse some of her designs for their upcoming album photoshoot. What he saw blew him away. Her sense of style, her artistry, was unbelievable. Her concepts were edgy, yet fashionable enough not to make it look alienated or off-the-wall, and mimicked the overall feel and concept they had hoped to attain perfectly. He couldn’t believe that someone so nice and loving could also be so unearthly talented.

 

“Where is she?” grumbled Jaejoong as he creased his brow and looked at the time. “She’s late.”

 

Before Junsu could answer his brother’s; obviously irritated; question, his phone beeped notifying him of a text message. Grabbing it from the coffee table, he unlocked and smiled at the message.

 

 

[Nikki-Noona] 
             Junsu, I’m running late.
             There was an accident on the freeway.
             Placate Jaejoong.
             I will be there in 10. <3

 

 

Junsu couldn’t help but laugh at the placate Jaejoong comment. He quickly texted her back and told her ok, before looking back up at Jaejoong with a smile.

 

“There was an accident,” he informed Jaejoong cryptically, wanting to gauge his Hyung’s reaction.

 

“Accident?” questioned Jaejoong as a flicker of worry crossed his face and he looked at Junsu. “She’s not hurt, is she?”

 

“No…” chuckled Junsu -knowing full well that no matter how much Jaejoong wanted to play at being a hateful person towards Nikki, he still cared about her. “She’s fine. But, that’s why she’s late.”

 

“O...k,” answered Jaejoong with a sigh, immediately looking back at his phone nonchalantly.

 

“You know you don’t have to be like this anymore,” advised Junsu. “Nikki hasn’t done anything to make her deserve to be treated the way you treat her. You should really lighten up, Hyung.”

 

“I don’t like her.” spat Jaejoong defiantly.

 

“But…why?” questioned Junsu curiously. “I mean…she’s such a nice person, I don’t see why you hate her.”

 

“That’s why I hate her,” Jaejoong said flatly. “She’s always so nice. I don’t trust her.”

 

“You don’t trust her because she is nice to you, to us?” questioned Junsu. “How does that make any sense? You like a person because they are nice; you don’t hate a person because they are nice. That’s contradictory, Hyung.”

 

"Not to mention, childish," he added.

 

“She’s just like him,” muttered Jaejoong quietly, so quietly that Junsu wasn’t completely sure that he had just heard him right.

 

“Hyung…” sighed Junsu sadly, understanding finally what his issue was after a few seconds of thought. “She is not him.”

 

“I know that.” scoffed Jaejoong before he turned and glared at his couch companion. “Just drop it. Ok?”

 

“Well, you brought it up.” retorted Junsu with a scolding look.

 

“What’s with the air in here?” interrupted Yoochun as he stepped into the living room, dressed in a t-shirt and jeans and drying his hair with a towel. “Are you guys arguing, again?”

 

“No!” scoffed Jaejoong, as he flashed a warning look at Junsu, stood to his feet, and headed for the kitchen.

 

“Ok…” replied Yoochun suspiciously as he watched him walk away.

 

“Where’s Nikki? Shouldn’t she be here, by now?” he asked as he looked back at Junsu worriedly.

 

“She got delayed. She should be here…” started Junsu before he was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing through the apartment.

 

“I guess she’s here.” smiled Junsu as he went to get up and get the door.

 

“I’ll get it.” interrupted Yoochun with a coy smile and a wave. “Just sit.”

 

As Yoochun walked towards the front door, he mischievously stripped off his t-shirt and tossed it on the back of a dining room chair with all the intentions of embarrassing his new Noona to death by opening the door half-. Chuckling sinisterly, Yoochun grabbed the door handle and flung it open wildly, his still wet locks sticking to his forehead and oozing an; unearthly; uality. Nikki just looked at him, taking his look in a little at a time, with an expressionless countenance.

 

“Hey there, pretty Noona.” purred Yoochun greasily. “Wanna come in?”

 

Nikki immediately busted out in inexplicable laughter, covering with her hand –trying to stifle the noise she was making.

 

“What?” questioned Yoochun as he knitted his eyebrows together in disappointment. “Aren’t I y enough for you, Noona?”

 

Nikki looked him up and down again, catching a glimpse of Junsu and Jaejoong standing a few feet away, and smiled wickedly.

 

“You’re y, sure.” she chuckled. “But you’re no Junsu.”

 

At her words, Junsu busted out in laughter. Jaejoong couldn’t help but chuckled softly to himself while Yoochun just frowned.

 

“You’re mean, Noona,” whined Yoochun with a pout before he manly flexed his arms in retaliation. “I’m way ier than Su.”

 

“Sure… you are…” placated Nikki teasingly as she rolled her eyes playfully and pushed past him.

 

Walking into the room, Nikki smiled at Jaejoong and winked at Junsu coyly.

 

“Can you help me?” she questioned as she held out her arm showing them the outfits wrapped in dry-cleaning bags draped over her arm.

 

“What are these?” questioned Junsu with a smile as he took the outfits from her. “New designs?”

 

“They’re for your magazine shoot tomorrow,” she answered. “I need the three of you to try them on just in case I need to make any more adjustments.”

 

“Ok,” answered Junsu as he laid them down on the kitchen table and lifted up the clear plastic. “Wait. I haven’t seen these before. Have I?”

 

“I made them yesterday,” she admitted gently. “I know they are a little different than you’re used to but…”

 

“I hope you like them,” she mumbled worriedly.

 

Junsu pulled the plastic back a little more and his eyes widened in surprise.

 

“Wow! These are amazing!” he exclaimed, grabbing the attention of his bandmates, as he quickly peeled off all the clear plastic and looked on in awe. The stylish three-piece suits were made from the richest and softest material. The jacket was adorned with an ornate brocade embellishment on the lapels, paired with matching slacks and a small bag of accessories that were just as stylish “Noona? Did you do this in one day?”

 

“I really had no choice.” chuckled Nikki as she rubbed the back of her neck with her hand shyly. “The magazine had to make a change of venue for the shoot and the main outfits for the old concept just didn’t fit anymore.”

 

Jaejoong walked up the table, grabbing the outfit with his name on it, and pulled the plastic back to take a look at his. It looked just like Junsu’s, but a tad bit darker and had a somewhat similar, yet different, brocade on the lapel. As Yoochun grabbed his outfit, Jaejoong looked up at Nikki.

 

“They’re not all the same?” he questioned curiously.

 

“Overall they are the same,” she stated hesitantly. “With the embellishments and accessories being the only thing different. I know you don’t like to be in completely identical outfits so I made sure that there were a few distinct differences. They look the same but they are not.”

 

“Plus, your fans love it when you dress in suits,” she said flatly before chuckling mischievously. “They practically fall all over themselves over every shot of you three in suits.”

 

“They make you all look more sophisticated and ‘y as hell’ –as my sister puts it,” she added as she caught a quick flash of a smile on Jaejoong’s face. “So…I thought that the fans would get a kick out of this look.”

 

“What do you think?” she questioned apprehensively as Jaejoong looked up at her. “Are they ok?”

 

Without a word, Jaejoong scooped up his outfit and headed back towards his room. Nikki immediately dropped her eyes to the floor with a deep sigh. Junsu and Yoochun looked at her for a moment and instantly understand why she was upset. She had worked really hard to come up with something new and stylish for them in just one day and Jaejoong couldn’t even be bothered to give her a bit of praise or even say thank you. She was definitely feeling rejected.

 

“Noona,” said Yoochun softly. “Don’t take it to heart. Your designs are fabulous.”

 

“Agreed.” smiled Junsu as he hugged his new outfit. “I love mine. You’re so talented it makes me completely jealous.”

 

“I’m just a seamstress.” dismissed Nikki with a wave of her hand. “You three are the talented ones here. I just try to make you even more visually appealing than you already are.”

 

“You’re more than just a seamstress, Noona,” reassured Yoochun as he reached out and hugged her gently. “You’re more of an artist than we are.”

 

Half an hour had passed and Jaejoong still hadn’t emerged from his bedroom. Junsu and Yoochun had already managed to change into their new outfits, get checked, and changed back into their house clothes; before anyone voiced a concern, about Jaejoong.

 

“I wonder what’s keeping him?” questioned Yoochun in a worried tone as he glanced down the hallway. “Did he take a nap or something?”

 

“Maybe we better go check on him.” offered Junsu as he went to get up from his chair, stopping immediately when he felt Nikki’s hand land on his shoulder.

 

“I think that,” she said softly as she peered down the darkened hallway “That is something I need to do.”

 

“Are you sure?” questioned Junsu as he looked over his shoulder at her hand, then at her somber and worried face. “Jae-Hyung can be, really, nasty when someone interrupts his sleep.”

 

“And violent…” added Yoochun with a chuckle. “Don’t forget, violent.”

 

“I’ll have to risk it,” she said with a sigh. “All I can do is keep reaching out to him and hope that one day he will accept my hand. Until that day, I have to keep trying. ”

 

“Noona…” sighed Junsu as he reached up and squeezed her hand gently. “Some people just can’t be reached, no matter how hard you try.”

 

“Jaejoong…” he added with a frown. “Is just one of those people.”

 

“I don’t believe that,” she answered defiantly, softly, with a hurt tone as she snatched her hand back from Junsu’s grip. “No matter, how much hurt someone feels or how much pain they’ve endured in their lives, no one is beyond saving, Junsu –most of all Jaejoong.”

 

“Noona…” sighed Yoochun. “I know you worry about him, sometimes even more than you worry for us, but wearing yourself out emotionally isn’t good for you. Su and I have known Jaejoong much longer than you and trust me when I say that the more you push the more he will withdraw.”

 

“He’s been like this for years,” added Yoochun solemnly. “And there is only one person in this world that can undo what was done to him. But that person is…”

 

“Gone,” she answered, finishing his sentence for him before she sighed softly. “I know.”

 

Junsu and Yoochun looked up at Nikki completely surprised. What did she know that she was able to finish Yoochun’s thought? Before they could ask, Nikki walked out of the room and down the hallway towards Jaejoong’s room. As she reached his door, she took a deep breath and opened the door slowly.