“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to SM Entertainment’s SMTown Acquaintance Ball. We are gathered today as the company celebrates the success of the talents of our trainees and artists! In line with this, help me welcome the Founder and Chairman of SM Entertainment, Mr. Lee Soo Man”, the MC started the program.

A thunderous loud applause was heard as everyone in the hall welcomed their most beloved Chairman.

In contrary with the rumours circulating, every single person who knows Mr. Lee loves him, he’s a great father-figure, although most of the time he is strict, especially when it comes to business, he never fails to let everyone in the company to feel his appreciation for them.

Mr. Lee smiled as he looked around the people who helped him keep SM Entertainment strong despite issues and problems. Although he is often away for lectures and meetings for the different endeavours the company has expanded, a lot are still standing there, supporting him.

He smiled before taking the microphone that was handed to him by the MC.

“Thank you for the warm welcome. It has been years since I’ve started this company from zero, and looking at everyone in the room, I am proud to say that I, together with everyone here had already helped a lot of young dreamers to make their dreams come true”

“I know that sometimes, this industry comes in a lot of different forms of frustration, hurt, loneliness and a lot of other negative things, I would like to say, especially to those who are just starting, to always remember why, why were you here in the first place?”

“Why did you spend years of hardships, why do you want to be here? In the industry, most of the time, people who barely knows you were the ones who will judge you the most. You will be hurt, you might change your mind and quit even before reaching your goal. You might find it too hard to continue, and you would just want to go home to your bed, eating your mother’s delicious food instead of being tired and not be appreciated”

“But always remember that you’ll never know that you were happy when you don’t get sad. Success will be sweeter after enduring a lot of obstacles. Some of you here are artists who are still starting, I would like to ask you to promise yourselves to look on the bigger picture, when you had hard times now, does not mean it will be hard until the end. Be patient, be thankful, and always consider those who works on the backstage, those who, like you, would like to go home, but chose not to, so that you will have a successful performance to show.”

“Others might not agree, and even say what I’m saying are just sweet empty words. But I really do, love you all, every single of you, I may be the chairman, but you should not be afraid of me, I heard from the seniors that most of the trainees and new artists are now afraid of me. Don’t be. I know that unlike before, I can’t take care of you directly, and the CEO, Mr. Kim, is there to do the job. I would be glad if sometimes you come to me when you have problems, I am your father, you are my children and I am here for you”

Senior artists of the company are already crying, seeing their father standing in front of them, pouring his feelings.

Although they tried to defend him in every possible way to those critics who judges him readily because of the issues the company faced, they knew that they can’t please everyone. What is important to them is to make him feel that the love he gave for them will be reciprocated with love as equally as strong as he gave them.

“But today is not about me, it is about you; let’s celebrate the talent God has given you. I would like to thank you too, for being with us as we show the world, the gift you have”, Mr. Lee raised his champagne.

“Cheers for the fruitful years to come!”

“Cheers!”

“He’s a softy”, a tall beautiful girl said.

She and her family are invited in the party as the Chairman and her father has been partners in business, their family’s company is the main construction company to handle SM’s entire business venture.

“He is, but is a very good business man”, she heard her father said.

“Excuse me, I will get more food”, she sheepishly smiled at her parents who had can’t do anything but watch their daughter happily skipped towards the buffet table.

“Foods~ Delicious foods~”, the girl sang her towards the table, smiling widely. But she stopped in her tracks when she saw someone who she thinks is younger than her had a plate full of foods.

*looks like my future best friend* she chuckled and went towards the girl.

“Yummy~”

The girl, so slim, with a beautiful pair of doe eyes stopped picking up food and looked at the intruder.

“These place is heaven”, the intruder smiled at her.

The doe eyed girls can’t help but smile too, *looks like my future best friend* “Of course, with all these food there, I want to spend the rest of the night here”

They both laughed and proceeded to get as much food as their plate can hold.

“By the way, I’m Yoona, Im Yoona.” The doe eyed girl said.

“I’m Sooyoung, Choi Sooyoung”

“Would you like to go to our table? It’s only me, my manager and a friend”, Yoona invited.

Sooyoung was caught off-guard and Yoona misunderstood it.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to”, she clarified.

“No, I mean, I would want to. I’ll just go and tell my family that I’ll be sitting with you”, she cheekily smiled and went ahead to her family’s table.

“Oh. Then how is she going to know where our table is?”, Yoona shook her head left the buffet table.

“Sunny-ah”, Taeyeon called for Sunny who is seated next to her.

Her voice is obviously shaky, she been fidgeting in her seat as she can feel a lot of angry stares from all the corners of the room. She wanted to back out when she learned that she will be sitting in the inner circle, which means, that she’l