The sound of the champagne glass shattering breaks them apart.

"Unnie?"

Oh Yoon Hee's eyes widen at the sight of them kissing. She looks away immediately. Splashes of liquid are coating the edges of her dress. Stunned, she turns to leave.

"Yoon Hee, wait." Su Ryeon follows her to explain with Logan at her heels. 

"It's fine- I was leaving-"

She motions at Logan that she's going after her alone. 

"Are you sure you don't want me there?"

"Yes. I got it".

She catches up to a running Yoon Hee at the stairs, pulling her in a corner. Yoon Hee turns to her, scandalised.

"You and Logan? I can't believe it." She paces around and mumbles. "He's our artist. Rona is his biggest fan".

"Don't say anything. I'm not asking you as your boss, but as your friend. Please"

"Unnie..."

"Please. It will hurt us both. And it's what Ju Dan Tae needs to destroy me. He can't know. No one can."

"Okay. I won't. You've done a lot for me." She faces Su Ryeon. "But it's dangerous". 

"I know". 

"So, why him?" Yoon Hee throws her arms in the air. "You've dated businessmen. Serious. Age appropriate. He's an idol you manage".

She expected Yoon Hee wouldn't understand her, but it hurts nevertheless.

How is one supposed to explain attraction?

"He makes me feel free. Excited. He doesn't expect anything, just wants to be with me".

"Doesn't he? How do you know he won't take advantage of your position?"

"We can never know for sure if someone's going to betray us", she casts her friend a contemplative look. "I told him it may get ugly and he stayed".

Yoon Hee's eyes widen.

"Oh. So is it that serious between you two? That didn't look like a first kiss."

She stares at the bright sky and her friend gets her answer.

---

She leaves the texts unanswered.

---

She's coming to work early next morning, lots of things requiring her attention. She has to do a conference call, contract new publicists and schedule Silverstone's press tour. There's a fan event next week and their magazine shoot will be released this month. 

As she exits her car to enter the agency building, a car light turns on and off. She halts and looks at the side of the garage. A black car signals her again. 

She can't see the driver through the tinted windows. 

She opens the passenger door and is met with Logan's worried face. 

"Su Ryeon Ssi. Are you okay?"

"What are you doing here?"

"You didn't reply to my messages and I was worried. And I didn't want to risk anyone else seeing us". He gestures around the parking lot. "There are no cameras in this spot".

She takes in his rugged, sleep deprived appearance. 

"I'm so sorry, Su Ryeon Ssi. I should have been more careful. Yesterday I saw you upset and acted impulsively." He inches closer and squeezes her hand. "Will Ms Oh-"

"She won't say anything."

"You don't look convinced."

He's perceptive.

"She just wants me to be aware of the consequences". She takes a breath. "I am not mad about you coming to find me. Not yesterday, not all the other times. I want to be close to you. But every time gets harder to hide".

"I know. Eyes are following you, cameras are following me. But I'm happy just to close to you. Seeing you," he traces her arm with the outside of his fingers, "touching you".

The central console separates them and they lean towards the center. 

"I'm going to find a way for us to spend some time together. I promise." 

He kisses her sweetly, swallowing her worries. 

"I have to go up". She can't be late for work today.

"One more", he brings her back for another kiss. And then another. "One more". They kiss with smiling lips.

"I'm going now." She asserts, but doesn't move.

"Wait". Logan puts a gentle hand on her forearm.

"Last one", she says as she plants a sweet peck on his mouth.

"That's perfect but it's not what I meant". He retrieves something from the backseat and offers it to her. It's a cupholder with a beverage and a small pastry box. "Have a good day".

Later, while she's packed working on the budget arrangements, she takes a bite. The butter croissant melts heavenly in .

---

Yoon Hee enters her office wearing a worried expression.

"Unnie! I can't reach Ro Na. I told her to come here to talk but I don't know where she is and I'm late for a meeting-"

"Take a breath. I'll search for her. She's probably in the building. What happened?"

"We had a fight about the damned Cheon Academy. I lost it and I said she couldn't go. You know Seo Jin, she'll destroy my little girl."

"I'll explain it to her. Now go".

She ushers her friend out and takes the lift down. The upper floors hold offices and boardrooms, while the studios, music rooms and wardrobes are in the bottom. She has an inkling as to which one Ro Na would prefer.

She walks hurriedly, her white pleated skirt flowing around her. 

Ro Na is not in the studio. She's not in some idol's changing room, thankfully. When she doesn't find her in the room where the trophies are displayed either, Su Ryeon can't hide her worry.

She closes her eyes, silently praying she's inside, and she opens the door softly. 

In the modest piano room, an unexpected sight greets her. It's Ro Na sitting on the piano, being taught attentively by no other than Logan. They don't hear her come in, engrossed in their music. Logan is patiently showing her the notes, and when she completes the chords without a hitch, he gives her an enthusiastic fist bump.

Ro Na looks overjoyed, having met her idol and somehow getting him to teach her his songs. She's a pure, talented girl, and Su Ryeon believes in her.

"Hi honey." Both raise their heads.

"Hello Ms Shim".

"Come here, sweetie. I need to get you to your mother. Yoon Hee is so worried about you".

Logan's eyes widen at this new piece of information. He looks at Ro Na again.

"I don't want to go to her, Ms Shim!" She whines. "She doesn't let me go to the best school to study music, she wants to destroy my dream. I want to be the best soprano. She's mean. I want to stay here with Logan".

Su Ryeon approaches the piano and touches Ro Na's shoulder.

"She's not mean. She just looks out for you. It's difficult being a singer, believe us. We work with singers every day. It's full of difficulties. Logan knows that more than anyone."

Logan nods.

"But don't think for a second she doesn't support you. Everything she does is for you. She's your mother."

Ro Na touches her forehead to Su Ryeon's hand and she gathers her for a hug.

Logan watches the scene and smiles.

"Su Ryeon Ssi is right, kid. My parents were strict with me too, but I later understood they did it all to protect me. Your mother wants the same, talk to her."

"Honey", Su Ryeon crouches to get on eye level with her. "Your mom reacted badly and she regrets it. She only wanted to protect you. And I can see why. This world is hard, Ro Na. I wouldn't want that for my children".

"But Miss-"

"You will make your own choices, however. Just hear your mom out. She was so worried. She loves you. As do I. You are family. And I'm here for you if you need anything."

Ro Na hugs her tight and Su Ryeon whispers encouragements in her ear, her long black hair. 

She meets Logan's eyes, an unreadable expression on them. He's transfixed. 

"I'm going to mom. Thank you Su Ryeon Ssi".

Before she has a chance to say anything, Ro Na runs out of the room, banging the door in her haste. 

They're both left frozen in place.

Logan is still looking at her. The unreadable look unlocks slowly. He looks at where Ro Na was standing just now, then back at her, his eyes full of wonder.

"You're a great mother". 

It's what she wants to hear every day, when the burden of motherhood weights down her life. She craves to know she's doing a good job, but does she deserve the praise?

"Tell that to my children who hate me", she chuckles humourlessly.

"I can't picture anyone hating you".

She gives him a sweet look.

"Believe me, I'm not their favourite person."

"Why?"

She looks around if anyone can see them.

"Don't worry, I've booked the room until seven. No one will come in". She takes a seat next to him. "Tell me", he encourages.

"Dan Tae." she says his name like a curse. "He... he was abusive towards them. For many years. And they think I knew and turned a blind eye."

"That bastard! That's impossible. You're not like that."

"Aren't I? A good mother would have known what was happening to her own children. I didn't. I was blind all these years. It happened under my nose. In my own house! I knew what kind of person Dan Tae was," sad, "i should have known".

"Hey," he takes her hand 'It's not your fault. How could you know. Such people are pleasant to the outside world and monsters within".

"I lived with him for almost two decades! We were married. I should have known the father of my own children". She doesn't know if it ever stops haunting her.

"I'm sure it wasn't out of disregard. I can't picture you knowingly doing anything that hurts your children." His thumb traces circles on her wrist. "What happened? How did you find out?"

The memory barges in her consciousness and she shuts her eyes to resist it.

"I came earlier to surprise them all. I heard him shouting out of his private library. And my twins, my kids were crying."

The pain of this moment, of having her life crumble before her eyes, she wouldn't wish that on anyone.

"And you took them and left".

"You would think that. But I prepared everything, talked to a lawyer, bought another house, ousted him from the company and then I divorced him. It wasn't the next day. And the kids can't forgive me for that."

"You did what you had to do to escape him forever. It must have been so hard for you to stay knowing what he did."

"The most torturous thing I've ever done."

"You did it for your children".

"Yes. But I may have endangered them in the process".

"He was the danger, not you. You protected them".

"And they can't realise that I waited for everything to be ready. Otherwise he wouldn't let us leave. They can't forgive me for that".

"They will. I can't imagine how painful it was for you, seeing them suffer. But you got them out for good. You fought for them at your peril. You're still fighting him".

"It may never end".

"It will. And I want to be with you through that."

"I just layed my life's complications on the table. On top of those of our working relationship. Why would you want to keep going?"

He laces his fingers with hers.

"If you feel a fraction of what I feel, you would know why."

Overwhelmed by the honesty in his eyes, she kisses him sweetly. The drag of her lips against his somehow familiar and exciting, laced with meaning. 

She's never felt so at peace with someone. All the people surrounding her want a part of her. Her kids need a robot mom, her co-workers an unflinching boss, society demands perfection. But Logan doesn't even expect an answer to his confession. He lays his heart on the line, again, hoping it's enough.

They break the kiss and she rests her head on his shoulder. If he's giving his affection so freely, she'll take it. The familiar path of his hand trace her back comfortingly. She lets herself enjoy the warmth of him a little more.

"Would you play something for me?" She asks without moving. 

He puts his right hand on the keys and coaxes a soft melody. She feels his other hand trace the notes on her skin.

She closes her eyes to take the moment in. A taste of happiness.

---

She wakes up, the faint sensation of a dream warming lingering in her mind. Must have been a good one, she pushes her smile into her pillow.

There's a text on her phone. She unlocks it excitedly, the light hitting her sleepy eyes.

I told you I'd find a way for us to be alone. No cameras, no anything. This weekend, I'll take you somewhere no one can see us. Give us a chance, say yes.

Her fingers hover over the text. Does she trust him enough to take the next step?