"We must finish testing out the final model today, Ms. Kwon," Mr. Lee implored, hoping to overrule his boss's obstinacy. He tentatively wiped the sweat dripping off his forehead with a soft towel, pressing his fingertips onto his temples in an attempt to subdue the pain.

"Is there any reason for that, Mr. Lee? Are you the founder of this Company?" Replied Nara, her tone laced with a hint of arrogance. She folded her arms, narrowing her eyes at her assistant while preparing to retaliate at the new excuse he was about to concur.

I must fire him, she thought.

"We're tired, Ma'am. Working on this new release day and night— finding the right market and demographic, negotiating with the promoters, it's taken a toll on all of us," Mr. Lee panted, crinkling his tired eyes, "We need to finish this quickly. We also need a break. Even my wife has started to yell at me, claiming that I'm not there for my kids during the day," He met his boss's intimidating eyes, pleading for leniency.

The rest of the employees gasped, their palms clasping their mouths. Muffled whispers filled the tense atmosphere, the workers sharing hardened glances between one another.

"Quiet!" Snapped Ms. Kwon, flashing her fingers in front of her visibly frightened audience. Her sharp tone sliced through the air, forcing the room to settle into an ominous silence.

No one asked Kwon Nara for a break. It didn't matter whether it was a polite request, or a threat— her response would remain the same. If there was one aspect the self-made millionaire hated, it was slacking off during work. However, the only thing she despised even more than what she associated as laziness— was citing 'family' as a reason.

"Let me ask you a question, Mr. Lee," She spoke, stepping closer towards her anguished assistant, who flinched as she neared him. Her glowering eyes appeared like the raging sun— glittering, golden specks glaring into his. However, their inner anatomy was anything but— cold, void of life, lacking the energy radiated by a ray of morning beam.

"Who is your boss? Me, or your wife?" She quipped sweetly, plastering a haunting smile onto her face.

"Y-you, M-madam," Replied a stuttering Mr. Lee, his ears turning into a brilliant shade of red from embarrassment. That wasn't the first time he had been reprimanded by his boss.

He admired Ms. Kwon, he truly did. Having the courage to become an entrepreneur, running one of the largest fashion conglomerates in South Korea, while being the hot topic of every single gossip magazine in Seoul— all at the ripe age of twenty-five, was certainly inspiring. However, he was entering his grey years, both hair-wise and health-wise. His familial demands were growing intolerable, too much for his poor heart to handle, on top of all the anxiety he experienced due to work. He had reached a stage where he desired even the tiniest hint of compassion from his workaholic of a boss.

"Then whose orders must you follow?" She stretched her mouth even wider, her pearly whites shining through. Her sickeningly sweet, honey-like tone sent goosebumps throughout his stout frame, making him tremble.

"Y-your's, m-ma'am," He winced, mentally preparing himself for the concomitant outburst which would soon follow suit.

"You must be grateful that you work at a prestigious Company like Nova. I didn't pour my heart and soul into this for my efforts to be wasted in the end. Get back to work right now. This is not the time to be a sloth!" The stern woman exclaimed, causing the man to return to his station in distraught. The thirty or so employees present nervously glanced at each other, praying that they would never be as unlucky as Mr. Lee.

What a pity.

"Alright, now that we're all back to a lovely mood," She smiled, unperturbed, acting as if her altercation with her assistant had never taken place. She rubbed her palms against one another, a habit she never realised she had adopted. Humourless chuckles filled the conference room, awkwardly bouncing off of the freshly painted walls. With a single click of her Swarovski-studded ballpoint pen, the air weighed down to a heavy silence.

"As all of you must know," She continued, immediately grasping the attention of every single person present, with her commanding presence, "I've always wanted to expand Nova into something more than just affordable fast fashion. With this new venture, we will be charging through to a different market— sustainable sportswear. Since the Summer Olympics are to be held soon, we can be assured that the products will sell."

Eyes widening at her words, the occupants of the room broke out into an excited chatter.

"Judging by your reactions, it looks like most of you had no idea about this. That's yet another act of negligence on your part, Mr. Lee. I had clearly ordered you to inform everyone," She pointed out, causing the man to bow his head down in shame. Nara shook her head, trying to find it in herself to condemn his carelessness.

My personal assistant mustn't behave like this.

"Alright, back to our topic. The test which my assistant was so eager to get over with," She spoke cynically, smiling to herself as she earned snickers from the people around, "It is to test out the durability of our recently produced diving equipment. I have decided to take part in the tests personally, since deep-sea diving is a lovely hobby of mine. Any questions?"

"The media wants to know what your relationship status with the idol, Kai is as of now, ma'am," Stated a confident female in a cherry-velvet suit. Murmurs flooded the room yet again, only to be drowned by the boss's command.

"Is it the media who wants to know that, or is it you and your gang of gossiping goons, Ms. Kim?" Nara retaliated, narrowing her eyes at the woman. The click of her two-inch stiletos sent the bold employee into a daze, as she seated herself in silence, her tight lips pressed in the form of a thin line.

Immediately after, a high-pitched male voice echoed throughout the room, "The last time you had a dating scandal with Baekhyun, the media wouldn't stop putting out fake—

"Mr. Hong, I'd appreciate if you didn't interrupt me," Nara intervened, cutting off the concerned employee, "Any scandals about my dating life will be handled by me. Now, I only want questions about the product launch, not my personal life."

The last time she handled a dating scandal by herself, she couldn't catch a break for weeks, thought Mr. Lee, shaking his head.

Being an icon in the world of social media, Kwon Nara had a reputation of going out with some of the most high-profile public figures. She was known to desert each of them after a single meeting, or in her words— once she was bored. The employees knew that her public image would soon be tarnished, if that was how she continued. However, no one dared to say a word to her.

"Are you sure you'll be able to handle the diving test by yourself, ma'am? You might be treading on dangerous waters, literally. We can hire someone professional to do it," Quipped one of the workers, holding his pen up in the air.

"No! I will do it myself," She finalised, causing the worker to slump back into his chair, "Nothing else? Okay. Then let's have the test two days from now, we could conduct it in Daechon Beach, make sure all the equipment is ready by noon. Contact the reporters and let them know about this."

"Yes, Ma'am," The employees chanted in synchronisation, earning a receptive nod from the woman.

"All of you may leave now," She stated, strutting out of the conference room with utmost grace. She added her signature pair of cat-eye shades to avoid being recognised by onlookers, which didn't stop her from witnessing her employees' glee as she passed them. Nara knew that she was stricter than the average employer, but that was because she was driven. She treated her enterprise with care and expected her workers to do the same. She expected diligence.

Hopping onto the elevator, she fixed her makeup, keeping her eyes on the reflective glass lining. She applied her crimson lip colour whilst running her hands over her smooth, pale skin. Being under the public eye, she had to look her best, she had to emulate elegance. Puckering her plump lips, she sighed, gently massaging her throbbing head. All she would need after a long day at work was a lovely glass of Merlot in her favourite wine glass, to calm her senses. Before getting off at the ground floor, she composed herself, taking a slow, deep breath.

I have to look strong.

And she did.

With a single step of her lengthy limbs, every ounce of attention fell on her. The woman's beauty was not delicate or accessible in any way, rather, it was one which demanded attention, something so intense and captivating which made you ponder as to whether she was a simple mortal after all.

Her assertive yet sophisticated strut, the manner in which her long, chocolate waves danced harmoniously along with her swaying hips, with a booming aura of confidence radiating from every inch of her, made it impossible for the people to tear their gazes away from her. Eyes of envy mixed with admiration shifted from top to bottom, analysing her every move. Even the ornate chandeliers oscillating from side to side, like a cluster of diamonds raining from the ceiling, were not enough to divert the focus of the hypnotised crowd.

"She's a bit of a tyrant, but she's so beautiful," Said a young, awestruck employee, peering from the side. She scrambled onto her toes, cursing at the enormous man in front of her who was blocking her view.

"She's going to fire you if she hears you saying that," Muttered another girl, desperately trying to silence her friend.

Chuckling, Nara spared a wry smile at the two women, as their mouths went agape. She slowly stepped out out of the building, acknowledging her employees' deferential bows as she passed them. Just as she was leaving the premises, she halted, gazing at the tall skyscraper which was all her's.

Her eyes sparkled as she focused on the 'Nova' logo at the front, a brilliant gold against the chic glass front. Tall fountains lined the entrance, the flowing water gleaming like pools of liquid silver in the moonlight. It reflected her personality, how hard she'd worked to reach where she was. The neatly trimmed bushes bordering the region bore her favourite flower, the evening primrose. Fireflies encompassed the blooming yellow, their fluttering wings twinkling like the stars in the sky. It was her own paradise.

Clearing her throat, she straightened herself, trying to contain her sentiments. She made her way to her exclusive parking lot, the keys to her vibrant red Mercedes dangling in her palm. Carelessly sauntering about, she felt herself collide onto a hard surface, landing on her knees. She cried out in pain, rubbing her hands across her now sprained ankle.

"Fuck, I'm never wearing these heels ever again. I can't believe Louboutin had the audacity to send out such a faulty piece," She snarled, ripping the tight, red-bottomed shoe off her foot in agony.

"Miss, are you okay? Do you need some help?" A low, raspy voice spoke from behind, interrupting her thoughts. It was the person she had accidentally bumped into.

Nara turned to see a man of medium height, his skinny body bending down to meet her eyes. Startlingly pale skin covered every inch of his frame, a stark contrast to the dullness of the night, making him stand out amongst the abyss. His tousled hair was incredibly thick, darker than a block of the world's finest anthracite. Beetle eyes just as black, if not deeper held onto her gaze.

The minute his eyes focused on her, he felt a searing pain cutting through his forehead. He parted his bow-shaped lips, converting his solemn expression into one which signified astonishment.

Do I know her?

Nara's expression was equally quizzical, if not more. She was intrigued by the sight of the peculiar man. The more she gazed into his eyes, the seething pain attacking her forehead increased.

Do I know him?

"Uh, I apologise for being too careless. Here, take my hand," The man lent out his palm, extending his thin fingers out. Hesitantly, Nara placed her palm on his. She flinched, feeling a slight shock penetrating through her finger. Quickly, she stood up, trying her best not to wobble. She brushed down the back of her white suit, in an attempt to remove the excess mud. But, before she could thank the man for showing compassion, he was gone.

Weird. I could swear that he was behind me a second ago. He probably just left.

Letting go of her concern, shoes in hand, she trailed back down her path, sinking into the leather-bound seat of her car before driving off into the distance.

As soon as she had taken off, the man emerged from behind the bushes. He caught his lips within his teeth, curving his mouth into an unremitting smirk.

"I can't believe it. I've found her."

•••

(A/N)

It's currently midnight where I live. Suddenly, I want to publish this. This has been in my drafts for what feels like an eternity (5 years, to be exact), and clicking that 'publish' button on my phone is definitely going to feel like a huge weight off my shoulders.

I'm looking forward to this, but I'm anxious at the same time. I am not as consistent with updates as I would like to be, but I have pre-written quite a few chapters. Hopefully, there will be updates every week. That is, if you would like for me to continue with this story, since I'm slightly indecisive at the moment.

It doesn't matter whether you've voted or commented, the fact that you've read this chapter, out of the million BTS fanfics here on Wattpad, means a lot to me. I appreciate all of you! Thank you so much, and I hope to see you again.

Yours lovingly,

A