Shim Changmin is not stupid.

To others, he might look innocent and naive and clueless. But he was far from that. He knew that ever since his boss Kwon Ni Nah got married, she was completely and totally different. Aside from what the public said about them going out for years and finally getting married, he knew that it was arranged, and that the whole public scheme was just to improve Jung Holding's Corp declining stock prices. He knew damn well that Ni Nah wasn't going out with this Jung Yunho because he would have met the guy before the wedding. And he knew damn well that JHC wasn't doing well because of all the scandals and whatnot that oh-so-responsible Jung Yunho has been getting into.

When Ni Nah got married, she changed. She used to have a smile on her face 24/7, always laughing or making someone else laugh, and she had even quit smoking for the third year before she got married. After the day she told him, she became a different person. She began smoking again, her aura began to become darker little by little, and every day her smile began to look more and more strained.

Changmin was sure that her husband, Jung Yunho had something to do with is, but whenever he asked her about him, she would say that they were madly in love with a simply stoic smile. He's known her ever since they attened Seoul Insitute of the Arts. She was two years his senior, but that didn't stop them from becoming close friends. When she established her popular clothing brand Cassiopeia about four years ago, he was the first ever person she hired in her little hole-in-the-wall shop before she got famous. He was with her for the ups and downs and the celebrations and the defeats of her and this company. 

So when his boss came in with a limp for the third time in a matter of weeks, he knew something was up. He eyed her from behind the register as she pushed through the large glass doors of the boutique and cringed slightly and tenderly touched her stomach. She had sunglasses over her eyes so he couldn't see what her facial expression looked like, but he had a clue.

"Please tell me you got my cigarettes," was the first thing she said to him.

Changmin rolled his eyes and fished the pack out of his pocket. "Your painkillers are upstairs," he said.

She smiled thankfully and ruffled his hair lightly (even though she had to reach up because he was so damn tall). "What would I do without you?"

The younger one shrugged. "Crash and burn and kiss your entire company goodbye."

Ni Nah let out a hearty laugh. "You're probably right." She looked around the boutique*. "Yoona's not coming?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I thought you told me to call her and tell her not to come."

"Yeah, I did, don't worry," she sent him a fake smile. "I just had second thoughts on the way." He noted the hand that was still clutching her stomach, but said nothing regarding it.

"I can stay here instead of going back to the secondary branch if you want," he offered.

"No, it's fine," she smiled again, "Hyeri will come in later so I'll handle it until then. What time did you say the delivery is coming?"

Changmin looked at his watch. "Twenty minutes."

She sighed, taking out a cigarette and putting it between her lips. Changmin furrowed his brow. There was no way that she could handle these deliveries on her own in this state. He knew there was something up. "I'll stay here and help you with the delivery," he stated.

"Yah," she looked him up and down, "Whose the boss here, you or me?"

"Noona, you're clearly not feeling well," he gestured to her hand on her stomach, "the delivery is coming in from TWO countires so it's going to be more than you can handle, and Hyeri doesn't come in until 2, which is seven hours from now, so I'll stay here with you and the second branch can hold up until then." He said all this without expecting any exceptions.

Ni Nah knew he was right, though. She sighed again and took out her lighter. "Fine, do as you please." She turned and started walking out again, "I'm going to the office to pick up those papers. Be back in 10."

Changmin looked at her retreating back and sighed. He'll confront her about whatever is happening when the time is right. 

* - Actual pictures of Bergdorf Goodman, a store located on 5th Ave in NYC.