The Missing Piece

Chapter 14

"This feels very very strange." Said Jungkook, peaking out behind the curtain that backed the main conference room. They were all familiar with the space. It was where they usually gave small press conferences, and where they'd occasionally film their release videos. They were also used to a packed room on the other side of the curtain and the anticipation of a big reveal. Just not of this kind.

"You're going to be just fine, Baby." Namjoon whispered, standing as close as he dared with a few people still milling around that didn't know.

"Well, I'm not going to say a word! I'm just saying, this is a really weird thing we're about to do."

"Kookie, these have been two of the weirdest weeks of my life."

"I'm not that kinky!" Jungkook shot back and Namjoon smiled into the back of his head.

"I wish I'd worn your jumper instead. I can't scent you properly without getting close." Namjoon grumbled, breathing in deeply through his nose but getting nothing except the faintest trace of Jungkook.

"Do you want to swap?" Jungkook asked.

"No, we need to focus anyway. I thought it would be nice to come up for air, but I just want to get you back to flat again. I don't like all these people being around you."

"You're so possessive Hyung. It's only work."

"I know, I didn't think I had it in me."

They both watched the small gathering crowd take their seats, staying hidden and maintaining as much of a distance as they could bear. As Yoongi had said, this would all be an exercise in discipline, and they were nothing if not practiced in self-restraint.

The group of voices came to a shushing halt as Bang Shihuk, Park Jiwon, a woman none of the boys recognised, and Sejin all took to the small staging platform. There was a smattering of applause, but Sihyuk waved them to quiet down.

"Welcome everyone, thanks for joining us here today, we know we've pulled you all out of your morning's activities with no explanation. We appreciate you all coming here without giving away too much information to your colleagues. Hopefully we can all make it out without too many questions being asked, but if you are approached, please simply let them know that we've met today to talk about a new and completely secret release of material. Just keep it vague."

There was an excited buzz around the crowd, who possibly thought they had been asked there to discuss a new and secret release of material.

"By now, you'll all have met with Kim Sunri. She's the head of our legal team and she will have discussed the new NDA's we've asked you to sign. Just a reminder, that these exist alongside your company contracts, and they're simply to firm up the absolute guarantee that nothing we discuss with you today will be disclosed. I think that you've all been made aware of the consequences of breaking these agreements, and of the stipend you'll all receive this time next year, if we have experienced no leaks of information. And you've all been given the opportunity to absent yourself from this meeting."

The rippling noise amongst the audience was beginning to sober. Obviously something very secret, they all realised, but probably not a new release.

"We've carefully selected the group of people here today, because we have an important development within the talent group, and we need to share it with the right people so that it can be contained but managed going forward."

Their audience were pin-drop-quiet now. None of this felt like it would be the exciting, good news they'd anticipated.

"We have an unusual situation to fill you in on. Can I ask for the members to join us, please?" Sihyuk held his arm out to the members, waiting in the wings, who all filed on.