18

"Are you sure about this?" My boss asked as she stared at the letter I wrote for my resignation in the company.

"Y-yes." I know. I'm not really sure about this. But I've got no choice. If I won't do this, then my loved ones will suffer.

She eyed me suspiciously, as if not convinced about my answer.

"Soojin, you've been a very good employee to this company. Why are you resigning all of a sudden?" She asked.

"I'm so sorry, Ma'am. I have my own reasons and I thank you so much for accepting me here and treating me here like a family for almost a year."

She sighed and got the pen. She's signing the papers now.

"Okay, fine. I won't ask you anymore. I just hope you do good in your life. Follow your dreams."

I smiled hearing her last statement.

Follow my dreams? I don't even know what my dreams are now.

It's been what, three years, when unfortunate things happened in my life. Unfortunate things that I just wanna forget.

I rode a subway to get home. I immediately saw my dog, a pug, running towards me.

I bent to hug him.

"Hey, baby."

He made cute noises as if he's so happy to see me.

"Noona!"

I saw Jaejin walked towards me. He was holding a piece of paper and had a plaster of smile on his face.

"Yes?" I already have an idea with what's with him but I'll just pretend I don't.

"I passed our second term exams! See, I got the highest score!"

I smiled at him and hugged him.

"I knew you'd do great."

But he quickly pulled away.

"Wait, noona, I just want to remind you that since I got the highest score here, I can now have my audition."

I paused for a while.

"Maybe next time." I said and proceeded to the kitchen.

He followed me like the tail of the dog.

"What?! But why? I did my part! You should allow me to audition now or else---"

"Or else what?" I raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

"Or else I'll audition on my own." He confidently said.

"Fine, then. Let's see if they'll allow a minor to audition without the family's consent."

He groaned in frustration.

"You're such a bad sister to me!"

I crossed my arms.

"Really? Do you mean what you said, Jaejin?" I became real serious this time.

He just sighed, as if giving up to this conversation.

"I'm sorry, noona. I'll be in my room now. I'll just study more to make you happy."

I smiled and pat his head.

"That's more like it."

Jaejin is fifteen years old now. He's my younger brother from another mother. It was three years ago when I found out about him. I was so shocked and so hurt at the same time. I didn't know, I never had a clue that my father has a child from another woman. Everything happened so suddenly.

My priorities changed. I am no longer the youngest, I have a younger sibling to guide and support. My other brother, Sungjin, is busy with his own life as an employee of SM Entertainment. He's doing good with his job and he also told me there's a huge possibility he'll be in-charge of the management of the boy group that SMEnt is preparing.

But, to be honest, that's not enough for us to survive our daily lives especially that Jaejin wants to pursue his dreams as an idol. I really, really don't want him to become an idol. He's smart, he will just waste his potential to be a corporate man because of his dreams. Show business is not good for anyone. It's a complicated world I don't want any of my loved ones to be involved in. It's better to be behind the cameras than to be in front of those all the damn time.

I went back to reality when I heard my phone rang. It was a video call from my close friend.

I answered it.

Nayoung was all smiles when I saw her on the screen of my phone.

"Hi, Soojin!"

I smiled back and waved my hand.

"Hi, unnie!" I greeted her.

I was a bit surprised to see she has black hair now. I thought she'd debut with her long, brown hair.

"How are you? Have you thought about my offer?" She asked.

I nodded my head.

"Yes, I... actually, I want to ask when should I start?"

She laughed when she saw my reaction.

"Oh, Soojin, I can't wait to see your reaction when you two see each other again." She was laughing when she said that.

I think I felt my cheeks blush. I tried so hard to look like I am not affected.

"Unnie, what we had is part of the past now." I said seriously.

If I'm getting this job, there's no way we won't meet each other again but I have to keep in mind that it's just purely business. No personal feelings involved.

"Mingyu has changed a lot, you know. He's a grown man now. Although he still acts silly sometimes, but we really can't change that in is personality."

I wanted to scream when I heard Nayoung mention his name. Of course, they're from the same company. They meet each other sometimes.

I have no idea how to respond.

"Alright, Soojin. Let's just see each other when we have time. I'll see you back in Pledis, okay?"

I inhaled sharply.

"Yes, see you in Pledis."

Mingyu and I broke up three years ago. It happened so quick. It was a phone call that I did and I didn't want to hear his response that I immediately turned down the call after saying what I had to say.

I shut myself to the world he's in. I isolated myself to everything that might connect to him. I busied myself with the stuff that I need to do.

Jaejin was only twelve years old that time and I had to become a responsible noona for him. I don't blame Jaejin for what happened. He has no clue for what was happening. Sungjin and I promised to take care of our little brother.

I trained for few months in SM Entertainment as the assistant of the creative designer through the help of Sungjin but I decided to go to another path because I thought it would be better to stick to the corporate world than to be in the entertainment industry where there's a huge possibility of meeting Mingyu again.

I will never be ready to see him again.

I had regrets in the past but I don't want to think about it now. Nothing will happen when you keep regretting the past actions you did before. What's important now is the present.

I laughed at myself for this recent decision that I did.

Who am I kidding?

I will be working under Pledis as their newest junior artist manager. It doesn't really differ with my previous job as the junior PR agent of a food company. I really enjoyed my job there even if I just worked for a year with them. I got real close with the employees just like how I did with SM.

Nayoung unnie helped me get the job in Pledis. She offered it to me the last time we saw each other in a cafe. She said she wanted to meet me and I was surprised when she was already with a Pledis staff who confirmed that the job is ideal for me. I was so overwhelmed, of course. It's not common for ladies my age to be offered by the company itself to work for them. Plus, the salary is bigger than my previous job. It's a win, win situation for me.

They assured me I'll be working for Pledis as a whole and not as a staff of just one group. I don't want to be associated with Seventeen as their manager, of course. That would be so awkward! I can't even imagine how the scene will be like when Mingyu and I meet again.

I have no contacts with any of them. Even Wonwoo. We left the house in Changwon three years ago. We are living in Sungjin's house that he bought after he got promoted and it's located here in Seoul since he works here and Jaejin attends school here as well.

It wasn't a week since the time I saw Seventeen - the Seventeen I never thought that would turn out to be. They were so great and the members are really good looking.

When I walked into my room, I immediately opened my laptop and searched for Seventeen in the search engine that I was using.

They performed Yeppeuda (Pretty U) when I saw them at MBC but when I searched for them online, pictures during their debut and during another promotions have surfaced. I swallowed the lump in my throat when I clicked the search button for individual photos of Mingyu.

Nayoung was right. Mingyu looks so good with whatever hairstyle. He looks so handsome especially in the blue/greyish hair that I saw him with. He's all smiles in almost every photos I saw of him.

I smiled, too.

I can't imagine the pain I brought him when I told him I wanted our relationship to end.

I'm such a bad person for breaking his heart. Now I should be ready for how he will treat me when he sees me in Pledis.

The next day...

I was such in a hurry today because it never occured to me that the early meeting with Pledis bosses will be this early!

It was ten in the morning when I got off the subway to the Pledis building. I have no car. I don't think buying one is practical at this point in my life. I can just commute whenever I want to.

Nothing much has changed when I entered the Pledis building. But I notice new employees and almost none is familiar to me.

I didn't have much time to reminisce the special places in this building because I am so late!

The pledis bosses are already sitting on the executive chairs when I arrived in the office. I was the only one they're waiting, I guess.

"Ms. Han," One man stood and shook my hand.

"I'm so sorry I'm late." I said in a very apologetic voice.

"I don't think a not so punctual employee is needed in this company, Mr. Choi." One woman commented and looked at me in a not so nice way.

Mr. Choi laughed.

"Oh, Ms. Park, you might have forgotten that this is an emergency meeting. I'm pretty sure Ms. Han will be on time next time when she's aware of the meeting earlier." Mr. Choi defended me.

I cleared my throat.

"It's really an honor to be here with you, Sir, Ma'am, but if you don't want to hire me for my actions today, I would understand." I said politely. Although in my mind, I'm praying real hard for them to hire me since I already left my other job for this.

"Alright, Ms. Han, can you tell us why should we hire you in this company?" Ms. Park asked while intently looking at me, waiting for my answer.

THE meeting lasted for about an hour. I was really embarassed for being late. Ms. Park seemed to be mad about it because she keeps opening that topic everytime she gets a chance to.

In the end, I was still all smiles because I got the job!

I was hurriedly running to the exit to the door because I don't think I'm ready to see Seventeen right now. I'm haggard because of the rushed preparation I did to myself in the mirror at home because of this unexpected meeting.

"Oppa!" I heard girls shouting and screaming at the top of their lungs.

What the? These girls are still in their school uniforms and I can see them holding different banners of their bias in the group.

My eyes widened when I saw two vans that has the windows open. My eyes immidiately saw the members of Seventeen inside the van. They're wearing different white outfits.

Oh no.

I closed my face with one hand and the other hand on my bag. I ran and walked to pass through these people. Why do they even allow these girls to stay outside the building? This is ridicullous.

I don't wanna see Mingyu now.

Not now.

Please.

"Ouch!" I groaned when one banner hit my head. I guess I shouted too loud because everybody stopped including the members. I can already see them walking out of their vehicles.

"Be careful next time!" I told the girl who hit me.

"I should be the one telling you that because it's so obvious that you can't pass here but you did. Who in the world would walk here when we're flocked here to wait for our Seventeen oppas?" She said without even blinking her eyes. She's mad and so am I.

"What's that? What's happening?" I heard that familiar voice of Seungcheol oppa.

I panicked and immediately walked out of the moment.

I don't want Mingyu to see me like that. Now I'm starting to plot ideas in my mind on how to avoid him as much as possible.