Chapter Two
The unwelcomed blaring of an alarm clock was snoozed for the third time. 6am had come too quickly and Nora felt willing to empty her entire bank account for another hour of sleep. Her slumber had been occupied by strange dreams that left her feeling unsettled. Ten minutes later, when the final alarm began to scream, she heeded to its call and started her morning routine. She had exactly an hour and a half of prep time before she needed to run some errands. Today was a new day and she felt confident in her organization of SKZ's schedule. It did not alleviate her fear that they would choose not to go along with it. The thought sent her searching for her cellphone as she put the final touches on her look for the day.
The entertainment company had developed an app that sorted all the managers and their groups into teams. It allowed her to communicate with them both individually and as a mass text. Hoping to put her nerves at bay, she sent a message.
N. Halston [7:30am]: Good Morning, making a coffee run before our 10am departure.
N. Halston [7:30am]: Please tell me what you'd like.
She expected the worst but within a few moments her phone dinged. The response sent an illogical amount of shock through her entire body. When she saw who was the first to reach out she was no longer surprised.
Chan [7:32am]: Good Morning!
Chan [7:32am]: Iced Americano, please.
His prompt messaging led her to wonder if he was having any success getting everyone up and going. When her phone started chiming repeatedly, she rushed to check it.
Felix [7:40am]: Hey Miss H (;
Felix [7:40am]: Hottie with honey, please.
Felix [7:41am]: Oops. Hot tea with honey*
Felix [7:41am]: You should join us for breakfast. We got gyeran-bbang and made bibimbap.
The not-so-sly message made her roll her eyes hard, but the last one she found somewhat endearing. She had no clue what those items were, or if it was inappropriate to accept the invite. So she opted to thank them and explain that she would be back just in time to leave.
Grabbing a couple of items from the office, she checked her phone a final time before getting coffee. To her amazement everyone responded, even the two rebels. The last one being Hyunjin at 9'o'clock am. Everything was going in a positive direction. There were no absentminded patrons at the coffee shop and her order was made perfectly. For the first time since she moved, she felt like she had made the right decision.
As promised, she arrived back at the apartment at 9:45. As she approached the back entrance, drinks balanced in two different trays, a figure came sprinting to meet her.
"Let me help with that." The voice echoed through the parking deck. Hyunjin, bare faced and wearing casual clothing, still favored his headshot. He was very attractive with his dark hair, perfect nose, and pillowy lips. Now he just seemed more...real. It was nice to see him relaxed and informal.
"Thank you, Mr. Hwang." She offered a faint smile, not wanting to come off as a damsel in distress. He grinned back at her with this little sting-ray smile.
"You can call me Hyunjin, Ms. Halston." Seeing the curb up ahead reminded her that he was notoriously clumsy. He was so busy trying to make small-talk that he nearly tripped over it, but she took him by the arm. It was unexpectedly muscular for such a thin-framed person.
"Watch your step." The warning came out like a mom or teacher guiding along their young child. It was not what she intended to do, but at least it didn't seem insulting. Nurturing was better than condescending.
The others cheered at Nora's preventative work, causing the prince to bloom bright red with embarrassment. It really did warm her timely little heart to see them lined up and ready to load in. Bang Chan soon approached with a nervous expression.
"Changbin is still upstairs." He sighed. "He wants to speak with you alone." His exhausted eyes looked drowsily into hers.
"That's okay. I don't mind a quick chat. Did you sleep, Mr. Bang?" She knew the answer, but wanted to hear it from him directly.
"I took a brief nap around 4am." He sheepishly confessed.
"I'd like to see if we can try and find some help for your insomnia. I'm worried about you not being well-rested." His gaze turned into slight confusion. "Keep an eye on your e-calendar this week, okay?" Unable to respond fast enough, he watched as she made her way back into the building.
Arriving on their floor, she could see Changbin waiting out in the hallway. Coming in close enough to speak at a decent level, she remarked.
"You have 10 minutes, Mr. Seo. What's going on?" He was also not wearing makeup and his appearance slightly caught her off guard. In the black t-shirt, shorts, and ballcap he almost looked too casual. She also noticed just how muscular his arms were.
"It's clear you're not my biggest fan, and I'm not crazy about you either." The bluntness wasn't off-putting. If anything, it was welcomed. It was always a pain in the ass to have people's words match their actions.
"You have my attention." Her comment, though sarcastic in nature, was an indicator for him to continue.
"I just wanted to say that Jisung isn't like me. He isn't trying to cause trouble. So, if you have any preconceived ideas of who he is you should toss them out." It was hard to tell, but it seemed like he was trying to defend his co-producer.
"I appreciate the insight. What outcome are you hoping to come from this conversation?" It was a legitimate question that she wanted to have a practical answer for.
"I just need you to give him a chance. I don't care what your opinion is of me, but he does. He's one of the best guys I know and he deserves to be recognized as such." She nodded mindfully along with his request.
"That is fair. Is there anything else?" He took a moment to fully think through his next words.
"Yes, one last thing." She locked eyes with him to make sure he knew she was listening. "If you give him another chance, then I'll do the same for you. I'll make an effort to follow your rules and what not." Although all his words came out stern and grouchily, she could see the earnesty in his gaze. He was stubborn, but he was also honest. Extending a hand out to him, he looked at it momentarily before accepting. They shook hands, her grip every bit as firm as his.
"You've got yourself a deal Mr. Seo. Shall we get going?" With a couple of minutes to spare, they both made their way down to the loading area.
Nora somehow wound up seated next to the golden boy. Despite her best efforts to reject his flirtatious nature, he persisted. It was never outwardly perverse, just a lot of ogling. He would smile or say something cheeky, but it was never disrespectful. She was prepared to hand it to him if he ever crossed that line.
"Ms. H, I brought you some breakfast since you couldn't join us." From behind the others lightly mocked him. Whipping around, Felix shot them a warning look. She could faintly make out Changbin grumbling. Something about her being the reason why he couldn't have extras. When the bass-voiced baby face turned back to her, she offered a closed mouth smile. Polite, but not overly friendly. They were face to face now, and there was no way to avoid taking him in. She watched as a smile crept across lips. Without a word, he handed her a rectangular tin and a pair of chopsticks. "I suggest having the egg bread first." He began watching her with anticipation.
"Maybe I should wait until later? I usually only have coffee in the mornings." There were several things preventing her from having her first authentic Korean food experience. The first being whether or not it was professional. If she accepted and even ate the food provided, would her superiors look down on her? Or was it more frowned upon culturally to refuse the gesture? However, the biggest source of her apprehension was due to the inability to use chopsticks.
All her life Nora had ceaselessly tried to use little wooden devices but could never master it. When she moved to New York, practically surviving on Chinese takeout, her friends mercilessly picked on her for being unable to use the utensils. From the next seat back, the other Aussie popped his head over the seat. "The egg bread is so good. It doesn't save well, so you should definitely have it now." Watching as the two exchanged looks of excitement, she caved in to a slight defeat. In a whisper, she asked.
"Do either of you have a fork?" They both looked perplexed. Picking up the chopsticks, Felix held them up eye level. She couldn't let them know just how embarrassed she was, so she did her best to stay collected. "Thank you, I prefer to use a fork though." Offering another polite smile did not make their confusion go away. They both earnestly questioned her aversion to the sticks.
"SHE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO USE THEM!" Changbin loudly blurted out. Trying to regain the upper hand she admitted.
"That's correct, I'm not familiar with their use." Internally, her blood was boiling and she wanted to turn around to flip the rapper off. Without any questioning or hesitation, Felix popped open the tin and used the chopsticks to fish out the bread. It was small, no bigger than a mini muffin, and yellow in color. It reminded her of cornbread, a staple back home in Virginia. He held it before here, encouraging her to take a bite. By now, the entire group was peering over the seats, watching excitedly. Fuck it, she thought as she took a bite. A rush of flavor sprinted across her taste buds. The savory egg yolk melted over top of the sweet and salty bread. The cheese, bacon, and parsley that was baked in truly reminded her of home.
The blonde boy scrunched his nose with delight causing his freckles to fold in on one another. As he offered the remaining piece, Nora didn't even feign her desire. She eagerly accepted it, basking in its goodness.
"It's good, right?" His question was rhetorical. She nodded, covering her mouth to prevent any accidental seepage.
"It's delicious, thank you." There were a couple of crumbs resting on the lapel of her blazer. Reaching forward, he gently picked them off while making direct eye contact.
"You look really nice today." The compliment came with a smile that made the interaction difficult to interpret. The two actions in essence were simple and innocent enough, but there was this mischievous light dancing in his eyes. That's what she didn't trust, the way his eyes flickered back at her.
Diverting from the moment, she stood and turned to face everyone else. The van was still enroute, but they were swiftly reaching their destination. She informed them of the impending arrival and what to expect for the first portion of their day. Hair and makeup, followed by two different editorial shoots, and one skin care ad before their afternoon break. By the time her brief wrapped up, they had arrived. "From here on, please allow me to lead you in and provide an introduction." Nora instructed. "Mr. Bang, will you provide interpretation assistance when needed?" His response was an emphatic yes.
After guiding the group into the studio and reviewing the looks and concepts for the first shoot, the guys were sent off into hair and makeup. Just outside the dressing room, she set up camp. After seeing the leader's look of exhaustion this morning, she began to search for prominent sleep specialists. It was baffling why no one had addressed this in the past. Regardless, she took it upon herself to schedule an appointment for the first opening in his schedule.
N. Halston [11:00am]: New Calendar Alert: Neurologic Appointment
N. Halston [11:00am]: Please add this to your calendar, and plan to keep that day clear. Thank you. Let me know if you have questions.
In reviewing their overall schedules, it appalled her just how little free time they had. Between recording sessions, appearances, and fan-based events they barely had time to sleep. Compared to her artist management experience from the states, this was an entirely different world.
Back home, her job had been to organize and oversee the day to day business ventures of the performer she had been assigned to. Nora worked alongside public relations and personal assistants to ensure the obligations to the company were being upheld. They too were busy and had some early mornings and late nights, but it paled in comparison to the nearly 24/7 surveillance of the kpop industry. Granted, they still lived a privileged life but their freedoms were severely limited. Her prior clients took vacations semi-frequently and often had time off to enjoy however they pleased. They lived independently, and were able to as they pleased.
Her spiraling thoughts were interrupted when a petite, soft spoken woman asked for her assistance. Her request was for Nora to provide the final approval for each member's look before they started the shoot. As she was escorted into the room, she was shocked by their appearances. They had been entirely transformed, and their collective beauty caught her off guard. It also threw her for a loop to find them working on their social media posting for the day. Up until the attendant called for their attention, they had been helping one another take photographs for the fans. Seeing them work together so closely was endearing.
Forming a makeshift line, she went one by one and compared each person's appearance to the notes the visionary team had provided. The themed black and white costumes were all tailored to perfection. Each suit had been paired with sashes and epaulettes making them all look like princes. When she stopped in front of Han Jisung, the conversation from earlier was recalled. Seeing him now, he appeared as an entirely different person. They had swept his hair back and heavily contoured his face. Using a deep brown shadow, the makeup team had even managed to change his eye shape with a smokey look in the outer corners. The most dramatic change was the eye color. His soft, brown eyes had been swapped for a bright hazel-green with the use of contacts.
As she stood before him, he avoided meeting her gaze. After last night's episode, he wasn't sure how he felt about her. Leaning towards Changbin's opinion, he stared past her and focused on the back wall. He wasn't entirely sure why he cared so much before, but now he wanted to give her the person she assumed him to be. It felt as though she had lingered too long, so he made direct eye contact with the manager.
"Like what you see?" He barked. The question obviously caught her off guard as her mouth slightly gaped open.
"Excuse me?" For a brief second there was a spark of confusion in her eyes. Han couldn't deny, it felt good to baffle her.
"I said, do you like what you see?" A half smile slid across his face as the others looked on in awe. Changbin, who stood beside him, elbowed him in the side. Speaking through clenched teeth he snarled, "what are you doing?" Halston leaned in close, internally he was quaking but outwardly he remained planted.
Jisungs actions had Nora questioning the validity of the morning's private talk. Was it a prank? Did they expect her to lower her defenses so they could run amok? With his current actions it was truly hard to decipher the intent. Looking him directly in the eyes, she set him straight.
"You have something in your teeth." She bluntly stated. Then, she let sight move from his and unto his mouth. There wasn't actually anything stuck in his teeth, but it was a psychological maneuver she had learned. It worked anytime she found herself in a situation where someone was trying to over-power her. This time was no different.
Han promptly shut his mouth and backed off. His instant reaction caused her to smirk menacingly. Moving on, Halston finished with the inspections and approved the photoshoot to begin. Other than some mild goofing off, the group did very well. The photographer was nitpicking every single aspect of the shoot, and insisted that they go over their allotted time. Denying the request, she urged the staff to wrap up the process. When her refusal was ignored, Nora stepped right in the middle of the group and asked Chan to translate on her behalf. Despite being a little apprehensive, he agreed.
"I regret to inform you that we must proceed with our schedule." It was assertive but polite, the leader echoed her words. The cameraman, with his wannabe hipster outfit, launched back. Directing his disapproval directly at Nora.
"He said that it is his obligation as director to fulfill an artistic vision." The leader paused as the man continued on. "It's not his fault that we are not photogenic and unable to take direction well." The rest of the members stirred behind her. The comment was tacky and highly unprofessional. She had watched them bend to his every ridiculous request for over an hour.
"If your outfit is any indicator of your artistic vision, then I highly doubt that anyone would be able to fulfill such an atrocious concept." Her rebuttal made Chan highly uncomfortable.
"Ms. Halston, I don't know if I can say that." Knowing it truly wasn't his nature to speak in such a way, she allowed him to alter the comment.
"My clients have done everything you have asked. They are also being financially compensated for an hour of work, nothing more." Once again the leader repeated her words. "I can assume that you, yourself, do not work for free. Am I correct?" After hearing that the photographer threw up his hands and walked off set.
The altercation set them behind schedule. Thankfully, Nora had allotted a 15 minute break between shoots. It upset her that the group would no longer be able to have a brief resting period, but their day wasn't entirely thrown off course. While they endured round two of hair, makeup, and wardrobe she passed out their favorite snacks. In moments like these, she wasn't sure how this band had been deemed a handful. They had their silly and mischievous moments, but when it came to work they eagerly completed the job without complaining.
As the work day droned on, she watched as the boys grew more and more tired. In this industry, while you were on site there was no space for slip ups. From the stylists to the set designers, everyone's eyes glued to the celebrities. They watched and waited for any sort of misconduct or human flaw. Nora easily spotted the difference in their energy from the morning to now. They put on a good act, soliciting loads of compliments from their last two jobs. The staff would rant and rave about how they were so polite and easy to work with. It was true too, they had continuously impressed her throughout the day.
After wrapping the final shoot of the day, they loaded up the van to begin their journey home. Checking to ensure everyone was present, she noticed that they were still in full hair and makeup. She had arrived with 8 semi-grungy guys and left with real life ken dolls.
"Thank you all for your hard work today." The words were full of sincerity, and she tried to convey that by making eye contact with each one of them. Han still refused to reciprocate. "We have another packed day tomorrow, so please get some rest tonight." Before she could continue, Changbins voice came wailing from the back.
"Can we stop for dinner? I'm hungry!"
"You're always hungry." Felix chirped back comically as the others joined in with their shared request. Nora froze. It was still early and they definitely deserved a good meal, but she had no clue where to go or how to make arrangements.
"You should take us out for dinner, Ms. H." The boy from Oz, who managed to seat himself next to her again, pleaded.
"More like we should take HER out to dinner." Lee Know corrected. "She handled that rude photographer like a boss."
"She also kept our energy up with the snacks." Jeongin added, flashing his adorable smile. He had one of the most striking faces she had ever seen, and when he grinned it damn near made her swoon.
"I agree." Bang Chan spoke up, and the others quieted down. "You really took care of us today. Let us thank you with a meal." At this point, it felt beyond rude to decline. At times like these there were no tricks or techniques to help guide her. All she could resort to was honesty.
"We can all go to dinner under one condition." Their eyes widened with anticipation. "I've only been here for a few days, and haven't had time to learn about the city." Everyone looked on in shock. "All I ask is that we avoid places where you will be easily recognized. We don't need to incite a media frenzy." All but one member bobbed their heads in agreement. Jisung, on the other hand, stared out the window.
Within a couple of minutes, the group had agreed on a small barbecue joint on the outskirts of town. Hyunjin recommended the spot, having frequented it for a couple of years. Although it was a food you could easily find in NYC, she had never managed to try it. Trying the delicacy in its place of origin would undoubtedly be better. Though she couldn't allow herself to show it, she was excited to have her first official Korean dining experience.
Upon being seated the boys were whispering amongst themselves. They were terrible at being inconspicuous and their hushed voices were easily overheard.
"I can hear you." Their secretive little bubbles burst. "If you'd like to know my answer then you should ask directly." Unbeknownst to her, a look of amusement appeared on her face. The warmth of it bolstered Felix's confidence. Again, he planted himself beside her. They sat so close that their elbows kept touching.
"We were wondering if there would be Soju?" The name was familiar but she knew nothing about the alcoholic beverage.
"I don't think it's a good idea." Her statement was honest. The last thing she needed was a gaggle of tipsy dudes on her hands. She especially didn't want to deal with an inebriated Australian Romeo. "I don't know if the company would approve." The morale took a slight dip, but they all expressed that they understood the decision. They were adults who worked non-stop, and she believed they deserved to treat themselves from time to time. An idea quickly came to mind, and she excitedly released it into the air. "If everyone has a good work week with no incidents, I will personally buy soju and pizza on Sunday. Sound good?" They looked at her perplexed, and it caught her by surprise. "Do you not like pizza? I swore I read somewhere that you did." Seungmin spoke up on behalf of the group. Any time he opened his mouth Nora was taken aback. Oftentimes he looked so aloof, but most times he was acutely aware of everything.
"We're not used to a manager who listens or compromises with us. We've always been told what to do, but never given any say or choices." Her brow furrowed with his explanation. She couldn't explain it, but something disarmed Halston and allowed Nora to float to the surface. Everything changed and every member noticed. Her shoulders slumped comfortably and all the muscles in her face relaxed. When she began to speak, the slight twang of her southern accent popped like little bubbles.
"I could get my ass chewed out for this, but I have questions." The sound of her voice along with the frankness sent Changbin into hysterics.
When the waitress appeared, it halted their conversation. By the way she giggled and covered her face with the order pad, it was clear that she recognized the group. Using her limited knowledge of the Korean language, she was able to say hello and ask if she spoke english. The server excitedly responded that she did. She was so animated when she spoke that it was endearing. Her natural beauty also made Nora well wildly insecure. When the girl complimented the color of her eyes, it took everything in her not to cry. She could feel the stinging behind her eyes and blinked it away.
Before she allowed each person to place their order, she asked for a small favor. Explaining that the band had experienced a tiring day of work, Nora requested that their privacy be respected. In return for her confidentiality, she promised to tip generously and allow for pictures after the meal. Happy to oblige, the waitress readily took their order and proceeded as normal. It was another situation that had the members stunned.
"So what are your questions about, Halston?" Changbin eagerly resurfaced the conversation.
"How does someone chew out your ass?" Minho disgustedly asked. Not even realizing she had said it, the recollection caused her to rumble with laughter. Pushing through a case of the giggles, she managed to explain.
"I'm from Virginia, it's considered to be a southern state."
"Oh, like in cowboy movies?" His genuine response made her want to laugh even harder, but she kept going.
"Yes, we'll go with that. In my state we have a lot of weird sayings like that. I didn't mean to say it, but getting your ass chewed out means getting fussed at or in trouble." Looking relieved that no one was going to chew on his butt, Minho snickered with understanding. Cutting through the shared moment of amusement, Changbin yelled.
"Halstonnnn!" When she glared over at him, she found him grinning back at her. "Questions." He wasn't going to let this go. Yet, this side of him was by far more pleasant than his blatant disdain. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she grappled with whether or not to continue on with the discussion.
Having spent the day in observance and working alongside the group, she felt she was able to make a decent assessment. While Changbin and Han were seemingly the mischief-makers, she began to reevaluate her standpoint. They were just young, energetic guys with very few outlets to have fun and exert their energy. She initially wanted to ask about their previous managers and opinions on the restrictive contracts. Deciding it was too controversial, she rerouted her original thought.
"Well, I've noticed that you guys have very little free time." Just the mention of down time piqued each of their interests. "I've worked on your schedules all day, and have done quite a bit of rearranging. What I wanted to ask was if you would collectively be interested in having one full day off a week?" The mood around the table became joyfully frantic, chatter erupting all around.
"What's the catch?" Han asked, his voice flat. Seated at the opposite end of the table, he leaned forward on his elbows and looked down the line at her. Nora had noticed all day that his demeanor had drastically changed. She wasn't sure what caused the overnight transformation, but it was becoming all too obvious. Now, he refused to make eye contact with her and would snarkily respond when spoken to directly. But, if one of his bandmates spoke to him the interaction was entirely different. With them, he was the class-clown that she had met in the conference room. All smiles and full of energy.
"There's no catch. You need a full day off to rest and take care of personal matters. Working non-stop like you have been isn't good for you mentally or physically." He flopped back in his chair and rolled his eyes.
"How would you know what's good for us? This is your second day as our manager." After snapping back, Lee Know turned to him and quietly held a conversation in Korean.
Watching the way they interacted, it struck her as odd but charming. It reminded her of old married couples. She really had no clue what was being said, but there was one word she recognized - wae. In the span of a few seconds she heard the word used three, maybe four, times. Why? What could he be questioning Jisung about? Bang Chan's distinguishable English redirected her attention.
"Would this just be a day off from in-person appearances?" The food had begun to arrive with bowl upon bowl of meat and sides. Some of the members began placing the marinated pork, beef, and chicken on the grill in the center of the table.
"No, it would be a day off from everything. Appearances, studio time, fan call events, and blogging." As she talked, Felix passed her a dish plated with rice, lettuce, and a dollop of each side item. "How you spend the day would solely be up to you." Topping the rice with some meat, the golden boy placed a hand on her back.
She whipped around to face him, and she was met with a small piece of lettuce wrapped around a combination of ingredients. After instructing her to try it, things moved too quickly for her to properly react. He brought the food toward her, holding his hand beneath it to prevent any drippage. There was no time to refuse, so she opened her mouth and allowed him to feed her. When the flavors exploded across her tongue, the urge to scold him dissipated. The lettuce with the rice was earthy and soothed the welcomed burn of the sauce. She was most obsessed with the meat. It had been well marinated, making it so tender that it seemed to melt.
"What do you think?" The quiet boom of his voice broke through the reverie. It was so delicious that Nora couldn't help but gush.
"Oh my god, what did you just give me? That was incredible! Whatever it's marinated in, I'd eat it on a shoe." Her absent-minded rambling sent everyone into deep, guttural laughter. Han, fighting not to show it, was even tickled.
Everyone ate until they felt as though they could burst. After Nora paid the check, she upheld the promise made to the waitress. Despite that they were now tired and full, the boys took their time with the fan. Unlike her American clients, they did not have to be told to be kind or polite. She didn't have to act as a middle-man to keep the interaction from turning sour either. She just stood back, and let them be themselves. Seeing the exchange made feelings of purpose ride within her. Maybe she could be successful within this sect of the industry. More than that, she was moved by the 8 men before her. In such a short amount of time she had discovered that they were genuine and down-to-earth guys who had not yet been corrupted by their celebrity. In her heart, she held the wish that they would never change.
Just past 10pm they arrived back at the apartment complex. Even though she urged them on, the group refused to leave her behind. While she paid the driver and signed off on paperwork they remained close by and even traveled up to their floor together. Unlike the others, Han did not stop to say goodnight. He continued on past Nora's door, and into their own unit. Once inside, he flopped on the couch in frustration.
All day he had felt as if he were playing a character. Switching between his normal self and shut off self was exhausting. It also struck him as weird how the dynamic between Changbin and the manager had shifted. During the course of the day they had made conversation and even shared a laugh or two. What happened to their mutual disliking of one another? When the door creaked open it made him jump, only to see Lee Know straggling in.
"Honey!" He exclaimed. The two had been using the shared pet name for as long as they could remember. At this point, it was often used more than their actual names.
"You scare easily." Minho snorted, rolling his eyes back into his head. Han knew the gesture was all in fun, but an outsider may have mistook it for dismissive or rude. It bothered him when people wrote his friend off as unfriendly or unkind without getting to know him.
"You startled me, that's all." Sitting upright, he watched as his friend made his way to the bathroom in the hall. While washing the makeup from his face, Lee Know continued their talk.
"Speaking of startling, what was up with you today?" The question made Han want to change the subject. Knowing that wouldn't work, he tried to play coy.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Maybe because I was tired?" Like a saving grace, the remaining members piled back into the dorm. Collecting his things, Jisung headed to the bedroom he shared with Jeongin. That night he laid awake thinking about the day, and all the good things that happened. Despite his coldness toward her, he recognized the positive effect that Ms. Halston had on them. Mostly he just found himself thinking about her. His mind wandered back to dinner and how she smiled. The little hints of her cowgirl accent and the funny phrases she used made inside his stomach feel warm. When he finally dozed off, her steely blue eyes were the last image he recalled.
From: NHalston@HYPEntertainment.com [11:00pm]
Subject: Daily Summary/Schedule Change
Stray Kids,
Thank you all for your hard work today. I believe that you made a great impression on everyone you came across. Please try to get some sleep so we can keep the momentum going. Our departure isn't until noon tomorrow, but we are expected to wrap much later than you did today. I will gladly provide coffee again. If you'd like something different please try to inform me before 11am. I will be waiting with the van in the back lot at 11:45am sharp.
Lastly, I have fully reworked your schedules to allot one full day off per week. Effective immediately, there will be no work, not even vlogging or fan chats, on Sundays. Please have all your social media items prepared and sent to the PR interns no later than Saturday at 6pm. Please follow company guidelines on public conduct if you decide to go out. I will need to be informed of your plans, but only to ensure your safety while you're out. If you were to need anything, I will still be fully accessible. Let's do our best over the next 4 days so you can fully enjoy your time Sunday.
Thank you again for your excellent work today.
N. Halston, Senior Talent Manager
HYP Entertainment
YOU ARE READING
Kiss & Clientele
FanfictionAfter a promotion requires no nonsense Nora Halston to pack up her life and move to Seoul, she is shocked to find herself assigned to a group of rowdy male idols. Determined to advance in her career, she accepts the challenge and quickly sets her mi...
