"Choi Aerin."
Aerin holds her breath hearing the editor in chief bluntly said her name. Seating there feels like waiting to be eaten alive. Her vicious tongue suddenly recedes. She couldn't put her thoughts in words. 
"You just created a mishap." 
"That's the reason why I came here. Please accept my resignation effective immediately, Ms. Kim."
Ms. Kim scoffed quickly then maintained a straight face. "I didn't tell you you're fired."
"I know I was about to---"
"Do you know how fast your article reached the desired readers to get that spot for our magazine to defeat Aspire?"
"A-Aspire? That's a big-league magazine company--"
"True. One of the best, always on top. Something we, Starlight, cannot defeat, or so I thought."
Aerin blinked rapidly, trying to figure out Ms. Kim's jumbled words. "I don't quite understand why are we having this kind of conversation right now. I just want to quit."
Ms. Kim breathes slowly and face her with a pliable stare. Aerin was puzzled even more.
"In just merely ten minutes, your article reads skyrocketed incredibly, defeating Aspire's top performing write up of all time and making Starlight entered the top three rank. Barely twenty hours after you published it, it's now overtaking Aspire's position making them shake in fear. All I can say is, well done, Choi Aerin."
Hearing those statement made the room spun around her, making it impossible to focus on anything. Aerin was open mouthed, head spinning, leaving her unbelievably baffled. She couldn't understand what was happening. 
"W-Wait. I think you got me misunderstood. I want out, Ms. Kim. To save myself from haters trying to attack me, my sanity and this company to further go down in bushes. And what I wrote about Lee Heeseung is only the upshoot of my anger. I don't plan to publish it, in fact, I was about to trash it permanently. Something happened and it's too hard to explain. I released that article accidentally."
"Seems like, it's you who don't understand, Ms. Choi. Are you listening to me? We defeated Aspire, all because of your damaging write up against Lee Heeseung. Unintentional or not, it doesn't even matter. You're on top of your game. I'm promoting you as senior editor effective immediately."
"Why are you even serious?!" Aerin was in total shock she could have cried in seconds. "Hybe will probably sue me for this! I just slashed Lee Heeseung, their biggest talent! The Enhypen's ace! I want the article down right now!"
"We cannot revert it anymore. The funny thing is, you published it in a blog spot where I have no power to take it down. Even if we delete it now, it's useless, Ms. Choi. It already spread out like a wildfire. Before Hybe will take action on you, they'll clean their artist's mess first. Other haters and clout chasers will definitely ride the wagon. It will take quite a while before they get back at you and most definitely forget about you in the long run."
Sounds appealing but Aerin felt otherwise. She's disgusted with herself. The guilt is too much she's about to lose her marbles.
"I still believe in veracity. This company upholds that vision, right? Lee Heeseung might be rude but I overstretched the story."
"As I've told you, it doesn't matter who's at fault, Ms. Choi. We're talking about data, ranking and most especially your status. I heard you struggled in your team and experiencing financial shakeout. Don't you think this is a redirection? And the emolument is higher. Strike the iron while it's hot, I must suggest."
Aerin quickly stood up and shook her head in disagreement. Never did she thought the coin will toss on the other side, favoring her. Taking the position and continue to damage Lee Heeseung will surely save her financial and career crisis, but it will change her into someone ruinous, someone she don't want to be.
"I'm keeping this position exclusively for you. Think about it, Ms. Choi. Don't be so fast to dissent. I'm giving you at least a week to decide."
The conflict of emotions made Aerin to storm out of the office, bewildered by the dramatic turn of events. For the first time, she struggled to make a decision. Whatever she choose, the consequence is hefty, it could still break her in the end.
__________________________________________
"Completely erroneous and radically absurd." 
Heeseung maintained a straight face as he sits uncomfortably in the waiting room along with other members after their manager declared those words.
Camera lights are flashing everywhere and he can see Hong Yuki struggled in response but maintained his calm. Their manager never batted an eye to show his tenacity about the whole issue. 
Heeseung, in that restricted area, is in the edge of his seat and is close to leave the place. How he madly wants to personally confront Choi Aerin but stopped after seeing numbers of press and fans outside trying to delve deeper into the problem.
"Yuki can handle it. Don't worry." Jungwon tried to console him.
Heeseung just nodded in response. His eyes are fixed on the screen but his thoughts are crazily scattering.
"But Lee Heeseung had a one on one interview with Choi Aerin, right? She wrote in her blog, quote unquote, Lee Heeseung was uncivilly rude even before our session starts. How true is that?"
All the members in that room laid eyes on him, as if they're waiting for him to deny that claim. Heeseung annoyingly closed his eyes. What Choi Aerin said in that blog spot are true. He was rude. And he also questions himself, what the hell happened to him that day.
"Found it!" Sunoo's screams made everyone jump in surprise.
"What the--? Are you trying to give us a heart attack?" Jay annoyingly blurted.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to startle you, Jay Hyung. But I found it! Choi Aerin's employee profile."
Everyone jumped into Sunoo to take a sight of his computer while Heeseung just stayed on his seat, head's afloat and about to lose it.
"You're all trampling me! Stop! I cannot breathe!" Sunoo shrieked.
"That's her? You're kidding me, Sunoo Hyung." Jungwon said.
"Hyung--" Jake faced the still silent Heeseung. "You're hater is---"
Heeseung's forehead knots in puzzlement. He never seen that dazzled look on everyone's faces.
"What?" he annoyingly asked.
"Stunningly gorgeous." Jay and Sunghoon answered in unison.
"I agree. Damn, she's a pretty girl." Sunoo cannot take his eyes off his screen.
"What the heck, Hyung! What did you do? This chick is grand!" Ni-Ki muttered in disbelief.
Heeseung scoffed hard and couldn't believe everything he had heard. They're right, she's undeniably pretty, especially those eyes, but somehow he can't entirely agree.
"The attitude however, is not grand, Riki." Heeseung lazily answered while shaking is head.
"I don't understand, Hyung? She just wanted an interview. Being rude to fans, especially girls-- that isn't you. Why did you let things go out of the way?" Jungwon's eyebrows furrowed a little more.
Heeseung deeply sighed. Why did he really? That question left him bothered for days already.
"I don't know." he breathes out before continuing. "S-She's just different, I don't have any idea how to call it. It was just-- she's so guarded and emotionless while talking to me. And she's three minutes late."
A sudden silence capped the whole room. Heeseung was gutted seeing pairs of judging eyes staring at him.
"Stop staring at me like that." he winced.
"You're reasons are so shallow, like really." Jake chuckled softly.
"Seriously? Because Choi Aerin didn't act like the other girls idolizing you, you gave her a blow?" Sunghoon amusingly shakes his head.
"Or maybe because you failed yourself from pulling her in, that's why, the rudeness?" Jay blatantly asked.
"Hyung, that was really harsh. Engene or not, we must respect people, especially girls." Jungwon's tone is a bit upset.
"I couldn't blame Choi Aerin. I know the feeling of being bullied." Sunoo exasperatedly sighed.
"Ya! I didn't bully her. In fact, she showed disrespect first! I offered her a lift, did you know what she answered me? She's not interested. Like, what the hell?! She could've said thank you, right?! You see, I wasn't rude, at all!"
"So are you trying to say that Choi Aerin made you lose your strings because she hit your ego? You're the fatal man of every Engene, then boom! Someone in this earth do not like you, Hyung! Ouch!" Ni-Ki bursted in laughter.
"That deer eyes and jut out didn't work, for the very first time! Naur way!" Jake chuckled as he high-fived Ni-Ki.
"Stop it. Heeseung Hyung is in jeopardy, we must not laugh about his situation." Jungwon's leader mode activates as he faces Heeseung. "Tell me, you didn't made any amends, like contacting her to clear things out?"
"I don't have the time. Our schedule was so tight even a simple call I cannot do anymore. But I asked Yuki to---" Heeseung quickly stood up when he remembered something. "The questionnaire! I asked Yuki to give back her questionnaire! I swear I didn't leave any of her questions blank!"
Sunoo slapped his face while shaking his head. "Yuki? Seriously? He's the most heedless person you'll ever met.'
"Yuki's the busiest person alive. No doubt he would forget." Ni-Ki seconded.
"I need to make sure." Heeseung quickly stood up, grabbed his jacket and put on his cap fast.
"Where are you going? There are bunch of shutterbugs, patrons and even sasaengs outside. Don't get yourself trapped." Sunghoon tried to stop him.
"I need to end this problem and stop Choi Aerin to further sabotage me." Heeseung answered as he quickly put his mask on. "Jay, you're the only one who could drive. Can you come with me? And Won, can you cover us, please?"
Jungwon nodded fast and didn't hesitate. 
"But how can we go to Choi Aerin's place? You don't know her address." Jay confusely asked.
"Choi Aerin is on the top searches right now. It's so easy to find her personal details. You go now, Hyung. I'll send you her address on your way out. Give me ten minutes, at least." Sunoo stated as he begins to tap his computer.
Without wasting another second, Heeseung and Jay scooted off immediately. They took the back room as Jungwon went to misguide the securities. They both breathe out when they reached the vehicle.
"I got the address. Sunoo is so good in playing detective." Jay sniggered while reading the text.
Heeseung faced Jay straightly, one eyebrow pulled up a little as he began to ask with contempt on his voice. "Where?"
"Fasten you seatbelt. This ride's gonna get a little bumpy."
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