“It’s been a week! Let’s see what you got for me superstar.” Teddy swiveled his chair towards Zoey.

“You said take as much time as I wanted, not a week.” She said to him in a flat tone. 

Teddy raised his eyebrow and smiled “And I mean it, take your time but in a week I know you have something for me. You have to, you’re the quickest song writer I know.”

"Yeah, yeah." grumbled Zoey, she opened the golden polka dot spiral notebook flipped to the page that she had made a dog-ear on.

He motioned his hand over his mouth mimicking as though as he were closing it with a zipper and nodded his head.

“I’ve been coming home late at night, I’ve been sleeping past daylight, I’m waking up you’re not by my side baby that isn’t right. I want to be there with you, I really do be missing you, everything I do is for you and I really do adore you. You’re getting so big now and you’re making me so proud. Cause you are such a star and you know that you are. Swear that I could still feel you here; I just can’t believe you’re not here. I’ve needed you. All I dream is you. I don’t think I can make it, I don’t think I can make it, but then I hear you say that I’d better not do nothing crazy. I’ll promise I’ll be all right. Know that I’ll be all right.”

Teddy leaned his face to hers. “And that’s why I don’t think you need a month to write. For that exact reason.”  

She looked into his eyes and broke down she turned the chair to face the wall. The tears she had pent up for a year, the words she wanted to say out loud, the words she had wanted to tell him several of times but never dared to vocalize them. She cried and cried until there were no more tears to let out.

“I’m sorry, I know I look like a silly girl crying. I never do that, sorry.” She grabbed the sleeves of her cardigan and wiped her eyes.

Teddy got up from his chair and patted her on the back.

“How many times do I need to tell you, you aren’t made from stone. In the studio you don’t need to act tough never ever. Got it?” She nodded.

"Was it good?" she said in a quiet voice. 

He gave her a deadpan look. "It was horrible." Her eyes got big which caused him to break the seriousness in his face, he began to laugh. 

" It was good you silly girl. It was great. Keep it up, you have the feeling there. I like the way you pair up your words it flows." She felt herself blushing and smiled. Breaking the moment there was a knock on the door, making them turn their attention towards the noise. 

"Come in." stated Zoey. Then walked in a petite young girl in her early 20's with a mousey face, small features and straight black hair with bangs.

“There’s a faculty meeting in fifteen minutes at the CEOs’ office. He just wanted me to let you know that you have to be there.” Zoeys' assistant Joyce stated in a weak voice her head down not making any eye contact with anyone in the room.

“Joyce, what’s wrong with you? Why aren’t you looking at me?” Zoey cocked her head to the side and made her way to the girl standing at the doorway.

Her assistant bowed her head and responded “Mianhe, It’s just that the CEO yelled at me said you needed to be there no matter what, but I know that it will be awkward because of- well just it will be awkward and-. So he said if you weren't there he would fire me and you.”

Zoey put her hand on Joyces shoulder. “Look at me.” she said in a soft voice. Her fragile looking assistant looked up at Zoey.

“I’m going to go to the meeting, I’ll be there smiling. You don’t need to worry about me and if I feel awkward or mad. You did your part in getting me there. Thank you though for caring. And I’ll talk to him about yelling at you, no one should yell at you. If anything that yelling should be to me.”

She looked up and there was a noticeable change in her face.

“Thank you, see you in fifteen?” Zoey smiled.

“Fifteen.” Just before Joyce could leave the studio Zoey called out. "One more thing Joyce. No one will fire you, ever." The girl smiled at Zoey and made her way out the room.

          Teddy got up heading towards the door and Zoey. “Good luck.” he patted her on the shoulder.

Zoey grumbled. "Thanks, I'm gonna need it." She closed the door to the studio and began walking down the hallway towards the elevator.

Teddy looked back at Zoey who was walking slower than usual. “No running.”

She turned her gaze from the floor to him, shooting him a glare which made him laugh.

Zoey entered the elevator pressing for the button to the CEOs’ floor.

 

Zoey entered the spacious room, everything felt like déjà vu. A year ago she was in this same room telling her manager and boss that she was leaving Korea for a world tour. She remembered the look on their faces when they heard that she was leaving that day, not giving them months, or days warning just spontaneously leaving.

*Flashback*

            “Who do you think you are? You can’t make decisions like that! You can’t just do whatever you want to do. Even though you come from another country and have debuted over there doesn’t mean you call the shots here. You have to let us know, you, what do you think this is? And you don’t even want to take your manager?”he was furious, his face resembling a tomato, his leg jittering as he placed his fingers on his temples in order to calm himself down.

            “I know it’s last minute but I think this will be beneficial for the company and for me. It's just a tour. I don’t think I’m some hot shot, but I know that you can’t keep me imprisoned in Korea. I promise you that everything will be all right.” Zoey turned to look at her manager whose face was filled with disappointment and confusion. He knew exactly the reason as to why she was leaving. He knew he couldn’t have said anything to change her mind, or tell the company what was really going on.

*End of Flashback*

            She felt the stares that everyone was giving her. Of course in the past week she had begun to slowly speak to some of the staff and some of the artist but that was only about 40% of the staff not everyone that was in the room today. Zoey felt awkward and hurriedly made her way to the end of the couch, sitting the closest to the door just in case if she had to run. No sign of him yet, but she knew he was going to be there. The reaffirming faces were there Himchan, Zelo, Daehyun and Jonggup.

            “Noona!” Zelo was the first one who broke the awkward silence in the room. He got up from his seat and sat right next to her. From the very beginning she had gotten along famously with the boys of BAP, but when it came to Zelo she formed a bond with him that was unbreakable. She watched him grow into a timid boy and now a confident young man.

He pulled her into him.“You made it. I didn’t think you would’ve made it, did you make it safe to your house yesterday?” He let her go but kept her in arms distance.

“What!” Zelo practically shouted.

She shook her head and messed with his hair. “Aish, you still are gullible. I made it home fine yesterday, thank you for worrying. I had fun by the way I don’t think I told you that.”

He nudged at her sides. “Eh, noona don’t play like that I’m too young to have a heart-attack. I’m happy you had a good time, since when did you get so good at bowling?”

“I’ve always been good I just acted like I wasn’t so you could win.” Zoey stuck out tongue some of the members laughed. She then noticed Daehyuns’ stare on her not an inviting one but she ignored it.

            Just then a swarm of people entered the room, making everyone adjust in their seats. She saw Ji-eun, Sunhwa, some assistants, the managers, Youngjae and the person she had feared to see the most Yongguk. The members of Secret all moved to Zoeys side, pushing poor Zelo off to the end of the couch. They gave her hugs, asking her were had she been. Sunhwa the angriest of all members gave her a light slap on her thigh causing all of the girls to stop what they were doing and look at her.

“Yah, what’s wrong?” Hana asked in a worried tone.

Ignoring Hanas' question Sunhwa shifted her body towards Zoey. “Why did you leave? And then why do you come back and not tell me that you’ve been here? How long have you’ve been here? You know how worried I was?” 

Zoey bowed her head and put her hands out as if she was expecting a slap from a teacher.

“I’m sorry Unni, I promise I will call you and text you everything that I’m doing all the time, any time of the day. Arasso?” Zoey gave her a cheeky smile and looked up at Sunhwa whose jaw dropped she then pushed Zoey and started laughing causing all the girls tension to disappear.

“But seriously how long have you’ve been here?” Hyosung peered around Sunhwa’s body.

“I’ve been here a couple of days. You didn’t miss out on anything important.” She lied to them knowing everyone in the room was listening to what you were saying. She didn't want to them to know the truth that she had been back from almost 3 weeks and was too scared to go in to the company.

            The CEO walked in, Immediately everyone took their places and the room became quiet. Yongguk took a seat across from where Zoey was, causing her to look up in his direction. His gaze was pointed to the CEO but not directly looking at him just trying his best to avoid looking at her.

 

“OK, everyone this is a new year and you know what that means?” he left it as an open ended question. Everyone stayed quiet.

“We get a vacation?” Zoey said in a sarcastic tone, she immediately regretted saying that knowing the response that was to come after.

He shot her a glare and smiled. “You of all people don’t need a vacation, if anything I need you to start writing some songs for the girls. But that’s a different conversation for another meeting. Alone.” the smile leaving his face replacing it with a smirk.

Zoey sensed the seriousness in his voice, her manager came to stand next to her. Zoey looked down at her hands and smiled knowing that his action was his way to say "I have your back."

“But no, no it’s time to talk about comebacks and listen the songs we have for the comeback. First off we have B.A.P., who would like to introduce the plan for your comeback?” He asked the boys who looked at each other deciding who will be the speaker of the group. Himchan stood up clearing his voice.

“So, as you know we have Cheonsa as our title comeback song for the New Year and we are in the process of filming the video.”

“Good, what is it about?”

“You know what it’s about.” Everyone turned their heads to see the owner of the annoyed voice. Yongguk looked at the painting above the CEOs’ head not meeting anyone’s gaze. His face was like a rock, no expression, it was dead.

The CEO glared at Yongguk and smiled.

“Oh, I know what it’s about, but none of your coworkers know or have heard the song. Would you mine explaining the contents of the song since you’re so passionate and vocals with your opinions?” his tone was threatening and sarcastic. The room was quiet that you could hear people breathing, tension filled the room. 

Yongguk bit his lip, inhaled deeply and stood up “The song is called Cheonsa it was produced by Kang Jiwon and Kim Kibum sunbaenim. The lyrics were written by them and myself. We will start filming soon.” He sat back down.

“Ok! Perfect” His manager said breaking the awkward silence.

“Shall we listen?” the CEO pressed play on the speakers, with his eyes still on Yongguk, whose turned his gaze to the windows. The music filled the room, the sound of the guitar grabbed Zoeys attention right away realizing this song was way different from anything else they had put out.

 

The song ended with the haunting overlap of Zelo and Yongguks’ voice. Claps immediately came from the girls sitting next to Zoey and the members of the staff that hovered around the room.

“Yah! That was so good, Yongguk-ah! You wrote that by yourself?” Ji-eun clasped her hands together in excitement.

Zoey kept her gaze on the floor still in a daze from the song. The lyric that kept on repeating in your head was Yongguks’ final part;

“It’s like I’m so out of it.

 I’m so blank every day.

 After you left, I’ve become ruined.

 Come back to me, I only had you.”

He turned to face Ji-Eun and nodded his head.“I only wrote a little of it not much, the other guys actually did the rest of the work.” replying in a dry voice.

“Aniya! Yongguk-ah you’re so modest, he actually gave us the whole concept of the song. All we did was tweak a little of the lines he wrote and that’s it. This kid, Aish.” Jiwon smacked Yongguk on his back, causing Yongguk to give him a scowl.

“Well who ever wrote it you guys did a wonderful job, this song will definitely be a hit for the New Year, it gives a very lonely winter feeling. Good Job.” The CEO gave the boys an approving look, Zoey quickly noticed the tension pent up on their shoulders go away.

 “Now for the girls. Let’s start with Secret, you guys have some award shows to perform at and then in your individual activities I presume?”

“Yeh, we will carry them out and then just continue doing talk shows, slowly preparing for my solo as well.” Hyosung beamed.

“And next Miss I Call The Shots, what do you have planned after a year of hiatus.” The CEO smiled at Zoey.

Zoey felt the whole room looking at her, just then Manager Choi put his hand on her shoulder reassuring her that everything will be fine. She took a deep breath before she spoke, her gaze immediately turned to the door hoping to leave and end this whole meeting.

            She cleared and looked at the CEO “I-I’m actually in the process of writing some songs for a new album not sure when it will come out this year or next year. But I’m just writing for the heck of it, as you so lovely stated I’ve had a hiatus from the K-pop world for quite some time. I just want to make sure that what I put out is up to par with this company.” Zoey heard a scoff and looked at the owner of the scoff, Yongguk rolled his eyes and looked at the door. Ignoring his interruption she continued. “I have some appearances to make at events, some talk shows and magazine covers. That’s all I have planned for this year so far.”

“Well then missy I think you should put that brain to good use and write something, I don’t want to wait for next year for you to put a song out. That would be two years of nothing.” He gave her a stern look.

Zoey grumbled “Isn’t my mental and physical health more important than making money for you.” Everybodys jaw dropped, all eyes on her, she looked around and met Yongguks gaze he held the stare for a minute and looked at the CEO.

“Oh they are important you look very healthy. You look happy and you look in good shape. But we will discuss this more with your manager in a private meeting. For now use those words and that brain to make music and not say meanless things.” He grinned at her just to mock her; she rolled your eyes and shifted in her seat.

“Well, now that we all know what we are doing we can continue about our schedules. Good work kids! Hwaiting!”

            Zoey was the first one to get up from her seat and grabbed her things.

“I can’t stand these meetings.” She said out loud and headed towards the door, Manager Choi following behind her.