BEHIND THE SCENES

chapter 115: the price to pay

"I have no idea if Jennie-ssi told you this, but I sure am-" Jungkook got to his feet and looked down at CEO Yang. "You know what, Yang sajang-nim? You're the worst boss I have ever had."

CEO Yang stared blankly at Jungkook. "Excuse me, Jeon Jungkook-ssi? I literally scheduled your comeback in a few months time and you're calling me a bad boss to my face...?"

"You see? That's your problem, sajang-nim-" Jungkook was not holding back at all this time. "You think you're all that great when in actual fact... you aren't. What's the reason for my comeback...? Money. What's the reason for sending me to a certain programme...? Money. What's the reason Jennie-ssi and I had to be in this fake contract for a year against our wishes...? Money. To us... we're no longer humans. Our opinions, our feelings, our thoughts... all that mean nothing to you - as long as you're making money through us."

"What do you mean?" CEO Yang scoffed. "Of course I care about you two - if I didn't, why do you think I chose the two of you to be the fake couple? I could have chosen so many others... but I chose you."

"Oh, really?" Jungkook let out a quiet snort. "You care about us? Then why do our opinions about certain issues related to us never matter to you? Why do we have no social media freedom? Why does everything we want to do have to go through your approval?"

"Well... isn't that what a boss is for?"

"A boss is meant to be a guide, a good leader, someone whom we trusted with our entire future-" Jungkook huffed. "But you tricked us in here, just like every other company, promising us that we'll have freedom here - unlike every other company. I have been complying to you for too long... I'm sick and tired."

"Oh, so you're rebelling now?" CEO Yang scoffed. "Is that what you're saying now, JK-ssi? Think wisely - that entire career of yours... it was sculpted by me. I was the one who single-handedly got you all the popularity you had today - be it the fake dating scandal, or crafting the concept you now have, to your stage name... Everything you have was made possible by me... are you really going against me now?"

"See? Till the very end, you only see me as a tool-" Jungkook scoffed. "If I were in your position, I wouldn't think the same. This artist... standing before me, wrote every single piece of music he put out for the past few years. His debut was only made possible with his own skills... he barely got even a decent budget for his debut music video... and yet, you still dare to take the claim for that? Just because of a stupid dating scandal...?"

"It's true though, isn't it?" CEO Yang shrugged nonchalantly. "So what if you self-produce? You were flopping before the dating scandal, let's be honest. If not for me, you would have continued flopping for the rest of your career, or even for the rest of your life. Jeon Jungkook, I practically am your life saviour."

Jungkook shook his head in utter disgust. "That's it. I've made up my mind."

"You've made up your mind?" CEO Yang laughed mockingly. "Made up your mind about what? Leaving the company...? Jeon Jungkook-ssi, you're not gonna last long the moment you leave. It's like... getting one of your wings cut off."

"No, it's you whose getting your wings cut off-" Jungkook smirked. "And it's not just one of your wings, but both - because if I asked, I'm sure Jennie would love to do the same."

The smug smile on CEO Yang's face faded at once.

"You know-" Jungkook leaned against CEO Yang's desk, looking him closely in the face. "If Jennie and I leave the company at the same time, you're done for, Yang sajang-nim. We're two of your biggest money-making engines... if we're gone, your stocks will fall. Not only that - I'm actually contemplating telling the whole world about your deeds."

"W-What deeds?"

"What deeds...?" Jungkook chuckled and winked at his own boss. "You know what deeds I'm talking about. Hm... I wonder what people will think when they find out Jennie Kim and I have a fake relationship... and that the whole plan was crafted by you and that Jennie and I were forced into it against our wishes."

"N-No one will believe you-" CEO Yang stammered, whilst still trying to maintain a straight face. "No one will believe your words. T-There's no evidence! This happened almost a year ago, so there's no way you can persuade anyone about the fact that I coerced you into doing so-"

"Well-" Jungkook grinned as he pulled a small recording device out of his pocket and waved it in CEO Yang's face. "I have the evidence in hand now, so where do we go from here...?"

CEO Yang's face went pale as he tried to snatch the recording device from Jungkook's hands, but Jungkook was one step ahead. He took a swift step backwards and slipped the device back into his pocket with a knowing smile.

"You- You can't do that!" CEO Yang yelled, his face now red in anger. "The contract says you can't do that! The fine of breaching the contract is 200 million won... where are you going to get that money, huh?"

"Good point-" Jungkook shrugged as he flashed CEO Yang a nonchalant grin. "But I'll guess I'll just have to figure that out when the day comes."

"You crazy bastard..."

"You make my head swell, Yang sajang-nim."

"You- You-" CEO Yang seethed with anger, his fists balled by his sides. "Do you know that this is blackmail?"

"Oh, is that so?" Jungkook acted shocked for a few seconds. "Funny how you resort to all kinds of things but blackmail is where you draw the line. By the way, this is not blackmail, Yang sajang-nim. I'm just giving you an offer."

"What offer...?"

Jungkook grinned. "An offer to be nice. Not to pretend to be nice, like you always have - but to actually treat us like humans. Return us our freedom, respect us like human beings... and in turn, we'll learn how yo respect you too. Of course, this doesn't apply to just Jennie-ssi and I, but to the rest of your artists and trainees too. It isn't hard, is it? Or is it hard for someone like you, who has long forgotten how to be a decent human...?"

"You rude bast-"

"Let's start with not swearing, alright?" Jungkook winked in CEO Yang's direction as he backed towards the door, waving the recording device in his hands gleefully. "Think my offer through wisely, Yang sajang-nim. I hope to hear from you soon... or Jennie Kim and I will be leaving the company and we'll make sure that things will not be easy for you at all. Of course, monetary-wise, it won't be easy for us either... but the bigger the problem, the bigger price we have to pay to rectify it, am I right? Have a good afternoon, sajang-nim. I'll send you the draft of my last song when I'm done."

Jungkook left the room, grinning from ear to ear, feeling the best he had ever felt in a long time.