***Thank you for being patient guys! This is my update after a week long busy-ness. I'm still catching up on many things now that I'm back. Aside from that, work has become so much busier.That's why I may be a bit slower in updating this story moving forward. As a treat though, this chapter is longer than usual. Thank you for reading! :D

Chapter 8

Fired

Jisoo arrived home and saw Sonia folding clothes.

"Mom I'm home." Said Jisoo

"I thought you'll be late. It's Rosé's birthday right?" Asked Sonia

"It's ten Mom. It is already late." Said Jisoo.

Jisoo put something on the fridge.

"Rosé cooked soup and asked me to bring home some for you. I've put it in here. Just boil it tomorrow." Said Jisoo

"Rosé is so sweet." Said Sonia

Jisoo sat across her Mom. Diamond Skin is up for sale. Nobody knows who's going to acquire it and who among them can keep their jobs. It was hard before she got this job. She can't tell her mom about it. Her mom will be troubled by it.

"I talked with our neighbor who's going abroad next week. She told me I can get her job." Said Sonia

"Mom we've already talked about this." Said Jisoo

"It's not a hard job. I just need to cook for the family. Everybody says I'm a good cook." Said Sonia

"Of course you are." Said Jisoo. "But Mom... I don't want you getting tired."

Sonia smiled.

"I want to help around here." Said Sonia. "It's basically just a part time job so the pay is not much. But it's enough to pay for our utilities. With that you can save a little money for yourself. Buy yourself a new dress once in a while. Or maybe a lipstick. You used to love wearing dresses. And you used to not go out of the house without a lipstick on"

Jisoo touched her mom's hand.

"I don't need any of those anymore. You are all I have and I don't want you putting too much burden on yourself." Said Jisoo

"We can buy ice cream from time to time." Said Sonia

Jisoo sighed.

"You really want to work?"

Sonia nodded

"The house I'm going to cook for is just 3 stations away from here." Said Sonia. "It's near."

Jisoo hugged her Mom.

"Well if it makes you happy to work then I guess you can try." Said Jisoo. "But in case you get too tired or if they treat you bad... you should quit immediately, all right?"

Sonia nodded.

---------

Jisoo's heart was accelerating as she listened to the plans for Diamond Skin.

"A potential buyer is going to come in 3 days. The CEO himself is going to personally come here. Everyone is expected to do their best to impress him. If he decides to acquire our company, it is our hope that he will retain all the employees." Said the manager

Jisoo gulped.

"Our team, marketing, is one of the specific groups he wished to meet. He had asked an hour from us. We have to present our strategy to him." Said the manager.

Jisoo sighed. This is so much pressure.

"Do we have an idea what he wants to see, Boss?" Asked Jennie

"Unfortunately we don't. The CEO is quite young, aggressive in business and he's known to be one of the best minds in the business industry. I'm pretty sure he's going to check whether our marketing strategy is producing numbers." Said the manager

This is not good. Their sales were getting lower the past months and they've been having a hard time devising a new marketing strategy.

"What happens if he thinks our marketing is not effective?" Asked Jisoo

The manager sighed.

"Let's just hope he believes in second chances." Said the manager.

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V sat across RM and some of their high ranking officers in the company having a lunch celebration. Suga was there too. It was RM's birthday.

"So the visit to Diamond Skin is set tomorrow?" Asked RM

"Yes. I will be there half the day." Said V

"Have you talked with the owner?" Asked RM

"We've met yesterday. He's more than willing to assist in the visit." Said V

"Are we going to absorb all their employees?" Asked Suga

V shrugged.

"I will find out tomorrow." Said V. "Anyone who proves to be effective will be retained. And if there are under performers, we will have to let them go." Said V

RM and Suga nodded.

V stood up.

"Well everyone!" Called V. "Let us all give a toast for RM. May he shine his brightest this year for Polaris."

And then everyone lifted their glasses and gave a toast.

As V was sitting down, he noticed a familiar girl walking outside their private room. Their private room had transparent glass walls and he saw her with what seems to be her boyfriend walking hand in hand towards a small table at the other side of the restaurant.

V's eyes narrowed.

"You ok?" Asked RM

"Yes." Said V. "I just need to greet someone. I'll be back."

V went out of the private room and slowly approached the table. He can overhear their conversation.

"Are you sure it's ok that we dine here? The menu looks expensive..." said the girl

"Let's just choose the cheapest. They said food is really good here. And it will help your parents feel better about our wedding if they find out we were capable of dining here." Said the guy

"Well that's true but... look at this! It's just a starter salad but it's already 25 dollars." Said the girl

The guy shook his head.

"Let's just get that salad and then just have pizza outside later." Said the guy

V cleared his throat and the girl saw him. Her eyes slowly widened as she recognized him.

"V... Mr. V."

She stood up as V approached.

"Hi." Said V

"Umm... hi..." she hesitantly greeted.

"Who is he?" Asked the man.

"He's Polaris Enterprise CEO V." Said the girl

"Oh... wow... hi Sir." Said the guy. “I am actually working in Polaris. I work for you, Sir.”

“Oh, It’s good to meet you then.” said V. And then he turned towards the girl. "It's been a long time."

"Ah... yeah... I didn't know you'll still recognize me after all these years." The girl looked really hesitant to talk to him.

"Who is he?" Asked V

"My fiancé. We're getting married very soon." Said the girl

V nodded.

"Then best wishes to you both." Said V

"Thank you."

There was a moment of silence and the girl looked so uncomfortable.

"I wish to talk to you more but I know it's not an appropriate time." Said V.

V gave his calling card to the girl.

"If there's any thing you need. Anything at all, don't hesitate to call me." Said V.

The guy started to look bothered.

V faced the guy.

"She was a friend of someone I knew." Explained V. "If she'd need anything, please remind her to contact me."

The worry on the guy's face vanished.

And then V smiled at the girl and left.

V went back to the company celebration after leaving instructions to the waiter.

Suga chuckled.

"Did you see that Hyung? He hit on that girl in front of her boyfriend. I told you there's nothing to worry about." Said Suga

RM shook his head.

"Did you really?" Asked RM as V sat in front of him.

V smirked.

"I'm not into that kind of thing anymore." Said V

"So what was that about?" Asked Suga

"She was someone I knew." Said V. "We should order more drinks.”

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Rosé was speechless. Before her are the bestselling dishes of the most expensive restaurant she has ever been to.

"We did not order this." Said Chanyeol

"Sir, you do not have to pay for these. It's a gift." Said the waiter.

"A gift?" Asked Rosé

"You were very lucky. We were giving away a dinner for two tonight and you two won." Said the waiter. "So please enjoy the best tasting dishes."

Rosé could not believe it! How lucky can they get!

The nerve wracking moment of meeting V a while ago was replaced by overwhelming happiness.

"Wow... I could cry..." Rosé wiped her eye. "Oh no... I'm crying."

RM was sitting back watching V smile as he looked at the earlier couple's table. They're served so many dishes it would be impossible for them to finish everything up themselves.

"You did not just pull off a good Samaritan, did you?" Asked RM

V did not answer.

"Why? Why would you do something like that? Where did you meet her? Was she one of those women-"

"No. It's not like that." Said V "That girl did something for me, something big. She may not know it, but I owe her a lot."

V smiled at RM.

"That dinner isn't even enough." Said V.

RM doesn't know what V meant.

"Do you want me to find out things about her so you can repay her for whatever she did that she did not know?" Asked RM

That did not make sense!

"No, it's ok Hyung." Said V. "This is ok for now."

----------------

"Because of that, even my parents were pacified. They suddenly think Chanyeol is financially able!" Said Rosé. "That was the most awesome freebie I have ever experienced."

"That's amazing! I will not even go there for a meal. It's too expensive to dine there." Said Jennie.

Rosé bit her lip as she stared at Jisoo.

"What?" Asked Jisoo

They were having noodles inside Jisoo's house. Jisoo's mom was at the kitchen.

"Ummm..." Rosé seems to want to say something.

"What is it?" Asked Jisoo

"What if..." Rosé took a deep breath. "What if the past suddenly knocks?”

"What do you mean?" Asked Jisoo

Sonia placed egg pancakes on the table.

“Wow! Thank you auntie!” said Jennie

"If it's a good past then we open our door. But if it's a bad past, we shut it." Said Sonia. "That kind of past should not interrupt the good life we have now."

Jisoo nodded.

"Why do you ask?" Asked Jisoo

"Oh... nothing just... kind of worried because Chanyeol's ex girlfriend may spring up anytime." Rosé answered nervously, an obvious lie.

Jisoo’s brows narrowed.

"Don't worry about that. That boy loves you." Said Sonia.

"Thanks Auntie." Said Rosé

Jisoo sighed.

“Is that really the reason?” asked Jisoo

“Yes! Of course!” Rosé used her fingers to fan herself. “I need to use the toilet. Excuse me.”

Rosé went to the toilet.

“Do you think an ex is really returning to Chanyeol’s life?” asked Jennie.

“Well I hope not.” Said Jisoo. “They’re already busy and stressed with the wedding preparation as it is.”

Rosé wanted to evaporate at that moment. She wanted to be really honest and tell Jisoo that she had met Jisoo’s ex husband in that restaurant, but is that the right thing to do? Jisoo has been living a new life away from her old world, it took her a long time to move on from her Dad’s death. It took her a long time to find a job. And Aunt Sonia also had a difficult time coping. If Rosé mentions V now, it will create chaos in the peace they are all having.

Rosé sighed.

No. Today is not the right time to talk to Jisoo about V. Maybe there will never be a right time to talk about him. Ever.

Rosé tried to shake the memory of meeting V in the restaurant off her mind. That kind of past should be buried deep never to be opened again.

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V arrived at Diamond skin early that morning. He was welcomed by the owner and his two sons who are heading the marketing and the Research and Development teams. He was first introduced to the R&D team and was shown the different products and their usage. He was also shown the numbers that determined which are the best selling products. V let his spa experts try the machines and attest to their quality. He was there all along watching and looking at the key people who knew the products well. He will retain these people. He needs the experts to stay in the company. After spending almost three hours with the R&D team, V decided it’s time to meet the marketing team.

V was invited to a conference room where the marketing team was waiting for him. The team was comprised of 6 members including the manager. Everyone looked nervous and V already knew why. According to the data he has, the marketing team has been struggling to promote the products, thus the low sales. Base on this meeting, V would know whether he has