The board meeting had taken longer than expected and Seungcheol was late for the meeting with the artists for the collaboration. He was glad Wonwoo was there to proceed with the meeting and they were already done with the introductions and the interview to the singers. His last update before arriving to the music company was that the photographer was taking pictures for the magazine cover.

“Mr. Choi, glad you could make it.”

Seungcheol turned around to meet the manager of Boo Seungkwan.

He bowed and followed the other to the dance practice room where the artists were being photographed.

“Seungkwan-ssi, Vernon-ssi, this is Mr. Choi Seungcheol.” The manager introduced him.

Seungcheol was excited to meet them both. He was a fan of their music and he loved to sing to their songs when he was alone. This was a part of his job that he liked a lot, meeting new people and people whom he admired. He was enjoying his conversation when he received a call from Wonwoo asking him if he could meet him in one of the conference rooms in the building.

When he arrived, Wonwoo was waiting for him outside and updated him about the schedule and how another project they had to work on had been moved to a new date. Seungcheol took notice and as they entered the room Wonwoo gave him more information.

“Mr. Kang is doing the last interview to the producers and composers for the collaboration song. Bumzu-ssi and Woozi-ssi.”

Seungcheol nodded in understanding, but what he wasn’t expecting was that one of them would be Jihoon.

So he waited till the interview was over trying not to look at the other. The week after the party he had tried to focus all his energy into work. And even when he didn’t have any pending project with the Yoons, he still visited Jeonghan at work; because beyond his doubts, he couldn’t reject the other’s request for support.

But even after all that, he had met Jihoon again. And at this point they seemed to be even more strangers than before. Because the Jihoon he had met in Busan may not even be the one that was in the conference room. Jihoon, is that was even his name, could have invented everything he said because he wasn’t expecting to meet Seungcheol again. Or maybe Hoseok was right and Jihoon-

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Choi., I’m Lee Woozi, one of the producers.” Seungcheol couldn’t stop his surprise expression after hearing the other’s voice.

He could see how tense Jihoon….Woozi  looked, giving him a polite smile as if he was really a stranger.

“Nice to meet you Woozi-ssi, I’m Choi Seungcheol.”

Jihoon, well,Woozi bowed his head and let his coworkers introduce themselves, but all Seungcheol could think about was how he could find a moment to talk to the other in private.

But he didn’t have to wait long.

The other personnel decided it was time for a break and invited them, but Jihoon-Woozi rejected looking directly at him and Seungcheol rejected as well. They stayed in silence until the others left the room and couldn’t hear them and then Ji-Woozi turned to him.

“Let’s go to my studio.” He said and started walking away from the conference room.

Seungcheol followed silently feeling that everyone walking through the hallways was observing him. He wasn’t even doing anything, but he felt guilty somehow. And when they entered the studio, Woozi told him to sit in the sofa while he sat in a chair close to the door, like he wanted to be as far away as possible from him.

“I want to introduce myself again.” Woozi started. ”I’m Lee Jihoon, but I go by the name Lee Woozi for my work as a music producer. My boyfriend is the model Kim Mingyu and he works sometimes for the Choi Company. And I went to Busan for vacations before I started working. So, who are you for real?” He said every word with a serious and clear voice like he wanted to put even more distance between them.

Long gone were the shy smiles and bright eyes. And maybe that was for the best.

“I’m Choi Seungcheol, heir of Choi Company and manager of team A for the event and advertisement department. I’m en-engaged to Yoon Jeonghan and…… I did go to Busan for work. I never lied to you. I may have not said my father owned a company, but it was really me talking.…How about you?”

********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Jihoon wasn’t expecting Seungcheol to be so honest and kind with him. He thought the other would get angry or offended by his attitude and they could finally call an end to whatever their past encounters were.

“Jihoon, I mean…. Woozi-ssi….You said you liked music a lot, but I never thought you actually were a music producer.”

“What did you think I was?” Jihoon was actually interested in that answer. Normally when he introduced himself to other people around the music industry, they already knew about his past works and respected him. He wondered if every person Seungcheol met already knew about him being an heir.

“Maybe a photographer?...Actually, I didn’t thought about it in that moment…Did you think about what could be my job?” Seungcheol said with a confused smile.

Jihoon thought for a moment before he let out a chuckle.

They were actually two strangers that felt an inexplicable attraction towards each other without further background. It was somehow ridiculous and it could ruin so many things. Soonyoung was right and it was better to end it all. Jihoon couldn’t keep going crazy for a fantasy.

“I think we shouldn’t see each other again.” He said looking directly at the other.

Seungcheol faced turned serious. “Jiho-Woozi, I-“

“You are engaged and I have my boyfriend. That kiss wasn’t supposed to happen. None of this is supposed to be happening.” Jihoon looked at the other with the most serious expression he could manage.

“Jihoon, Woo- I can call you Jihoon, right?”

Jihoon nodded, maybe it would be the last time he could call the other Seungcheol too.

“Jihoon, I don’t how to explain this but during all this time I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you; about our meeting in Busan. I know I’m engaged and you are in a relationship, but I’m not trying to play with you or your feelings, it’s just that-“

Jihoon had to stop him.

With a hand on top of the other’s mouth he gave him a small nod. That was exactly what he was feeling. It was inexplicable how he felt for the other, but he didn’t want to get there. It would only complicate things.

“What do you really want Seungcheol? Because I’m sure you won’t break your engagement for this.”

Jihoon had been thinking about what Soonyoung said, about how he was just an escapade for the heir, and Jihoon was not going to play that game.

“I want to meet you again.”