~~Gruelling~~

It's been three weeks since I have started working on 'EXO' plan. I have been practically living in the office. I haven't had enough sleep and if I get a chance then I sleep on the couch. My wardrobe has changed from office formals to sweatshirts and leggings and whatever seems to be comfortable. There is absolute no dress code here, all the trainees and artists walk around in gym and comfy clothes. I am most of the time in my office or the board room with my team. Seung Jo, is a brilliant guy and assists me. He is been around SM for a couple of years and educates me about various things in SM. We got in Jenny Cho and Jae-Jin from SM main office to help us. 

The four of us work almost all day round and have occupied one of the smaller practise rooms, which is actually big enough for us. The full sized mirrors are now covered with our charts and sticky notes. We use one of the mirrors as a white board and keep scribbling the numbers. Almost everyone in SM talks about our temporary board room and how we have converted an empty practise room into a room plastered with charts and graphs. 

I bump into EXO members and new people during my short trips to the canteen, the break room, the stationery room and the terrace. 

I have become much more acquainted to EXO guys now and we greet each other more often. Many times, I stop by their practice room and watch them working so hard. They look so tired these days but they give their 100 percent into whatever they do. 

Tomorrow, is the D-day for me and my team. I have to present the business & financial plan for EXO to the CEO, Mr. Lee Soman and the board. 

"Finally, we are done", Jenny says exhausted. 

"Yea. Now everything depends on tomorrow. I hope the board approve the plan", says Jae-Jin

"Don't worry. Everything will go well guys!", Seung Jo says encouragingly. 

"Yea guys. Everything will go well. You'll shall leave and get some rest for tomorrow", I say

"Mia, you should get some sleep too, you are the one who is been skipping sleep so much. You shouldn't be taking so much pressure. ", Seung Jo says. 

"I will Seung Jo. I just have to do some formatting and get the notes printed for the board.", I say

"I can get them printed", Jenny offers. 

"It's cool Jenny. Don't worry. I'll take care", I reply. 

"You sure? Do you need anything?", Jenny asks. 

"Actually, can you please do me a favor? Can you please drop by my place and get me a set of formal clothes? I don't have any fresh ones here.", I say. 

"Are you staying back again?" Seung Jo questions me with concern. 

"Yea. I thought it would be easier. I could just get everything prepared in the board room and put my final thoughts in the presentation. ", I tell them. 

"You should go home but I know you won't listen. So I am not going to try also, but promise me that you will get some sleep?", Seung Jo asks. 

"Promise Seung Jo. I will get some sleep. Don't worry.", I assure him

"I will get your clothes Mia. Don't stress a lot", says Jenny. 

"Thanks Jenny. Hope that is not a problem", I ask

"Chill Mia, your house is two buildings away from mine. It's no problem. ", Jenny replies. 

"Thanks again Jenny. See you tomorrow guys", I tell them. 

"Bye", they say together. 

After going through the presentation again and again I put the final touches, save and shut down my lap top. I go to the stationery room and get multiple copies of the financial plan printed for the board members. By the time I arrange everything in the board room it's 5:30 in the morning. 

"Crap!" I say aloud to myself. I didn't realize the time. I have a meeting at 9 and there is less than 4 hours left.

I decide not to sleep because if I do then I may not get up.
I take my cup of green tea and walk up to the terrace. I go to the corner end and sit at my new found spot. I play Yiruma's soothing piano works on my iPod to drive down my nervousness. The gentle winds across my face make my worries feel lighter. I sit there for some time and see the sky turning slowly from black to purple.

Suddenly someone taps my shoulder and I turn around to see Kris standing. 

"Hey!", he says and sits beside me. 

"Hey!", I reply. 

"What are you doing here?", he asks. 

"Just. Breathing.", I say not meaning to actually say. 

"Breathing?", he asks. 

"I mean just relaxing a bit. I have a meeting in 3 hours. I am trying to keep myself awake.", I say.

"You did not sleep all night?", he asks with a worried look. 

"By the time I got done with everything it was 5:30. I was afraid that if I sleep now then I won't be able to get up. ", I tell him

"I think you should sleep. You look very tired.  You still have four hours.", he tells

"Nah! It's okay. I guess I will be okay"

"Mia. Seriously. You look so dead right now. You should get some rest. If you don't sleep, then you will have a headache during the presentation. ", he says. 

"It's okay.." he cuts me before I can say anything. 

"No. Don't say it's okay. Please get some rest. I promise you I will wake you up. Trust me. You need some sleep."

I realize Kris is right. I may get a headache if I don't give my head a little rest and I won't be able to think straight during the presentation. I decide to sleep for sometime.

"Okay. I will.", I say. 

"That's good. Don't worry I will wake you up at 8, you will have a good one hour to get ready. ", he says. 

"Thanks Kris. But what about you. Shouldn't you rest too?, I ask  

"I just got up and came. I went back early yesterday and slept for around 7 hours. Don't worry about me. You go to your office and get some sleep. I will work out for sometime and will come and wake you up."

We walk down to my room and I go to my couch to sleep. 

He turns off the light of my office and before leaving says, " Sleep well Mia and don't worry I will wake you up on time. "

Within minutes I fall asleep. 

KRIS's POV

After my work out and quick shower, I go to Mia's office. I enter the room and draw the curtain letting the sunlight in. I call, "Mia!", but she doesn't move an inch.  I sigh that she might be really tired. I look at my watch, and it's eight. I tell myself that I should let her sleep for five minutes. I watch her sleeping, not trying to be creepy. She looks so angelic with the sunlight coming through the window behind her. 

"Mia. Mia wake up. It's already eight. Mia"

"Hmm", she mumbles. 

I go and tap her shoulder and try again, "Mia! Wake up. Do you want to be late?"

She slowly opens her pretty eyes and says in a sleepy voice, "Hey!". 

"Hey!", I say back. 

"What time is it?", she asks. 

"It's eight o five", I say. 

She jumps out of the couch and stands before me. "Oh ! I will be late", she panics. 

"Don't worry, you just over slept by five minutes. Now quickly freshen yourself and get ready for the presentation. I will get you something to eat till then. ", I tell her. 

"Don't worry Kris. I am good. Thanks for waking me. ", she tells. 

"No. I will get you a bun or something from the canteen. What do you want to drink? Milk, coffee, juice, beer?",I ask her jokingly. 

"Hot water", she says. 

"Hot water?", I ask raising an eyebrow. 

"I have green tea bags with me. I will just dip them in hot water. ", she informs me. 

"Oh. Okay. I will get you hot water. You get ready till then. ", I tell and walk out of her room. 

I come back after 20 minutes with a bun and hot water. Mia is ready and tying her hair up. She looks very tensed.  I put the bun and hot water on the table. 

"Thanks a lot Kris!", she says with a smile. I mentally say to myself, 'that's the smile for me. It's my smile'. 

"It's no problem Mia", I tell her. 

She picks up the bun and eats it while gathering some papers hastily. Her face turns into worry. I am sure that she is tensed and panicking about her presentation. 

"Mia. You will do a great job. Stop getting so nervous.", I tell her. 

"Hmm. Kris.", she mumbles nervously. 

"See. You are mumbling and getting worked up. Calm down and breathe. You will do a wonderful job. Believe in yourself and your hard work. ", I tell her honestly. 

Her face slowly starts relaxing. "Thanks Kris. I am just a little nervous", she tells me. 

"Don't be. You don't have to be. You will be great", I say to build her confidence. 

I walk towards the door and turn when she says,

"Thanks a lot Kris. Thanks for everything.", she says with 'My smile'. 

I smile back to her and leave the room.

---x---o---x---o---