<OST: Orbit - Hwasa>
"Okay... so what's up?"
Jungkook and Seokjin sat in one row across Jennie and Jimin later in the afternoon, back at the office.
"You both know what's up-" Seokjin pursed his lips. "We're here to discuss what's our next step."
"Fair enough," Jimin said nonchalantly. "But before we go into that... don't you think we deserve an apology?"
Seokjin leaned back in his seat, waiting for Jungkook to take over.
"Exactly-" Jungkook pursed his lips as he glanced at Jennie across the table. "I'm sorry, Jennie Kim. This is completely my fault, and I take full responsibility for it."
"Thanks for your apology," Jennie said as she nodded her head slowly. "I appreciate it... and I also accept your apology. Let's not waste any more time and get down to business right away... what would you like to do about the whole situation?"
"Why don't you say what's on your mind first...?" Jungkook bit his lower lip nervously. "Because... I'm not too sure if you're gonna like my idea."
"It's fine..." Jennie gestured towards him politely. "Let's hear you out first."
"Nah, you go ahead."
"I said it's okay, I wanna hear what you think."
"No, ladies first-"
"JK, I'm telling you to go ahead-"
"The two of you!" Seokjin exclaimed agitatedly. "Can you hurry up? We don't have all day."
"Yeah, I can't believe I'm saying this... but I agree with Seokjin-hyung-" Jimin sneered. "Can the two of you hurry up? JK-ssi, you go first."
"What are you saying?" Seokjin frowned as he glared at Jimin. "I told them to hurry up, so Jennie Kim-ssi should go first."
"What? No, JK-"
"Jennie Kim-"
"JK-"
"Jennie Kim-"
"JK-"
"Okay, cut it out!" Jungkook finally exclaimed, after covering his ears for a few whole seconds from the chaos in the meeting room. "This is a mess. We all can't agree on anything... so someone has to give in eventually. If you really wanna hear what I think first... so be it. I'll state my stance but don't get mad, alright? It's just my opinion."
"Why would I get mad?" Jennie mumbled under her breath. "I'm more worried about whether you'd like my opinion."
"What?"
"Nothing-" Jennie brushed it off. "Go ahead."
"I..." Jungkook hesitated for approximately three whole seconds. "At the press conference, I would like to tell everyone the truth of our relationship... that I'm not actually dating you, but dating Lee Jieun instead."
Jimin's jaw dropped as he turned to stare at Jungkook, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. "What? Excuse me-"
"Wait-" Jennie exclaimed in shock. "Really?"
Jungkook nodded quietly.
"This guy is crazy though," Seokjin tried to play it down. "There's no way Yang sajang-nim will ever approve of this-"
"No, but you're serious, right?" A small smile played at Jennie's lips. "So... it looks like we're on the same page, Jeon Jungkook."
"That's right, Jennie-ya..." Jimin froze as he ginally registered exactly what Jennie had just said, and he turned to glance at Jennie, looking absolutely mortified. "Wait, what the-"
"I... I had the exact same thoughts," Jennie said with a little grin. "Except... in addition to that, I'd like to tell everyone all about our relationship contract. I think the media would totally eat that news up."
Now, Jimin and Seokjin were on the same page. "What?!"
"Ooh... I didn't even think of that part-" Jungkook thought for a while, and a small smirk played at his lips. "But I like the sound of it. That's definitely an option we can toy with."
"Daebak, this is such a relief-" Jennie burst into laughter as she finally leaned back in her seat. "I didn't think that you had the same opinion as me... this is really the best case scenario right now."
"Yeah, you're right-" Jungkook smiled as he ruffled his hair. "This makes things like... a hundred times easier."
"The two of you are kidding right?" Seokjin's eyes darted rapidly between Jungkook and Jennie. "There's no way you two can be serious about this. Telling everyone you're not dating is not ideal... but still forcibly acceptable. But telling the whole world about your fake dating contract? How is that even in the picture right now! All of us need to take that secret with us to the grave... this might involve the two of your jobs, are you aware of it?"
"Jennie Kim!" Jimin stared daggers at Jennie, his arms crossed, his eyebrows furrowed angrily. "You didn't even tell me about this!"
"You didn't ask...?" Jennie stated simply. "In the car, you just told me we were coming here to discuss our arrangements with the two of them... but you didn't ask me what exactly my plan was."
"Because I thought our plan of action is pretty obvious...?" Jimin exclaimed. "I thought you were sensible enough to know what's best for your career! I thought you knew that our only option right now is to-"
"Is to... what?" Jennie sighed loudly. "Hide this lie with yet another lie? And lie again and again? When exactly are the lies going to stop, oppa? It feels like most of my career has been founded on a whole web of lies."
"So... you're serious then?" Jimin scoffed. "You're gonna tell everyone the truth?"
"Yeah."
"And watch your career fall to pieces before your very eyes? Sounds like a great plan."
"Can you not sound so cynical?" Jennie clucked her tongue agitatedly. "I know what I'm in for, oppa. I'm just saying... that this is what I've decided on after deliberating on it all morning."
"Jennie Kim-"
"Well, I'm in," Jungkook said simply. "A 100 percent."
"You're in..." Jennie thought for a while. "But what did Jieun-unnie say about this? Is she in too?"
"She..." Jungkook hesitated. "She trusts me."
"She'll possibly become the one bearing the brunt of all this..." Jennie reflected. "I may say I want to tell the truth, but this isn't just my decision - it concerns other people's lives too. I don't just need you to be for it a 100 percent... I also need Jieun-unnie to be for it a 100 percent too."
"You're right..." Jungkook pursed his lips. "She's still thinking about it, so I guess I'll have to persuade her."
"Ya-" Seokjin nudged Jungkook. "I haven't approved of this yet, Jeon Jungkook- Don't forget, I may just be your manager but I do have a say in this too-"
"But what about your boy?" Jungkook completely ignored Seokjin, directing his next question to Jennie once more. "Did he agree too?"
"What boy?" Jimin's eyes darted from Jungkook to Jennie quickly. "Jennie, what boy-"
"He likes the idea as well..." Jennie hesitated before completing her sentence. "Other than the part of me getting attacked... he probably won't like that."
"I guess you'll have more persuading to do as well, then-" Jungkook shrugged. "We both do."
"We'll talk again tomorrow then," Jennie said nonchalantly as she got to her feet. "In the meantime... take care."
"You too."
Jimin chased after Jennie as she left the room.
-•-•-
"How's everything going, Hyejin-ssi?"
"Give me two more seconds... done." Hyejin finally sat back in her seat, taking her hands away from her keyboard and letting out a deep sigh. "Ah, that was stressful."
"Good job-" Chungha reached out a hand and Hyejin gave her a high five. "You did well, Hyejin-ssi. Your writing has improved so much that hardly any editing was even necessary."
"Ah..." Hyejin smiled a little as she rubbed the back of her neck bashfully. "Thank you, sunbae-nim."
"Come on now," Chungha said as he looked around the office. "Let's go downstairs and help Hoseok-oppa deal with the reporters."
Hyejin followed Chungha down to the first floor, where a huge crowd of reporters were already gathered. It wasn't long before they exited the door that they found themselves stuck in the middle of a chaotic mess.
"Kim Namjoon bujang! Kim Namjoon-ssi! We know you're inside there! You're the CEO of this news company, aren't you? What do you have to say about your employee, Lee Jieun-ssi?"
"Kim Namjoon-ssi! Lee Jieun is a reporter at your company, am I right? What does a reporter like her have anything to do with Jeon Jungkook? Is it true that you sent her to his side as a spy? Are all the rumours true?"
"Please stop it!" Chungha yelled at the top of her lungs, as she jostled amongst the reporters, trying to find Hoseok as fast as possible. "We already told you that we have no comment on this matter. Please leave us alone!"
But her voice was drowned out by the dozens of crazy reporters dying to get information.
"Excuse me, Kim Namjoon-ssi! Can you give us a comment on the relationship between Jeon Jungkook and Lee Jieun, please? Are they dating? And if they are... what is their relationship with Jennie Kim like? Are they all on amicable terms? Did Jennie and JK break up recently? What's going on?"
"Kim Namjoon bujang! On one hand, Lee Jieun-ssi has a background of reporting, but yet she's currently working as Jennie Kim-ssi's makeup artist... Can you please comment on that?"
"Cut it out!" Hoseok yelled as he finally spotted Chungha, reached out and grabbed hold of her hand. "And can everyone stop pushing?! Someone's eventually gonna get hurt!"
Chungha smiled as she heaved a sigh of relief upon finding Hoseok.
But no one stopped yelling, and no one stopped shoving.
"Kim Namjoon-ssi, please come down right now!"
"Kim Namjoon-nim!"
"Kim Namjoon bujang, please give us a few words!"
"Everyone, please calm down!" Hyejin waved her arms in front of her, trying her best to shield the reporters from the entrance. "You all better leave soon, before we call the police!"
"Who even are you?" An aggressive male reporter yelled in Hyejin's face, before shoving her in the shoulders. "Get out of my way!"
Hyejin, losing her balance a little, took a step backward, trying to steady herself. Her body leaned backwards, and she instinctively swung her arms to stay upright. But then suddenly she felt a big steady hand on her back and she glanced back immediately, the moment she regained balance. And there Namjoon was, right behind her. Right beside her.
Hyejin felt a wave of relief rush over her as she cleared her throat and stood up straight at once, facing the reporters once more and immediately diving back into crowd control.
The reporters simultaneously went insane upon spotting Namjoon.
"Kim Namjoon-ssi, over here!"
"Kim Namjoon bujang-nim! Please give us a few words! We've been waiting for you all day!"
"Kim Namjoon-ssi! You're a reporter just like us, you own a news company too, so you should know how much this information means to us... Everyone wants answers too, could you kindly give us what we need? Then we'll all back off!"
"Kim Namjoon-ssi!"
"Kim Namjoon-"
"Everyone, shh-" Namjoon finally spoke and just like magic, Namjoon's words were enough to command every single person shut up and listen. "Please stop shoving. I want everyone to calm down, take a step back and listen to me, thank you."
The reporters eventually did what they were told and finally, Hoseok and Chungha, who were trapped amongst them, could finally breathe again.
"Thank you, thank you-" Namjoon continued when everyone had finally calmed down a whole lot. "Thank you for listening to my words... I can now begin. First and foremost, I am Kim Namjoon, CEO of KNJ News. I would like to apologise for not being able to be down here with everyone sooner. All day, I had been sitting in my office, watching all of you jostle from up there, as I attended to all the matters in light of the news this morning. To all of you reporters who have been working hard all day, thank you... and sorry."
Namjoon took a deep bow, and all the reporters acknowledged him each in their own awkward manner.
"Just like what one of you mentioned earlier... I, too, should know how it's like to be a reporter. And you're right, I do know. I know all about the trouble you have to go through everyday just to keep your job, stay relevant, stay on top of your game. I know full well, I know it better than anyone - because, I too, used to be one of you... before I started this company. And so... if I could, I would try to help all of you to my best ability.
"But well... it also so happens that I'm also a person who cares a lot about the people around me. Once you're under my care, whether you leave my supervision or not... you're considered by me as a friend. And that's what Lee Jieun is to me - a close friend of mine. So as a friend, I will not allow any of you to write fake articles about her, take what I say out of context and basically ruin her life. That's something I'll never, ever do.
"And so... to achieve a balance - I'll make a statement now. Please do not take whatever I say out of context, or manipulate my words to fit your narrative... because I can promise you that if any of you do something like that, I won't just sit back and watch. Now, listen closely, because I'm only saying this once for all of you. And the next time you show up outside here... I'm calling the cops on you."
The reporters scrambled to check their recording devices and pull out pens to write down whatever Namjoon had to say. Namjoon took a deep steady breath, before he began to say whatever he needed to say.
"Lee Jieun..." Namjoon hesitated, trying to make sure that all of his words were chosen correctly. "She began working with KNJ News earlier this year... in around January. She was a hardworker, a go-getter, someone whom I looked upon with a lot of favour. She was also well-liked by her peers and seniors alike. Prior to joining our company, at the interview round, I noticed that she actually graduated with a degree in Beauty & Cosmetics. So... just like many of you here, I was curious. I remember asking her, 'Jieun-ssi, why is it that you're here, wanting to join my company instead , when have a degree that specialises in makeup?'
"I still remember her response till this very day. She said, 'Bujang-nim, I know I studied something else and that makes me less qualified than someone else who holds a degree in Journalism... I love makeup, but right now... much more than wanting to become a makeup artist, I want to appear on TV one day.' I questioned her motive of wanting to join the news reporting industry simply because of wanting to appear on TV, but I saw the passion in her eyes - that burning passion... that was something I couldn't see in the eyes of anyone else in the room that day. She stood out above everyone, despite her lack of qualifications.
"Lee Jieun left our company more than a month ago. As for the reason why she left... it was simply a shift in the alignment of what she wanted... and what the job was able to provide for her. While she was still a reporter, she was one of the most passionate individuals I had ever seen in my entire career, and I'm sure many of her colleagues can agree to that. But beyond that, I am not in a position to comment. Her rest of her private life - back then up till now - will always be her own matter and not for any of us to pry. Thank you for your time, please get home safely."
A short silence ensued, before pandemonium broke loose.
"Kim Namjoon bujang-nim! But you didn't answer my question-"
"Kim Namjoon-ssi! But what about Lee Jieun and Jeon Jungkook's relationship-"
"Wait, over here! I still have so many more questions! But did you orchestrate the whole situation between Lee Jieun and Jeon Jungkook?"
"Hold on! Don't leave first, Kim Namjoon-ssi!"
"Kim Namjoon-ssi!"
"Kim Namjoon bujang!"
Upon finishing what he had to say, Namjoon was already heading back inside together with his employees to hide from the reporters. As they pushed towards him more and more aggressively, Chungha and Hoseok finally managed to shut the door on them and lock the door.
Hyejin's eyes met Namjoon's. "Any orders, bujang-nim?"
Namjoon pursed his lips.
"Call the cops, Hyejin-ssi."