"Thank you all for coming, on such short notice as well." CEO Kimmy jabs a forefinger at his chin, letting the silence descend on us all.
Jamais vu hits me across the forehead. I know we've been here before—a meeting with the Fates and the members of BTS. At the same time, it's so unfamiliar that I'm questioning whether I'm genuinely awake and in reality.
"I know these last few days have been rough on everyone here," CEO Kimmy says. "And I have to apologize. I approved of that footage being released, not knowing the consequences and that people would take the clips out of context."
The meeting room is full just like before, and even though there's plenty of space surrounding the table, it feels as though the walls are gradually closing in on us. I'm in high school again—those five boys can barge in at any time. Even with the stunning brightness of the room—the sky cutting into half my range of vision—it feels as though I'm hiding in the bathroom stall. The only things keeping me here are a few grounding techniques, grasping the corner of the table and focusing on the combined scents of the BTS members' cologne. It sounds creepy, until the only thing that's tying me away from the past torment is bergamot and sandalwood.
Silence stretches for about twenty more seconds—counting them is another thing keeping me sane.
"Do you have a solution we're looking towards?" Namjoon asks. He's dressed business casual today, with a dark navy dress shirt. Maybe they had an interview today.
The other members of BTS are dressed similarly, making me feel incompetent in my black tank top and sweats. Jungkook and the girls also came from dance practice, which was a painful couple of hours as I tried to ignore what's been happening online. Jungkook is most likely used to scandal and hate, but even he seemed a bit affected. Or maybe the girls and I were rubbing off on him.
"I have a few different scenarios we can run through," CEO Kimmy says. "But first I would like to ask for all of your input."
"I think it'll pass in time," Yoongi says. "They're just rumors, and there's nothing proven just from a few seconds of silence between two adults."
Taehyung and Jimin seem to agree. Seokjin shakes his head. "Maybe we can put out a small statement."
Hoseok tilts his head back and forth, as if weighing out a few options. "Maybe a personal message from all of the members."
Nabi and Jesstina put their two cents in, backing Hoseok's idea. Even Jungkook adds in a small grunt of acquiescence. Namjoon turns toward me, his presence suddenly densifying the air. "What about you, Karma?"
The first person I notice who turns toward me next is Jungkook. Once his attention is on me, I can barely notice anything else.
And that anger—the heat that I tried to bury that first month when he joined the Fates, comes rushing into my chest, blooming out off my tongue.
"I think the answer is clear," I say, ebbing into dizziness. "Jungkook and I need to break up."
A/N: Do you think Karma's right for this? Is it drastic or reasonable?
It's so fun to write these OT7 scenes. I wonder how they're able to hear everyone equally during a meeting like this one.