The tension filling the corridor was visible to the eye.

Employees, staff and interns were getting out of the way of marching directors. The trio headed towards the conference room, preparing to begin negotiations with their biggest competition.The steam flew out of Joohyun's nose, and Junmyeon was clenching his fists. "You called them?"

Kyungsoo cracked his neck bone, ready for the meeting. "Yes. They're waiting."

Now they were standing in front of the big front door.  With one push, Kyungsoo opened it, revealing 4 people sitting at the big round table. They were all old, not so young at least. Someone might have thought that they would beat many in terms of experience in the profession, but in reality, nothing could be further from the truth - the four of them were shaking their pants at the very sight of the K&B CEOs, the sweat marks on their bald heads.

Joohyun and Junmyeon sat down in front of them, Kyungsoo close behind them.

"All right, let's get started." Joohyun said calmly, but in her voice one could hear irritation combined with threat. Turned out to be effective.

"Miss Bae, if it is about the centre, we're-"

"You have shown a complete lack of professionalism and reason. You know what is the most important principle of fair play in this industry - if one company calls dibs on the event schedule, another company is obliged to organize its business later. Has something changed? Since when do financial marketing corporations show a lack of decency?" Junmyeon raised his voice slightly, trying to put pressure on the guests.

One of the men, he started nervously browsing through the file until his hands were shaking. 

"Y-you don't understand! We had to take some steps!  Our last stock market quotation-"

Kyungsoo interrupted him by raising his hand. "That's not an excuse. Director Lee, if I'm correct?" He opened his phone, looking through latest stock market results. "Your last stock market listing went up by 10% last month, and the company is in TOP 5. I see that may make people thrive for more but you are basically throwing yourself for a big fish, which is us- at 1st place. Weak move, if you ask me."

The atmosphere was not favorable to the representatives of Han Corporation. It looked like they lacked arguments. They were like children caught in the act. One decided to keep going.

"We know it doesn't look good, but we're in a business world that's sometimes unfavorable to one side and-" He didn't finish after he saw Joohyun's impassioned look at himself.  Her purple manicured nails were quietly tapping on the table top, filling in the silence. The man gulped.

"You're saying business is bad for you? I agree. There's always the one who gets to the top and the other has to chase him. Those who has to keep up, to your disadvantage, are you. Unlike you, we're in healthy competition with our competitors, we don't have any problems with the law, we're sympathetic to customers and we don't launder money. Our project was signed by the authorities as well as the developers a year ago and works on the center started 6 months ago. If you think it's so easy to push your games through - you're deeply mistaken."

The door of the conference room opened and a new person entered the room.

The man about 180 cm tall, around his 50s. His skin tone was darker than that of an average Korean, and his face was adorned with few wrinkles. Despite his elegant attire, his appearance and aura resembled more a mafia member than a serious entrepreneur.

At his sight, every muscle in Joohyun's body suddenly froze. Her eyes became wide and her hand formed into a fist. Junmyeon noticed a change in his partner's attitude, carefully watching the newcomer himself.

The man corrected his shirt collar and hid his hands behind his back, a cunning smile on his face. "I feel offended that you started the chit chat without me." His voice was rough, but not too low. He slowly came close to the table.

"Choi Min Soo." Junmyeon pronounced that name through his clenched teeth, watching him pick a chair.

"Ah, Junmyeon! My boy, good to see you, too! I can see your cheeks got rounder. I'd advise you to stop eating at your parents' place, because soon the cameras won't recognize you."

Junmyeon was a little pressurized, but he decided to let go of this comment, knowing that this was the kind of game he had to predict. 

"We're in the workspace. I'd rather we stay on business terms."

"Organized as always. I've known you since you were born, calling you a Mr. would be quite ridiculous..." Min Soo sat down in his chair, as if he was in his own home. His accomplices looked much more relaxed as he arrived, Joohyun picked it up with disgust.

Scared dogs can't even think without their leader. I should have seen that coming.

Kyungsoo decided to join the discussion "President Choi. It's reasonable we clear up the misunderstanding with the opening of the centre." 

Choi Min Soo looked at him for a while, and then laughed like a plotting villain from children's fairy tales. The only thing that was missing was for him to start rubbing his hands ominously.

"Do Kyungsoo. A loyal, threatening-looking cunnery walking after its owners wherever they tell him to." He flexed and clenched his wrinkled fingers. "But I don't blame you, boy. There has to be a loyal dog in every team." He stood up from the chair and sat on the table, sideways to the young couple and their friend. "And I don't see any misunderstanding. You're not the only financial company in this country. You just don't know enough to see how the business world works now. And they call me old fashioned. "

Min Soo started circling around the table again, this time towards the presidents. "You're still playing in the paddling pool, where I've been swimming in the sea with sharks for 25 years." The idea lit up in his eyes. "Besides, if my memory is not mistaken, I could still argue about K&B Group's shares. After all, it used to belong to me in part."

Joohyun remained silent, watching the man approaching her. Junmyeon looked at her at an angle of the eye, waiting for him to finally start talking. Then he remembered who she was dealing with and spoke again.

"Not even a square meter of this building belongs to you anymore. Shares especially."

Min Soo seemed to ignore the boy and his eyes fell on the girl sitting next to him, who tried to avoid his gaze.

"Joohyun. My dear child. Why are you so quiet today? Knowing you, you'd have drag everybody down a long time ago. Should I feel special?" He made a joke with a fake smile. The girl raised her head and if a sight could kill, Min Soo would have been lying dead on the floor by now. 

Joohyun got up from the chair, stabbing knives into him mentally. He was about good 30 centimeters taller than her, making him seem invincible comparing with a relatively small girl.  

"I always knew you were garbage. You steal and take someone else's credit. I remind you that you once got to the deep bottom because of it." The venom was pouring out of her words. Min Soo looked at her carefully looking for a way to make her lose her confidence with him.

"Darling, is this about the charity events you were planning to hold at the opening? That's why you're so mad and you're ruining your face with a frown?" There was pity in his voice. He reached for her face and before she could protest, he grabbed her chin and lifter it so she could look him in the eye. The act made Junmyeon and Kyungsoo freeze. "You took after your soft daddy. Naive idealist to the end. I guess it runs in family."

"CHOI MIN SOO!" Junmyeon raised his voice, capturing the attention of all those gathered. "I think you've said enough. You forget you're in someone else's territory."

He knew how delicate a matter was for Joohyun and even he wouldn't fall so low. Junmyeon took a few steps forward, but he stopped when he saw tears formed in his partner's eyes. But not a single one came out. 

Joohyun only cried once in her life. At her father's funeral. Never again, no matter what. And even if, never at work.

Min Soo saw it too and smirked. Letting go of girl's face he noticed that it made the younger boy's chest fall in relief. He called his employees and they slowly started to leave the room. But before he got to the door, he turned to the couple. 

"I advise you to grow some tough skin Joohyun, or you'll never survive in the animal world. And I think there are some things about to change.”                                               

  »»————-　　————-««

When the guests left, Kyungsoo went quickly to the office, calling a managers' meeting, leaving his superiors alone in the large conference room. When Joohyun wanted to leave, Junmyeon grabbed her by the wrist, a little harder than he would have wanted and stopped. 

"What the hell do you want again, jackass? We have another meeting in a moment. I won't be late because of you."

"What was that supposed to be?" Junmyeon asked roughly. Joohyun was trying to keep a neutral face.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Where did your sharp tongue go? Since when do you get speechless so easily? You know this guy wants to take advantage of every moment of weakness to get after us."

Joohyun decided not to answer. She couldn't find an explanation for her previous behavior. It was humiliating. She felt like she was being interrogated now. By a very unbearable cop. Junmyeon saw the conflict on her face and even for a moment he felt sorry for her. 

"It's about your father's case again? Fine. I get it." He pulled her hand, turning her completely. "But you need to let it go eventually. You don't have any evidence that he was in any way involved and it won't help the company either."

Joohyun looked at him outraged and hit his arm, effectively knocking him off her. 

"Evidence or not, I'll destroy that scum no matter what. He deserves it anyway. And no one, especially you, will tell me what to do."

She left the room. Junmyeon was rubbing the place of impact, amazed by the girl's attitude.

Stubborn woman. Nothing good will come of it.  

They left for another meeting in hope to fix the mess that crashed on them.

»»————-　　————-««

Late. About four hours. Kim Jongin, you haven't fallen that low yet.

Behind the wall, Jongin spotted Sooyoung completing the papers alternating with a playing on the phone. Relief washed over him, one of the five is counted out. From a safe place he spotted, Seungwan who was just brewing coffee in the staff room. 

Okay, sit there. You didn't see me here. 

Forging, Jongin was trying to sneak unnoticed to his desk at the window. His plan would have been perfect if Minseok hadn't shown up over him.

"Is this some new kind of exercise?"

Jongin's heart jumped up to his throat and surprise threw him back, onto his . When he collected his briefcase from the floor, he fixed his tie and looked around to see if anyone, especially Seungwan, noticed him. 

"Dude, you can't do this to me!"

"Me? You're the one who comes late to work and makes a clown of yourself! So this time what? A hangover in the bushes or did you ask someone out in the middle of the week again? Because I doubt you've been sitting on a case you've been assigned to."

Jongin's thoughts went back to that morning when he was sitting on his bed, waiting for his "acquaintance" to wake up after a " the night".

Raised together with two sisters, Jongin never had problem with how to interact with women. In time, it became his greatest trademark. He was not a womanizer who throws girls out after an night spent. Despite his popularity, he was brought up as a gentleman who treats women with respect. 

Maybe that's why it was so difficult for him to get the one he cared about by his side. 

He wanted to smile, but his shorter friend's eyes only made him more uncomfortable. 

"You know what? I don't even want to know. Get back to work. Mr. Kim and Mrs. Bae are not back from the meeting yet so you might get lucky."

Jongin just nodded like a scolded child. "Okay. Care to at least tell me who won the race against time today? I placed my money on President Kim last week.”

"Don't change the subject." Minseok whined irritated. "Mrs Bae won." 

"Damn it!" 

They both turned to their own desks just to almost collide with Seulgi behind them. Her hands were loaded with documents. Minseok watched with curiosity as these two could not now establish which one of them would go left and which one would go right. He also caught Seungwan looking at Jongin as if he was the biggest douchebag. He gave her a subtle signal that she save the lecture for later. 

Seulgi looked at the man in front of her, eyeing him from head to toe. "This is the 3rd time you're late this week."

His usually arranged hair were sticking out on one side, it was visible that he hadn't shaved in the morning, and his tie was curved. She battled with the need to fix it, but for two reasons she was unable to. First, her hands were fully loaded; second, she just couldn't brig herself to do it. Not anymore at least.

"Do you need help with that?" Asked Jongin gently, pointing at the papers in her hands. His gaze was fixed on her, in dark eyes one could see the concern. Seulgi almost smiled. Almost.

"I thought I made it clear that I wanted nothing from you anymore." Her voice was harsh and bitter.

Minseok decided to ease the atmosphere before everyone here dies of embarrassment and awkwardness. "Seulgi, any news of when the presidents will be back? 

"Prepare for the meeting in 15 minutes in Room 120. We have a lot of work to do so don't plan anything for the Friday night.” 

»»————-　　————-««

All the newest features were built into the house with no sentimentality for the old ways. The windows were large to let in maximum light, but fashioned so well that the home stayed warm in the winter time. Every line was clean and straight, the color scheme brown and silver. The roof line didn't peak in the centre as was the fashion in the previous decade, but instead sloped to the left. peaking a couple of meters from the edge. Inside was largely open plan, a floating stairway leading to the upper floor, and every floor was smooth polished concrete.

The moment Junmyeon’s parents called him over for dinner, his stomach filled itself on thought how much food is gonna be on the table.  And he wasn’t mistaken. Being used to the personal diet, the sight of all his favorite dishes from childhood in one place made him nauseous.  

"Junmyeon sweetheart, I wish you would visit us more often. Soon I won’t be able to remember my own son.” Ji Soo expressed affecionately, hearts appearing in her eyes as her son send her a loving smile.

"Don’t worry mum. Having you I wouldn’t be concerned about my health too much. I have a good immune system after you.” He winked at her.

His father, Dong Gun just rolled his eyes humorously seeing his wife in good mood. But he wouldn't let it stay for long since there was some things to be dicussed. And knowing Junmyeon, it had to be done now or he would leave under some poor excuse. "Junmyeon. I’ve heard Min Soo payed you a visit today.”

The atmosphere changed immediately. Ji Soo stopped drinking her wine and put it down angrily. "You always know how to spoil the mood.”

Dong Gun ignored her and again shifted his attention to his son, who sat straight and reassured him with a small smile.

"Don’t worry, dad. He wanted to get under our skin, but nothing we can’t deal with. We aren’t gonna be put down that easily.” He tried his best to stay cool, despite bitter feeling of not being enough rising somewhere underneath.

"I believe you do have a plan how to solve this. You know me and your mom can help you if there’s a need.”

"There is no need. You entrusted us with the company. I will treat this as an valuable experience.” Junmyeon announced fully straightened in a chair.

"Good.” Short answer. Typical for him.

All three sit in silence until Ji Soo dropped her spoon in a bowl.

"Junmyeon?” She asked disturbed. Her son looked her in the eye, confused at sudden change in mood.

"What is it mom?”

"Is Joohyun okay?”

Junmyeon recalled today’s morning. The tears in her eyes, crack in her voice and anger when he tried to talk some sense into her. It was almost funny. She could be chatterbox if she wanted, usually when he didn’t want to listen to her voice. But after today’s encounter, he actually felt sorry for her.

The room was filled with so many funeral wreaths. On top of the coffin, picture of deceased Bae Baek Ho, with his granddad like smile, was the only one whose face wasn’t red and swollen from tears.

"Mr. Bae. I’m gonna miss you. But I’ll do what I can...to not let you down.” Junmyeon tried to be tough, trying his best not let the water leave his eyes. "I'm gonna try my best to do what you've asked me for."

He saw Joohyun at the corner of his eye, standing few meters beside him, without makeup, dressed in black coat. Sunken cheeks and pale. Eyes without life. That was the image he never wished to see again.

"She’s fine. ”

»»————-　　————-««

For Joohyun, meetings with her mother got more more complicated in a span of three years. Usually there's no brawls. There's no overkill. Just two women sit in one room and confine themselves to a few sentences in a conversation, if that's what you might call it at all. 

Joohyun entered her office, carrying a tray with tea cups. Her steps and gaze focused on Jin Kyung's silhouette by the wall shelf. The woman watched various statues and framed diplomas her daughter was gifted with over the years. 

Bae Jin Kyung was a phenomenal woman. If Junmyeon's mother, Jisoo, symbolized delicacy, Jin Kyung was power. Her step was always determined, her words sharp as a razor, and her eyes could scare many people away.

One of the award caught her attention. Made of glass, round with ornaments. In the middle there was an inscription For having an angel's heart, bringing happiness and joy. Kudos to Joohyun Bae. UNICEF.

"I heard about today's incident at the company."

Joohyun's felt slightly anxious. She knew there was only one way this conversation go. "From who?" 

"Kyungsoo was kind enough. Diligent guy. I've always liked him. Though I won't hide, he could have done better, taking today's events into consideration." Jin Kyung commented without any emotions in her tone. She sat in one of the armchairs and took the teacup from the tray.

"Please don't blame him. I probably should have done something more." Joohyun sounded almost apologetic.

Jin Hyun swirled her cup of tea staring at its contents. "Well obviously you should have. But I don't believe you would say anything useful, judging by your outburst. Behaving more like a teenager than respected CEO."

Joohyun's head fell down. "It's Choi Min Soo we talk about." As the name left her lips, Jin Kyung stopped the cup from touching hers. "Too bad I just have to say what I think most of the time."

"And why? Nobody wants that."

Joohyun's face was filled with sadness. She should have expected such words from her mother. But it came as a new surprise every time, no matter how often such things happened to her. "What do you want, Mom? These days you don't visit me just for friendly chit chat."

Jin Kyung looked at her daughter and lifted her eyebrow - in fact, it was the first change in her facial expressions that night. Could seriousness get any more serious?

"You want my honest opinion? As you wish." She sipped her tea and put in back on a tray. Then he eyes bore hard intoner daughter's. "Your behavior is pathetic. You act as a tiger all the time, but when it really matters you turn into a mouse you always have been. You forget everything we taught you. You want me to think that your hatred towards Min Soo is what drives you? When you know that he is far more experienced than you and doesn't even see you as a competition?”

Joohyun shrunk in her seat. "That’s not it-” 

"I’ve never understood why Baek Ho wanted you to take over the firm."

Me neither. I've never wanted that in a first place. 

"He would roll in his grave hearing that his only daughter wants to use his company for her own selfish reasons.”

"Selfish?! He was dad’s rival for years-"

Before answering, Jin Kyung stood up and made her way to the front door. Joohyun quickly ran after her.

What upset her the most was fact that her mother didn’t even raise her voice. Her face was frozen. Like talking to a robot.

Taking her coat, Jin Kyung looked at her daughter. "Look at yourself Joohyun. I won’t be always beside you. If you don’t learn how to be a rock that can’t be moved, then your life will be nothing but a struggle. And you will end up just like your father.”

When she left, Joohyun slid down the nearest wall, pulling her legs close to her chest, closing herself in a bubble of self doubt and regrets.