Untitled, 2018

Part 30: Fired

My vision started blurring with big hot tears. I sucked in my breath and they wavered at bay.

"I get it. I'm not going to make excuses. It was my fault for letting it get that bad. I understand if you have to fire me," I said through my ugly-crying. I got up and grabbed the camera equipment. "Please give me like a week though, flight deals are rough to find. I think my counselor is in her office right now and their hours end soon so I need to call her."
I started sobbing, and pulled my phone up to my face to see because my contacts were blurring with tears. I had to get away or I was going to completely break down in front of Kang.

"Riti, what are you doing?" I heard his strained voice behind me.
"C-calling. Calling the counselor. Or airline company. Or mom."
I heard him sigh loudly. "Child, I'm not going to fire you."
I turned to look at him, wiping at my face with my forearm. "You're not? Aren't you angry at me?"
He looked angry.
"No! You're a freshman and good at what you do, why would I fire you?" He scowled. "I am angry, though. I'm angry that you didn't immediately tell me or report it to authorities. What were you thinking- you'd find a needle in a haystack? Is that how you deal with bullies?"
I sniffed loudly, holding back sobs, and nodded my head truthfully. "Yes."
Kang breathed out hard, frustrated. He pulled me to the couch by the camera equipment I was holding, and told me to sit down while he went and found some water or something. He even pushed a nice handkerchief into my hand before scrambling away behind me. "Let me bring you some water."

He wasn't gone 30 seconds that I heard another pair of footsteps run up to me. Thankfully, the rest of the hallway was rather empty. People were leaving through the other end, and paid no heed to ours.

As he got closer, I heard Jimin breathe out a worried, "Are you okay?" I waited for him to round the couch and sit next to me, before looking at him and bursting into sobs, immediately covering my face. He hesitated a little before patting my back, and then when I didn't respond, he just pulled me and my arms into a hug. His chest momentarily distracted me, and I melted into his arms, pouring out the tension I was under that day.
"You didn't get fired, right?" He said hesitantly.
I sniffled loudly and said between sobs, "No... I'm charming like that."
"Oh my god." He sighed, and probably rolled his eyes. After a couple of minutes, I pulled myself together with a Shut up and stop crying, bitch. 

Jimin let me go and gazed at me with pity in his eyes. I almost laughed.
"That was the dumbest thing I've ever done. And that's saying a lot, for me."
He looked at me a little angrily too. "Agreed."
When he saw how crestfallen I looked, his gaze softened and he whispered, "But that was also pretty badass."
I paused and blinked. Snorting sarcastically, I said, "You're crazy."
He looked fake offended. "Me? I'm crazy? Have you met yourself?"
I rolled my eyes. "I know, I know. I'm a dumbass."
He stood up, brushing himself off. "No, you're more of a firecracker."
It took me a moment to figure out what he was saying in Korean, but by the time I could react, he was getting ready to leave. "I need to drop a friend off now. This was really scary, but I figured you weren't getting fired. And you'll be fine– I trust you, so I'll leave now."

I laughed,  "Ah, right, your friend."
He froze for a moment, but then gave a small fake smile. But I caught that second of hesitance. Hmm?
"You got me there."
I smiled sadly, and wiped my puffy eyes. Before he disappeared around the corner, I yelled out to him, "Hey, be careful. Or else you'll end up being the one getting fired."
He glanced over his shoulder and winked, "Don't worry, I won't. I'm charming like that."

I shook my head at him as he left and sat back down on the couch, taking in deep breaths. If there was one thing I had fun doing today, it was randomly chatting with different people in the studios, and snooping on the work they were doing while I was at it.
I had dreams to work in Media myself at some point. Hit it big, become famous making my videos, doing my stupid dances, getting everyone to laugh.