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

Chapter 25: Unity in Difference

The pressure, the uncertainty surrounding Namjoon's role in all of this, the potential shift in our dynamic-it was all adding up.

We were both running on fumes.

"I know," Yoongi said, his voice low, as though he understood exactly where my mind was going. "But we also have to ask ourselves: can we afford to rush this? We've always cared about the quality of our work. It's why we've come this far."

His words settled over me, grounding me in the reality of our situation. He was right. We couldn't afford to cut corners. But I was torn.

On the one hand, I wanted to fight for our vision, to stand firm in what we had planned.

On the other, I knew that if we rushed this without the proper user feedback, we risked losing everything.

Our credibility, the project's potential, and the trust we had built with the foundation and the audience.

"Okay," I said, pushing my thoughts aside for a moment. "We'll listen to their concerns, but we need to make sure that whatever decision we come to, it's based on our values as a team. We've worked too hard to let it fall apart over a deadline."

As I spoke, I could feel the room shift. The team was with me.

We all understood the stakes, and we all knew how to move forward. We'd hashed out the details in the past few weeks, and we had a plan. But we needed to present it clearly to Namjoon's team.

This wasn't just a discussion; it was a negotiation.

And we needed to be prepared for everything.

The rest of the team went over the details of the plan while I tried to steady my mind.

But then, the thought of Namjoon crept back into my consciousness. My heart tightened at the mere mention of his name, and I couldn't push away the emotions that flared up every time I thought about seeing him again.

Yoongi noticed, of course.

He always did.

His gaze met mine again, and I could see the understanding in his eyes.

We'd both been focused on the work at hand, trying to suppress the confusion and frustration that came with the possibility of a soulmate connection.

But now, the possibility of seeing him again, standing in front of us, was almost unbearable. The air between Yoongi and me had shifted in ways I wasn't sure I fully understood.

We were closer than ever, but the tension over what was to come made it hard to breathe.

"Y/N," Yoongi's voice was low, steady. "We don't have to figure it all out right now. Whatever happens with Namjoon... we'll deal with it."

I nodded, but the uncertainty still gnawed at me.

I wanted to believe that everything would be fine. That the meeting would go smoothly, that the foundation's concerns could be addressed without complications.

But the closer we got to that moment, the heavier the weight of everything felt.

My phone buzzed again, snapping me out of my thoughts. It was a message from Taehyung.

Taehyung (Private to Y/N)
You guys got this. Keep breathing. You're both stronger than you think ✨🤗

I smiled at the message, feeling a warmth spread through me. Taehyung had been our rock, lifting us up every time the pressure threatened to break us.

Even through the screen, his lighthearted encouragement had a way of making everything feel more manageable.

I typed back quickly.