Incredibly Unlikeable ; taejin

The Office

The office is a place where people do their best to excel for favors, benefits but mostly promotions. Graduating cum laude wasn't an accident nor did I breeze through colleges like most proclaimed 'prodigies' did. I studied hard, more extraneously than most because I dreamt that one day I'd get a high enough paying job at a company to support myself and my elderly parents.

As close as I am to my goal, it was an impossibility with the presence of one man.

It was a regular day in the Whalien Advertising Agency, with the everyday rush of product presentations, client meetings and last-minute product order additions. By now, the chaos was mundane to the point that online scrabble was more interesting than Namjoon falling on his face for the nth time today.

"Tae, I bet you 500 won that he'll fall again," Jimin said, nudging his head in the direction of Namjoon who was getting back to his feet. I gave him a look of disapproval before returning my attention to the again, very interesting online scrabble game.

From my peripheral vision, I saw Jimin pout and cross his arms muttering the usual 'you're no fun!' before getting back to eating his take away breakfast.

"If Mr. Taehyung won't bet, I will!" the appearance of another made Jimin stand from his seat, "I'll double it if he doesn't fall," the proposition earning a glimmer in Jimin's eyes because he knew that Namjoon would surely—thud.

"Ha, I win!" Jimin explained, grabbing the 1000 won from the other man's grasps. The smaller man pocketed the cash and sat back down, satisfied to have gotten what he wanted.

"Man, your friend's good with bets," The man said, the question directed at me to which I could only shrug.

"You know how panicked Joon gets with orders," I replied, eyes focused on my phone screen, "I don't think betting on someone tripping and possibly getting hurt is fun at all, right Mr. Jin?"

Jin raised his hands up in defense, "Woah there, you're a little uptight don't you think?"

I was about to retort when Namjoon approached them, grinning at Jimin who was waving his earnings at him, "So how much did we earn this time?" he chuckled, Jimin quick to hand him half of the cash he just got from Jin.

I was taken aback by the exchange, pursing my lips together and then glaring up at Jin who shrugged, "They pull this trick sometimes," he explained, "The higher ups think Namjoon falls over a lot by himself but frankly, he's very light on his feet so don't be swayed so easily."

I rolled my eyes at that, "You act like you've been here for years."

"And you act like you've been here a month," Jin countered.

"Well, I actually have been here a month!" I replied, "And in case you've forgotten, so have you!"

Jimin started to chuckle, finding entertainment in our exchange, "Taehyung, you should relax," he said, then walking over to the pantry counter to pour himself some coffee, "There's gossip spreading that you're a big grouch."

"Like I care about a petty thing like that," I scoff, shifting from my seat. It was unpleasant to hear that people thought he was a 'grouch' but that isn't something he could control.

"You should," Namjoon replied, taking Jimin's lunchbox and eating what's left of it, "The admin like well, 'likeable' people. Those kinds of people get promoted faster like our head officer Park Jimin here."

Jimin puffed his chest up and smiled proudly, "Yes I am both likeable and very handsome," he said, earning a snort from Jin who got a feigned punch to the stomach, "Tease me again and I'll punch you for real Mr. Jin!" he threatened the other who only backed away, muttering a soft 'yes sir' as he did.

"Jokes aside Tae," Jimin said as he grabbed his now empty lunchbox from Namjoon, the mood of the room mellowing down, "You should learn to loosen up a little like Jin here for example," he gestured to the man now leaning by the doorframe of the pantry, "He's not only handsome and smart like you, he's also funny and yep," he nodded, "Incredibly likeable."

"If you want to be get promoted and get more clients, try following his example," Jimin said, "After all, he's your only competition."

Only competition huh?

"Mr. Jimin that's too much of a compliment," Jin pretends to gush, "I might have to treat you to lunch again today!"

The scream and buzzling conversation the trio had turned into background noise for me as I stared at my phone screen that had a big red 'YOU LOSE' flashed on it. It seems I've lost my scrabble game.

God damn it, Jin.