"This lift seems to be taking so long to arrive, isn't it?" Sooyoung uttered to break the icy atmosphere at that moment with Jessica and Taeyeon. Sooyoung didn't receive a response in return from the two, though. It was for the reason that the situation caught Taeyeon and Jessica off guard. It slipped off Taeyeon's mind that her friend had been trying to snoop around her since yesterday.

And with that, Taeyeon had just realized, 'Is this some kind of a scheme from Sooyoung? Is she trying to catch me in the act again?' She had always been aware of such a habit of her friend. For over the years, Sooyoung had always been intrigued by her dating life. Taeyeon couldn't understand why the fascination.

The lift had arrived, and the three went in. Taeyeon briefly looked at Jessica and signaled her to wait for Sooyoung to tap her room card for floor access. Then, she asked her friend, "Which floor are you heading, Sooyoung?" Sooyoung darted her a quizzical look. She ignored Taeyeon's question and asked Jessica instead, "Which floor are you heading, Miss Jung?"

"Uhmm--" Confused, Jessica briefly looked at Taeyeon then just surrendered on answering the question, "Nineteenth."

Sooyoung's eyes widened and she applauded, "Wow. What a coincidence? I am on the nineteenth too." She then looked at Taeyeon, "How about you, King? Floor?"

"Nineteenth."

Sooyoung applauded again as if this time, mockingly, "This is really such an incredible coincidence, isn't it? Three of us are on the nineteenth floor."

Taeyeon mocked back with a smile and asked, "Great. Would you do the honor of tapping your keycard for us, then?" Sooyoung was a bit taken back, and Taeyeon noticed it. It seemed Sooyoung was lying about being on the same floor as them too. It took a few seconds before Sooyoung finally found a good rebuttal, "My keycard is actually at the very bottom of my bag. Would you mind doing it instead?"

"So is mine," Taeyeon rebutted. The two friends started to battle out challenging stares. Jessica felt the weird tension that she decided to offer instead, "It's fine. I'll just do it." She pulled out her keycard to tap on the access to their floor. Sooyoung wore a triumphant smile. Taeyeon briefly glared at Jessica for doing such a thing.

The elevator ride seemed to be much longer than usual for Taeyeon and Jessica. Sooyoung continuously exchanged her glance between the two of them. And given that the lift was designed with opaque reflections around, the two couldn't even look at each other or even communicate through their phones. Else, Sooyoung would have noticed them.

Soon, it was the nineteenth. The three of them went out of the lift and happened to just awkwardly stopped at the hall. Jessica initiated, "I am on this side," she said while pointing at the left hall. "I guess I'll see you both around?"

"Sure thing," Sooyoung said as she smiled back. As Jessica headed for her room, Sooyoung gazed at her friend. "And you, King?"

"The opposite side," Taeyeon responded. She turned away and headed to her own. "Great. I am on the same side as you," Sooyoung said and caught up to her pace of walking. Taeyeon finally reached her door and then looked at Sooyoung. The latter stopped on the door right next to hers and was smiling back.

Taeyeon smirked back, "After you."

"No. You go ahead," Sooyoung pretended to reach for her keycard in her bag. "I still need to dig in my bag. You don't have to wait for me."

"Alright. See you around, 'friend.'"

"See you."

Taeyeon went inside her room. Quickly, she sent a message to Jessica, asking her to give a couple of minutes. She had to wait for Sooyoung to be out from the halls before she could head to Jessica's room. She then figured fifteen minutes is enough to bore Sooyoung out. So then, Taeyeon firstly ducked out of her door, looked left and right to check if the coast is clear. And yes. It was. 'Mission accomplished,' she thought. She happily headed towards Jessica's room.

"I didn't know you are occupying two rooms, King," Sooyoung said from behind her as she was about a couple of steps away from Jessica's door. Busted. Taeyeon sighed loudly and turned around to face her friend, "Alright. You got me. What do you want?"

"Nothing much," Sooyoung responded casually as she drew closer to Taeyeon. "I just have a couple of things boggling me, most especially on the reason why you changed your mind in attending this business conference. I remember it vividly, King. I asked you a few weeks ago if you'd attend this conference, and you said no. That's why I didn't really expect to see you here."

"What are you trying to say then? That's it's because of Jessica as to why I changed my mind? Sorry to burst your bubble but, you're wrong. I didn't even know she'll be here in the first place. I was not even aware of her at all before this."

"Then, what is this now? You saw her, star-struck, and now pursuing your way to romance her or some sort?"

"Romance?" Taeyeon repeated as if ridiculed about her friend's choice of word. "This isn't anywhere near that," she said but knew she was lying to herself.

"So, it's just a fling?"

"What?" she asked back in disbelief. She then redirected, "You know what, Sooyoung? Whatever is this is none of your business."

"Whatever is this, is my business. Don't you remember your father, on his deathbed, told me to keep tabs on you? Especially about your actions in front of the press and public? King Taeyeon, frankly speaking, you at managing your public reputation. You generally don't care about what people think about you. And worse, we both know you are placed in a microscope in our world. The prettiest, most talented, and successful young bachelorette of the business world. Yet, here you are, digging your own grave."

"How could my reputation has something to do with Jessica?"

"Let me knock on your head then," Sooyoung went closer to her. "She is your rival, Kim Taeyeon. Your direct rival in business."

"So? Can't I socialize with my 'rival'?"

"We both know it's more complicated than that. The media have always feasted your history with her father. The public knows your company and Jessica's are not exactly on good terms and never will, even if you say this could be a good restart to rebuild the relationship," Sooyoung sighed then gave Taeyeon a concerned look. "Taeyeon... Since Jessica was appointed last month, everyone talked about a more heated rivalry between your companies. She's a bachelorette too, successful and has been making names of herself, just like how you did over the years. So, people have already started to pit you against each other. And with this act of yours? Deliberately trying to get close to your rival? People see it differently."

Taeyeon couldn't think of any word to respond. She knew Sooyoung was right. Having a close relationship with a rival will definitely stir rumors around. She had always been aware of her reputation in the industry. People may talk highly of her, but many negative comments about her have been circulating underneath. She knew herself people would misunderstand her acti