Untitled, 2018

Chapter 67: In Our Hands

Riti
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Or were they? Now there's the type of person that mopes around and does nothing. And then, there's me.

This had nothing to do with me; not by a long shot. This was a company issue and a PR nightmare. But what was I supposed to do? Sit around and pity everyone involved?

I was planning on doing just that, until a stark image of Jimin's upset face appeared in my head, and I dramatically sank into my bed in the afternoon. My poor baby. This was EXACTLY WHAT I'D BEEN TRYING TO AVOID. Even before I'd felt about Jimin the way I did now... I'd tried to save his reputation from that slimy b**ch, but now here we were.

I went out to stress eat food, and got a quick text from Jungkook: Being watched by managers, Jimin not allowed to leave dorms or company now. Phones being confiscated. Jimin is ok.

Ugh, he must be feeling terrible, blaming himself, sulking about his decisions. I can't sit and just do nothing. I can't see him this tortured.

I messaged Gunho right away: "Can we talk about this in person."
He said he could meet me at a café by the company building. I took a cab there right away, and saw him tucked in the corner of the little establishment. He looked stressed himself, but I figured it was his conscience working overtime, not any trouble he was in. Regardless, I asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm in a pathetic company around pathetic, manipulative people. My mother would be ashamed to know I work for people like this. So no, I'm not okay."
I sighed and shook my head. "It's not your fault."
"It's not yours either."
"If I'd told him earlier... maybe..."
"Nah. I think this has been going on for a while. 4Ever's head manager found out about it a while ago, and I think they've been planning it since."
"Seriously?! That's awful..."
"I know."

We stared at each other, sulking. Slowly I said, "So... what should we do?"
"What can we do?"
"Does your CEO have dirt? We could blackmail him?"
"That's illegal!"
"What if we temporarily kidnapped him? Or... stole his laptop and deleted the files in there?"
"You absolute crackhead. First of all, I'm not even going to address how illegal and wrong the crimes you just mentioned are. And second of all, they backed up all the photos with every executive, or they're stupid."

"Are the photos nudes or something...?"
Gunho shook his head. "They wouldn't leak their own group's nudes... they just want the power of being associated to BTS."
I sighed in relief.

"Agh! Jihun knew. He knew and thought nothing wrong about it and never told me anything. Can you imagine?"
"Are you guys still... friends?"
Gunho stroked his chin, looking troubled but firm. "I can't keep being friends with him. I have a dream I want to follow. I'm at the point where I have to choose between them, and I choose myself and my dream to work on. Wouldn't you be the same?"

I thought of Jimin. Despite what I'd wanted, he couldn't just wait for me once I went back. We had our lives to live, our dreams to follow, huh? There was room for each other in our hearts but not our lives? "I would do that too. That's why I'm going back, after all."
"You're going back? Back where?"
"Back home to the US. In two weeks."
"So soon? Wow," he thought for a moment. "I'm actually pretty sad. You've been a good person to rely on, even if we didn't start off on the right foot."

I smiled. Gunho was a sweeter guy than I had imagined him to be at first. "Thanks for telling me about this. And I'm sorry I didn't ask you for your autograph at the laundromat."

He laughed. "Of course I would tell you right away. We're friends now, aren't we?"
I grinned and nodded.

We chatted for a bit more before nightfall, and headed back to our homes.