Hansol was conflicted.
He hadn't been rude, exactly, but when it came to someone like Nabi—someone with the kind of power and connections that could make or break a career—he couldn't shake the gnawing guilt. Even the smallest misstep could be blown out of proportion in their world, and the thought of her finding him distasteful was enough to tie his stomach in knots.
The sharp slap of a binder hitting the conference table jolted him out of his spiraling thoughts. The meeting had officially ended, leaving Hansol with a decision to make. Apologize and risk coming across as a desperate fool? Or stay silent and potentially seem arrogant?
He watched as Nabi gathered her things with practiced ease, her polite smile firmly in place as she exchanged brief nods with passing colleagues. Within seconds, she'd slipped out the door, the faint click of her heels echoing down the hallway.
It was now or never.
If Nabi had her way, she'd never sit through another meeting again. She loathed the rehearsed pleasantries, the suffocating formality. The moment she stepped out of the room, her carefully maintained expression faded, replaced by the quiet exhaustion that always followed hours of forced interaction.
She walked briskly, her mind already wandering far from the polished hallways of HYBE, when a tap on her shoulder startled her back to reality.
"Um—oh!" she said, spinning around to face him. "Vernon! Do you need something?"
Her professional smile snapped into place with unnerving precision, but Hansol recognized the subtle tension behind it. He'd been in the industry long enough to spot the telltale signs of someone putting on a show. It was too late to back out now, though.
"Uh, yeah. I just—" He stuffed his hands into his pockets, his gaze flickering to the floor. "I wanted to apologize. For earlier. If I seemed, like... dismissive or anything."
Her brow furrowed. "Dismissive?"
Hansol froze. This wasn't part of the script he'd rehearsed in his head.
"Well, yeah," he stammered, grasping for words. "I mean, I wasn't exactly... enthusiastic when I was, uh, showing you around. My bad."
For a moment, she just stared at him. Then, much to his surprise—and horror—she burst out laughing.
The sound was so unexpected it sent a rush of heat to his face, and Hansol had to resist the urge to sink into the floor. If this turned into a scandal, Seungcheol would definitely kill him.
"Sorry!" she managed between laughs, wiping the corner of her eye. "I don't mean to laugh at you. It's just—" She paused to catch her breath. "You weren't rude at all. Seriously. I get it. It's later in the day, and no one's in the mood to be all showbiz after a meeting like that."
Hansol blinked, caught off guard by her honesty. Most executives he'd met were rigid and distant, their professionalism verging on robotic. Nabi, on the other hand, seemed so... normal.
"Oh," he said, a small, awkward chuckle escaping him. "I kind of thought you'd say the opposite."
She smiled, the kind of smile that didn't feel rehearsed, and Hansol found himself studying her. She wasn't like anyone else he'd met in her position. Younger than most, she carried herself with a confidence that was effortless rather than imposing. It was disarming.
"People in this business are usually all old and cranky," she said with a shrug. "I get where you're coming from."
Hansol chuckled, falling into step beside her as they walked toward the lobby. He wasn't sure why he kept talking—small talk wasn't exactly his thing—but something about her made it feel easy.
"Heading home?" he asked.
Nabi turned to him, sliding her sunglasses onto her nose with a casual grace. "Not sure yet. But that's a pretty good idea, huh?"
He laughed softly, watching as she adjusted the strap of her bag. There was something captivating about the way she moved, effortless but intentional, like she was always one step ahead of everyone else.
As they reached the expansive glass doors leading to the bustling streets of Seoul, she swung her bag over her shoulder and gave him a friendly, lopsided wave.
"See you at the photoshoot, Vernon!" she called, her voice light and teasing.
Hansol watched as she strode toward a sleek Porsche waiting just outside, slipping inside without a second glance. The tinted windows obscured her as the car pulled away, but he found himself lingering in the lobby, staring after her long after she was gone.
He couldn't quite explain it, but something about Nabi left him feeling... unsettled. And not in a bad way.
