Serin spaced out as the cab wove through the busy streets. It’s past 10pm but it’s a weekend and lots of people, from families to young couples, littered the streets. She didn’t want to take a cab, but Meg was insistent. They were having a sleepover because her friend needs to process the entire evening. 

Serin does too. But preferably alone…because she has to think of ways to make her next class with Taemin as minimally awkward as possible. 

“...like the way he knows how to position even his fingertips when he dances, and how he conveys emotions with his eyes. Selene, those eyes! And his voice..” Meg turned towards her,”Hey! Earth to Selene!”

So Meg has been yapping nonstop about Taemin and she wasn’t even aware. 

“Uh…huh?”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah…just…tired, hehe.”

Meg gave her a weird look then continued to sing Taemin’s praises. She didn’t even care that Taemin didn’t remember meeting her during the Etude event. 

“You’re not disappointed? Are you sure?” 

Meg rarely fails at clinching her targets. It’s so easy for her, even back when they were in Uni. So much so that she thought Bo Hyun would completely forget about his plain old friend from Manila and date Meg instead. But her brain is digressing.

Back to:

Making sure she doesn’t spill that she works for Taemin…for the entire evening, even when her friend makes sure the topic is completely about Taemin.  Thinking of ways to act normal around Taemin after that embarrassing meeting earlier. 

What if Taemin thinks she’s a fan? Or what if Taemin thinks she has a big fat secret crush on him? 

A part of her knows she’s overthinking but still. It’s better to cover all bases.

And then Meg continues talking and Serin is brought back to earth. 

“Nah. There were too many people that day and he didn’t really stay long. Just shook a few hands, which included mine, fortunately, then left.”

She nodded, adding, “That makes sense and he seems to be such a big deal here in Korea.”

“I know! And that was just day 1 of this concert. Amazing, right?”

Serin smiled at Meg, nodding in agreement, but deep inside she felt her insides singing in joy. Taemin will probably be too busy to schedule any classes within the next two weeks. And that’s good!

The cab soon stopped in front of her apartment building. 

As soon as she opened the door, they collapsed on the couch, tired. Meg started browsing for food through the delivery app - she intends to do a Taemin deep dive with her BFF (she didn’t have to say it, Serin just knew). And so they got Bossam, fried chicken, and beer. 

“Okay, where do we start?” Meg was navigating through the youtube videos. They were watching through Serin’s desktop. 

“Ohhh…what is this?” 

Fudge.

Unfortunately, Meg has scrolled through a series of live SHINee videos. Just her luck.

“So he’s also part of a group? I hear Kpop is big into groups and stuff. Let’s see what this is, ha!”

Meg clicked on a clip taken from SWC IV. The song is called Excuse Me Miss, which Serin has never heard before. 

They were just sitting there, wide eyed. Meg suddenly slapped her thigh out of nowhere, screaming, “That’s the guy you were with!!!!”

The screen was showing Minho in all his tall and handsome glory. He was also shaking his , which Serin found quite hilarious. 

“Uh….yeah Minho.”

“You didn’t tell me he was a singer.”

“You didn’t ask! Besides I didn’t know he was in a group.” 

Her face felt hot from all the lies. My God. How is she going to survive this night?

Luckily, the performance was way too good and Meg just sat there, occasionally exclaiming, “wow” and then staring wide eyed at the screen.

This was followed by a few more SHINee videos until Meg shrieked, seeing the thumbnail that shows Taemin in a striped suit, but the title is in Japanese so they didn’t know what they were gonna see. 

When Meg clicked play, Serin immediately recognized one of the songs from tonight.

uality. 

Damn. 

Her friend was practically frozen on her seat, drooling the entire time. One video followed another. And another. And another.

They’ve finished the Bossam and the chicken and Serin felt a headache forming. A quick glance on her phone screen told her it’s almost 4 AM, but her friend doesn’t look the least bit sleepy.

When she yawned, Meg asked her if she’s okay or if she needed to lie down.

Honestly, she’s not sure. 

Why does she have a nagging feeling that she’ll be dreaming about her boss if she keeps participating in going down the Taemin rabbithole with her best friend?

The next day, Serin woke up with a start when her phone started ringing. She instantly knew it was Taemin because she assigned a special ringtone for him: Vivaldi’s Summer. Somehow that part of the Four Seasons makes her feel jumpy and that’s exactly how Taemin makes her feel. 

“Eodiya?”

She wanted to say “at home, , it’s 8 AM on a Sunday” but she held back. 

“Home. I was sleeping.” She emphasized the word sleeping and Taemin seemed to have taken the hint. 

“Oh, sorry. I know it’s short notice but I really need your help with something.”

She knows in her heart of hearts it’s the same essay she’s been reviewing for him. And he’s so stubborn about it. He won’t let her help him with the flow of the idea in the piece; he just asks for help in grammar and stuff like that. 

“Serin? I know it’s early but I need to atleast have a draft by Tuesday and I have appointments in the next few days.”

She sighed. “It’s alright. You’re my boss, I have to obey you.”

Taemin chuckled on the other line.

“Sounds good…let’s meet at my apartment.”

He hung up and Serin dragged herself out of bed and got ready. When she was done taking a shower, Meg was already up staring at her as if she had grown a second head. 

“It’s sunday, you don’t work on sundays.” Meg said lazily.

“Well, his royal highness needs help with something.”

Meg’s eyes sparkled with intrigue. She’d been quiet about the probing questions regarding her boss, especially with her new fixation (who is, funnily, the same person). 

“What kind of help? Is he having an on a Sunday???”

“Meg, what would I be contributing to an ? I’m the last person he’d need for that.”

“Serin, guys find quiet, uptight girls interesting, too. You know, the “thrill of the chase” and all that crap.” Meg’s eyes no longer looked foggy with sleep at this point.”And stop it with the self-deprecating jokes..you’re gorgeous. I wish I had all your curves..you’d look smashing in the right dress.”

“Well I don’t need to look “smashing” because I’m reviewing an essay.”

Meg laughed. “Damn, this boss of yours is weird. Is he planning to write a collection or something?”

“I don’t even have a clue. He doesn’t tell me.”

“Is it a… book?” Meg was laughing, thinking of a funny korean title that would rival the kama sutra.

“Ugh. I dunno. What I know is that I need to leave soon or else I’ll be late.”

Meg frowned but she hauled herself out of bed and started picking up her stuff. 

In a few minutes they were outside waiting for the cab. Meg was insistent that they share. Just to be safe, she asked the driver to let her off at the cafe a block away from Taemin’s building. 

“Are you sure it’s here?” 

Meg looked suspicious that she’s meeting her “top secret boss” in a cafe, but she just smiled and shrugged.

“Fine, take care, okay?”

“I will. Text me when you get home.”

Meg nodded and closed the window after waving goodbye.

Since she was already in the cafe, she bought two iced Americanos to go (she noticed Taemin loves his Americano).

She arrived at Taemin’s building just in time. It was  Sunday morning so the surroundings were very quiet. 

She rang the doorbell and there was a familiar electronic sound, signaling that the door has been opened. 

She let herself in. 

Taemin was seated in one of the kitchen’s island’s stools. The bowl of half eaten cereal told her that he was having his breakfast.

“Do you want some?’

“Uh..no thanks. I’m trying to cut sugar from my breakfast. I brought coffee.” 

“It’s from that cafe…did you take the bus?”

Serin caught Taemin’s curious look. The bus stop was on the opposite side, and it would be much farther for her to walk to the cafe and then walk to his building.

“No, actually, I shared a cab with a friend.”

Taemin kept on staring. 

“I asked to stop at the cafe on purpose, just in case. I remember my contract. It says I can’t tell anyone that I work for you.”

Taemin ate a spoonful of what looked like chocolate cereal and chuckled. 

“Good girl.” 

“I’m smart most of the time, you know.”

“Except when you’re drunk.”

Her cheeks felt instantly warm. Taemin was teasing her. 

“I know. Now, are we going to keep chatting, or are we going to talk about that essay?”

“Let me just finish eating, then we can start.”

She was just about to set up her bag and laptop in the living room when Taemin spoke.

“By the way, thank you for attending my concert last night.”

Her back froze. She’s been too busy trying to keep her eyes open and fight off sleep (and Meg!) that this was completely forgotten.

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter