My Idol

Chapter 4

Director Choi took the floor again, guiding everyone into the agenda. “Right — let’s dive in. HYPE’s next project is a full international crossover album, coordinated directly through IBEX’s global network. Anna will be your primary point of contact for every market, every partner label, every step of the rollout.”

She opened her folder, voice steady and clear — and instantly distinct. “Good morning, everyone. To break this down simply: we’re looking at simultaneous releases across twelve territories, so coordination is everything. I’ll be liaising with our partners at Universal UK, Sony Music Europe, and Atlantic Records in the US — each has their own promotion schedule, radio pitching windows, and streaming priorities. None of them align perfectly, so we’ll be building a custom timeline that works for all of them.”

Her English rolled out warm and precise, that unmistakable soft British lilt — crisp vowels, rounded tones — cutting through the room like a clear bell. Around the table, English came in every flavour: an American publicist with sharp, fast delivery, a project manager from Sydney with laid-back drawl, the members themselves speaking carefully polished English tinged with Korean cadence. And then there was her — every word sounded smooth, refined, utterly different. She noticed a few quick, curious glances, but kept her focus steady.

She moved through the details — dry, necessary, unglamorous but vital. “We’ll also need to clear broadcast rights with NHK in Japan and KBS here domestically; those negotiations can take weeks if we don’t start immediately. Merchandise licensing has to go through three separate regional bodies — Europe’s strict on safety standards, the US has its own copyright rules… it’s tedious, I know, but if we get ahead of it now, we avoid bottlenecks later.”

Minho nodded, taking notes rapidly. “That makes sense — thank you for laying it out so clearly.”

Sun leaned in, eyes bright. “Will we get to travel to those territories for promotions?”

“Absolutely,” she smiled. “That’s the best part — once the groundwork’s done, you’ll be the face of it all. But until then… yes, lots of spreadsheets, lots of emails, lots of late-night calls to time zones that don’t exist.”

A soft ripple of laughter went around. And then — as if drawn by something beyond her control — her eyes drifted.

Ace was already looking at her.

Not staring, not intense — just watching, quiet and steady, his elbow resting lightly on the table, his gaze holding hers with that same calm, unhurried focus. Her breath caught. Heat bloomed instantly across her cheeks — bright, unmistakeable. She broke eye contact sharply, looking down at her papers, her heart suddenly too fast. Don’t be ridiculous, she told herself, straightening in her chair. Professional. Calm. You do this every day.

She looked up again, a minute later, answering a question from the US project lead — and there he was again. Watching. One corner of his mouth lifted, just barely — so faint she almost thought she imagined it — before his expression settled back to attentive neutrality.

Her face warmed all over again. She kept her tone even, her accent crisp and composed, but inside she felt flustered — annoyed at herself for being flustered. He’s just observing, she reasoned. He’s guarded, he watches everyone. It means nothing.

“We’ll also be coordinating with streaming platforms separately,” she continued, keeping her eyes firmly on her notes — until she needed to check something across the table, and her gaze snagged on his once more.

This time he didn’t look away. Just held it, those pale eyes clear and steady, as if he was seeing past the composed professional front straight to the girl who was flushing bright pink beneath it. Anna’s jaw tightened. She met his gaze for a heartbeat longer — refusing to be the first to look away — then lifted an eyebrow, cool and collected.

Ace blinked, and this time a small, genuine smile touched his mouth — quick, soft, gone in a second — and he nodded, just once.

She looked back to her papers, her heart still racing, but her chin held a little higher. Fine. Let him watch. She was good at what she did — and she wasn’t going to let a pair of striking eyes throw her off her game.

“Any questions on the timeline?” she asked the room, her voice perfectly steady, her British accent clear as day. No one would have guessed her pulse was racing.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Ace lean forward slightly, resting his chin in one hand — and she could feel his gaze, warm and constant, as she spoke.

By 11, the final points had been agreed, timelines locked in, and action items assigned. Anna closed her folder neatly, lifted her chin, and addressed the room.

“That covers everything for today. Thank you all so much for your time and your questions. I know there’s a lot of moving parts here, but I truly believe this is going to be such an incredible project — and I’m honoured to be the one working alongside you to make it happen. I’ll circulate the full minutes and contact list by the end of the day. Please don’t hesitate to reach out, about anything at all. Thank you.”

She bowed, and the room echoed back with thanks and polite farewells. Chairs scraped, people began packing up — but HYPE stayed seated, waiting until the others had filed out before standing together and making their way over to her.

Minho went first, bowing warmly as he shook her hand. “Thank you, Anna. It all sounds really well planned — we’re really happy to have you with us.”

Sun beamed, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “Welcome! Can’t wait to get started — it’s going to be so much fun!”

Dex nodded, firm and sincere. “Great to have you on board. If we have questions, we’ll ask.”

Tae smiled softly. “Welcome. We’ll do our best — thank you for guiding us.”

Then they stepped back, and Ace stepped forward.

He was the last one. Close up, he was even more striking — tall, broad-shouldered, that pale blonde hair catching the light, his silver-grey eyes steady on hers. When he spoke, it was in fluent, carefully polished English — soft, clear, no hesitation — and it took her by surprise.

“Welcome to the team, Anna.” His voice was low, warm, sincere. “I’d heard there was a new International Relations Coordinator joining… I don’t know what I expected. But it wasn’t you.”

Her fingers met his as they shook hands — his grip firm, gentle, warm. “Oh?” she said, curious, her chin lifting just a little. “What were you expecting, then?”

He held her gaze, unhurried, honest. “Someone… different. I didn’t know. But not someone like you.” His eyes traced her face for a heartbeat — taking in the steel-blue, the golden waves, the mole on her cheekbone — as if he was still figuring her out. “Delicate,” he said quietly, “but commanding. You walked in here and you owned the room. It’s… impressive.”

Anna’s breath caught. Heat rose to her cheeks again, but she didn’t look away. Her hand was still in his, neither of them pulling back quite yet. “Thank you, Ace,” she said softly. “That means a lot.”

They stood there for a long moment — just looking at each other. No grand words, no elaborate explanations. Just this quiet, unnameable hum between them — something magnetic, something that didn’t make sense, something neither could quite put a name to. It felt like recognition, like finding something they hadn’t known they’d been looking for. A pull so steady it felt inevitable.

Ace’s thumb brushed lightly, almost imperceptibly, over the back of her hand before he slowly let go.

“We’re really glad you’re here,” he said simply.

And then, with one last quiet look, he turned and followed the others out — leaving Anna standing there alone, staring at the door, her hand still tingling, and the strange, sure feeling settling deep in her chest: everything had just changed.