The Little Pea Incident

"Ring, ring!"

Jihoon groaned, burying his face deeper into the pillow as his phone's relentless ringing dragged him from the depths of exhaustion.

He had spent the entire night working with Jongbin, meticulously mapping out every detail of '200 Pounds Beauty'.

Though Jongbin had initially been hesitant to take on the project, he had since thrown himself into it with unwavering dedication—pouring over casting decisions, budgeting, and artistic direction.

Jihoon had given him full control, trusting him completely to lead the production.

It was more than just a project; it was an opportunity for Jongbin to gain invaluable experience and carve out his own name in the industry. Jihoon knew that, and so did Jongbin.

And that was precisely why Jihoon had overslept.

The phone continued its insistent ringing, refusing to be ignored. With a frustrated sigh, Jihoon blindly reached for it, squinting at the caller ID. Lee Sooman.

He exhaled groggily before answering.

"Morning, Uncle Lee. What could possibly be important enough to ruin a man's well-earned sleep?"

Since the success of 'Secret: Untold Melody', Jihoon's relationship with Lee Sooman had evolved.

What was once purely business had softened into something more familiar.

The film hadn't just raked in massive profits—it had solidified Jihoon's credibility in the industry.

Lee Sooman had even taken to dropping by Kim Minsoo's office just to chat, and on occasion, their exchanges carried a hint of playful camaraderie.

A hearty chuckle rumbled through the receiver. "Haha! You brat! I knew you were still in bed! Now get up and get to my office."

Jihoon ran a hand through his messy hair, his voice still heavy with sleep. "What's so urgent? Can't you just tell me over the phone? I worked till dawn, Uncle. I'm exhausted."

Lee Sooman's tone turned mockingly authoritative.

"No excuses! You've got one hour to get ready. Don't keep me waiting too long! That's it. Bye!"

Before Jihoon could protest, the call ended with a sharp click.

Sighing, he let his phone fall onto the bed, muttering to himself, "Tsk, this old man has anger issues. Must be his menopause acting up."

Resigned, he dragged himself out of bed, shuffled into the kitchen, and made himself a light coffee. He took a few moments to wake up properly before heading out.

Whatever was waiting for him at Lee Sooman's office, it had better be worth the loss of his precious sleep. 

After hailing a cab, Jihoon arrived at the SM Entertainment building in no time.

The reception had already been informed of his arrival, allowing him to make his way to Lee Sooman's office without any delays.

He walked with ease through the familiar hallways, navigating past trainees and staff, his mind still groggy from sleep.

As he was about to turn a corner, a small, soft body suddenly collided with him.

"Aigoo!"

A girl, roughly the same height as Taeyeon, stood in front of him, rubbing her head from the impact.

Jihoon blinked at her, assuming she was another trainee from SM's training camp. Without much thought, he reached out, ruffling her hair with a small smile.

"Hey, little pea, run slower."

"If you rush around and bump into other sunbaes, you'll end up in big trouble."

With that, he simply walked past her, continuing on his way to Lee Sooman's office as if nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, BOA stood frozen in place, utterly stunned.

The surrounding staff and trainees, who had witnessed the encounter, were equally dumbfounded.

A tense silence hung in the air for a brief moment before quiet snickers started spreading among them.

They quickly turned away, trying to suppress their laughter as they hurried off, not wanting to be caught reacting.

BOA, however, remained rooted to the spot, her mind spiraling into confusion.

"Who am I? Where am I? Who was that guy? What just happened?"

She could only stare at Jihoon's retreating figure, her thoughts an absolute mess.

BOA stood there, still rebooting from the unexpected encounter.

"Who are you calling little pea?! You brat!" she finally shouted, her voice echoing through the hallway.

But by then, Jihoon had already disappeared around the corner, completely unfazed by her reaction.

Her face burned with frustration.

She had been in SM Entertainment since she was 14, debuting at an age when most trainees were still struggling through vocal lessons.

She was the sunbae here, not some rookie trainee! No one—absolutely no one—had ever dared to ruffle her hair like that.

She clenched her fists, seething in place. But before she could even formulate a plan to chase after him and demand an apology, her stomach let out a loud growl.

She blinked, momentarily distracted.

Right… the stomachache.

Only now did she remember why she had left the meeting in the first place. She had been in Lee Sooman's office, where he was about to introduce her to a film director—most likely for an upcoming project.

But just as the discussion started, her stomach had begun twisting painfully, forcing her to excuse herself and rush to the restroom.

And that was when she had bumped into that guy.

BOA groaned, rubbing her forehead. Not only had she embarrassed herself, but she had also been mistaken for a trainee—by someone who clearly had no idea who she was.

She shook her head, deciding she would deal with this mystery after she handled the more pressing issue—her upset stomach.

Grumbling under her breath, she turned and made her way back to the restroom, still fuming about the ridiculous encounter.

Jihoon strolled into Lee Sooman's office like he owned the place, casually plopping himself onto the sofa across from the SM Entertainment chairman.

There was no need for formalities between them—at this point, they were well past that. Lee Sooman simply chuckled at Jihoon's ease and made no comment on his lack of proper greetings.

Jihoon wasted no time and got straight to the point. "Uncle Lee, what was so urgent that you had to drag me out of bed on my well-deserved rest day?"

Lee Sooman grinned mischievously. "Haha! It's about your film."

"The box office numbers are climbing, and the Asian markets are showing an incredible performance."

"So, naturally, I called you here to discuss your next project."

Jihoon leaned back with an exaggerated sigh.

"Ha! News travels fast, huh? Jongbin-hyung and I only finalized the plan yesterday, and you already got wind of it."

He shot Lee Sooman a suspicious look, still annoyed by how quickly SM had caught on to his next move.

Lee Sooman shrugged, unfazed by Jihoon's irritation. "Well, we have to stay ahead of the game. You've become a phenomenon in the film industry, my boy."

"You have no idea how many companies are lining up to snatch you for their next big project. SM can't afford to lag behind—we have to seize every opportunity!"

Jihoon clicked his tongue. "Tsk... Alright, fine. We'll stick with the same agreement from the last film contract."

"But seriously, did you really need to wake me up this early just to seal the deal? I'm already regretting partnering with SM." His voice dripped with exaggerated annoyance.

Lee Sooman burst into laughter. "HAHA! A young man like you shouldn't be sleeping so much—it won't help your career."

"Besides, without your confirmation, SM can't rest easy. You have no idea how much we profited from your last film!"

Jihoon sighed dramatically. "Hai... alright. Have your lawyers send the contract to JH Entertainment. I'll sign it when I get a moment."

Lee Sooman, still grinning, leaned forward. "Don't be so grumpy. SM is still your best partner, you know? We can support the promotions just like last time."

"I know, I know," Jihoon waved a hand dismissively. "If that's all, I'll be heading out. I really need to rest. If I keep this up, I'll end up in the hospital." He rubbed his forehead in frustration, his exhaustion catching up to him.

But just as he was about to stand, Lee Sooman held up a hand. "Wait, wait! One last thing—are you planning to compose another OST for this film? Like you did for the last one?"

Jihoon paused, considering for a moment. "Hmm... Actually, I do have a melody in mind. If you don't mind, I'll drop by tomorrow to use your studio again."

Lee Sooman beamed. "Haha! Feel free to use any facility you want! You're practically a VIP here."

Jihoon sighed, standing up. "Alright then, I'll be back tomorrow. But for now, I really need sleep. If there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave."

Lee Sooman waved him off with a chuckle. "Go on, get some rest. And if you need anything, just let me know."

With a tired nod, Jihoon trudged out of the office, silently cursing the early morning disruption. 

Just moments after Jihoon left the office, BOA walked in, rubbing her belly with an irritated expression.

She looked completely unhappy, and Lee Sooman, who had treated her like a daughter ever since she joined SM, immediately took notice.

Lee Sooman, who had practically raised her like his own daughter since she joined SM, immediately picked up on the stormy vibes.

BOA exhaled dramatically. "No idea. Probably some random trainee." She crossed her arms, still fuming. "He had the audacity to rub my head like I was his kid sister and—get this—he called me Little Pea!"

Lee Sooman blinked. Then blinked again. He tried—really tried—to keep a straight face, but the corners of his lips betrayed him.

BOA, on the other hand, was still in rage mode... until the absurdity of the whole thing sank in. Before she knew it, a small giggle escaped.

Then another. And suddenly, she was smiling despite herself.

Lee Sooman coughed, trying to mask his amusement. "I see. I'll have the staff track him down later."

But as he thought about it more, a different concern popped into his head. If trainees were out here rubbing heads and giving nicknames to top idols, what if this happened outside the company? SM's reputation would be in shambles.

The last thing they needed was BOA going viral because some newbie decided to pat her like a lucky charm.

"How did he look?" Lee Sooman asked, now genuinely curious.

BOA tapped her chin, recalling the moment. "Hmm... tall. Like really tall. Maybe around six feet. Good-looking. Short hair. Wearing a white shirt and blue jeans."

As soon as she finished, Lee Sooman's eyes widened slightly—then, out of nowhere, he burst into laughter. "HAHAHA! I know exactly who that is!"

BOA tilted her head in confusion as he continued laughing uncontrollably.

"He's not a trainee, BOA! That's Lee Jihoon—the director I was planning to introduce to you today!"

Lee Sooman wiped a tear from his eye, still amused by the whole situation. "Korea's youngest and first director to ever win a Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival!"

"What a misunderstanding! Don't worry—he's actually a really kind guy. He probably didn't even realize who you were."

BOA blinked in surprise before groaning. "You mean that Jihoon?! The award-winning director?!" She facepalmed heself. 

Meanwhile, completely unaware that his fate was being discussed back in Lee Sooman's office, Jihoon was already standing outside the SM building.

He tilted his head up to look at the bright sun, stretching lazily—until his eyes landed on something that made him freeze.

A massive poster was hanging on the side of the SM building, featuring a face that looked very familiar.

Jihoon scratched his jaw, trying to place where he had seen her before.

Then, it hit him.

"...Darn! It's her!" His eyes widened in horror. "Shit! That was BOA!"

For a solid five seconds, he stood there, completely frozen, as a wave of secondhand embarrassment crashed over him.

"I... I rubbed her head... I called her Little Pea..." Jihoon muttered, feeling his soul trying to leave his body. "God damn, this is awkward!"

His entire body tingled with humiliation from head to toe. The sheer cringe of the situation was unbearable.

Without wasting another second, Jihoon bolted towards the street, waving frantically for a taxi. "Nope, I'm out! I need to leave this cursed place now!" He jumped into the cab, slamming the door shut as if he could physically escape the embarrassment.

As the taxi sped away, he muttered under his breath, "Let's just pretend today never happened..."

[Author's Note: Heartfelt thanks to Wandererlithe for bestowing the power stone!]