Lovebirds

thirty-four

Good Lord, it's been some time since the executives called a meeting this large.

Her grandfather sat at the head of the table while Naira and the Red Knights sat on one side. Across from them were the wrinkly, gray men that formed the executive committee for her father's entertainment company. She stared ahead with the coldness of a tundra and the a sharp glare to cut through any indifference.

The men avoided her gaze. Very few women were present, and the ones that were barley had a say in the decisions of the executive committee. Their voices were silenced, and the women ended up being followers of the prunes before her.

She knew exactly why this meeting was called. Naira came armed and ready.

"Mr. Muller, the Red Knights have had serious issues since their new manager came into the picture, issues that never rose before," said one executive as he organized his papers. "First, the rumors about her spread and tarnishes the band. Then Rayan gets drunk and makes a spectacle of himself, our funds for this band are being used at a higher demand than before, and now Kyle's nutritional issues? What comes next?"

Rayan tensed beside her, his fists clenched under the table as a dark scowl crossed his features. Noticing the anger from Wesley and Kyle, she cleared her throat in warning for them to stand down.

Her grandfather's visage was weary as he glanced over the documents. "What are you proposing?" he asked with furrowed brows. "Do you think Naira is the direct cause for all this?"

Another executive spoke up. "Sir, the logistics don't lie. Other boy bands have surpassed the Red Knights in the last few weeks, and they will continue to triumph unless we do something. We must reconsider the management of the band before we lose any more revenue."

Her grandfather raised his brow. "Other boy bands? Like who?"

The same executive made an annoyed tick noise with his tongue. "Bands like the Korean pop industry or the British boy bands that seem to have swarm popularity overnight. More Americans are listening to Korean bands than American ones. What does that say about the Red Knights?" he questioned harshly, sending a disapproving glance at Naira. "They used to be number one. Look at the ratings for them now."

"Any thoughts, Naira?" addressed her grandfather. He kept his tone stern, unwavering to the bonds he felt towards his grandchild. The elder Muller was in pure business mode that even family could not tear him away from it.

She adjusted her frames, a ghost of a smile on her lips. "Yes, Mr. Muller. I do have some thoughts on the matter." Naira pulled her own paperwork from her red folder along with supporting graphs and statistics that she found while researching the success of boy bands. "Since you all feel so keen to blame me for the shortcomings of the band, might I remind you that just because you don't see a problem does not mean the problem ceases to exist."

The executives scoffed, murmuring amongst each other in a blatant show of disrespect. Naira didn't talk over them.

Instead, she leaned against her seat, arms crossed as she emulated the stone expression of her grandfather, staring at the executives with a chilling gaze. They must have felt the sudden drop in temperature or felt the indignance rise from her.

"I pleasantly request to have the same respect that I showed you all," she said calmly, voice leveled and slow as she enunciated every word till it carried the same weight that she felt on her shoulders. Once she was granted their silence, she smiled, the type of smile that belonged on a villainess and her schemes rather than on Naira. "Thank you."

"Carry on," gestured her grandfather. "What are your opinions or concerns?"

She passed him the papers, briefly explaining each. "Let's start with what the success of a band really is. Success is when they manage to bring more money to fill your pockets with. Recent events have put a stop to that as new bands around the world have started to make their debut. Instead of criticizing the Red Knights and deepening the problem, let us analyze what makes these other bands successful.