Stigma Love's Algorithm [ A BTS x Reader Poly ]

Chapter 25: Unity in Difference

The boardroom felt like it was holding its breath as the team and I prepared for what was to come. The soft clatter of laptops and quiet murmurs of conversation had become almost background noise.

We were all too focused on the upcoming meeting, knowing it would determine the course of the next few weeks-and potentially the future of the feature release we had all been working so hard to push forward.

I kept glancing at the clock, the seconds ticking by faster than I would have liked.

Yoongi sat beside me, his fingers absentmindedly tapping against the edge of the table, a subtle rhythm that seemed to reflect the tension in the room. Even though we were surrounded by our team, I could feel the pressure settling over all of us.

The foundation's pushback had taken us by surprise. When we'd first set the timeline, everything had felt so solid, so ready.

But now, with the foundation insisting that we delay the regular Advocacy Updates in favor of more user engagement-specifically, waiting for the results from the user polls-it was like everything we'd worked for was on shaky ground. It wasn't just about the timeline anymore.

The foundation was concerned that releasing the updates without the necessary user feedback would make the launch fall flat.

And they weren't wrong.

The risk of losing engagement with the audience was something none of us wanted to face, especially not after all the groundwork we'd laid.

I had called for this meeting, and now the reality of it was setting in. We needed to figure out what to do-whether to stand our ground or find a way to adjust the project to accommodate their concerns.

I knew this wasn't just a matter of timelines. It was about our vision for the project, our confidence in the work we had put into it, and, above all, our belief in what it could do.

"Y/N," Ha Eun's voice broke through my thoughts, and I turned to look at her.

"I've got the meeting details. Namjoon's team will be meeting us later this afternoon at their office. They're ready to discuss everything-especially the pushback and how we're handling the updates."

I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. It was happening.

This wasn't just a casual conversation; it was about to be a pivotal moment. We were about to go head-to-head with the foundation, and every word we said could shift the course of everything we had been working towards.

"Alright, we'll need to have our points ready," I said, standing up to gather the team for one last briefing before the meeting. "We need to decide if we're willing to shift the launch date or if we're standing by it and focusing on what we've already created."

Trina, the marketing assistant, was already ahead of me, moving to the whiteboard, her markers in hand. She wrote down the key points: Timeline, User Engagement, Poll Feedback, Foundation's Concerns.

Her steady hand was reassuring, even though I could feel the undercurrent of anxiety in the air.

"We need to keep the project on track," Yoongi said quietly, his voice carrying just enough to make the team pause. "But we also can't ignore their concerns. If we release without enough user involvement, we risk alienating our audience."

I nodded, leaning against the table. "Exactly. But it's also not just about the users. It's about the pressure we've already been under. Pushing back would mean more time, and we've already been working non-stop for months."

Yoongi's eyes softened when they met mine. He could see the weight of the day in my expression, and I could see the same exhaustion reflected in his.

This wasn't just a professional challenge; it was a personal one.