#Chairman Spoil

[bobauthorman]

Dreams and Reality

[chaoticmoonboy]

I’m on that merch grind….loving my pretty trinkets that says I’m gay and I love ttcc…managed to get quite a bit of neat stuff for me, @dookiesnooker and Magicalghost ur tag isn’t working I’m sorry ueue

stuff by Attau and Phosphorabbit gehe

[fans4wga]

"The studios thought they could handle a strike. They might end up sparking a revolution"

by Mary McNamara

"If you want to start a revolution, tell your workers you’d rather see them lose their homes than offer them fair wages. Then lecture them about how their “unrealistic” demands are “disruptive” to the industry, not to mention disturbing your revels at Versailles, er, Sun Valley.

Honestly, watching the studios turn one strike into two makes you wonder whether any of their executives have ever seen a movie or watched a television show. Scenes of rich overlords sipping Champagne and acting irritated while the crowd howls for bread rarely end well for the Champagne sippers.

This spring, it sometimes seemed like the Hollywood studios represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers were actively itching for a writers’ strike. Speculations about why, exactly, ran the gamut: Perhaps it would save a little money in the short run and show the Writers Guild of America (perceived as cocky after its recent ability to force agents out of the packaging business) who’s boss.

More obviously, it might secure the least costly compromise on issues like residuals payments and transparency about viewership.

But the 20,000 members of the WGA are not the only people who, having had their lives and livelihoods upended by the streaming model, want fair pay and assurances about the use of artificial intelligence, among other sticking points. The 160,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists share many of the writers’ concerns. And recent unforced errors by studio executives, named and anonymous, have suddenly transformed a fight the studios were spoiling for into a public relations war they cannot win.

Even as SAG-AFTRA representatives were seeing a majority of their demands rejected despite a nearly unanimous strike vote, a Deadline story quoted unnamed executives detailing a strategy to bleed striking writers until they come crawling back.

Days later, when an actors’ strike seemed imminent, Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger took time away from the Sun Valley Conference in Idaho not to offer compromise but to lecture. He told CNBC’s David Faber that the unions’ refusal to help out the studios by taking a lesser deal is “very disturbing to me.”

“There’s a level of expectation that they have that is just not realistic,” Iger said. “And they are adding to the set of the challenges that this business is already facing that is, quite frankly, very disruptive.”

If Iger thought his attempt to exec-splain the situation would make actors think twice about walking out, he was very much mistaken. Instead, he handed SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher the perfect opportunity for the kind of speech usually shouted atop the barricades.

“We are the victims here,” she said Thursday, marking the start of the actors’ strike. “We are being victimized by a very greedy entity. I am shocked by the way the people that we have been in business with are treating us. I cannot believe it, quite frankly: How far apart we are on so many things. How they plead poverty, that they’re losing money left and right, when giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs. It is disgusting. Shame on them. They stand on the wrong side of history at this very moment.”

Cue the cascading strings of “Les Mis,” bolstered by images of the most famous people on the planet walking out in solidarity: the cast of “Oppenheimer” leaving the film’s London premiere; the writers and cast of “The X-Files” reuniting on the picket line.

A few days later, Barry Diller, chairman and senior executive of IAC and Expedia Group and a former Hollywood studio chief, suggested that studio executives and top-earning actors take a 25% pay cut to bring a quick end to the strikes and help prevent “the collapse of the entire industry.”

When Diller is telling executives to take a pay cut to avoid destroying their industry, it is no longer a strike, or even two strikes. It is a last-ditch attempt to prevent le déluge.

Yes, during the 2007-08 writers’ strike, picketers yelled noncomplimentary things at executives as they entered their respective lots. (“What you earnin’, Chernin?” was popular at Fox, where Peter Chernin was chairman and chief executive.) But that was before social media made everything more immediate, incendiary and personal. (Even if they have never seen a movie or TV show, one would think that people heading up media companies would understand how media actually work.)

Even at the most heated moments of the last writers’ strike, executives like Chernin and Iger were seen as people who could be reasoned with — in part because most of the executives were running studios, not conglomerations, but mostly because the pay gap between executives and workers, in Hollywood and across the country, had not yet widened to the reprehensible chasm it has since.

Now, the massive eight- and nine-figure salaries of studio heads alongside photos of pitiably small residual checks are paraded across legacy and social media like historical illustrations of monarchs growing fat as their people starve. Proof that, no matter how loudly the studios claim otherwise, there is plenty of money to go around.

Topping that list is Warner Bros. Discovery Chief Executive Davd Zaslav. Having re-named HBO Max just Max and made cuts to the beloved Turner Classic Movies, among other unpopular moves, Zaslav has become a symbol of the cold-hearted, highly compensated executive that the writers and actors are railing against.

The ferocious criticism of individual executives’ salaries has placed Hollywood’s labor conflict at the center of the conversation about growing wealth disparities in the U.S., which stokes, if not causes, much of this country’s political divisions. It also strengthens the solidarity among the WGA and SAG-AFTRA and with other groups, from hotel workers to UPS employees, in the midst of disputes during what’s been called a “hot labor summer.”

Unfortunately, the heightened antagonism between studio executives and union members also appears to leave little room for the kind of one-on-one negotiation that helped end the 2007-08 writers’ strike. Iger’s provocative statement, and the backlash it provoked, would seem to eliminate him as a potential elder statesman who could work with both sides to help broker a deal.

Absent Diller and his “cut your damn salaries” plan, there are few Hollywood figures with the kind of experience, reputation and relationships to fill the vacuum.

At this point, the only real solution has been offered by actor Mark Ruffalo, who recently suggested that workers seize the means of production by getting back into the indie business, which is difficult to imagine and not much help for those working in television.

It’s the AMPTP that needs to heed Iger’s admonishment. At a time when the entertainment industry is going through so much disruption, two strikes is the last thing anyone needs, especially when the solution is so simple. If the studios don’t want a full-blown revolution on their hands, they’d be smart to give members of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA contracts they can live with."

[vicocaaisha]

Baek Harin x Reader Fic.

Synopsis: Being loved by someone who doesn't know how to treat a human being is hard. When Suji transferred, Harin was forced to act on her feelings for you because of being scared that Suji might take you away.

Warnings: Being burnt by cigarette and groping. Most of it is fluff!

You were in Grade F.

You didn't know how this all started. It was back in your first year when the class president, Doah, introduced a game about hierarchy.

You had a lot of friends before. You were the bubbly type of a person; you had a big friend group in your classroom. You were the loud one that everyone adores.

It all changed after that voting, you were in grade F eversince.

Which makes you wonder every day, everyone loves you. You’re a people pleaser, always helping everyone and befriending them, and all of a sudden, no one voted for you. Do your classmates secretly hate you? Or do they think your personality is a facade?

Walking around school felt lonely, but at least no one's harassing you, unlike Jaeun. Poor girl, always been bullied by those who were in the higher rank. But still, you felt lonely. No one's approaching you like it used to be before this game started.

You sighed as you walked up the stairs.

"Y/N-ah" Harin called you. She’s with her minion again, Wooyi. Which makes you tense because Wooyi doesn’t like you at all and stares as if she’s going to eat you alive.

As you can see, no one's touching you even if you're in Grade F. Maybe Harin had specifically told anyone that you're forbidden to be touched. Although, even if you're not getting bullied, you still get tortured by Harin.

And one time, Dayeon kicked the back of your legs and you trampled over the tables because you're very clumsy. Harin saw that, she was fuming in rage. She unexpectedly took you out of the room and cared for your forming bruises. The very next day, Dayeon has bruises on her face. You don't know what Harin did to her.

"You look beautiful today. The cardigan that I gave you suits you very well." She said in a soft voice.

"Thank you." You just bowed down a bit and continued walking.

"I'll see you later at lunch" she chuckled. You don't know what's up with that girl. You just comply with everything she wants you to do because you're just beneath her. Plus, she's spoiling you, and maybe, just maybe, you have a little tiny crush on her.

The two of you were in the chairman's office.

You slightly coughed as you're still not used to her smoking around you. The school’s princess is not that angelic at all. You are glad that she shows you this side of hers. All you can do during this is to stay quiet and read your book because you’re scared that she might get angry at you just like what she tends to do with her minions.

"You're cute, Y/N-ah. Do you know that?" Harin giggled as she blew the smoke directly into your face.

"How about you take off your blouse?" Harin pursues her lips in a small smile as you comply with her request.

You took your blouse off shyly as she eyes you up and down. Now, you're just left in your bras. Harin doesn't like it when you're wearing an extra shirt inside your school blouse.

"You always smell so good for me, Y/N." she said as she held your waist, and her face was very close to your neck.

"ahh..." You whimpered in pleasur---pain as she pushed the burning tip of her cigarette on your shoulder.

She is now hovering over you as you lay down on the couch. Harin is such a strange girl, but you can't deny when she does these things to you, you feel something.

"H-harin, stop please!" you squirmed beneath her as she watches your face. She loves watching you reacting to the things she does to you.

She felt powerful, the innocence in you made her want you more. She doesn't know how to express her fondness in you, instead, she just tortures you.

You embarrassingly moaned, a loud one. You gripped her clothes and shut your eyes.

Harin suddenly pushed you and left you alone on the couch as she walked towards the bin to throw away the cigarette and get an ointment to put it on your burn.

When she heard that sound from you, Harin felt something that she can't explain and instead stopped all what she was doing to you.

That’s the routine both of you had since the game started. Harin is the princess of your class, but when it’s just the two of you that’s another side of her no one knows. You can’t deny it that deep inside you’ve always liked her treatment. You sometimes wish that she feels the same way, too, but at the end of the day you’re just another grade F student that gets stomped on.

It’s been a month since that new transferee came to the school. Her name is what? Suki? Whatever her name is. She was trying to be friends with Ja-eun, she might be plotting something. Harin seems to be bothered by her. About Harin, she’s been distant lately and you kind of miss her presence…

Maybe she found a new toy to play with, Jaeun, because you saw them many times meeting each other at the back of the building of your classroom. The thought of Harin not wanting you anymore makes you sick to your stomach and sad…

Your thoughts got cut off when that transferee girl approached you as you walked home.

“L/N Y/N, right?” you just stared at her. She’s another F ranked student, maybe you could exchange votes with her?

“Uh, hey. What’s your name again?” you cheerfully asked.

“Seong Suji. Do you want to eat at Subway by any chance? I didn’t get to eat earlier during lunch cause you know…” So that’s what her name is, Seong Suji. She’s cute, I can go with her and try to be friends. It’s been awhile since I had friends to hang out with. You thought to yourself.

“Sure!” Both of you headed to Subway making some small talks.

You had a great time talking with her while eating. You like her, she’s a very talkative person too. It’s been a while since you had someone to talk to; talking with Suji feels so refreshing. She also asked you about the game. That night, she asked you to exchange votes so that you could leave grade F, and she also mentioned she wants to end this game. You agreed to help her.

It’s Thursday of the last month. You and Ja-eun agreed to help Suji. You were nervous, and a lot of thoughts were running through your mind, but what makes you nervous the most is Harin. You’re going to miss her treatment towards you.

“Where’s Jaeun? It’s almost time.” Suji whispered to you. You just shrugged.

“We’re going to start the 14th pyramid game.” Doah said, and that’s when Ja-eun barged in. Everyone was shocked that she was going to play.

So it started.

This is it. A fresh start, you’re going to have friends again! You thought to yourself while staring at the screen of your phone. Rank D L/N Y/N with 2 votes. You were glad and hugged Suji.

“I love you so much for this! Let’s eat later outside, my treat!” You almost yelled out of excitement. Now, everyone was just staring at the three of you and you didn’t notice that Harin was staring blankly at your way.

Harin was mad. Not that Suji stole you from her, but also she can’t do the things she used to do to you.

The class is over for the day.

“Hey, Y/N, can you come with me please?” She approached you with no emotions. You were scared and just looked at Suji like you were asking her to help you.

“It’s fine, Y/N, I’ll wait for you by the gate–”

“No need, I’ll walk you home Y/N.” Harin said with a monotone voice as she cut off what Suji was trying to say.

“Oh, alright. I’ll see you tomorrow Suj–” You didn’t get to finish saying goodbye Suji because Harin suddenly pulled you away and towards the back of the school.

It was dawn and dark, you were at the field with Harin as she smoked her last cigarette from her pack. She effortlessly looks so pretty as her hair sways because of the wind. You kind of wanted to kiss her under the moonlight.

“I missed you, Y/N.” Harin said, now staring right through your eyes.

“You avoided me and I was scared that you’re going to snap at me if I approach you.” You gulped, she really looks so gorgeous with just the light from the moon shining at her face.

“Y/N, do you like Suji?” There was a long silence between the two of you, which starts to be awkward for you.

“I do, she’s nice… I get to be myself again, I haven’t had friends for awhile now.” you answered awkwardly.

“Y/N…”

“What’s wrong, Harin?” you asked worriedly.

“Y/N, you’re mine.” Harin kissed you unexpectedly. You stand there in shock, not sure what to do. It feels all surreal and all you could do is stand there as she kissed you hungrily.

You can’t believe this, the classroom’s princess, one and only Baek Harin, is kissing you and not only that she had her eyes on you for a long time now. From spoiling you with gifts, protecting you from being harmed, and all those times that she always compliments you. She just doesn’t know how to express her feelings. That's why she made you fall into grade F so that she can control you and act as if she owns you.

Now that Suji’s in the frame. She can’t stand the thought anymore that someone is trying to steal you away from her. Harin doesn’t care if Suji is befriending Jaeun or even if she has a plan to destroy her little game. What matters the most is you, she loves you.

Suddenly, she bit your lip out of nowhere, which earned a whimper out of you.

“Mmhmp, Harin!” You moaned her name as she groped your chest.

“Stop, please!” You didn’t really know how to react since this is your first kiss and not to mention that the both of you are in the middle of the field of the school. Surely, this isn’t an ideal place to lose your v-card, hey? You want it more somewhat romantic.

“What! Don’t you like me, Y/N?! I gave you al–” You kissed her again to shut her up.

“I like you too, Harin, okay? I’m just shocked that all of this is happening.” Harin just stared at you with that creepy stare again.

“I only like Suji in a friendly way because she helped me to get out of being grade F and…” You got shy all of a suddenly.

“And what?” she replied.

“And… I’ve liked you too, for a long time now. I just thought I was just one of your other toys that you just play with when you’re bored.” and she just blinked with your response.

“You know, you’ve been hanging out with Jaeun instead of me…” you continued.

“No, no. I don’t like her. She just gets on my nerves lately.” she replied with a sigh.

Now that you’re assured she doesn’t like Jaeun. You felt happy and giddy that Harin likes you.

“Are you jealous of Suji?” you said in a teasing manner.

“W-what? No! I just don’t like seeing anyone touching what is supposed to be mine.” She huffed.

“Just kidding, umm… If you want I’ll avoid her. Just don’t leave me on my own anymore. I missed you so much, Harin.”

Harin just hummed and kissed you again. She really doesn’t know how to express what she’s feeling. She just knows that you’re hers only.

“Can I walk you home?” Harin asked as she pulled away from the kiss.

“Of course, love.” Your usage of the pet name causes Harin to blush. She had never felt someone like this before. Let’s hope that she doesn’t manipulate you if there’s a conflict between the two of you.

First time writing a fic, guys! Please comment a request if you'd like! I've been obsessing with Baek Harin for a while now 😩.

[pointycorgiears]

Garp now has it in his head that Mihawk needs to stop fooling around and tie the knot with Buggy. He's getting old, dammit! He can't wait for those two to mess around forever!

As prisoner/janitor, he spends most of his time working in the main Cross Guild headquarters, but every so often, he has work in the shipyard, or the docks, or the tent town. And sometimes, Garp grumbles when he's working: "Grrr..those two kids better hurry up and get married before I kick the bucket here…grrr!" It's his way of stress relief to get through the day.

Well, some of the Buggy Pirates have overheard a few things from Garp's end. It's no secret to them that the Chairman looks at the swordsman a certain way. Even though that's as far as it goes while the two are in public, people have suspicions. And here is Garp, letting slip a very important keyword: married.

Naturally, the only possible, realistic, actual conclusion the Buggy Pirates can come to is that Buggy is going to propose to Mihawk. Soon. And they lose their collective minds.

They can't talk about it out loud, they'll spoil the surprise! They don't know when it's going to happen, but they can prepare! The streets of the tent town are suddenly immaculate every hour of every day. Potted flowers and plants are placed to turn up the romance factor of certain areas exponentially. Low lights and roses and fresh linen cloths on a table for two at the town bistro? Absolutely! Every slightly musically talented pirate practicing and ready to bust out a sweet serenade at a moment’s notice? Mark that box checked! Confetti cannons and congratulations banners strategically placed at every potential proposal location? What are they, amateurs!?

Only the BEST proposal preparation for the BEST Chairman! Buggy has chosen his life mate and the Buggy Pirates are going to be there to catch the verklempt Mihawk when he faints from shock at such an ultimate proclamation of love! (After he says "YES!" of course)

It doesn't really matter to them that Buggy and Mihawk are more concerned with finding a way to beat Crocodile at UNO than even fantasizing about getting married...

[thealexandriaarchives]

The Arrakis Royal Ballet in Arrakeen has just had a crisis of leadership under the management of the CHOAM Foundation which oversees its board, and Vladimir Harkonnen has been ousted as chairman, which means two things: Oh thank god we don't have to watch the same 5 Tchaikovsky shows over and over again this season, Swan Lake and The Firebird are FINE but GOD- and the Company's default leading man for every performance, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, will suddenly have to compete for his slot.

That's totally fine, but the next person to fill the board's slot is Leto Atredies, a man who's actively investigating the Harkonnens for using the Ballet for money laundering as well as reputation laundering, and his son, Paul Atredies, is about to make his international debut after being quietly... discouraged, from applying. Still, whether as a PR move or an olive branch, Leto suggests a Ballet to fit the bill: Giselle.

It's French, so it will give people something different from the aggressively Russian fare Vlad had selected for the last several seasons. ...A bit unfair, perhaps, Chani had been hoping for Balanchine outside of Christmas, but Feyd never expected he'd even get so much as Italian. Paul Atredies was taught by masters in the classical French schools and he's got the light, precise, delicate footwork and speed to show for it. Hell with that slight frame, and some of the moves Feyd has seen him do on TikTok, which is about the only place he's been able to perform up until now, there have even been whispers he could perform the female roles just as easily.

But Giselle is good. It will give Chani some space to show off her acting chops as she falls in love and goes insane, casts Irulan well as a cold and vicious wraith queen, ordering men to their deaths, and it's underperformed- often because it requires two strong male leads in the same company.

As soon as he hears the name Feyd-Rautha doesn't kid himself about which role he'll be playing. Even if he didn't personally prefer Hilarion to the lying noble prick Albrecht is revealed to be, there's no way the new chairman's son and anointed star is going to be the one drowned like a rat in a bucket by the end of act two.

Besides, Feyd knows what the last act requires physically, and he's seen Atredies throwing his whole body into full spins again and again through the air in his million dollar barre studio online. Feyd's just not going to let a spoiled green debutante get away with blowing this for everyone else.

So on the first day of rehearsals, while Chani and Stilgar are off with the set designer, discussing the frankly insane decision to replace the woods and lake with a desert terrain out of Lawrence of Arabia, Feyd-Rautha sidles up to their untested new danseur noble as he laces his shoes.

"I hear you're our new Duke of Arrakis."

[biffhofosho]

What's Wrong with Director Ortega? | Part One

Fandom: Monsta X

Genre: Smut, natch

Word Count: uh, 18k this part

Pairing: OT7 x OC

Synopsis: In the tallest tower in the city of Seoul, there is a corporate kingdom whose empire stretches around the world. It is ruled by seven vice chairmen, all of whom lord over their own little departmental fiefdoms. With so many different ruling styles, they don’t have much in common save for the one director they can’t live without. Unfortunately for Director Ortega, heavy is the head who wears that crown. Seven demanding bosses and no time for herself forces her to reconsider what she wants out of life, which may just be the thing to force the self-proclaimed Kings of Seoul to reconsider what they want from her…

The Vibe: Reverse harem, ultra-competitive, CEOs, rich and spoiled men, monstas at odds, professional-to-a-fault and overworked and overextended OC who finally decides it’s time to put herself first, you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone, harsh awakenings, noraebang, goldilocks implications, atypical biffhofosho ending :D

A/N: OH MY GOD THE EDITING TOOK ME SOOOO MUCH LONGER THAN I ANTICIPATED. First of all, I realized only on edit that the first part is 808974893759874 times longer than the other parts, but there's just so much that needed to be set up... Also, low key I had so much fun writing it. But it's FINE. I can post on this most holy of days! HAPPY FREEDOM DAY, BABY WONHO. THANK YOU FOR COMING HOME TO US.

Obviously inspired by What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim?, but reverse harem and smutty af. Also inspired by the business tycoon playboy Fatal Love photoshoot because holy fuck, did that bring me to my knees. Though I’ve been a mbb since 2016, Fatal Love was the first album I actually bought (because I’d finally figured out how to buy overseas by then lol), and when I opened version 3, this was the FIRST thing that got lodged in my mind. Like a popcorn kernel, it had to be worked out slowly, over time, but after months of watching cheesy, soapy Chinese minidramas, I got the swift kick in the butt to finish my CEO smutfest. Enjoy!

Special thank you shout-out to my love, @starlightfantasy, without whom this chapter wouldn't have been nearly so lively or authentic.

Cvr | 01 |

“As always, Director Ortega, impeccable work. You may go.”

“Very good, sir,” came her customary reply. “Don’t forget that you have dinner with Chairman Matsuda of Aeon tonight at the Phoenix. I have already prepared a gift and left it with Secretary Kwon. Be sure to take it when you leave today.”

“You won’t be joining?”

She lowered her eyes, her breath gathering in her chest. “No, sir. I will leave things in your capable hands.”

“You always join.”

“I know, sir, but not this time.”

“Chairman Matsuda expects it.”

“Don’t worry, sir. I’ve already cleared it with him.”

The vice chairman said nothing, simply twirled his pen between his fingers like a baton.

Finally, she gathered her notepad and stowed her pen behind her ear. She offered a polite bow at his dismissal, but just before she reached the door, she stopped.

She pulled herself up as tall as her petite frame could muster and turned back to the wide mahogany desk in front of the sweeping windows. Beyond the stiff-backed silhouette crowning the complementary stiff-backed desk chair unfurled a smoggy Seoul morning. Dirty clouds filtered the wan light throughout the corner office.

She wet her lips and swallowed. “Excuse me, Vice Chairman Son, but there is one more matter we have left to discuss…”

The corporate auditorium was packed full of employees from every department in the Xtra Mile conglomerate. The thrum of chatter draped overhead like a heavy tarp as coworkers filed into their seats and caught up with people they hadn’t seen since the last company in-service.

As the Purchasing Department filled their rows, they met the Human Resources Department halfway. Normally, the two sides had very little to do with one another, so this gave everyone an excuse to greet each other and gossip.

But just like that, the room fell perfectly silent as a stream of seven very handsome and undeniably powerful men strolled onto the stage at the head of the auditorium. Their figures were projected onto the large screen above their heads so that even those seated in the back could appreciate the clean lines of their expensive haircuts and their even more expensive suits. Each man occupied his own podium across the breadth of the stage, so far apart that it almost looked as though they couldn’t stand breathing the same bubble of air.

At the center of the stage, spotlighted and stone-faced, one of the tallest and broadest men loomed over the employees. Without so much as an attention-grabbing throat clear, he spoke.

“Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for your attendance today as well as everything you do to further the mission of the Xtra Mile Corporation.”

“Without you,” boomed an elegant and lively blonde-haired executive from halfway down the stage, “we wouldn’t be a Fortune 500 Global company.”

The room erupted in polite applause as smiles abounded.

The man in the middle’s jaw flexed slightly, and this time he did clear his throat before regaining control of the room. “Without further delay, let us commence this year’s Xtra Mile Company Vision Showcase. I’ll turn things over to our Chief Financial Officer, Vice Chairman Yoo…”

The man in the center turned to the shorter, black-haired executive on his right whose face, despite its prominent cheekbones, looked like it hadn’t seen a genuine smile in half a decade. Right away, Vice Chairman Yoo began his overview of their mission statements and goals while the audience jotted notes and nodded along, save for one row toward the back of the room.

“Who is that?” whispered a young purchaser with expressive eyebrows over starry pecan eyes. He gazed up at the stage where a woman with perfect posture and her own expensive power suit waited at the edge, looking as much like a high-end mannequin as a real person. The waves in her espresso bob curled sweetly around her small ears and accentuated a round face with dumpling cheeks. Dark fox eyes looked even more alert against her honey skin, and they didn’t miss a single silent cue from any of the vice chairmen as her stiletto heels prowled click-clack-click-clack along the back of the stage, setting up each and every transition without a word.

One of the nearby HR managers, an older man with a five o’clock shadow and a soft face, followed the young fellow’s eyes. “Ah, that one. She’s a sad case. A face that doesn’t age, legs that never stop moving, and eyes that won’t look at you unless you’re paying her.”

The young intern’s ears reddened. “A pro- pro- prostit—”

Another older man, this one a fellow purchaser, clamped a hand over the intern’s mouth and hissed, “Aigoo! Are you daft? Intern Wong, don’t finish that sentence if you don’t want to be tossed out on your ear!”

“Forgive him,” apologized one of the young ladies also on the Purchasing team, “he’s new.”

“And stupid if he thinks a major corporation keeps a company call-girl on payroll,” snapped the older purchaser with a flick to his intern’s ear.

The HR manager stifled a grin. “That is Director Ortega. She is one of the most revered employees at this company. If you ever have the occasion to work with her, you will understand why. She knows absolutely everything that goes on in every department better than any of the vice chairmen. Nothing escapes her notice, which is why she’s so heavily relied upon.”

“Which department is hers?” Intern Wong wondered.

“Which department isn’t,” laughed the HR manager. “Director Ortega has a hand in everything because she has to, especially considering to whom she reports, but her actual title is Director of Facilitation. She oversees all administration here, top to bottom, but more than that, for all intents and purposes, she oversees the vice chairmen.”

“Ah, yes!” said a satisfied voice as its owner swiveled to scope out the sunny panorama through his office window. “It turned out to be another fine day, Director Ortega. We should be out there exploring, not cooped up in here, don’t you agree?”

“Of course, sir.”

“Will you stay for lunch then? We can go out? I remember you liked that barbecue place in Jongno. Call Taeyong and have him bring the car around, and we’ll go somewhere with tables outside.”

“You know that I can’t, sir, even if I wanted to.”

“They’re always overriding my good ideas,” he grumbled.

“I’m sure it feels that way, sir. Still, being that we are on a tight schedule, I wonder if I can borrow a moment of your time,” she said hesitantly. “An urgent issue has come up, and I’m afraid it can’t wait any longer…”

---

“She has been here 14 years, longer than any of the men up on stage, longer than even I have,” continued the older company man. “The old Chairman himself hired her when he was on a business trip to the United States.”

“She’s American?”

“Yes, and half-Korean, actually. She speaks four languages as well, and, over the past couple years, she’s been learning two more.”

“She’s a wonder,” Intern Wong marveled.

“She would have to be to impress Chairman Choi. Director Ortega was the Chairman’s personal secretary for ten years before he retired and handed the company over to his seven grandsons.”

“Fourteen years seems like too long for such a young woman,” the fledgling purchaser mused, eyes still fixed to the director on stage.

The HR manager sniffed a laugh. “I told you she has a face that doesn’t age. She’s older than you think.”

“Much too sophisticated for a freshman like you,” teased Intern Wong’s female coworker. “Keep your head in your station.”

“This will be the only glimpse of her you get, young buck,” added the senior purchaser. “She rarely comes down to Purchasing, maybe a few times a year, and when she does, she speaks only with Director Kim Doyoung. I’ve never seen her in our office for more than five minutes.”

The woman smirked. “What Mr. Moon is trying to say, very politely I might add, is that she’s out of your league.”

“And more importantly,” the HR manager chimed in again, “off limits.”

“Employees date each other here,” the intern protested.

But Mr. Moon shook his head. “Yeah, but they don’t date Director Ortega, understand?”

“Aigoo… This is my least favorite time of day, you know that? All the fun ends and you leave, and I’m left with all the work.”

“You will be fine, sir, as always, but remember to please trust your secretary with any help you may need. Secretary Ahn tells me you haven’t been using her to her full potential these days.”

He sighed and chambered his chin on his hand as his smiled at her. “Why would I? All I ever need is you, Director Ortega.”

She cleared her throat softly. “About that, sir…”

“I didn’t even suggest anything, geez,” the intern pouted.

Mr. Moon stared at the young man knowingly. “I’ve seen that look in a lot of men’s eyes over the past decade. I say this as a friend: if you want to be promoted to purchaser full-time, Intern Wong, I suggest you look only on the Director with admiration.”

“I do,” the young man muttered and immediately steered the conversation somewhere gentler. “Director Ortega must know everything there is to know about this place if she’s been here that long and that high up.”

“Exactly!” agreed Mr. Moon. “She’s so important that all seven vice chairmen share her.”

The intern and a few other nearby newer employees leaned in, both interested and confused.

“Now, how can seven executives share one assistant?” wondered the female purchaser.

Mr. Moon looked on the rapt row of coworkers like a librarian leading a storytelling session. “Director Ortega is the only connection those men have beside a grandfather.”

“They’re really related?” Intern Wong asked.

The older man nodded. “Brothers, half-brothers or cousins, right, Manager Cho?”

The HR manager shrugged his mouth sternly. “No one resents that fact more than they do. Were it not for Director Ortega, they’d have nothing to do with each other. You’d think they live on seven different continents if they didn’t share one atrium on the 28th floor.”

Intern Wong’s brow furrowed. “But how exactly does one woman bridge all those continents daily?”

“Every day,” Mr. Moon explained, “the Director spends one hour with each vice chairman, and when his hour is up, she moves on down the hall.”

“Are you serious?” blurted the female purchaser.

“I am.”

“Don’t they each have their own secretary?” asked the intern. “I’m sure they have way too much work for one hour.”

This time, a middle-aged manager from Employee Relations further down the row answered, “Of course! But Director Ortega is in charge of all of their executive assistants, too. The last hour of her day is spent with them, ensuring the day’s work is properly circulated and delegated. Still, she is the only one the vice chairmen trust with their most important business matters, and she’s the only assistant they will bring with them to important meetings. Needless to say, she’s part orchestra conductor. She must follow this rigorous schedule each day to keep the vice chairmen satisfied, which is even more challenging considering how much each of them likes to demand from her.”

“I thought you were leaving,” he said.

“In a moment,” she replied.

She placed a thermos at the edge of his desk and bowed.

Incisive eyes jolted to the container as he finally looked up from his crowded blotter. “What is it?”

“Coffee, sir. Don’t stay too late tonight though. The merger with Aeon should conclude next week, and I know you’ll want fresh eyes before you final review everything of the numbers.”

A finger of black hair stubbornly broke from his clean-combed hairline and dangled in front of his sharp eyes as he switched from appraising the thermos to appraising the woman on the other side of his desk. “I should say the same to you, Director Ortega.”

She smiled as she lowered her chin. “Ah, well, to that end, I think it’s time to break old habits, sir. Before I do, I have something to confess…”

“Doesn’t leave a lot of time to herself,” mused the older purchaser as he considered the woman’s words.

Intern Wong cocked his head as he considered this new information. “But isn’t it a good thing to be so in demand at your company?”

“Aish,” chimed in an older lady on the other side of the group of busybodies, this one from the Accounting department who wore a thick pair of glasses to match her role, “it would be if you’re not a woman. Director Ortega is 38 and, as far as anybody has heard, never dated.”

“There’s no way a woman like her hasn’t dated!” the intern protested as his eyes returned to the serious beauty on stage.

“Even if she wanted to,” continued the accountant, “she would have to turn down any suitor. The vice chairmen keep her way too busy to even think about dating someone.”

“You don’t know that, Miss Lee,” said the employee relations manager.

“The hell I don’t, Manager Kwon,” the accountant scoffed, causing a few other uninterested coworkers to pivot toward them before everyone whispered apologies except the accountant. At least, she bothered to lower her voice enough that the rest of the row leaned in. “I process Director Ortega’s overtime. I’m telling you, there’s no way that woman has a life outside of this company or those seven men. It’s downright outrageous. They should be ashamed.”

“I told you,” said Manager Cho, “she’s a sad case. I heard Director Ortega had to fly back from her sister’s wedding in Mexico because Vice Chairman Chae needed a translator, and she’s the only one he trusts to give him an unbiased translation.”

“That’s too harsh,” objected Intern Wong.

Miss Lee hung her head. “Director Ortega will never find a match. Ah! It’s too sad to see a woman of her caliber give up her whole life like that.”

“I’ll leave the initial scouting reports in your inbox for your review, sir. After you’ve made your notes, please trust Secretary Lee with their transcription.”

“Could you stay a few extra minutes to finish that? Only you know how I like things organized.”

“Secretary Lee is more than capable if you just explain your preferences to him, sir. Forgive me, but he should know that after a full year.”

The vice chairman huffed, his broad shoulders slumping, too. “Yes, of course, but he isn’t— Of course, Director Ortega. You are correct.”

“I will sit with him tomorrow and show him personally, sir, so there is no confusion.”

“That’s not necessary!” He reached toward the director across the desk but pulled his hand back quickly. “I should handle it myself.”

“I am happy to hear it, sir. On that note…”

“But isn’t there something admirable about that?” Intern Wong mused as he looked up at the dark-haired director waiting at the edge of the stage, hands folded in front of her hips. “To be so loyal and dedicated to your company that you are trusted by everyone?”

A big-eyed girl in front of them whirled around in her seat and clamped her hands over the back of it to stare at the group. With wide eyes full of shock instead of innocence, she said, “I can’t believe none of you know.”

“Know?”

“Know what!”

“Tell us instantly, Secretary Heo!” urged Manager Kwon, and the whole row shifted forward.

The secretary puckered her thin lips and lowered her voice to a whisper just loud enough to catch over the drone through the sound system of Vice Chairman Im’s speech on streamlining database growth.

“Director Ortega handed in her resignation yesterday.”

“Sir, please don’t make that face,” she said.

Yet the vice chairman sat there with his cheeks in his hands, his bottom lip jutting out. “What do you expect me to do? I hate knowing where you’re headed next.”

“I do this every day, sir,” she reminded.

“And I hate it every day. He always gets more of your time than we do.”

“You know that isn’t true, sir.”

“It is!” he complained. “Wouldn’t it be so nice to have one desk in one office and report to only one person?”

She closed her eyes and steadied her breath. “I think I may have a solution to this problem. If I may have one more moment please…”

“Impossible,” Mr. Moon scoffed. “She’s been here fourteen years!”

“Don’t talk nonsense,” scolded the female purchaser.

“I’m not,” insisted Secretary Heo. “Secretary Ahn told me yesterday at lunch. She’s Vice Chairman Lee Minhyuk’s personal secretary. If anybody would know, it would be her. She’s not a gossip.”

“Like you,” retorted the accountant.

“Game recognizes game, Miss Lee, but in this case, it’s just fact. We all need to be prepared for the trickle-down. Even if we don’t work personally with the vice chairmen, without Director Ortega as our shield, we’re sure to feel the brunt of things.”

“Now that you mention it, look how dull the vice chairmen look,” said the other young woman as she stared sadly at the stage where the tallest vice chairman now spoke. Her eyes darted down to the straw-haired executive at the far end, and she shook her head. “Even Vice Chairman Lee Jooheon looks flat. He never looks so flat! Oh, this is terrible. I love his smiles.”

Intern Wong elbowed his coworker and retorted, “Keep your head in your station, Miss Kim.”

She rolled her eyes though the bespectacled accountant nodded. “And Vice Chairman Lee Hoseok looks much smaller than usual, don’t you think? Normally, you can see his shoulders from space.”

“I’m telling you,” reiterated Secretary Heo, “Director Ortega put in a month’s notice. She’s definitely leaving.”

“Have you heard this?” asked Mr. Moon to Miss Lee. “You process her overtime, you said.”

The older woman shook her head. “I’m not in HR. Isn’t that your department, Manager Cho?”

Everyone glanced down the row to the HR manager who had grown progressively quieter. “It is, but I don’t work in Executive Resources. But…”

Everyone leaned toward him like plants straining for sunlight.

“It is possible,” Manager Cho said guardedly. “I can’t outright refute it.”

Jaws dropped right and left, and a few hands fell over hearts.

“Why would she resign now?” asked Intern Wong when no one picked up the conversation.

“Is she not being compensated well enough?” asked Miss Kim.

“I have worked here through Chairman Choi’s reign, and I can tell you for a fact that her salary would make you blush, especially when she works for holiday pay. Plus, I have heard from Director Jeong that Director Ortega receives a bonus from each Vice Chairman at Seollal,” Miss Lee said vehemently. “No, no. But money matters less when you have no time to spend it and no one to spend it on. I told you. Director Ortega is 38. Aish, she must have realized that if she wants to marry and have a family, she has a very small window left.”

“Hwaiting, sunbaenim!” Miss Kim said a little too loudly, and a few more rows turned back toward them.

“No, that’s not it,” persisted Secretary Heo. “Secretary Ahn said Director Ortega already has a man, and she’s quitting to marry him.”

“Is there anything else, sir?” she said, head cocked to the side.

“There is not.”

The usual silence filled the space between them. After several years, at least it was no longer startling.

“If you’re sure, sir.”

She bowed, and also as usual, he blurted, “One final thing, Director Ortega.”

“Yes, sir. Of course.”

“I need five extra minutes of your time today.”

“I’m sorry, but not today, sir.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You never say that.”

“I know,” she agreed. “It turns out that’s because I need a minute of your time instead…”

The older employees broke into quiet laughter.

“There is zero chance of that,” Miss Lee assured.

“If you knew her workload…” agreed Mr. Moon.

Secretary Heo scowled and jabbed a finger at the seniors. “Secretary Ahn was sure.”

“I don’t buy it,” asserted Miss Lee. “Look, there’s no ring!”

All eyes turned to the jumbo screen, to the bare, slender fingers of the director.

One of the other purchasers whisper-shouted from farther down the row, “Do you think they’ll post for her position internally first?”

“How can you be so insensitive, Assistant Lee Yubin!” chastised Miss Kim. “The vice chairmen look miserable. They’d never fill her role with such a vulture.”

The assistant rolled her sleepy-looking eyes as she informed, “You don’t get to that position without being an opportunist.”

“No one’s asking the most important question,” interjected Intern Wong, his bright puppy eyes still fixed on the glowing silhouette of the director. “If she’s no longer going to be an employee—and she’s not engaged—do you think she’s on the market?”

Both Manager Cho and Mr. Moon sighed and exchanged hopeless glances, but now, a few more men down the line swiveled from the intern up toward the stage. The whole group grew silent as Vice Chairman Lee Minhyuk took over on the mic, but nobody was really listening to his outline of new product roll-outs for the upcoming quarter. They were mounting strategies of their very own.

“Why are we meeting here?” a surly Jooheon griped as he plopped down onto a couch in the center of the round atrium that connected all seven vice chairmen's offices. “Shouldn't we go somewhere more private?”

“This is easier,” Jackson replied as he took a seat into an armchair across from his friend. The president was known for looking as cool as his voice sounded, so when he cocked his head and crossed his legs, he looked more a boss than the vice chairman. “How are you doing?”

Jooheon hissed and launched forward, though he managed to stay seated. “How am I doing? I’m upside down, man! I don’t understand.”

“What don’t you understand?”

“I don’t—” The vice chairman ran his hands through his hair and rolled his neck. After a steadying breath, he said, “I don’t understand why she’d leave?”

“Director Ortega?”

“Of course, Director Ortega. Who the hell else did you think I brought you here to talk about?”

Jackson raised an eyebrow. “Well, I don’t know what you want me to do about it. You guys wouldn’t let me near her.”

“You can’t be trusted.”

“A fine thing to say to your President of Operations,” Jackson laughed, and it was clear he didn’t take an ounce of the vice chairman’s insults seriously.

“You know exactly what I mean.”

The president kept laughing and nodded. “I do.”

“But I have always trusted your vision. You see bigger pictures than I do. Since we were teenagers, you’ve always been a barometer of the people, and at least I trust your insights,” Jooheon began as professionally as he could sitting in front of one of his best friends. “Plus, you’re a busybody.”

“I’ve been accused of worse,” the president said with a grin.

“I know. I was the one who accused you.”

Jackson shrugged. “So, what do you need?”

“What have you heard about Director Ortega’s threat of quitting?”

“Is it a threat?” the president asked with a brow raise. “Because it sounded pretty damn certain to this busybody’s ears.”

“Don’t get coy, Jackson. I’m not in the mood.”

The grin dropped from the president’s face, and he leaned across the coffee table. “Everyone’s talking about it, of course. Rumors abound. Some say she’s getting married.”

Jooheon scowled and shook his head.

“Some say she’s pregnant.”

This time, the vice chairman gasped, unable to feign his usual confidence.

“But most people are saying she’s dating or wants to date, so she wants to make more time to do those other things.”

“That’s stupid,” Jooheon fired off. “Director Ortega has plenty of time to do that now. She could be married already if she wanted to be, but she’s not.”

Jackson just glowered at his friend.

“Fine,” Jooheon conceded, “we keep her pretty busy, but it’s never bothered her before.”

“Are you sure? Did you ever ask?”

“Why would I ask that!” the vice chairman shouted indignantly. “It’s not workplace appropriate.”

“Then it sounds to me like you’re talking out of your ass,” and a beat later, Jackson added cheekily, “sir.”

Jooheon studied his fingernails as he asked carefully, “So… which one did she say it is?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think anyone does for sure. Director Ortega is the most professional person in this whole damn company. You lot should know best. What did she say when she resigned?”

“She didn’t resign,” Jooheon said tersely. “She just threatened to.”

“Oh, is that what ‘Please accept my letter of resignation’ means?”

The vice chairman sighed. “Why the hell did I put any faith in you.”

“C’mon, man, I’m ribbing you. The truth is I think you know everything, but you just don’t want to acknowledge it. What did she say exactly? Not what did Vice Chairman Lee Jooheon hear?”

The straw-haired man sank back into the couch, his hands spread across the cushions as he stared up through the glass ceiling to the obnoxiously blue sky above. “She said, ‘After fourteen wonderful years at Xtra Mile, I have decided I need to step back from my position as Director of Facilitation and spend some time on myself. I know this may be rather surprising, but it's something I’ve been considering for a while. It has been an absolute pleasure working for you…’

“From there, pretty much all I heard was static. I was too in shock.”

Jackson hummed. “Doesn’t give me a ton to work with. What did her resignation letter say?”

“Don’t know. Didn’t read it yet.”

At this, Jackson let out a groan. “You didn’t read it? What the hell kind of boss are you?”

“A blindsided one! What do you expect me to do after the rug was pulled out from under me?”

“Man up and fix it. I figured Xtra Mile’s Chief Marketing Officer would already be mounting a campaign to court back his most valuable employee. Instead, you’re whining in your ivory tower.”

“How am I supposed to do that when I don’t even understand why she’s leaving me?”

“Read the damn letter, man,” Jackson scolded. “Maybe it’s as simple as she took another job.”

“You think?” the dimpled vice chairman asked eagerly.

“No, unless she sparing your feelings.”

“This is all their fault,” Jooheon griped, only too happy to shift the blame. He waved his arm around the atrium at the six other mahogany office doors. “They're driving her away. She's always happy when she's with me.”

“Is that what you really think?”

The vice chairman narrowed his eyes at his president. “Obviously.”

“Just remember I've known you long before you were a head honcho…” Jackson said ominously. He braced his elbows on his knees and leaned across the coffee table. His hand rose, middle finger tucked beneath his thumb, and swiftly and unexpectedly, he flicked the forehead of his friend.

Jooheon yelped and cursed as he bounced in his seat. When he dropped a hand to point angrily at the man across from him, a big red mark lingered like a bullseye in the center of his forehead. “You're fired!”

“Fine, fine, I’ll clean out my desk tomorrow,” the president said without an ounce of concern. “But did I knock some sense into you?”

“You pissed me off is what you did.”

Jackson rolled his eyes. “I think you’re better off worrying about that mammoth bruise to your ego than a little welt on your forehead. The second Aeon gets wind of her leaving, they’re going to wonder about the merger.”

Though he was still babying the bump on his head, Jooheon shook it. “Director Ortega said she’d build in more than the month in case things run long with Aeon. She doesn’t want to jeopardize the project.”

“Leave it to a woman of her caliber to be acutely aware of that. She’s been in all of the merger meetings, hasn’t she?”

“She personally brought Chaiman Matsuda on board. Yeah, the Aeon merger is probably more her baby than any of ours.”

“Good. That’s good then.”

“Why?” Jooheon asked.

Jackson shrugged a shoulder. “It means she’s not running off to elope at least.”

“Elope!” At this, the vice chairman finally leapt back up.

“Calm down. I said she’s not eloping. Probably also means there’s no fiancé either yet.”

“Yet?” Jooheon deflated completely back down to the couch.

Again, the president shrugged. “I’m just puzzling out the fifty different rumors I heard today. Seems like those are the least likely now that I know more.”

“Terrific…”

“But now that I know what she said when she resigned, I think the most likely theory is that you all have zapped her personal life completely. Sucked her dry like a swarm of mosquitos.”

Jooheon sighed. “You really like to rub salt in a wound, man.”

“Hey, I call ‘em like I see ‘em. Unless she’s already married? Maybe she’s leaving to spend more time with her husband. Work on building a family.”

“She doesn’t have a husband,” the vice chairman snapped.

Jackson let out a chuckle. “I imagine you seven have seen to that, huh? Thought you were all the men she needed, I’ll bet. Guess today was your wake-up.”

“Is she dating?” Jooheon’s voice creeped up uncomfortably high, and he cleared his throat to correct it.

“How should I know? You barely let me talk to the woman. You keep her locked up like Rapunzel with you and your dysfunctional family.”

The vice chairman narrowed his already narrow eyes. “That smacks of bitterness.”

“Maybe it is. She’s a beautiful woman, and I’m a good-looking guy.”

Jooehon unleashed a wicked snarl at the corner of his lips. “You’re not just a busybody but a playboy, Jackson. I was right to keep her away from you.”

It was Jackson’s turn to narrow his eyes. “I knew it.”

Jooheon waved a hand dismissively. “I don’t need you distracting my executive team.”

“I didn’t hear you balk when I asked out Secretary Guk, and she’s at your full disposal all day, every day.”

At this, the vice chairman grumbled, “Well, you just said it. I can call on her whenever I need her. I only get an hour with Director Ortega. I can’t have her distracted for a minute of it.”

“Don’t you think that’s part of her reasoning, Honey?” Jackson said, testing the boundaries of their decades-long friendship. “Every second of her day is monopolized by a tycoon. How do you expect her to just be a woman?”

“If you’re saying this just to make a window for yourself to her, you’ve got another thing coming.”

“Look, man, it doesn’t even matter at this point. Her dance card is already so long, I’d need to take a number.”

“What do you mean?”

Jackson pursed his lips. “Exactly what I said. As soon as news of her resignation trickled down all 28 floors, guys were brushing up their marriageable resumes and dating profiles.”

“She’s not a sweepstakes,” Jooheon barked. “You don’t just try your chance to get lucky.”

“Hey, I agree with you, but you don’t speak for the vast majority of guys. Everyone has always assumed she’s unmarried, but no one’s risked courting her for fear of their careers. But if she doesn’t work for you anymore—”

Jooheon growled. “That doesn’t matter. They’re still risking their careers.”

Jackson leaned back in his chair, mouth screwed up to one side and eyebrow popped.

“For your own good, Honey, I really think you should ask yourself why that is.” A little louder, he proclaimed, “You all should.”

Almost as if scripted, six silhouettes stepped out of the shadows of six separate doorways.

Jackson swept his hand in a circle and smiled smugly at his friend. “See? Told you this was easier. Now I don't have to repeat myself six more times.”

“Jackson,” said a burly platinum blonde in a three-piece suit so tightly tailored that it looked more like an American football uniform, “do you really think Director Ortega will be that much of a target?”

Jackson scoffed that faded into a wry smile. “She's gorgeous, driven, charming, whip-smart, and well-off. A woman like Director Ortega is in a class of her own. Yes, Hoseok, she’s a catch. The only people who are going to care she's 38 are the ones she would have never entertained anyway. Hell, just between the horn dogs and the sugar babies, she's going to have her plate full, never mind her long-term secret admirers. You'll see. You won't even have to wait a day, I promise.”

“I don’t love that,” Minhyuk said as he took a chair beside the president.

“Yeah, but what are any of you going to do about it?”

The seven vice chairmen traded appraisals, but none spoke.

Jackson chuckled. “Can’t see the forest for the trees… Director Ortega really has been carrying all of you.”

“Watch it,” Jooheon growled, yet his subordinate waved him off.

“Since you’re all in one room for a change, let me pose a question that’s been eating at the back of my mind for years. I may never get another chance to ask it in case one of you actually decides to fire me after half a decade of playful threats, but why do each of you insist on sharing one assistant when you can have as many as you want?”

This time, none of the vice chairmen risked a glance at each other. Instead, they thumbed their ten-thousand-dollar watches or fiddled with the cuffs of their bespoke suits.

Sharp-jawed and sharp-tongued, Kihyun jutted his chin out as his neck twitched. He sucked in a breath through his teeth as he answered evenly, “Director Ortega is an invaluable—”

“Director Ortega is indeed invaluable,” Jackson interrupted. “No one would dare challenge that for fear of their life. But that doesn’t really answer my question, and you know it. As formidable an assistant as she is, you’re each only capable of utilizing her skill set for a maximum of an eighth of her day. Now, imagine, if you will, how much work you could accomplish if you each trusted one other person as much as you trust her. Don’t all of you have your own secretaries as it is? You can’t rely on them to mastermind your days? Or…”

The way the president said the word had seven sets of eyes snapping to him. Jackson’s handsome face hovered just on the professional side of a smirk.

“…is it that you just don’t want to?”

“Get to the point, President Wang,” snapped the most restless of the chairmen, Minhyuk.

Jackson’s palms turned up. “That is the point. This company is full of fresh young upstarts looking to make a name for themselves. They’re all more than eager to work overtime and make an impression, yet you all continuously come back to your Director.”

“Exactly,” Jooheon said as if it proved some other point, but judging from the smile creeping onto the president’s face, it may not have worked as intended.

“Exactly.” Jackson hummed as he tapped his smart watch screen and checked the time. “You know, I’ve been accused of playing with words before—”

“You’re a regular Loki,” Kihyun corrected.

“Mm, maybe. Or maybe it’s to provoke a thought. It’s served me well closing deals for you all these years. Word choice is everything. Say the right word, and you plant a seed, and the next thing you know? Boom! We’ve got a seven-figure sale. The customer thinks it’s all their idea—always has been. They leave feeling clever, and I leave knowing I’ve orchestrated one hell of a victory for the company.”

“Just say it, Jackson,” mumbled the feline-eyed youngest chairman, Changkyun, from his lean in his door frame.

The president waggled his fingers like the conductor he described, and a chill descended upon the room.

“I just did. Consider my words carefully. I don’t use them lightly.”

Jooheon rolled his eyes. “Yes, you do.”

With a sigh, Jackson raised both brows. “Fine. I’ll be blunter then. If there ever was a thing to unite the seven kingdoms under one banner, I think the whole of Xtra Mile would place their bets on the same banner. Maybe losing Director Ortega is the kick in the pants you all need.”

“Watch it,” Kihyun warned.

Jackson shrugged. “You asked what I thought—”

“We didn’t,” said the tallest, Hyungwon.

“He did,” finished Minhyuk with a glance at Jooheon.

“What a family you are,” Jackson laughed. “I honestly can't tell who among you is delusional, who's in denial, and who's been harboring secrets they've been way too afraid to voice.”

The seven other men exchanged wary scrutiny while the president rose and knocked the wrinkles from his slacks. “Well, look, you've got a month to figure it out, probably way less if I'm honest. The way I see it? You better speak now or forever hold your peace. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I've got a brush up my dating profile.”

With that, Jackson bowed to his bosses and walked out of the chairman’s wing with one insufferable hand in his pocket and one even more insufferable hand waving over his shoulder.

“Remind me to fire him,” huffed Minhyuk.

“Not before I clobber him,” growled Jooheon.

But without Jackson there to stir the pot, it left the seven vice chairmen staring at their feet or the wall. For all the silence, it felt very loud, and it was no surprise to anyone that the first to speak again was Minhyuk.

“What are we going to do?”

Hoseok laughed bitterly. “I think that’s the first time I’ve heard us use the word ‘we’.”

A few of the men hummed as the truth of that statement hit.

“Do you think Jackson’s right?” said Changkyun hesitantly. “Do you think she’s leaving because of us?”

Hyunwoo stacked his arms across his thick chest and nodded, eyes fixed on a scuff on the marble floors. “I read her resignation letter. I don’t see how it could be anything else.”

“I read it, too,” interjected Hoseok, “but she said it was about her, right?”

This time, it was Hyungwon who sighed. “Isn’t that the thing you say to spare the other’s feelings during a breakup? ‘It’s not you, it’s me’?”

More silence, this one infinitely darker and deeper.

“So it is us…” conceded Minhyuk.

“Looks that way,” said Hyunwoo.

“I still don’t get it,” Jooheon said. “I’m a great boss. I’m not the one who made her miss her sister’s wedding.”

Hyungwon narrowed his eyes. “I didn’t make her do that. She chose to come back.”

Kihyun tilted his head as he squared off with his half-brother. "Everybody here knows that you’re passive aggressive if you don’t get your way. ‘Kihyun, are you sure you want to use the gochujang? The recipe calls for doenjang. Don’t mind me, I’m just getting a pitcher of water for the table.’”

“What are you talking about? Passive aggression is your MO,” Hyungwon retorted. “And being hyper-critical.”

“You both are,” Changkyun groaned.

“Yeah, well, I’m not,” swore Jooheon. “I praise her work every day. I ask her about her day.”

Minhyuk let out a puff of air. “Yeah, to see if you can steal some of her time from the rest of us. No one’s more of a gatekeeper than you, Jooheon."

"Am not."

“Are too. You throw a fit if anyone asks for five more minutes of her time, and if they do, you demand a makeup the next day.”

“Enough,” Hyunwoo said brusquely.

“We can’t let her resign,” Hoseok agreed.

“Obviously,” Jooheon snapped.

“Can we just refuse her resignation?” asked Minhyuk.

Changkyun shook his head. “I would never test Director Ortega’s commitment. She’ll just quit on the spot, and then where will we be.”

As brains churned, tensions mounted. It was always tense when the seven men gathered together, but for once, desperation was something all seven shared, and instead of retreating to their offices, they remained at their posts—far enough away to still make boundaries clear yet approachable.

“We should apologize,” Hyungwon volunteered.

“If apologies made a difference, would we be where we are?” challenged Kihyun.

“Well, they can’t fucking hurt.”

“It’s a starting point,” Hyunwoo asserted, “which is more than we had a minute ago.”

“What if we switch up her schedule?” Changkyun suggested. “Routine can be crushing.”

Hoseok nodded. “And she could use more vacation.”

“We can throw more money at her,” Kihyun added.

A moment passed. Hyunwoo typed something into his phone. In the gathering silence, Minhyuk and Jooheon rattled the vase in the center of the coffee table with their opposing jackhammering legs.

“What, no snide remarks? No backhanded critiques from any of you?” Kihyun said with a pointed gaze finally landing on Hyungwon.

But the tall man simply scoffed as he pushed up from his lean against the wall and moved toward his office door. “Who has time for that? You heard what Jackson said. We don’t even have a month to undo our screw-up.”

“We run a sixty-billion-dollar company,” said Minhyuk. “There’s no reason we can’t strategize a way to undo our biggest ever loss.”

“Let’s just throw everything at her tomorrow and see what sticks,” Hyungwon suggested.

“Not much of a strategy,” Minhyuk observed.

“I don’t care as long as it keeps her here with us.”

“What do you say, Hyunwoo?” asked Changkyun.

The resident senior raised both eyebrows when he discovered six sets of eyes looking at him simultaneously. “You’re asking for my opinion?”

“Yeah,” Jooheon agreed.

“I’ll get some breakfast tomorrow and think on it.”

The other six sets of eyes switched between rolls and furrows, between disheartened and annoyed, but the vice chairmen settled on meeting again in the morning—after their COO had a full belly.

Just before Hoseok could enter the cafeteria, something caught the corner of his eye, and when he turned, he found his cousin, Hyunwoo, lurking like a houseplant behind a banner announcing the upcoming Xtra Mile company picnic.

“What the hell are you doing?” asked the Chief Security Officer.

“Eating,” answered Hyunwoo.

Hoseok popped an eyebrow. “In a corner? Behind a sign?”

“Evidently, our employees are very surprised to see me. It was too much attention eating at a table.”

“You’re the COO. Attention comes with the title.”

“I don’t need it right now,” the older man replied evenly.

Hoseok had both brows raised now as he took in the rigid figure of the COO who was usually considered the face of the company, yet here Hyunwoo was, literally lurking, eyes staring blankly across the early morning company cafeteria.

Slowly, the COO shifted his attention to his cousin. His face remained as placid as ever, though his tone deepened as he asked, “What are you doing here, Hoseok?”

“I protein up here every day after my workout.”

“You’re later than usual,” Hyunwoo observed.

“How would you know? I’ve never seen you here.” At this, his cousin turned to look at him and Hoseok sniffed. “What? I can't keep track of your schedule too?”

“Hey! I was here first!”

The vice chairmen looked at each other before they realized neither of them had said it. Instead, there were three suited men clustered at the other side of the dining hall with scowls and furrowed brows. They jostled shoulder-to-shoulder as a few other employees tightened around the action.

It was clear there was a line forming, and evidently, somebody had cut it, but it wasn’t for the register.

Director Ortega sat at a table clotted with flowers and gifts and cards as men and women alike waited for their turn to speak with a figure more mythical than a phoenix.

Hoseok soured, first at the sight of the long line but further when he looked back at the burly man hovering behind the signage. “You're not here to eat. You're here to observe the Director.”

The COO presented a sandwich and took a bite, and through a mouthful, he said, “I can do both.”

With a sigh, Hoseok shoved the other vice chairman over and hunkered beside him, eyes peeking around the banner.

Director Ortega greeted each of her admirers warmly but professionally, with the same gentle but sincere office smile they’d seen every day for four years. She accepted all the cards, rejected most of the presents, and divvied up the flowers with the other ladies hovering nearby. One overzealous fellow waited in her orbit, phone out, hoping to get her Kakaotalk information, though she was steadfast that she’d had enough networking to last her a lifetime.

Hoseok puckered his lips, but just before the CSO could escort the insistent prick from the building, Hyunwoo clamped a hand on his shoulder. He looked at the meaty paw and then to its owner and back again.

“She’s got it,” Hyunwoo assured.

Hoseok shrugged his shoulder and the hand fell away. “How did you know she would be here?”

“Director Ortega often brings me a sandwich from here in the morning.”

“You make her bring you breakfast?” Hoseok said sternly.

“I don't make her do anything. She just does it.”

“She doesn't bring me anything,” his cousin pouted.

Hyunwoo didn't respond. He just took another massive bite and kept his eyes on the director.

“Seems like everyone is excited for her to leave,” observed the platinum blonde, but Hyunwoo shook his head.

“Before it got so noisy, I could hear better. I think it’s more that they’re proud of her.”

“For leaving us?” Hoseok exclaimed, and his cousin silenced him with a grave scowl. Quieter now, the CSO continued, “We need to tell the others. I’m not sure our plan of attack will be effective if she’s being showered with gifts to quit.”

This time, at least, his cousin nodded. Hyunwoo stuffed his mouth with another bite.

They lingered until the clock neared the company start time, when the last person in line finally made it to the director’s table. She was standing now, mulling over how to cart a table full of unexpected gifts elsewhere, as the young, black-haired prince with a white smile offered to help.

“Why is she smiling so much?” Hoseok said. “Is she—is she laughing?”

Hyunwoo narrowed his already thin eyes.

“Did she just give him her business card?” the younger chairman gawked.

Director Ortega bowed and thanked the young man as he helped gather her offerings into a box he’d somehow manufactured out of thin air.

Hyunwoo chucked the last bite of his sandwich in the garbage, and it made Hoseok jump.

The blonde started, “You never waste—”

“Time to go, Hoseok,” said the COO, and his cousin jumped again. “We need to talk to the others immediately.”

No sooner had the pair made it up the chairmen’s elevator to their floor than they caught some of their secretaries gabbing in the atrium.

“—vowed to get Maria plastered tonight—oh my god, sirs!”

Secretary Ahn spluttered the instant she saw the two chairmen enter the atrium. Immediately, her mouth shut, and she bowed her head. Secretary Guk was less respectful and more deer-in-headlights, with her round eyes fully white and her small mouth popped open round as a bottle cap.

“Hello, sirs,” Secretary Ahn added and then elbowed her coworker until the other woman managed the same greeting. Neither of the men said anything, so she asked, “Is everything all right, Vice Chairman Son?”

“Why wouldn't it be?” he returned flatly.

Secretary Ahn’s eyes darted to the other vice chairman and then back to him and then back to the other vice chairman again as though he should understand the singularity of the moment of the two men side-by-side.

“Is there a meeting we don't know about, sirs?” she said gingerly.

“I should ask you the same.”

Both women paled until they were nearly transparent. They looked at each other again, but this time, Secretary Ahn couldn’t seem to find her polite words, which left Secretary Guk scrambling to pick up the slack.

“Oh, not at all! We were just discussing Director Ortega's going away party tonight.”

Secretary Ahn elbowed her coworker again, this time nearly hard enough to knock the other woman out of her kitten heels.

“Her going away party?” repeated Hyunwoo. “I was unaware that she’s going anywhere.”

Secretary Guk outright shivered, and when she spoke again, her voice was shaking, too. “The secretaries organized it, but… But it would mean so much if all of the vice chairmen could join us.”

The other secretary looked frantically at her, but there was nothing to be done.

“It’s just dinner, drinks, and noraebang after work, but the more, the merrier.”

Hoseok glanced up at his cousin with urgent eyes and whispered, “President Wang said we should show sincerity. This is the perfect way.”

Again, the secretaries exchanged looks, which only amplified when Vice Chairman Son said, “Secretary Guk, please email the time and place to all the vice chairmen as soon as you can.”

“Yes, sir.”

The secretaries bowed to the vice chairmen as they headed toward their respective offices, and when Secretary Ahn rose, she scowled and slapped her friend on the arm. “Maria is going to kill you!”

“Please,” said Secretary Guk as she sat down in front of her keyboard and began to type. “The vice chairmen will never show up. When have they ever showed up for anything, let alone together? Maria’s ready to leave Xtra Mile, but I’m not. What was I supposed to do?”

“Just keep your mouth shut,” her coworker hissed.

“It’s fine. You’ll see. Maria will agree with me.”

“Aigoo, Aera!” Secretary Ahn growled as she tapped her coworker on her arm again. “Have you learned nothing? Keep your mouth shut.”

“No way. You think I want Maria grinding me to a pulp?”

“Look, you said yourself they’ll never show anyway, so why say anything? We’ve worked so hard to organize this thing. I’m not going to be the one to tell everyone it’s off when she invariably cancels it. You are.”

“I didn’t think about that…”

Secretary Ahn rolled her eyes. “Of course you didn’t. You’re not the one who’d clean up the mess.”

“Okay, but if something does go wrong—”

But Secretary Guk didn’t get to finish that thought before the work day officially started and the phones began to ring.

“Oh my god, I didn’t know Maria was capable of getting tipsy, but wow,” laughed Secretary Kwon. “She is gone.”

“Yeah,” agreed Secretary Guk, “color me shocked. I always figured her for the straight life.”

Secretary Kim rolled her eyes. “All these years at seven typhoons’ beck and call will force sobriety on you. I have a hard enough time convincing myself I can have a drink on the weekend. Can’t imagine what Maria’s dry spell’s been like. She must be making up for lost time.”

The women traded laughs and then another round of shots as Director Ortega scream-shouted her noraebang lines into the microphone and they had to hurry to cover their ears.

"Holy. Shit."

It wasn’t just the sudden appearance of the English curse or that it came from the Secretary Lee in his overly dramatic alto that made all the other secretaries pivot sharply. It was the way everything else fell silent except a drunken Maria caterwauling to George Michael’s “Freedom” on stage.

“They actually showed up,” Secretary Ahn gasped.

“Who?” said Secretary Kim.

“Who do you think?”

“What!” exclaimed Secretary Guk. “Which ones?”

“Uh…” Vice Chairman Yoo’s secretary, Song Jiyoo, squinted into the foggy shadows at the entryway as more silhouettes parted the club haze. “Oh my god, it looks like all of them.”

“No way,” said Secretary Kwon. “You're plastered, One. You have to be.”

“I am not. Turn around, Haeun!” Secretary Song grabbed her pocket-sized coworker by the shoulders and swiveled her like the rest of their mob of meerkats.

“I don’t believe it...”

“We’re dead,” said the second Secretary Song Jiyoo, Vice Chairman Im’s assistant, whom the entire department simply called Two.

Secretaries Ahn and Guk looked at each other with crinkled brows. Together, they murmured, “Maria is going to kill us.”

Bumbling through the speakers, they could make out their director wailing louder than she had all night.

“All we have to see is that I don’t belong to you and you don’t belong to me. Freedom! Freedom!”

Secretary Lee looked at the two wide-eyed women, his tongue poking the inside of his cheek. “So. What do you two want on your urns?”

“Secretary Guk!” came the dreaded call no one had expected to hear from her boss, Vice Chairman Lee Jooheon, tonight.

“Sir,” she stammered as she stepped forward, her hands rushing to her cheeks to hide the alcohol coloring them. She looked frantically at her superior before she realized he was flanked by his seven fellow vice chairmen, every last one in their requisite three piece suits and ties, every hand stuffed in their pockets. She may as well have been coming face-to-face with a firing squad. “Sirs, you came?”

“We said we would,” he replied.

"Yes. Yes, you did…”

Vice Chairman Lee Jooheon took a look around, his bottom lip protruding. “We’re late?”

“No, sir,” Secretary Guk was quick to jump in. “You are right on time, of course. A bunch of us simply got here early to pre-game.”

“Is that what kids call dinner these days?” said Kihyun with a popped eyebrow.

“Ah…”

“You didn’t include the dinner in the invitation?” Secretary Ahn hissed into her colleague’s ear.

Secretary Guk simply stood there with her mouth open.

Secretary Ahn elbowed her friend, but the other secretary just looked at her helplessly. Jooheon narrowed his already thin eyes as he assessed his assistant like a lie detector, but he didn’t say anything further.

“There are a lot of people here,” mused Hoseok to Hyungwon.

Men and women clustered around tables—and soju—many with their drinks stilled in hand as they spied their bosses’ bosses. There were faces the vice chairmen recognized from their various departments, but there were just as many they didn’t, lower level managers and assistants too far down the totem pole for them to have met. No doubt Director Ortega knew them all by name.

Past the honeycomb of booths, at the head of the room, there was a packed dance floor, though once again, the revelry seemed frozen as though by a curse. Everyone watched the seven overlords.

As distracting as it all was, it couldn’t distract from the party’s crown jewel.

Dressed in an oversized buttondown and a denim skirt, Director Ortega bounced from toe to toe in a pair of blindingly white sneakers. Her waves were full-blown curls tonight, bouncing with the beat pulsing through the speakers. Mic in hand, she belted out her third encore, a booze-saturated, warbling rendition of the chorus of Cher’s “I Got You, Babe.”

And she wasn’t alone.

On the mic next to her was a young, effervescent man who seemed to be the only one in the room who didn’t have eyes fixed anywhere other than the woman next to him on stage.

Hyunwoo hummed as he glared. “I know him…”

“Hey,” interjected Hoseok with a nudge to his elder cousin’s shoulder, “isn’t that the guy from breakfast? Mr. Helpshimself.”

The COO’s eye twitched.

“Secretary Lee!” barked Hyungwon to his assistant. “Who’s that with the Director?”

“Uh, on stage?” echoed the younger man. “Mm, I don’t know.”

“Secretary Guk,” Jooheon pressed, “do you know that man?”

She shook her head. “Sorry, sir, I don’t. Maria invited him.”

The vice chairman glowered, and the secretary crumbled.

“Er, Director Ortega invited him, but I can find out?”

“Immediately,” he insisted.

Secretary Guk scampered away toward one of the HR managers who hadn’t moved so much as a muscle since the vice chairmen had strolled in, but if the paralyzed look in his eyes was any indication, he wanted nothing to do with her.

Meanwhile, Kihyun huffed. “A man nobody seems to know is dueting with Director Ortega?”

The secretaries shifted uncomfortably even as two voices, one rich in bass and the other ripe with alcohol, stampeded through the silence like a pair of frolicking elephants. Secretaries One and Two cast worried glances back at their director, who was beaming lopsidedly at the handsome fellow who was hamming it up on his knees now, hand reaching up toward Maria.

“Now, Secretary Guk!” Jooheon called back.

His assistant scurried back with her head bowed and said, “Manager Cho believes his name is Intern Wong Kunhang.”

Secretary One hummed. “Oh, that’s Intern Wong? I think I heard he was brought on to the Purchasing Department from our Macau division a month or two ago.”

“Hm,” hummed Changkyun. “What’s an intern doing at a senior level director’s going-away party?”

Secretary Guk’s head dipped a little lower. “Apparently, I had heard correctly. The Director invited him personally. He wasn’t on our executives list, sir.”

As the vice chairmen stared green-eyed at the stage, the director and her partner finished the last lines of the song with breathless laughs.

Maria bent back into a light stretch as she caught her breath, and when she straightened, she squinted out into the eerily calm party room. Gone was the soju-greased dance party, noisy conversation and uproarious laughter, replaced instead by an ambient background soundtrack and muffled parties in nearby rooms.

“Why is nobody dancing?” Maria complained as she looked around the crowded club of stricken guests.

“Hey, no worries. I can fix that. I have a song that will get them going,” assured Kunhang. He shuffled through the playlist for a minute as he added over his shoulder, “What do you think about—”

Just then though, the young man was yanked by his wrist toward the edge of the stage where his direct supervisor, Supervisor Qian glared at him with imploring eyes. “No more encores, Intern Wong.”

“Ah, come on! It's the Director's big day. If she wants another song—”

But the supervisor shook his head vehemently. “I'm doing this for your own good, Intern Wong. Hurry up off the stage now, come on. I’ll give you money for a cab. Go home early and safely.”

“Are you nuts? I’m not leaving yet. Maria invited me personally.”

Supervisor Qian slapped his hand over the intern’s mouth and hissed, “Do you want to lose your job the same month you got it? Stop talking for once, Intern Wong, and go!”

The supervisor yanked his subordinate down the steps, leaving Maria squinting alone into the haze ahead of her.

“Hyeongseo!” she shouted into the hushed crowd. “Hyeongseoie! Where are you?”

Secretary Kim, Vice Chairman Lee Hoseok’s personal assistant and Maria's best friend in the company, turned to Secretary Ahn and hissed, “Fix this, Minha!”

She raced to her friend’s aid on stage, leaving Vice Chairman Lee Minhyuk’s assistant gasping like a fish in front of the heads of the whole company.

“Uh,” Secretary Ahn began hesitantly, “sirs, maybe you would like to meet us later for some barbecue across the street? Everyone will be more presentable in a half hour, especially with some food in their bellies.”

“Why?” asked Hoseok. “We’re already here.”

Minhyuk cocked his head to the side, his warm blonde hair feathering across his forehead as he did. “It seems Secretary Ahn is trying to get rid of us.”

“Not at all, sir!” she squealed as she waved her hands. “It’s just that maybe noraebang is a little noisy and chaotic for leaders of your caliber who are used to quiet offices and boardrooms.”

“She means you’re bringing down the vibe,” came a voice from behind Jooheon followed by a pair of hands clapping on his shoulders.

“Jackson!” said the startled vice chairman. “What are you doing here?”

“Maria invited me,” he said with a cheeky smile that got even cheekier the more flustered the rest of vice chairmen grew. “I’m surprise she invited you.”

Kihyun sucked his teeth as assessed the president, who downed the shot in his hand with a grin on his face. “Having a good time I take it, President Wang?”

“It was a party, so I was.”

“Was a party?” questioned Hoseok.

“Until seven wet blankets dampened the mood.”

Kihyun pursed his lips now. “The soju seems to have loosened your lips.”

With a nod to the stage, Jackson replied, “It does have that reputation, yeah. If I were you, I’d by worried about the number one consumer of soju here tonight. When she sees you, you’re done…”

“How the hell did they find me!”

Though there was no mistaking the clear outrage, the seven vice chairmen had a hard time believing the voice was that of their esteemed, reliable, punctual, efficient, unwavering Director Ortega.

And yet one glance to the stage, where the director stood, arms flung wide and eyes blasted open as she challenged Secretary Kim, left no doubt it was the legend herself.

“Hm,” said Jackson, “I’m going to need a beer and a front row seat for this. Good luck, sirs.”

With that, the President of Operations disappeared into the crowd of fish faces all watching and waiting for what came next.

They didn’t have to wait long.

The director took the stairs remarkably well considering the booze counteracting her anger, but then purpose had always driven every move Maria Ortega had ever made. She headed straight for her seven moving targets. Several of the vice chairmen took a step back, huddling ever so slightly behind the wall of Hyunwoo and Hoseok.

They barely recognized the woman they’d seen nearly every day for years. Though her fine spray of freckles still dusted her face and neck, it was harder to make out under her heavy rose flush. Her ever-alert eyes were hard and narrow, and even though she was swaying as she planted her feet wide, her hands found a brand new home on her hips, giving her small stature the hulk of a professional wrestler.

“Director—” began Hyunwoo, but she waved him off instantly.

“Apologies, your highnesses, I know I’ve given you four years of contradictory evidence, but this is my night off,” she declared briskly. “Your offices are two streets down and around the corner.”

“Director Ortega—” tried Hoseok now, but she cut him off, too, with a shake of her head.

There was no sign of their perennial diplomatic as she ordered, “You should go. All of you.”

“But why?” said Jooheon in a blatant whine.

“We just got here,” insisted Hyungwon.

Maria scoffed. “Oh, I know. You’ve flatlined the mood.”

“I’ve never been accused of such a thing,” Minhyuk swore.

“Look!” she said and swung her arm toward the door, where a pair of coworkers were slinking out until her voice immobilized them in the doorway. “People are already leaving because they don’t want seven spoiled brats lording over their good time.”

“Brats?” said Hyungwon.

“Spoiled?” Kihyun balked, too. “We’re not spoiled.”

Another scoff. Maria scowled as she said, “I’ve never seen silver spoons lodged farther down throats. And now no one is going to want to have a good time with me because they don’t want you brats to fire them.”

“Somehow President Wang still has his job,” Jooheon shouted to Jackson, who was sitting cross-legged at one of the nearby booths, beer in hand.

With a sigh this time, Maria said resignedly, “What are you even doing here?”

“We’re here to celebrate you,” said Changkyun.

“Because we care about you,” Hyungwon added.

Maria’s eyes shifted to the Chief Sustainability Officer. Her face fixed on an expression too foreign for her face.

A beat passed. Then another.

Her lips parted. Before she could respond though, the puppy-eyed intern appeared at the director’s side, a tail practically wagging behind him. He rested his fingertips on her forearm, and her attention shifted to the young man.

 “Sorry about that, Maria. Supervisor Qian thought I was too drunk to stay or something, but considering he's already six shots in, I figured he wasn't one to judge. Oh, hey!” The intern pivoted on his foot and smiled at the seven stone-faced men across from him. “You must be the vice chairmen. It's nice to meet you, Your Excellencies.”

Kunhang bowed and rose with two high eyebrows and a toothy grin.

“Your Excellencies?” Hyungwon said flatly.

The intern nodded. “I hear you're the seven princes of Xtra Mile, at least, that’s what everyone in the office says.”

“And we hear that you’re from our Macau office,” said Hoseok.

“Yes, sir.”

Hyunwoo’s jaw flexed. “Do you miss Macau, Intern Wong?”

Maria narrowed her eyes, but Kunhang simply shrugged his shoulders and his mouth. “I did at first, but I’ve gotten pretty used to things here now. I really love Seoul so far.”

“That’s no reason to stay,” Jooheon added quickly.

“Internships run their course,” agreed Hyungwon.

With a tilt of his head, the intern smiled brightly. “I’ve got a good feeling about this one.”

“You shouldn’t. Maybe you should head out before your job—” grumbled Kihyun before Maria stepped between the factions, her back to the vice chairmen.

“Kunhang, Secretary Lee needs a drink. Why don’t you two have one together for now?” she suggested as she spun the younger man back toward the stage.

“Okay, but we’re still doing another song to wake up these zombies, right?”

Maria nodded and sent him off, and when she swiveled back to her bosses, albeit teetering slightly, gone was her gentle smile.

“I invited Kunhang,” she asserted, “and I want him to stay. You have no authority to order my guests to leave.”

“Actually, we own 51 percent of this—”

Hyunwoo gave a discreet punch to Minhyuk’s side to shut him up, but it had about as much impact as a car accident. While the blonde cradled his gut, Maria glared.

“You're not the bosses of my party! In fact, you're not even my bosses anymore.”

“We are for the next month,” Kihyun reminded.

“Hey, Two!” the director shouted over her shoulder. “Clear that back booth for me please. I’m putting these seven children in time-out until they can learn to play well with others.”

An audible gasp circulated through the room along with one very inebriated giggle somewhere in the back that was quickly silenced. The vice chairmen stood there dumbfounded as their secretaries nervously followed their director’s instructions and shooed away partygoers from the back corner where a C-shaped booth lurked in the neon shadows. The table cleared, and Maria thrust her arm forward and instructed, “Sit.”

They did.

Another pair of guests seized the distraction and made a break for the exit, but the director trumpeted, “Nobody leaves until everyone’s had a good time!”

“Woohoo!” Kunhang cheered from halfway across the room. He was the only respondent though the escapees did retreat back to their tables.

“Can’t we talk about this?” Hyunwoo said in his usual steady tone.

Maria shook her head. “Your lordships talk to much as it is. Sit here and be quiet for once.”

Kihyun hummed. “Director Ortega, I think you’ve had a bit to drink. Maybe—”

“Psh, I’m not nearly drunk enough for this conversation.”

Jooheon let out a resentful sigh as he scrunched his nose and challenged, “We really did come to support you.”

But Maria swept her pointer finger from end to end of the rainbow of vice chairmen and barked, “Pinches egoístas! Todo lo que hacen en tomar y tomar! ¿Y que obtengo a cambio? ¡Solo molestias! Y ni siquiera me pueden dejar en paz. Hijos de puta.”

“That didn’t sound great,” Hoseok said with a grimace at Minhyuk.

Hyunwoo cleared his throat and started, “Director—”

“Nn-nn, no. No, no. I'm so sick of that name. That's the only name I've heard for the last 762 years.” Kihyun and Hyungwon exchanged looks at her embellishment, but the woman didn’t notice as she continued, “I have a real name, a person name not a job name. Okay?”

“Okay,” said Minhyuk with a lopsided smile.

“It's Maria. It's a pretty name. It was my mother’s name and my great-grandmother's name. Isn't it pretty? Maria. Say it.”

“Maria,” said Hyungwon slowly, testing it out.

But she surprised him when she launched across the table, both of her hands clamping over his thick lips. “Shh! Not you! Shh!”

“Why not me?” he grumbled behind her fingers, but she shook her head vehemently.

“Why are you so loud?”

“Loud?” Kihyun chuckled with a furrowed brow as he turned toward his half-brother. “You’re not loud. I can barely decipher half the mumblings that come out of your mouth. Maria, do you mean the music’s loud?”

“Not loud enough!” she shouted.

“Maria,” repeated Hyungwon, softer this time, but she plugged her ears then and shook her head.

“I said it's too loud. Shh! You call me Director Ortega.”

The silver-haired vice chairman scowled at his half-brother as he folded his arms across his broad chest. “Why can’t I say it… He just did.”

The director narrowed her eyes at the vice chairmen and said, “I’m going back to get drunk like I deserve for the first time in ages, and you are not ruining that yet again, got it? Hopefully I’ll forget you were even here.”

“How long do we have to sit here?” Jooheon griped.

Maria folded her arms. “You act like children, I treat you like children. You stay here until you learn your lesson.”

Changkyun laid a hand on his dimpled cousin’s shoulder before took the lead and said, “We came here to talk to you, Maria.”

“Well, I came here to party because it’s my party, and I’m not talking. I’m partying.”

She turned around, but before she could take three steps, Hoseok blurted, “What are we supposed to do?”

Over her shoulder, she answered, “You’re in timeout. You don’t do anything… unless you decide to leave. You want to reconsider?”

None of the men moved, save Kihyun and Hyungwon crossing their arms in unison in an unexpected reminder that they shared some genes.

Maria huffed. “Fine. The only way you’re getting up from this table is if you leave or you join in.”

“What does that mean?” asked Minhyuk.

“Seriously? You drink and you sing duets or you get out. There's no way I'm letting you stone sober tyrants hold anything over my secretaries after I'm gone. ¿Te quedó claro? Drink and sing or get out.”

“Is that all? I can do that,” the Chief Product Officer said with a smile and presented his hand. “Will you do me the honors of singing with me?”

Maria cackled, and all seven men froze at the unfamiliar sound. “With you, Mr. Lee Minhyuk? Oh, no way.”

“You’ll sing with an intern but not with us?” Hyungwon pointed out tightly.

“That’s the easy way out,” she countered, “and I've spent way too much of my life by each of your sides already. No, you have to sing with each other.”

“With each other?” they exclaimed as a united front for once.

Maria cocked an eyebrow and a hip and stared them down. “If you've got the guts. If not, there’s the door.”

With that, Maria returned to her party, stole a snack from a nearby table, and bellowed out a war cry for the party to continue. With the help of Intern Wong’s impromptu DJing and the out-of-sight, out-of-mind vice chairmen, most guests were swaying and drinking again, this time with much more moderation.

That is until everyone got the surprise of their lives.

Just as Manager Gong of the marketing department finished her off-key solo performance of XG’s “New Dance,” two sharp silhouettes climbed the stairs to the stage, and once they’d selected their song, they turned around and stepped into the lights.

Minhyuk and Kihyun each grabbed a mic and waited to catch up to the beat of TVXQ’s “Spellbound”. At the first notes out of their mouths, a couple shot glasses fell to the floor, but it was nothing to the number of jaws that followed.

“My god,” murmured Secretary One, “they could be idols. How did I not know Vice Chairmen Yoo could sing like this? I see him all day every day!”

“I didn’t know they could sing either!” said Secretary Kwon. “Did you, Maria?”

A rice cake now sagging in her hand, the director couldn’t even find the strength to shake her head as her two bosses prowled the stage looking like they’d always belonged up there. They’d shed their suit jackets in favor of their dress shirts, each having rolled their sleeves up to their forearms, which was more skin than Maria had ever seen them show in all their years together. As they glided across the floor, their buttons winked in the spotlights, taunting the woman who’d been so confident up to that very moment that she’d known everything about them.

“This feels like a concert!” one of the managers screamed over the music.

“I can’t believe we get to see this for free!” shouted another.

“Why do they have to be good at everything they do?” bemoaned yet another.

“Feels like they’re singing to you, Maria,” whispered Hyeongseo into her friend’s ear.

“Hush,” the director said because it was all she could manage.

She was too caught up in the two men, ever at odds with one another, harmonizing so effortlessly over the effervescent melody. Minhyuk was definitely the bigger ham of the two, swaying back and forth like a jazz cat with equal cool. Kihyun, on the other hand, had a way of stroking the mic that was so dizzying, it left Maria wondering how much of the room’s spinning was just the alcohol coursing through her now-racing blood.

“They’re even dancing in sync? They have moves?” Secretary Lee exclaimed at their little dance break, eyes bugging out of his skull.

Their performance ended all too quickly, and once again, the club room was silent. The two vice chairmen stood on stage, chests heaving, sweat beading on their brows, expressions tight.

Nobody bothered to hit the artificial applause since the real thing erupted from every corner, including whoops and hollers and chants for an encore. Their bosses merely bowed and made their escape from the limelight toward their mandated timeout, but not before taking a very particular route past their dumbstruck director.

As he blew past her, Kihyun lifted both brows in a challenge, and then the pair was gone… only to be replaced on stage by Hyunwoo and Hoseok.

“There’s more?” said one guest.

“Are they all going to perform? Oh my god,” exclaimed another.

The two largest members of Xtra Mile’s boardroom hiked the stairs to the stage as the applause finally dwindled for the last performance. Maria barely had time enough to process what had just happened in when the first percussive notes of Shinee’s “1 of 1” began.

Hoseok took the lead in the song, his voice sweet and melodic and his lisp clinging to the lyrics, before his cousin picked up the retro beats and flavored them with his own surprisingly lustrous RnB tone.

“These song choices, oh my god,” gasped Secretary Ahn.

“How am I going to go back to work on Monday?” Secretary Kwon lamented as she watched her boss reach his hand out toward them, his voice straining with a high note. Dreamily, she reached back, and Secretary Kim swatted her arm down.

“You’re embarrassing yourself, Haeun!”

“Probably,” Secretary Kwon whimpered, entranced.

“Is it just me,” said Secretary Lee, “or are all these about Maria?”

“I told you,” Hyeongseo sing-songed.

Abruptly, each of the secretaries turned toward the director, who waved them off. “You gossip just as much as ever, Yujun, which always adds fuel to Hyeongseo’s fire. Cut it out, both of you. They’re just showing off. When do they not? Pack of jerks, trying to make me feel bad about having a good time.”

Only then, as the weight of her bosses’ gazes bore down on her from the stage, did Maria realize she hadn’t had a drink since the vice chairmen had stormed in, and, resentfully, she grabbed for a shot glass. But the second she brought it to her lips, it stilled, and nothing she could do could tip it back.

“Damn them,” she cursed under her breath as she slammed the glass back down. “Can’t even get drunk anymore even though I don’t work here anymore.”

But with every cell she sobered up, Maria was more and more aware of how smooth her bosses were on stage, how natural and comfortable they looked under a spotlight, and how enticingly they sang into a mic. It wasn’t fair, and it just amplified her resentment.

“Hey, girl, you all right?” Hyeongseo asked her friend.

“Pack of jerks,” Maria muttered even as Hoseok stared straight into her soul with sparkling eyes.

Finally, the duo finished their serenade, bowed to the crowd and again to their director, and then hurried off stage to make way for Hyungwon, Jooheon, and Changkyun.

“Not again,” the director groaned and Hyeongseo rubbed her back.

“Worried they’re going to be as impressive as the first two duets?”

“I thought they’d leave. I didn’t expect them to take me up on it. Why didn’t I make them leave?”

Vice Chairman Yoo’s secretary quirked a finely plucked brow. “Seems like they’re figuring out what it means to lose you. I wonder what they’d say if they knew the real reason you’re leaving.”

Maria hissed, “I’ll throw you out, too, One!”

“Aera! Hey, Aera!” whispered Secretary Lee to Secretary Guk, who could barely tear her eyes from her boss, Jooheon, as the dimpled man centered himself behind a mic. “Aera, other than a boardroom, have you ever seen the three of them together?”

“Vice Chairman Lee looks so handsome…” she murmured with dimples that matched her superior’s. Her colleague swatted his hand in front of her face, and she blinked and snapped, “What do you want, Yujun?”

“I asked you a question!”

“Shh!” she said, ignoring him. “We’re witnessing history, and I’m not missing a second of it.”

Secretary Lee rolled his eyes, but his fellow assistant was right. The whole room could feel it, even the transfixed director.

“They can't possibly be a skilled as the other vice chairmen, can they?” asked Secretary Two.

A familiar throwback beat bumped out of the speakers, and Hyeongseo’s eyes glided to the director as Shinhwa’s “Perfect Man” emphatically kickstarted.

“Don’t,” Maria warned her friend.

Hyeongseo grinned as cartoonishly as an emoji.

Hyungwon took control of the opening lines with his raspy vocals, which melted right into Changkyun’s chocolate murmuring and, finally, Jooheon’s power serenading. Before anyone knew it, the latter two were trading some of the fastest, smoothest rap lines anyone in the company had ever heard.

“They can rap?” squealed Secretary Ahn as she pressed harder against the edge of the stage. “I take back what I said. Thank god your big mouth invited them, Aera.”

If Secretary Guk heard the praise, it took a backseat to the tidal wave of senses bearing down on them from the stage as the three men harmonized in ways not a soul in Xtra Mile could have ever anticipated. They shared lines just as easily as they shared the spotlight, and when they joined voices in the chorus, hearts stopped.

“They're not treating this like noraebang,” marveled Hyeongseo. “They're acting like they're on Music Bank.”

“What a pity they hate each other,” shouted Secretary Kwon over the music. “Imagine if they cut a record together.”

Secretary Lee wrapped one arm around the director and another around Hyeongseo as he muscled in between for a better look of his boss on stage. “I am never letting Vice Chairman Chae live this done. Never. And here I always thought Maria would be the one to bring them together. Who knew it would be music?”

“Who said it isn’t Maria?” said Jackson, who appeared at the director’s other shoulder. His mouth hovered by her ear as he added, “You did tell them to perform after all.”

“‘Cause you are the one!” came the line from the three performers, this time borderline shouted down on the crowd—maybe, more specifically, one President of Operations.

Maria looked up and away from Jackson, though not with stars in her eyes as the rest of the crowd did, but rather with crossed arms and a hard expression.

Hyeongseo shook her friend’s bicep. “Not even a smile? They’re singing right to you, babe. Damn, Maria, I really underestimated how pissed you are at them.”

But the director wasn't pissed. She was in shock.

She looked around at her colleagues, now flush with the stage, hands reaching up, cheering and squealing, all hoping for a crumb of attention from men Maria had only ever seen drink coffee, read reports, and micromanage every second of her day.

Now they were commanding a stage like they owned that, too.

So maybe she was more than a little angry after all.

They had it in them all along to get along, so why the hell had she been stretched thinner than watercolor on an oversized canvas all these years?

The trio’s performance wound down, and the men left the stage the same as the others—abruptly and with little attention for the fanfare that was being ladled on them from the audience. They retreated to their timeout and sat in the same order that they’d been assigned when Maria had sent them there.

“How am I going to go back to the office on Monday knowing what I know...” Secretary Guk said as she stared back heart-eyed at her boss.

“You’d better stay in your lane, Guk Aera,” admonished Secretary Two. “Remember what happened to Secretary Lee Gahyun? She asked out Vice Chairman Im one time, and she was gone the next day. You have to stay as professional as Director Ortega or you’ll be on the job market in no time.”

“I know! I’m just saying it’s going to be so hard. A girl could get lost in Vice Chairman Lee’s dimples…”

“Great,” said Secretary One, “we’re going to be filling two positions this week.”

“A lot to think about, Director Ortega,” Jackson began with a playful look to the woman beside him. “Seems our esteemed Vice Chairmen set out to make an impression. I wonder if it worked.”

Maria gritted her teeth, shook off the two men’s arms around her, and stormed toward the back of the club, every guest’s attention once again pressing down on them. She threw her hands back on her hips and thundered, “Are you happy?”

“Are you?” asked Kihyun.

“We did it for you,” added Hoseok.

“Did you like our performances?” Jooheon wondered. “How did I do specifically?”

Maria sighed. “What was the point of all that, huh? Did you think it would make me stay?”

“No,” said Hyunwoo.

“Yes,” said Minhyuk.

All at once, the director stood there, her shoulders unusually slumped and her round face fallen. “Thank you for coming to my going away party, sirs. You’ve certainly made it unforgettable.”

“Maria!” Kihyun said. “Wait.”

But Minhyuk shook his head. “She’s right, guys.”

With that, the CPO clambered over his relatives’ laps to get out of the booth, breezed past the director, and hurried to the stage which was still empty since they’d had yet to find anyone brave enough to follow the vice chairmen’s acts.

“All right, everyone,” declared Minhyuk into the mic. “Did you enjoy the performances?”

“Yes, sir!” came the universal cheer.

“Great, and did you have fun?”

“Yes!”

“Wonderful, wonderful. Should we add noraebang to our company picnic this year?” he asked.

The cheers were even more forceful now. “Yes, yes!”

“Ah, perfect. That’s great news. Now for the bad news.” Minhyuk smiled down at his employees, bowing and nodding and making his typical spectacle of himself.

Boos that could only come with the conviction of alcohol bubbled up around the room as every last guest waited for the other shoe to drop.

“That’s a wrap on this incredible party, I’m afraid,” said the vice chairman, “but don’t worry. Your vice chairmen will work hard to ensure more things like this in the future. For now, thank you all for supporting our dear Director and making her night unforgettable.”

“Hey, wait, no—” Maria protested, but when she swiveled about the room to address her guests, she found Hoseok and Changkyun holding open the doors to the hallway and waiting like bouncers.

“As you are all still representing Xtra Mile right now, we want to ensure your night ends well,” boomed Vice Chairman Son now from the back of the room. “To that end, we have a fleet of drivers waiting at the ready out there who will take you all home safely.”

“All of us?” shouted someone in the crowd.

“All of you,” Kihyun promised.

“Except you,” Hyungwon said solemnly.

Everyone followed his hard gaze back to Intern Wong, who looked at his boss’s boss’s boss with wide eyes over the lip of his shot glass.

“You walk home,” Jooheon agreed.

“Ah, ah,” corrected Minhyuk from the stage. “My brother is joking. There’s a seat for you in my car. Have a safe trip home, Intern Wong.”

“Why would you—” Jooheon barked before Minhyuk cut him off with a smile and a knowing look.

“As we all know, Maria wants us to see all her guests home well, especially the ones she personally invited…”

Their attention slid over to the director, who was watching her superior just as carefully.

Jooheon looked back at the bewildered intern and said begrudgingly, “Get home safely, Intern Wong.”

“Aw, is the party really over?” asked Manager Cho.

“It is if the Vice Chairmen say it is,” Supervisor Qian answered and picked up his intern by the collar.

“Hey, wait!” Kunghang objected, feet skidding beneath him as he was compelled forward. “I wanted to say goodnight to the Director!”

“I’m sure you did. Come on, our free ride is waiting, Intern Wong.”

Kunhang’s puppy eyes pleaded forgiveness of Maria as he waved and shouted goodnights even as his supervisor dragged him bodily out of the room. Over his shoulder, he shouted, “Don’t forget to text me when you get home so I know you got there safely!”

Hyungwon and Jooheon rolled their eyes as the rest of the guests began to leave while the secretaries started reining in the wake of chaos in the room. For her part, Maria cleaned up one of the bottles of soju by downing it straight from the mouth. No booze had ever tasted more satisfying.

“I can’t believe you threw out all my guests,” she said bitterly.

Minhyuk shrugged. “I just followed your lead, Maria. You were the one who said the night was over.”

The director grunted and thumped the empty bottle back on the table. “I was throwing you out, not them.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time we misunderstood something.”

Maria narrowed her eyes. “Yes, but I get the feeling that was intentional rather than accidental.”

“Feelings are not enough for a court of law,” Kihyun interjected with a hooked grin, and she sighed.

“There are forty-some people here. How are you going to get them all home?”

Jooheon beamed at her. “Limos seat eight. It’ll be fine.”

“You brought seven limos to a noraebang?” she exclaimed.

“Well, we weren’t going to ride together,” Hyungwon informed matter-of-factly.

The director sighed and collapsed onto a couch, her head lolling back as she closed her eyes. “You have no idea how much I miss your grandfather. He was mature. He was respectful. He was grateful.”

“We’re not grateful?” Hoseok said with a protruding bottom lip.

“No! You’re none of those things.”

“I resent that,” said Kihyun.

“I don’t care. What else am I supposed to think? You’re the same people made me leave family events half a world away to wait on you.”

“That was Hyungwon!”

The silver-haired vice chairman went to bite back, but the director did it for him. She squared up to Kihyun and, tongue loosened by alcohol, blurted, “You’re better? Really? I was seconds away from getting laid for the first time since the Ice Age when you texted me, what was it, 17 times? The guy thought I was married and bolted.”

A bottle clattered to the floor, and everyone turned to find President Wang standing there sheepishly with eyes big as marbles just as the rest of the secretaries were.

“Jackson? I thought we kicked you out, too,” growled Jooheon. “You are definitely walking home.”

“Aw, come on, man. You owe me for—”

“Out!” the CMO snapped.

The president hurried out with all seven secretaries in tow, each one giving Maria their own version of an embarrassed grimace, and once the procession of mortification was gone, she was left to stew in the horror of her last admission. She had to divert attention immediately.

“There’s no point in asking me to stay, sirs,” she said as assertively and professionally as her tipsy state would allow.

“You already took another job?” Hoseok said, the disappointment in his voice clear as glass.

Maria shook her head. “No. No, I need time away from an office. I need somewhere to clear my head.”

Hyunwoo raised both eyebrows. “You're taking a vacation?”

The director remained silent.

Kihyun pressed his sharply bowed lips together as he narrowed his eyes. “You're moving back home?”

More silence.

“To America!” The other six shouted in unison.

“You can’t,” Hoseok insisted.

“Of course I can. You don’t own me, contrary to what you seven seem to believe.”

“That’s not it!” protested Jooheon. “Give us a chance to prove it to you. We’ll lighten your workload. We’ll give you more time off. We won’t spring meetings on you. Just don’t leave, please.”

“Dios mío, dame fuerzas! Listen, sirs, it’s nice of you to come and show your sincerity, I mean it, and I appreciate your generosity, I really do, but my resignation is about so much more than that.” Maria took a deep breath then said, “Working for your family, I’ve accomplished more than most in my life, and I’m proud of that, but there’s one thing that my career has kept me from accomplishing, and that’s become absurdly clear since my sister’s wedding.”

“The wedding Hyungwon kept you from enjoying?” Kihyun needled, but before Hyungwon could volley back, Maria slapped her hands down on the booth as effectively as across their faces.

“Why can’t you boys just get along? It would have made my job so much easier if I didn’t have to spend as much time translating foreign languages for you as I did translating messages between you. Some days, it’s more like running a daycare than it is a multibillion-dollar company.”

“Ouch,” mumbled Hoseok.

“On that trip… What did you learn, Maria?” Hyunwoo redirected gently.

Her head lolled to the side. “What’s the point of explaining? You’re all just going to argue and lob blame at one another. I’d rather we just end it here, sirs, and you can all blame each other without me having to embarrass myself.”

“We can’t fix things if we don’t know what the problem is,” the COO insisted.

“You can’t fix them even if you do.”

“You don’t know that,” said Changkyun softly.

The director shook her head. “I do, sir. This isn’t something that can be fixed by seven executives.”

“We have resources,” Minhyuk insisted, his finger stabbing a table with every word. “We have a whole company at your disposal. There’s nothing that we can’t get you.”

“You can’t get me a husband, and you sure as hell can’t get me laid.”

Maria covered her mouth, but it was too late. The damage was done, and this time, there was no one there to distract from it.

“So it’s true…” murmured Hyungwon.

“No! Oh no… See! I knew it!” she bellowed and covered her face with her hands. “Everyone in the company knows the sad fate of poor, pathetic Maria Ortega. How humiliating. Over a decade of professionalism, and I’ve cannonballed it in a few days.”

“That's not true,” Kihyun reassured.

“Obviously it is. No wonder everyone was so eager to congratulate me on quitting. Maria Ortega, the cautionary tale for career driven women. She thought success was enough, but the moment she finds out she has no one to share it with, she realizes that the world now cruelly thinks she’s too old for love.”

“Horseshit,” Hyunwoo bit with uncharacteristic ferocity.

The director slumped over, forearms on her knees. “It doesn’t matter if it is or it isn’t. Spinster is still a word in people’s vocabulary. I’ve aged out of most of my prospects. Men aren’t looking to start a life with a woman at 38.”

“I saw that line of admirers this morning,” the honey-haired COO reminded. “You were turning down offers right and left.”

“It’s not at all what you think, sir.”

“It was,” Hoseok asserted. “Those hopeful, lovestruck looks are unmistakable.”

She closed her eyes and grimaced as she flashed back through the last couple years of disasters. “You all should know better than anyone that a salesman knows just what to do to close a deal before he moves to the next more profitable town.”

“That can’t be true,” insisted Minhyuk. “No one could say no to you.”

Maria belted out a bitter laugh, then another, until it suddenly became a strand of ironic giggles over the persistent hum of the speaker static. “Are you kidding me? It’s your favorite word for me and my personal life. You are the seven kings of the word. It’s the only other thing you have in common.”

“Impossible,” asserted Kihyun.

“When have I ever told you no?” Minhyuk challenged.

“That’s not—” began Hyungwon, but he was cut off by Maria.

“‘Vice Chairman Yoo, please keep me off the schedule Friday evening.’” In a gravelly voice, she continued, “‘Director Ortega, you know I need you to assist me with all acquisitions. It’s expected. We’re finalizing the Usagi Electronics deal. This is the most vital time. It can’t be completed without you.’”

“Hey—” said Kihyun, but again, she cut him off.

“‘Vice Chairman Im, I have important plans this Saturday, so please—'

“‘Director Ortega, please take this job more seriously. You know this morning we were invited to dine with President Park. You don’t say no to President Park.’

In a deeper mimic, she continued, “‘See you on Sunday, Director Ortega.’

“‘But, Vice Chairman Son, I told you I have—'

“‘See you Sunday.’” She closed her little play with Hyunwoo’s trademark tight-lipped, cheeky bear smile before she returned to herself with an exhausted sigh. “You have no idea how difficult it is to live a real life when you have seven superiors who demand your full attention all the time. In all the years I’ve served you, I’ve never seen Gyeongbokgung Palace, I haven’t visited the top of N Seoul Tower, I haven’t hiked Inwangsan. Hell, I haven’t seen a movie since your grandfather retired! Do you know how much I love movies? Now, I can’t even watch them at home because I pass out before they reach the halfway point. You tell me if that’s fair, sirs.”

“We didn’t think of it like that,” mumbled Hyungwon.

“I know. You didn’t think of me at all. It’s always the job first—the title first—and that goes for me, too. My career was the most important thing to me for the longest time. Now that I’ve gotten everything I’ve ever wanted for myself, I found I’m missing more than I realized. And I can’t even make it to one measly blind date.”

“What’s so great about a blind date anyway?” Hoseok challenged. “They��re all out-of-shape bald guys who make you pay for your own coffee.”

Despite herself, Maria couldn’t stifle her chuckle. “What’s wrong with bald guys? You keep bleaching your hair platinum, and you might be bald soon, too, sir.”

The Chief Security Officer groped his own head as he floundered, “Back me up, guys.”

Though he’d been quiet most of the evening, save for his devastating performance on stage, Changkyun propped both elbows on the table, leaned forward, his sly eyes hiding innumerable secrets, and said, “Maybe it’s time to consider alternative avenues.”

“What do you mean…” she asked warily.

“The shortest distance between two points. Have you ever considered that, while you may not know what you’re walking into on a blind date, you do know each of us… Better than anyone, I imagine..”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, so this is how you pitch me to keep my job?”

Changkyun shook his head. “Not at all. My suggestion is simple. Why don’t you date us instead?”

Everyone’s heads whipped toward the youngest vice chairman along with a chorus of “What!”

It didn’t seem to faze him.

“Forgive my brother, Maria,” Jooheon bumbled as he nudged the chocolate-haired vice chairman hard in the ribs. “He uses his status as youngest too liberally.”

“That’s not it,” Changkyun insisted. “I’m serious.”

The director’s hands raced through her rapidly frizzing bob as her eyes searched the shadows for spot to steady her mental tailspin. “Okay. Okay, so it’s just Vice Chairman Im who’s clearly wasted then.”

“Well…” Hyunwoo said slowly. “Maybe my youngest cousin has a point.”

Maria threw her hands up. “Vice Chairman Son, too?”

“Ugh,” groused Jooheon, “you’ve asked us to drop the honorifics but you won’t? Since we’re not coworkers anymore, it’s not necessary.”

“It feels weird not to,” she said.

“Just because it feels weird doesn’t mean it is,” Changkyun countered.

Something in the youngest’s tone warned her not to trust the dark cast in his eyes.

Hyungwon caught her gaze next, and Maria froze, feeling every bit the startled rabbit she imagined she looked to be. The man always had the unique ability to stun her despite how often he managed to look like a person five minutes shy of a cozy nap. He dipped his head down, his lips jutting with his chin, as he asked, “You've never once thought about what it would be like to be with us?”

Maria scrambled to find her bearings, but it was pointless, especially with all the liquor still burning holes in her defenses. As assertively as she could, she said, “It wouldn't matter even if I had.”

“Does that mean you have?” Jooheon said, shooting forward.

The director frantically waved him back. She longed for another shot, but like so much else in her life, it seemed out of reach. She mumbled, “Did you all plan this blindside?”

“I swear to you this is the first we’re hearing it,” said Kihyun with his hand up, “but that doesn’t mean we haven’t been thinking it for a long time.”

The director shook her head. “Not possible. You have to have an angle. You’re businessmen; you always do. You think I'm so desperate and hopeless that I need to date my bosses?”

“Yes?” wondered Minhyuk.

“No!” interjected Changkyun while he glared at his cousin as his other cousin, Hoseok, whacked the blonde on the back of the head. “I’m not suggesting you stay and work for us. I’m suggesting you give us each a chance to prove to you that we’re all like you. We’re all struggling to catch up to our feelings.”

“Feelings?” she said incredulously. “You can’t have feelings for a hammer or a wrench.”

Suddenly, Hyungwon reached across the table and grasped her fingers. Her eyes shot to the often solemn man and found his just as steady and serious as she found them in a boardroom. His thick lips were pressed together into a hard line as his brow furrowed. “You’ve never once—not ever—been a tool in our eyes, Maria, and I’m sorry if we’ve made you feel that way.”

The director yanked her hand away and stared at her skin as though it were burning. All these years, and she’d never touched them save for a jolt in a shared limo or straightening a tie. Maybe it wouldn’t have felt so momentous if they hadn’t all just proposed to date her.

She cradled her hand as she said, “There's not enough soju in this world to make me accept pity dates as severance from my company.”

“You've got it all wrong,” said Hoseok. “You would be the one taking pity on us.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’ve filled our lives with so many distractions that it’s distracted us from something we've known all along.”

“And what's that?” she asked, and she realized she was holding her breath.

Now it was Hyunwoo who studied the director with an intensity she’d never seen from him. Normally, he gave the appearance of constant wonder or surprise, almost like he wasn’t taking things seriously, but usually that was a ruse to throw his professional opponent off-balance. But here, Maria was practically on the floor from tonight’s whiplash, yet there were no hints of that trickery. He was looking at her with everything he had.

His eyes hooded. His voice dropped another octave. “You don't find it odd that seven men who haven't been able to agree on anything in thirty years can all agree that we can't be without you?”

“I do! Exactly,” Maria agreed wholeheartedly. “I do find that odd. But I think the conclusion I've drawn is a lot different than the one you have. Honestly, sirs, I really think you're confusing two separate issues. You don't want the person who's been doing everything for you—short of actually spoon-feeding you—to leave, but need doesn't equal love.”

Hyunwoo’s intensity didn’t let up, even at the barb. Voice as even as ever, he continued, “And I think you're afraid of the possibility that your future has always been with us.”

“Or maybe,” she said, keenly aware of how much her own voice was now shaking, “I'm afraid of the far more likely possibility that this is all some game you seven have concocted to trick me into staying. For a bunch of guys who said they didn’t plan this, with all these pretty things to say, you sure sound rehearsed.”

Kihyun, who’d been sitting closest to her, leaned in, his voice unusually deep. “Maybe that’s because we’ve each been rehearsing this for longer than you think.”

To fight the shiver racing down her spine, Maria chewed her lip aggressively.

“At least let us have the chance to prove we’re serious,” said Jooheon.

“And how do you propose to do that?”

“For starters,” Changkyun answered, “we respect your resignation. We won't pressure you to stay on as our director anymore. We’ll start interviewing candidates as soon as you find them.”

Maria popped an eyebrow. “What if I want to recommend Secretary Kim for the position?”

They all looked to Hoseok. Worry flashed across the CSO’s face for a second before he nodded slowly. “She’s an excellent assistant. I’m sure she’d be up to it.”

“She would,” Maria agreed, a relieved smile brightening her face for the first time since they’d arrived. “If she says yes, I can start training her on Monday.”

The vice chairmen couldn’t hide their shock and hesitation, but nobody dared argue it.

Again, the director found her lip between her teeth, this time coupling it with a worrying of her top button. “So, um, how would this all work? I mean, if I believed you for one second…”

“Well,” Jooheon said as she scooted a little closer on her other side, “if you believed us, we’d each like a chance to take you out.”

“There won't be any work involved,” Hoseok promised. “We're talking about dates, so we’ll keep everything out of the office.”

“You, I’m not worried about,” Maria admitted. “I can barely keep you at your desk as it is. But a few of you…”

She glared at Minhyuk, Kihyun, and Changkyun before the first butted in, “Not this time. And you won't have to plan a thing. We'll be responsible for you for a change.”

“Despite what you may think, we’ve managed to pick up a few things over the years,” Hyungwon said.

She glared sternly at them. “I’m 38. I don’t have time for boys.”

“Director Ortega—Maria,” Kihyun corrected, “we run a multibillion-dollar company. We’re not children anymore.”

“Didn’t I just put you all in time-out?” she recapped. They pouted across the board, seven undeniably handsome faces as defeated as the director had ever seen, and Maria let out a sigh. “Ugh, this conversation is making me feel uncomfortably sober. How serious are you all planning to take this charade?”

“At least as serious as you do,” said Minhyuk.

“As serious as we’ve ever taken anything,” amended Changkyun.

Maria groaned and said, “There’s no way you can play nicely with each other. How am I supposed to come out alive from this?”

“If there’s one thing to convince us to get along, it’s you, Maria,” said Hyungwon. She clutched her temples at this sound of her name in his gravelly rumble and winced.

“This is such a bad idea. What happens when it doesn’t work out with any of you? Or worse, it does work? What happens if it works really well with one of you? You can’t get along as is. Something like this… it could makes things irreconcilable.”

Minhyuk shrugged. “If you’re leaving anyway, at least you won’t have to stay for the fallout.”

“I still care,” she insisted, hands gripping the table edge. “I love Xtra Mile. I don’t want to be the reason something happens to it. You can’t promise that you’ll be okay with this.”

“You’re right,” said Hyunwoo, “we can’t, but if it isn’t already clear, we’ll do just about anything for you.”

“Even act like family,” Jooheon said with a clap on his little brother’s back beside him.

Maria glanced between her bosses, finding a thousand different reasons why this was a stupid, terrible idea, yet she found herself resisting all of those. Time stretched between the group. One minute morphed into two and then five, but it didn’t make a difference. It wasn’t changing her fate or her answer.

She chewed her lip again, but finally, she said, “I don’t know…”

“Jackson said we needed to show you our sincerity,” said Kihyun. “Please, Maria, let us.”

“You spoke to President Wang about this?” she shouted, her whole body darkening a shade. “Oh god, I can’t show my face back at the office ever again.”

“We didn’t talk to him about this!” Jooheon was quick to swear. “No one knows about this but us.”

“Hell,” said Minhyuk, “we didn’t even know before right now.”

Maria whimpered. “You better pray no one finds out or I won’t be putting you in timeout. I’ll be putting you in prison.”

The vice chairmen shared a laugh and a nod, which was more than they’d really ever shared, and the director relented to them as she had for years. Maybe it was the wrong thing to do considering where that bad habit had led her, but curiosity—and so much more—had gotten the better of her.

Come Monday, with the booze burned out of her system and her power suit back on, maybe her misgivings would get the better of her, but as Hyunwoo’s limo driver returned from dropping off the last of her guests and offered to take them all home, she didn’t refuse.

And she didn’t refuse when they insisted on piling out on her sidewalk to see her safely into her building.

She didn’t refuse when they promised to make the next month all about her.

With one final look through the glass entryway at the seven troublesome men who’d strategically commandeered her whole life for the past five years, she muttered to herself once more, “Dios mío, dame fuerzas…”

[nanaminsmoon]

Heyyy imagine rich CEO!Nanami and his spoiled gf who’s stressed in grad school and starts getting bratty in his office or with their friends or something

GIRL this took way longer than it should've because i had a little writer's block. but nanami is my favourite fictional husband and the chairman of nanaminsmooninc so i had to do him justice and i hope you like it🤭

cw: nanami kento x blackfem!reader, office sex, nami is a little brat tamer, unprotected sex, oral (f receiving), nanami ties reader up🤭, nanami calls reader; 'my love', 'dear', 'sweetheart'

wc: 3839

”keep them open”, nanami chided, as he pushed your legs further apart. tied to his office chair, you had nowhere to run so your body tried anything it could to get you away from the overwhelming pleasure his mouth was giving you. nanami kento was a man of principle, and concrete morals; austere. his life was fairly plain; his only luxury in life falling from heaven and presenting itself in the form of a grad school student he bumped into in a restaurant. you were a breath of fresh air for lungs that had been inhaling and exhaling on autopilot, just as a means of staying alive. and now, he breathed to take in your scent, as a means of feeling closer to you. he liked how different you were to him; joyful, starry-eyed, and ambitious—ready to take on the world. being the ceo of his own investment company, nanami felt like he had achieved all he wanted to, so he no longer needed to reach for the stars. as well as the fact that, with you in his life, the stars were closer to him than they had ever been.

there wasn’t a single thing he would change about you, you were perfect as you were. but that’s not to say that he didn’t do so inadvertently. see, the thing is that nanami loved to spoil you. if he could take all the good things in the world, and package them in pretty pink wrapping paper for you then he truly would. and he always made sure you knew that; ”if you want it, then it’s yours, sweetheart”, he’d tell you as you stood hand in hand in a store, looking longingly at a pair of shoes. ”i work hard so i can buy you all these pretty things”, he’d whisper onto your skin, as his lips made quick work of replacing the lingerie that had once adorned it.

his need to bring you joy through anything your heart desired had never been an issue, for either of you. until an…odd conversation with gojo and megumi took place.

”you’re too lenient with her, nanamin. sometimes you need to treat her the way you treat me”, were gojo’s words that were met with a light scoff and eyeroll from the pokerfaced blonde. before he went on to say,

“i am not, satoru. and the sky would fall before i treat y/n the way i treat you”. of course, gojo had laughed loudly in his face; both at the obvious lie at the beginning of nanami’s sentence, and the snide comment at the end of it. but nanami’s shoulders had risen and fallen in a defeated shrug, as he was far too used to satoru’s antics, and unsolicited dating advice. so he refocused his attention to the coffee in front of him. what he wasn’t used to, however, was others reaffirming gojo’s words. especially not megumi, of all people.

”i don’t agree with that last part, but you do spoil her”, he had chimed in, and nanami nearly choked on his hot drink. not because of megumi’s comment, but because of the fact that the raven-haired boy was actually agreeing with his white-haired guardian. and shock turned into food for thought at megumi’s final comment,

”she’s great. but…just look at how she is now, and think about how she was when you first met her. that’s all.”.

nanami’s chance to observe your supposed change in behaviour presented itself at a lunch you had planned for him and one of your friends. not the most comfortable socialising with those he didn’t know very well, nanami had initially declined your offer. but, after some time sat in the desk chair of his home office, with you between his legs, and his fingers painfully digging into his armrests, he had conceded. and now you were sat in a café you had seen on tiktok and had been wanting to go to for a while. nanami’s worries about conversating with someone nearly 10 years his junior disappeared quite quickly once he realised his conversation wasn’t particularly needed. you and your friend talked and giggled, silence only gracing the table when either of you had to chew your food. so far, he didn’t understand what gojo and megumi were talking about. you were still the charming, cute you he had met a year ago. but then you and your friend began discussing another friend’s birthday dinner,

”you can’t wear that”, he had heard you say, and he knew that tone of voice all too well—you weren’t saying that lightly. you were demanding it of your friend. he didn’t want to admit to himself that he was beginning to see gojo and megumi’s point, so he just listened in hopes that it was all some big misunderstanding. he almost cut a crack into his plate—too focused on the words you were saying, his body was working on its own.

”why not~?”, your friend rebutted, evidently upset. but, even still, you pressed on.

”because i’m wearing baby blue!”, your voice raised in pitch, and nanami knew something wasn’t right. so, he’d step in to calm you down.

”what’s wrong with wearing the same colour?”, he had said with a light laugh to brighten the mood, but he was met with a very serious look.

”everything, ‘nami. we can’t. the pictures won’t look nice if two of us are wearing the same colour but no one else is.”, you rolled your eyes, ”it’s either all of us wear blue, or only one of us. and that only one will be me since i’ve already picked out my outfit.”, the discussion ended there, and lunch carried on. nanami was present physically, but, mentally he was all over the place. it had to be his fault that you had developed this ’my way, or the highway’ mentality, because you were most definitely not like this when the two of you first met. but he would try his best to hush those thoughts, and the three of you would finish your lunch (which he would pay for) before going your separate ways.

you had always been his sweet girl, so obviously he wanted to just give you the benefit of the doubt. but that became increasingly difficult when you came skipping into his office after your last class.

“nami~~~”, you had practically sung his name as you just walked right into the office to sit on one of the chairs in front of his desk. his assistant chasing after you told him that you probably hadn’t even waited to be let in. because just two minutes before, nanami had been in a meeting and now he was looking through mission statements. if his assistant had gotten to you before you made your way to your boyfriend’s office, he would’ve told you to wait a few more minutes so nanami could finish up what he was doing. that made nanami tilt his head in thought. but what really got to him was the way that, upon sitting down, you had immediately started scrolling through your phone. not even greeting your him. your first words to him had been,

“so~ this is the fit~”, you held your phone to him, but he didn’t even bother to lift his head to look at the screen. his eyes, instead, remaining trained on the papers in front of him.

“hm.”, he hummed. but, too concerned with the picture on your screen, you bypassed his passive response, and just carried on as always.

“which card should i use? black card as usual?”, you said, finally getting up to walk to his side of the table. the fact that you hadn’t even done so much as ask him how his day had been so far made nanami’s eye twitch—you were nothing like the girl he had fallen in love with, and he only had himself to blame.

“your own, preferably.”, he said, still sifting through papers. that comment was the one that snapped you out of your reverie, and brought you back to reality. nanami never made you pay for anything; dinners, clothes, tuition, hair, nails, if it required compensation, nanami would always be the one to provide it. unless you had done something to upset him. which, to your memory, you hadn’t.

“what?”, you’d move closer to him, putting an arm around his shoulders to rub one gently. his perfect posture meant he sat level with the tits he loved ever so much, but he wouldn’t flinch. although his dress trousers were a little more uncomfortable than they had been when you first walked in, he would try his best to focus on the words on the pages in front him. despite the fact he had been reading the same one over and over again,

”’nami. what d’you mean?”, you’d ask, gently kissing his temple.

“i'm not paying for that outfit”, and the distraught pout his eyes would see when he’d look up would nearly make him give in to you. but that’s what had gotten both of you in this predicament in the first place; the fact that he was far too easy to persuade, and the fact you took full advantage of that.

he’d finally tell you his reasons behind his decision, much to your dismay,

“not until you apologise to your friend”, was all he said before finally turning back to his work. he’d note the enraged expression on your face but, with his assistant still being stood in his office, nanami would just ignore it. number one on nanami’s list of pet peeves was gojo satoru making a scene. especially in front of an employee he spent most of his days with. you, on the other hand, had different plans,

”for what?”, you practically yelled, but nanami’s calm demeanour didn’t waver.

“the way you spoke to her at lunch.”, he said. but, this time, he’d take a risk and look up at you, “y/n, that's no way to speak to someone you call a friend”, he cannot be serious, you thought.

“you're mean to satoru all the time”, your arm moved from his shoulder in outrage. who was he to judge you and the way you acted? you hadn’t even done anything too crazy and if you had, then your friend would’ve brought it up. which she didn’t.

“that's different”, nanami shook his head.

“is not. just admit you're a hypocrite and go date her then. since you love her so much.”, nanami’s eyes would move from you to his assistant very quickly, nodding an apology in his direction. he’d start wondering why the kid hadn’t left until he’d see the young man tapping at his wrist, reminding nanami about the meeting he had in a few minutes.

“since you wanna be her knight in shining armour, go live with her and she can be your little good girl”, you continued, gesticulating wildly as you just ranted in this man’s face. somehow, he’d get a hold of your hands, hold them in his, and look directly in your eyes.

”y/n, calm down”, he’d talk gently.

nanami knew you were going through a lot; exam season was upon you, and that took a huge toll on you emotionally. he hated seeing you stressed out and had even gone as far as suggesting you drop out so he could just take care of you. but you had refused. getting a masters degree isn’t an easy feat, but it’s something you wanted for yourself. and he accepted that and let you do whatever you saw fit for yourself and your future. even if it meant being at the brunt of your stress induced rants. but what he wouldn’t accept was disrespect. and embarrassing him in front of his colleagues was one of the highest forms of disrespect to nanami.

”y/n. calm. down.”, his words slowed after they seemed to have no effect on you the first time.

”i am fucking calm!”, you removed your hands from his grasp, his assistant being in the room not once being of concern to you.

”watch that mouth”, nanami had said that quietly, in order to not make you feel awkward in front of his assistant. but, once again, those considerations were not reciprocated,

”and if i don’t? then what?”, you poked his shoulder, and nanami nodded to his assistant to tell him to leave the room. as soon as that door closed, nanami stood up to tower over you as he loosened his tie.

”why are you so stubborn?”, he had asked through gritted teeth, as he bound your hands to the chair with his tie. as annoyed as he was, he made sure the knot was loose enough to not hurt you. even kissing your cheeks and neck lightly to ease your nerves. the intensity of his actions would only increase when a lingering kiss on your neck would sting in a way the others hadn’t, ultimately leaving a mark. but that would be the only one, because nanami was never harsh with you. even if you had upset him; no matter the circumstances, his intentions were never to hurt you. so his hands were soft as he lifted up your sundress, slapping your thigh gently to get you to lift your hips so he could push the dress to your stomach. their softness did not falter, even when he slapped your thighs again so you would aid him in sliding your underwear down your legs. your offences would then spill from his lips as he span your underwear on his finger,

”swearing at me, telling me to leave you, calling me a hypocrite, giving the nickname i gave to you to someone else. all in front of my assistant, of all people. and for what?”, nanami saw your eyes move to the ceiling, trying to escape him, and he grabbed your chin, forcing your eyes to meet his.

”for some stupid fucking fabric that i’d end up ripping off you anyway?”, he shook your face lightly, and took note of how your mouth blew minty breath in his face, in a scoff.

”watch your mouth”, you spoke, echoing his words. the question of what to do with your underwear had been plaguing his mind since he took it off; his first instinct being to stuff it in his pocket. but your words inspired him, and he twirled it around his fingers, forming a ball. then he put it in your mouth. pushing it a bit further when he heard an outraged muffle from you.

”i take it out when you learn to be nice”, he spoke gently, as if your panties weren’t in between your teeth, ”if i’m the reason you’re such a brat, then i’ll have to be the one who fixes the mess that i’ve made of you”.

and how did nanami plan on fixing that mess? by making an even bigger mess of you, and cleaning it up with his tongue. that would be the bigger mess that was now all over his office chair, and dripping all the way down his chin. the same mess he had missed his meeting to make, and clean, in a vicious cycle that had made you cum twice. your, usually, attentive boyfriend paid no attention to the tears falling from your eyes. the only liquid he was focused on was the one wetting his dress shirt. even as the high pitched mumbles that resembled his name resonated from above him, all he’d do is pull back momentarily to place a light slap on your clit. making teasing eye contact at knowing the effect of that contact.

”where’s that attitude of yours, my love?”, he joked, kissing at random places on your legs on his way back to your dripping core. your fingers itched to be submerged in the blonde locks in front of you but, being tied up, all you could do was grab at the armrest as he licked and sucked at your clit. all feelings akin to stress were swiftly replaced by the feeling of pain, gifted to you by your cramping feet, as your toes curled underneath you. not only was your jaw stiffening, but the spit your underwear didn’t soak up dripped down the side of your mouth to glide down your neck—the neckline of your light grey dress darkening. the third time you came all over nanami’s face would having you practically screaming his name, as you had the other two times. although it was all being swallowed by the underwear in your mouth, nanami was glad that the only reason you were raising your voice at him was to express how good he was making you feel.

that third nut would almost drive you to hysteria and, even if this was meant to be a punishment, nanami would be nice enough to let you calm down before untying you. his lips would then rise to meet yours, allowing you to taste yourself on him. the taste of your arousal was strongest on his tongue, and he’d tease you with it before pulling away from you. you’d barely get to catch your breath before nanami picked you up, pressing your chest against his desk. that one spot he had bitten earlier would omit a back arching tingle at its reunion with nanami’s lips.

”’nami, please just…”, you’d breathe out, putting your hands on the desk in a futile attempt to regain some control.

”shh”, he’d whisper onto the skin on your neck, grabbing both of your hands to hold them in one of his. they’d be pinned behind your back as he pressed your face onto the desk. he wouldn’t say anything else, all you’d hear and feel would be the sound of his large hand meeting the flesh on your hip. that would be followed by the sound of his belt unbuckling, and his zip undoing. nanami had always been a man of very few words but today, he spoke none because he had none. the only thing on his mind was the scene of entitlement you had displayed earlier. and how he would now have to fuck you hard enough to knock it all out of you.

it was easy to tell when nanami wasn’t happy with you because his thrusts would carry less speed. he’d fuck into you very slowly, making your moans raise in pitch as your toes dug harder into your shoes. on days like these, your pleasure was not his priority, your behaviour was. so he’d dangle your release in front of your face; pulling out of you completely, only to slam right back into you. the pattern would continue until you apologised to him, and fixed your bratty attitude. so that’s why your cheeks were still smashed against nanami’s discarded papers. with your cervix pleading with your brain to make your mouth produce some noise so the slow, but deep, thrusts would hasten. but your jaw had long gone slack, so the papers beneath you were sticking to both each other, and the side of your face. but you’d put together whatever words you could to get some relief.

”kento, faster. please~”, your boyfriend’s thrusts had you holding your breath, making your moans breathy.

”there you go making demands again”, he scolded, pulling out of you completely to tap his tip on your ass cheeks.

”maybe i’m not fucking you hard enough. or maybe you’re being deviant on purpose.”, he leaned down to your face so you could hear him, ”have i been too nice to you, dear? so now you don’t know how to act?”, when you shook your head, his own would do the same.

”and now you’re lying? what am i to do with you with, my love?”, he’d place one final gentle kiss on your cheek before pulling back and entering you again. faster and, somehow, harder.

you wanted to apologise but with the way he was fucking you dumb, it was hard to think of anything other than the bruising grip he had on your hips. as well as the noise of his balls hitting your skin. but nanami’s patience had run out, and he expected your rehabilitation to be imminent. and when he saw that it wasn’t, his agitation grew deeper.

”you wanna embarrass me in front of my employees?”, he’d lean his chest on your back again to speak directly into your ear. skin slapping would be the only sound in that room after that question. because you didn’t have the physical strength to multitask. your body wanted to focus on moving you back onto nanami’s dick to fuck yourself on it. even still, you’d try to shake your head at him again,

”n-no, ‘nami, i’m s-sorry”, nanami simply tsked before looking to his office phone, to press the button that connected him to his assistant’s desk. panic flowed through you at the thought of someone hearing you being fucked against nanami’s desk, then having to walk out of there like nothing happened. before, you could’ve lied and said you guys were just arguing. but there’d be no denying it if they heard you through the damn phone.

”tell him you’re sorry, sweetheart”, nanami hummed into your ear, his hand lifting you backwards to bring you closer to the mic on the phone.

”i’m s-sorry. i’m s-so s-sorry—sshit, ‘nami i’m cummingg”, the embarrassment that would follow someone hearing you moan because of how good nanami was fucking you wasn’t a worry for a moment as you just let go. luckily you were leaned against the desk because, if not, you would’ve fallen over because of how weak your knees were. **the man behind you simply laughed to himself, just imagining how mortified his assistant would be at hearing you. his own release would not be a concern to him, as your discipline was still the only thing on his mind. and that’s how it’d be for however long you were in there. in the end, he’d buy the outfit for you because he couldn’t stop spoiling you even if he tried. but, this time, he’d at least make you earn it.

© Rights owned by nanaminsmooninc. Do not repost without permission.

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group F Round 4: Talentless Nana vs Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun

#F6: Talentless Nana (Munou na Nana)

Normal school until stuff happens

#F8: Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun (Marimashita! Iruma-kun)

Young boy gets sold to a demon to be his grandson

Details and poll under the cut!

#F6: Talentless Nana (Munou na Nana)

Summary:

Fifty years ago, horrific creatures dubbed as the “enemies of humanity” suddenly appeared around the world. To combat these threats, teenagers gifted with supernatural abilities called “Talents”—such as pyrokinesis and time travel—hone their powers at an academy on a secluded island.

Nanao Nakajima, however, is quite different from the others on the island: he has no Talent. With many “Talented” teenagers around him, Nanao is often a target for bullying, but even so, he still strives to complete his training. Soon after, two transfer students, the mysterious Kyouya Onodera and the mind-reading Nana Hiiragi, join the class. But just as everyone starts blending as comrades-in-arms, mysterious disappearances begin to threaten the class’s entire foundation.

Propaganda:

I’d like to start off by saying that this is NOT a copy of My Hero Academia, even though it sounds as such. It’s kinda hard to explain the show without spoiling a major plot point, but it’s pretty much as the summary says. Honestly, if you want to watch this, don’t look up anything about it—you will get spoiled right away, and it does ruin the experience. I started this without knowing anything about it and I think that’s for the best because it’s plot twist after plot twis,t and you’re not sure what to expect next. That’s honestly something I really liked about it because you don’t know where the story will take you. Anyways, highly recommend because more people should know about this series.

Trigger Warnings:

Child Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Graphic Depictions of Cruelty/Violence/Gore

There’s a Nazi-coded character who does eugenics, and he’s also the reason for the child abuse tw

Sexual assault attempt on main character

Necrophilia (there’s a character who controls another person’s corpse and act like they’re dating)

#F8: Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun (Marimashita! Iruma-kun)

Summary:

Fourteen-year-old Iruma Suzuki has been unfortunate all his life, having to work to earn money for his irresponsible parents despite being underage. One day, he finds out that his parents sold him to the demon Sullivan. However, Iruma's worries about what will become of him are soon relieved, for Sullivan merely wants a grandchild, pampering him and making him attend the demon school Babyls.

At first, Iruma tries to keep a low profile in fear of his peers discovering that he is human. Unfortunately, this ends up being more difficult than he expected. It turns out that Sullivan himself is the chairman of the school, and everyone expects him to become the next Demon King!

Iruma immediately finds himself in an outrageous situation when he has to chant a forbidden spell in front of the entire school. With this, Iruma instantly earns a reputation he does not want. Even so, he is bound to be roped into more bizarre circumstances.

Propaganda 1:

The main character, Iruma, is very kind and wholesome, and you really just want to see him succeed throughout the series, especially after knowing everything he’s been through. He was neglected and used by his parents, but now he gets to live out a nice life despite being surrounded by demons, as his new grandfather spoils him. The demon that adopted him, Sullivan, is an extremely powerful figure in the demon realm, but through most of the series, he looks like an egg. The side characters are also well-designed with interesting personalities. The main two, Asmodeus and Clara, become almost inseparable from Iruma after they become friends, and the three of them are very cute together. There is also a canon nonbinary cat person, who is technically Sullivan’s servant, but he is treated as part of the family, and he’s a disaster bisexual.

Propaganda 2:

It’s really good in terms of art, plot, and characters. There’s nonbinary representation in the form of Opera, and there’s friendship galore with very poly undertones. It’s so sweet and good, and it’s just rahhhhh. Everyone is silly but also realistic and well-developed. There are reasonable arcs, and there’s a well mix of plot-driven growth and character-driven plots. I love every person who appears onscreen, even for like two seconds. The world building is lovely and so bright and colorful.

Propaganda 3:

You should vote for it because it is genuinely one of the best animes I’ve ever seen. It has good character development, mysteries, focuses on the cast well, and it is not a harem anime. The plot is also really good and is suitable for all age groups.

Fun fact: the main character crossdresses three times in the first three seasons

Trigger Warnings: Child Abuse (mild)

When reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

If you want to criticize one of the shows above to give the one you’re rooting for an advantage, then do so constructively. I do not tolerate groundless hate or slander on this blog. If I catch you doing such a thing in the notes, be it in the tags or reblogs, I will block you.

Know one of the shows above and not satisfied with how it’s presented in this tournament? Just fill up this form with your revisions, and I’ll consider adapting those changes.

New: Starting round 5, screenshots will be included in the poll post. You can submit screenshots through the form linked above, or through here, via ask or dm.

Guidelines in submitting screenshots:

No NSFW or spoilery images.

Pick some good images please. Don’t send any blurry or pixelated ones.

You may send up to 9 screenshots, but not all may be used.

[vbnhuet]

Before I start another writing project I couldn’t finish, I’m just gonna leave my idea so my head won’t explode. Weird Bowuigi AU idea time.

So we’ve seen Bowser being the “sugar daddy” in the relationship all the time, basically spoiling Luigi and give him all the fanciest rooms, clothes, food because he’s king and all that. But I feel like a role reversal would be entertaining to explore.

So I’m imagining like a regent/aristocrat/business??? AU. Bowser is born blue-blooded and rich but have no self restrain on spending money, while Mario started off as a commoner, but through hard work and being generally lucky in the real estate scheme got himself to the same social status as the other nobles. The two got into a years long rivalry trying to court the same lady (Peach), and bowser spent all his inherited money on crazy expenses and bad business decisions just to try and woo her.

At the end, Bowser obviously loses. Losing his lady and in massive debt, still he begrudgingly show up at Mario’s engagement party to save face and not look like a sore loser. He mingled with the guests, getting a bit tipsy, and then when he tried to pat on Mario’s back to congratulate him, a taller, thinner version of Mario with a different moustache to look back at him. The other guy told bowser that he’s Luigi, Mario’s twin brother, and Bowser just blinked in confusion. He was Mario’s rival for years, and now he just know that mario got a twin brother??? Where was this guy at the social meet ups?

At first bowser thought Luigi was just some nobody who leech off of Mario’s success, but Luigi just smiled and told him that “oh no, I’m the chairman of the business, actually”. bowser laughed it off because he thought luigi was joking

But Bowser went home and search up Luigi’s profile and… holy shit. Three mansions. Hotels and casinos. Multiple brand deals. And he owns like most of the estates in their region. No wonder why bowser was losing to Mario. He underestimated those two because they were born commoner, but turns out behind the scene, they were owning probably triple the amount bowser ever owned in his life. But while mario was having his face plastering all over the place, Luigi, the one who make all the important decisions in the family was trying to keep a low profile, cooping up in his personal mega-mansion on a private property somewhere because he was too shy and awkward.

So cue Bower, trying his hands at courting this insanely rich but socially awkward man, basically trying to leech off of his wealth and get that revenge on Mario. Luigi pretty much dwarfed bowser in everything when it comes to wealth (I could see Luigi coming over to bowser’s place and just turning his nose up and start commenting on how bowser is terrible at architectural design and stuff like that), so bowser have to use his “charisma”. Showing up on Luigi’s property unwanted with a grand piano, dumping love letters in front of his door, offering Luigi rides on his crumpling vintage cabriolet. Luigi promised Mario that he wouldn’t spit out a single coin for bowser… but somehow this is working.

[jwiseungoki]

Down Bad

(Jang Han Seok x Reader)

TW: age gap, force love, death, spoiled reader (this part doesnt have that much psychotic shit please tell me what to put as tw)

Context: Park Hae Rin has two elder brothers Park Hyun Sung and Park Hee Jin, as an only daughter she gets everything that she wants. Except for one thing: Jang Han Seok. Her brothers’ best friend, he sees her as a little sister but she sees him as a man. Every attempt to flirt with him, he dodges which frustrates her, Every woman that comes near him, she gets rid off and she wont rest until she calls him ‘mine’.

He’s back 

 

I didn’t mean to eavesdrop over my brothers talking inside Hyunsung’s home office. But when I heard his name, I froze, and suddenly this tingling feeling took over my whole body, leaving me smirking. 

 

Jang Han Seok 

 

Eldest son of Jang Guk Hwan, Chairman and Owner of Babel Group. He was sent to the States by his father years ago for studies and rehab because the boy has serious mental issues going on, but he is here now.

 

I fixed myself before innocently knocking on my elder brother’s office door. 

 

“Knock Knock, pretty face is here.” 

 

I said, opening the door, not waiting for my brother’s answer. Both of them have a frown on their eyebrows, looking at me like I did something to ruin their day. 

 

“Why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” Heejin, the middle child asked. I gave them both a smile before sitting on one of the leather chairs in front of the table. 

 

“I left early; Ms. Hong has some personal business to attend to,” I shrugged before grabbing a lollipop from the table. “So what chu guys talking about?” I smirked, waiting for a response from both of them. They looked at each other, eyes discussing whether they should or should not tell me. 

 

“Hanseok is back in Seoul and probably going to take over Babel." As expected, Hyunsung could never resist me. I put on a shocked face, like I didn’t overhear them. 

 

“Chairman Jang died last night in the hospital,” he added, and that escalated quickly. 

 

As a sign of respect, we went to the funeral. Our families were very close to each other even before our dads married our moms. Mr. Jang and our father were already best friends; their friendship will probably continue wherever they both are now. Dad died a year ago due to complications of the heart, while I never met our mother; she died giving birth to me. 

 

Which left Park Industries to the hands of Hyunsung, while Heejin acts as his subordinate. I don’t really care about inheritance, which is why I chose to pursue law. I’m working as an intern and assistant at Wusang with the help of my brothers, pulling some strings to get me to a trusted law firm. I’m the youngest one there. 

 

In the age of 24, I’ve known and achieved a lot. I was forced by my brothers to strive and aim for the top as the only daughter; all eyes were on me. I was an easy target for the media and people. They say I’m spoiled, a brat, and spoon-fed. 

 

Which is true.

 

I don’t run; I walk with grace to get the things I want. And I get EVERYTHING that I want. That’s why, learning that Hanseok is back, I need to pick up the pace and start the plan. 

 

To finally make him mine. 

 

“My condolences, Hanseo.” I tapped the younger Jang’s shoulder; he was oddly quiet and was staring into space for a long time before I approached him. For what I know, he and his father weren’t that close, casual, and civil, I suppose. But his action of mourning made me analyze that there was something. 

 

“Glad you can come; you’re not busy with cases?” He asked, tapping the seat next to him, and I sat beside him. “Not really; I’m just working on a small case with Ms. Hong. How are you holding up?” I asked, smiling at him a bit; he was about to answer when his eyes shifted to my legs and back to me. I looked down and saw no problem; was he checking me out? 

 

He then started to take off his black coat and place it on top of my lap. I should have guessed it; Hanseo was always the gentleman. Forgot to eat? Hanseo will remind you and bring you food. Frustrated and want to vent out? Hanseo will be there in 10 with chicken and beer. He’ll do the bare minimum thing, and I’d still be surprised. If I wasn’t in love with his brother, I'd fall for him, but there’s something about Hanseok that I want and can’t point out what. 

 

Speaking of Hanseok, I’ve not seen him anywhere. But then again, no one knows about him. Mr. Jang never publicized his sons; no one knew about his affair with his secretary that resulted in Hanseo; no one knew about Hanseok being sent to the states for being a psychopath; no one but our little circle. 

 

After catching up with Hanseo, I excused myself for some air. I made sure to double check my surroundings before pulling out the box of cigarettes and lighter. It was a habit that I picked up during law school, and vaping helped me a lot. 

 

“And since when were you allowed to smoke, princess?” 

 

That voice sent my entire body to freeze; I didn’t have to look to know who it was. Instead I took a hit before facing him with a smirk on my lips. Jang Hanseok gave me his signature smirk and brow raise, waiting for a response. 

 

“Hiding out here instead of mourning inside?” I asked, walking a little closer to him, finishing off my stick before throwing it on the ground. “What is there to mourn for? Man’s a dickhead.” He  chuckled. Wow, he is still fucked up, huh? 

 

But that aura just lit something in me, wrong but right at the same time. 

 

“Give me the pack,” he said, handing out his hand. I looked down at his hand, giving him a disgusted look. “I’m literally an adult; I think I am allowed to smoke,” I said, swatting his hand away. 

 

I was about to walk off, but he pulled my purse off my shoulder, opening it and getting the pack swiftly. “Hey! You can't do that! Give it back, Hanseok!” I yelled at him, trying to reach my bag and pack that he raised above his head. Even in heels, I still cannot reach it! 

 

“Fine! Have it, asshole.” I rolled my eyes before storming off, not caring if he has my purse with him. Good thing my jumpsuit has pockets. I had my phone with me. I called my Heejin and told him I’m heading home first. 

 

I’ve never felt this many butterflies while annoyed and frustrated. That man could literally do anything to me. 

 

 

•• 

 

“What do you mean you can’t get that testimony from the witness?! Then force him! Bribe him! Do whatever you need to do and report back to me immediately; Ms. Hong needs that to win the case.” 

 

I threw my phone on my desk, getting frustrated with the on-going Gyundo case. It’s a big fraud case that we need to get a win to prove that the trusted company is clean for the people to invest in and trust. They already paid a huge amount to Wusang, and the share that me and Ms. Hong will get from it is not a joke. 

 

“Ms. Park to my office now,” Mr. Han passed by my desk, and I immediately trailed from behind. Once in his office, I saw Ms. Hong sitting there wearing the same confused face as I am. She stood up, paying respect to our boss before he ordered us to take a seat as he stood in front of us.

 

“Ladies Firstly, congratulations on having the upper hand on the Gyundo case! Second, I will be assigning you two a very huge and big case the company will only push through if you win the Gyundo case. Lastly, we have a new intern, so Ms. Park.” 

 

He turned to me with a smile, making me nervous, and crept out, “You are now one of Wusang’s permanent lawyers. Congratulations on this promotion. You’re office will be ready in an hour.” 

 

“What?!” I said, shocked at the announcement. Ms. Hong let out an “oh my god,” shaking me by the arm, also amused by the news. 

 

“Yes, your hard work and dedication have been seen. We would like you to train the new intern; may I introduce to you Jang Joon Woo" Mr. Han opened the door to reveal another shocking surprise.

 

“What the fuck?” 

 

All eyes were on me, not expecting the words that came out of my mouth. “S-sorry, my apologies. I didn’t know the intern would be younger than me.” I lied, bowing a bit for respect. 

 

“Don’t be ridiculous, Ms. Park; you are still the company’s baby. Alright, then you go along and work. Take care of Mr. Jang." Mr. Han dismissed us; we bowed to him, and I was the first to storm off the door with Ms. Hong behind.

 

“Thank you, Boss!” 

 

Hanseok bid before I felt him following us. I stopped walking, making Ms. Hong hit my back. I faced her and smiled. “You go ahead, I’ll be back,” I said. “Are you okay? It’s like someone bought that limited edition Chanel bag that you always wanted,” Ms. Hong said, holding my cheek. 

 

“Yes, I’m fine; don't worry. I’ll meet you in your office,” I said, giving Hanseok a glare before walking away; he just had a confused look on his face. 

 

I can’t believe this! Why is he here?! And whats with the undercover gig?? Jang Joon Woo? What the fuck is he up to? After not seeing him for two months. I grabbed my phone that I left on my desk and started calling a certain person. 

 

“What the fuck is going on your brother’s mind?!” 

 

“Whoa, chill. I don’t know either, but I’m on the way to Babel; he appointed me as Chairman.” 

 

“Huh?!” I completely lost it as Hanseo’s words rang out in my ear. I massaged my temple; this can’t be! I can’t be working with the man I’m trying to get! 

 

I hang up on Hanseo and continue to grab my stuff before moving it to my own office. I didn't have the time to sink it all in; maybe I’ll celebrate later. I rushed towards Ms. Hong’s office with the Gyundo files, and to my surprise, Hanseok was still there, sitting on one of Ms. Hong’s wooden chairs. 

 

“Ms. Hong, we ha-“ 

 

“Shh! It’s Chayoung now; we’re both lawyers! So drop the formality; besides, its only a five-year gap,” Ms. Hong, well, Chayoung said before pulling me into a hug and giving me one of her brightest smiles. 

 

“You’re still my super-.“

 

“Eh! Shh! We are celebrating together! Later, on me. Okay?!” She cut me off again. I just nodded before setting down the files for her to review. 

 

“So we don’t have any testimony?” Chayoung asked, and I nodded. “According to the intern I sent in, the man does not want to talk to anyone associated with Gyundo; even the opposing party cannot get a statement.” I sighed, sitting on one of the chairs. 

 

I quickly glanced at Hanseok, who was watching us stress out; he looked back at me, and I raised a brow at him. 

 

“Any thoughts, intern?” I asked him not to break eye contact. Chayoung looked up from the papers, then to him, then to me. Hanseok smiled standing up before taking a glimpse at the file. 

 

“I think we should go for something that is very valuable to him so that we can get his testimony,” he suggested with a mischievous smirk, giving me an intense look. “Youre telling us we threaten him by using his family?” 

 

He just nodded; a smile crept on Chayoung’s face, liking the idea Hanseok proposed. “Wah! If that's the only way, then get started, Jang Joon Woo,” Chayoung said. I was left dumbfounded. Why are we suddenly playing dirty?!

 

Just like that, we won, and thanks to Hanseok’s idea, we got the testimony. I clenched on my purse as I walked out of the bar behind Chayoung. Hanseok was waiting for us with a smile. 

 

“Good job, ladies! Let’s celebrate?” He asked, and Chayoung was quick to respond, making the two look at me. “Fine! Let’s go; I’m quite peckish,” I said. Hanseok treated us to some pork belly and soju. I was lowkey getting irritated at how He and Chayoung are getting close; they have the same humor and interest, while I felt like I’m the third wheel. 

 

“When Haerin first came into the office wearing all Prada and Chanel clothes, I was star struck. An intern must have come from a very rich family. When I found out she came from generational wealth, I felt like she was the superior, but once I got to know her, she’s very calm and focused on the goal type of girl. You know she never took interest in anyone.” Then there is Chayoung, who is now a bit tipsy. “Okay, that’s enough. We’re driving you home,” I said, taking away her glass, but she swatted my hand. 

 

"Oh, I can still handle Haerin, Joon Woo! Cheers!” She said she was pouring drinks into mine and Hanseok’s glass; we had no choice, but in the end Chayoung got drunk, and I drove her car to her apartment with Hanseok in the backseat, completely sober. 

 

“She’ll be alright,” I said before locking up her apartment, pulling out my phone to call a driver since we came here with Chayoung’s car. 

 

“You haven’t spoken to me ever since that night." Hanseok spoke up while we walked to the elevator. "Well, I was going to call you about my purse, then you pulling some undercover shit in Wusang made you less interesting.” I shrugged. I saw him smirk. “Since when did I become less interesting to you, princess?” He said. 

 

He’s right, there won’t be a part of him that is not interesting. It feels like he knows that I have a keen interest in him. 

 

“Since you stepped foot into our house during your college days." I rolled my eyes; that was the day I first met him, and I took a liking to him. “Aw, don’t be silly. I know you adore me as one of your older brothers." He patted my head. Is he that oblivious? Hmm, I should step up my game. 

 

“Come on, I’ll take you home." He said, making me walk in front of him. 

 

••

 

The next day at work, I took an oath to make myself obvious to him, so when I saw him in Chayoung’s office working on a new case, I immediately called him to go to my office. 

 

“What?” He asked confusedly, and I pointed at the iced coffee on my desk for him. “It’s yours; I accidentally bought two,” I said, pretending not to care and proceeding to type words on my laptop. 

 

“And why give it to me instead of Ms. Hong?” He said but took a sip of the coffee, “Because you’re the only one I know here would enjoy an iced macchiato." He smirked and gave me a thanks before I dismissed him. 

 

“Whoa, why does he get lunch and I don't?” Chayoung wondered as I threw the takeout on the table in front of Hanseok, “What’s the update on the filler case?” I swerved the question, pretending to look at the papers. 

 

“Attorney Park! Did something happen between the two of you last night? Oh my God!” Chayoung said, covering her mouth and looking back at us. “What? No! Joon Woo mentioned he skips meals a lot, so I bought him lunch,” I said, looking at Hanseok. 

 

“A-ah yes! Thank you, Attorney. Uhm, I’ll eat now." He excused himself from breaking eye contact with me. I heard a cough from Chayoung, who was smirking, crossing arms, and nodding. 

 

“What? Why are you acting like that?” I asked, “Something happened!” She gasped and moved a little closer. “You two had sex in my apartment?!” I pushed her away from shock, “No! Oh my God, Chayoung! I’m too young for that,” I said, covering my ears. 

 

“Girl! You literally bagged an idol last time we went out clubbing; you’re not a virgin, hoe!” She laughed, throwing a piece of tissue at me. “But seriously, you never cared about Jang Joon Woo.” 

 

“Ugh fine! I like him, and I don’t just sit around waiting for guys to like me back,” I said, plopping myself on one of her chairs, pouting. She shrinks before asking me how and when I started to like him. I did not include the part that we knew each other before, and I felt so bad lying to her, but I also need to protect this stunt Hanseok is pulling. 

 

 

The day finally came to an end, and I was starving since I skipped lunch. I did it on purpose so I could ask Hanseok to accompany me. I went to his desk, where he was fixing his bag. I slammed my hand on his table, making him jump. 

 

“Haerin! You scared the shit out of me! What was that for?” He dramatically said. I rolled my eyes and leaned down. “Get up, we’re eating dinner,” I said before walking off. I felt him follow me with so many questions. 

 

We got to a Mexican restaurant since I wanted a burrito, and Hanseok ordered the same as me: “Cut to the chase princess, why are you suddenly being nice to me?” He asked, and I didn't answer him, but I continued to eat my burrito and nachos.

 

“I am talking to you right, princess?” He said putting down my food and grabbing my chin to make me look up at him, which, I’m not going to lie, made my stomach bounce inside me. 

 

“I just want to make it up; after all, we are all that we have,” I smirked. He wasn't expecting the last part, so he continued to eat. After dinner, he dropped me off at my apartment. After locking the door and throwing my heels off, I started to squeal and dance around. 

 

The car ride to Haerin’s apartment 

 

No one talked; complete silence engulfed the two, but Hanseok decided to break it. 

 

“The game you want to play, Princess, is very dangerous. Think twice about it before you get yourself trapped,” he said, smirking. 

 

I scoffed, so he caught on? He wasn't playing dumb but was just pushing the fact that I have interest in him.

 

“I know what I’m doing.” 

 

“So no backsies?” 

 

I rolled my eyes; he is such a child. 

 

"Yes, no backsies.” 

 

"Hmm, let’s see how you’re going to make me fall for you, Park Haerin.” 

[championleonsslut]

Hey, welcome to the Leon imagines/headcanons writers club! We could always use more! Seriously, there's not enough active written Leon material, so your blog came in VERY handy!

So, how about some Leon affection/love language headcanons to get this started, please? :3

Tehehe! Thank you so much! Leon needs more love ffs. Tysm for this request anon! My thoughts tend to be a little scattered, and I do apologize for that.

Leon Affection/Love language headcannons

This one is actually a gender-neutral reader! Leon and Reader are dating. Slightly NSFW

Leon is the neediest of needy

But in a cute way

He ADORES physical affection. (Ex: cuddles, hugs, kisses, just barely touching you…. Bonking.)

But he also loves when you compliment him, it boosts his ego. He’s a little vain, but it’s cute.

When he battles he’s 100% showing off for you. He needs to make sure his love just knows how strong and powerful he is!

If you give this man gifts he will hoard them.

They’re too important to let go! You gave them to him!

He loves showering you with affection, both physical and verbal. He wants to really drill it in just how much he adores you, and how amazing you are!

He will also spoil you.

Look. This man’s got MONEY. You’re getting the best of the best.

Chairman Rose keeps him fairly busy when he’s champion, which he doesn’t care for.

He wants to be with you! Snuggled up, kissing you all over, and showering you with his attention.

But when he does get a much deserved break, he bee-lines straight for you.

Raihan and Sonia are convinced he’s a Yamper in a trench coat, and have no idea how you put up with him.

When he’s no longer champion though, the battle tower keeps him much less busy.

He dedicates all his spare time to you, and Pokemon. (Sometimes his friends but not as much)

He spontaneously shows up at your door with flowers. You have long talks into the night about just how much you love each other.

He also ADORES when you play with his hair.

One time you tugged on it and he fucking moaned.

You immediately had sex afterwards.

All in all, as long as he’s around you

He will be a very happy boy

[yourmateyoya]

Benny Gecko’s daughter

A/N: This is some self indulgent stuff I wrote. Let me know if anyone wants more as dad head-cannons.I hope you all enjoy.

Is the type to spoil his daughter with gifts. Those gifts are stuffed animals and toys. Her mother does tell him off for spoiling her too much.

is very overprotective of her. He hardly lets anyone else hold her other than her mother, some of her mother’s friends,and a few of the chairmen.

Doesn’t smoke around her. Doesn’t want to make her sick from his bad habits.

The other chairman absolutely adores her. Her favorite chairman out of all of them has got to be her uncle Swank.

Benny likes sitting down in his favorite armchair, rocking her as began to drift off into her dreams . As she snuggled up into his chest he couldn’t help but feel his heart starting to melt.

He placed her in her crib and gave her a little kiss on her forehead. He looked down at her little hands clutching her blanket as she slept. He couldn’t believe how much this little Gecko had changed him.

(P.S. I also have some Frank Horrigan and Vulpes stuff as well)

[yyxandere]

And more images about Yakuza men, but in this time it's a liiiittle dark (be careful 😶‍🌫️):

You must be one of the lucky people, or vice versa, if you were able to attract the attention of the most faithful servant of the chairman of the Tojo Clan - Mine. Most likely, you both met either by chance on the street or while working as his secretary. If you both was meet accidentally at street, he most likely didn’t even pay attention, but later he involuntarily began to remember, involuntarily grumbling, why a civilian like you got him hooked. This went from trying to get you out of his head to now actively pursuing you. Due to his important work, Yoshitaka is not able to monitor you around the clock, so he quietly asks for help from his master with the appearance that you are “suspicious” in the city and voila! It has access to all points wherever you are, and it always felt someone's else looks even in your home. But if you were his secretary, things would get more interesting. Under the guise of “work,” he obsessively bores you with his meticulous attention to detail and always finds something to complain about, still not understanding why he thinks about strange sensations from your presence, mistakenly considering you for rejection. Over time, Mine becomes more and more tolerable to you, afraid that his assertiveness will make you force fired from job, and immediately begins to make pleasant remarks here and there, thereby confusing you. As soon as you lower your guard, you will be completely in his hands with no way to escape. It is impossible to call for help or fight with him, this will not help anything, and will only anger your captor. Of course, he will not knock out every living thing from your body, but he can give a pacifying slap in the face if you try to attack him or express disrespect for his master. If you are initially calm and do not express negativity towards him, Mine will be pleased, and will even allow you to be among civilization again, but under close supervision. If someone dares to encroach on you, then this fool will face the most painful days of his life and may even would force you to watch all this if you were too close to this stranger in his opinion. He is not too cruel, but not too kind yandere.

Tachibana, as a businessman, is an extremely gallant and delicate man. This person is ready to literally spoil you with anything: high-quality food, expensive jewelry, clothes or even weapons; his power has no limits. If you had experience in the field of management, then he could attach you to one position in his real estate agency, which would make you as close as possible to him if by that time you still do not know him better. This gives him a chance, as in the case of Mine, under the guise of "performance monitoring", to literally breathe down your neck while you nervously fill out the paperwork. Tetsu has the most tolerance and best understanding of your situation if you are very unhappy with it, but the longer the negativity lasts, the more bitter it becomes. At one point, he will be able to punish you with isolation so that you “calm down”, after which he will try to make amends by feeling guilty. There is a real chance that he will kidnap you safely, he has many enemies, and he does not want to risk your safety for him. Due to kidney problems, he cannot be with you as often as he would like, leaving you in the care of his guards, or you go to him for dialysis, if you don't mind being with him during this procedure, which can It will comfort him a little. Tachibana is the man who smiles sweetly at you, talks about his day, and discreetly adjusts his prosthetic, which he used last night against the villains who were planning to kidnap you to blackmail him. But you don’t need to know this, the main thing is that you are safe, his and only his.

Oda is not as nice to you like his master. Using his experience with human trafficking, he can put as much pressure on you to stay with him, which makes him a very skilled manipulator. From sweet words to direct threatenings, he threat you with the most frightening things, using anything to break your revolution to resistance. Oda is even ready to use his people, where they “kidnap” you, and he, as a real “savior,” helps you in this situation, hoping for the development of Stockholm syndrome in you. But even if this does not help and by some miracle you are still able to fight it, then it is useless. Wherever you go, he can easily call for help from the Tachibana, for whom it is not difficult to find someone, especially civil. After this, you will have a stick instead of a cookie, where you will be isolated from the outside world and limited in food. No matter how long it lasts, Oda is very patient when it comes to your obedience, he has no morals unless it concerns his master. Of course, he is not completely heartless and can behave normally, but once you express your dissatisfaction at least once again, you will start all over. He is a ruthless demon with a cute mask instead of a face, be careful.

Saejima, after a long imprisonment, has become very restrained in terms of showing too strong emotions, and you can help him with this. Once he warms up to you, he will be able to trust you enough to talk about himself and his main trauma. You'll have to hold Saejima while he clings to you, crying fitfully, burying his face in your shoulder, after every nightmare in which he had dreams of the people he killed that fateful day. This incident has affected him greatly and he is grateful that you always console him after every breakdown by gently stroking his head in soothing movements. Saejima may seem very rude at times, but don't jump to conclusions! He is a very straightforward person and the combination of his Kansai accent can be a little confusing, but you will get used to it over time. You will also have to introduce Sejima to modern technology, patiently explaining everything, understanding that during his stay in prison he was literally completely cut off from the outside world. He takes advantage of this, pretending to be even more ignorant for your attention and enjoying the feeling of your presence, leaning against him from behind for a painstaking explanation of how to use certain gadgets! He's too obsessed with you to let you go, and he's so apologetic about it, trying to flatter you with every desire. Well, you still don't want to leave him, do you…?

-ˋˏSINCERELY YOURS. . . ->

ANON.

WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS COOKING???!!!! YOU'RE ALWAYS MAKING A WHOLE-COURSE BUFFET!! AND WE GET FED EVERSINGLE TIME!!! I GOT SO CARRIED AWAY THAT I MADE SO MANY SCENARIOS, ARGGG

Mine is so fine please help me, esply in isshin 🤤🤤

Mine, an obsessor by nature, we might never know if fate was trying to be cruel to your life, but it seems like your luck finally ran out when you met him. If you're just a normal civilian who manages to capture his interest, at the beginning he will hate you better yet despise you. you're just a normal person who has no place in this world he works yet why did you manage to keep him awake? always occupying his mind, it was a nuisance he couldn't be thinking of you, a lowly person when he could be at his boss's side. Yet here he was hiring one of his men to put CCTV in your own apartment, but it wasn't enough for him he wanted to see wherever you go, a decision that felt like he NEEDED to make. So talking to the clan head Daigo, he wanted to track down wherever you went saying that "you were very suspicious" or "she might be working with the other yakuza, and we might get information about them through her." such excuses made Daigo reluctant, I mean, spying a "normal" woman's life is very much mess up and he hasn't even heard about you but Daigo trusted his right-hand man, how can he not? He has done many things that improve the clan. So in the end Daigo agrees to track and keep an eye on you by Mine, and so with that, you were being watched over Mine, everywhere, he now has all the cameras in all of Kaumuroscho even in the most darkes alley, and he has it. Maybe he was trying to find out something suspicious or maybe just to feed this growling dog inside of him, asking, and yearning to see more of you. Yet this begins a story of a man falling in love, a man who wants to control you.

Mine would show himself but he would be planning your downfall, making you lose your job, turning your friends against you, and making you unable to pay for rent, causing you to be kicked out, you have nowhere to go until Mine saw you on the street and gave you a very manipulative smile, taking you away and asking you to be his secretary and this could have been an angel send but little did you know that you were just about to walk to the devils palm (if you know the devils palm reference ily and we should kiss)

As his secretary, you are more tense than ever. Mine giving you many strict rules and many more, make sure that you keep a list of his next meeting and all, even though he told you he was in the yakuza which is a MAJOR red flag, you agreed cuz hey, beggars vant be choosers so you decided that if you have food in the table a roof in your head and security from all the dark business that he's doing then you would be good, Mine did tell you that hell makes sure that you won't be involved in any kind of yakuza business where you need to spill blood, no only some shady ones.

Mine as your boss, is very much restricted, he would be so close to you that he's practically breathing your scent, to see "your progress" and he would make sure that you have more work than assigned no matter how much you want to pull your hairs out you can't really complain to your boss, the same boss that is giving you money to live a stable life. Mine would give you mixed signs, just a moment he was charming and was buttering you up now he's staring at you with some sort of cold expression in his eyes, he doesn't show any emotion, only that look in his eyes gives you shivers.

Now if he were to kidnap you, he knows that you would throw a "childish" tantrum so, of course, he has tricks up his sleeve after many months of planning to kidnap you, one of them is using your family or friends as blackmail material, he wouldn't kill them (for now) but he will use them as his pawns to keep you from staying away from him, every failed attempt to escape or even bad manners like spitting on his face, he would give you a satisfying slap and as for your escape he would make your close one's life like hell, they will lose their job and their house by some unknown organization. Don't you even dare disrespect Daigo in any kind of way, he will drag you from your hair and hold your face and bind your wrist together as he gives you one of the most furious looks ever, your wrist too would be bruised, he would tie you up in his basement and leave you there for many days, until you apologize from disrespecting Daigo he would then let you go and soothe your wounds.

If you actually behave yourself then be prepared to be spoiled by Mine, he will give you many luxurious clothes, fancy restaurants, or even raise one of your siblings to have a higher position in the company they are working at, see, not a bad deal right? Just behave and deal with the bruises that he gives you while kissing you so harshly.

TACHIBANA AAAAA EXPLODES

Our beloved Tachibana, his sophisticated yet intelligent demeanor had lured you in like a siren's voice, a siren that will lure you by her voice and her beauty is the only thing shinning beside the mast of gold she has beside her (yandere siren tachibana au?). Tachibana like Mine will plan your downfall and come to your life like a savior, and we all know what happens next, you have nothing else but despair and disappointment in your heart. The one who will bring you into the light is none other than Tachibana our beloved Tachibana who will take care of you. He will make you work close to him, you won't even have to know any kind of experience in the area, he just wants you to be near him, but if you really want to learn how to manage the business then he would be happy to teach you, while you sit on your chair he is behind, so close that you can practically smell what kind of colne his wearing and his shampoo smells like your favorite brand too. He would place his non-prosthetic hand on top of yours so he can feel your skin and body heat while he tells you basic instructions, yet how can you focus when you are out here being a blushing mess, Tachibana knows that and makes himself closer to you. Your heart beats faster and faster, and your breath gets heavier as you try to concentrate on his words. It's not just the fact that he is hot, it's his charisma, his smile, his eyes, his body, and his personality, he is someone you can't seem to get enough, he is alluring. You know how he makes you blush and you can't stop it. His presence, his warmth, the way he smiles gently at you, the way you melt every time he whispers sweet words to you, the way he holds you so carefully and tenderly in his arms, the way he caresses your skin whenever he touches it.

Offending is pretty much impossible since his lapdog I mean- Oda is already near him, (pretty much giving you a stink eye). If Tachiaban manages to kidnap you, he will spoil you but if you keep on screaming and crying he will gently hush you like how a mother comforts her baby, bite him, kick him, even spit on his face he won't get angry, no, him showing you that his calm shows you how much he is in control, like you said anon, he would leave you at his basement so you can calm down. But unlike Mine, Tachibana would slowly creep into your family or friend's life, so if you even manage to escape (how tf is that possible, he has cameras everywhere) you would seem like the ungrateful one. How can a nice and soft-spoken man, ever do such things, they're gonna look at you like you're insane!!

Actually, while we are on the topic of family, Tachibana would actually want a child himself, yes, he knows that he needs an heir but he deeply wants a child of his own. Most of all Tachiaban wants to live a good life even if it is a short one, he wants you to talk about your day as you carry his child while he fixes his prosthetic arm after giving the person who was planning to kidnap you a good punch.

I DESPISE this bastard Oda, after what he has done to my beloved queen Makoto.

The glorious asshole himself Oda, as you said aint a savior unlike his boss, he is willing to hurt you so you can learn how to love him. It doesn't matter if it's physical or psychological he will hurt you no matter what. He has no problem pulling some strings to get you kidnaped by his old pals and letting them play with you for a bit, and then he will come and save you like some kind of superhero, he would make sure after what happened to you, you will cling unto him like a leech and never let him go and he sucks ever affection and attention you give him, he speaks like feathers are roaming around you yet, in reality, are insects ready to eat you whole. Escaping him would be impossible, being the right hand of the most powerful estate agent in Kamurocho, leaving him won't be easy. He will use your family as blackmail but, if you push his buttons hard he will not hesitate to kill your family in front of you, their waling screams pierce your ears, a night to remember. He has no morals and would not even stop until you behave.

Even though you will have the luxury of living a good life with Oda, his kindness and gentle manner are only a facade to his demonic self, act out of line again then you wouldn't mind being thrown in his basement with no food or water as you makes you forcefully watch a video of your father getting tortured. He will leave you there for days and come back to you in your disheveled state, he will make you take a bath and feed you, he's going to break you and rebuild you as many times as he wants until you behave.

SAEJIMA MY FAVOURITE YAKUZA CHARACTER OMFG AON IM SQUEELING, I HAD TO REFRAIN FROM RANTING IN HIS PART IJOIDCDIOKVGS

Ah yes, Saejima the man with blood in his hands, his hands are rough and big, and calloused yet here he is the same man that has a hand that can grip a man's head with one arm while being wounded not knowing how to send a text to someone, and of coarse you never blame him he spend many years in the gutter and missed out of all human technologies, you are more then happy to explain the basics!! He listens attentively, absorbing the information and memorizing it all the best he can, he tries his best but most of the time he has a hard time concentrating when your body is touching him, he likes it when you in his side while you tap on the "cellphone" but please do be patient with him, he is learning! Even though he is acting aloof he can spend more time with you and listen to your voice. Also, Saejima asked about your favorite music which you happily agreed to give recommendations about, you happily listen to your music taste and make Saejima listen to any kind of genre you listen to, it's just an excuse for Saejima to be close to you and see your smile as you hum the lyrics, he has to stop himself from trying to hug you and kiss you afraid that he will make you uncomfortable.

Saejima is vulnerable to you, he trusts you that he is willing to cry on your shoulder as he clings to you when he has suddenly memories of what happened, many years in the gutter deprived him of any kind of affection hell, and even humans touch, so he CRAVES your touch, he wants your touch, your hugs, anything that will give him any kind of comfort. When he hugs you he can smell your scent, he loves the way your fingers feel between his hair (IF HE HAD HIS HAIR B4), how warm you feel, how soft and pliant you are, the way you make his heartbeat quicker than normal, the way you make him feel special and important. He can't explain the feelings he has in his heart whenever you do, but deep inside him there is a fear that it will change someday, he is scared that someday your view of him will change and you will realize that he is nothing more than a monster.

Saejima is also scared that you might see him as a rude individual plus his resting bitch face doesn't help either yet if you manage to see through him and see that he's just being honest and straightforwards and he's also, in fact, a soft man at heart, he is really just a traumatized guy who needs all the support he needs, you would just leave him in the dust wouldn't you?

[mayaheronthorn]

SHC February 2024 Headcanons of the month ✨🥰🏆

Ohhhhh, let's gooo ✨✨✨

This is really chaotic 😭

Kit wanted to watch the Percy Jackson series, cause he was a fan of the books, so he and Ty watched it weekly and Kit spoiled him everything from the lore 😭😂

Clary and Jace sometimes play Uno, and they are both so competitive that it becomes a fight for their life 🤣

Emma and Julian took a trip to Prague and Julian drew sooo much during that time

Magnus threw a party for Chairman Meow, Rafe got really drunk for the first time in his life and started singing Single Ladies by Beyonce✨

Kit flew into space when Taylor announced her new album, he's making 283821 theories about tracks and Ty is just listening to him, because he loves to watch him talk about something he loves (Ty is secretly becoming a swiftie too)

[serickswrites]

Lonely Place of Longing Character Bios

Master list here

This is by no means an exhaustive list of characters but these are our main players.

Halle Corvus--formerly known as Caretaker--is a youngish (likely mid-20's) woman who joins Scutus in order to make a difference in the world. She is a gifted medic/healer and chose to serve her country by joining Scutus rather than being a physician. She is petite with long, dark hair that she usually braids and hazel eyes.

Dylan Merrick--formerly known as Whumpee--is appears to be a young man who is a living weapon in Scutus. He is tall, lean, but well muscled, with curly pale blond hair and icy blue eyes. His voice is surprisingly soft and gentle and he is much kinder than Halle expected. He has a long history with Scutus that is unknown to Halle, but is revealed over the course of the story.

Thomas Petri--formerly known as Team Leader--is a middle aged man who is the leader of Alpha Team at Scutus. Thomas is very tall, very muscular, and very direct. He has a gruff voice, but can be very kind to his team members. He has dark hair and dark eyes. Thomas has very strong feelings about loyalty to Scutus and Patricanus.

Samuel Rex--formerly known as Chairman--is the spokesperson for Scutus. He is an older man with gray hair and hazel eyes. He is not very physically imposing, but still exudes authority. He is very warm with Halle upon their first meeting. He only appears in a few chapters.

Owen Hughes--formerly known as Whumper--is the mysterious man that is the enemy of Scutus. Halle does not learn much about him until near the end of the story. She learns he is also a living weapon and a very powerful weapon at that. He is tall and lean like Dylan, with dark hair and the same icy blue eyes as Dylan.

As for setting/things to know, here are some things, but if I miss something, please ask away!

Scutus--formerly known as Organization. Scutus was created to protect Patricanus, the country that is the main setting of Lonely Place of Longing. Scutus is not the government, nor is it strictly a military branch, but has elements of both. Halle applies to be in Scutus and has to go through a rigorous interview process. All members of Scutus have to go through the process to join. The majority of people who apply to Scutus are not selected. They are an elite organization that exists to protect and serve. The Authority would tell you that they exist to protect the entire world, but that remains to be seen.

The Authority--the governing body of Scutus. Samuel is their spokesperson. The Authority doesn't have a single leader, but is made up of several unknown people. Halle is only aware of Samuel being a part of the authority.

Tectus--formerly known as Base. This is the home base of Scutus and where all members of Scutus reside. Tectus includes multiple living quarters, briefing rooms, training rooms, gyms, research and development, as well as other areas that are outside of Halle's awareness.

Living Weapons--living weapons are individuals who have been imbued with powers that make them invaluable in battle. The Authority of Scutus created the process and its steps remain a mystery those outside of the Authority. Weapons are few and far between, but are vital to Scutus' work. It is unclear to Halle if all living weapons come from Scutus or if other places also have the ability to create weapons. At the beginning of our story, she believes that weapons can come from anywhere, but by its conclusion, she is unclear.

As always, please feel free to ask questions if you have them! I am happy to answer questions about anything (and I will try to not spoil things)