Guilty Pleasures || Taegikook

Chapter Fifteen 🔥

Thumbing through the magazine that was delivered to his office earlier in the day, Taehyung finally comes to the page he was looking for.

He was told several months ago and had sort of forgotten about it, but he'd been named as one of Korea's Forty Under Forty; a list that is compiled by a national magazine that carefully puts together a list of individuals which include a wide array of people.

Anyone from influential film stars and idols to C.E.Os, doctors and scientists.

Even select social media influencers are considered in some cases.

Whoever the editors or publishers are that put the list together deems someone, after doing a little research as an individual who has made an impact on the economy, benefitted. and slash or bettered the country as a whole with their successes in their niche professions- as well as under the age of forty of course- can be considered for the list.

When he comes to the page with his picture and the excerpt on who he is, what he has done for the country along with his company, he's a little hesitant to read it.

(The magazine swears the list isn't in a particular order, isn't meant to rank them according to importance, success or impact, but it's still difficult not to view it that way.

Especially when they're all numbered from forty down to number one.)

The way Taehyung sees things, a small percentage of how well their company does is because of him so it's a little dispiriting that he alone is the one who has gotten highlighted.

There are much brighter people who do much harder things than flash a smile, go to meetings and sign off on paperwork and checks, but they aren't mentioned.

Like his partner for example. His hyung.

He is only one year older than Taehyung, which makes him well under forty, yet he is not on the list.

He's barely even mentioned in the article at all except a measly sentence about how he works along side Taehyung to head up the company.

He feels bad about that.

This is the second year in a row Taehyung has been named on this list and both times he has felt bad.

He wants everyone to feel appreciated for what they do. To feel recognized.

"I'll have to make sure to take hyung to dinner or something... Have an employee appreciation day too," he mumbles, still eyeing the article over his glass as he takes a slow sip.

He notices that he is number three on the list so he continues to turn the pages, just out of curiosity, to see who has been named as number two as well as one.

Number two is a beautiful woman one year younger than Taehyung.

She is a pharmaceutical scientist her article says and she has already made a big impact in the world of cancer treatments.

Her name sounds familiar to him. One he is sure he has heard spoken before.

Cancer research as well as treatments are things Taehyung holds very close to his heart. Something he has seen the importance of up close so he was immediately very interested to read more about her.

He learns that her work to improve the treatments provided to people, mainly adults, diagnosed with various cancer diagnosis, he becomes more and more fascinated to see who could be number one.

The things this scientist has accomplished– the impact she has made– are so astronomically beneficial for such a wide variety of people.

Taehyung knows that what their company does is also important and inspires hope and joy in many people's lives, but he still feels a bit miniscule compared to her.