𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄(𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒)

kys

I've never been a conference room. A legitimate one. One with a giant screen at the center of the wall, surveillance cameras, one with a stretched out table with enough seats to fit over 30 people. Clear glass panels surrounding the room, the view of a working office outside while the men and women on the top of the corporate food chain converse in this single space, their decisions outweighing anything that the outsiders could ever make.

I was nervous, scared of what the verdict would be. I was standing in front of a ton of people, groomed and prepped for a serious business meeting that could probably effect their careers. On that could effect my ever so short one.

Even with Taehyung and Jungkook by my side, I felt alone.

As if all eyes were on me.

And by observation, they most definitely were. I was the center of attention and in these circumstances, that isn't a good thing.

These people were all talking around me, using phrases and jargon I couldn't even decipher. Being in their presence made me feel small. Inferior. But that was probably all true. Me being inferior. I was, really. In a room filled with scholars and nepo babies.

I was just a lucky bastard of the street that was in the right place at the right time.

All these feelings, all these thoughts, they're all just abstract. I feel abstract. Only existing in thought but not having a physical or concrete existence.

"The way I'd rather kill myself than do that." Taehyung said, looking down at the people in the room with a vicious gaze, asserting his dominance and making his voice heard.

"The way I hope you're serious." Mr Namjoon said, rolling his eyes. He sat at the end of the table, looking like the center of it all. Because that was him, the boss, the head.

"I beg, please don't do that." I said, arms crossed and looking despondent.

"I would like to make a statement." Jungkook said, trying to be as obedient as he could be without stepping out of line. "This isn't a courtroom, young man. Please share with us your thoughts." A woman at the side of the table smiled at him genuinely, calming his heart.

"Thank you, miss." Jungkook bowed.

"Ma'am." Some man beside her glared at him, making Jungkook look at her left hand and catch a glimpse of the ring that was on her 4th finger. Jungkook gasped in realization, bowing with 2 times the speed he did before.

"I am so sorry ma'am. You look so youthful and prepossessing, I didn't even think of the idea of you being married. What a lucky man to be married to such a beauty." Jungkook said, making the woman giggle.

The man beside her cleared his throat rather loudly.

"Yes, indeed I am."

"Oh so you married for money, ma'am?" Taehyung said, his brow raised and his hip pointing out as he stood in his sassy man pose, arms crossed.

The woman chuckled awkwardly.

"Don't blow my cover now." She joked, making a few of her co-workers laugh.

Her husband however...

"Mr Kim, please reconsider giving these boys a platform. They are untrained, flirtatious and extremely ill-mannered. The older demographic will not be pleased with these type of representatives for their children."

Hearing that made me snap back to reality. It was such a well-conspired insult, but it seemed to hit me harder than the average, "Go fuck a bush, you hippie", insults I'd get in the past. This man targeted every single negative aspect of Jungkook and Taehyung and made it personal.

These types of people are the worst.

"He's just asking why would such a gorgeous woman marry a man of your...caliber?" Jungkook said, unsure of himself.

"Caliber meaning you're literally horrendous, which one of her parents are you keeping in your basement?" Taehyung asked, making the man smirk.

"Do you see Mr Kim. No class, no respect for their elders. It's clear as day to me that this is a bad bunch. A waste of product if I can even say such a dehumanizing thing. I vote we stop this project and scout new models. Models who would appreciate the opportunity to-"

"I'm sorry mister, but you are taking these lukwarm insult way too far."

"Excuse me, boy?"

"We defended ourselves. Anyone with common sense and self-respect would understand that we were put in a situation that not only pushed us into a corner, but challenged our judgement. And even though we might have chosen the wrong way to defend ourselves, we are young, we are impulsive and sometimes decisions we make aren't always the best. We are literal children, and you are a literal adult mocking and teasing us. No matter the way you do it. Teaching children to defend themselves is important, but we are children too, you can't expect us to teach children when we ourselves need teaching as well."

"Speak for yourself, I'm taught." Taehyung said.

"Hush." Jungkook slightly pushed Tae, his eyes focused on me.

"Like I was saying, you can't expect us to act like adults when we aren't. All your other models are well over the age of 20. That might just be a hop and skip away from 17, which I am, but the maturity of adults way exceeds that of a child, or a teenager in most cases. I ask you to please forgive us, but what I also ask is for you to give us the freedom to express ourselves, be ourselves. We want to be able to spread messages like that."

The room fell silent, the adults all looking at me with expressions I couldn't seem to identify.

"That was beautif-" The married woman wanted to say but her husband interrupted her.

"A waste of time I'd say. You as a model should be able to adapt a more mature mindset for the sake of your fellow people. It is not only your responsibility, but your duty. Mr Kim can you please-"

"That's about enough out of you Mr Barlow." Mr Namjoon said, leaning into his chair.

"Last night I took it upon myself to go though some research, regarding the current crisis. It seems that the popularity of these 'wastes of product' as you call them, have been catching a lot of attention from not only here in Korea, but nationwide. How? I couldn't give you a clear answer. The algorithm and the minds of the youth are all beyond me. My only job is to make major corporate decisions, manage the overall operations and resources of my company, act as the main point of communication between the board of directors and corporate operations. And the way I see it, these three have benefited my company greatly."

That caught my attention.

"S-so what are you saying, Mr Namjoon?" I spoke, hesitant.

"I'm saying, your positions as this companies models is no longer in jeopardy. You'll be doing more interviews, more shoots, more of everything. Good luck to you three. May you bring our company even more success." He smiled, the people around him slightly clapping at us, the married man glaring at us through the many hands that were applauding us.

Mr Namjoon.

He's a textbook psychopath.

-

NEXT CHAPTER:
not released yet*