Managing you || Ryeji

Chapter 2

After the polite but tense introductions, her agent proceeded to explain the situation to her now manager. Honestly, she really wanted to say that he would have to choose someone else. The moment the other left she would make sure to tell him as much.

There's no way in hell she would be dealing with her ex daily. Not after what happened between them.

Her agent seemed to keep glancing in her direction, surely wondering why she was quiet. It wasn't that she was usually talkative but when it came to who was working for her, she always had some input.

The other woman, however, didn't seem bothered in the slightest. Honestly, it was starting to piss her off. How could she be so indifferent to her presence? After everything.

"Here's your identification card, you'll need it to go through security next time. And here is a folder with the schedules, contacts and everything else you might need."

She didn't know why he was bothering. Ryujin was going to fire her as soon as this conversation was over.

He might as well not bother with all these formalities.

"Thank you, Mr. Kim. I'll make sure to read it thoroughly." Hwang Yeji spoke, still baring that wide smile of hers.

She hated that smile.

"We have prepared a meeting room for you two. So you can talk about the upcoming schedules and be on the same page." He gestured towards the room that Ryujin knew all too well, having done this several times already.

"If you'll excuse me." She spoke up, clearing her throat and directing her stare at the woman next to her. "I have to talk to Mr. Kim. But you can go ahead without me."

'As you always did.' She added, in her mind.

"Of course." Yeji spoke politely, bowing before leaving the office.

"What is it?"

"You have to fire her."

Mr. Kim sighed, running a hand through his forehead and loosening the tie around his neck. "I've put up with a lot coming from you but why would I fire her when she hasn't even started?"

"It can't be her."

"Why? What's wrong with her? She's perfectly competent, respectful, polite, she knows several languages, has experience, had a good education. What else could you possibly want?"

"Look, I don't expect you to understand my reasoning, but it cannot be her. Just get anyone else."

"Do you really think there's anyone else? You've fired anyone even slightly qualified. Nobody else with her competency would want to work for you. Word has been getting around that anyone who manages you can never last for long. So please do tell me who I should hire."

"I don't care. Hire someone with no experience if you must."

"That's career suicide, and we both know it. This is an important job that could make or break your career. You're lucky that somehow she wants the job."

"Lucky my ass." She muttered. By now she was standing while arguing with her agent. It wasn't her best moment.

But that's the effect Hwang Yeji had on her. She always managed to shake up her world. That much was still true, even after all these years. Much like that first day they met, Hwang Yeji still got Ryujin shaken to her core. Maybe not in the same way, but she always made an impression.

"I'm serious. She's your best option. Now please try and make it work. For both our sake."

Ryujin sighed, finally admitting defeat. As per usual, Yeji always got what she wanted and Ryujin was left defeated.

'I better wake up in my bed and discover this was all a nightmare.'

She walked out that office thinking about all the ways this could be wrong. Maybe she should prepare a note saying 'Yeji did it' just in case the other poisoned her food or something.

"Hello, Miss Shin." The other greeted her once she entered the meeting room, bowing as she did so.

"You really don't have to continue whatever that is." She said in response, sitting in one of the empty chairs.

"Good because it's really weird."

"Yeah, sure is."

"I've never had to be all polite to my bosses before. Granted the only boss I had in the field was also my friend so that might be why." The other continued.

"What?" She raised her eyebrows in confusion. Clearly she meant it as in, it's not necessary because they dated and it's fucking weird that she's acting like she doesn't know who Ryujin is.

"Sorry, I'm rambling, aren't I?" The other smiled awkwardly, her shaky hands going through the papers that were in the folder.

"Yeji." She spoke, looking at the mess of papers she was moving around. "What are you doing?"

"We should discuss your next schedules, no?"

She clicked her tongue, deep in thought. Did she really think things would be okay if she continued to ignore the fact they know each other?

"Right. I'll get straight to the point then." Ryujin sighed, running her hand through her lose hair. "Why are you acting like you don't know me? And why did you apply to be my manager?"

Yeji was avoiding looking at her now, she could see her taking deeper breaths.

"I didn't know it was you." Yeji justified. "I haven't been caught up with South Korea's music, being in America for the last however many years. I was told it was someone named Ryujin who was the biggest thing in music these days." The girl stopped to catch her breath after having spoken too fast.

"All I thought was 'oh, that's a name I know very well' but I didn't know you had got so successful. I guess I haven't really followed your career after... you know. As far as I knew, I'd be managing someone with the same first name as you. I never actually expected it to be-" she stopped for a moment, gesturing towards her. "You."

"Why act like you didn't even know me in the first place?" Why did she even care. She should be making a plan on who to hire instead of Yeji. Not wanting to know more about this.

Yeji seemed embarrassed now. "I almost didn't recognize you."

'Fuck you, Hwang Yeji. Even after this many years I would have recognized you anywhere and you weren't even capable of recognizing me? Fuck you.'

"Your hair is different. You cut and dyed it. You dress differently, carry yourself differently. It's been many years. I suppose people mature. It took me a moment to know it was you." Yeji rambled, again. "By then it would have been awkward to say anything. Besides, you acted like you'd never seen me before. For a second I thought I was imagining it was you or that you had a lookalike with the same name."

Ryujin pressed her lips together, she hated this. So much.

But did she have a choice? Until she found someone to replace Yeji, she would have to deal with her.

"Okay." She said, moving some of the papers on the table. "From now on, we don't have to talk unless it's job related. Got it?"

The other woman simply nodded.

"We might hate each other but I expect you to be professional. I'll be doing the same."

Yeji opened her mouth a couple times but seemed to decide not to say whatever was in her mind. Ryujin didn't bother to ask. She didn't care.

They discussed her schedule for the next week, consciously avoiding any other topic throughout their meeting.

At the end of it they exchanged contacts. She hated thinking the other had a direct way to contact her now but it was necessary.

'traitor' That fit Yeji perfectly. Ryujin smirked at her phone as she saved her new manager's contact under that nickname.