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

Chapter 40: Holding It Together ⚠️

Forty-five days of pushing through, of surviving.

And now, work is the only thing keeping us afloat.

The LoveMap team is in full launch mode, gathered around the long conference table in our main meeting room.

Whiteboards are filled with last-minute notes, sticky tabs cover our documents, and a large countdown timer blinks on the screen, ticking down the hours until rollout.

"Okay, final checklist," Ha Eun says, adjusting her glasses as she flips through her notes. "Si Woo, security measures are in place?"

Si Woo, our lead developer, leans back in his chair, arms crossed. "Yup. Double-checked by yours truly and our favorite cybersecurity prince over there."

He gestures toward Yoongi, who is currently sipping his iced Americano like this entire launch isn't giving the rest of us mild heart attacks.

Yoongi simply hums in agreement. "Everything's locked tight."

"Good," Ha Eun nods. "Jae, UI/UX updates?"

Jae, our UX designer-and my closest friend in the team-grins. "Looking sexy as hell. Users are gonna love the new layout."

Trina, our marketing assistant, snorts. "Did you just call the app sexy?"

Jae winks. "I call it like I see it."

I laugh, shaking my head as I check my own list. "Content strategy for the Influencers for Good and Joint Activism features?"

"Done," Trina confirms. "Social media posts are scheduled, notifications are queued, and our first batch of influencer partners are ready to promote."

Ha Eun beams. "Perfect."

Everything is on track.

Everything is ready.

And standing at the head of the table, Dara Lee looks pleased.

Her perfectly tailored blazer is crisp, her arms folded as she surveys us like a queen looking over her kingdom.

But despite her polished exterior, there's something undeniably genuine about the way she smiles.

Like she's proud.

And that's the problem.

Because I want to hate her.

I really, really do.

But she's just so nice.

She's brilliant, organized, and somehow manages to challenge everything we do without making us feel like she's undermining us.

I sigh internally. Why is she so hard to hate?

Yoongi, sitting beside me, leans in slightly. "You're glaring," he murmurs, amused.

I scowl. "I'm not glaring."

"You are," he muses, sipping his drink. "But I can't tell if it's because you hate her or because you secretly admire her."

I elbow him.

He grins, completely unbothered.

"Alright, everyone," Dara claps her hands, drawing attention back to her. "This is it. The final stretch. You've all done an incredible job bringing these new features to life."

She pauses, glancing around the room.
"You should be proud of what we're about to release."

I hate that I am.

Despite the stress, despite the changes, I believe in this rollout.

The Influencers for Good feature is going to be huge-a dedicated space where verified activists, advocates, and community leaders can directly engage with LoveMap users, using their platforms to drive meaningful change.