"I don't have the strength to carry you..."

Rose glared at Chanyeol and simply said, "I'm just joking with you!" Afterwards, she helped him out of the bed and covered him with a thick jacket.

After the two headed downstairs, Chanyeol suddenly half-knelt at the end of the stairs, "Get on..."

Although it was already early in the morning, the streets were still practically empty. Rose looked around and responded, "Forget it." Her mouth refused, but her body was honest. It was not long before she found herself on Chanyeol's back.

Chanyeol couldn't handle the weight and almost fell on the floor. Rose quickly placed her feet on the ground and asked, "Are you OK?"

Chanyeol couldn't hold back his laughter as he bent over again, "Quick, hop on."

Rose also couldn't help but let out a laugh as she got back on his back. This time, Chanyeol's footsteps were stable, even though it wasn't easy.

"Let me down ahead, I can call a Taxi home," Rose said as she pointed to the traffic light at the next intersection.

"You still want to go home? Come stay at my place..." Chanyeol said as he continued to carry her past the intersection.

"Wouldn't it be inconvenient?" Rose asked. However, deep down she was sneakily smiling. Although an opportunity like this didn't come by often, at this moment, upon this man's back, Rose's heart felt warm and at ease. At the same time, she also felt sentimentally attached to him and didn't want to let go.

"Eh...this hospital was only 3 minutes from my house, how come it took you 10 minutes?" Chanyeol changed the topic as he made the decision on his own.

"I am still a wo..." Before Rose finished saying 'woman', she suddenly screamed, "Watch where you're going..."

Chanyeol merely turned his head for a moment. As a result, he walked into a lamp post. Rose fell backwards onto the snow-covered ground as Chanyeol lay between her legs...

Chanyeol's mind went blank for a moment as he realized their position was a little embarrassing. He quickly stood up, grabbed onto Rose's hand and pulled her off the ground. Rose covered her burning cheeks as she thought to herself, how good would it be if this road was a little longer .

Chanyeol continued to hold onto Rose's hand as he led the way without looking back. Meanwhile, Rose enjoyed the feeling of having her hand held by the person she liked. All the way home, a million thoughts ran through her head.

She knew, even though she was an average person, an average person still had their benefits.

If right now Y/N and Big Boss stood in their place, they would be surrounded by people.

It didn't take long before they returned to Chanyeol's home. As there was only one bedroom, Chanyeol offered her his bed, but, Rose suggested, "Since it's too awkward to take the bed, how about we both sleep on the sofa. You take that one and I'll take this one."

Chanyeol thought it over and felt her suggestion was quite reasonable. So after taking some medicine, he lay down on the sofa and peacefully fell asleep; it was practically like there was no woman lying opposite him at that moment.

Rose sat up and watched as Chanyeol slept soundly. Inside she felt, letting such a beautiful night go to waste was quite a pity...

However, was she brave enough to let Chanyeol know she liked him?

As she began to get drowsy, Rose eventually lay down on the sofa as well. Unfortunately, her sleeping posture wasn't a very pleasant sight...

In the darkness, a tall figure helplessly approached her side. He leaned over and covered her with a blanket.

However, Rose was in such a deep sleep, she had no idea...

The next morning, while Y/N was packing her luggage, she received a phone call from Suho. He wanted her to attend a private gathering so she could meet some of Kim Entertainment's artists.

"I've already spoken to the President about this and he has agreed..."

Normally, Y/N did not like social events, but since Suho had already organized it and Taehyung had agreed, Y/N had no reason to refuse. So she nodded her head.

After all, she really should become part of the Kim Entertainment family and make a few more friends.

So, that night 6pm, she made her way to a hidden club with Rose. In order not to make her feel awkward, Suho waited for her at the entrance and led her into the high-class cocktail party.

Inside the lavish venue, beautiful classical music resounded under the dazzling crystal chandelier; a famous singer was playing the piano.

Y/N concentrated on the faces around her. She realized most of the people attending the cocktail party were people that often appeared on TV. They were either famous TV and movie stars or famous singers. The only person from the same career path as her was the international supermodel, Jeon Somi. She was dressed in a long silver dress and was sitting elegantly with a glass of champagne.

Afterwards, Suho led Y/N to the man playing the piano and smiled as he said, "Yook Sungjae, I would like you to meet Y/N..."

( For those who don't know him: Yook Sungjae played Yoo Deok-hwa in )

Although Y/N rarely sang, she was still familiar with the status in pop music that this man had. Ten years ago, his fame was already widespread and he had set many records on the billboards. Now, ten years later, he was still beyond the reach of the younger generations and was like an evergreen of the music industry.

As the man looked her up and down, Y/N did not hesitate at all as she politely greeted him, "Yook Sungjae."

"It's nice to meet you. Attend these gatherings more often. If you like to sing, I can teach you."

"Thank you, Yook Sungjae."

"Y/N is here..." the other people present immediately raised their glasses and gathered around as they gradually greeted her. During this entire time, Suho patiently introduced her to each person until she completely blended in with the crowd.

In the end, Y/N sat down beside Jeon Somi. Not too long ago their abilities had already been compared by the public, but Jeon Somi had gotten famous early on and had her own unique style, so she had her own advantages.

She simply turned and smiled at Y/N, "Don't like scenes like this?"

"Yeh, not quite used to it."

"You'll get used to it after you come a few times. This is how Kim Entertainment is, it has the ability to bring together the most outstanding people," Jeon Somi murmured as she drank the champagne in her hands. Eventually, she started to feel a little drunk, so she asked, "Who is your manager?"

"I...I'm not sure," Y/N replied honestly.

"I heard you'll be flying to Italy in a couple days for a watch endorsement, but I heard people from Star King will also be competing for it." Jeon Somi started explaining, "I know you've been previously blacklisted by Star King. But, since you've joined Kim Entertainment, you will definitely go up against Star King more often. You should be careful."

Y/N nodded as she looked seriously at Jeon Somi.

"It's impossible to avoid fighting for resources, but, we at Kim Entertainment have never lost. I hope you can continue this winning streak. Of course, it also depends if your manager has the capability."

Y/N was well aware that the further she advanced, the more ruthless things would be. But apart from nodding her head, she didn't know how else to respond.

Because, she herself did not know who her manager was to be.

The two continued to chat for a while before noticing Suho saying to everyone in secret, "Did you guys know, the president will be making an appearance tonight?"

As soon as everyone heard the news, their expressions were filled with joy. A few artists even started clapping and whistling.

Although they worked in the same office, Taehyung had his own private lift, so artists barely had the chance to see him, let alone attend private gatherings with him. Taehyung was like a legend in their hearts; he was more dazzling than any singer or movie star.

Jeon Somi subconsciously studied the expression on Y/N's face. She noticed that everyone, including the charismatic Yook Sungjae was filled with excitement at the mention of Taehyung's name. Yet, although Y/N was famous for being calm and quiet, her unaffected expression still made Jeon Somi lower her head and smile.

"It seems you are well acquainted with President Kim?"

"I guess so," Y/N nodded admittedly.

"In this industry, not many people are close to President Kim. His lifestyle isn't at all like a typical person in the entertainment industry," Jeon Somi said with a deeper meaning. Afterwards, she lowered her head and took a sip of her champagne.

Y/N gave a gentle laugh. She didn't know why, around Jeon Somi, she didn't feel like she needed to be cautious. Perhaps it was because Jeon Somi seemed to give off a similar vibe to her, making her feel a sense of familiarity.

Approximately 10 minutes later, there was a huge commotion. Y/N glanced over and noticed Taehyung standing amongst the crowd. He was tall, mighty and radiant.

He was still wearing the same suit as he wore earlier that day as he left home; a black lapel suit. However, maybe because she had drunk some wine, the Y/N at this time, actually started thinking about Taehyung when he wasn't wearing any clothes and his strong physique. So, her face began to turn red as she looked at the man amongst the crowd. Her eyes were passionately burning to the point where her gaze could possibly sear a hole in Taehyung's body.

Taehyung greeted each and every person before he started to look around for Y/N. As soon as his eyes met her fiery gaze, he couldn't help but smile. As he held back his urge to rush over and give her a hug, he gave her a look gesturing her not to drink so much.

Y/N gave a gentle smile as she looked down at her glass and slightly nodded.

"Y/N, come over here..." seeing Y/N remaining seated, Suho waved her over.

Y/N grabbed her wine glass and obediently walked over to Suho's side before she looked at Taehyung.

"You should have a drink with President Kim..."

Y/N did not hesitate as she asked, "May I have this honour?"

Taehyung grabbed a tall wine glass from the waiter and clinked his glass gently against Y/N's. The two's actions were the same and they drank in the same way; without knowing each other for a long time, it was impossible to be so in sync.

Jeon Somi seemed to have discovered something as she let out a giggle. With their matching actions it was hard for those present not to be suspicious.

For an artist to make it to the top, both their EQ and IQ couldn't possibly be low. If they still couldn't figure out what was happening here...

...they didn't deserve to be the leaders in the industry.

Suho also took the hint. If he had merely been suspicious when Taehyung said he'd be Y/N's manager, then at this moment, seeing the Taehyung that never attended gatherings appear because of Y/N, wasn't things obvious?

Of course, Big Boss didn't shun away even though he knew everyone would see the telltale signs because he was secretly hinting for them to watch over his woman.

Everyone understood. In reality, they weren't that surprised. Although some of them were younger than Y/N, they still understood that...

...since she had joined Kim Entertainment, she was naturally their junior. So, they already intended on taking good care of her.

After having a drink with Y/N, Taehyung turned to discuss scripts with a few famous movie stars. Because of Taehyung's good taste, any movie that he set his eyes on, would definitely receive good reviews without fail.

So, now that they had a chance to talk to him, they had to make the most of it.

Y/N returned to Jeon Somi's side and continued to listen to the comforting music. Her tense body slowly relaxed.

"Don't announce it," Jeon Somi sitting next to her suddenly said.

"Huh?"

"Your relationship with President Kim. Don't announce it," Jeon Somi suggested as she looked at Y/N seriously, "Otherwise, you will no longer have any form of privacy. The reporters are bound to have their eyes on you and will write about you at least a few times a week..."

Y/N was stunned for a moment before smiling.

"Let me tell you a story," Jeon Somi found a comfortable position and slowly explained, "10 years ago, there was a model. She came from a low family background, but she fell in love with a famous director. They fearlessly fought side-by-side for many years. When the female model finally became a supermodel, they decided to announce their relationship. In the end, they lived together and got married. However, not long after, the media started reporting that the director was impotent."

"Because of this, the director fell apart and from then on, he gave up on everything."

"As for the female model, in order to prove her defeated husband was not impotent, she was lucky enough to fall pregnant. However, the media started saying her child was a test tube baby. In the end, because of stress, she had a miscarriage and ended up killing herself."

"That female model was my older sister,Yingying."

"The media are terrifying..."

Y/N was definitely moved by the story. Fame had always been a double-edged sword.

"Don't worry, since President Kim was willing to let us know, he must already have everything under control. Actually, I think he's already started to help you prepare. If your relationship gets revealed, your life will definitely get flipped upside down."

"I know...I've always known..." Y/N nodded with a serious expression.

However, she viewed Taehyung with complete trust and certainty.

"We will definitely help the two of you because Kim Entertainment has provided us with so much warmth..."

At that time, Y/N did not comprehend who was included in 'we'. She simply thought to herself, if the entertainment industry still had a piece of pure land, then Kim Entertainment would be it.

Meanwhile, Taehyung seemed to have finished chatting. He suddenly placed his eyes upon Y/N. The softness of his gaze made Y/N feel like she was bathing under the moonlight.

Y/N had drunk a little too much. During her chat with Jeon Somi, she repeatedly lifted the glass to her mouth. By the time Taehyung looked at her for the 5th to 6th time, she was already lying unconscious with her head on the table.

Seeing this, Taehyung stood up from the crowd and approached her. He then helped her sit up by supporting her shoulders.

Y/N sensed the familiar bodily warmth, so she immediately sat up straight, turned her head and wrapped her arms around Taehyung's waist as she buried her head into his lower abdomen.

This scene...everyone saw it!

Although their eyes were wide, they were no longer shocked...

From now on, thanks to their junior sister, they would get a lot more chances to come in contact with the boss. It seemed, they would have to treat her even better.

Unable to wake Y/N up, Taehyung had no choice but to carry her in his arms. At this moment, he was no longer the high and mighty boss, he was simply a drunkard's husband...

"This is the first time I've felt the Boss is a normal person..."

"Director Suho, did you invite the two of them here today to show off their affection?"

"I'm suddenly reminded of something. LM's jewelry commercial...was President Kim the back-view dream man?"

"You just realized?"

"Then you must have also seen the interview Y/N did with Go Show."

Everyone was immersed in their memories. They suddenly remembered Y/N had told the hosts she was already married and that she was married to the most powerful man in the industry...

At that time, everyone thought she was joking. But, who would have imagined, everything she said was the truth.

However, even though they knew the truth, they still did not deny Y/N's hard work. She had suffered so much, yet she never got Taehyung to step out in the open and solve the issue for her. This was proof that she depended on her own abilities. As for her professionalism, everyone had witnessed it with their own eyes...

Above all, every single one of them had signed a confidentiality agreement with Kim Entertainment. Even if they knew insider information, they couldn't reveal it to the outside world.

If it was an issue related to themselves, Suho would handle it for them. If it was an issue related to someone else, then they were expected to keep their mouths shut because - it was none of their business...

After carrying Y/N out of the club, Taehyung took her directly home and placed her on their bed.

Y/N suddenly opened her hazy eyes, sat up and hooked her arms around Taehyung's neck, "I haven't been this happy for a long time..."

Taehyung understood what she was referring to. All along, she had experienced too many underhanded schemes; it had been a long time since she experienced the feeling of having friends. Tonight, there was no jealousy nor calculation, it was simply a relaxed atmosphere filled with trust.

So, she allowed herself to get drunk...

"I should have brought you to Kim Entertainment a long time ago..."

Y/N shook her head as she buried it in Taehyung's neck, "Without the experiences I've accumulated, I would not be able to exchange for today's equality. I believe God has put me through so many tests so that I could receive the best things at the end."

"You are a good example..."

Taehyung gently touched Y/N's cheek and said in a soft voice, "You will be flying to Italy tomorrow. You should get some rest."

"Let me hug you for a little longer...I won't be able to see you for a few days."

Taehyung remained silent as he allowed her to hug him. After hugging each other for quite some time, Y/N finally said in a choked up voice, "I didn't have a family, so you gave me family; I didn't have a career, so you supported my career; I didn't have friends, so you helped me find a huge bunch of friends. How could you be so good to me?"

Taehyung did not respond straight away. He knew Y/N appeared strong on the outside like she didn't need anything, but in reality...her sense of security was only a thin layer on the surface.

"Because you needed it..."

"I'm not trying to prove myself to anyone. In this world, I am simply the person that loves you the most. From now on, there will be no other."

Y/N cried tears of joy as she gave Taehyung a bite before gently kissing the bite mark.

"Are you ready to sleep now?"

"Uh huh," Y/N nodded her head and lay down.

"Do you want to have a shower first?"

"My stomach isn't feeling well, I'll bathe tomorrow."

Taehyung didn't say anything. Towards this drunkard he was being 100% lenient.

Some people probably couldn't understand how a person could continuously give without feeling tired.

The reason was actually quite simple.

Once someone truly loved another, they would not want to see anything bad happen to them.

They would feel at fault whenever their lover experienced sadness anger or pain.

So, 100% giving? Taehyung's actions were the perfect example...

The next morning, Rose and Y/N was waiting for their flight at the airport. Afer the Naeun incident, the media treated Y/N a lot gentler and were more polite towards her. Even when coming across her at the airport, their words were no longer casual like before. After all, Kim Entertainment's PR wasn't useless like YG's.

After dealing with the reporters, Y/N sat in the waiting lounge holding onto her head in discomfort. Seeing this, Rose handed her some medicine and a glass of warm water, "Who told you to drink so much last night? Do you know how worried Big Boss was?"

"However, the fact that you are experiencing a hangover means you've finally returned to how you used to be."

"What do you mean?"

"You are human again!" Rose sighed. She then sat down beside her and stretched out her legs, "From the moment Kai betrayed you, you've been facing the world coldly. Apart from Big Boss, you've put up a wall against everyone and have been endlessly trying to grasp everything in the palm of your hands..."

"Although I quite like seeing you like that, as a friend, I feel you are grasping on too tiredly..."

"How good is it to see you like this now?"

Y/N had to admit, all this was because of the confidence from her elevated status. On top of that, it was also because of the sense of security she felt from joining Kim Entertainment.

"You still haven't gotten in touch with my manager?"

"Suho told me that your manager will directly meet us at Excalibur Q's interview tomorrow," Rose replied casually, "It seems he was already working on something in Italy."

Y/N leaned on Rose's shoulder ready to have a nap when suddenly a huge commotion erupted behind them. Rose stood up to have a look before explaining to Y/N, "It's Star King's model, Areum."

Hearing the name 'Star King', Y/N's eyes suddenly flew open as she sat up straight. As she watched the model named Areum enter the VIP waiting lounge, their eyes met briefly before Y/N looked away.

Unlike Y/N, apart from bodyguards, an assistant and manager, Areum was also accompanied by a team of 7-8 makeup artists. Seeing Y/N wasn't traveling with a big team, they assumed her status in Kim Entertainment wasn't very important.

A model that had previously been blacklisted by Star King, did she think she would be successful by going to a competing agency?

"It appears Star King is guaranteed Excalibur Q's endorsement."

"It's still too early to make assumptions."

Rose watched as Y/N spoke calmly; she liked her professional confidence.

Y/N remembered Jeon Somi's words: whenever Kim Entertainment and Star King competed for a resource, Kim Entertainment never lost. So, she had no reason to let Star King win this time either. Especially since...

...Star King had blacklisted her for many years...

Areum's people originally wanted to bully Y/N as they tried to take all the seats around her. But, Y/N's bodyguards immediately appeared from the entrance; the 4 top-grade American bodyguards stood behind her.

Y/N kept a low-profile, but it didn't mean she was easy to bully.

Areum and her assistant looked at Y/N. They no longer had the courage to provoke her as they took a few steps back and clenched their teeth.

Star King's combined power, of course, did not compare to Kim Entertainment's. But, they were an agency specializing in training models.

Once upon a time, Star King was also Y/N's dream...

But now, she felt winning against Star King was more meaningful than joining them.

Meanwhile, Taehyung set off on his flight to Milan. But as he left Kim Entertainment, Chanyeol urgently ran over and stopped him, "President, a problem has occurred with Sihyuk's collaboration. The President is on the phone," Chanyeol handed the phone over.

This was a project they had invested hundreds of millions of dollars into. Taehyung glanced at his watch before grabbing the phone from Chanyeol's hand.

However, the issue couldn't merely be solved over the phone. Since Kim Entertainment had invested in the project and a problem had occurred, they were required to meet face-to-face to discuss.

Taehyung weighed out the importance for a moment before heading back into Kim Entertainment. As he walked, he instructed Chanyeol, "Get Suho to immediately fly to Milan and help Y/N secure Excalibur Q's endorsement."

"But, Excalibur Q is amongst the top ten luxury products. Suho's assistance won't be enough," Chanyeol followed behind Taehyung anxiously. This was only one of the problems Y/N would face after joining Kim Entertainment.

If Taehyung was to accompany Y/N at all times, the things he would give up would not be simple; he would have to make a lot of sacrifices

But, Y/N was already under his agency. No matter who he was to hand her over to, he did not feel completely at ease.

"If they can't secure it, tell him to give me a call!"

After accepting his instructions, Chanyeol immediately went downstairs to relay the message to Suho. Suho immediately cleared his schedule and rushed towards Italy, one hour behind Y/N.

...

After an 11-hour flight, Y/N finally arrived in Milan at 1pm local time. Rose dragged her huge suitcase as she followed behind Y/N. The warmth of the sun's rays shone on their bodies putting them in a good mood.

Not long after, they arrived at the hotel organized by the agency. Rose immediately called Chanyeol to ask him what the schedule was like and to get updates on the manager. But, as Chanyeol held onto the phone, he glanced over at Taehyung who was currently in a meeting with Sihyuk. He assured her, "The schedule has been sent to the madam's email. As for her manager, he is on his way."

"I am currently in a meeting so I can't talk too much."

Rose put down her phone and suddenly felt a little baffled. Y/N had already begun her work, yet she still didn't know who her manager was...

How were they to cooperate?

Y/N sat uncomfortably on the edge of the bed. Seeing Rose furrow her brows, she naturally asked, "What's wrong?"

"Who is this manager of yours? Why is he so mysterious..."

Y/N endured the discomfort in her stomach as she leaned back on the bedhead and flipped through Excalibur Q's information. Seeing the pale look on her face, Rose couldn't help but place her hands on her hips and ask worryingly, "Can you still work like this?"

"I'm fine," Y/N replied as she held onto her burning stomach.

"From now on, let Boss control you. If you can't drink then don't drink...Did Boss give you any hangover soup?"

"Yep, I had some as soon as I woke up..." Y/N nodded.

"Y/N, this is your first job since joining Kim Entertainment. On top of that, you will be competing with Star King. Although I don't want to place pressure on you, I'm sure you know how important this endorsement is to you."

"I know what I'm doing," Y/N gently nodded.

"In that case, have a bit of rest. I'll look through your schedule," Rose took out her laptop and allowed Y/N to get some rest. She didn't even get a chance to adjust to the time difference before she jumped straight into work.

The interview was scheduled for 3pm the next day. Rose looked at the details of the interview before turning to look at Y/N's uncomfortable sleeping expression; Rose was extremely worried about her.

If Taehyung was to know, how broken-hearted would he be...

Y/N was also aware that her current state was not good. From now on, she should avoid drinking in order not to cause her own suffering.

An hour later, Suho also arrived at the hotel organized by the agency and located Y/N's room.

Seeing Suho make an appearance, Rose thought he was Y/N's manager. She had a good impression of this man. But, if he really was Y/N's manager, why did Chanyeol keep her hanging?

Suho took over the job halfway and understood that Y/N was faced with an incredible challenge. Excalibur Q was an international jewellery brand; becoming the spokesperson, was not an easy task.

Suho turned his head to look at Y/N who was lying in bed. However...at this moment, she suddenly turned over and started vomiting. Suho and Rose were so scared their faces immediately turned pale. They immediately sent her to the hospital in Milan. After seeing the doctor, her condition was roughly stabilized.

"She hadn't relieved her alcohol poisoning before boarding such a long flight. Of course her stomach was upset."

"In that case...when will she be fully recovered?" Rose asked the doctor in English.

"She needs to rest in bed for 2 days."

Rest in bed...that meant she wouldn't be able to attend the interview the next day...

Rose turned and looked at Suho. All of a sudden, she didn't know what to do. Suho remained silent. In the end, he pulled out his phone and reported everything to Taehyung.

Y/N was afraid Taehyung would be worried, so she asked Suho not to tell Taehyung she was in the hospital.

But, after careful consideration, Suho decided not to listen to her and told Taehyung everything.

"I shouldn't have rushed her to take on an advertisement and secure an endorsement."

"How about we give up on the Excalibur Q contract then?"

Opportunities came around often and Kim Entertainment never joked around with an artist's health, especially when the artist involved was the most important person in Taehyung's heart.

But, contrary to Suho's expectation, Taehyung laughed and replied, "If she would give up so easily, she wouldn't be Y/N."

"What are you suggesting President?"

"Tomorrow, help her with the interview. But make sure her body can handle it. If there is anything you aren't sure of, give me a phone call..."

Suho held onto the phone and decided to do a little test on Y/N. So, he covered the mouthpiece and said, "President Kim wants you to give up on the endorsement."

"I do not have a reason to give up..."

Suho's lips curved upwards. Indeed, the person that understood Y/N the most was Taehyung. So, he handed the phone to Y/N and gestured for her to tell him personally.

The couple were separated by thousands of miles. Y/N held onto the phone, but was too afraid to say anything as she let out a raspy sound.

"Don't push yourself too hard. As soon as you feel any discomfort, let Suho know."

"OK," Y/N gave a simple one-worded reply.

"Without me by your side, I am really worried," Taehyung felt a sense of regret. Why did he choose to handle his work first instead of going to Y/N? If he had known she'd make him so worried, he would have thrown away the close to billion-dollar investment...

"I'm fine, really."

"You aren't allowed to drink next time."

"Uh huh, I won't drink anymore," Y/N nodded her head with self-awareness.

Suho listened to the conversation between the couple. He couldn't imagine how the usually stern President could be so tender when he was in love.

If Y/N was to find out her manager was Taehyung...

...how far would their happiness go...

It's not that he wanted to curse them, but...

...after understanding this industry and getting accustomed to all types of love, no matter how loving a relationship was, they still had the chance of ending up as a tragedy.

However, that was because he didn't understand what type of woman Y/N was. To the outside world, dignity was her bottom line and her everything. But, when it came to love, Y/N's thoughts weren't customary. Even if she was to quarrel with Taehyung over whatever reason, there would be no way she'd give up on Taehyung.

Like this, Y/N's first day in Milan ended in illness. One thing worth mentioning though, was when Rose escorted Y/N back to the hotel, they ended up running into Areum in the lift.

Areum was dressed in a white fur coat and a stylish pair of red-tinted sunglasses. After taking a glance at the weak Y/N, she turned her head and smirked at her assistant.

Her assistant understood what she was thinking and burst out laughing, "Already falling down before the battle has even begun. Is it because you're afraid?"

At this moment, Y/N didn't have the energy to even look at them as she leaned on Rose's arms. As for Rose, she didn't childishly argue back like she used to. She simply glared at them with a ridiculing smile, until their eyes got fired up...

Areum wasn't an extremely beautiful woman, but her features were very distinct, especially the black mole at the tip of her cheekbone. Atop the runway, she always left a lasting impression.

Y/N didn't doubt Areum's abilities. Being able to get into Star King was already proof that she possessed something she should be proud of.

So, she never felt there was anything wrong with pride.

Of course, Suho didn't say anything either because he knew, not only was Areum capable, but she also had a strong backing. If Areum was to compete with Y/N for Excalibur Q, it was quite possible that Y/N would lose!

Even though she was married to Taehyung, Suho knew Y/N didn't like to show off her relationship with Taehyung.

Not long after, Areum stepped out of the lift.

Taking with her, her unique style and pride.

Rose glared at the two as they left, she was a little angered, "Just because she's from Star King, does she think she's all that? It's obvious she wants to ridicule you with the fact that you were previously blacklisted by her agency..."

"Her momentum is indeed powerful," Suho said straightforwardly. "In the model rankings last quarter, she was ranked number 7. At present, she definitely has the ability to look down on us."

Rose wasn't pleased. She didn't say a word. At a time like this, she felt Suho was nowhere near as lovable as Chanyeol. Of course, Y/N also comforted her, "Suho is right. There are so many great models in Star King and every single one of them has true capabilities. There's nothing to be upset about."

"However, I also have high hopes for you!" Suho smiled, "You don't lose to them in any aspect. All you are lacking is an opportunity..."

"I've never felt there is anything bad about me," Y/N was confident.

"You are indeed the king's woman..." Suho mumbled.

But, because of Y/N's words, Suho also felt a sense of confidence.

So, whether tomorrow's interview would be a success, they would need to give it a try to find out...

After returning to her room, Y/N immediately closed her eyes to rest. Thanks to her ability to quickly calm her emotions, her body also quickly recovered.

3pm the next day, Excalibur Q officially held their interviews. As a model from the Asian category, Y/N, of course, had to appear on the stage with Areum.

However, she only had one chance and they were to only choose one model...

Whether he was to pick the Areum with distinguishing features or the Y/N with a domineering presence on the runway, this was a decision that definitely made the person in charge of interviews at Excalibur Q's head hurt.

From a comprehensive point of view, Y/N won in professionalism. But when it came to other aspects, she was definitely a bit off from Areum.

So, in the end, Excalibur Q's preferred choice was Areum and Y/N was the substitute.

Certain that Areum secured the opportunity, Excalibur Q's people quickly gave Areum's assistant a heads up. As soon as the assistant found out Areum had been picked, she immediately looked at Y/N with a victorious arrogance.

Seeing the situation wasn't heading in their favour, Suho promptly contacted Taehyung who was in faraway Seoul.

"President Kim, the endorsement might be snatched away!"

Hearing this, Taehyung thought about how Y/N was still putting up a fight even though she wasn't feeling well and felt his heart ache. Although he was worried about Y/N, he still said to Suho, "I will speak to them."

Suho, of course, did not doubt Taehyung's capabilities. He was just curious how he was to convince them.

When would he be able to witness Taehyung being a manager? This relaying of messages over the phone was no fun.

Afterwards, Suho hung up the phone and returned to Y/N's side. A little while later, Excalibur Q announced they would be revealing the results over the phone; the officials had not yet come to an agreement.

The expression on Areum's assistant's face changed. Just a moment ago, this wasn't what the people at Excalibur Q had told her. They had told her it was pretty much finalized, what were they still disagreeing about?

What did Y/N do to Excalibur Q?

In reality, this was all because of a simple phone call from Taehyung.

"Mr. Stenson, how are you? I am Y/N's manager from Kim Entertainment, you can call me Mr. Kim. In regards to Excalibur Q's spokesperson, I wonder if you have already decided on choosing Areum from Star King?"

"That?" the man was a little surprised by Taehyung's straightforward question.

"If you want a top-notch model, Kim Entertainment has plenty. But, do you know why Kim Entertainment decided to send out Y/N?"

The man was speechless but felt the people from Kim Entertainment were quite interesting.

"I can't deny that Areum is also a great model, but please sit down and compare both their works. I am sure you will discover what you are looking for!"

Taehyung did not say much, in fact, he was quite brief. But, he successfully sparked the man's interest and curiosity.

So, after hanging up the phone, Stenson immediately instructed his staff to delay the announcement of the results. He then gathered the work of both models and discovered, Y/N was indeed an interesting model.

Areum's modelling career followed the standard path; going from a competition to gaining recognition from working with Star King. Although her status wasn't low, she did not stand out from the crowd.

This kind of model was duplicated all over the place.

On the other hand, Y/N was different. She had a story!

Excalibur Q was a boutique brand with hundreds of years of history. Over the years they had experienced their ups and downs and had developed their own character. Moreover, every time they overcame a difficulty, they would come back to life...just like Y/N.

So, Y/N's multiple reversals made her the favourite.

The Oriental Trend, TQ, LM; the amazing results from these companies were all miracles that Y/N created.

This was truly the qualities a spokesperson should possess.

But, Areum's background still made them a little hesitant...

Stenson couldn't make a decision on the spot so he gathered the selection committee together to vote.

In reality, he was personally leaning more towards Y/N, but he didn't call the shots at Excalibur Q. So, he needed to get the support of others to convince the higher-ups to use Y/N who was less famous than Areum.

After they evaluated their works, the majority of votes still went to Areum. There was 7 of them; 4 went to Areum and 3 went to Y/N.

After seeing the results, Stenson furrowed his brows. The more people voted for Areum, the more conflicted he felt.

It reminded him of the days when Excalibur Q experienced vicious competition and the feelings of helplessness and suppression.

In the end, Stenson put down the results and glanced at the staff quickly before saying, "I just want to say one last thing. If you insist on your decision even after hearing me out, then we will just go ahead with the results."

"Please speak."

"Y/N's path is similar to Excalibur Q's. No one understands as well as her how it feels to go through ups and downs and the meaning of historical legacy. I hope Excalibur Q's spokesperson can tell a story and portray substance instead of merely selling popularity and pride."

After speaking, Stenson looked at everyone again before he continued, "Let's do another round of voting."

The competition was fierce and the atmosphere was extremely nerve-wracking. After all, Excalibur Q had always been careful in picking their spokespeople.

After 10 minutes, the second round of voting was completed. The assistant announced the results: 7 votes to Y/N, 0 to Areum.

In actual fact, they had all favoured Y/N, but because of their ego, they didn't want to admit to it. So, after Stenson expressed his thoughts, they all understood his standpoint and immediately voted for their preference. Their reasoning was simple, after working for Excalibur Q for so many years...

...apart from fame and fortune, there was also feelings of sentiment...

They had all witnessed Excalibur Q growing and maturing through multiple fierce battles. So they, of course, could understand why Y/N was suitable as Excalibur Q's spokesperson.

Hence, when the revised results were revealed, Y/N won!

Stenson immediately instructed his assistant to contact Y/N and tell her to come sign a contract at Excalibur Q tomorrow. But, the assistant mixed up Y/N and Areum's contact details and ended up calling Areum's manager.

Areum's manager thought Areum had actually secured the endorsement. She was so happy that she immediately lifted Areum up and spun her around happily, "Finally...we've won against Kim Entertainment. Areum, you won against Y/N!"

Messing up contact details wasn't uncommon for the foreigners. After all, to the foreigners, even if they could remember their faces, they couldn't remember their identities. In conclusion, the assistant merely remembered the mole on Areum's cheekbone and assumed she was the person Stenson wanted.

...

Suho waited patiently for a phone call, but he knew, the longer he waited, the less chance they had. In the end, he had no choice but to say to Y/N, "You've already tried your best. If we don't get the result we want we will return home immediately."

Y/N stood by the window without a word. From the depths of her bones she emitted an unwillingness to admit defeat.

"Truthfully, you should understand, although JK helped you lay the foundations for becoming an international supermodel, you still can't present figures such as rankings. So, it's not abnormal for you to lose. Don't take it to heart."

"Isn't there anything I can do?" Y/N lifted her head and asked Suho.

"You've already brought out your professionalism and tried your best. It's just when it comes to international battles like this, seniority is key."

"I still want to have a chat to the people at Excalibur Q," Y/N did not admit defeat as she requested.

Suho glanced at Y/N. He realized she had an unwavering spirit. Even after he had been so straightforward and firm, she still possessed her own determination.

"OK. I'll try and get in touch with them," Suho nodded in seriousness.

Afterwards, Suho pulled out Excalibur Q's information and put in his last effort. Although it took him almost 1 hour, Suho still managed to get a chance to talk to Stenson. He then handed the phone to Y/N, "Make the most of this opportunity..."

Y/N nodded her head with a serious expression and retrieved the phone from Suho's hand, "Hello Mr. Stenson, this is Y/N."

"Miss Park, how are you?"

"I'm so sorry to disturb you so late at night. But, regarding Excalibur Q's endorsement can you let me say one thing? I really want to strive for this opportunity..."

Stenson froze in confusion. She was already the spokesperson...

Why was she still striving for the opportunity?

Stenson guessed something must have gone wrong with communication, but he did not explain. He wanted to hear Y/N's thoughts about Excalibur Q.

"Please speak."

"From the philosophy of Excalibur Q I can sense an underlying strength. I feel that your path to success and my path is very similar. If I can't be the spokesperson it will be a real pity."

The man laughed; he felt the same way. With the existence of such a suitable model, if they weren't to use her and instead choose a stereotypical model, they too would feel pity. So...

...Stenson put down his cup and smiled, "Miss Park, although I don't know where things went wrong, according to our voting results this afternoon, Excalibur Q's spokesperson has already been confirmed as you. Since you've given us a call, I might as well let you know, tomorrow morning at 9am we will meet you at Excalibur Q to sign your contract."

As soon as Y/N heard these words, she was stunned...

So this was the truth...

"However, you really should thank your manager. Although he only briefly said a few words, he made us realize we should focus on character."

"I hope in the future we can cooperate well together."

"Here's to a smooth cooperation!"

Afterwards, Y/N hung up the phone and handed it back to Suho. Hearing Y/N say 'smooth cooperation', he could guess that Y/N had succeeded.

Rose jumped up in excitement. But Y/N stared at Suho and asked, "Stenson said my manager helped set him straight. Was he speaking about you?"

Suho shrugged his shoulders, "Of course not. If I was that capable, would I be sitting here feeling defeated with you? This is proof that your manager is indeed mighty!"

"Who is he?"

"He is currently occupied with another job, so he asked me to come help you out. However, in the afternoon I called and told him we were having difficulties with your interview. That's why he contacted them," Suho slowly explained, "It seems there really isn't anything he can't do..."

Being able to secure the endorsement for Excalibur Q made Y/N truly happy from the depths of her heart. The words she had said to Stenson wasn't merely for the sake of winning the endorsement, but because she really did like Excalibur Q's road to success. Sometimes, being a spokesperson also depended on fate...

Y/N pulled out her phone, tempted to give Taehyung a phone call, but Italy and Seoul had a time difference of 7 hours. She assumed, at this time, Taehyung was most likely resting.

After hesitating for a few moments, she ended up sending Taehyung a message: "I've secured the endorsement."

Y/N did not expect Taehyung to reply, but he surprisingly called her straight away.

Y/N was filled with joy, but the words that came from her mouth was slightly unhappy, "Just because I'm not around, does that mean you can work until late without getting any rest?"

"It's because I knew you would definitely succeed, so I was waiting for your phone call," Taehyung sat up and leaned back on the bedhead as he replied.

"You really weren't working?"

Taehyung had no choice but to turn on the video chat, "Are you rest assured now?"

"Taehyung...being able to secure this endorsement makes me so happy."

"I knew you would be really happy," Taehyung said with a deeper meaning. He had a sufficient understanding of Y/N and knew she would definitely like the Excalibur Q brand. That's why he even considered this endorsement for her in the first place and even called Stenson to fight for the opportunity.

Reality proved that everything he did, did not go to waste.

"Are you feeling better?"

"I'm fine now. With you around, I wouldn't dare to get sick," Y/N smiled.

At a time like this, Taehyung was so tempted to be by her side. He wanted to pat her on the head and show his support. But, because of the project with Sihyuk, it wasn't likely he'd get the chance to fly to her side any time soon.

The couple conversed sweetly on the phone as Suho and Rose knowingly left the hotel suite. However...because they were triggered by Y/N...they both started thinking of the person in their heart.

Rose even started wondering, if she was to give Chanyeol a call at this time, how would he react...

After returning to her suite, Rose sat on the bed and thought for a while. In the end, she called Chanyeol - but he didn't pick up.

Rose put down her phone; she felt she was overthinking things. It wasn't like they were in a real relationship. So, in the middle of the night, what obligation did he have to pick up her phone?

After taking a deep breath, Rose reminded herself to control her feelings before putting down her phone and heading into the bathroom...

However, while she was showering, she heard the sound of her phone ringing. Disregarding her wet soapy body, she immediately rushed out of the bathroom. Seeing it was a phone call from Chanyeol, she was so excited she immediately picked up the phone.

"Chanyeol!"

"What is it?"

As soon as Rose heard Chanyeol's raspy voice, she could tell he was still half asleep. She wanted to tell him Y/N had successfully secured the endorsement. But, on second thought, Boss was happy to hear the news because he was Y/N's husband, but Chanyeol...what did Y/N mean to him?

So, Rose opened and closed her mouth, but no words came out. Instead, because she was cold from her soapy body, she ended up sneezing.

"Did you catch the flu?" Chanyeol quickly asked.

Rose heard the caring tone in Chanyeol's voice and smiled like a child with candy, "No, I didn't catch the flu."

"Oh...that's good. If you don't have anything else, I'm going to go back to sleep. You should get some rest too."

"OK," Rose hung up the phone with a silly smile. Actually, she had a lot she wanted to say, but...

...remembering it was the middle of the night and the fact that Chanyeol worked hard during the day, she didn't feel right to continue bothering him.

However, as soon as she hung up the phone, she started to feel lonely...

She suddenly felt extremely lonely.

But, she knew how to console herself: since Chanyeol picked up the phone in the middle of the night, did that mean, in his heart, she was special to him?

The truth was...

...Chanyeol was sleeping soundly when he heard his phone ring. He automatically reached for his phone to see the caller ID. If it was someone else, he would have hung up without hesitation...

...unless it was Taehyung. But, after seeing Rose's name, even though he didn't pick up, he ended up calling her back. On top of that, after hanging up the phone, he found his original sleepiness had completely faded...

Could it be he was missing something?

Chanyeol dragged his heavy head back to bed. In reality, he wasn't the type to make exceptions for others. After all, his workplace was Kim Entertainment; everything at Kim Entertainment followed formalities. It was only when it came to Rose that he wanted to make an exception!

He only made an exception for her!

Covered in soap, Rose sat down in the living room for quite some time. As a result...the next day when she woke up, she actually caught the flu. Her voice was so hoarse, she could barely say a word.

Seeing her in discomfort, Y/N looked at her questioningly, "Last night..."

"What about last night?" Rose avoided Y/N's gaze guiltily. There was no way she was going to admit to catching the flu because of the phone call she made to Chanyeol.

Y/N let out a gentle laugh. Deep down she knew exactly what Rose was thinking. To her, Rose was like a blank piece of paper, "Do you want me to call Chanyeol over?"

"Y/N, you have both Director Sehun and I by your side, isn't that enough? Chanyeol has his own work to do."

"When did you and Chanyeol become like a family?"

"Let's get going, we need to go sign your contract," Rose sneezed as she covered her mouth with a mask. The weather was cold and Y/N had just recovered from being ill, she couldn't allow her to catch the flu.

Y/N did not respond. But, on the way to Excalibur Q, she sent Chanyeol a message.

"What happened between you and Rose last night? She caught a really bad flu..."

Chanyeol was confused, "We simply made a phone call..."

Y/N made a recording of Rose coughing and sent it to Chanyeol, "When she returned to her suite yesterday, she was still fine."

Seeing Y/N's message, Chanyeol was a little flustered. What did Rose catching the flu have to do with their phone call?

Actually, Y/N's hint was extremely obvious; she couldn't be any more straightforward. After all, this was Rose and Chanyeol's business.

It's just, sometimes, while the involved parties were still confused, those watching would start to feel impatient.

Not long after, the trio arrived at Excalibur Q's headquarters ready to head in and sign Y/N's contract. However, Areum and her manager had arrived before them...

As soon as they saw each other, they were both surprised.

Everyone knew that Excalibur Q only had one spot for an Asian model. If they were here to sign a contract, what was the other person doing here?

Of course, because Areum's manager received a phone call from Stenson's assistant, she thought Areum had the endorsement in the bag. As for Y/N...

"Hasn't there been a rumour going around? I heard someone likes playing tricks. If we look at the companies that have been messed up one after another, we can see how terrifying she is. However, if one can't win, then they can't win..."