Untitled, 2018

Part 28: The Last Place You'd Look

Jimin's POV
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Riti– the crazy girl had attack-hugged me, run away, been harassed by some old guy I wanted to punch if I had the time, then run away some more. I got close to her and she must have panicked because she tried to run again. But she pretty much tripped in three different ways and then whirled in slow motion before I caught her. Otherwise she would've probably sprained something because of that insane pose.

I held on to her because I was sure she was going to run and hurt herself if I let go. She hadn't turned around and realized it was me yet. So I started talking to her as she rambled on. "It's okay, it's okay. It's just me, Jiminnie. Calm down."
After talking to her I realized she was more worried about her project than herself, and my heart lurched with pity. I would've hugged her again but instead I just followed behind her as she walked away, unsure of how to help.

That's when I realized we were walking towards a studio, and that this could be the one Baekie was in... mainly because I saw an electronic sign up front with the name of the variety show she was filming. Should've paid attention the first time.

I gave one last glance to Riti's figure disappearing into the green room, and headed towards the dressing room myself. I scanned the room for Baekie but quickly started heading out when she didn't seem to be there. But as I turned around, I almost ran right into her. She evidently had just walked out of the women's restroom.
"Oh Baekie," I smiled and stepped towards her to kiss her forehead, but she turned her face with a cute "hmph."
"Hey I'm sorry- I went to the wrong studio. There must be a few big ones in this building. Come to think of it, I think the other one had... HighTen?"
She flicked her eyes at me and quickly cleared her throat before wrapping her arms around my neck and hanging on me, completely changing the topic and her demeanor.
Weird.

"Jiminnie-oppa... let's do something fun soon. We haven't in a while."
I smiled and hugged her closer. "How about a date night tomorrow?"
She leaned in and kissed my shoulder, "Or we could... sneak away right now..."
"Don't you have to go back...?"
"Well... filming stopped temporarily because the directing manager of a different group raised hell. Something about finding this girl who stole sensitive information," she chuckled, closing her lips on my neck.
I jumped and pushed her away.

"Wait, wait. What?"
"What what?" She asked, impatiently coming closer to me again.
"What do you mean, raised hell?"
She sighed and pulled away. "Oh. Well, this bozo often throws tantrums and is in awful moods but today he lost the papers to some important exclusive deal he's been trying to get signed. So he blamed it on some poor stranger that he's going to drag out, blame it on, and get fired."
My eyes widened and I almost ran straight out of the room right then to go warn this non-stranger of mine, but Baekie continued.
"And the funniest part - I found it in our dressing room like an hour ago. They're looking for some stupid papers and she really didn't even steal it."
My thoughts paused and I slowly turned to Baekie, who wasn't even looking at me. I stared hard at her, not quite understanding what I was hearing.
"What- What did you... do with the papers."
"Stashed it behind a stall in the women's restroom. Let's see how she finds it now."
I saw some strange kind of anger and sadism glistening in her eyes, and wasted no time in pushing her aside and heading straight to the women's bathroom across the hall.

I could hear loud voices down the hallway, and at least one was unfortunately familiar, but I didn't let it stop me from slamming open the door to the bathroom. I startled the two ladies at the sinks. For some reason, I didn't even hesitate and went into the stalls one by one. I inspected the backs until I reached one with a folder wedged behind the toilet bowl. A little disgusted, I still stuck my hand behind there and plucked it. I went back to the bathroom door, muttering a quick sorry to the ladies who were frozen in the same poses I found them in.

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Riti's POV

Um. HELP.

I was just leaving the green room after giving it a thorough... well okay it was more of a scan, when two security guards saw me and started sprinting towards me. I was caught between being calm and sprinting away myself, but I gave myself a split-second "Why Would I Run? What Have I Done To Feel Guilty About?" pep talk and stayed put, praying they'd run past me or something.
No luck on that.
One looked apologetic and the other had a poker face, but both held either forearm as they started prodding me to the left and explaining that I needed to go see the security personnel. I tried to explain, loudly, that I had something to do, and couldn't waste my time on their nonsense.

After a point, I pretty much got dragged around a corner, after which I yelled at them to let me go. I glared at them dangerously and shook off their grip. "I'll walk myself."
If I was going to give up, might as well do it with dignity.

As we reached the room the guards walked me to, I realized it was the room where everything had gone to hell the first time, again chock full of people. But the problem was this time all eyes were on me, some angry, some sympathetic, one pair FUMING. I thought it was completely likely he'd hit me, and I swear I was so ready to call emergency services or something. Wait, what's 911 of South Korea...? Oh shit man idk... guess I'd have to call them later.

Before he could start yelling at me, though, in walked more people, and I gasped when I saw who.
A hurried and worried looking Kang, along with two others. I realized quickly that one of them was the director whose signature this guy was looking for in the morning: the cool old lady. The other was a... crispy and stylish middle-aged man standing next to Kang, super skinny and super, I don't know, crispy.
I looked at Kang in horror, and he seemed confused and anxious, looking back at me.
Some stupid part of me was laughing at this situation in my head. And THUS begins Act III - RB gets fireddd! Bravo, everyone, you deserve the applause. Cue the fool!

"This girl... is a thief!" The directing manager's finger was shaking as it pointed at me, betraying his rage. Right on cue, fool. I sighed shakily and tried to tell Kang and those two people the rant I had been repeating to myself constantly, in preparation for the worst case scenario. Which, unfortunately, was the most likely scenario, because look where we are now. The manager cut me off as soon as I started.
"The contract, confidential information, and details from our meeting today- she stole them and leaked them to Kang from KD, who had a meeting with your assistant manager," he gestured to the man next to Dr. Kang, "This very afternoon!"

One of Kang's eyebrows shot up and I saw him glance at me a few times. I looked around the room, and saw the whole crowd from the morning present, including the boy group, HighTen, looking bored and chatting in the back. Except Gunho, whose body language screamed bored but his razor sharp eyes trained on me like a hawk. My knees were feeling weak and wobbly (I'm not the fittest person, to say the least).
"I- I don't even..." I mustered any courage I had scraps of to stand up straight and stop stuttering.
I walked up to the manager in two or three long strides, stared him in the eye, and-