The chaos was already in motion by the time Anna stepped inside the office.
"Tony, if you tilt it any further, it's going to look like it's apologizing." Emeli said arms crossed as she studied the mock layout on the screen.
"Oh! Come on Emeli. It's not apologizing, it's experimenting." Tony shot back.
"With gravity?" Joy muttered from her desk.
"The frame needs more space." Anna said casually as she walked in. "If you crowd it, the colours will fight each other."
Everyone turned.
"Oh! Miss Hattie is here." Tony said, grinning.
Anna gave him a look. "Say that again and I will make you redo the lighting plan."
Mia laughed, rolling her chair back. "She's been here for three seconds and already threatening them. Proud of you."
Anna set her bag down besides Mia's desk, "Morning chaos."
"As usual," Mia said.
Anna leaned in a little. "At least tell me the morning went better than mine."
Mia smirked. "Only if you promise not to bring up deadlines before ten."
"No promises."
The office felt calm and chaos at some time. But it's lively. Desks were tidy, sketches lined the walls, and unfinished ideas rested quietly across shared tables. Work flowed here without urgency or tension, guided more by understanding than authority. They didn't chase attention, yet when they curated an exhibition, it naturally found its way to them.
Mr. Park stepped in a moment later, clapping once.
"Alright. Seats. Let's get serious."
Chairs shifted, screens turned.
"We're two weeks out," Mr. Park said, glancing around the room.
"Let's be clear about what we're building. This exhibition needs direction. Every piece should feel like it belongs here, alright?"
Anna straightened, focus settling in naturally.
"Then we finalize layout today. No more maybes."
Mr. Park nodded. "Good. And we'll start confirming the guest list this afternoon."
Mia glanced sideways at Anna, lowering her voice. "This is where it gets interesting."
Anna exhaled softly. "It always does."
Not long after, the moment Mr. Park stepped out, the room exhaled.
Chairs scraped back. Someone cracked their neck. Someone else ruffled their hair and what not.
"Oh my God", Emily groaned, pushing her chair back. "If I look one more layout, I might actually start hallucinating colors".
Tony leaned back, arms raised above his head. "I already am. That wall is blinking at me."
Anna shut her laptop and stood, rolling her shoulders once. "Alright. Let's take a break before we collectively lose our minds."
Mia grabbed her bag immediately. "Lunch. Real lunch. None of that 'I forget to eat' nonsense. "
Emily pointer at Anna. "See? Head of the team speaks and suddenly everyone is discipline."
They drifted out together, slow and lazy, like people who had been sitting too long and thinking too hard.
Mia leaned closer as the others drifted towards the door.
"By the way", she said quietly, nudging Anna's arms, "You okay? You've been unusually responsible today."
Anna glanced at her. "That's called growth."
Mia hummed. "That's called stress. You skipped your coffee."
Anna paused, the sighed. "Don't expose me like that".
Mia smiled, already grabbing her cup. "Relax, Project Head or not, you are still a human and I'm still your bestie. Come on-lunch first. You can save the world after. "
Anna let herself be pulled along, shaking her head. "Only because you are right."
Mia grinned, "I usually am".
By the time they reached the lunch table, the tension from the meeting had melted into noise and warmth.
Mia opened her lunch box and dramatically sighed, "Am I the only one eating salads?"
Joy peered inside. "Well you are the one who said, 'I am entering my healthy era'.
Mia grimaced. " I would formally like to exit that era".
Tony took one look and laughed. "That's rabbit food".
Emily pointed at Tony's plate. "And that's cholesterol with confidence. "
Anna set down across from them, setting her bag beside her chair. "We all survived the meeting. Let's eat in peace."
Joy leaned forward, resting her chin on her head. "So", she said casually, "now that we are free ... who do you actually think should be on the guest list?"
"Easy", Emily said. "Dravid Parker, the head of 'Milestone Paradise'.
Tony nodded. "Jake from 'Hogwart Crafts' too. He never missed these."
"Mmm", Mia nodded. "Miss Elena from 'Paradise Arch' too. She brings attention."
Joy snapped her fingers. "Yes. And Julian. Definitely Julian. I can't wait to see his charms. Although he is not officially controlling 'Hazel House' but I hope he comes along with his dad."
Anna listened, unwrapping her lunch, letting the names passed. "All safe choices."
Tony chewed thoughtfully, then said, "What about Adrian...Adrian Williams?"
The table paused. Not dramatically—just enough.
Joy blinked. "Why would you even say that?"
Mia glanced up. "You think he would come?"
Tony shrugged. "I don't know. That's why I am asking."
Joy scoffed, leaning back. "That man? Oh Please. He's a walking iceberg."
Anna looked up, brow creasing slightly, "Iceberg?"
Joy waved her fork. "Cold. Distant. Zero warmth."
"That bad?" Anna askedz genuinely curious.
Joy snorted. "I would rather talk to a wall. At least walls don't look at you like you're wasting their oxygen."
Mia signed. "Joy be fair".
"I'm being fair". Joy shot back. "Actually I'm being generous."
Anna's curiosity sharpened. "Have you met him?"
Mia nodded. "Once. You weren't there that day".
Joy leaned in, eyes bright now. "It was during that closed-door meeting last year. He barely spoke. Didn't smile. Didn't acknowledge half room."
"All the things were done by Mr. Mark, probably his friend." Emily added.
Tony added, "Not rude exactly. Just.... unreachable."
Mia shrugged. "Very stoic. Very controlled."
Joy rolled her eyes. "Very arrogant".
Anna tilted her head slightly. "Or just reserved."
Joy pointed at her. "See, that's because you haven't met him. Trust me, once you do, you'll understand."
Anna smiled faintly. "So you are saying he's intimidating."
"I'm saying", joy said lowering her voice dramatically, "that man could freeze fire."
Tony laughed. "That's poetic".
Joy smirked. "I know".
Anna went quiet for a second, processing. Not impressed. Not interested. Just... intrigued.
"Well", she said finally, picking up her fork again, "people like that usually have reasons."
Mia studied her. "You're curious."
Anna shrugged lightly. "I'm just wondering why one name changed the whole mood."
Before anyone could reply, Emily glanced at the clock. "Break's almost over".
Joy muttered, "There goes peace".
Tony grinned. "Back to reality ".
As they gathered their things, the name lingered. Not spoken again but not forgotten either.
And Anna, walking back toward the discussion room, caught herself thinking only one thing :
Why would someone distant leave such an impression?
Inside the office room, all of them settled in their places.
Mr Park entered last, tablet tucked under his arm.
"Alright," he said, taking his seat. "Let's finalize the guest list."
Tony leaned back. "Finally. I was starting to think we'd invite the entire city."
Joy snorted. "With our budget? Dream on."
Mr. Park ignored them, scrolling. "We need patrons, not crowds. People who bring attention without stealing it."
"Julian Hart," Emily said immediately. "He's been attending art spaces lately."
Mr. Park nodded. "Already on the list."
"Dravid Sen?" Boni added. "He funded the Riverside installation last year."
"Confirmed."
Names moved easily at first. Familiar. Safe. Expected.
Then Tony tilted his head. "What about Adrian Williams?"
The table went still—not silent.
Joy looked up. "You mean that Adrian Williams?"
"There's only one," Tony said.
"He's unpredictable. Way to difficult to reach." Mia added.
Anna considered that. "So… difficult?"
Tony shrugged. "Selective. Powerful. Impossible to predict."
Mr. Park finally looked up. "Which is exactly why his presence matters."
Joy frowned. "Do you really think he'll come?"
Mr. Park tapped the screen once. "He doesn't accept general invitations. Not from institutions."
"So we're crossing him out?" Boni asked.
"No," Mr. Park said calmly. "We're changing the approach."
Anna straightened. "What kind of approach?"
He looked at her. "A personal invitation."
The table turned toward her almost instinctively.
Anna blinked. "Me?"
"You're the project head," Mr. Park said.
"And your name will already be on the exhibition."
Tony whistled. "Bold move."
Joy crossed her arms. "Or a waste of stationery."
Anna didn't smile. She reached for her notebook instead.
"I'll handle it," she said. "If he declines, we move on. If he doesn't—good."
Mr. Park nodded once. Decision made.
"Alright," he said. "Next name."
But Anna's pen had paused.
Not because of the task.
Just the name.