Her heels clicked the floor as she struts into the building, confidence oozed from her form. The way cleared for her as she walked further in, giving small smiles and little bows to whoever grabbed her attention. Her chestnut hair bounced, the blue dress looked perfect on her as she made way to her office.

“Unni!” Miyeon, her new secretary called out, Naeun turned around and gave her a small smile, “yeah?”

“There’s someone waiting for you inside, he said he knows you so I let him go inside.” Naeun frowned, none of her friends had told her, they’d be visiting today. “It’s alright, I’ll see who it is.” Naeun smiled, heading inside.

As soon as she opened the door, she felt cold. The windows were open. She smelled a mix of white roses, her favorite, and cologne. No, she thought as soon as the fragrance nostrils. She turned her head to the right where her desk was at the end of the room. She saw a masculine form, broad shoulders, hair slicked back and ears pierced. His back faced Naeun as he sat in the chair in front of her desk wearing a slate black suit.

Naeun walked closer, her breath hitched and words repeating in her mind like a chant, please don’t be him. Her heels made a distinct song, she knew she caught his attention, he only turned his head slightly to the right, not enough for her to look at his face enough to see his earring. She saw a huge bouquet of blue roses sitting on the desk. Naeun decided to not tap his shoulder and instead walked around the desk, stopping right across him.

Her blood rushed, nostrils flared and fists clenched as she looked at the person in front of her, it is him. He had the nerve to be smiling, this filthy excuse for a human being, she thought.

She kept glaring at the man in front of her while only getting a smirk in return. Naeun didn’t utter one word as she reached out to the intercom kept on her desk and pressed the number for the reception. “I don’t know this man, get him out of here.” She spat before the receptionist could even say anything in return.

The man stood up, the smirk still plastered on his face, “come on Naeun-ah, you can’t forget me that easily.” He said, playfulness evident in his eyes.

“I give you 10 seconds to get out of my office before I get you thrown out.” She says, loud and clear, as she sits on her chair and picks up a random file.

“Naeun-ah” the man trails as his expression softens and becomes more solemn.

“Did I stutter, Taemin-ssi?” Naeun looks up from the file, the taste of iron building on her tongue as she takes the name she hasn’t taken in the past three years.

“I’m here for a business deal, not for personal affairs.” Naeun stares at him in shock and suddenly bursts out laughing. Taemin looks at her, pain evident in his eyes as he realizes what’s coming next.

“Hahaha. That was such a good joke Taemin-ssi,” she says, wiping her imaginary tears she looks at him dead serious, “not.”

Taemin opens his mouth to say something when they're interrupted by the knock on the door, Taemin looks back at the door as Naeun goes back to studying her file. “any problems, miss?” a 6-foot tall man, wearing a black t-shirt with “security” written on it.

“Hey, Peter.” Taemin waves his hand at the muscular guy. Naeun looks up at the door and curses under her breath, out of all people it had to be Peter. “Taemin-goon.” Peter bowed deeply, still flustered.

“Peter, get this man out of here before I need to call every single security officer in this building.” Naeun advanced towards the pair, shooting Taemin death glares. Before Peter could do anything, Taemin voiced, “so the almighty Naeun is not as almighty as the news and reporters claim, is she?” if looks could kill, Taemin would’ve been dead meat by now. Taemin bent a little to get his face on Naeun’s level, “scared to face realities, baby?” naeun her breath in turning her head to face Peter, who looked uncomfortable in the room’s atmosphere.

“Peter, could you give us a moment.” She stated averting her eyes back to the man in front of her.

“Yes, miss.” Peter bowed deeply and fumbled out of the room as Taemin moved away from Naeun’s face and his signature smirk was back.

“You have five minutes, speak your nonsense and leave.” She said, starting to walk back to her desk.

“Nah-uh” Taemin’s and instinctively grabbed her wrist, Naeun turned around in a flash and pushed him away, retracting her hand like it would become infected by his touch. “Don’t you dare to ing touch me,” Naeun said in a low, deathly voice. “Five minutes. Not a second more.”

Taemin was shocked but let go of it quickly. He cleared his throat and straightened his tie. He followed her, watching her as she sat on her chair like she owned the place, that is when he noticed how much she had changed. How she wasn’t the person he knew three years ago.

He cleared his throat, “I wanna do a business deal. I have a solo comeback in four months. I need hand painted backgrounds for the music video. I thought your company artists could come in use.” He looks at her hopeful, unable to read her expressions.

“I think you’ve come to the wrong place, Taemin-ssi.” Naeun shifted in her seat, taking the file in her hands again. “this company has no relationships with the kpop industry and doesn’t intend to make any.”

“but-” Taemin is interrupted by naeun raising her palm, her way of asking him to shut up. “my artists don’t do stuff like that. They paint for art which is displayed at exhibits where their skills are appreciated, not in a video where the fans fangirl about their idols and keep drooling over their faves to even notice their excellence,” Taemin looks at her with an incomprehensible gaze as she continues, “Do you know how long it takes to even make a life size painting? And I’m sure you’ll need a minimum of three since it’s a music video.” Naeun slowly starts to rise from her chair, unconsciously. “I'm not letting their talents be wasted.” Just when Taemin thinks she’s gonna stop, she continues her voice slowly getting louder as she keeps speaking. “also, I'm sure, SM will give you enough funding for a graphic designer, so how about you get out of my sight right now!” Taemin flinches, Naeun is leaning over the table looks at him right in the eyes.

“Do you have to get your grudges in the middle of a business-” Taemin started.

“I don’t think you know the ethics of business Taemin-ssi, everything I just said made perfect sense and reason for me to refuse to make this deal.” Her nostrils flared, she wanted to kick him out of her office right now, but she couldn’t.

“Naeun-ah” Taemin started.

“Your five minutes are over.” She stated as she sat back down on her chair, pressing the telephone buttons again “Send Peter in to Taemin-ssi out of here.” She spoke over the intercom and moved her attention back to the file. Taemin knew this conversation was over.

“Taemin-goon.” The door opened and Peter stood in the doorway, hoping this would be the last time he’d have to stand in the room with the other two. Taemin looked at Naeun one last time, before sighing and turning around to walk out of the door.

“Taemin-ssi” his steps halted as soon as he heard her and turned around in a flash. “I don’t thing we are close enough to drop formalities.”

Taemin just looked at her, he wanted to yell at her, remind her everything, but just scoffed and walked out. “What did I even expect?” He muttered to himself once he was outside the building.

“She’s just angry, sir.” Peter conveyed, only then did Taemin notice that he had followed him all the way to the parking lot.

"Angry is an understatement, Peter." Taemin sighed.

“You are very late this time.”  Peter finished.

“I am, aren’t i?” Taemin said, looking down, guilt written all over his face. Peter didn’t answer, he could only sympathise with him. “How is she?” taemin whispers, his heart clenching as he utters the words.

Naeun rests her head on her desk as soon as taemin is out of her cabin. She blinks as tears threatens to spill out, she promised herself three years ago, that she’d never cry over him. She won’t let today be the day that she breaks that promise. She takes deep breaths and counts till ten to calm herself.

1-2-3-don’t-4- cry-5-6-he-7-aint-8-9-worth-10-it.

 She raises her head high and blinks a couple more times, there’s a headache forming but she chooses to ignore it. She dials the reception and hears miyeon’s meek voice greet her from the other end.

“Miyeon-ah, don’t ever let anyone come inside my office before asking me, okay?” naeun instructs as she rubs her temples. “Yes, mam” Miyeon stutters but replies. “Get me a cup of coffee too.” And she hangs up.

She stands up from the chair and looks out of her floor to ceiling glass walls. She can see the whole city from here, every single building having their own stories going on in them, she looks at the namsan tower, being covered with clouds, looking beautiful, in the distance.

Naeun looks down and sees taemin talking to peter. She tries to think what they must be talking about but ignores it. Peter used to be taemin’s bodyguard before he went to the military. He’d always be the person who accompanied taemin whenever they had one of those secret dates.  As soon as Taemin enlisted in the army, peter was at naeun’s place asking her to hire him. Naeun had been skeptical of his claims that day, but she needed a bodyguard and peter was the only and the best option available so she did.

Naeun wasn’t in the showbiz anymore, she had quit being an idol. It had been three years, three years since she had left it all behind, the lights, cameras, the screams and the fans. It was different now, her world was different, it was paintbrushes, colours, art galleries, and business deals.

She wasn’t Apink’s Son Naeun anymore.

She was Marcella Son, the alias she used on her paintings. The owner of three art exhibits in seoul and the person who sponsored seven art students in seoul university. The person who’s invited to art conventions and lectures, not the person who maintained a thin waist and faked smiles in front of the camera. She was different. She was free.

That’s what she wanted to believe at least.