Jiwoo looked out the window, groaning at the yellow hues bathing everything outside. Every evening, the sun set later and later, dragging out the days and easing everyone into the summer that was quickly approaching. Although the warmer weather would be a nice change, it only meant longer hours and unpredictable business. Neither of which Jiwoo was looking forward to; this was one of the occupational hazards in the life of a café owner, and one that Jiwoo still struggled to accept to this day.

            “Hello! Welcome to Café de Rêves. How can I help you today?” Jiwoo smiled as the customer gave their order, nodding as they exchanged small pleasantries while she worked the machines. Business was rather slow, the warmth outside beckoning people out for some fresh air, vitamin d, and some quality time with their loved ones.

            The temptation to close up the shop tugged at her willpower to remain inside, luring out her selfish desires. Oh, to be out in the sun, soaking up the rays and reading a good book, she sighed, looking out the window with an expression of both longing and contempt. Although she loved the idea of being outdoors, she also loved being inside her shop sipping on a cup of rich, dark coffee. The love hate relationship with the sun continues, she exhaled, chuckling at her own childish thoughts. Shaking off the hopeless yearning, Jiwoo pulled out her inventory checklist to kill time and distract herself. She couldn’t afford to take any more days off, not when she had closed for so many days in the past few months. Obviously, closing up did not help her on the financial side of things. So, reluctantly, she was going to be responsible and stay inside.

            Heading into the kitchen, Jiwoo ran through her checklist and jot down the numbers. She took note of which items needed replenishing, and which had excess, frowning at the number of items that didn’t need to be restocked. Adjusting her order forms, she unconsciously sighed as she headed back out to the front shop, scanning the empty tables with another groan. Muffled laughter drifted into the store from the vendors outside, once again enticing Jiwoo to join them in the bright, sunny afternoon.

            No, don’t give in. You can’t close up now, she asserted, nodding determinedly as she turned away from the front windows and walked behind the counter. She made herself a drink and sat at the cash register, pulling out her book, hoping the world of fiction would help distract her from joining the realities outside.

            It didn’t take long for reality to interrupt her. Jolting at the sound of the store phone, Jiwoo reached for the receiver and accepted the call. “Hello, this is Café de Rêves. How can I help you?” she greeted, slipping her bookmark between the pages and setting it aside.

            “Hello? Is this Seong Jiwoo?” A voice crackled on the other end, startling Jiwoo.

            “Yes. This is she. May I ask who this is?”

            “Good afternoon, Ms. Seong. I’m calling from Han Holdings Corporation.” Jiwoo froze as the person introduced themselves, her heart racing as the company name rang in her ears. Why is Han Holdings calling? she wondered as the person continued. “I was wondering if you have a minute to discuss some important matters?”

            “Uh, yes. I’m available right now.”

            “Great. I’ll get straight to the point. One of our representatives attended an investors conference several weeks ago at SM Entertainment. I believe you were in attendance, correct?” The individual paused, waiting for Jiwoo to respond. She managed to choke out a shaky yes. “Well, our rep was extremely impressed with your coffee that day, and went out of their way to speak with our contacts at SM. They forwarded your information to us and informed us of your current business and contract with them.”

            Jiwoo shakily exhaled, grabbing hold of the phone with both hands. She could see where the conversation was going, and was praying with all her might that it wouldn’t continue down that route. Although humbled by the fact that a powerful corporation reached out to her, Jiwoo was not prepared to be blindsided. But, she knew her prayers were pointless because who was going to stop Han Holdings from striking a deal with her? They’ve already come this far in finding out her information and contacting her, why would they jeopardize another deal for their company? Jiwoo knew there was no escaping from this reality.

            “Now, we know we’re coming out of left field here, but we were wondering if you would like to work with us?” the person paused for a moment, just enough to indicate a full stop – just enough to send Jiwoo into a whirlpool of panic. They were right; their request was completely out of the blue. Their invitation to the contract hadn’t given her much information to work with. What kind of work are they talking about? What are the conditions to their contract? Her mind reeled with questions that she wanted to ask, however her voice suddenly deciding to latch itself to the pit of her stomach.

            “Again, we know our proposition is very sudden, but we believe you would do well and benefit in this business venture.”

            “And what would this business venture be?” Jiwoo managed to cough out a question, though her breath was coming out in quick gasps. She attempted to direct them away from the receiver, though she was positive the person could hear her on the other end and was just being courteous by ignoring it.

            “As you might already know, Han Holdings invests in the food and hospitality market. We run and own a variety of different stores all across the country – some of which are cafés. Most of these coffee shops are located in Busan, so our contract would predominantly be with those stores,” the person explained. Jiwoo frowned as they continued. “We would like for you to source your beans at these locations. Since SM already has central Seoul covered, and you are situated in Suwon, we figured we could expand your market to the southern cities. Your reach will stretch across the country with our marketing; this is a win-win situation for the both of us. So, what do you say?”

            Jiwoo hesitated, her eyes wandering across her shop as she weighed her options. As the person pointed out, accepting the offer would bring her coffee to the southern cities of the country. She had no means of getting there herself, and she hadn’t had any plans to do so. There were definitely many pros to this partnership. However, she couldn’t help but think of the potential cons in accepting the offer. Sure, the coffee would be reaching cities she never would have imagined it would. But, what of the human error that could occur during transit? What if the beans, if they make it to the locations, are not brewed properly? What if the coffee is not well received due to improper extraction? Also, what if she doesn’t roast the beans well enough and they yield poor shots?

            Flooded by her thoughts, Jiwoo sighed, switching the call to speaker phone. She set the device down on the counter and rubbed her eyes with the heels of her palms. A sluggish throb began to forge at her temples, seeping into the center of her forehead as she weighed her thoughts; the scale tipped back and forth with each new question or concern.

            The person on the line sensed her hesitation and broke the silence and her spiraling. “You don’t have to give us an answer right this instant. We can set up a meeting to further discuss details. This is a tough decision, so please do take all the time you need to consider the options.”

            “A meeting would be great. I can work around your schedules, as mine is flexible.” Jiwoo let out a breath as the person listed off the dates and times available in the upcoming months. Jiwoo asked if there were any available times in the near future. She figured the earlier they got this meeting out of the way, the better for her own sanity’s sake.

            “We can set the meeting as early as 10 am tomorrow, if that’s okay with you? It will be held at our main office building in Seoul. We can send a car for you.”

            “10 am sounds perfect. And, there’s no need for a car. I will be able to get there myself. Thank you for the offer, though.” Jiwoo shifted in her seat as she quickly wrote down the address the individual recited to her. Double checking that what she wrote was correct, Jiwoo thanked the person for reaching out to her. “I look forward to meeting you tomorrow. Have a great day.”

            “Thank you for your time. And, you have a wonderful day yourself!”

            Hanging up the phone, Jiwoo pulled up her legs, hugging them to her chest as she balanced precariously on the stool. She wasn’t sure what she was feeling at this point; her body was numb from either shock or denial, or both. Jiwoo couldn’t tell. What she did know was that she was going to have a meeting with a large corporate company, and she had no idea what to expect. That, alone, was enough to send her down the dark tunnel of self-doubt.

---

            “You can do this, Jiwoo. It’s just a meeting. You’ve done this hundreds of times before, just from the other side of the conversation. And you were also trying to take advantage of the clients, one of which was Han Holdings.” Though she hadn’t been in the meetings or discussions, she was sure her name came up – a lot. “Right, you’re doomed,” Jiwoo mumbled to herself. What started as a pep talk quickly took a sharp turn down panic lane, and she knew she wasn’t going to be able to shake it before entering the meeting. Letting out a laboured breath, Jiwoo walked through the front doors of the building, biting the inside of her cheek to keep her jaw from dropping to the floor as she scanned the vast foyer.

            Holy crap, there’s a fountain, Jiwoo noted, eyeing the circular structure in the room. Although it’s a proven fact that the sound of running water can help people relax and focus, Jiwoo was definitely not feeling it. The streams of water disturbing the surface of the fountain, clapping against the ever-moving liquid made it really difficult for Jiwoo to calm her racing heart.

            “Hello! Welcome to Han Holdings Corporation. Do you have an appointment?’

            “I, uh, have an appointment at 10 with, um,” Jiwoo stuttered, pulling out the crumpled note from her pocket to double check the name. The receptionist’s face lit up as she picked up her phone and pressed a button.

            “Oh! You’re Ms. Seong. Mr. Han told me to send you up when you arrive. Give me just a second,” the lady smiled as she brought the receiver to her ear. “If you could just wait over by the fountain for a moment, we’ll get everything ready for you.”

            Jiwoo nodded her head at the front desk and awkwardly made her way over to the fountain. She sat on the edge of the structure, wringing her hands as she watched the receptionist print out a stack of papers and tucked them into a folder before stepping out from behind the desk. She briskly walked over to Jiwoo who instantly stood up to greet her, hands clasped in front of her waist. An old habit.

            “Thank you for being patient. Mr. Han is ready for you now,” the receptionist said as she handed Jiwoo a lanyard. “This is your visitor’s pass. You can drop it off at the front desk when you leave. If you could follow me, Mr. Han is waiting for us in his office.” The receptionist turned and began to walk towards the elevator with long strides. Jiwoo clumsily threw the lanyard around her neck and stumbled after the tall woman, jogging to keep up. She caught up with her at the elevator and tried to regulate her breathing. It was already embarrassing enough that she was overwhelmingly underdressed for the situation, she didn’t need people judging her for her short stature and stamina.

            The elevator arrived and they two of them head up to the office. Jiwoo exhaled at each floor they stopped at, letting out the breath that she unconsciously held. Despite her efforts to stop her stomach from churning, she felt like throwing up.

            Her reaction wasn’t unusual, though it had been a fairly long time since she last felt this way. Her meeting at SM was more manageable, though she knew that it was in due to Young Mi’s presence. She had a security blanket there, someone who would cushion the blows and support her if she needed them to. However, she was alone here. She had not support. She had no net to catch her if she fell. And she really didn’t want to fall.

            “Here we are. His office is this way,” the receptionist announced, heading down the hallway to the left as they exited the elevator. Jiwoo silently followed her, clutching the straps of her bag as she maneuvered through the bodies in the hall. She tried to keep her gaze down, avoiding the stares directed at her from the cubicles and offices, but, in turn, was struggling to keep up with the tall receptionist. Biting the inside of her cheek, Jiwoo forced herself to look up and keep her eye on the leading lady, trying her best to ignore the penetrating stares.

            After what felt like hours, they two finally arrived at Mr. Han’s office. The receptionist firmly knocked on the door and waited for her boss to invite them in, which he promptly did so. Relieved to finally be out of sight from prying eyes, Jiwoo entered the room and kept herself from gawking at the panoramic view of the city behind Mr. Han’s desk.

            She couldn’t help but wonder if she would ever have an office with a view like this in the future. Though she had one in the past, it just wasn’t the right time or place for it. But, what if now is the time and place for a new office? A new building? Is it time for a new city? She froze in place, staring at the scenic view, deaf to the voice that was calling her name.

            “Ms. Seong? Is everything alright?” the receptionist asked, stepping in front of Jiwoo with raised brows. Jiwoo shook her head and cleared , bowing her head apologetically.

            “I’m sorry. I was just admiring the view,” she said as she greeted Mr. Han with a respectful bow. Although he was just frowning, most likely due to Jiwoo’s sudden stupor, it was immediately replaced with a proud smile.

            “Ah, yes. It is wonderful, isn’t it? I definitely paid the price for it, that’s for sure,” he chuckled, motioning towards the seat across his desk. Jiwoo accepted the invitation to sit down and crossed her hands on her lap. She was tempted to take up a more comfortable position on the chair, but kept her feet firmly on the ground, crossing one leg behind the other for good measure. “Thank you, Ms. Park. I’ll call for you later,” he said, nodding at the employee as she took her cue to leave the office. “So, firstly, thank you for coming on such short notice. I hope you didn’t have to leave your shop unattended for this meeting?”

            Jiwoo fought the urge to bite her lip and shook her head with a reassuring smile, “I did have to close for the day, but it’s not an inconvenience at all. We have important matters to discuss. Besides, closing for one day will not affect our business.”

            “That’s good to hear then,” Mr. Han responded, flipping open the file the receptionist had printed out earlier. “Let’s get right to the point. As our representative said yesterday, we would like to partner with you and supply our coffee shops with your beans,” he began, glancing at her over his glasses. “I believe they mentioned that our locations are all in Busan, and that we would be bringing your beans to the southern part of the country.”

            “Yes, they did mention that,” Jiwoo murmured. Mr. Han nodded as he flipped to another page in the file.

            “In regards to quantity, we have 6 locations that need to be supplied. We could start small and observe the reaction. If they do well, we will increase the quantities. If they are not well received,” he paused, looking directly at Jiwoo, “Well, I do not see that happening. I had the privilege of trying your coffee myself and I believe that they will do well wherever they go.”

            “Oh, thank you, Sir,” Jiwoo said, nodding her head at the compliment. So he was the one at the conference…

            “I give recognition where it is due, and your coffee is one of the best I’ve had in a very long time,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “My stipulations are as clear as they can be, so, what questions or conditions do you have for me?”

            Jiwoo returned his gaze with her a steady one of her own as she thought carefully about what she had in mind. All of the questions that had popped up during the phone call the day before, along with all the questions that arose in her dreams, she brought to the discussion now. “If we are to do business together, I have a few questions and concerns, along with a few clauses that need to be answered and met.”

            “Okay. Shoot,” Mr. Han replied as he pulled out a notebook and pen.

            “First, questions. I roast all the beans in shop in Suwon. Will you be providing a delivery service? Also, are we looking at weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly orders?” Jiwoo asked.

            “We will determine the frequency of orders after we receive feedback from the first delivery. I anticipate a bi-monthly approach, though a rush service with extra charge can be written into the contract.”

            Jiwoo nodded, pleased with the answer. “That was my only question. Now, my concerns. I cannot guarantee the quality of the beans as they will be travelling quite a distance. Can it be acknowledged that once the beans are in possession of the delivery services, whatever happens to them after will not be my responsibility,” Jiwoo said. Mr. Han jot down the point and placed his pen down.

            “Not to worry about freshness. We will be transporting them via air. They should arrive to the locations within the day,” he replied. Jiwoo raised her brows in surprise, impressed at the lengths this man was willing to go for his business. “What else?” he asked.

            “Clauses. I ran into this issue with SM, and would not like a repeat of this situation. Regardless of the experience your baristas and staff have, I would like to visit each location to run a quick training session with them to guarantee that they grind and extract the beans correctly.” Mr. Han folded his arms across his chest as he sat back in his chair, looking at Jiwoo with a look of hesitation. Jiwoo knew things were going too smoothly. She had a feeling there was going to be some sort of hiccup in their conversation. Who would have thought that it would be for the one thing she was most worried about? However, knowing her own luck, Jiwoo would have been naïve to not expect an issue to arise.

            “I know it’s a strange request, but you said so yourself. Your company will be bringing my coffee to the southern cities of our country. You will be marketing my brand there in your shops. For this to be a ‘win-win’ situation, as your representative yesterday put it, I would like for it to be guaranteed that we both have a fair chance to actually win. And, the only way to do so is to make sure that my product is made correctly. It’s just coffee beans to some people, but to me, it’s more than that. It’s an art. And, with art, it takes some practice to use the medium well. We’re not looking to master it; we just want proficiency.”

            Mr. Han sat in silence, looking at Jiwoo with an unreadable expression. She returned his questioning gaze with confidence. She knew she wasn’t wrong. By her logic, at least, she didn’t think she was wrong. They both wanted to succeed in this business venture, and her requirement was there to ensure that the most ideal outcome is met. However, she could sense his reluctance, though she wasn’t sure where it was coming from. What is he concerned about? Jiwoo internally sighed as she realized she had to pull out the one thing she absolutely hated using when she worked corporate: an ultimatum.

            “I’m not offering the training as a means to undermine you, if that’s how you’ve interpreted my request. Rather, I would like for us to both succeed. If this is the deal breaker, then I guess this is my cue to leave,” Jiwoo said as she stood up and began to collect her belongings. “Thank you for reaching out to me with your offer. I wish things could’ve worked out.” Just as she turned to leave, he spoke up, and a grin crept onto her lips.

            “You run a tough bargain, Ms. Seong. Makes me wonder if you’ve got corporate experience,” he chuckled as he picked up his pen and wrote down a few notes on the page. He looked up at her with a knowing glint in his eyes, smiling as he pointed to the seat with his chin. Jiwoo innocently smiled in return as she sat down once more. “I will add the clause in, though we need to discuss fees. I’m assuming you have a charge for training sessions?”

            Jiwoo shrugged in response. “I don’t expect any monetary compensation for the training. I’m more concerned about the quality of the coffee than the time it’ll take to learn how to use the beans,” she said. “However, I do have to close up my shop for at least one week for travels and such. How about this – your company will cover the cost of my travels and accommodations for the duration of the training? I will provide my services for free and will cover my own food expenses. As for my shop, well, I need a vacation anyway.” Jiwoo cast out her line and prayed that Mr. Han would take the bait. It was far cheaper to pay for a room for her than it would to pay for her services given the rates that other people charge, and she knew he was fully aware of that. It was a no-brainer deal, and Jiwoo hoped he was no fool.

            “Deal,” Mr. Han almost scoffed in response, but he let out an impressed chuckled instead. “If I had known you would be this brutal, I would’ve hired you for my legal team. You’re not still in the field, are you?” he laughed, writing down the last of her requests. Jiwoo firmly shook her head, her expression hardening slightly. Mr. Han noticed the change in disposition and chose not to ignore it. “What, you thought I wouldn’t know? Your reputation precedes you, Ms. Seong.”

            Jiwoo flinched and bit back a grimace. He really is no fool. “Ah, that was another time in my life,” she tried to laugh it off. However, Mr. Han wasn’t letting it go.

            “Well, the corporate world misses that time, Ms. Seong. Gave my team hell the last time we crossed paths. Let me know when you want to rejoin us. I’m sure you’ll fit right back in,” he smirked. Jiwoo kept a straight face, smiling courteously as she shook her head.

            “That chapter is closed for me, but I do appreciate the – um – reminder.”

            “That’s unfortunate then. Well, I’ll send this off to my team to for edits, and they’ll mail you the final contract within the week. For now, our deal is not yet closed. Once we receive the signed paperwork, we’ll be in contact with you to set up the delivery schedule and training. Sounds good?” he asked, standing up from his seat. Jiwoo knew better than to stay longer. She couldn’t afford to stay longer knowing that he knew more than he had let off from the start.

            “Sounds perfect,” she replied as she quickly jogged out the door and out of the building with a bitter taste in .

---

             “No! You’re leading off with the wrong foot, Jaehyun. What’s gotten into you? You never make stupid mistakes like this,” the choreographer snapped, turning from the mirrors to look at Jaehyun. He couldn’t meet their gaze, choosing to look down at his shoes instead of at the angry eyes directed at him. “Take five, people. And Taeyong, fix him.”

            Jaehyun sighed as he watched the others drag their tired, sore bodies to the couches, dropping down on them with anguished groans. He felt Taeyong standing next to him and closed his eyes before turning to look at the older boy. “Hyung, I’m sorry. I’ll practice it on my own.”

            “No, I’ll help. Don’t stress over it. They forget that we’re not robots and that we can’t possibly remember everything within the first session,” Taeyong said, giving Jaehyun a supportive pat on the shoulder. He knew the younger boy didn’t believe him, but it was the least he could do to diffuse the situation.

            “Thanks, hyung,” Jaehyun mumbled as they moved to the corner of the room and went over the steps and counts in the mirror. Although he wasn’t entirely convinced by Taeyong’s attempt to justify his mistakes, Jaehyun knew that fighting back now would only be a waste of time. And they didn’t have any more time to waste with promotions quickly approaching.

            The pair finished reviewing the steps and went over them a few more times for good measure before the choreographer called them all back to continue their practice. Jaehyun looked in the mirror and took a deep breath in, slowly exhaling and clearing his mind of all the worries he had about their upcoming schedules. Focus, Jaehyun. Pull yourself together. No more mistakes.

            “Okay, boys, we’re going full out. 5 times through. If anyone makes a mistake, we start from zero. Got it?” A canon of agreements echoed through the room as they set themselves up for the beginning of their end.

---

            “Hey, are you busy right now?” Taeyong asked, popping his head into Jaehyun’s room. Jaehyun looked over from his bed, grunting in response as he pointed to his bed. He sat up and leaned against his headboard, running a hand through his hair as he prepared himself for the lecture that he had been expecting. Ever since they returned to their dorms, he had a feeling the leader was itching to talk to him.

            “Hyung, before you say anything, I just want to apologize for what happened today,” Jaehyun started. Taeyong sat down on the bed and shook his head.

            “Thanks for the apology, Jaehyun, but that’s what not why I’m here. I just wanted to check in with you. You were off during practice, so I wanted to make sure you are okay,” Taeyong said. He reached over and pat Jaehyun’s foot, smiling at the younger male.

            Jaehyun looked up at him and returned the smile. “I’m fine,” he replied.

            “Lies,” Taeyong scoffed, earning him a surprised look from Jaehyun. “You never make mistakes, Jaehyun. If there’s anyone on our team that we could rely on to do everything right the first time around, it’s you. So, don’t tell me you’re fine when something is clearly bothering you.”

            Jaehyun clenched his jaw, unable to respond to the cold, hard facts. Taeyong wasn’t wrong, something was bothering him. But, he couldn’t exactly explain what it was. As frustrated as they might have been with him during practice, his own frustration was ten times worse. The nagging feeling wouldn’t go away, prodding at his patience as the hours pass. It occupied his mind, yet he couldn’t even tell Taeyong exactly what the occupants were – or who they were. Heck, he couldn’t even confirm whether it was a person, place, or thing that was bothering him. However, one thing was for sure – whatever it was, he needed to get himself out of the funk before promotions began.

            “Sorry, hyung. If I could tell you what it is that’s bothering me, I would. But, I don’t even know exactly what it is myself. It’s just…there,” Jaehyun sighed, dropping his head down in his hands. “You know that feeling? Where your body is tense and your heart is racing? Like, it’s anxious, but it’s not really just anxiety alone? Where your thoughts run at 100 miles an hour, but you can’t even slow them down long enough to capture one of them? To understand what they are?”

            Taeyong watched as Jaehyun slumped down onto his bed, an arm resting across his eyes. He couldn’t say he understood exactly what the other was going through, but he the slightest sense of it. He, too, was plagued by his own thoughts. But, he knew they weren’t 100% the same as what Jaehyun was going through because each life was unique. Each person had their own demons to face. To say he could fully understand Jaehyun would be a blatant lie, and Taeyong never lied.

            “I don’t know what I can do to help you, Jaehyun. But, I do know that doing something that makes you happy, even if it’s for a moment, will help get your mind off of what’s bothering you,” Taeyong said as he turned to face Jaehyun more. “What is it that makes you happy? What is one that that you can do right now that will clear your mind? Don’t think too hard about it and just say the first thing that comes to mind.”

            Jaehyun pulled his arm away from his eyes and looked up at Taeyong, brows furrowed at his leader’s sudden request. The glowing lamp behind Taeyong’s head drew him in, pulling him towards his shelf and the record player sitting on it. Without a word, Jaehyun swiftly got up from his bed and walked over to the vinyls. He scanned his collection as a sudden warmth slowly enveloped him, beginning at the crown of his head and moving down the length of his body.

            Music. He needed music. Both his foe and savior, it consumed his life and career. It was there to trouble him, and yet was his protector – his life source. Flipping through his vinyls, he sighed heavily, unable to pick the right record to help him pass the moment. Bemused, Taeyong watched from the bed, observing the younger man as he sorted through his thoughts and calculated his movements. Jaehyun flipped through his collection almost absentmindedly, back and forth through the ten sleeves, none of them miraculously changing from what he saw mere seconds ago. Yet, he continued to flip, forwards and back. Taeyong didn’t know when to step in. On the one hand, Jaehyun was now occupied with flipping through the vinyls. On the other hand, it wasn’t helping him move forward in the moment either. He decided to try and help and stood up from the bed. However, he stopped as Jaehyun suddenly turned to his desk and reached for something.

            How could I forget these? Jaehyun wondered as something on his desk caught his eye. Another stack of vinyls lay on the surface, untouched from the day he had brought them home. Has it really been weeks? He thought as he sifted through the stack of discs, the ones that belonged to Jiwoo. None of them looked appealing at the moment, all of them falling under upbeat genres. They were impractical for his thoughts and feelings right now. He was about ready to give up when he got to the last one in the pile.

            “Night Lights,” he whispered, pulling the record from beneath the pile. He could already hear the album, the soft piano whispering in his ears as the brush of the snare tickled down his spine, while the low baritone saxophone rumbled in the depths of his chest. Wasting no time, he turned to his record player and set the vinyl up. He placed the arm down and waited for the exact moment that took his breath away, the very first note.

            Taeyong smiled softly as he watched Jaehyun fall under the spell of the music. Knowing he was in good hands, Taeyong quietly exited the room and closed the door, leaving Jaehyun with the album and empty thoughts.

---

            Did I do the right thing? Jiwoo wondered as she gently chewed on her bottom lip, her chin resting on her knee. She hugged her leg close to her chest as she sat perched on her stool behind the counter. The last of the dine in customers were filing out of the shop and she, on reflex, bid them farewell with a robotic smile. Jumping off the chair, Jiwoo hurriedly locked up the shop and closed all the blinds. Silence surrounded her as she slowly worked through her list of tasks, gnawing at her subconscious. She greatly disliked the feeling, the discomfort that was growing in her. It occupied the mental space that she so badly wanted to clear, to have blank. She needed that space in her mind to be empty. How else was she going to figure out whether or not she had made the right decision to go and meet with Mr. Han?

            “Ugh, focus, Jiwoo. Pull yourself together,” she snapped, talking to herself as she moved around the shop. There’s no way I’m going to finish cleaning at this rate. I need a distraction. I need music. Briskly walking towards her record player, Jiwoo crouched down at the crates and sifted through her collections. She flipped through with purpose, having one particular record in mind - her most prized vinyl.

            As she continued to flick through, her breathing quickened. “Where is it?” she growled, pulling out all the crates with frenzied force. Her fingers nimbly moved the records, her eye scanning all the titles and colours she had memorized. Not one of them matched the one she was looking for.

            Defeated. On top of the overwhelming feeling of unrest, Jiwoo now felt a crushing sense of defeat. What’s going on? What’s happening? she questioned, running a hand through her hair. She tried to recall when she last listened to Night Lights, racking her brain for all the moment she used the vinyl when it suddenly came to her. Her head shot up as she looked off into the distance, dazed.

            It’s with him. The boy. Jaehyun? Yes, Jaehyun. The one who works with Young Mi unnie. I lent it to him when he visited, she remembered, sighing in relief as she leaned back against the crates. I guess it’s out of my control then. Gathering herself up off the floor, Jiwoo grabbed another one of her vinyls and placed it on her record player. She didn’t have the mental capacity to wallow over another complication, especially one that was so trivial in comparison to the real issue at hand – the contract.

            The contract wasn’t signed just yet. She still had time to back out. But, after what happened at the meeting with Mr. Han, she wasn’t sure she had the choice to decline now. Not when she made such deliberate requests as if the agreement was already settled. Whether she liked it or not, it seemed she was stuck, regardless of her opinions.

            She was feeling uneasy, her thoughts wandering back to the end of their meeting. She hadn’t expected Mr. Han to know about her, about her past. It caught her off guard. She didn’t even know where to begin with the information, with him knowing about her time in the corporate world. No matter how far away she tried to run from that past, it seemed to always catch up to her. And every time it did, she was reminded of all her regrets, of the darkness that consumed her then and that still continue to consume her now.

            Don’t fall, Jiwoo. You’ve come too far, she reminded herself, exhaling as she finished the last of her tasks. She turned off all the lights, including the one above the front entrance. She needed the night off. She needed to shut everything off. Going upstairs, she cleaned up and head to bed with one last question on her mind.

Did I do the right thing?

I'm slowly trying to frontload the chapters a bit and get ahead, so I apologize for the extremly inconsistent updates. I'm going to try and be a bit more consistent, though I sound like a broken record of promises hahaha. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. 

Until the next one, cheers.