NJ : Did she make it through the auditions?

AT. WANG : About that, they were closed before her turn was up. So, it's rescheduled to tomorrow.

NJ : Ah, I see what happened.

That added another night to the woods of hang fire and arid hours.

The next day, during dinner, Namjoon received a call from the attorney again. After a hideously long time, he could finally have a smile.

Spontaneously, he blurted out the good news to Seol Ah. She was seated just across him on the small dining table.

NJ : (-keeps his phone on the table-) Julia-ssi passed the auditions.

SEOL AH : (-smiles-) That's wonderful! Feeling positive about it?

His smile slowly faded in a transience.

NJ : Huh? (-pauses for a while-) Scared, to be honest.

SEOL AH : Is it because, Seong PD might find out about the operation?

NJ : I don't know. I don't know, what I am scared of more. The odds that our plan might fail or . . . (-sighs-)

He unwilling lost track of his words. After the previous night's counsel, he was indeed brought to speaking his heart. However, it was so foreign to him that he didn't know the right frame to shape his emotions.

Seol Ah, being a little considerate towards him, suppressed her urge to quiz him further. She gave him the space to let his comfort zone expand at its own pace and elasticity. Not force it.

Days and nights traveled in glimpses. With consistent and calculated efforts, the progress in the operation had also stretched out. It was advancing as per the stratagem, steadily.

Every minute that Julia marched through the agency, she was being monitored in Namjoon's house by Attorney Wang and himself. And also by the team, hiding outside the building in their undercover van.

To be prepared any moment, she had a small camera-eye fitted to all her outfits. The ones, that she were to wear inside the agency.

Nevertheless, the hours, in the black mansion watching through every actions, were ever so slothful and monotonous. All the involved people painstakingly breathed through the fatigue. Cups of coffee piled. Sore muscles massaged occasionally.

At a time, when the final hearing was in a couple of days, Namjoon had totally prepared himself for the worst. Or at least he believed he did.

He pictured the last trial in his mind. And very well so, the singer braced himself for the verdict pronounced against his favor.
He, accordingly, made peace with facing the penalties while the operation progressed at its pace.

Seol Ah, in her end, made momentous efforts to block all the hate that people were sending his way. She was glued to the laptop screen, screening through the social media platforms, like a hawk eyeing at its prey.

Although, she left no room for mistake. Was her shield strong enough to stall away everything?—was a question that came knocking at the front door, one evening.

While Namjoon was at his studio, Seol Ah was handed a box by the house bodyguard in the hall. She examined it from every corner before deciding to look inside. Seol Ah was affirmative not to take any chance. Especially when hatred everywhere was deliberately trying to pierce through her protective barrier.

The hunch for the 'present' was right. In the decent shoe-box sized cardboard, there lied another with a slimmer and slender body, and a note stuck on top.

Seol Ah quietly read it to herself, "Your fame is going to die anyway, why not end your life as well? Hope my present comes to your help."

Without any delay, she went straight for the smaller box. A hold of breath later it flashed to her, a big and sharp knife. Her grip on the box loosened for a second, before she balanced herself and sat on the couch.

No matter how realistic it felt from the books and novels, it was at least a thousand times more heart-wrenching to have received something like that in actuality.

For one thing she knew for sure that, she must never let this reach Namjoon. Working on the same thought, she wrapped the box as it was. And as she stood up from the couch, Namjoon came out of the studio. That simultaneous action caused her to flinch at his direction. It was too late to hide the box from him at that point.

Namjoon casually walked towards her while trying to study her terrified expressions, and the item she was holding.

NJ : Are you okay?

SEOL AH : (-stutters-) I-I am! I am perfect! Yeahh. (-smiles nervously-)

The needless exclamation and the fidgeting expressions further confirmed that she was indeed not okay.

NJ : What's that in your hand?

SEOL AH : (-thinking of an excuse-) Um.. nothing! Just trash. I was about to throw it out.

NJ : But, it looks like a present.

SEOL AH : It does, yes. But, inside it, is just trash.

NJ : Let me-

He was soon cut-off by a call from the Attorney that had him distracted.

NJ : (-to Seol Ah-) Come in, quick. We have to order our dinner. (-over the call-) Yes, Attorney Wang, I am here...

He left the premise, as his voice faded out over the call. Seol Ah sighed in a big whiff of relief.

She walked out of the front door only to find Kim, taking the week's waste out. It was a Saturday-event in the Black mansion.

SEOL AH : Dae min-ah, good that you are here. Please, take this as well.

KIM : (-taking the box readily-) What is it? You look strung out, too. Are you okay?

SEOL AH : (-nervously-) I-I think, this was from a hater or an anti-fan. There's a n-note along with a knife inside, as-asking him to d—

Seol Ah found it unable to spell out the word to Kim. The latter grew an instant crease in his forehead. And experienced with such dealings, Kim was quick to find his way through her stutters.

He aimed straight to the bodyguard, who was guarding the front door, positioned there.

KIM : Who brought this in? Wasn't it examined through the scanner?

Kim, being the one who had worked for Namjoon the longest, was authorized to look out on the functioning of other housekeepers and guards. Any work that didn't require Namjoon's direct supervision in the house, was to be dealt with by Kim.

BODYGUARD : (-anxious-) The scanner malfunctioned today. We had to send it down for repairing.

KIM : You say that as an excuse? Presents from anyone do not come upstairs until and unless they are scanned of any threat to Sir Joon.

A routine revision on the terms and procedures of the house made the bodyguard sweat anxiously. Unware of the sensitivity of the situation, it was careless on his part—he resolved.

BODYGUARD : I apologize, Mr.Kim. I was not in my right mind. My mother has been sick lately. Please, Seonbae-nim, let it slide this one time.

KIM : If you are that out of your mind, take advantage of the replacement policy your contract allows for emergencies till you can join back. Don't make Sir look bad because of your irresponsibility.

BODYGUARD : (-bows-) Yes, I deeply apologize. I have made plenty mistakes already, I didn't feel like I have the face to ask him for a break now.

KIM : (-sighs-) I am not taking this as any excuse either. Make sure that it doesn't happen next time. Look out for the presents thoroughly, especially when the case is on-going.

BODYGUARD : Yes, Mr.Kim. I shall be extra careful from here on. Thank you for your leniency.

Almost ready to take his leave, Kim looked up again to include a revised instruction on the scanner.

KIM : And if, by any chance, the presents are failed to run a check upon, bring them to me first. Or keep it in the store until it can be examined, if I am not around. Got it?

BODYGUARD : Positive, Seonbae-nim. I will keep that in mind.

Kim turned to Seol Ah, who was seen lost during their conversation. Although, she resisted some good amount, she couldn't help feel guilty towards the guard. At some point, she believed that he earned himself the negative points because of her, during the SK party night. When she had deceived him into letting her leave the Black mansion.

KIM : Seol Ah.

SEOL AH : (-brought back-) Huh? Yes, Kim?

KIM : I will take care of it. Don't worry about anything and try to keep it from Sir Joon. It's better that he doesn't know about it, at least for the time being.

SEOL AH : (-nods-) Yeah. I will do my best.

KIM : Go in, now.

SEOL AH : I think, you can go home, too. He says, he wants to order today.

KIM : Ah, yeah. I recieved his text earlier. Take care, Seol!

Seeing him off, Seol Ah entered the passcode Namjoon had already let her know.

As she headed in, she found him on the couch seated patiently.

NJ : (-looking at her-) Did you dump it safely?

SEOL AH : (-sits next to him-) Ah, it's taken care of.

Namjoon didn't speak further. Little did she know‐to her weirdness earlier‐ he checked the surveillance records of the hall.

Thanks to the high resolution and excellent quality, he could fairly zoom-in to the note and see what lied inside. However, wanting to appreciate her effort to keep it hidden, he decided to play innocent.

Though, he could have sued the sender for stooping such depths. It was best not to step foot in further cases he believed, and considered it never happened.

NJ : Julia-ssi is..

SEOL AH : Ah, any news from her?

Namjoon looked intently at Seol Ah's keen interest. If anyone beside Kim, he made a wise choice hiring her—he reflected. The stare almost beginning to hypnotize him, he withdrew his sight to his hands.

NJ : Um. She received a call from Seong PD's manager. He wants to meet her at his office, tomorrow evening.

SEOL AH : (-claps one-) Is that so! What did the attorney say?

NJ : That, if he is really into her for those reasons. He would most probably make a move. 

SEOL AH : Tomorrow's the D-Day, then.

.

.

.

Attorney, Namjoon, and Seol Ah at the Black Mansion and the entire team outside the agency were holding their breaths as Julia entered Seong PD's office at the scheduled time.

They could all see the room in clear resolution as the PD allowed her inside. With a certain smugness lathered across his face, he asked her to take a seat.

No matter how professionally skilled she was, it was her first mission afterall. Julia was anxious. However, she could mask it all with her confidence.

Seong PD had an unreadable countenance presented to her. What seemed like hours, after a long ten minutes of silence, Julia decided to speak.

JULIA : Director, you had a business with me?

Seong PD smiled, not looking at her. Rather, he was faced to his left and leaned back on his revolving and comfortable chair.

SEONG PD : You've got a pretty voice, I must say.

JULIA : (-with a fake Korean accent-) Thank you, PD-nim.

SEONG PD : Your Korean, too, has improved quite a lot, I see. Impressive.

JULIA : (-gains more confidence-) Oh, all the credit goes to the language faculty here. They are very kind, informative and well-versed. (-smiles-) Through their consistent help, my learning has been pretty smooth so far.

Seong PD casually stood up and walked around the table, all the way to the lounge. Plopping the leather cushions a little, he took a seat on the armchair. The proximity further alerted her.

SEONG PD : You like it here?

JULIA : (-in english-) Yes, I do. It hasn't been too long, but I have already fallen for the ambience. I always dreamt to be a part of something great like this.

The PD was amused at her choice of switching to English, carrying a fancy accent. And weirdly enough— it appeared to Julia—Seong PD continued in Korean, despite being fluent in English himself.

SEONG PD : (-smiles-) I love this kind of enthusiasm in today's kids. (-leans back-) So, would you like to debut soon?

JULIA : (-hopeful smile-) That goes by without saying of course. But, I do believe in a good training before that. Although, I would love to debut as soon as I can.

SEONG PD : (-chuckles-) Ah, is that so? But, too bad. (-change of expressions-) For that, you'd have to quit your current job first.

Julia, without a doubt, was spot on with the transformation in his tone. It sounded more threatening and overbearing now. However, she did not panic and played innocent, not letting her expressions drop even a little.

JULIA : Yes? I do not have part-times outside. Don't worry about that; I am following all the company rules.

SEONG PD : (-displeased twitch-) Scandal specialist seem like a legitimate job to me. Is it not?

For a brief moment, she was at a loss of words, fumbling in her thoughts. Not wasting a second however, Julia tried to beat around the bush.

JULIA : I apologize, but I am unable to understand you entirely. My Korean hasn't matured enough yet.

SEONG PD : Oh, don't be kidding me, Julia-ssi. You do know Korean. And know it well.

He didn't let her hold her defence anymore as he summoned a lady inside. The lady wore a stern mien in her face, paired with her plain black typical guard-suit.

SEONG PD : Check her.

With a single nod, the lady marched straight to Julia. And without seeking for permission, began to probe her, quite intrusively.

JULIA : (-resists-) Excuse me, no! I do not allow you to force on me. Director! Please stop her!

The lady, nevertheless, obeying her orders, examined Julia from every profile. In no time, she successfully felt out the camera-eye from her clothes. The lady with a little brutal force, tweaked it out, and handed it right to her superior.

SEONG PD : Go outside and wait.

LADY : Yes, sir. (-bows and leaves-)

SEONG PD : (-examining it-) Would you like to explain about this?

He turned his gaze to Julia, who was growing visibly anxious now. The spiteful PD dropped the camera-eye suddenly on the carpeted floor.

SEONG PD : Oh. What do I do now? Will this be of any help anymore, or should I just crush it for my own safety?

Julia did not bother answering him. She was already looking for cues to make her exit from the room as soon and safely as possible.

The PD jerked up from his rest as the rage started to drive him. Her blatant ignorance fueling it further. He reached out his hand towards her hair as he continued, "I am speaking to you! Explain about...." The camera could only register the sounds at this point as the eye was facing down on the floor.

.

.

"...explain about this! Who sent y-" the muffled voice cut-off abruptly. Presumably, it was crumbled under the PD's feet, then.

Things took a huge and unsought turn in the black mansion as the footage from a fuzzy screen went completely dark.
Julia's safety being their first priority at that point, they couldn't register much about the miscarried operation.

On that, Attornery immediately dailed the team outside the building. He wanted to inquire about their next action and ensure her safe escape.

AT. WANG : (-over the call-) Yes? But, that's too risky. You should-.. (-pauses for a while-) Then, when are you going in? (-pauses and sighs-) All right. (-hangs up-)

NJ : (-tensed-) What did they say?

_______

Pt.2 :- At 9 KST!

:)
What's new in that?

How are things going to turn out now that their only hope is gone? I am scared for them.