Looking into the problem, Dan Hwa took a brief moment to herself.
A pillar gave up on the supportive base, making a few square foot area in that region, shaky and appear like soft mud.

Although, Manager Ko and other workers were supporting it with their hands pressed up against the stage. It could fail any moment, to carry the strain from the heavy dance.

Dan Hwa : Fifteen more minutes. Endure through it. Your arms get numb, I don't care. Their safety is on your hands now.

Dan Hwa, passively but with a little aggression, pronounced those words to manager Ko and left the under-stage.

Out in the arena, the Intern nervously asked about the condition to her senior. Dan Hwa, reciting the time in her mind, paid least heed to anyone else then.

These last few minutes, for everyone anxious and perturbed, paced the slowest ever.

It was 6 : 59, and the last song finally ended. A few members, from the exhaustion, dropped themselves flat on the stage. A few others drinking water; while everyone panting heavily for breaths.
The senior designer didn't wait a second more and ran towards the PD.

Dan Hwa : Han PD-nim. The rehearsal is over, right?

Han PD : (-flinches-) God, you startled me. Well, there's still a minute left. Why; there's a problem with the stage again?

Dan Hwa : I accept all the penalties or however you wish to redeem from our error. But, this is more unprofessional than not, to want everything run on the clock, selfishly disregarding the safety of your artists. Shouldn't that be your first priority?

The program manager fell right into her provocative statements and retorted back immediately.

Han PD : Excuse me, watch your words! Who said I don't care about their safety? It was you, who gave the green light. I let it continue on your word. And what? Selfish? You might want to re-verse your words, Miss.Baek.

Dan Hwa : (-bows-) I apologize, if I was too blatant. It's sharp seven. Now, the rehearsal should end as per your schedule.

Little did the PD realize, Dan Hwa was only buying themselves the time to deal with the PD like he wanted things to be.

He was speechless for a moment, staring at her blankly. Dan Hwa, diverted his attention towards the tired artists on the stage and gestured him to make the announcement. He still glared at her, before turning to the mic.

Han PD : (-checks the sound-) Great work veryone! The rehearsal concludes here.

BTS was rather surprised and talked among themselves with small grins, that they thought there was still one last song left. They finally stretched in relief, loosening up that the day was over.
However, Jimin, in a loud voice, worded back to the PD.

JM : Han PD-nim, can I get one more shot on my solo stage? I wasn't satisfied last time.

Han PD, briefly eyeing over the designer, replied back with a smile to him.

Han PD : Oh, you look exhausted today. Call it a day, I say. And I loved your stage; you are worrying for nothing. Besides, you can come a little early tomorrow, if you don't feel confident yet.

JM : (-smiles-) Ah, shall I just do that? (-nods-) Okay, I guess.

Other members then tried to boost up his confidence and Hoseok showed his resonance on the PD's concern. He brought Jimin's attention to the fact, that he should not over rehearse. And that, it only backfires in the main performance.

Agreeing with his hyung's words, Jimin and the members slowly stirred up to leave. They bowed to all the staff, like the gentlemen they were-thanking everyone for their tireless efforts.

And gradually, the entire stadium was empty, except for the set production team staying back.

Time now paced fast as they had their dinner a little early to get on move. The second team, Dan Hwa requested on, joined in slightly before the material truck arrived.

Designer Baek, strategically led on the team, giving everyone a good explanation on the plan and her blueprint of the new slightly rectified design of the stage.

No hands were free. Even the supervisors, including Dan Hwa, worked in synchrony and helped move the items.

Rightly as they say, storms don't come alone. Amidst that synchrony, a cable made a dangerous fall alongwith a light. Fortunately, nobody was hurt and there wasn't much material damage.
But, both the light and cable engineers had to withdraw their hands from the stage building and exclusively handle the newly arisen issue.

Cautiously bustling through the whole night, the entire team with refined diligence and painstaking effort, finished the whole construction by an early morning.

.

.

.

In the afternoon, at EunHaSu. CEO's office.

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.

.

CEO : How much on earth did you mess up, to use almost the entire EHS funds, Designer Baek?

Dan Hwa : I apologize. But, anything other than the best quality affects my work. I don't feel confident.

CEO : And that is why, you spent the money that lavishly?

Dan Hwa : My sincere apologies on that-

CEO : Cut with the apologies! What if some other team needs it too? EHS fund is not exclusively for your team; you do realize that, don't you?

Dan Hwa : Yes, I should've been more economic with the purchases. My bad.

CEO : (-sighs-) What about the stage? Is it good now?

Dan Hwa : Positive. It's in the finest condition. Everything shall progress errorless now.

CEO : When's the concert?

Dan Hwa : It's tonight.

CEO : Then, what are you doing here?

Dan Hwa : There will be no issue with the stage anymore. And Nam Team Leader is there now. So, I came back.

CEO : 'So, you came back...' to rest? You might've pulled an all-nighter.

Dan Hwa : Yes. Team Leader insisted everyone involved in the overnight shift to retire for the day. He took in another team to volunteer through the concert.

CEO : Nam Team-Jang did that. Fine. Rest up. In fact, while you are at it, let me add to your rest. You are suspended for the following week. You will be soon receiving an email for your no pay suspension order.

Dan Hwa : Daepyo-nim! We have a deadline on this Wednesday and I am the main designer.

CEO : All right. Resign from that project. You will be removed from everything for this week. If you couldn't provide your assistance as their immediate senior on-stand. You might as well be accountable for it.

Dan Hwa whipped her gaze outside the glass window on her right for a moment and looked back, avoiding his eyes.

Dan Hwa : If this is seen as the responsibility I must take, I will gladly receive the suspension.

CEO : Good. You may leave now.

Dan Hwa : Have a good day, Sir.

She slightly bowed and left the head office, only to be startled by Mangaer Ko, waiting outside for her.

Dan Hwa : Why haven't you gone home yet?

Mr.Ko : (-head hung low-) I heard it all. He-

Dan Hwa : (-cutting him off-) Let's talk in my cabin.

Dan Hwa led the way with the assistant manager, quietly following her after.

Upon reaching, she didn't bother to initiate the conversation and casually laid her hands on the draft she decided to leave on the Wednesday deadline. Dan Hwa, as professional as she was, wanted to sort things from her side before passing it to designer Lee for the completion of the project.

Manager Ko was hesitant and constantly picked on his nail cuticles, anxiously. Regretting, if only he had read the unit number correctly, none of these would have occured.

Mr.Ko : It's all because of my mistake. I will take responsibility for it. You shouldn't be suspended. You were not even assigned to it.

Dan Hwa : 'Responsibility'? All right. How are you going to take that?

Mr.Ko : I will tell the CEO about the entire thing being my fault, and hand in my resignation. I will leave EHS.

Dan Hwa maintained a dead-pan expression as spoke out.

Dan Hwa : You call this taking responsibility? Sounds like running-away to me. Today, you are running away from this mistake. Tomorrow, you will make another and run again.

Manager Ko didn't have anything to sound against her words. He recognized his own unconscious move, only after she deliberately pronounced them to him.

Dan Hwa : But, I won't let you run away from this. You will work under me and learn what taking responsibility means for the real world. And I would never let you resign either. Keep that in mind.

The junior manager keeping his gaze on the floor, stood there like a sculpture. Dan Hwa, least bothered about his legs that might hurt from all the standing, concentrated on her draft.

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Few hours passed, Dan Hwa had left for her home a while ago. And Director Nam attempted to persuade the CEO now.

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Director Nam : Daepyo-nim. Designer Baek is faultless and doesn't deserve the penalty. If it wasn't for her, we could've lost their trust and would've faced an image degradation too. The entire concert would've been a mess. In simple words, she saved EHS and the concert.

CEO : Right. You still have those words to say after that reckless behavior of yours.

Director Nam : Exactly. It was my bad that I didn't lead my team well. I am the one who takes responsibility for my team. Not just because I am the team leader. But, because I truly deserve the penalty this time. It was my misjudgment. So, please withdraw Designer Baek's suspension order.

CEO : So, what are you going to do to compensate? She used up almost the entire funds.

Director Nam : I will pay it from my own income. I will not be receiving my pay for the concerned months.

CEO : Pretty bold. Are you sure on that?

Director Nam : Yes, I am positive. Therefore, I request you to veto the suspension letter. Please.

CEO : (-sighs-) Nam Team Jang. I won't repeat myself, so engrave this in your head. I do not take my words back. The suspension is already in operation, and I will not veto it.

He couldn't room a word into his speech, and the CEO spoke again.

CEO : You are dismissed. And attend the concert. I don't want another complaint from the same project, twice.

Director Nam clutched a tight fist under the table, eating his exasperation on the CEO in order to maintain his boundaries.

Director Nam : Yes. I'll leave now. But, I will come back to persuade you after the concert. Have a good day.

He bowed and left in a similar way, Dan Hwa did last time. And found manager Ko waiting outside for him. He was the one to call Director Nam on the matter about Dan Hwa's suspension. And was desperate to free her from it.

Director Nam : You are still here?

Mr.Ko : (-looking down-) What, what did he say?

He hesitantly lifted his gaze at his supervisor and found no hope glittering in his unhappy expressions. Manager Ko had instantly formed tears in his eyes as he wiped them quickly and stood in a disciplined position.

Mr.Ko : I apologize, Team Jang-nim. I couldn't do well. (-sniffs-) I disappointed everyone.

Director Nam noticed his hands blistered all over, dark circles under his baggy eyes and sighed, feeling bad.

Director Nam : It's okay. Let's talk after the concert. Go home now. I will see you at the stadium tomorrow. (-after a slight pause-) In your best form.

Not expecting any replies from the manager, Nam Team leader simply left to his cabin. To, grab a few essentials on his way back to the concert stadium.

It concluded very smooth and bright, just like their concerts are supposed to be.

.

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Time advanced, the CEO didn't budge from his convictions, even after the entire team pleading for a withdrawal of his order.

Dan Hwa lived through her suspension anyway, unbothered. While the ones at work pretty much helpless, quietly paid the necessary heeds to the week's schedule.

Doing nothing, is like a slowly acting poison to our soul. And so it had been for Dan Hwa.

Her week practically houred in a seizure, as if it never progressed in any direction.
One evening, she found herself walking by a sea coast, staring at the water with a still expression. The evening breeze softly blowed up the free edges of her clothes and her wavy barnet.

Miles apart, as the psychiatrist seeing all his outpatients for the day was about to take off, someone came at his door knocking.

He permitted the person to come in, while swapping his white coat with the trench from the hanger.

"Dr.Ban, Patient Park Jimin is here. What should we do? He didn't have an appointment today." He heard the nurse report.

_______

:)
Long time no Phoenix update.
Here's one.
Hope you liked it!