Jimin POV:

The hot water cascaded down his long blonde hair, running down his milky skin. The droplets glided along the contours of his biceps, flexing involuntarily under the steady warmth of the shower. He closed his eyes, the gentle hum of the water filling his ears, and let out a soft, content sigh.

The heat soothed his stiff morning muscles, washing away the remnants of sleep that clung to him. Today's going to be a long day, he mumbled with his husky morning voice, the hint of a wry smile tugging at his lips. He tilted his head back, letting the water soak his face and slide down his jawline.

Even though his body felt calmed by the warmth, his thoughts continued to race. They swirled in his head, refusing to be drowned out by the steady rhythm of the water. Continuing as a permanent artist... how exactly would that stop Minji from spreading rumors about Taeyeon?

The fact was now more clear than it had been the night he had put it together: Minji had done something with Taeyeon's drink. He was sure of that much. But a persistent feeling wouldn't leave him. His gut told him that she couldn't have done it by herself.

He kept thinking about it.Minji is cunning , sure, but she wasn't clever enough to pull something like this off single-handedly. There had to be someone else—someone working behind the scenes, pulling strings, or enabling her actions. Who? Who else would benefit from ruining Taeyeon's reputation?
But who? Who else would benefit from tarnishing Taeyeon's reputation? He furrowed his brows, the soothing warmth of the shower doing little to temper the frustration building within him.

Jimin let out a long sigh and shook his head, seemingly to get his mind straight. Droplets clinging to his skin, he grabbed for a towel as he switched off the water and exited the shower. As the steam in the bathroom gradually ended, he dried himself off and tried to concentrate, putting the jigsaw pieces together.

He grabbed the fresh white t-shirt that was lying there and tucked it into his wide-leg blue jeans. As he pulled into his black double-breasted cardigan, the fabric's softness against his skin just calmed him. Properly, he adjusted the buttons and smoothed out the fabric, looking at himself in the mirror. The peacefulness on his face is just opposite to the running thoughts inside his head. The peacefulness on his face is just the opposite of the running thoughts inside his head.

'Whoever it is,' he murmured under his breath, "'I'll find out."

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Taeyeon POV

"Oppa, I'm running late," Taeyeon said as she hurriedly grabbed her backpack and hurriedly packed her things that needed to work with. She stayed the whole night at Taehyung's apartment and had overslept.

But to her surprise, she noticed Ki-joo and Taehyung not bickering too much like they used to. In fact, Ki-joo looked so red, like beetroot , making Taeyeon wonder what had happened between the two of them.

"Taeyeon-ah, you just got back yesterday. Why can't you take a rest?" taehyung said , concern evident in his voice. Taeyeon just shrugged and replied, "I have to get to work, oppa. I'll rest later."

She heard Taehyung sigh in disappointment along with his footsteps, "At least let me drop you."

Taeyeon paused at the door, her hand on the handle as she glanced over her shoulder at her brother. She smiled softly, touched by his concern, and nodded. "Okay," she said and turned to Ki-joo, who was in the kitchen preparing breakfast, "See you."

Ki-joo looked up from the stove, giving her a warm smile and a cheerful wave. "Take care, Taeyeon." Seeing Ki-joo like that made Taeyeon almost feel like she was staying with a married couple. She chuckled at that thought, shaking her head.

As they walked to the car, Taehyung put a comforting arm around her shoulders, making Taeyeon look at him with a raised eyebrow. "You're really treating me like I'm a little kid," she said, which is more likely to be a complaint.

"What can I do? You used to whine about getting late to school like this, and look at you now, whining the same way about being late to work," Taehyung replied with a playful grin.

After all, old habits die hard.

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"Call me after work; I will come to pick you up," he added, flashing her a warm smile. Taeyeon smiled back, their smiles matching perfectly as she nodded in agreement. "Alright, bye oppa," she said as she turned to leave for work.

She could feel her brother's soft gaze lingering on her back as she walked away. That always gave her a comforting presence that made her feel that she need not worry about anything because he was always there for her, no matter what.

And now the anxiousness added to that comforting presence, what happens when he got to know about her and Jimin's relationship? Will he support her in her decisions, or will he disapprove? Only time will tell, but for now, she had to focus on her own happiness and trust that her brother would understand.

She could tell everyone in the office was looking at her as soon as she walked in. She couldn't tell if those eyes or whispers carried curiosity, judgment, or something else entirely. Taeyeon straightened her back and confidently headed to her cabin, ignoring the heaviness of their gaze on her.

She slid into her chair, took a deep breath, and started organizing her belongings for the day. But the unpleasant feeling kept eating away at, nibbling at her confidence. Why is everyone looking at me like that? She wondered .

Just then her phone buzzed, getting her attention. It's from Do-yoon. That surprised a bit, like she hadn't gotten any texts from him in the meantime except about the editing of the chapters of their joint project.

Do-yoon (editorial dept.) Hey, are you free for lunch today? I have something important to discuss with you. See you at 1 PM in the cafeteria.

Her brows furrowed at the unexpected message from Do-yoon, but not at the lunch part. In any case, why would he suddenly reach out to her for something "important"? Do-yoon wasn't the type to be vague, because whenever he had something, he would always be direct and specific.

This looked a little off to her.

Taeyeon stared at her phone screen, her thoughts swirling. What could it be about? she wondered.

She quickly typed a reply: Sure, I'll see you at 1 PM.

Setting her phone aside, Taeyeon tried to refocus on her work, but the anxiety lingered. Was it related to the strange atmosphere in the office today? Or was it something more personal? Thoughts kept racing through her head, not until interrupted again, this time by the sound of knocking. Looking up, she found Minji standing there with a bright, almost too-curious smile.

"Taeyeon-ah! You're already back from Tokyo? How was your project?" Minji asked, her tone overly friendly, yet laced with something Taeyeon couldn't quite place.

Taeyeon's eyebrows shot up at the emphasis on "your project." Something about the way Minji said it made her feel uneasy. "Our project," Taeyeon corrected firmly, her tone calm but pointed.

Minji chuckled lightly, waving her hand as if dismissing the correction. "Oh, of course, our project. My bad!" she said, her smile widening. "I just assumed you took the lead since you've been so involved in it. Anyway, welcome back! Everyone's been so curious about your trip."

Taeyeon forced a polite smile, masking her irritation. "Thank you, Minji. The trip went well."

Taeyeon felt the backdrop of Minji's words, sensing the fakeness that she was trying to cover up. 'What is she up to?' Taeyeon thought , her suspicions growing as she tried to read between the lines of Minji's overly cheerful behavior.

Minji leaned slightly closer, her tone dropping just enough to sound conspiratorial. "You know," she began, her smile now tinged with something sharper, "there've been so many whispers about you since you left."

Taeyeon's eyebrows furrowed, doubt flashing in her eyes. "What?"

"Oh, you're not aware of that, right? Maybe it was the third day, I think," Minji replied casually, her tone almost careless. She then added, as if as a second thought, "Our guest artist, too, took his leave after you went."

Minji suddenly paused and cocked her head to see how Taeyeon would respond.

Taeyeon could feel Minji's point in her words, the cunning bait she was laying. Minji was clearly doing it to get a response out of her, which is what she wanted to. Why does she keep pulling the strings like this? Taeyeon thought, her annoyance growing within her.

However, she refused to give Minji any satisfaction by widening her eyes or frowning. Taeyeon just replied, "Is that so? I was not aware. I guess he had his reasons."

She saw how Minji's smile faltered, just for a split second, before smiling back again. "Oh, I'm sure he did. It's just interesting timing, don't you think?" Minji said, her voice laced with the innocence that Taeyeon believed to be fake.

Taeyeon locked eyes with her, as her gaze was unwavering. "Timing can be coincidental. I don't see the need to write too much into it," she said calmly, turning her attention back to her work as if dismissing the conversation entirely.

Tayeon saw Minji's smile tightening as she realized she wasn't getting the reaction she wanted. "Well, anyway, I'll leave you to it," she said, her tone still overly sweet. "See you around, Taeyeon."

As Minji walked away, Taeyeon exhaled slowly, her composure intact but her frustration simmering beneath the surface.

So that was the reason why everyone was staring at me when I arrived at the office this morning.

And Jimin was right when they were in Tokyo: You need to be more careful with her. People like that don't always show their true colors until it's too late.

He had told her that something was off about Minji; from day one, he had always needed to be more careful with Minji, and now she had already started to see through the true colors of Minji. It was clear now that Jimin's warning was not to be taken lightly. Taeyeon realized she needed to trust her instincts and be cautious around Minji moving forward.

But she didn't realize it's too late... it doesn't always show their true colors until it's too late.

As the time passed, many have come and gone, even Do-yoon too, for editing and other processing of the project. But every time the door opened, her heart immediately skipped, hoping for the person she hadn't seen since the morning.

There is no text; not even a single glance could be caught of the person she longed to see. The project is already coming to an end, just like in a few chapters of manhwa, and then she hopes at least they would freely meet again in the future, even if it's too late to make things right.

But the hope didn't stay too long when the flashes of the employee's stares and Minji's words just made her more anxious than she had ever been before.

Taeyeon glanced at the clock, her heart sinking as it struck noon. It's almost time for lunch. She straightened up, taking a deep breath to steady herself. If something was truly wrong, she needed to face it head-on. Running away or avoiding the situation wouldn't help, not when so much was at stake.

She walked out of her cabin, making her way to the cafeteria. Her steps are slowly dragging as if the weight of her thoughts were holding her back.clinking of utensils in the cafeteria seemed distant, almost muted against the pounding in her chest.

As she entered, her eyes scanned the room for Do-yoon. He was already seated at a corner table, waving at her with a small smile on his thin lips. His calm demeanor was a welcome sight amidst the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside her.

"Taeyeon, over here," he called, waving for her to join him.

She approached the table, forcing a smile as she sat down. "Sorry if I kept you waiting," she said, placing her hands on the table to steady herself.

"Not at all," Do-yoon replied, his expression soft but unreadable. He leaned forward slightly, clasping his hands together. "I wanted to talk to you about something important, and I figured lunch would be the best time."

For sure it's the best time because there is no rush of that seen as it is still the first shift where people come less to eat.

"So, I have something to show you," he said, pulling out his phone and sliding it across the table towards her. "You better check it out quickly," he continued, his eyes fixed on hers.

That really felt so strange, that how do-yoon directly came to the point without any small talk or pleasantries. Taeyeon felt a knot form in her stomach, and her hand slightly trembled as she reached for the phone. She hesitated for a moment before finally picking it up, her curiosity piqued by his serious behavior. As she unlocked the screen, her eyes widened in surprise at what she saw.

For a moment she could believe what was displayed on the screen; it was the video of Minji and other colleagues, Chohee, who are planning to ruin Taeyeon. She could believe that the people who had been on her back for years were actually plotting against her.

Minji had always been a bit off, but this... this was a level of deception Taeyeon hadn't expected. She had thought of Minji as a colleague, someone she could count on, or at the very least, tolerate. But finally seeing this side of her made her stomach churn with disbelief. She never imagined Minji would go so far as to actively work with Chohee, the assistant editor who had always been a shadow, barely noticeable except for her occasional passive-aggressive comments.

She couldn't understand what she had done for them to commit something like this. She had worked so hard to be the person she is now. The fights with family and her inner fears, she is finally here at the age of 26, still learning to improve herself more than she is. She couldn't digest the fact that the sweet Minji who was helping her is now betraying her trust and working against her.

She only thought Minji was just trying to know something from Taeyeon about Jimin, but now she got it... It's not about Jimin; it's about kicking her out. Her hands trembled slightly as her breath shallowed , feeling a mix of anger and betrayal.

"Taeyeon," Doyoon's concerned tone brought her back to the present moment, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Taeyeon blinked rapidly, trying to focus on the conversation at hand. "I know it would be hard to believe, and you wouldn't believe me if I just said so, so I have already taken the voice in my phone. You can listen to it yourself and hear what Minji said about you," Doyoon continued, looking away.

Taeyeon felt the pang of guilt for doubting Do-yoon all the time, though she didn't fully blame him; there were a lot of times she distanced herself from him thinking he was the one who skipped the drink.

"I'm sorry, do-yoonshi," she said, lowering her head; her voice sounded low and full of regret.

"For what?" he asked innocently, turning his attention back to Taeyeon again.

She looked up as a small smile played on her lips at how innocently he asked. She fought whether to say it or not, but there were times when Do-yoon wanted to know why she distanced herself, and now she wanted to clear things up.

She took a deep breath and said, "For doubting you," she paused, waiting for him to react. "I didn't fully doubt you, yet I distanced myself too much. I'm sorry," she continued , feeling a weight lifted off her chest as she finally confessed her feelings.

Do-yoon's expression softened as his cheeks rose as he smiled softly, reassuring her that everything was forgiven. "I understand," he said softly. "Maybe if I were in your place, I would have done the same." He added with a chuckle that made Taeyeon feel more guilt.

"Please don't blame yourself, Taeyeon; it's not your fault," Doyoon said firmly, getting a slow nod from her. "I was thinking of taking this to President Kim, but I didn't want to put you in a difficult position."

Taeyeon's eyes widened, her heart sinking at the mention of Namjoon. She quickly shook her head. "No, Do-yoon. Please, don't. It's really not necessary. I can handle it. I—"

Do-yoon's gaze was unwavering, but his voice softened. "I know, and that's why I haven't gone to Him yet . But you have seen how people around you have been acting today, and if this goes, I guess we need to address it sooner rather than later."

Taeyeon bit her lip, feeling the weight of the situation settling on her shoulders. She knew Do-yoon was right, but the thought of meeting Namjoon made her stomach churn with anxiety. What if he misunderstands the situation? What if he reacted negatively? There are many what-ifs running inside her head.

She took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing thoughts before finally nodding in agreement with Do-yoon. "If so, then we should approach Namjoon together and explain the situation calmly and honestly," Taeyeon said, mustering up her courage. "It's better to address it now rather than let it get worse and possibly cause more problems in the future."

As they made their way to find Namjoon, Taeyeon couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. She knew that facing the situation head-on was the right thing to do, but the fear of his reaction lingered in her mind. Taking another deep breath, she mentally prepared herself for the conversation ahead.

"Oh, Taeyeon-ah," said Minji, which stopped both Taeyeon and Do-yoon on their way. Minji's voice was light, but there was a sharpness in her tone that made Taeyeon's heart race. "Oh my, Do-yoon, you too. I was searching for you two." She sounded as if she was worried about them, which boiled the blood of always calm Taeyeon.

"Ah, sorry for troubling you, Minji-shi," Do-yoon said with a laugh trailing next to his words. "May I know why you are searching for us?" He asked as politely as he could by covering up his always sweet smile.

Taeyeon can see the slightest smirk behind the honey-coated smile of Minji, her beautiful rosy pink lips curved up unnoticeably, but if you watch closely, you would catch it. Minji's eyes twinkled mischievously as she replied, "Before that, may I know where you both have been all this time? I've been looking for you everywhere."

Taeyeon almost clenched her jaw if Minji was not looking at her. A shaky breath escaped from Taeyeon's lips as she struggled to maintain her composure. The video she had seen just a few moments ago still reeling in her head, and seeing the same person standing in front of her was almost surreal.

Taeyeon forced a smile and replied, "Why are you so concerned about where we've been? Well, I appreciate your concern, but we were just catching up on some work stuff. Nothing too exciting." Taeyeon's voice remained steady, though a hint of frustration burned behind her words. Her heart was still racing, but she wouldn't let Minji see how much she was rattled.

Minji almost looked stunned by the reply but quickly regained her composure and nodded. "Oh, I see. Well, President Kim has sent a text saying to meet in the conference room in 10 minutes," she said, turning her eyes to Do-yoon. "So, I wanted you to know in case you weren't aware."

Do-yoon's lips formed an 'O' at the sentence, "We'll be there shortly. Thank you for letting us know." With a quick glance at Taeyeon, Do-yoon gestured for them to head to the conference room together.

The three of them walked briskly towards the conference room, their minds already racing with thoughts, but there is a common thought in three of them: "Why does the CEO want to keep a sudden meeting like this?"

As soon as they entered into the conference room, everybody's head turned to them; at some point, Taeyeon felt all the stares pointing at her. She didn't even realize that she stood there without moving until Do-yoon gently nudged her forward towards the empty seats at the front of the room.

He looked at her with his almond-shaped eyes filled with concern, silently reassuring her that everything would be okay. Taeyeon took a deep breath and sat down, trying to calm her racing heart which was beating so loudly.

Minji, who was sitting beside her, suddenly chirped, "Oh, why is Jimin standing next to President Kim?"

Taeyeon and Do-yoon looked at each other in confusion, wondering what Minji was talking about. Taeyeon then followed Minji's gaze and saw Jimin standing confidently next to President Kim, looking like he belonged there.

All of a sudden, Taeyeon felt some sort of comfort along with the lump in her throat; she held the unshed tears that she didn't even know she had. After learning the whole true colors of Minji and her manipulative games, Taeyeon was still processing the emotions that swirled inside her. And for the first time, Taeyeon wanted to hug Jimin; she wanted the same hug he gave her the first time.

"Hello, my dear staff members, artists, writers, editors, and everyone." Namjoon's voice interrupted Taeyeon's thoughts, bringing her back to reality. "So today, you have news, of course; it's kind of a mixed one. So, our manhwa project, which our team has been working on tirelessly for the past 7 months, is finally about to be complete."

"Thanks to Mr. JM for collaborating with us," he added, turning to Jimin with a fond smile. There is a wave of murmurs of employees at the news , some expressing excitement and anticipation while others feeling relieved that the project is finally coming to an end.

"And sadly the contract has come to an end." Namjoon said , his smile faltering slightly. "But...You don't have to be disappointed with that because from now on, JM is going to be a permanent member of our company," he announced, causing a wave of cheers and applause to erupt in the room...